LQWiki - User contributions [en]

Lirc with REALmagic

2005-02-19T00:50:07Z

Koody:

Sigma Designs' Hollywood+ comes with a nice remote control and a serialport dongle. They have the word REALmagic stamped all over them.

Lirc supports them. What you want to do to get them working (at least on debian):

Serial ports on linux are named /dev/ttySx where x is the number of the serial port. So when I have my dongle connected on the first serialport, the device is naturally /dev/ttyS0

I used <code>less -f /dev/ttyS0</code> to check if that was the correct port. If it is the correct port a red light should blink in the dongle as you use your port.

<pre>cp /usr/share/doc/lirc/remotes/sigma_designs/lircd.conf.realmagic /etc/lirc/lircd.conf</pre>

Then you edit the /etc/lirc/hardware.conf
<pre>
LIRCD_ARGS=""

#Don't start lircmd even if there seems to be a good config file
#START_LIRCMD=false

#Try to load appropriate kernel modules
#LOAD_MODULES=true

# Run "lircd --driver=help" for a list of supported drivers.
DRIVER="pixelview"

# If DEVICE is set to /dev/lirc and devfs is in use /dev/lirc/0 will be
# automatically used instead
DEVICE="/dev/ttyS0"
#MODULES="lirc_dev lirc_serial"

# Default configuration files for your hardware if any
LIRCD_CONF="/etc/lirc/lircd.conf"
LIRCMD_CONF=""
</pre>

Note that if you start lircd manually it won't read hardware.conf, that's done by the /etc/init.d/lirc script.

Also notice that lircd wont open the port and the light wont blink until some client wants to read it. For this a handy tool is <code>irw</code> that will spit out the names of the buttons you are pressing.

Notice that you need NO SPECIAL KERNEL MODULES and you DON'T NEED TO USE SETSERIAL. There are a lot of false information on the "interweb".

Lirc with REALmagic

2005-02-19T00:49:25Z

Koody:

Sigma Designs' Hollywood+ comes with a nice remote control and a serialport dongle. They have the word REALmagic stamped all over them.

Lirc supports them. What you want to do to get them working (at least on debian):

Serial ports on linux are named /dev/ttySx where x is the number of the serial port. So when I have my dongle connected on the first serialport, the device is naturally /dev/ttyS0

I used <code>less -f /dev/ttyS0</code> to check if that was the correct port. If it is the correct port a red light should blink in the dongle as you use your port.

<code>cp /usr/share/doc/lirc/remotes/sigma_designs/lircd.conf.realmagic /etc/lirc/lircd.conf</code>

Then you edit the /etc/lirc/hardware.conf
<code>
LIRCD_ARGS=""

#Don't start lircmd even if there seems to be a good config file
#START_LIRCMD=false

#Try to load appropriate kernel modules
#LOAD_MODULES=true

# Run "lircd --driver=help" for a list of supported drivers.
DRIVER="pixelview"

# If DEVICE is set to /dev/lirc and devfs is in use /dev/lirc/0 will be
# automatically used instead
DEVICE="/dev/ttyS0"
#MODULES="lirc_dev lirc_serial"

# Default configuration files for your hardware if any
LIRCD_CONF="/etc/lirc/lircd.conf"
LIRCMD_CONF=""
</code>

Note that if you start lircd manually it won't read hardware.conf, that's done by the /etc/init.d/lirc script.

Also notice that lircd wont open the port and the light wont blink until some client wants to read it. For this a handy tool is <code>irw</code> that will spit out the names of the buttons you are pressing.

Notice that you need NO SPECIAL KERNEL MODULES and you DON'T NEED TO USE SETSERIAL. There are a lot of false information on the "interweb".

SSL proxy

2005-01-15T20:12:53Z

Koody:

Let's say your university has a campus network, and some websites are only available from within that network. Unfortunately you don't live on the campus, but you'd like to browse those sites.

While you could start up the browser and tunnel it through the SSL connection, that would be very slow and painful. Instead what you want to do is just forward all your browsers connections, through the ssl pipe so that they appear on the campus network. This is done using SSL tunneling to the campus proxy.
The command to establish the tunnel is:
<pre>ssh username@sslserver.university.edu -L 8080:wwwproxy.university.edu:80</pre>

Then you need to change your local browsers proxy setting to using the host:localhost and the port 8080.

Debian package management tricks

2005-01-15T20:05:25Z

Koody:

To find what program provides the installed file /bin/ls:
<pre>dpkg --search /bin/ls</pre>
or
<pre>dpkg --search `which ls`</pre>

To find what program would provide the file Xlib.h:
<pre>auto-apt search Xlib.h</pre>

Debian package management tricks

2005-01-15T20:04:58Z

Koody:

To find what program provides the installed file /bin/ls:
dpkg --search /bin/ls
or
dpkg --search `which ls`

To find what program would provide the file Xlib.h:
auto-apt search Xlib.h

Debian

2005-01-15T20:03:04Z

Koody: /* See also */

'''Debian''' is a free and complete [[operating system]]. Debian uses the Linux [[kernel]] (the core of an operating system), but most of the basic OS tools come from the [[GNU]] project; hence the name [[GNU/Linux]].

Although it is a non-commercial project Debian is one of the most popular and well-respected Linux [[distributions]]. Advanced users are attracted to its stability, powerful [[package]] management and pure [[Open Source]] stance.

It also supports the most number of hardware [[platforms]] - a total of 11. As well as standard [[PC]]s, Debian versions are often used on [[Macs]] ([[M68k]] and [[PPC]]), and systems from [[SUN]] ([[SPARC]]).

Debian systems currently use the Linux kernel, however, work is in progress to provide Debian for other kernels, primarily for the [[Hurd]]. The Hurd is a collection of servers that run on top of a microkernel (such as Mach) to implement different features. The Hurd is free software produced by the GNU project. Aside from Debian/Hurd, enterprising people can try out Debian/FreeBSD and Debian/NetBSD.

The base system contains very little -- typically just enough to download the rest of whatever is needed for the system -- and users may use [[Apt]] to get most packages, such as the [[X Window System]]. This format allows Debian to be installed on many older computers where space is scarce, and only the packages that will be used need be installed. While CD images for Woody Stable exist, the preferred method for systems with an internet connection is to use the base system (which can be downloaded in the form of a [[netinst]] CD for Woody or Sarge), and install whatever is necessary over the network using Apt. There are several front-ends to Apt to make the job easier (or at least to help you guess what packages are named), the most common of which is <tt>[[dselect]]</tt> since it is always on every Debian distribution (and even predates Apt). Other Debian package management tools: [[aptitude]], [[synaptic]]

Debian was begun in August 1993 by Ian Murdock, as a new distribution which would be made openly, in the spirit of Linux and GNU.

"Debian" is pronounced deb ee in and rhymes with "simian". It comes from the names of the creator of Debian, Ian Murdock, and his wife, Debra.

==Stable, Testing, Unstable, and Experimental==
Stable, Testing, and Unstable releases are available, currently codenamed "Woody", "Sarge", and "Sid" respectively. When the current testing cycle ends, Sarge will become Stable, and a new name will be chosen for Testing. Under current policy, Sid will remain Sid forever because someone noticed that not only is it named after the neighbor kid in "Toy Story" who breaks toys, but it also stands for Still In Development. Experimental is non-complete distribution used for testing highly experimental software. Debian follows very strict guidelines regarding which [[package]]s are allowed in each version, and this is what makes Stable stable. These guidelines are spelled out in the [http://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ Debian Policy Manual], which includes the Debian Free Software Guidelines.

To upgrade from one of Debian's branches to another, see [[Upgrading to a different Debian branch]]

===Stable===
The current Stable release is named "Woody". The stable release is not called stable because it crashes less, but because only [[bugfix]]es are [[backport]]ed to it. This means that any programs or scripts that were developed for the Stable release are unlikely to break. But this comes at a price: the Woody release is currently 2+ years old. This misunderstanding over the purpose of the stable release contributes to the perception of Debian being more primitive than other distributions. The installer for Woody is called [[Boot-floppies]].

===Testing===
The current Testing release is named "Sarge". The testing release starts as a copy of the new stable release, and then has new features added to it from Sid. At any given time, the testing release is about as stable as an x.0 release of any other distribution. Because of this, the testing release, not the stable release, is better choice for most individual users. However, the Debian development team is a bit slower about releasing security updates for the testing branch. The installer for Sarge is called [[debian-installer]], and is currently (2004-7-10) in beta 4 release. Unlike the testing branch itself, it still has a few bugs in it, be sure to check out the errata sheet.

===Unstable===
Under current policy, Sid will remain Sid forever because someone noticed that not only is it named after the neighbor kid in "Toy Story" who breaks toys, but it also stands for Still In Development. It is not recommended that you use Sid unless you enjoy filling out bug reports.

===Experimental===
The experimental distribution is a special distribution. It is not a full (self-contained) distribution- it is meant to be a temporary staging area for highly experimental software. Dependencies missing are most likely found in unstable (SID). Debian warns that these packages are likely unstable or buggy and are to be used at your own risk. If you decide to use packages from experimental, you are encouraged to contact the package maintainers directly in case of problems.

==Debian-specific Installation, Configuration, Commands, and Files==
* Installation
** [[Debian install tips]], [[boot-floppies]], [[debian-installer]]
** [[netinst]]
** [[netboot]]
** [[jigdo]]

* Configuration
** [[Debian:Fonts|Fonts]]

** System
*** [[debconf]], [[dpkg-reconfigure]]
*** [[modconf]]
*** [[update-rc.d]], [[rcconf]]
*** [[update-alternatives]]

** [[Debian:CGI|CGI]]

* Package Management
** [[dpkg]], [[dpkg-deb]]
** [[apt]], [[apt-get]], [[apt-cache]], [[apt-setup]], [[apt-cdrom]], [[apt-listchanges]], [[auto-apt]]
** The apt [[sources.list]] file
** [[aptitude]], [[synaptic]], [[dselect]]
** [[netselect]], [[apt-spy]]

* Hardware detection
** [[discover]]
** [[hotplug]]

==See also==
*[[Obtaining security updates]] -- Security information is available in the Debian section
*[[Debian package management tricks]]

==External links==
*[http://www.debian.org Official website]
*[http://wiki.debian.net Debian wiki]
*[http://people.debian.org/~debacle/refcard/refcard.pdf Debian Reference Card]
*[http://www.nl.debian.org/doc/manuals/securing-debian-howto/ Securing Debian Manual]
*[http://www.togaware.com/linux/survivor/ Debian GNU/Linux Desktop Survival Guide]
*[http://uclinux.info/wiki/index.php/Using_a_Sound_Blaster_Live_Sound_Card_with_Debian Using a Sound Blaster Live Sound Card with Debian]

==Forums==
*[http://www.debianforum.de Debian German Forum, very good]
*[http://www.debianplaza.net The unofficial Debian Forums]

Auto-apt

2005-01-15T20:02:05Z

Koody:

A really neat tool that knows useful tricks. Say you have downloaded the source code for a program off the net and you want to build it, but the build fails due to missing headers. auto-apt can search what package wuold provide the header files.

Install:
apt-get install auto-apt
auto-apt update && auto-apt updatedb && auto-apt update-local

Seach for a header file:
auto-apt search Xlib.h

Debian

2005-01-15T19:59:15Z

Koody: /* Debian-specific Installation, Configuration, Commands, and Files */

'''Debian''' is a free and complete [[operating system]]. Debian uses the Linux [[kernel]] (the core of an operating system), but most of the basic OS tools come from the [[GNU]] project; hence the name [[GNU/Linux]].

