Google Gadgets for linux
June 25, 2008
I recently try to installed google gadgets for linux in my ubuntu 8.04 machine, well it was rather hard because of the dependencies it requires. But I already found the solution for the problem. And now I am gonna tell you how to solve that.
firstly this solutions were applied for ubuntu 8.04 hardy heron and as for any other distro there may be some adjustment that you gonna have to do.
install all the library that was needed
root@jacobian-HP:/home/jacobian/Documents/google-gadgets-for-linux-0.9.3# sudo apt-get -y install libtool automake autoconf libxul-dev libghc6-mozembed-dev libcurl4-gnutls-dev libxml2-dev zlib1g-dev xulrunner libgtk2.0-dev libcairo2-dev libdbus-1-dev libdbus-glib-1-dev libgstreamer0.10-dev libgstreamer-plugins-base0.10-dev libqt4-dev build-essential spidermonkey-bin libmozjs-dev libqtwebkit-dev
after you already installed all the packages above now its time for you to download google gadgets for linux here
and then you have to compile it
root@jacobian-HP:/home/jacobian/Documents/google-gadgets-for-linux-0.9.3# ./configure –prefix=/usr
then do this
root@jacobian-HP:/home/jacobian/Documents/google-gadgets-for-linux-0.9.3# make
and finally
root@jacobian-HP:/home/jacobian/Documents/google-gadgets-for-linux-0.9.3# sudo make install
after you had succesfully installed google gadgets, you can run it by pressing alt+F2 then type ggl-gtk
then there will be a new windows that pop up. Here is the screenshot of it. But there is one problem though, I seem cannot add the gadgets as it always show the message that it is updating gadget data. I wonder why, maybe you know the solutions and have the time to tell me what I have done wrong. Well then, I am gonna try to figure out what happen. Meanwhile try to enjoy your new google gadgets for linux. 
well I already found the solution of the problem, firstly you have to run ggl-qt by pressing alt+F2 then let it load all the gadgets and then try to run ggl-gtk by pressing alt+F2. and then you will see all the gadgets like the screenshot below.
Powertop : saves your laptop battery
June 22, 2008
If you use your laptop in hotspot frequently you must have known for how much long your battery will last, well if you use this application you can know so much about your battery life and you can make better use of your battery. Not only this application tells you the amount of applications that consume your battery it can also tells you what to do to conserve your battery. So that you can extend the use of your battery life by giving you info of any applications that consumes too much power.
when using laptop try to turn off your bluetooth as it consumes too much battery life.
you can install powertop by using apt-get
jacobian@jacobian-HP:~$ sudo apt-get install powertop
[sudo] password for jacobian:
Reading package lists… Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information… Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
libflashsupport
Use ‘apt-get autoremove’ to remove them.
Suggested packages:
cpufrequtils
The following NEW packages will be installed:
powertop
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 27.1kB of archives.
After this operation, 410kB of additional disk space will be used.
Get:1 http://id.archive.ubuntu.com hardy/main powertop 1.9-2ubuntu1 [27.1kB]
Fetched 27.1kB in 1s (22.1kB/s)
Selecting previously deselected package powertop.
(Reading database … 157149 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking powertop (from …/powertop_1.9-2ubuntu1_i386.deb) …
Setting up powertop (1.9-2ubuntu1) …
and then run powertop by typing sudo powertop in your console.
playing mp3 using mplayer
June 22, 2008
When you want to play mp3 files you will likely to use amarok, banshee, rythmbox etc.
but now I just discover that I can use mplayer for playing mp3. it just simple. so I just have to type this command in my console
jacobian@jacobian-HP:~/Music/michael buble – its time$ mplayer -loop 0 home.mp3
MPlayer 1.0rc2-4.2.3 (C) 2000-2007 MPlayer Team
CPU: AMD Turion(tm) 64 X2 Mobile Technology TL-56 (Family: 15, Model: 72, Stepping: 2)
CPUflags: MMX: 1 MMX2: 1 3DNow: 1 3DNow2: 1 SSE: 1 SSE2: 1
Compiled with runtime CPU detection.
mplayer: could not connect to socket
mplayer: No such file or directory
Failed to open LIRC support. You will not be able to use your remote control.
Playing home.mp3.
Audio file file format detected.
==========================================================================
Forced audio codec: mad
Opening audio decoder: [libmad] libmad mpeg audio decoder
AUDIO: 44100 Hz, 2 ch, s16le, 160.0 kbit/11.34% (ratio: 20000->176400)
Selected audio codec: [mad] afm: libmad (libMAD MPEG layer 1-2-3)
==========================================================================
AO: [pulse] 44100Hz 2ch s16le (2 bytes per sample)
Video: no video
Starting playback…
Cannot sync MAD frame 227.0 (03:47.0) 1.4%
Cannot sync MAD frame
Cannot sync MAD frame 227.0 (03:47.0) 1.4%
A: 226.7 (03:46.6) of 227.0 (03:47.0) 1.4%
Playing home.mp3.
Audio file file format detected.
==========================================================================
Forced audio codec: mad
Opening audio decoder: [libmad] libmad mpeg audio decoder
AUDIO: 44100 Hz, 2 ch, s16le, 160.0 kbit/11.34% (ratio: 20000->176400)
Selected audio codec: [mad] afm: libmad (libMAD MPEG layer 1-2-3)
==========================================================================
AO: [pulse] 44100Hz 2ch s16le (2 bytes per sample)
Video: no video
Starting playback…
Cannot sync MAD frame 227.0 (03:47.0) 1.4%
Cannot sync MAD frame
Cannot sync MAD frame 227.0 (03:47.0) 1.4%
A: 226.7 (03:46.6) of 227.0 (03:47.0) 1.4%
Playing home.mp3.
