computoman

  This is for LTSP,  mainly for keeping software installed via the standard repositories up to date.  You definitely really need to be at least an intermediate linux user to accomplish this project. Ask for help from an expert if you fell uncomfortable with it. With ltsp you really have two separate file systems to update. One for the regular file system and one for the file system clients. Actually you could have several file systems to update if you are supporting more than one kind of thin client hardware. By now you should be handy enough with the command line that I do not have to put a picture of every result. Quick hint: you can ssh into your server and then cut and paste all the commands from a file or this web page. That is what I am doing now. Update the sources (where the upgrade/update files will come from). $ sudo apt-get update Do the upgrade $ sudo apt-get upgrade In some cases if you did a system upgrade instead of a clean install...

Partial installation instructions for the NSLU2 At Your own risk. This page describes the installation of a minimal ubuntu system on a Linksys NSLU2 NAS device. We bear no responsibility if you do this as you do this at your own risk to self or the equipment. Requirements USB Key (or USB disk) to attach to the NSLU2 to carry the root filesystem (connect this before starting the installation procedure) A second machine to run an ssh client on in which you execute the installation Getting the software Get the latest installer image from: http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports/dists/jaunty/main/installer-armel/current/images/ixp4xx/netboot/di-nslu2.bin Corrected: old-releases.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/jaunty/main/installer-armel/current/images/ixp4xx/netboot/ To install the image you need the upslug2 tool installed sudo apt-get install upslug2 Put your NSLU2 into upgrade mode Poweroff the device Hold down the reset button in powered down state...

Caveat emptor. Available at no charge. Should not be for production usage.  Source code available. For more information see: http://www.ubuntu.com/download/

Working on a microcontrolled audio switcher you can access from the web. Still have to add 32 audio lines.  Dear #Ubuntu . Some of us use command line only machines. so the loss of alsamixer is a reaL PAIN. Gnome-alsamixer is useless for us. Guess i will have to look for the source and compile it for the system. Or just wait and  replace u12.04 with a real linux. Recently upgraded the server to U12.04. Would have preferred to replace it with something else, but there are too many web applications to reinstall. The upgrade seemed to go well. Now that have had a chance to use the machine, there apps missing that WERE installed before the upgrade. So now if is a matter of reinstalling some programs. Like to use the system without a gui. that is everything is done from the command line. That might seem like a pain, but it really is easier. That is especially tru if you have a lot of jobs scripted as we do. Went to fire up some music to play from the serv...

Linux Mint is kind of taking of the reigns of being one of the most popular linux distros. Like installing any operating system the traditional way, you can run into roadblocks.  For example, you may not be able to burn a linux cd, the machine you want to load linux on has a broken cd/dvd rom, or a host of other reasons. What we are about to do is what is known as pxeboot networking. Another words we will use a web server to get us started with a linux install on a system. Traditionally you actually had to have several servers to do the network install. You had to modify a Dhcp (Ipaddress servers) server,  a Tftp (boot files) server, and among other systems which generally required a lot of setup and the blessing of the system administrator, I tried this with the python web server, but you have to have all the files in one directory from what I could see.  I just did not want to take the time to do it. $  python -m SimpleHTTPServer I went ahead and used the ...

The linux community has been in an uproar over the alleged Ubuntu (Canonical) joint setup with Amazon to search Amazon on local searches that could invade your privacy. ( https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/10/privacy-ubuntu-1210-amazon-ads-and-data-leaks ). Data coming back from the searches could easily be hijacked by man-in-the-middle and similar internet attacks. You would also be inundated with advertisements even with simple file searches.  What really irks the community is that if you installed Ubuntu 12.10, you were not warned and did not have an option to opt out. Most linux users believe it should be an opt-in not opt-out setup. This is pushing linux users to use other distros or variations of linux particularly Mint linux.   Ironically the Ubuntu server has had that same issue with the landscape software, so every upgrade you have to un-install it. The software known as unity-lens-shopping is in the default unity desktop interface. If you use a different desktop...

Ever not wanted a majority of software that default installs include. Here is a way to make a trimmed down desktop and then surgically install the gui applications you prefer.  During the install, un-check all options including the Desktop environment (excepting additional basic utilities if it is shown such as in a network install). We will manually install the desktop. Finish the install. The after the reboot, you will want to log in. Do not be surprised at the mouse environment missing. We are almost there.  Then you will want to do the following installs in two separate lines. $ sudo apt-get install lxde xorg Instead of adding all the video drivers, you could just do the one for your video card if you know it. $ sudo apt-get install xserver-xorg-video-all Test the install with: $ startx You should get a desktop. The next time you reboot, you should automatically come to a gui login.   Then in the gui environment, you can set up your applications much easier wi...

To be honest, I do not spend that much time on Unix history. You could probably get a better idea of the history at:  http://www.robotwisdom.com/linux/timeline.html or www.groklaw.net Android was originally very loosely based on Linux at it's start. Now who knows. What is ironic is that Microsoft according to news reports allegedly earns almost a half billion dollars each year off of Android with their alleged software patents. Not so long ago A company called SCO claimed ownership of Unix via Novell and also claimed that Linux was directly a copy of unix. That assertion was clearly rebuked by the courts. SCO now allegedly in bankruptcy still wants to assert the same argument. They are still in Court with IBM over that assertion. www.groklaw.net has all the details. See also www.eff.org . Linux was developed by Linux Torvalds who still has a great say in how linux is developed. Since it is a free as in speech operating system, many derivatives have been developed. In fact, if you ...

Most every software now a days is mouse or gui (graphical user interface) driven, but the real power comes when you can use the command line or what some people would call a dos environment. They are nothing alike. Even Microsoft, one of the biggest gui advocates is going back to the command line with MSWindows server 8 if what I am told is right.  Well, the Linux, Bsd, Unix, and other like operating systems never lost that advantage. (Note: you will need to be connect to the internet). One of the more popular variants of Linux uses a command called tasksel which can be invoked with: $ sudo tasksel What does that do for you do you ask? it allows you to install various environments with just a few keystrokes. The above command brings up a menu allowing you to choose what environment or package you want to install. This can be everything from choosing a desktop to installing a variety of servers. Package configuration     ┌───────────────────────┤ Software se...

In memoriam: oesrvr1 passed away yesterday. Even as it went through it's last clicks and thrashes, it managed to stay alive long enough for major files to be backed up. It's 15 gig drive heart of a drive finally gave out. What a trooper! Everyone who saw it's web pages today mourn for it's loss. I know I am thankful for all oesrvr1 has taught me over the years. The hard drive will leave it's parts such as the permanent magnets to science so that all will still enjoy it's life in another. oesrvr1a will take it's place of honor. Goodbye old friend... Think I originally installed Ubuntu 6.04 on the system and did in place upgrades to ubuntu 10.04.  Never ran any Microsoft windows products on it. For an old Dell GX1 Pentium II, it definitely earned it's keep and the roi (return on investment) can not be measured. Think I bought it used for twenty dollars from a local electronics store. Later, we cloned it with Clonezilla a while back, but always tr...