Although it is a non-commercial project Debian is one of the most popular and well-respected Linux [[distributions]]. Advanced users are attracted to its stability, powerful [[package]] management and pure [[Open Source]] stance.

It also supports the most number of hardware [[platforms]] - a total of 11. As well as standard [[PC]]s, Debian versions are often used on [[Macs]] ([[M68k]] and [[PPC]]), and systems from [[SUN]] ([[SPARC]]).

Debian systems currently use the Linux kernel, however, work is in progress to provide Debian for other kernels, primarily for the [[Hurd]]. The Hurd is a collection of servers that run on top of a microkernel (such as Mach) to implement different features. The Hurd is free software produced by the GNU project. Aside from Debian/Hurd, enterprising people can try out Debian/FreeBSD and Debian/NetBSD.

The base system contains very little -- typically just enough to download the rest of whatever is needed for the system -- and users may use [[Apt]] to get most packages, such as the [[X Window System]]. This format allows Debian to be installed on many older computers where space is scarce, and only the packages that will be used need be installed. While CD images for Woody Stable exist, the preferred method for systems with an internet connection is to use the base system (which can be downloaded in the form of a [[netinst]] CD for Woody or Sarge), and install whatever is necessary over the network using Apt. There are several front-ends to Apt to make the job easier (or at least to help you guess what packages are named), the most common of which is <tt>[[dselect]]</tt> since it is always on every Debian distribution (and even predates Apt). Other Debian package management tools: [[aptitude]], [[synaptic]]

Debian was begun in August 1993 by Ian Murdock, as a new distribution which would be made openly, in the spirit of Linux and GNU.

"Debian" is pronounced deb ee in and rhymes with "simian". It comes from the names of the creator of Debian, Ian Murdock, and his wife, Debra.

==Stable, Testing, Unstable, and Experimental==
Stable, Testing, and Unstable releases are available, currently codenamed "Woody", "Sarge", and "Sid" respectively. When the current testing cycle ends, Sarge will become Stable, and a new name will be chosen for Testing. Under current policy, Sid will remain Sid forever because someone noticed that not only is it named after the neighbor kid in "Toy Story" who breaks toys, but it also stands for Still In Development. Experimental is non-complete distribution used for testing highly experimental software. Debian follows very strict guidelines regarding which [[package]]s are allowed in each version, and this is what makes Stable stable. These guidelines are spelled out in the [http://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ Debian Policy Manual], which includes the Debian Free Software Guidelines.

To upgrade from one of Debian's branches to another, see [[Upgrading to a different Debian branch]]

===Stable===
The current Stable release is named "Woody". The stable release is not called stable because it crashes less, but because only [[bugfix]]es are [[backport]]ed to it. This means that any programs or scripts that were developed for the Stable release are unlikely to break. But this comes at a price: the Woody release is currently 2+ years old. This misunderstanding over the purpose of the stable release contributes to the perception of Debian being more primitive than other distributions. The installer for Woody is called [[Boot-floppies]].

===Testing===
The current Testing release is named "Sarge". The testing release starts as a copy of the new stable release, and then has new features added to it from Sid. At any given time, the testing release is about as stable as an x.0 release of any other distribution. Because of this, the testing release, not the stable release, is better choice for most individual users. However, the Debian development team is a bit slower about releasing security updates for the testing branch. The installer for Sarge is called [[debian-installer]], and is currently (2004-7-10) in beta 4 release. Unlike the testing branch itself, it still has a few bugs in it, be sure to check out the errata sheet.

===Unstable===
Under current policy, Sid will remain Sid forever because someone noticed that not only is it named after the neighbor kid in "Toy Story" who breaks toys, but it also stands for Still In Development. It is not recommended that you use Sid unless you enjoy filling out bug reports.

===Experimental===
The experimental distribution is a special distribution. It is not a full (self-contained) distribution- it is meant to be a temporary staging area for highly experimental software. Dependencies missing are most likely found in unstable (SID). Debian warns that these packages are likely unstable or buggy and are to be used at your own risk. If you decide to use packages from experimental, you are encouraged to contact the package maintainers directly in case of problems.

==Debian-specific Installation, Configuration, Commands, and Files==
* Installation
** [[Debian install tips]], [[boot-floppies]], [[debian-installer]]
** [[netinst]]
** [[netboot]]
** [[jigdo]]

* Configuration
** [[Debian:Fonts|Fonts]]

** System
*** [[debconf]], [[dpkg-reconfigure]]
*** [[modconf]]
*** [[update-rc.d]], [[rcconf]]
*** [[update-alternatives]]

** [[Debian:CGI|CGI]]

* Package Management
** [[dpkg]], [[dpkg-deb]]
** [[apt]], [[apt-get]], [[apt-cache]], [[apt-setup]], [[apt-cdrom]], [[apt-listchanges]], [[auto-apt]]
** The apt [[sources.list]] file
** [[aptitude]], [[synaptic]], [[dselect]]
** [[netselect]], [[apt-spy]]

* Hardware detection
** [[discover]]
** [[hotplug]]

==See also==
*[[Obtaining security updates]] -- Security information is available in the Debian section

==External links==
*[http://www.debian.org Official website]
*[http://wiki.debian.net Debian wiki]
*[http://people.debian.org/~debacle/refcard/refcard.pdf Debian Reference Card]
*[http://www.nl.debian.org/doc/manuals/securing-debian-howto/ Securing Debian Manual]
*[http://www.togaware.com/linux/survivor/ Debian GNU/Linux Desktop Survival Guide]
*[http://uclinux.info/wiki/index.php/Using_a_Sound_Blaster_Live_Sound_Card_with_Debian Using a Sound Blaster Live Sound Card with Debian]

==Forums==
*[http://www.debianforum.de Debian German Forum, very good]
*[http://www.debianplaza.net The unofficial Debian Forums]

Java in Debian

2005-01-11T14:19:21Z

Koody:

If you are using sarge the following should work. If you are using unstable you can just add the new repository and apt-get install.

<pre>
wget http://ftp.debian.org/debian/pool/contrib/j/java-package/sun-j2sdk1.5debian_0.18_all.deb
dpkg -i sun-j2sdk1.5debian_0.18_all.deb
</pre>
It will report an error but don't worry, we'll fix it soon

Add
<pre>deb http://linley.Informatik.TU-Cottbus.DE/debian/ kso main</pre>
to /etc/apt/sources.conf

<pre>
apt-get update && apt-get install sun-j2sdk1.5
</pre>

IMAP

2004-10-15T16:47:38Z

Koody: =See also=

'''IMAP''' ('''I'''nternet '''M'''essage '''A'''ccess '''P'''rotocol) is a [[protocol]] used by [[email client]]s in communicating with email [[server]]s. Using IMAP an email client program can not only retrieve email but can also manipulate message stored on the server, without having to actually retrieve the messages.

==IMAP daemons==
*[[Courier Mail Server]]

==See also==
*[[POP3]]
*[[Configuring IMAP]]

==External links==
*[http://www.imap.org/ The IMAP connection]

Talk:Main Page

2004-10-15T16:46:10Z

Koody:

Some older posts have been moved here: [[Talk:Main Page (archive)]] for purposes of readablity.

==Suggestions for links==
* [[Open source operating systems]] BSD, etc.
* [[HOWTO]] section

* Where's the best place for cronic hardware/kernel problems? There is a largish problem revolving around APIC (not ACPI) timing issues under various linux kernels that cause the machine to freeze up hard. I'd like to add information about that, and I'm sure there are other cronic issues that deserve to have some space in the WIKI as well. -Scott Miller (5mi11er)

I'll answer in reverse order. I'd suggest creating a new hardware-and-kernel page, link to it from both the hardware and kernel page, and then link to your (new) APIC page. Your guess is as good as mine though, I've never even ''heard'' of APIC before. (I'm just barely miss being a Linux noob - the Dilbert Principle at work I guess :-)).

As for new links from the Main Page - the moderator's council (or whatever you want to call it) is currently discussing ways to implement Featured Pages. We've noticed that the Wikipedia (the uber-wiki) has a hierarchial, quasi-Table of Contents area which is similar to our current front page. However, this area is far towards the bottom of the front page, and I doubt it gets much use. What we think happened is that they started out with a quasi-TOC front page like ours, but then moved toward the current Featured Pages-dominated version of today. A quasi-TOC front page provides a skeleton for a young wiki to grow on, but as a wiki matures, it becomes harder to link to important articles. This is where Featured Pages comes in. The front page of a wiki is not a TOC, but rather a hub page that links out to the most important pages of the wiki.

So we're not ruling out new front page links by any means, but it might be wise to consider wether or not you would like a page as a Featured Page or a permament link. I will pass your suggestion along to the rest of the council. Any other moderators want to weigh in?

Anyway, welcome to the LQwiki. A obviously experienced Linux user like yourself is a welcome addition. You might want to sign your posts with four tildes - the wiki engine will translate it to a link to your userpage and a timestamp. [[User:Crazyeddie|Crazyeddie]] 03:03, Aug 25, 2004 (EDT)

==Spam links==
Just deleted what appeared to be spam links to german horoscope sites. If those were legit, someone let me know. [[User:Crazyeddie|Crazyeddie]] 03:19, Jul 3, 2004 (EDT)
:That's ok - In order to assess the appropriateness of material, all content must currently be in English, and any external sites which are linked to must also be English language based - [[LQWiki:Policies#General_policies|General policies]]

:-- [[User:Skyline|Skyline]] 06:23, Jul 3, 2004 (EDT)

==Advocacy article==
Should there be an Advocacy section linked from the Main Page?
--[[User:Bunyip|Bunyip]] 08:52, Jul 23, 2004 (EDT)

===Importing Advocacy article from Linux Documentation Project===
[[User:Crazyeddie|Crazyeddie]] 11:54, Jul 23, 2004 (EDT):Perhaps, but an Advocacy article doesn't exist yet. There's an advocacy article over at the [[Linux Documentation Project]], but we would have to get permission from the author of the article, because it looks like their license is not compatible with Creative Commons. Here's the copyright info:

===TLDP Advocacy HOWTO's copyright information===
This mini-HOWTO is Copyright © 1996-2000 by Paul L. Rogers. All rights reserved.

A verbatim copy may be reproduced or distributed in any medium physical or electronic without permission of the author. Translations are similarly permitted without express permission if it includes a notice on who translated it.

Short quotes may be used without prior consent by the author. Derivative work and partial distributions of the Advocacy mini-HOWTO must be accompanied with either a verbatim copy of this file or a pointer to the verbatim copy.

Commercial redistribution is allowed and encouraged; however, the author would like to be notified of any such distributions.

In short, we wish to promote dissemination of this information through as many channels as possible. However, we do wish to retain copyright on the HOWTO documents, and would like to be notified of any plans to redistribute the HOWTOs.

We further want that all information provided in the HOWTOs is disseminated. If you have questions, please contact Tim Bynum, the Linux HOWTO coordinator, at linux-howto@sunsite.unc.edu.

