Sync your Blackberry with Evolution OTA (Over the Air)

Add this repository on the following site to your /etc/apt/sources.list.  Then install syncevolution via Synaptic Package manager.  The plugin won’t show up in evolution though. There is a guide to getting it set up at http://www.estamos.de/projects/SyncML/Installation.html follow that and it will set it up so you can sync via the command line.

Once you’ve edited all the files as it says on that website, you should be able to sync from the command line. If you’re using scheduleworld the command will probably be “syncevolution scheduleworld” to sync all types both ways.

To make it easier for myself I created an application launcher (right click on the panel, click on add to panel, then select custom application launcher. This will open a new box and you should change the ‘type’ to ‘application in terminal’. I put in the command syncevolution scheduleworld. You just need to click on this icon on your panel to do a full normal sync.

I have found this is the most reliable way to keep your Blackberry in Sync with Evolution.  If you have trouble, please post here and I’ll see if I can help.

I click the icon on the panel (with two arrows) to sync. If you have a nicer icon, post it on up!:

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Mount your VistaOS in Xubuntu

To mount your Vista file system (assuming you have one) add this line to /etc/fstab as root:

/dev/sda1 /media/VistaOS ntfs-3g nls=utf8,umask=0222 0 0

then go to in Thunar to /media and bookmark VistaOS (in my case) to get to it in the future.  You can name “VistaOS whatever you like.  Reboot after changing the fstab file.

HowTo: Disable Touchpad While Typing in Ubuntu

With Hardy and above, it’s simply Preferences>Mouse>Touchpad and uncheck the “enable touchpad” box.  For older Ubuntu releases, here you go:

It can get really annoying when you type on your keyboard and still have your touchpad active as it happens that you tap on it without noticing it, resulting in messing up the job you are doing.

Disabling the touchpad while typing will avoid unwanted movements and actions from your mouse that could give focus to the wrong window, start actions because of a “click” on the wrong file and so on… Using synclient or syndaemon will stop this.

Both synclient and syndaemon need to be able to access the synaptics driver shared memory in order to work. This can be achieved by adding the right directive in your xorg.conf. So in the first place, edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf and make sure

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier     "Synaptics Touchpad"
Driver         "synaptics"
Option         "SendCoreEvents" "true"
Option         "Device" "/dev/psaux"
Option         "Protocol" "auto-dev"
Option         "HorizEdgeScroll" "0"
Option         "SHMConfig" "on"
EndSection

the bolded entry is present in the section shown.  Your exact entries may be different, but at least add that line if not present (it probably won’t be).  Save and close your xorg.conf file.  Then, the following

Code:

syndaemon -i 1 -d -t -K

command stops the tap-to-click and scrolling options for 1 second after any main key-press (ignoring Shift, Ctrl etc) but allows you to move the pointer and also click with the actual touchpad buttons in that time. Everything comes back alive automatically if you don’t press any keys for 1 second.

You can add it (as a command) to your autostarted list, so it’s always active when you boot up. It appears to use almost no processor at all (always 0%) on my taskmanager in Xubuntu.  Happy laptop’ing!

Asus EeePC – eeeXubuntu

Here is the link for those that might not be aware of it. I’m thinking of getting an EeePC in the near future:

http://wiki.eeeuser.com/ubuntu:eeexubuntu:home

My current notebook is an Asus C90s.  An EeePC would be just the ticket for mobility/internet for short jaunts.

Bluetooth in Xubuntu 8.04

I recently went back to Xubuntu 8.04 from Kubuntu 8.04, and this procedure was still necessary (though easy) to get bluetooth working at startup.  Ubuntu and Kubuntu can do it now completely through the bluetooth manager GUI.

You have to install some software for Bluetooth to work on your machine: (with *buntu 8.04, Bluez should already be on there ‘out of the box’)

Code:

sudo apt-get install bluez-utils

Then, connect your Bluetooth device if you are using one. Restart the Bluetooth services by doing:

Code:

sudo /etc/init.d/bluez-utils restart

On some machines – 7.04 feisty at least – it may be

Code:

sudo /etc/init.d/bluetooth restart

On my Gutsy laptop, I use the last command to restart bluetooth and it seems to work.

Verify that your Bluetooth device has been detected, and the appropriate modules loaded by viewing the output of

Code:

lsusb

Here’s my bluetooth module listing in lsusb

Code:

Device 004: ID 0a5c:2101 Broadcom Corp.

