Home » Articles by: Stefan Durand

GNU GRUB Simplified for Newbies

GNU GRUB is a boot loader package from the GNU Project. GRUB is the reference implementation of the Multiboot Specification, which allows a user to have several different operating systems on their computer at once, and to choose which one to run when the computer starts. GRUB can be used to select from different kernel images available on a particular operating system’s partitions, as well as to pass boot-time parameters to such kernels. Here is the Joydeep Bakshi’s GBUB guide that is distibuted under Open … Read more

Home » Articles by: Stefan Durand

Fedora 8 (werewolf) is ready!

Fedora 8 (werewolf) is ready!Fedora (previously named Fedora Core) is an RPM-based, general purpose Linux distribution, developed by the community-supported Fedora Project and sponsored by Red Hat. Fedora’s mission statement is: “Fedora is about the rapid progress of Free and Open Source software”.

Today latest release of Fedora 8 that is called Werewolf is announced.

Direct Download Links:

1. DVD images: i386, x86_64 (torrents), i386, x86_64 (via HTTP).
2. Gnome CD images: i386, x86_64 (torrents), i386, x86_64 (via HTTP).
3. KDE CD images: i386, x86_64 (torrents), i386, x86_64 (HTTP).

What’s new there? Here is the list…

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Home » Articles by: Stefan Durand

Home video security with Zoneminder and Ubuntu

zoneminder logoThis weekend my colleague brought to our office simple 20$ webcam. I have to say that my previous attitude to such toys was quite ambiguous. But idea to build home/office video security system based on such webcam(s) and Ubuntu changed my mind especially taking into consideration extremely low cost of end system and it’s capabilities. First of all I was interested in events replay, multiple camera zones and web interface. As it was discovered later, such system provides tons of useful features.

ubuntu logoIn this post I’ll provide you with a free-style guide on how to set up home video security system that supports above mentioned features and is based on rather cheap webcams, free as beer software ZoneMinder and Ubuntu. I used Hardy Heron Ubuntu (8.04) for the installation but this guide should also work for 8.10 (Intrepid Ibex) and Jaunty Jackalope (9.04).

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Home » Articles by: Stefan Durand

Read CHM files in Linux

CHM is the file extension for Microsoft Compiled HTML Help that is a proprietary format for online help files, developed by Microsoft and first released in 1997 as a successor to the Microsoft WinHelp format. It was first introduced with the release of Windows 98 crap.

There are three most popular tools to read CHM files in Linux: gnochm, xchm and kchmviewer.

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Home » Articles by: Stefan Durand

gOS: operating system with Google Apps

Google (featured logo)

As it comes from official site, gOS is alternative OS with for the masses. Actually it’s open source operating system that is based on Linux kernel and would be built to include Google Apps.. Wikipedia describes gOS as a Linux distribution created by gOS LLC, a Los Angeles-based corporation. The company advertises it as “An alternative OS with Google Apps and other Web 2.0 apps for the masses.”. gOS is based on the Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy Gibbon) distribution and uses the Enlightenment 17 window manager … Read more

Home » Articles by: Stefan Durand

Fun: Chuck Norris vs. Linus Torvalds

[digg-me] I’m sure everybody remembers facts on Chuck Norris, and here are Linus Torvalds facts! Look at the picture, do you see any differences, don’t you? 🙂 😉 🙂 Linus Torvalds once found a segmentation fault in the universe. Linus Torvalds can run kill -9 and kill Chuck Norris. Linus Torvalds doesn’t die, he simply returns zero. Linus Torvalds first written program had artificial intelligence. Linus can divide by zero. Linus Torvalds runs Linux on his wristwatch and toster. Linus Torvalds doesn’t receive error messages. … Read more

Categories Fun

Home » Articles by: Stefan Durand

Adjust LCD brightness from command line

As many other Ubuntu users several days ago I’ve upgraded my Feisty to Gutsy at my Dell Inspiron 1501. Unfortunately many things that worked for me in Feisty doesn’t work in Gutsy just after upgrading. Among them are: suspend/hibernate and brightness adjustment. At this moment I’m trying to get these features working and certainly share results here but not workable brightness adjustment really disturbed me. So, until I didn’t find a solution how to adjust LCD brightness with keyboard, there is nice workaround: execute the … Read more

Home » Articles by: Stefan Durand

Linux + 8*PS3 = Cluster for gravity simulation

[digg-me] A certain Gaurav Khanna from University of Massachusetts Dartmouth created computing cluster based on 8 (eight) Sony PlayStation 3 consoles that is meant to simulate gravity processes. The project is named as “PS3 Gravity Grid” and allows to model Binary Black Hole Coalescence using Perturbation Theory. Actually it’s not first case when PS3 is used as a component for cluster as it has not bad Cell Processor and it’s open platform. How do you think, what operating system manages cluster? Windows? Nope. It’s Linux. … Read more

Home » Articles by: Stefan Durand

Running Cisco Packet Tracer in Linux

Cisco (featured logo)

Packet Tracer is Cisco Network Simulation Software that is natively available for Micro$oft Windows users only. But thanks to Wine project we can use it in Linux as well. Packet Tracer is a self-paced, visual, interactive teaching and learning tool. It is designed to increase interaction between students and instructors, promote student learning, and enhance instructor presentations. This technology is a new and fun way to expand teaching and learning experiences beyond the limitations of a traditional lab environment. Packet Tracer helps resolve some common … Read more