===Responses===
: The "Derivative work and partial distributions of the Advocacy mini-HOWTO must be accompanied with either a verbatim copy of this file or a pointer to the verbatim copy" bit would seem to indicate that we could add the HOWTO(s) to the wiki (it would become a "Derivative work" after the first edit), as long as we include a link to the original verbatim copy, which should not be a problem.
: [[User:Jeremy|Jeremy]] 15:27, Jul 23, 2004 (EDT)

:Yes, but could we in good faith release it under the Creative Commons and let others reuse it from us? I think you might be right, but I would feel better if we got explicit permission from the author. At least there is a single author, unlike most Wikipedia articles. I was planning on trying to incorporate TLDP HOWTOs, as soon as I got to a certain point in the [[Jargon File]] incorporation, so I've had some time to think about this. Do you have any contacts at TLDP, or should I just email the guy myself? [[User:Crazyeddie|Crazyeddie]] 18:34, Jul 23, 2004 (EDT)

===TLDP manifesto===
:: Looking at http://www.tldp.org/manifesto.html I see:
"5. LICENSE REQUIREMENTS

Anyone may copy and distribute (sell or give away) LDP documents (or other LDP works) in any media and/or format. No fees are required to be paid to the authors. It is not required that the documents be modifiable, but it is encouraged.

You can come up with your own license terms that satisfy these conditions, or you can use a previously prepared license. The LDP has a boilerplate license that you can use if you wish. Some people like to use the GPL, while others write their own. There is a project underway to create a special GPL license just for documents and this may turn out to be a good choice.

The copyright for each document should be in the name of the principal authors. "The Linux Documentation Project" isn't a formal entity and thus can't be used as a copyright owner. "

===Responses===
::This seems to fit exactly in with what we want to do. I'll contact TLDP just to verify, however. I'll post the outcome here.
:: [[User:Jeremy|Jeremy]] 00:53, Jul 24, 2004 (EDT)
::: After discussing this with TLDP, I am going to revisit the ability to add GFDL items to the LQ Wiki. Stay tuned. [[User:Jeremy|Jeremy]] 12:17, Jul 25, 2004 (EDT)

How would that work? I thought that the Creative Commons/GFDL incompatibility was pretty well established. "East is East and West is West, and ne'er the twain shall meet." As the GFDL and the CC are presently written, material under one can't be released under the other without the permission of the copyright holder (the original author in most cases). There's rumors that the FSF and the Creative Commons people are working on that issue, but until then, we're pretty well stuck with just asking for permission. Not that I would ''mind'' an easier solution, but I just don't think it's possible.[[User:Crazyeddie|Crazyeddie]] 16:40, Jul 26, 2004 (EDT)

:It would work something like this. When you enter in a doc, there would be a "this is GFDL" checkbox. That doc would then be under the GFDL and *not* the CC. There are a few problems with this, and it could get complicated quite quickly, so It's not a definite addition at this point, just somehting we are exploring. [[User:Jeremy|Jeremy]] 17:50, Jul 26, 2004 (EDT)

Hmmm. That would be possible if it was a new article, and that the changes made to it were also GFDLed. But it would lead to some articles being GFDL, some being CC. A hack, but we're kinda in a corner. I think we'd still be better off contacting the original authors and getting CC permission, since this would increase the number of options available to downstream users (they would be able to use our version under the CC and the original under the GFDL), but I'd be willing to go along if there is consensus for it. [[User:Crazyeddie|Crazyeddie]] 15:32, Jul 27, 2004 (EDT)

Jeremy, if you're still seriously considering dual-licensing, you might want to look at this first: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_talk:Creative_commons_migration Keep in mind that I did not seriously expect this to be accepted, I was more trying to raise awareness of the problem. I would not have even suggested it if I hadn't (which I still do!) believed that the Creative Commons by-sa license is superior to the GFDL. [[User:Crazyeddie|Crazyeddie]] 19:06, Aug 2, 2004 (EDT)

----
How about changing the notice at the bottom of each edit page to ... "WITHOUT PERMISSION from the authors to post under LQWiki's [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/1.0/ Creative Commons] license." You should add that each page is owned by the authors listed in its history. [[User:TomFrayne|TomFrayne]] 09:58, Jul 24, 2004 (EDT)

===Crazyeddie's extended post===
(added sectioning for readability) That would be an ugly hack. I think I'd rather roll our own HOWTOs than go through that. Anyway, I'm looking at this from the point of view of a general solution rather than just importing this one article. Some reasons I think we should contact the article authors and ask for explicit permission:
#The Manifesto is a suggestion or a guideline for the TLDP contributors to use when deciding what licensing scheme to use. It doesn't look like they're too big on enforcing it, or at least a few of the older articles didn't even bother appending a license. It is not a license in and of itself.
#Even if the contributors do follow the Manifesto's guidelines, they don't have to allow modifications.
#They may have released in under a copyleft modifiable license that isn't compatible with the Creative Commons such as the GFDL. I'm not sure, but I don't think the GPL is Creative Commons compatible either.
#Like the manifesto says, the LDP is not the copyright holder, so they can't unilaterally give permission.
#Even if we could use an article without permission, it would be good form to tell the author about it. For example, if the author can no longer maintain or host the original, he or she could tell their users where they could go to get an updated copy. It occurs to me that the LDP could see us as competition. It might be a good idea to stress that they can backport any changes under the Creative Commons. Anybody else have any ideas that might smooth the path?
#Letting an experienced technical writer know about this wiki is a Good Thing. This subproject gives us a good excuse.

:If you would like to start contacting authors of articles you think should be added, please feel free to do so. If you need anything from our end, let me know. [[User:Jeremy|Jeremy]] 17:54, Jul 26, 2004 (EDT)

:Okay. I'll use [[Talk:Linux Documentation Project]] as a sort of improvised "command center" in case somebody else wants to help out/take over. A good first step would be to send off a general email to their mailing list. (I'll make sure that I mention that I'm doing this as my own intiative, not as an 'offical' LQwiki project.) If you don't think it's confidental or something, could you send me a copy of the correspondence you had with them? After the general email, I'll try contacting the Advocacy HOWTO's author. If anybody has suggestions on what to incorporate next, head over to the LDP talk and let me know. [[User:Crazyeddie|Crazyeddie]] 15:23, Jul 27, 2004 (EDT)

:I have a draft email up on [[Talk:Linux Documentation Project]]. Please go idiotproof it everybody! [[User:Crazyeddie|Crazyeddie]] 16:14, Jul 27, 2004 (EDT)

::Seems completely idiotless. :) [[User:Digiot|Digiot]] 17:17, Jul 27, 2004 (EDT)

I'm placing the email on hold until I can rewrite it, to reflect my promotion to moderator. (Since I'm now moderator, it pretty much has to be an offical LQwiki project.) Also, it occurs to me that Grokdoc might want in on this. [[User:Crazyeddie|Crazyeddie]] 19:10, Aug 2, 2004 (EDT)

:Have a list of LDP howtos up over at [[Talk:Linux Documentation Project]]. Take a look over and let me know if there is a howto you want me to put on the to-do list. [[User:Crazyeddie|Crazyeddie]] 18:50, Jul 28, 2004 (EDT)

::Seems like to me the best principle would just be to prioritize them into 'niche interest' and 'outdated for a reason' and then take the remaining generally important and relevant topics and do them in chronological order. A major problem is outdated data and attacking that first would probably be most useful and most suited to wikification. Also, those authors who have abandoned or rarely update their topics might be the most receptive to passing on the maintenance of them, including relicensing or whatever it takes. [[User:Digiot|Digiot]] 22:31, Jul 28, 2004 (EDT)

:But on the other hand, abandoned or rarely updated documents also will be the hardest to get permission for. But I get your drift. I'll go over the list myself tomorrow, but I would like to know if there is any particular ones people want. This is going to take long enough that there is no reason to stick to any particular method if there's one that somebody really wants. I'll rig up some sort of voting system I suppose. I've already taken off some "removed for review" entries and I'm going to go back and remove some internationilization howtos, since those are usually written in a different language. (I'll also replace the sectioning with bullet points - didn't realize how ugly it would look until I was halfway through.) [[User:Crazyeddie|Crazyeddie]] 01:31, Jul 29, 2004 (EDT)

Okay, voting is setup (kinda). [[User:Crazyeddie|Crazyeddie]] 19:10, Aug 2, 2004 (EDT)

==Disclaimer==
A bit off the main topic, but one thing I noticed over at the TLDP... It might be wise to have a "No Warranty, As Is" type notice at the bottom of the page, down in the copyright notices. Unlike the Wikipedia (who have a similar notice, but a bit more buried) we're handing out documentation which could cause serious damage if used improperly, or if it is incorrect. In addition to it being a just plain good idea, some of the TLDP articles have that as their sole condition for modification and redistribution. If we actually do have something like that already, well, my friends don't call me "Captain Oblivious" for nothing. [[User:Crazyeddie|Crazyeddie]] 13:24, Jul 24, 2004 (EDT)

:Good idea - a disclaimer has been added. Thanks. [[User:Jeremy|Jeremy]] 12:41, Jul 25, 2004 (EDT)

I've edited it to include contributors under the "don't sue us!" umbrella. [[User:Crazyeddie|Crazyeddie]] 18:48, Aug 2, 2004 (EDT)

==Forum Revisited==
Several people have asked about a general LQwiki discussion forum. Does anybody have any objections to using this talk page as such a forum? [[User:Crazyeddie|Crazyeddie]] 14:02, Jul 24, 2004 (EDT)

Common Tasks

2004-10-15T16:43:21Z

Koody:

Desktop Linux is still under heavy development. While we all wish Linux was so intuitive nobody needed instructions, currently that isn't always the case. This section is meant for '''notes and quick guides''' on how to perform common tasks on Linux.

If a section isn't yet written and you are able to write it, please do so!

== General user tasks ==

===Productivity===
====Browsing, Burning, Emailing, Office, Scanning, Viewing====
* [[Browsing tasks]] - browsing the WWW and downloading safely
* [[Burning a CDROM]] - some pointers on how to write CDs.
* [[Emailing tasks]] - sending and receiving emails, setting up different mail applications
* [[Office tasks]] - word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, image manipulation and other
* [[Scanning]] - use a [[Scanner]] to convert you paper documents or images to an electronic format
* [[Viewing files]] - various ways to view the contents of files

===Fun===
====Gaming, Multimedia, Talking====
* [[Gaming]] - pass some time, ''not'' working
* [[Multimedia tasks]] - listen to music, extract CDs, watch videos and DVDs
* [[Talking to friends online]] - how to access common instant messaging networks, see also [[IM]].

===Technical===
==== Commands, Connecting, GRUB ====
* [[Command Line User Interface]] - Techniques for better experience
* [[Set up modem]] - using your modem/network connection to get online
* [[GRUB Menu]] - Single Task - Removing old kernel entries from your GRUB Menu boot up selections.
* [http://home.gagme.com/greg/linux/usbcamera.php How to Connect a Digital Camera to Linux (external link)] - an excellent how-to on connecting digital cameras to Linux.
* [[Installing Software]] - how to find and manage additional software on a running Linux system
* [[Installing Windows fonts]] - installing your Windows fonts so they work with your Linux install.
* [[screenshots|Taking screenshots]] - You want to show somebody your desktop? There are tools that will help you make a [[screenshots | screenshot]] and [[record your desktop]] so that you can send movie-files of how nice your desktop looks.
* [[Running Windows software]] - for that simply must-have program

== Power user tasks ==
=== Compiling kernel, Configure, IRC help, GRUB, Drivers, Recover, Remote connection ===

* [[Compiling a Kernel]] - here is a guide for compiling a kernel
* [[Configure Storage Devices]] - how to partition a hard drive, add a new hard drive, use software RAID, or use LVM (logical volume management).
* [[Creating startup scripts]] - scripts that automatically run when the computer starts
* [[Getting help from IRC]] - LinuxQuestions is a great forum, but it isn't the only one. If you know how, the IRC chat networks can also be a useful resource.
* [[GRUB boot menu]] - Configuration Guide.
* [[Installing NVIDIA drivers]] - Information on installing the newer (but closed-source) drivers released by NVIDIA. These drivers are sometimes required to run some games, like Unreal or Quake.
* [[Recover a Terminal Session]] - What to do if your screen's garbaged.
* [[Remote Desktop Connection|Access your System Remotely]] - Access your Linux system from another computer (running Linux, or some other OS) or use your Linux box to access another computer (running Linux, or some other OS).