Also, view the output of the command hcitool dev which will give you a listing of Bluetooth devices on your computer.

Here’s the output of hcitool dev on my machine:

Code:

Devices:
        hci0    00:16:CE:E1:99:F4

Your Bluetooth device will have a different id.

If you get all zeros, then try restarting the bluez-utils service and try again.

Now we have the hardware setup to find your new mouse or keyboard, lets find the mouse/keyboard.

To connect to a Bluetooth device, you will need to find the address of the device. Make the device discoverable (look for a “Connect” button on many keyboards and mice or look in the device’s manual) and then search for the device with this command:

Code:

  sudo hidd --search

(If that command doesn't work, try this one:) 

  hcitool scan

Each device should have its own address in a aa:bb:cc:dd:ee:ff format.

If no devices are being shown and you are using Edgy Eft (6.10), you may try

Code:

sudo hciconfig hci0 inqmode 0

Connect Devices for Current Session Only

To temporarily connect to a device, use this command where ‘aa:bb:cc:dd:ee:ff’ is the address of the device you want to connect to:

Code:

sudo hidd --connect aa:bb:cc:dd:ee:ff

Your device should now be connected for the current session.

Connect Devices at Startup

To connect the device at startup every time, use the following commands to edit the configuration file:

Code:

sudo cp /etc/default/bluetooth /etc/default/bluetooth_backup
 sudo gedit /etc/default/bluetooth

We always want to backup the files we alter so we can save the system if this doesn’t work.

Look for the following line:

Code:

HIDD_ENABLED=0

And change it to:

Code:

HIDD_ENABLED=1

Next, look in the same file for a line similar to:

Code:

HIDD_OPTIONS="--master --server"

You can leave the “–master” command or remove it, depending on the device. If you have problems with “–master”, try removing it or vice versa.

Add additional “–connect” arguments for each device that you want connected at startup so that it looks like this:

Code:

HIDD_OPTIONS="--connect aa:bb:cc:dd:ee:ff --connect aa:bb:cc:dd:ee:ff --connect aa:bb:cc:dd:ee:ff --server"

Save the file.

Finally, add HIDP to /etc/modules:

Code:

echo hidp | sudo tee -a /etc/modules

Your Bluetooth devices should now be connected at startup.

************************************************** **********

Some folks will say that I cut and pasted this whole thing from the web site, which I did, but there wasn’t a guide on the forums for some people to find, so I hope it becomes easy for some of you to get your bluetooth mouse and keyboard up and running.

Xubuntu Mission Statement, Spring 2008

Mission Statement

Xubuntu will provide (The goal of Xubuntu is to produce) an easy to use distribution, based on Ubuntu, using Xfce as the graphical desktop, with a focus on integration, usability and performance, with a particular focus on low memory footprint. The integration in Xubuntu is at a configuration level, a toolkit level, and matching the underlying technology beneath the desktop in Ubuntu. Xubuntu will be built and developed autonomously as part of the wider Ubuntu community, based around the ideals and values of Ubuntu.

It appears that Xubuntu, my current distro, has a bright future under new project leadership.  Read more about it here:  https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Xubuntu/Specifications/Intrepid/StrategyDocument

Install Flock in (K)ubuntu

Please note that a version 2 beta of Flock is available as of the date of this posting.  This beta version is based on FF3!

Flock is not yet packaged for any Linux distribution (with the notable exception of Ultima Linux).

This guide should work for most distributions of Linux per the Flock website….see my last paragraph for a quicker/better way to install IMO:

Before you install Flock on Linux, please note:

* The Flock binaries are only for GNU/Linux on x86
* libstdc++5 is required

Installing Flock on Linux is relatively easy. First, download the latest version of Flock and save it to your home folder.

Open up a terminal window and enter the following:

tar -C /home/yourusername -xzvf flock-*.linux-i686.tar.gz

Make sure you change the actual filename to match the version you have downloaded. This command extracts the contents of the package to your home folder

Now that you have done that, we need a desktop entry:

gedit /home/yourusername/Flock.desktop

You can use your preferred text editor, gedit is being used simply for example.

