ABouT TECHnology » open source

Linux Guides Collection

bpsarathy — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:03:16 +0000

Are you new to Linux? and want to learn about linux basics like How-to install, configuration, troubleshooting etc., then surly this post more helpful to you.

Collection of various e-books for Linux are listed in askvg.com. This collection gives A-Z details about Ubuntu, Fedora, OpenSUSE etc.,

Click Here to view all Linux guides collections.

Thanks to askvg.com for the wonderful collection.

More information about Ubuntu click here.

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Take Screen Shots using GIMP

DK — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 06:30:42 +0000

GIMP is a free and open source graphics editor. A perfect open source alternative for Photoshop. UBUNTU ships GIMP as their default photo editing software. GIMP is available for windows users too. Check it out here

Today’s post will guide you to use GIMP to take screen shots.

1. Open GIMP Applications > Graphics > GIMP Image Editor.

2. Navigate to File > Acquire. Then select the “Screenshot..” option.

3. Next the following window will appear with few option. Select according to your need and click “Snap” button.

4. Now your cursor will be changed into cross, after that just do a click or select the area you need in your screen shot. Your snap shot is ready.

5. Edit and save in the file format as per your need.

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Download manager and accelerator Add-on for Firefox

DK — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 10:06:00 +0000

Most of us prefer some download managers like “Internet Download Manager” when ever we used to download some stuffs from a site due its fast downloading capability.

How it will be if a Firefox Add-on provides you the above facility.

Ya DownThemAll is a download manager/accelerator Add-on for your Firefox. It features with an advanced accelerator that increases your download speed.

You can add it to your Firfox right from here

Just click the “Add to Firefox” button at the Firefox Add-ons page. It will be installed in your browser. Then you need to restart your browser to start using it.

When you click a file to download you can see an extra option “DownThemAll!” in your download window. Just select that and press ok

After verifying the location where the file to be saved, press start.

Now download window will open and starts to download.

You can also set some options like maximum concurrent download, Sound options etc.

After downloading a file you will get a cute beep.

Don’t forget to make a comment on this post.

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Connecting Net using BSNL USB modem

DK — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 12:38:00 +0000

Hi friends here is my another ubuntu how to.

I did this today morning for my friend who purchased a new BSNL USB modem (model: Huawei EC325). He asked me configure his ubuntu 8.04 for connecting net through the BSNL USB modem.

After a little bit of googling I came to know about the procedures.

Please continue reading to know the step by step procedures.

1. Go to terminal (application > accessories > terminal )

2.Then type the following line in terminal.

sudo gedit /etc/wvdial.conf

It will ask the login password give it (remember it won’t appear still you can enter the password). Then hit enter

3. Now a text editor will open the wvdial.conf file then add the following content in that file

[Modem0]
Modem=/dev/ttyUSB0
Baud=115200
SetVolume=0
Dial Command = ATDT
init1=ATZ
init2=AT+CRM=1
FlowControl= Hardware (CRTSCTS)
[Dialer BSNL]
Username=
Password=
Phone=#777
Stupid Mode= 1
Inherits = Modem0

After adding the above content.

4.Change the line Modem=/dev/ttyUSB0 to what ever your device name is, you can see the device name using following command and search in the result which appears after entering it.

dmesg

Almost all the will have name “ttyUSB0″ as device name better confirm it by giving the “dmesg” command

5.Then Enter your Username and Password which is given to you while you are purchasing the USB modem.

See the example

Username=abttech
Password=123456

After adding that username and password to that content save your file.

6.Now come back to terninal then type the below command

sudo wvdial BSNL

Hit enter. After that connection will be established. Please remember don’t close the terminal window. If you close it you will lose the connection.

7.Now open the firefox and disable the work offline option (file > work offilne)

Ya you are done enjoy using internet in Ubuntu.

If any help or suggestion please don’t forget to comment

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New KDE 4.2 desktop environment

DK — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 11:53:00 +0000

The KDE community announced a new press release, the new version of KDE (K Desktop Environment) is now avaliable for all.

The KDE 4 desktop environment ships with many packages, including web development applications, educational tools, administrative programs and more, all of which are available in over 50 languages. Everyone currently using KDE 4.1.4 is advised to update to the new version

Highlights of KDE 4.2.0:

· New and improved applets
· New system and application notifications
· Efficient and smooth window management
· New breathtaking desktop effects
· Easier configuration
· Tasks can be grouped
· File manager-like desktop powered by Plasma
· New and improved tools
· Smart creation and extraction of archives
· New and improved printer manager

KDE 4.2.0 also adds support for many new languages, such as Arabic, Basque, Icelandic, Romanian, Hebrew, Tajik and various Indian languages (Bengali India, Kannada, Gujarati, Marathi, Maithili). You can find a more detailed list of the features and enhancements in KDE 4.2 on the official webpage.

Enjoy!

For download information see here.

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Ubuntu tips: Installing .bin extension file

DK — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 06:21:00 +0000

Today’s Ubuntu (Linux) tip is “how to install .bin extension file in Ubuntu?”.