=== Distro specific ===
* [[Distro specific tips & tricks]]

Installing Windows fonts

2004-10-15T16:41:48Z

Koody: =DEB=

Some Linux users install the Microsoft Windows 'core' fonts on their machines. You do not need MS fonts to open Word documents in [[OpenOffice]], but the formatting might be slightly off if you don't. Also, some web site authors (who do not completely follow [[W3C]] recomendations) specify only Windows fonts by name. You can still use this content, most programs deal with it by using the nearest avaliable, so the difference in text positioning is usually only a few [[pixel | pixels]].

In the past Microsoft provided these fonts as a no-cost download and allowed unmodified redistribution. Although the files are no longer available directly from MS, several websites still offer the fonts for download. You can, of course, get them (except the Tahoma fonts) from any computer running Windows. (Tahoma fonts require a valid Windows license for legal use. If have ever bought any version of Windows you should be fine)

The Microsoft fonts are high quality, but require agreement with Microsoft's [[EULA]][http://corefonts.sourceforge.net/eula.htm], so, compared to most of your Linux system, there are more stringent restrictions on altering them and such alterations may not be redistributed. One alternative is to use the Bitstream Vera fonts that come with most distributions, which are [[GPL]] and also very good.

Although there is no technical incompatibility between Linux and Microsoft fonts, [[Windows]] displays at 72dpi where [[X11]] would tend to use 75dpi. This shouldn't be a major problem, but if you have a 75dpi screen it is quite likely Vera will look better, especially with sub-pixel hinting.

==GNOME users==

In [[GNOME]] 2.4 and above, this is very easy. Simply open a file manager window to fonts:// and open another one to your mounted Windows directory (/mnt/windows for example). Navigate to the Windows folder, then the Fonts folder. Select any fonts that you would like and drag and drop them to the fonts:// window.

Note: This should be done as [[root]] otherwise it may not work. Also, try restarting your computer if it does not work.

==Distribution packages==
===RPM===
:Users of [[rpm]]-based distributions can install the Windows fonts from the packages msfonts-1.2.1-1.noarch.rpm and msfonts-style-1.2.1-1.noarch.rpm [http://ftp.yars.free.net/pub/software/unix/platforms/linux/x/fonts/MS_fonts_for_Linux/].

===DEB===
:Package name is <tt>msttcorefonts</tt>, included in the [[Debian]] repository called non-free.
:These will download (or specify a location if you already have them) the fonts and install them.
:Just write apt-get install msttcorefonts

==External links==
*MS Corefonts [http://corefonts.sourceforge.net/ project page]

{{msg:stub}}

Networking

2004-08-24T15:57:06Z

Koody: 2nd typo

'''Networking''' computers is often easier than people think. This section is dedicated to helping with basic network and network application setup. 
Please refrain from just copy-pasting [[HOWTO]]s or reference documentation. But if you do that anyway, please apply formatting or your pasted text will look horribly broken!

* [[Networking basics]] - Setting up your first network can be tricky. Here are some tips that can help.
**[[Network Addressing]]
***Typical [[Port numbers|port numbers]] for services
**[[Set up modem|Setting up your modem]]
**[[Set up DSL|Setting up broadband]]
***[[Set up PPoE|Setting up broadband using PPoE]]
***[[Set up PPTP|Setting up broadband using PPTP client]]
***[[Set up NTL|Specifics for NTL:home]]
* [[Advanced Networking]] - Networking for the more adventurous.
* [[Services under inetd and xinetd|inetd and xinetd configuration]] - internet services daemons.
* [[Wireless networking]] - Setting up your linux box to access a wireless network.
* [[Web server]]s - Looking to set up a webserver? Take a look here.
* [[Samba]] - Information on sharing files and printers between linux and Windows machines.
* [[Remote Desktop Connection]] - Connect to other computers with VNC, XDCMP, SSH or telnet.
* [[Netatalk]] - Information on sharing files and printers between Linux and Macintosh machines.
* [[Mail services]]
** [[SMTP services]]
** [[POP3 services]]
** [[IMAP services]]
* [[The Domain Name System (DNS)]]

* [[Networking and USB - Some hints and notes]]

Networking

2004-08-24T15:56:40Z

Koody: typo

'''Networking''' computers is often easier than people think. This section is dedicated to helping with basic network and network application setup. 
Please refrain from just copy-pasting [[HOWTO]]s or reference documentation. But if you do that anyway, please apply formatting or your pasted text will look horribly broken!

* [[Networking basics]] - Setting up your first network can be tricky. Here are some tips that can help.
**[[Network Addressing]]
***Typical [[Port numbers]|port numbers]] for services
**[[Set up modem|Setting up your modem]]
**[[Set up DSL|Setting up broadband]]
***[[Set up PPoE|Setting up broadband using PPoE]]
***[[Set up PPTP|Setting up broadband using PPTP client]]
***[[Set up NTL|Specifics for NTL:home]]
* [[Advanced Networking]] - Networking for the more adventurous.
* [[Services under inetd and xinetd|inetd and xinetd configuration]] - internet services daemons.
* [[Wireless networking]] - Setting up your linux box to access a wireless network.
* [[Web server]]s - Looking to set up a webserver? Take a look here.
* [[Samba]] - Information on sharing files and printers between linux and Windows machines.
* [[Remote Desktop Connection]] - Connect to other computers with VNC, XDCMP, SSH or telnet.
* [[Netatalk]] - Information on sharing files and printers between Linux and Macintosh machines.
* [[Mail services]]
** [[SMTP services]]
** [[POP3 services]]
** [[IMAP services]]
* [[The Domain Name System (DNS)]]

* [[Networking and USB - Some hints and notes]]

Networking

2004-08-24T15:55:47Z

Koody:

'''Networking''' computers is often easier than people think. This section is dedicated to helping with basic network and network application setup. 
Please refrain from just copy-pasting [[HOWTO]]s or reference documentation. But if you do that anyway, please apply formatting or your pasted text will look horribly broken!

* [[Networking basics]] - Setting up your first network can be tricky. Here are some tips that can help.
**[[Network Addressing]]
***Typical [[Port numbers]|port numbers] for services
**[[Set up modem|Setting up your modem]]
**[[Set up DSL|Setting up broadband]]
***[[Set up PPoE|Setting up broadband using PPoE]]
***[[Set up PPTP|Setting up broadband using PPTP client]]
***[[Set up NTL|Specifics for NTL:home]]
* [[Advanced Networking]] - Networking for the more adventurous.
* [[Services under inetd and xinetd|inetd and xinetd configuration]] - internet services daemons.
* [[Wireless networking]] - Setting up your linux box to access a wireless network.
* [[Web server]]s - Looking to set up a webserver? Take a look here.
* [[Samba]] - Information on sharing files and printers between linux and Windows machines.
* [[Remote Desktop Connection]] - Connect to other computers with VNC, XDCMP, SSH or telnet.
* [[Netatalk]] - Information on sharing files and printers between Linux and Macintosh machines.
* [[Mail services]]
** [[SMTP services]]
** [[POP3 services]]
** [[IMAP services]]
* [[The Domain Name System (DNS)]]

* [[Networking and USB - Some hints and notes]]

Music player

2004-08-11T16:48:59Z

Koody: =GUI/X=

Various programs exist to play music under Linux: audio CDs, [[MP3]] files or [[Ogg Vorbis]] audio. The most well-known is [[XMMS]], a WinAmp-alike music player.

Though the MP3 format still reigns supreme, Ogg support is growing quickly, and even some hardware "MP3 players" can handle Ogg audio.

==Specific applications==

===GUI/X===
* [[XMMS]] -- Media player modeled after Winamp
* [[RhythmBox]] -- A music player and manager for the [[GNOME]] desktop
* [[JuK]] -- an audio jukebox that supports collections of files for [[KDE]]
* [[AmoroK]] -- an new audio player/jukebox for [[KDE]] with better useablity and can use the GStreamer backend
* [[grip]] -- can be used for playing and ripping audio CDs with ease
* [[Beep media player]] -- XMMS based media player, uses [[GTK]]2
* [[GQmpeg]] -- [[GTK]]1 based player
* [[Noatun]] - A [[KDE]] music player, although not as elaborate as some of the others

===Console/text-based===
*[[mpg123]] -- Command line MP3 player
*[[mpg321]] -- [[free]] mpg123 clone
*[[ogg123]] -- [[Ogg vorbis]] command line player

==See also==
* [[Multimedia tasks]]
* [[FreeDB]]

A useable example desktop

2004-08-11T14:58:50Z

Koody:

This is an example, and as such does not necessarily suit everyone and the viewpoint reflects that of the author.

==Goal==
A coherent useable desktop that has all the programs a typical user will need. Focus on useability before coherance. Daily tasks should be handled by a program with a GUI. No such requirement for solving more complex issues.

Tasks:
* Surf the web
* Write an essay
* Watch movies
* Listen to music

==Distribution==
What distribution to use is a matter of personal preference and experience. There are more than enough to chose from, and most will be up for the job.

I'll use Debian Sarge as the base.

Pros:
* Ease of package management
* Size of repositories
* Stability
* Security
* Very recent versions of programs

Cons:
* The programs will be in the same version until next Debian release.
* Lack of eye-candy added in by distribution.
* No automatic mounting of removable media
* No prelinking

Neutral:
* Ease of installation

==Desktop environment/Window manager==
If you have any experience with linux you'll probably know that there are two large DE (KDE & GNOME) one smaler (xfce) and a lot of window managers that just handle your desktop without including any programs.

The target user has probably used an operating system by Microsoft before, so facilitating the transfer I opted for KDE. However KDE comes with so many programs and will easily overwhelm even someone not a complete novice, so it is best to start by installing just the core and eyecandy. My choice of theme is Plastik.

==User's main programs==
The wealth of choice is overwhelming, and making logical and good defaults is very important.

===Office Suite===
OpenOffice.org is the choice here. Unfortunately [http://kde.openoffice.org/ KDE integration with OpenOffice] is very limited and not included in Debian, so the look and feel of OpenOffice will not be optimal. This is a known compromize.

===Browser===
Here it is a matter of deciding if Konqueror is good enough as a browser or if Firefox is integrated enough. I chose Firefox with the Chrystal Plastik theme to go along side konqueror. Since konqueror is used as the file manager, it will be installed anyway. This is the rare case where the user is given a choice :-) Remember to install relevant plugins.

===Video player===
The choice here is between xine and mplayer (VLC is nice but not as complete as the two other candidates). The respective kde front-ends are Kaffeine and KPlayer. This is a tough choice, that is hard to exaplain. My choice is to go with plain xine with a theme that the user will like (crystal).

