Linux

Richard Stallman founder of the GNU project.





Linux is a generic term referring to Unix-like computer operating systems based on the Linux kernel. Their development is one of the most prominent examples of free and open source software collaboration; typically all the underlying source code can be used, freely modified, and redistributed, both commercially and non-commercially, by anyone under licenses such as the GNU General Public License.

Linux can be installed on a wide variety of computer hardware, ranging from embedded devices such as mobile phones, smartphones and wristwatches to mainframes and supercomputers. Linux is predominantly known for its use in servers; in 2007 Linux's overall share of the server market was estimated at 12.7%, while a 2008 estimate suggested that 60% of all web servers ran Linux. Most desktop computers run either Mac OS X or Microsoft Windows, with Linux having only 1–2% of the desktop market. However, desktop use of Linux has become increasingly popular in recent years, partly owing to the popular Ubuntu distribution and the emergence of netbooks and smartbooks.
Typically Linux is packaged in a format known as a Linux distribution for desktop and server use. Linux distributions include the Linux kernel and all of the supporting software required to run a complete system, such as utilities and libraries, the X Window System, the GNOME and KDE desktop environments, and the Apache HTTP Server. Commonly-used applications with desktop Linux systems include the Mozilla Firefox web-browser, the OpenOffice.org office application suite and the GIMP image editor.
The name "Linux" comes from the Linux kernel, originally written in 1991 by Linus Torvalds. The main supporting Userland in the form of system tools and libraries from the GNU Project (announced in 1983 by Richard Stallman) is the basis for the Free Software Foundation's preferred name GNU/Linux.

Linus Torvalds,  author of the Linux kernel.

New Application Could Make All Software 'open Source'

Imagine controlling Apple iTunes from inside Microsoft Word without having to switch applications. That could be possible, according to researchers at the University of Washington who are working on a project that could essentially make any proprietary software open source.

"Microsoft and Apple aren't going to open up all their stuff. But they all create programs that put pixels on the screen. And if we can modify those pixels, then we can change the programs' apparent behavior," said James Fogarty, a University of Washington assistant professor of computer science and engineering.

Almost everything seen on a display is made of prefabricated blocks of code, and the tool, called Prefab, looks for those blocks as often as 20 times per second and alters their behavior.

Fogarty likened the idea to HTML. "Everybody can see the HTML. But that hasn't been possible on the desktop," he said. A standard Web page can display a map from Google, an embedded YouTube video and a constantly updating RSS feed all at the same time, but achieving something similar with native PC programs is hard to do.

Fogarty has been working on Prefab for about two years, along with a University of Washington doctoral student in computer science and engineering, Morgan Dixon.

Dixon described Prefab's capabilities thus: "I'm using some program that I love, and I'm going to stick in some features from some other program that I love, so I have a more unified interface."

While the main part of the program is done, Dixon and Fogarty are still developing Prefab and exploring options for commercializing it.

Prefab doesn't actually reveal or manipulate the source code for programs, since it can't see it in proprietary software. It can only manipulate and combine what's visible on the computer screen. "Even if it's in a menu six layers down, if your eyes can see it, so can Prefab," Fogarty said.

He showed a few examples of how Prefab could work in a video using target-aware pointing techniques like a bubble cursor, which dynamically sizes the cursor so that it always captures the nearest target. Rather than needing to click directly on a button, the bubble cursor allows users to be in the vicinity of a button and still be able to click it. It can be particularly helpful for people with disabilities.

The bubble cursor could be added to any application by Prefab, which would start by copying the pixels from a source window. Prefab then interprets the pixels and adds enhancements -- in this case the bubble cursor. It then outputs the final product to a target window, including both the pixels from the source window and the enhancements.

Making changes to software from Microsoft, Apple and other companies could potentially lead to legal problems, but Fogarty argued that "there's a lot of value we can provide these companies."

He said he plans to use "crowd-sourcing" and create an online community for people to share ideas for Prefab. "We've seen the mashup culture flourish online, and this is not fundamentally contrary."

He plans to show the software on April 14 in Atlanta at the Computer Human Interface conference. One of the demonstrations will use Adobe Photoshop and involves creating multiple previews of a single image file. In the background, Prefab moves the controls to adjust color and contrast and so on, captures the resulting images and displays them all on a single screen. That could save time when editing images by displaying a range of possible results to users.

