Category: technology-and-computing

I come home from Berlin and switch on my workstation to find Windows is pretty messed up. Well actually I have a hardware problem where the memory shown is only 256meg not 1024meg. But I solved that and windows was still messed up. So I decided to make the real move to Linux and not to fix Windows. I mean why bother? I booted up knoppix 3.4 to check if I could see the Hard drives ok, and sure enough I could see them. So I installed Knoppix. I expect I will document alot of experience of trying to get Linux working like windows from now on.

My todo list for linux
Thunderbird/Mozilla Mail.
Gaim.
VLC.
SMB Client sharing.
SMB Server sharing or XBMSP sharing.
Bit torrent.
CD/DVD burning.
SSH access.
External access VNC or/and Remote Desktop Protocal.
Gatos Video Capture and TV view.
FTP client for XBMC.
XMLRPC client for quick blogging.
ActiveSync replacement for PocketPC and Smartphone.

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Yep forget Apple's itunes release, allofmp3 is where its at.

yes all of mp3 is russian and may not be totally legal in other counties besides russia – but boy oh boy, the ability to pay for how much you actual download rather than per song sounds like a great idea. Specially when you consider downloading music for mobile phones, palmtops and other devices. They support the ipod with AAC Mpeg4 and tons of other formats including WMA, MP3, OGG, Flac and MPC. Check out the online encoding for even more flexability by the way there selection of music isnt bad. I found lots of trance on there but I cant test it against itunes music store because I refuse to download itunes.

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Shareaza version 2.0 is now available, the biggest and most important change is that it’s now offered under the GPL license. Slashdot covered it a while ago with comments – but I'm only just downloading it now. Will tell you how it goes over time.

Ok first up, the interface with the default skin is a little heavy but attractive and neat. Its very comparable to Winamp 5's default interface. A nicer skin is needed soon. Anyway how does it work? Well it picks up my Bit torrents nicely, read them from clipboards or when i click the file in windows. Opera should be able to send the torrent if i set it up correctly. Thank someone, because the bit torrent downloader is actually good and comparable with Torrent storm which I use to use. Downloaded something quite big very quickly last night. Not really logged on to G2 yet, but might do tonight see how it compares to the plain gnutella network.

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Miles ask me why am I reinstalling WIndows? Is there anything I couldnt do in Linux which I can in Windows? I mentioned a few things like Outlook to talk to my pocketpc and smartphone using Activesync. Lack of ATI all in wonder multimedia drivers as I use my workstation as a PVR. Miles did a Google search string: ati+all+in+wonder+linux+driver and found Gatos. So I really didnt have a leg to stand on.

So Saturday daytime I installed Knoppix on a spare partition using the knx2hd method. But quickly realised that I needed to change the boot process otherwise I wont beable to load linux. Kind of like how I had BeOS a while ago, sitting on a hard drive with no way to boot into it. I browsed around and saw people suggesting a boot floppy but that wasnt good enough. I dont have a floppy drive no longer! So I finally reinstalled knoppix again and this time over writ the master boot record with lilo rather than using windows own booter. And once I uncommented a few lines had a boot option for Windows XP. So these complex guides are overkill.

I'm quite happy with my dual booting GNU/Linux and Windows XP system. Specially when I fixed (with miles help) the network connectivity myself. Just need to install all the usb devices like the pocketpc and card reader then sort out the drivers for the ATI card. And i'm away and laughing… Less Windows usage just around the corner hopefully.

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At long last I've installed Debian complete with GUI by cheating. I ran Knoppix 3.4 and installed it to the hard drive of my spare machine today. This guide is great for anyone whos in the same position. All the other guides I saw were aimed at Knoppix 3.3 and 3.2, which I could have done but this is nicer. Next step for me will be installing Synergy so I can have one decent mouse and keyboard. Oh and I need to setup user accounts and all that.
Knoppix found almost everything including the firewire, soundblaster and usb's. Dont know if it picked up the multiple video capture cards though.

Ok so after the last few hours messing around the debian box, I'm glad to say I havent broken it yet. I'm learning the pain and joy of apt-get and sudo with the source.list.
I couldnt get the synergy client working at all. some fatal error = Cserver.cpp.102: unknown screen name 'Knoppix'. Anyway I've moved on to installing mythtv, freevo and VLC.

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Got myself a copy of Windows media player 10. Lots more information here. And I will write a longer account once I get around to installing it. Lots of interesting information from a interview with Bill gates and Microsoft was available in digital home this month. But microsoft-watch has the highlights.
There are some screen shots of Windows media player 10 here

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I've been downloading the screensavers episodes from bit torrent recently, then watching them on my ipaq into work. Anyway I was watching this episode and came across Sarah's Download of the day – Synergy.

I think this animation explains it all.

I cant wait to see it working on my Windows XP Pro workstation and GNU/Linux Debian test box. Will have to take a photo because my monitors are on different sides of the desk.

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Guys in the BBC saw a arcticle in the latest Wired about the OQO. Havent checked it out for a while, interesting to see there now using a built in keyboard with a 5 inch screen, use to be 4 inch and no keyboard. Shame there still using USB 2 and no 802.11g. Che found more upto date info on TechTV. And of course theres lots of photos on the OQO site.

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Need to keep an eye on this for my debian box, because this will make my life so much easier when trying to work out where things are in Debian.

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Birch dropped me this small article from a local newspaper near him in Minneapolis. Its basicly about Munich's problems with opensourve software and how Microsoft's Steve Ballmer is enjoying the fact there having problems. He makes the point that governments who change for political reasons are free to do so. While those who choose the software for business reasons stick with Microsoft. I'm not quite buying it, but we shall see as more and more governments make these critial decisions.

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Oh this is nice, this is really really nice… Oh what would it be like to program applications to take advantage of 3D?
Project Looking Glass Demo
Theres a lack of any detail on the website and datasheet, but the demo says it all I believe.

I have to agree with others that even though it looks good, I dont know how useful it will be 2, 4, 6, 12 months down the line? Makes me wonder is this java3D what Sun were talking about ages ago? Thanks for the link kartika…

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I was trying to explain to a friend of mine why I'm switching to Linux or GNU when ever possible. Tried to explain some of the trusted computer outcomes. But theres nothing like pointing someone to a bias website to make up there own mind.

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