Enter the following in to the new file:

[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Encoding=UTF-8
Name=Flock
Comment=Flock Web Browser
Exec=”/home/yourusername/flock/flock”
GenericName=Flock Web Browser
Icon=/home/yourusername/flock/icons/mozicon128.png
Path=$HOME/flock
StartupNotify=true
Terminal=false
TerminalOptions=
Type=Application
X-KDE-SubstituteUID=false
X-KDE-Username=
Categories=Network;Application;
GenericName[en_US]=Flock Web Browser

This creates a desktop shortcut to run Flock in your home folder. Feel free to drag it on to your panel or desktop to make it more convenient to access.

I didn’t install it per above, but rather in Ubuntu just did a “sudo file-roller” in terminal and extracted it to /etc/.  I then added a menu item pointing to flock-browser in /etc/flock/ and added a nice custom flock icon. Superb browser…runs FF3 Extensions (most) for those that arent’ aware. IMO, the best browser we have for Linux.

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OpenOffice Label Templates

These can come in quite handy!  http://www.worldlabel.com/Pages/openoffice-template.htm

Worst hardware for your Linux desktop

Courtesy of Madpenguin.org 5/14/2008, and I fully agree!
(Column) – I have been asked this over and again – which hardware should be avoided before installing Linux? The list is actually smaller than you might expect, but it is helpful if you would like to remain in a headache-free zone. Broadcom Wireless Products: Despite efforts by well-intentioned developers, seeing successful wireless with anything based on these chipsets is not an easy task, despite the hogwash you will read elsewhere. Linux wireless is doable, and generally speaking, you are best off to ask what those not using these chipsets are having success with. In general, you will likely find this is the best path, although you can also check your distro’s HCL (hardware compatibility list) for more information. ATI Video Cards: Despite recent improvements, I cannot see a single reason to use their products for desktop Linux. Unless you already own an ATI card, you will find NVIDIA or Intel graphics to be more than adequate for daily use. To be fair, I have found that most problems with ATI cards are only becoming apparent with restricted drivers to power the cards. So sticking with open drivers will generally not lead to issues. Seagate: This hard drive company has made their point-of-view very clear. Not as much with words, as with their FreeAgent drives. It is truly sad when something OS independent like a hard drive force users to consider an alternative to the otherwise well designed Seagate hard drive. I would snub Seagate in response to this. Unfortunately, most people will settle for workarounds, instead. Winmodems: To be clear, I’m not saying that the software modem cannot work with Linux, rather that Linux users should not use them. Despite fantastic efforts like the Linmodem project, I prefer using other options if I’m bound to a dial-up only connection. I have long since been a fan of external modems myself, but that was a long time ago. These days most people are on broadband connections, so I guess this is a non-issue now. Final Considerations. As a rule, I recommend being careful and proactive when looking to turn any built-for-Windows computer into a Linux box. Use a LiveCD whenever possible to make sure the distro and the computer you plan on using are a good match. - Check to see if you are seeing the kind of resolution support you need (widescreen users) and that the sound is working properly. I’m not saying either of these cannot be overcome, but there is little reason to buy a new computer that will translate into a weekend tweaking project. - Consider buying from vendors that support your preferred distro. It may cost a little more, but it is always refreshing to put your money where your passion is. This covers our list of compatibility problems that face Linux users who are just starting out. Hopefully, by avoiding this hardware products, you’ll save yourself a lot of trouble early in the process.

Kubuntu: Replace Knetworkmanager with Wicd

Wicd:
One of my favorites, since it is not tied into the GNOME or KDE
desktops. The program home page is located here: Wicd. When installed through Synaptic in the case of Kubuntu, it will uninstall Knetworkmanager as a requirement. Add the repository for Wicd per their site to your /etc/apt/sources.list.
Works well with (K)ubuntu, Fedora and Arch Linux. This application also
provides solid support for WEP, WPA and WPA2 (WPA1/2). And unlike
network-manager, you get to select your WPA Supplicant driver, rather
than automatically relying on WEXT.

This network manager is very fast and reliable, and IMO a much better wireless manager than Knetworkmanager.   Network switching is faster in my experience. Follow the directions on the Wicd site, incl. the link on how to add a sys tray icon at startup for KDE (simple).  You will like it.  I learned to appreciate the functionality of Wicd while a Zenwalk user.

EDIT:  I am now using Wicd in Xubuntu.  Works the same way (outstanding), put the link to tray.py  (systray icon) in autostarted apps per the web site instructions for Ubuntu.