How to check and monitor cpu core temperatures in Ubuntu

Ok, so this weekend i decided to take the plunge and get myself a nice new box! I decided to go with Intel Core 2 Duo e5200 , and an Asus P5QL-E mother board, so anyways got everything mounted up and just installed Ubuntu Ibex 8.10 .. so now i wanna see what the temperature ratings are, and this is a snap with Ubuntu.

Open up a terminal and type
sudo apt-get install lm-sensors sensord

After installation of those packages we have to setup our sensors with our cpu
sudo sensors-detect

you’ll have to actually type Yes for all the next part, which is just asking about loading modules and drivers, for your cpu

So after all that we’ll have a little bit of editing to do, sensors will come up and tell you that you need to make some changes to /etc/modules, and will give you a snippet to paste into the file

sudo gedit /etc/modules

and then paste the code into the bottom of the file, for example this is what mine said

# Chip drivers
coretemp
#

Reboot and your all set, open up a terminal and type sensors to see your core temps! if you want to be real slick type watch sensors .. so you can watch the updates in the core temps every 2s .

Configuring Ubuntu Linux for BSNL Broadband.

BSNL Broadband

BSNL Broadband provides different types of ADSL modem/router:

1. Huawei ADSL modem/router with ethernet and USB port
2. DareGlobal ADSL modem/router with ethernet port.
3. Huawei ADSL modem/router with ethernet port, USB port and built-in wireless access point.

You should have a working ethernet card to connect the modem/router. No information is available about connecting using USB (PPPoA).

Instructions

Note: The router/modem would trigger the connection if configured this way.(Router on -> Connected)

1. Connect the modem/router to the ethernet card.

2. Assign an IP address for the ethernet card; the router has a fixed interface address of 192.168.1.1, so you can use 192.168.1.2 for your ethernet interface.

$ sudo ifconfig eth0 192.168.1.2

3. Add 192.168.1.1 as default gateway.

$ sudo route add default gw 192.168.1.1

4. Enter the address of some DNS servers in /etc/resolv.conf. These DNS adresses are provided on BSNL's instruction manual.

$ sudo vi /etc/resolv.conf

The entry will be of type nameserver 61.1.96.71, where the IP will be the one provided in your BSNL Broadband instruction manual.

5. Access the router's management interface via a browser by typing the address 192.168.1.1. The admin username/password is admin/admin

* Set the connection type to `PPPoE'. On my MT882 box, this comes under `WAN Settings'
* Enter your user name and password (username is of the form xyz@dataone)
* Reset the router. It will take 2-3 minutes for the box to come up again

Steps 2, 3, 4 can also be done from menu System->Administration->Network in GUI

Alternate Method:

1. Connect your ethernet wire to the port at the back of your computer.
2. Fire up the terminal and type in sudo pppoeconf
3. It should detect your modem.
4. Keep on pressing enter. Fill in your user name and password when indicated.
5. It should be easy to stick on to defaults.
6. You should be prompted back to your terminal when it would say pppoe loaded. Simple. That's the end of terminal.

Now go to System>Administration>Networking. Click on it. You would be asked for your password to carry out the administrative job as root. You should be prompted to enter the following details.

1. Activate the Wired connection.
2. Highlight the wired connection and click on properties.
3. Check the box "enable the connection"
4. Configuration as Static IP.
5. IP Address : 192.168.1.2
6. Subnet mask fills on it's own as 255.255.255.0
7. Gateway address :192.168.1.1

Blender 3D

Software for 3D modeling, animation, rendering, post-production, interactive creation and playback.

Features

Blender is the first and only fully integrated 3D graphics creation suite allowing modeling, animation, rendering, post-production, realtime interactive 3D and game creation and playback with cross-platform compatibility - all in one tidy, easily and free downloadable package!

"Blender is quickly being transformed from an impressive 3D creativity tool to a full-blown games and new media design application."