===Music player===
Check out AmaroK. Unfortunately Debian doesn't have it yet in the repositories, so JuK is the natural choice.

==Utilities==
We want to make common task easy and possible. Also any and all files should be accessible by a gui.

* A calculator is heavily used, so kCalc is a must
* Opening comressed files is often not something a novice will want to do from the command line, so ark is a good utilitie.
* Changing the volume is important, and KMix makes that possible.
* A small text file editor is nice but not absolutely necessary, once choice would be kEdit.
* A PDF viewer is very important, so either install Acrobat reader, XPDF or kpdf.
* An Image viewer is important. Either use konqueror or install gwenview wich will integrate very nicelyf in to konqueror

Applications

2004-08-11T12:01:53Z

Koody:

Use the pages leading from this section to collect notes and information on common Linux software!
Please read the [[LinuxQuestions.org Wiki:Do's and Dont's]] before editing this page.

==Development==
{| border=1
! Development
|-
|
*[[Compiler]]
*[[Integrated Development Environment]]
*[[Web development]]
|-
|}

==Multimedia applications==
{| border=1
! Multimedia applications
|-
|
* 3D Graphics
** [[3D modeling]]
* 2D Graphics
** [[Image browser]]
** [[Image manipulation]]
* Audio
** [[Music player]]
** [[Sound server]]
** [[Midi]]
** [[Audio editor]]
** [[Synthesis]]
* Video
** [[Video capture]]
** [[Video editor]]
** [[Video player]]
|-
|}

==Networking==
{| border=1
! Networking
|-
|
* Client
** [[Email client]]
** [[Instant Messaging]]
** [[Internet Relay Chat]]
** [[Web browser]]

*Server
** [[Web Server]]
** [[Mail Server]]
** [[FTP Server]]
** [[Proxy Server]]

*Peer to peer
** [[File sharing]]
|-
|}

==Office and Productivity==
{| border=1
! Office and Productivity
|-
|
* [[Citation Management]]
* [[Database]]
* [[Database tools]]
* [[Editor|Text Editor]]
* [[Office suite]]
* [[Personal Information Management]]
* [[Spreadsheet]]
* [[Text processing]]
* [[Word processor]]
* [[Presentation]]
|-
|}

==Utilities==
{| border=1
! Utilities
|-
|
* [[Backup]]
* [[CD/DVD Burning]]
* [[File manager]]
* [[Installing Software]]
* [[System configuration]]
* [[System Statistics]]
* [[Terminal emulator]]
|-
|}

==Miscellaneous==
{| border=1
! Miscellaneous
|-
|
* [[Emulation]]
* [[PVR]]
* [[Scientific applications]]
* [[Silly applications]]
* [[Useful Sites]]
|-
|}

==X (GUI)==
{| border=1
! X (GUI)
|-
|
* [[Desktop environment]]s
* [[Window manager]]s
* [[X utilities]]

* '''[[X Window System]]'''
**[[General Tips]]
**[[Programming in X]] 
**[[Configuring X|Configuring]] 
**[[Screenshots]]
**[[Remote desktop connection]]
|-
|}

==Linux/Windows equivalent software==
{| border=1
! Linux/Windows equivalent software
|-
|
* [[Linux software equivalent to Windows software]]
|-
|}

==See also==
*[[Useful Sites]]
*[[A useable example desktop|An example desktop's program listing for Debian Sarge]]

User:Crazyeddie

2004-08-08T12:45:23Z

Koody: Hi Eddie!

==Intro==

My screen name, crazyeddie, comes from a alien culture hero from the science fiction novel "Mote in God's Eye" by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. My real name is Dan Marshall. By day, I'm the owner and sole employee of Freelance Computer Repair, a small computer shop which has quite recently become profitable (woot!). By night I (still) work as a janitor at a local factory. Also, I'm an moderator here. (I prefer that term to sysop, since I'm not opping any sys.)

(I've decided to quit the volunteer sysadmin position - business has picked up and I can't spend the time on it that I need to. Haven't told them yet, but I don't think they took it too seriously anyway.)

==Linux Experience==

I'm not quite a linux [[noob]], but I'm not far from it. I still use Windows about 90% of the time. I started Linux with [[Slackware]] (version 9.1 I think), but I found the lack of package management limiting. I then went to [[Mandrake]] 9.1, and now I'm going with [[Debian]] (started out with Woody, currently working with Sarge). I've also installed Mandrake 9.2, but didn't use it much. I've attempted to install [[Gentoo]] and [[LFS]], but didn't make it all the way through. (I'm not sure, but I think LFS might actually have a more user-friendly install than Gentoo :-p) I have quite a bit of experience with [[Knoppix]], but somehow, that doesn't seem to count.

Since my business serves Windows customers, I'm constantly on the look out for [[libre]] programs for Windows.

==LQwiki Stuff==

I'm currently working on incorporating the [[Jargon File]] into the wiki. It is a public domain source, consisting of [[hacker]] folklore going back to the [[elder days]]. However, a lot of it is off topic, so I'm about to take a break so the Jargon File material doesn't overwhelm the rest of the wiki.

I'm also about to begin a effort to incorporate material from the [[Linux Documentation Project]] into the wiki. Unlike the Jargon File, the LDP material ''is'' on topic. Unfortunately, unlike the Jargon File, the material, for the most part, ''isn't'' public domain. Instead, it is available underneath a variety of [[copyleft]] and/or [[libre]] licenses, most of which aren't Creative-Commons compatible. So we (meaning me, currently) have to ask each individual author for permission to release their material under the attribution share-alike variant of the Creative Commons.

Other than that, I bounce around the wiki at random, adding my two cents where it will help.

I'm also the one to blame for the [[Hardware Compatibility List]]. I'm thinking about scrapping it, provided nobody wants to keep it. It's just too difficult to maintain. Your distribution's web page should have that information anyway.

''Note to self: link [[killing sockets]] as soon as someone writes a socket article.''

----
Hi Eddie. Yeah, I use this site as an information dump of sorts. Every time I do something that I don't think I'll remember next time I need it, I'll post it here. I read that you are also a debian user :-) I think Debian was the second distro I ever installed, it was potato. I've used many distros since but I always crawl back to debian. I'm currently working on a debian project. You might want to chek it out [[Installing woody|here]]. Well, anyways, thanks for the welcome! - [[User:Koody|Koody]] 08:45, Aug 8, 2004 (EDT)

Lspci

2004-08-08T12:23:16Z

Koody:

Member Of: [[commands]]
Relating To: [[Hardware]]

Lists all pci devices. Similar to 'cat /proc/pci' for gathering information about PCI devices found on the present system.

example: lspci -l

Note to [[Gentoo]] users, lspci is part of the [[pciutils]] ebuild available in [[portage]].

Linux installation

2004-08-07T12:33:03Z

Koody:

As installation varies so much, you are best advised to look at the details for your chosen distribution.

Some [[Live CD distributions]], such as [[Knoppix]] allow you to test-drive before you install, and have a very good automatic detection and configuration system.

Most distributions autodetect your hardware, although [[WiFi]] is still a sticking point.

A [[Source_distributions|source based distribution]] such as [[Gentoo]] encourages people to get to grips with Linux by making you configure, compile and set up everything from scratch. It's really worth doing if you have the time to learn that way, and the learning method and quality of the documentation set it apart from most other distros.

----

==System requirements==

There are hardly default hardware requirements. It depends a lot on the used [[Distributions|distribution]] and how much you are willing to tweak it. Most Linux [[distributions]] are rather modest with their hardware requirements so running any of them on a modern computer will not pose any problems. 
 
Of course if you require to run Linux on a pre Pentium machine you might get in trouble using the latest [[Mandrake]], [[Fedora]], etc. because they may not support every processor type and require a certain amount of system memory. 
 
On the other hand using the latest technology may confront you with a lack of drivers and propper support. 
 
A happy medium is probably the best solution.

----

==Choosing a distribution==
===How to decide which distribution to use?===

'''Always use the same [[distribution]] as the [[guru]] next door!''' This way you have somebody around to question and ask for help.

In general if you don't need special features or have exotic hardware requirements and little or no [[Linux]] knowledge you are on the safe side using one of the major [[distributions]], i.e. [[Fedora]], [[Mandrake]], [[Suse]], [[Red_Hat]]. All them are equipped with a graphical installation, preconfigured desktop and graphical configuration tools.

If you just want to try [[Linux]] your best choice is one of the [[Live_CD_distributions | Live CD distributions]] which run from one CD and don't need to be installed at all.

Special hardware requirements and/or curiosity may lead you to other [[distributions]] like [[VectorLinux]] for sparse hardware which is based on [[Slackware]].

Probably every [[distribution]] would be worth mentioning but believe me as I said before: '''The best [[distribution]] is the one your personal [[guru]] has!'''

For more information about how to choose a distribution, see [[Choosing a Linux distribution]].

----

===Distribution specific guides===
A comprehensive list of [[Distributions]].

----

===How to get a Distribution?===

* Buy a boxed [[Distributions|distribution]] online or in a store. This way you get user guides specific to your distribution and support from the distributor. If you buy an official copy some of the money will help maintain the distribution.
* Download the [[ISO]] files and burn your own CD set. The ISO files can be found at the main [[Distributions|distribution]] site or on countless mirrors. If the option exists, downloading from a distributed [[p2p]] network such as [[BitTorrent]] is preferable. Using p2p the download is likely to be faster, especially at busy times, and the cost to the distributor is far less than over [[ftp]].
* Download only a small installation CD or floppy image and install your system directly per [[FTP Install]] or [[HTTP Install]]. Only the selected software is downloaded which is in most cases faster than downloading the whole CD set. But not every [[Distributions|distribution]] supports this installation type.
* Sometimes magazines add partial or even complete [[distributions]], occasionally before they are made available online.

----

===How to solve problems with your distribution===

* Do it yourself, using [[man]] pages, local documents, the web
* Get help. See [[Linux support options]]

----

===How to keep a distribution up to date===

* Use a package manager like [[apt-get]], [[Synaptic]], [[up2date]] ... to download, install, and upgrade applications, and to find applications that will meet your needs. For a cookbook on how to use Synaptic, see [[Fedora, Synaptic Package Manager, finding Repositories, listing RPMs, previously installed]].

----

==Configuring Linux==
* [[Networking]]
* [[Security]]
* [[Hardware]]
* [[Booting]]
* [[Finding configuration parameters]]

----

==What next? How to make the most of Linux.==
* List of Linux [[Applications]]
* List of Linux [[Commands]]
* [[Common Tasks]]
* [[Documentation]]
* [[Gaming]]

----

==Installation Guides==
(guides to install distros at linuxquestions.org)
*[[ipodlinux:documentation|ipodlinux]]
*[[installing_woody|Debian woody on a 100MHz Pentium]]

----

==External links==
(links to guides etc.)

Xinerama for Radeon 9200

2004-07-20T23:20:48Z

Koody:

I have two identical monitors and a Radeon 9200 64MB card.