When you are trying to install some .bin extension file for your Ubuntu OS for example RealPlayer11GOLD.bin you can’t install it directly as you are doing it in windows. To install such .bin extension file you need to know some simple terminal commands, which will change the .bin file so that Ubuntu can executes it.

After downloading the .bin file move it to desktop or other folder in your Home directory.

Then open the terminal (applications > accessories > terminal)

Type the following command if have you stored the file in desktop. (Remember type all the mentioned commands in this post without quotes.)

“cd desktop”

or replace the word “desktop” in the above command with the folder name where you stored your .bin file.

Then hit enter

Type “ls” and hit enter to verify your file is present in that folder.

Next type the following important command.

“sudo chmod +x filename.bin”

In the above command change the word “filename” with name of the file which you are installing.

For example if you are installing RealPlayer11GOLD type the following command

sudo chmod +x RealPlayer11GOLD.bin”

Hit enter.

Then it will ask for password. Give your login password. It will not appear in screen when you type, so don’t get confused. Type it without any mistake.

Now the you have changed the bin file into application that can be executed by ubuntu

To execute it type the following command

“./filename.bin”

Replace the word “filename” with name of the file which you are installing.

For example:

“./RealPlayer11GOLD.bin’

Hit enter. Then it will start the installation. It will alert you when installation is over.

We have planned to give you more Linux tips in our future posts.

Please be frank to ask your doubts through comments.

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Little Android Vs Windows 7

DK — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 12:32:00 +0000

To know basics about Google’s Android click here to view our early post.

We thought Google’s Android is for mobile but, people at VentureBeat experimented Android in Asus EEEPC 1000H laptop.And got success within 4 hours

Nearly all the hardwares in Asus EEEPC 1000H laptop were running perfectly with Android

As we already mentioned in our pervious post that Microsoft is building windows 7 to work more perfectly in netbook (to view the post click here).

Now after this big step the little Android can give some tough competition for windows 7 in Microsoft’s netbook market.

Most of the technologists were expecting that we can see a netbook can run with Android OS within 2010.

I think Microsoft want to face lot of challenges in both netbook and mobile market due to Android.

Really it is great work by Google because a single product (Android) of Google is giving trouble for two products (windows 7 and windows mobile) of Microsoft.

Expecting to see more fight with Microsoft in feature !!!

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Microsoft plans to kill LINUX

DK — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 13:38:00 +0000

Already Microsoft got big worry about Linux competition in the server market. Now it continues in PCs and laptop markets too.

Yes Microsoft designs the windows7 to kill Linux market

The main threat to windows comes from “netbooks” inexpensive laptops that typically use Intel’s low-powered Atom processor.

They are mainly used for browsing and little word-processing.
The funny thing with this netbook is they can’t handle Vista so they can run only with XP. But linux really gives nice support to netbooks (thats the beauty of linux).

As a result Acer and Asustek who holds 90% of netbook market where using linux on 30% of their product. Another thing is if a netbook uses linux they will not use Microsoft office so here is double hit for Microsoft.

If a user uses linux in his netbook and after getting familiar automatically he will start using linux in desktop. Here the Microsoft get real threat

So now Microsoft building windows 7 to work well in netbooks. In a recent Professional Developers Conference Windows Senior Vice President showed Windows 7 on his Lenovo laptop and said that it used less than half of the netbook’s RAM (1GB)

By this Microsoft plans to capture the linux’s netbook market.

What do you think whether windows 7 will drop the linux’s netbook market?

Post your answers as comments.

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Basic view about open source

DK — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:16:00 +0000

Often I used to talk about ubuntu with my friends and other windows users (because i really love to spread it) first thing i used to mention is “Its an open source software and you can get it free”. After hearing this most of them reply me with the two questions one is “what is mean by open source?” and second is “how they will make money by spreading their software freely?”. Yes i know most of the us were puzzled with these things. Here is a view about open source.

What is open source?

From the name itself you can guess source is open that is all of us have rights to alter the source code (program written to build the software) of the software also we can spread it to any number of persons according to our wish. There is no copy rights problem.

To understand better just read this example

Consider corporate companies. To develop a software first they will form a team with few skilled members from their company and those members will work on the project for a certain period of time after finishing the software they will deliver it to the end user. And user have to buy the software for some amount of money. Remember for this company have to pay for the members those who are working in the development (I think most you know the pay of IT people).

On the other hand consider an open source software project. A company or a person will give the idea or core of the source code then lot of people around the world will work on it, to develop the software. Just imagine how many skilled workers will be involved in that software development the best thing from the contributors will be selected and delivered to the users. Since this involves vast number of people software can be developed within short period of time. Here community members themselves provide free research and development by contributing new solutions, features, and ideas. Interesting thing is companies no need to pay a single rupee for those who involved in the development of the software. So why can’t they provide you the free software?

Next How they will make money?

It is true that a company giving open source software will not make money directly from product which is given freely to us. But they will generate revenue by providing services like systems integration, supports, tutorials etc.

For example consider ubuntu(canonical)

I think most of us used to visit shipit.ubuntu.com instead of that visit shop.canonical.com and shop.ubuntu.com there you can understand how they are making money.

Try to use more open source softwares…….