- Garrick Webster, Editor, Computer Arts Magazine

Modeling

* A range of 3D object types including polygon meshes, NURBS surfaces, bezier and B-spline curves, metaballs, vector fonts (TrueType, PostScript, OpenType)
* "Smooth proxy" style catmull-clark subdivision surfaces
* Boolean mesh functions
* Editing functions such as extrude, bevel, cut, spin, screw, warp, subdivide, noise, smooth Soft selection editing tools for organic modeling
* Python scripting access for custom tools

Animation

* Armature (skeleton) deformation with forward/inverse kinematics, auto skinning and interactive 3D paint for vertex weighting
* Non-linear animation mixer with automated walkcycles along paths
* Constraint system
* Vertex key framing for morphing, with controlling sliders
* Character animation pose editor
* Animatable lattice deformation
* "Ipo" system integrates both motion curve and traditional key-frame editing
* Audio playback, mixing and editing support for sound synchronisation
* Python scripting access for custom and procedural animation effects

Realtime 3D/game creation

* Graphical editor for defining interactive behavior without programming
* Collision detection and dynamics simulation
* Python scripting API for sophisticated control and AI, fully defined advanced game logic
* Supports all OpenGL™ lighting modes, including transparencies, Animated and reflection-mapped textures
* Playback of games and interactive 3D content without compiling or pre-processing
* Audio, using the fmod toolkit
* Multi-layering of Scenes for overlay interfaces

Rendering

* Very fast inbuilt raytracer
* Integral support for the famous Yafray render engine
* Oversampling, motion blur, post-production effects, fields, non-square pixels
* Environment maps, halos, lens flares, fog
* Various surface shaders such as Lambert, Phong, Oren-nayar, Blinn, Toon
* Edge rendering for toon shading
* Procedural Textures
* Ambient Occlusion
* Radiosity solver
* Export scripts available for external renderers such as Renderman (RIB), Povray, Virtualight
* UV texture editor with various mesh unwrap modes

Interface

* Flexible user configurable window layout
* Powerful object-oriented data system
* Anti-aliased fonts with international translation support
* Windows for animation curves/keys, schematic scene diagram, non-linear video sequence editing, character animation action editor, non-linear animation mixer, image/UV editing, file/image selection and file management
* Inbuilt text editor for annotations and editing Python scripts
* Consistent interface across multiple platforms

Files

* Save all scene data in a single .blend file
* .blend format supports compression, digital signatures, encryption, forwards/backwards compatibility and can be used as a library to link to from other .blend files
* Read / Write TGA, JPG, PNG, Iris, SGI Movie, IFF, AVI and Quicktime GIF, TIFF, PSD, MOV (Windows and Mac OS X)
* Native import and export for DXF, Inventor and VRML files, with python scripts available for many other 3D formats
* Create stand-alone executables containing interactive 3D content or play back with the 3d web browser plugin.

For more information : www.blender.org
Download Blender 3D

Shell Transparency with the help of Compiz.

Well Compiz offers you to make your entire shell transparent to whatever degree you want. There is one way using the options build under the Compiz (CCSM) Menu that han make your some apps. transparent including your windows, menus, tooltips, popup menus.......etc.

Method

1. Use the Alt + F2 key type ccsm and execute it.


2. This command executes the Compiz Config Settings Manager or the CCSM


3. In the manager look at the to most entry i.e. General Options Click on it.


4. After the General Options window is opened then scroll to the tab named "Opacity Settings". Open it.


5. In the Opacity Settings menu you can see a menu for Window Settings.


6. Click on "New" i.e. under it.



After you open it you will see two options one will ask for the name of the window i.e. Window Opacity (This refers to the window you want the opacity settings to work) the second is the Opacity Window Values (This sets the level of transparency you need - remember the lower the number the lower is the opacity or more transparent is the menu/window. A value of 0 will make the windows go completely invisible whereas a value of 100 removes every bit of transparency and makes it completely opaque. So be sure of giving it somewhat higher value.)

In the Window Opacity you can individually one by one write:

dropdownmenu
tooltip
popupmenu

And set the Opacity Window Value to: 84

Most popular Linux Software

Click On The Name of the Software to download it..


RealPlayer 10.0.5 GOLD
Play all the popular video datatypes.

Mandrake 10.1
Mandrakelinux is the branch of the operating systems.

NimbleX 2
NimbleX is a small but versatile operating system

LimeWire Basic (Linux) 4.12.6
LimeWire is a file sharing program running on the Gnutella Network.

Klinux 2.0
A Linux distribution that can be installed within MS-Windows, without partitioning or formatting.

NetBeans 4.1
This is an integrated JAVA development environment.

Advanced Bash Scripting Guide 5.3
Complete ebook tutorial and reference on shell scripting with Bash in Linux/UNIX

KOffice 1.6
This powerful office suite integrates into KDE 2.0.

AbiWord 2.2.9
AbiWord is a free word processing program similar to Microsoft® Word.

XEmacs 21.5.17
XEmacs is a highly customizable open source text editor.