My nforce2 motherboard tells me that my AGP card is in PCI:3:0:0 but this is motherboard specific so you might want to check out yours by issuing 'lspci -v'

----
<tt><CODE><PRE>
# XF86Config-4 (XFree86 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 XF86Config-4 manual page.
# (Type "man XF86Config-4" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xfree86 package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xfree86
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following commands as root:
#
# cp /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 /etc/X11/XF86Config-4.custom
# md5sum /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 > /var/lib/xfree86/XF86Config-4.md5sum
# dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86
Section "Module"
Load "GLcore"
Load "bitmap"
Load "dbe"
Load "ddc"
#No dri with xinerama
# Load "dri"
Load "extmod"
Load "freetype"
Load "glx"
Load "int10"
Load "record"
Load "speedo"
Load "type1"
Load "vbe"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "keyboard"
Option "CoreKeyboard"
Option "XkbRules" "xfree86"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "fi"
EndSection
Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "CorePointer"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection
Section "Device"
Identifier "Radeon0"
Driver "radeon"
BoardName "ATI Radeon 9200"
Screen 0
ChipId 0x5157 #<-So that xfree thinks it's 7500
Option "SWcursor" "true"
Option "MonitorLayout" "CRT,CRT"
BusId "PCI:3:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Radeon1"
Driver "radeon"
BoardName "ATI Radeon 9200"
Screen 1
ChipId 0x5157 #<-So that xfree thinks it's 7500
Option "SWcursor" "true"
BusId "PCI:3:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Dell"
HorizSync 30-107
VertRefresh 50-85
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Dell1"
HorizSync 30-107
VertRefresh 50-85
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Radeon0"
Monitor "Dell"
DefaultDepth 16
SubSection "Display"
Depth 1
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 4
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen1"
Device "Radeon1"
Monitor "Dell1"
DefaultDepth 16
SubSection "Display"
Depth 1
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 4
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1280x960" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
EndSection

#No dri with xinerama
#Section "DRI"
# Mode 0666
#EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen 0 "Screen0" 0 0
Screen 1 "Screen1" RightOf "Screen0"
InputDevice "Generic Keyboard"
InputDevice "Configured Mouse"
Option "Xinerama" "true"
EndSection
</tt></CODE></PRE>

Using multiple monitors

2004-07-20T23:11:13Z

Koody:

This is often called [[DualHead]] or [[MultiHead]].
All information descibed here only applies to [[XFree86]] 4.x.x versions, not the older 3.3.6 versions.

==Different methods==
There are a couple of different layouts possible:
#Clone mode -- Every monitors output the exact same thing.
#'Normal' MultiHead -- Every monitor has a different seperate X screen and session
#Combined mode -- The different monitors are combined into one big virtual screen. There are a couple different implementations for this:
##[[Xinerama]] -- The XFree86 extension
##Nvidia's [[TwinView]] -- What the Nvidia drivers call it
##ATI's [[Big Desktop]] -- What the ATI drivers call it
##[[MergedFB]] -- New method supported in some xfree86 drivers, currently mga,sis,ati drivers (These last two only in recent experimental/CVS versions)

==Requirements==
===Hardware===
Obviously multiple [[monitor]]s are needed.
For the videocards different methods are available:
#Using multiple seperate [[videocard]]s
#Using a single multihead capable videocard (this needs special support in the XFree86 driver)
#A combination of the two above.
Note: It's also possible to use the voodoo1/2 3d-only add-on cards as an extra output, see the glide driver manual page

==Software==
An [[XFree86]] 4.x.x. version.
A window manager that supports you're chosen multihead method.
Especially for Xinerama it's required that the window manager supports this extension (both [[KDE]] and [[Gnome]] support it).
For TwinView and MergedFB it's not needed, because these methods 'fake' one big desktop for the xserver itself.

==Configuration==
This section contains some quick info to configure the multihead setups. 
Some basic knowledge of the config file is needed for this. The [[XF86Config]] page should describe it.

===Multihead===
Each videocard should have a working 'Device' section. (Test this by using it as the single output).
Add a matching BusID option to each Device section so it knows which driver to use for each physical device.
The proper BusID can be found by using [[lspci]] or <tt>XFree86 -scanpci</tt>.
Example BusID line looks like this: 
BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
(Note that even [[AGP]] cards use the 'PCI:' prefix) 
For single videocards that support multihead it depends on the used driver. In most cases these cards have a second entry in lspci/scanpci.
Each head on the card should have a seperate Device section, each with the same 'Driver' option but different 'Identifier and'BusID' options.
A special option needs to be added for multihead configuration. Each Device sections needs a 'Screen' option with a number. For example: 
Screen "0"
This would indicate that this particular device section if for the primary head, the other device sections should have a similar option, but with the number increased. The other configuration options of the driver should be only used in the device section of the primary head.

Each monitor should have a working 'Monitor' section. (Also test these as single output).
Now create a 'Screen' section for every monitor-videocard combination.

After this it's time to set up a multihead 'Layout' section in the [[XF86Config]].
To get normal Multihead, just add Screen options to your normal Layout. Example: 
Screen 0 "Normal"
Screen 1 "TV"
Screen 2 "Fridge-LCD"
etc. 
Now if you start up X, you should have seperate X sessions running on each screen.

===Xinerama===
Almost the same as above. Only need to enable the Xinerama extension.
This can be done either by starting XFree86 with the '+xinerama' option, or adding 'Option "Xinerama" "On" to the 'ServerFlags' section of the [[XF86Config]]. 
And you need to specify the position of the screen relative to another. This can be done in the 'Layout' section.
Choices are: LeftOf,RightOf,Above,Below,Absolute X,Y, Relative X Y
Example: 
Screen 0 "Main"
Screen 1 "Secondary" LeftOf "Main"
Screen 2 "TV" relative "Main" 0 2000
etc.

===Nvidia TwinView===
If you are using an NVIDIA card, the README for the Linux drivers on the NVIDIA.com website have excellent instructions on how to set up Xinerama (currently Appendix I in the README). Also see [[Installing_NVIDIA_drivers]]

===ATI Big Desktop===
Easiest way is to let the fglrxconfig app generate a config file for you. Select 'Big Desktop' in the screen layout question.

===MergedFB===
To enable [[MergedFB]] one only has to add some options to the Device section of the multihead video card. Multiple 'Device','Screen' and 'Monitor' sections aren't needed. It's also not needed the change the 'Layout' section. Everthing is configured in the 'Device' section of the videocard. These options can normally be found in the manual page of the driver. And example piece out of a 'Device' section:
Option "MergedFB" "On"
Option "CRT2HSync" "30-70"
Option "CRT2VRefresh" "50-150"
Option "CRT2Position" "LeftOf"
These options can differ between card drivers, since this is a relatively new method and there isn't a standard option set for it yet.

==Links==
[[Xinerama for Radeon 9200]]
#Maybe some links to working XF86Config files?

Cedega

2004-07-07T18:18:30Z

Koody:

'''Cedega''' is a commercial version of [[wine]] that is geared towards games. It was previously known as WineX, but changed its name with version 4.0 to Cedega. It features a very large database of games, and forums. It comes with excellent support for paying customers, and good support for non-game applications.

It is produced by [http://www.transgaming.com/ Transgaming Technologies] and forked from wine years ago. It currently uses the Aladding Source License making [[port]]ing code between Cedega and wine very hard (wine is under a more liberal license known as [[LGPL]]).

Transgaming does provide support and binary releases to paying customers. Otherwise as with wine what you get is the current CVS.

See the [[wine]] page for further information, or [[Gaming via Wine or WineX]] for information on playing games under Cedega.

==See also==
*[[Gaming]]

==External links==
*[http://www.linuxlookup.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Reviews&file=index&req=showcontent&id=60 WineX 4.0 (Cedega) review]

WineX

2004-07-07T18:15:32Z

Koody:

'''WineX''' is known as [[Cedega]] since version 4.0

Port (networking)

2004-07-07T18:12:44Z

Koody:

'''1)'''
In [[TCP/IP]] [[network]]s, '''ports''' are used for incoming and outgoing connections to/from [[service]]s running on a given [[host]] or [[node]]. [[TCP]] and [[UDP]] are the two [[protocol]]s that typically use this system. For instance, [[BIND]]'s implementation of [[DNS]] runs as the [[named]] service and by default listens on [[UDP]] port 53 (zone transfers use [[TCP]] port 53). The [[HTTP]] [[protocol]] typically listens on [[TCP]] port 80.

'''2)'''
The verb ''to '''port''''' refers to the process of translating a computer program so that it can run in another environment (typically on a different [[platform]]). Taking the linux [[kernel]] as an example: this might mean that a bugfix for the 2.4 kernel is ported to the 2.6 version, or (more often) the kernel is made to work on an architecture previously not supported.

Port (networking)

2004-07-07T18:11:50Z

Koody:

In [[TCP/IP]] [[network]]s, '''ports''' are used for incoming and outgoing connections to/from [[service]]s running on a given [[host]] or [[node]]. [[TCP]] and [[UDP]] are the two [[protocol]]s that typically use this system. For instance, [[BIND]]'s implementation of [[DNS]] runs as the [[named]] service and by default listens on [[UDP]] port 53 (zone transfers use [[TCP]] port 53). The [[HTTP]] [[protocol]] typically listens on [[TCP]] port 80.

The verb ''to '''port''''' refers to the process of translating a computer program so that it can run in another environment (typically on a different [[platform]]). Taking the linux [[kernel]] as an example: this might mean that a bugfix for the 2.4 kernel is ported to the 2.6 version, or (more often) the kernel is made to work on an architecture previously not supported.

Backport

2004-07-07T18:08:52Z

Koody:

A backporting means the when a bug is fixed in a newer version, the bugfix is [[port]]ed to the older version. The benefit of this is that since only the bug is fixed, no new features are added, the change from the earlier version is minimal, lowering the chances of new bug or incompatabilities.

Choosing a Linux distribution

2004-07-07T18:05:52Z

Koody: =What distribution for a server=

One of the first questions that you probably have about Linux is "What [[distribution]] do I use?" Indeed, this is one of the most frequently asked questions on our [http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/ forums].

The question is a little harder to answer than it looks. Linux distributions (or ''distros'') come in a wide variety of packages, each with their own quirks and specialties. Some are designed for ease-of-use, some for the power user or [[hacker]], some for powerful computers with lots of [[RAM]] and some for older hardware with slow [[CPU]]s.

Some of the possible answers to this question are:

* Try a few distributions and see what you like
* Use the distribution that the Linux [[guru]] next door uses, so if you have any problems you can ask him or her for help
* (other possible answers?)

==Introductory and general purpose==

=== What distro for just trying Linux out? ===

If you aren't yet prepared to set aside a portion of your hard drive for Linux, or if you just want to take Linux for a spin without any long-term commitments, try one of the [[Live CD distributions]] like [[Knoppix]] or [[DamnSmallLinux]], or the [[Suse]] 9.1 evaluation CD. These can be booted and run directly from a CD, and are a great way to see what Linux can do without affecting any existing operating systems you may have installed. Such distributions tend to run more slowly than a fully-installed Linux, however, so if you are thinking of using Linux regularly, you may want to consider doing a real installation. Many Live CD distributions can be installed to the hard drive if you so choose.

=== What distro for a total newbie? ===

If you are very new to the Linux world and have no interest in learning a lot of technical details just to get it running, you may want to go with one of the mainstream distributions such as [[Mandrake]], [[Fedora]], [[SuSE]] or [[Debian]]. If you can spare the money, it may be worthwhile to purchase a commercial version, since you may get tech support from the vendor.

