J » Ubuntu

Wanted on Ubuntu

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 20:19:00 +0000

I tend to use more than one monitor while working (both at work and at home) in an ‘extended’ sort of way – Xinerama is what it’s called in the X world. For me this boosts productivity, as I can easily have a document open on one screen while working on an email for instance or another. (Or while at home, do some hacking on a server while watching a movie on the other screen )

This is easily done on Windows, but so far I haven’t gotten it to work on Feisty Fawn despite visiting quite a number of threads. I don’t think that I have exhausted all options but last time I was trying to get Xinerama to work on X I had to keep restarting the entire Operating System since X windows kept crashing.

I’ll be eagerly waiting for Gutsy Gibbon coming out in October, which supposedly has a nice GUI that allows you to configure Xinerama.

Meanwhile any help is welcome on hacking this.

Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) in Kenya

Tue, 10 Apr 2007 11:35:00 +0000

These are some of the various initiatives/community efforts going on (that I know of)

Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kenyalinux/- oldest one I think?
www.lpakenya.org – recently launched Linux Professionals Association
www.osskenya.org – just recently come across it.

I wonder how many people and organisations in Kenya actually use a Linux distribution for ordinary day to day tasks.

I use Ubuntu for my personal (and non day job ) stuff but unfortunately have to use Windows at work – policies). OpenOffice for Documents, AmaroK for Music, Firefox for the web, I’m about to start on GnuCASH for my personal finances, GAIM for Yahoo,MSN,gtalk, skype for linux(no video though). List is long.

There’s lots of legal FOSS software alternatives available – have a look at this chart:

http://linux.wordpress.com/2007/04/08/why-use-software-illegally-when-you-can-use-legally/

and this website: http://www.osalt.com/

I think for a developing country like ours, more and more people and organisations need to be exposed to FOSS alternatives which will go a long way in reducing the cost of software ownership (legally that is ), while, due to the very nature of FOSS, encouraging development of custom/homemade software solutions and services.

EyeCandy on Linux! Beryl 0.2 – Ubuntu Instructions

Thu, 22 Mar 2007 11:45:00 +0000

If you thought that Vista rocks and Mac looks good.. take a look at Beryl.

Release 0.2 was released last week and I finally got it to work on Ubuntu Edgy Efty (6.10) installed on a Laptop with an Intel 9xx Graphics card and Laptop.

The instructions in summary:

Edit your /etc/apt/sources.list and add the following lines :

deb http://ubuntu.beryl-project.org edgy main
deb-src http://ubuntu.beryl-project.org edgy main

Update the list :
sudo apt-get update

And install the following packages :
sudo aptitude install beryl

This should install “recommended” packages as well as required and emerald-themes is one of the recommended packages

Navigate to Applications->System Tools->Beryl Manager

Have fun

More detailed installation instructions (e.g. automating startup) are here http://wiki.beryl-project.org/wiki/Install_Beryl_on_Ubuntu_Edgy_with_AIGLX

I also borrowed some tips from http://tnlessone.wordpress.com/2007/03/17/upgrading-to-beryl-020/

Note:I have also the 915resolution package setup on my laptop so as to ensure I get the full 1400×1050 resolution on my laptop.