Audio file file format detected.
==========================================================================
Forced audio codec: mad
Opening audio decoder: [libmad] libmad mpeg audio decoder
AUDIO: 44100 Hz, 2 ch, s16le, 160.0 kbit/11.34% (ratio: 20000->176400)
Selected audio codec: [mad] afm: libmad (libMAD MPEG layer 1-2-3)
==========================================================================
AO: [pulse] 44100Hz 2ch s16le (2 bytes per sample)
Video: no video
Starting playback…
A: 7.1 (07.0) of 227.0 (03:47.0) 1.4%
the “-loop 0″ option will play the file over and over again.
Well I hope you like using mplayer to play your mp3 files.
file system hierarchy in linux
June 21, 2008
The first thing if you want to learn about linux is to know the file system hierarchy that exists in linux file system. below is the brief description of directories and its usage in linux
/bin : the bin directory contains several useful commands that are of use to both the system administrator as well as non-privileged user
/boot : for GRUB (GNU Grand Unified Bootloader). This directory contains everything required for the boot process.
/dev : the location of device files. In linux you have to remember that everything is a file or directory
/etc : contains all system related configuration files
/home : user home directories
/initrd : provides the capability to load a RAM disk by the bootloader this RAM disk can then be mounted as the root filesystem and programs can be run from it
/lib : contain kernel modules and those shared library
/lost+found : files that are recovered from crash or unproper shutdown are placed here
/media : this directory contains subdirectory which are used as mount points for removable media such as cdrom and flashdisk
/opt : reserve for all the software add-on packages that are not part of the default installation
/proc : this directory is special because it is also a virtual filesystem, it doesn’t contain real file but runtime system information (system memory, devices mounted, hardware configuration etc). It is also regarded as a control and information center for the kernel
/root : the home directory of the system administrator
/sbin : contain binaries essential for booting, restoring, recovering and/or repairing the system in addition to the binaries in /bin
/usr : contains all the user binaries their documentation, libraries, header files etc. This directory only contain read-only data
/var : contains variable data like system logging files
/srv : contains site-specific data which is served by the system
/tmp : this directory contains mostly files that are required temporarily
OpenSolaris
June 21, 2008
here is the property of solaris
1. symmetric multiprocessing
2. 64 bit kernel and process address space
3. modular binary kernel
4. multi threaded process execution
5. multi threaded kernel
6. fully pre-emptable kernel
7. support for multi scheduling
the file system that is used is ZFS
Solaris was developed by sun microsystem.
I think I want to study about solaris from now on. 
|
eAR OS
June 21, 2008
. It has a nice desktop interface. Well, there was no harm in trying out new linux distro because every linux distro gave you a new perspective of what the linux should be.
to find more info you could visit its website
|
1 computer with 2 monitor
June 19, 2008
so I recently installed ubuntu hardy heron in my laptop (i.e HP Pavilion tx1000). well to tell the truth it was quite nice. Hardy did recognize all the hardware in my laptop. from sound, wireless, bluetooth. it was quite magnificent. I even can use my usb wireless dongle (i.e wireless billionton) and hardy recognized it by default.
well, actually I was a bit confused how activate my dual monitors so I followed the step in this tutorial
here is the screenshot of what my monitors will look like
to have this dual monitor support you must use nvidia graphic card and plug another monitor in your laptop and edit you xorg.conf file matching my own. after you edit your xorg.conf restart the X server by pressing ctrl+alt+backspace. here is my xorg.conf
jacobian@jacobian-HP:~$ sudo vim /etc/X11/xorg.conf
# xorg.conf (X.Org X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type “man xorg.conf” at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg
Section “InputDevice”
Identifier “Generic Keyboard”
Driver “kbd”
Option “XkbRules” “xorg”
Option “XkbModel” “pc105″
Option “XkbLayout” “us”
EndSection
Section “InputDevice”
Identifier “Configured Mouse”
Driver “mouse”
Option “CorePointer”
EndSection
Section “InputDevice”
Identifier “Synaptics Touchpad”
Driver “synaptics”
Option “SendCoreEvents” “true”
Option “Device” “/dev/psaux”
Option “Protocol” “auto-dev”
Option “HorizEdgeScroll” “0″
EndSection
Section “Device”
Identifier “Configured Video Device”
Driver “nvidia”
Option “NoLogo” “True”
Option “TwinView” “True”
Option “TwinViewOrientation” “RightOf”
Option “UseEdidFreqs” “True”
Option “MetaModes” “1280×1024,1280×1024; 1024×768,1024×768″
Option “UseDisplayDevice” “string” #replace ’string’ with either ‘DFP’ (Digital flat panel connected via DVI port), ‘CRT’ (any monitor that is connected via VGA ports), or ‘TV’
EndSection
Section “Monitor”
Identifier “Configured Monitor”
EndSection
Section “Screen”
Identifier “Default Screen”
Monitor “Configured Monitor”
Device “Configured Video Device”
Defaultdepth 24
EndSection
Section “ServerLayout”
Identifier “Default Layout”
screen “Default Screen”
Inputdevice “Synaptics Touchpad”
EndSection
Section “Module”
Load “glx”
EndSection
using extended monitor is really useful when you want to do multi tasking task. as you can use two monitor at once.