=== What distro for the power user? ===

If you consider yourself a power user, and would like to learn a lot of technical details about Linux as you are installing and using it, you would be well served to try out one of the more do-it-yourself distributions. [[Gentoo]] and [[Slackware]] might be among your choices here. If you are already an experienced Linux user and really want to get your hands dirty, there is [[Linux From Scratch]], which is not really a distribution so much as a set of instructions for building your own distribution (though this isn't recommended unless you already know what you are doing).

==Special purpose==

=== What distribution for a server ===

Many system administrators have come to trust [[Debian]] with their servers. Debian's security policy and strict packaging rules make it an attractive choice for a non-commercial solution. All security fixes are [[backport]]ed ensuring that the production environment remains the same and breakage will not occur. For a commercial solution people tend to lean towards [[Redhat]]'s Advanced Server line.

=== What distro for an old computer? ===

There are a number of minimalistic distributions, such as [[VectorLinux]] and [[Peanut]] that are designed for computers without much hard drive space or CPU speed. It's quite possible to install Linux on an early 386 with 2 to 4 [[megabytes]] of [[RAM]], though if you hope to install a [[GUI]] you may need a bit more memory or CPU; a 486 with 8MB RAM is probably the lowest you can go with [[XFree86]]. For acting as a [[firewall]], [[e-mail]] client, or basic machine for text editing and scripting, this might be the way to go. However, distributions like Vector and Peanut, while minimal, are not "micro" - they still require 100+ MB hard drives and really need a 586 or fast 486. For even smaller distributions that may run in under 100MB (or even from floppy) on a 386/486, distros like [[BasicLinux]], [[muLinux]], [[Floppix]], and others may be suitable.

''More to be written''

=== What distro for games? ===

Gentoo has modified kernels and other elements that probably make it a good gaming platform. 

''More to be written''

{{msg:stub}}

Choosing a Linux distribution

2004-07-07T18:05:19Z

Koody:

One of the first questions that you probably have about Linux is "What [[distribution]] do I use?" Indeed, this is one of the most frequently asked questions on our [http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/ forums].

The question is a little harder to answer than it looks. Linux distributions (or ''distros'') come in a wide variety of packages, each with their own quirks and specialties. Some are designed for ease-of-use, some for the power user or [[hacker]], some for powerful computers with lots of [[RAM]] and some for older hardware with slow [[CPU]]s.

Some of the possible answers to this question are:

* Try a few distributions and see what you like
* Use the distribution that the Linux [[guru]] next door uses, so if you have any problems you can ask him or her for help
* (other possible answers?)

==Introductory and general purpose==

=== What distro for just trying Linux out? ===

If you aren't yet prepared to set aside a portion of your hard drive for Linux, or if you just want to take Linux for a spin without any long-term commitments, try one of the [[Live CD distributions]] like [[Knoppix]] or [[DamnSmallLinux]], or the [[Suse]] 9.1 evaluation CD. These can be booted and run directly from a CD, and are a great way to see what Linux can do without affecting any existing operating systems you may have installed. Such distributions tend to run more slowly than a fully-installed Linux, however, so if you are thinking of using Linux regularly, you may want to consider doing a real installation. Many Live CD distributions can be installed to the hard drive if you so choose.

=== What distro for a total newbie? ===

If you are very new to the Linux world and have no interest in learning a lot of technical details just to get it running, you may want to go with one of the mainstream distributions such as [[Mandrake]], [[Fedora]], [[SuSE]] or [[Debian]]. If you can spare the money, it may be worthwhile to purchase a commercial version, since you may get tech support from the vendor.

=== What distro for the power user? ===

If you consider yourself a power user, and would like to learn a lot of technical details about Linux as you are installing and using it, you would be well served to try out one of the more do-it-yourself distributions. [[Gentoo]] and [[Slackware]] might be among your choices here. If you are already an experienced Linux user and really want to get your hands dirty, there is [[Linux From Scratch]], which is not really a distribution so much as a set of instructions for building your own distribution (though this isn't recommended unless you already know what you are doing).

==Special purpose==

=== What distribution for a server ===

Many system administrators have come to trust [[Debian]] with their servers. Debian's security policy and strict packaging rules make it an attractive choice for a non-commercial solution. All security fixes are backported ensuring that the production environment remains the smae and breakage will not occur. For a commercial solution people tend to lean towards [[Redhat]]'s Advanced Server line.

=== What distro for an old computer? ===

There are a number of minimalistic distributions, such as [[VectorLinux]] and [[Peanut]] that are designed for computers without much hard drive space or CPU speed. It's quite possible to install Linux on an early 386 with 2 to 4 [[megabytes]] of [[RAM]], though if you hope to install a [[GUI]] you may need a bit more memory or CPU; a 486 with 8MB RAM is probably the lowest you can go with [[XFree86]]. For acting as a [[firewall]], [[e-mail]] client, or basic machine for text editing and scripting, this might be the way to go. However, distributions like Vector and Peanut, while minimal, are not "micro" - they still require 100+ MB hard drives and really need a 586 or fast 486. For even smaller distributions that may run in under 100MB (or even from floppy) on a 386/486, distros like [[BasicLinux]], [[muLinux]], [[Floppix]], and others may be suitable.

''More to be written''

=== What distro for games? ===

Gentoo has modified kernels and other elements that probably make it a good gaming platform. 

''More to be written''

{{msg:stub}}

Choosing a Linux distribution

2004-07-07T18:04:47Z

Koody:

One of the first questions that you probably have about Linux is "What [[distribution]] do I use?" Indeed, this is one of the most frequently asked questions on our [http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/ forums].

The question is a little harder to answer than it looks. Linux distributions (or ''distros'') come in a wide variety of packages, each with their own quirks and specialties. Some are designed for ease-of-use, some for the power user or [[hacker]], some for powerful computers with lots of [[RAM]] and some for older hardware with slow [[CPU]]s.

Some of the possible answers to this question are:

* Try a few distributions and see what you like
* Use the distribution that the Linux [[guru]] next door uses, so if you have any problems you can ask him or her for help
* (other possible answers?)

==Introductory and general purpose==

=== What distro for just trying Linux out? ===

If you aren't yet prepared to set aside a portion of your hard drive for Linux, or if you just want to take Linux for a spin without any long-term commitments, try one of the [[Live CD distributions]] like [[Knoppix]] or [[DamnSmallLinux]], or the [[Suse]] 9.1 evaluation CD. These can be booted and run directly from a CD, and are a great way to see what Linux can do without affecting any existing operating systems you may have installed. Such distributions tend to run more slowly than a fully-installed Linux, however, so if you are thinking of using Linux regularly, you may want to consider doing a real installation. Many Live CD distributions can be installed to the hard drive if you so choose.

=== What distro for a total newbie? ===

If you are very new to the Linux world and have no interest in learning a lot of technical details just to get it running, you may want to go with one of the mainstream distributions such as [[Mandrake]], [[Fedora]], [[SuSE]] or [[Debian]]. If you can spare the money, it may be worthwhile to purchase a commercial version, since you may get tech support from the vendor.

=== What distro for the power user? ===

If you consider yourself a power user, and would like to learn a lot of technical details about Linux as you are installing and using it, you would be well served to try out one of the more do-it-yourself distributions. [[Gentoo]] and [[Slackware]] might be among your choices here. If you are already an experienced Linux user and really want to get your hands dirty, there is [[Linux From Scratch]], which is not really a distribution so much as a set of instructions for building your own distribution (though this isn't recommended unless you already know what you are doing).

==Special purpose==

=== What distribution for a server ===

Many system administrators have come to trust [[Debian]] with their servers. Debian's security policy and strict packaging rules make it an attractive choice for a non-commercial solution. All security fixes are backported ensuring that the production environment remains the smae and breakage will not occur. For a commercial solution people tend to lean towards [[RedHat]]'s Advanced Server line.

=== What distro for an old computer? ===

There are a number of minimalistic distributions, such as [[VectorLinux]] and [[Peanut]] that are designed for computers without much hard drive space or CPU speed. It's quite possible to install Linux on an early 386 with 2 to 4 [[megabytes]] of [[RAM]], though if you hope to install a [[GUI]] you may need a bit more memory or CPU; a 486 with 8MB RAM is probably the lowest you can go with [[XFree86]]. For acting as a [[firewall]], [[e-mail]] client, or basic machine for text editing and scripting, this might be the way to go. However, distributions like Vector and Peanut, while minimal, are not "micro" - they still require 100+ MB hard drives and really need a 586 or fast 486. For even smaller distributions that may run in under 100MB (or even from floppy) on a 386/486, distros like [[BasicLinux]], [[muLinux]], [[Floppix]], and others may be suitable.

''More to be written''

=== What distro for games? ===

Gentoo has modified kernels and other elements that probably make it a good gaming platform. 

''More to be written''

{{msg:stub}}

Aptitude

2004-07-07T17:55:10Z

Koody:

'''Aptitude''' is a very useful curses-based front-end to the [[apt]] toolset. It is generally considered better than dselect and has features like multithreading, the ability to undo changes and you can even play minesweeper while you are downloading.

See also: [[Synaptic]]

==Troubleshooting==
If you don't close aptitude properly, it might not delete the locks it has created. This would result in that next time you use it you get an "Could not lock the cache file" error. On Debian this can be fixed by removing the locks:

<code>
rm /var/cache/apt/archives/lock 
rm /var/lib/aptitude/lock 
rm /var/lib/dpkg/lock 
rm /var/lib/apt/lists/lock 
</code>

Aptitude

2004-07-07T17:50:32Z

Koody:

'''Aptitude''' is a curses-based front-end to the [[apt]] toolset.

==Troubleshooting==
If you don't close aptitude properly, it might not delete the locks it has created. This would result in that next time you use it you get an "Could not lock the cache file" error. On Debian this can be fixed by removing the locks:

<code>
rm /var/cache/apt/archives/lock 
rm /var/lib/aptitude/lock 
rm /var/lib/dpkg/lock 
rm /var/lib/apt/lists/lock 
</code>

Aptitude

2004-07-07T17:50:02Z

Koody:

'''Aptitude''' is a curses-based front-end to the [[apt]] toolset.

==Troubleshooting==
If you don't close aptitude properly, it might not delete the locks it has created. This would result in that next time you use it you get an "Could not lock the cache file" error. On Debian this can be fixed by removing the locks:

<code>
rm /var/cache/apt/archives/lock
rm /var/lib/aptitude/lock
rm /var/lib/dpkg/lock
rm /var/lib/apt/lists/lock
</code>

Using Linux to quieten your computer

2004-06-30T16:45:24Z

Koody:

==Optical drives==
Modern CD- and DVD-rom drives spin very rapidly causing much noise. Compromising speed to lower the noise can be done by lowering the drive's speed. There are a few ways of doing this:

<code>hdparm -E [speed] [cdrom device]</code>

<code>echo current_speed:4 > /proc/ide/[cdrom device]/settings</code>

<code>setcd -x [speed] [cdrom device]</code>

Another way is increasing the readahead. Note that adjusting this is tricky since it might result in the drive spinning down after a read just to spin up again. This acceleration could cause a lot more noise then the drive simply continuously reading the disk.

<code>hdparm -a[sector readahead] [cdrom device]</code>

<code>echo file_readahead:[bytes to read] > /proc/ide/[cdrom device]/settings</code>

==Durono/Athlon (XP) processors==
Due to some odd and mysterious reason AMD's cpus don't save power when they are idle (at least not as much as possible) unless you explicitly tell them too.

These processors can run A LOT cooler if you ask them too. The intricate instructions and explanations are found in the [http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Athlon-Powersaving-HOWTO/ Athlon Powersaving HOWTO], or you could just use [http://members.jcom.home.ne.jp/jacobi/linux/softwares.html athcool]

Using Linux to quieten your computer

2004-06-13T22:34:41Z

Koody:

Hardware

2004-06-13T22:21:17Z

Koody: Adding quieting subtopic

==Input devices==
* [[Configuring mice (Serial, PS/2, USB)]]
* [[Configuring keyboards]]

==Graphics cards==
* [[3D graphics acceleration]]
* [[framebuffer]] device
* [[Configuring TV out]]
* [[Using multiple monitors with XFree86]]
* [[Video For Linux]]

==Sound==
* [[OSS]]
* [[ALSA]]

==Printers==
* [[Adding local printers]]
* [[Adding network printers]]

==Disks/Volumes==
* [[IDE]] vs [[SCSI]] vs [[SATA]]
* [[IDE Tree Mapping]]
* [[IDE CD Writer]] (ATAPI)
* [[LVM]]
* [[RAID]]
* [[File Systems]]
* [[USB Flash drive]]

==Busses==
* [[PCI]]
* [[PCMCIA]] (laptops addon cards)
* [[MCA]] (Micro Channel Architecture, old IBM PS2s)
* [[Firewire]] (400 and 800)
* [[ADB]] (old macintosh)
* [[Sun Peripherals]] type 3 type 4 type 5
* [[USB]] Universal Serial Bus
* [[AGP]] Accelerated Graphics Port
* [[IDE bus]] / [[ATA]] and [[ATAPI]].

==[[Power Management]]==
* [[ACPI]]
* [[APM]]

==Misc.==
* [[Scanners]]

== Tools/Tips ==
*[[lspci]]
*[[scanpci]]
*[[Hotplug|Hotplugging]] hardware
*[[Automatic Hardware Configuration]] tools.
*[[Quieting linux]]

==See also==
*[[Hardware_Recommendations]]
*[[Hardware Compatibility List]]

==External links==
*[http://www.linuxquestions.org/hcl/index.php LinuxQuestions.org HCL : Product Reviews].
*[http://www.linuxlaptops.org Linux Laptops]
*TuxMobil: [http://tuxmobil.org/ Linux On Laptops, Notebooks, PDAs and Mobile Phones]
*[http://perso.wanadoo.es/xose/linux/linux_ports.html Ports of Linux]

Ifconfig

2004-03-29T20:56:40Z

Koody: Some additional info

'''ifconfig''' = '''I'''nter'''f'''ace '''Config'''uration. The [[UNIX]] [[command]] for configuring a network interface. Usually given in the form of "ifconfig interface name -options

Example: ifconfig eth0 192.168.0.1 netmask 255.255.255.0

Just typing ifconfig will show information of all the currently configured network interfaces.

Grub version 1

2004-03-24T23:06:07Z

Koody:

'''GRUB''' (short for '''GR'''and '''U'''nified '''B'''oot Loader) is a [[boot loader]], similar in overall function to [[LILO]]. It is the standard way to boot into an [[operating system]] (or several) used by most recent [[Linux]] [[distributions]], but capable of being loaded on any Linux distro.

==Advocacy==
GRUB has several advantages over [[LILO]]:
* You can change your boot menu entries by editing a file ONLY (in LILO, you need to update the copy of LILO sitting in your [[MBR]] by executing `lilo` after every changes to /etc/lilo.conf
* You can "test" your boot menu entries in an interpreted environment. This MAY prevent some minor changes that renders the system unbootable.

==GRUB boot menu==
The grub menu configuration file is called ''menu.lst'', default location is in ''/boot/grub/menu.lst''. It contains some configuration options (like color, timeout and password settings) and a list off menu entries. The file is often managed by some tool from the [[distribution]] itself, so when kernels are installed or removed the boot menu list gets automatically updated.

===Manual configuration===
Full documentation of the format of the ''menu.lst'' file can be found in the GRUB [[info]] pages. But for a quick start, here are a couple of example entries to get you going. 
Basic entry to boot a linux kernel located on the first disk: 
<pre>
title Linux kernel 2.6.4
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.4 root=/dev/hda1 ro
savedefault
boot
</pre>
And one to boot from a windows partition: 
<pre>
title Win
root (hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1
boot
</pre>

===Debian===
[[Debian]] manages the menu file with ''update-grub'', this script checks which kernels are located in /boot/ and generates a menu entry for them. It adds it's own configuration options to the menu.lst file, these concern the options that are given to the generated menu entries. Usually update-grub is automatically run after a kernel packages has been installed or removed (at least it's the default configuration for the sarge/testing disribution). If not, update-grub can be added as a postinst_hook and a postrm_hook in the ''/etc/kernel-img.conf'' file.

===RedHat===
[[RedHat]] also manages the menu.lst file itself, it should be updated automatically when a kernel rpm is installed/removed
==Errors and solutions==
===Error 18===
Error 18: Selected cylinder exceeds maximum supported by BIOS 
This error is returned when a read is attempted at a linear block address beyond the end of the BIOS translated area. This generally happens if your disk is larger than the BIOS can handle (512MB for (E)IDE disks on older machines or larger than 8GB on others.). 
In more practical terms this means the BIOS is unable to start executing the kernel because the kernel is not located within the block it can access at boot up time.
This can be circumvented by creating a boot partition at the beginning of the disk that is completely within the first 1023 cylinders of the harddrive. This partition will contain the kernel.
The kernel it self does not suffer from the same limitations as the BIOS so after the BIOS has loaded the kernel the kernel will have no problem accessing the whole harddrive.
Newer BIOSes will automatically translate the harddrives size in a way that it can be completely contained within the first 1023 cylinders and hence modern computers do not suffer from this problem.

==Tips==
For an awesome resource for troubleshooting just about any Grub problem (on any [[OS]]), see this thread on Gentoo's forums: [http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic.php?t=122656&highlight=grub+error+collection Gentoo Forums: Grub Error Collection]

===Booting Windows/DOS from a non-first harddisk===
This is a common problem of people dual-booting that want Linux to be on their first disk and Windows on some other one. [[Windows]] only wants to boot from partitions on first disk in the system. But Grub can trick Windows with the ''map'' command, an example entry would look like:
<pre>
title Win
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
root (hd1,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1
boot
</pre>

===Shutdown the machine from the menu===
Another menu entry that can be handy is one to shutdown the machine: 
<pre>
title Halt!
halt
</pre>

==See also==
*[[Securing GRUB]]
*[[MBR]]

==External links==
*[http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/ Project website]

Password

2004-03-21T21:47:38Z

Koody:

Simply, an access code. Volumes have been written about the dangers of password reuse and of using weak passwords. Statistically, the leading cause of computer [[intrusion]]s is password reuse and/or the use of weak passwords.

====Weak passwords versus strong passwords====
An example of a very weak password would be <code>password</code> or if a user named Johnny would have the word <code>johnny</code> as his password.

Examples of other bad passwords are <code>abc123</code>, <code>qwerty123</code> and words like <code>microsoft</code>, <code>dell</code>, <code>george</code>.

Good passwords are never words or names. Nor are thay anything people can guess like birthdates or lisence plates. An example of a good password that would be hard to crack could be. 
<code>etMwhlws2g</code>

Even though that looks like it would be difficult to remember it is not. It is derived from the poem Mary had a little lamb. The second verse goes something like "everywhere that Mary went her lamb was sure to go". Just take the first letter of each word and replace the word "to" with the number 2 and the password is now difficult to guess but easy to remember.

Password

2004-03-21T21:47:26Z

Koody:

Simply, an access code. Volumes have been written about the dangers of password reuse and of using weak passwords. Statistically, the leading cause of computer [[intrusion]]s is password reuse and/or the use of weak passwords.

====Weak passwords versus strong passwords====
An example of a very weak password would be <code>password</code> or if a user named Johnny would have the word <code>johnny</code> as his password.

Examples of other bad passwords are <code>abc123</code>, <code>qwerty123</code> and words like <code>microsoft</code>, <code>dell</code>, <code>george</code>.

Good passwords are never words or names. Nor are thay anything people can guess like birthdates or lisence plates. An example of a good password that would be hard to crack could be. 
<code>etMwhlws2g<code>

Even though that looks like it would be difficult to remember it is not. It is derived from the poem Mary had a little lamb. The second verse goes something like "everywhere that Mary went her lamb was sure to go". Just take the first letter of each word and replace the word "to" with the number 2 and the password is now difficult to guess but easy to remember.

Password

2004-03-21T21:47:09Z

Koody:

Simply, an access code. Volumes have been written about the dangers of password reuse and of using weak passwords. Statistically, the leading cause of computer [[intrusion]]s is password reuse and/or the use of weak passwords.

===Weak passwords versus strong passwords===
An example of a very weak password would be <code>password</code> or if a user named Johnny would have the word <code>johnny</code> as his password.

Examples of other bad passwords are <code>abc123</code>, <code>qwerty123</code> and words like <code>microsoft</code>, <code>dell</code>, <code>george</code>.

Good passwords are never words or names. Nor are thay anything people can guess like birthdates or lisence plates. An example of a good password that would be hard to crack could be. 
<code>etMwhlws2g<code>

Even though that looks like it would be difficult to remember it is not. It is derived from the poem Mary had a little lamb. The second verse goes something like "everywhere that Mary went her lamb was sure to go". Just take the first letter of each word and replace the word "to" with the number 2 and the password is now difficult to guess but easy to remember.

Lsmod

2004-03-21T10:59:15Z

Koody:

Member Of: [[Commands]] : [[Kernel Commands]]

Relating To: [[Kernel module|Kernel Modules]] and [[Functionality]]

A linux [[kernel]] can have [[modules]] for drivers or other functionality. To keep the size of the kernel small, the modules will be loaded only when specified and as opposed to built in modules will not bloat the kernel if e.g. the driver modules hardware isn't present.

lsmod lists the moddules that are currently loaded.

Kernel 2.6

2004-03-21T10:55:51Z

Koody:

The '''Kernel 2.6''' series is the latest series of the stable linux
kernels.

The latest version is 2.6.4 and available [http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/ here].

It includes the most modern kernel features like

*built-in [[cryptography]]
*best [[SMP]]
*improved [[real-time]] features
*[[NUMA]] architecture
*[[ALSA]] support
 
The numbering scheme follows the following convention.
Each version has a unique number x.y.z. where
* x = major
* y = minor
* z = patch

The minor number has the additional meaning that on a stable kernel it is always even. Development is done on a development kernel with is identified by the minor number being odd. For example 2.2, 2.4, 2.6 and the latest release 2.6.4 are stable while 2.5.32 was a development kernel. The 2.5 brach became the stable 2.6 kernel and someday soon a new branch called 2.7 will open that will lead to the new 2.8 (or possibly 3.0) kernel.

Kernel 2.6

2004-03-21T10:47:00Z

Koody:

The '''Kernel 2.6''' series is the latest series of the stable linux
kernels (remember, all the even minor numbers 2.2, 2.4, 2.6 are stable,
the odd numbers (e.g. 2.3, 2.5) are for developers only).

The latest version is 2.6.4 and available [http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/ here].

It includes the most modern kernel features like

*built-in [[cryptography]]
*best [[SMP]]
*improved [[real-time]] features
*[[NUMA]] architecture

Mission-critical reliability

2004-03-13T15:33:48Z

Koody: Note about five nines

The term "Mission-Critical Reliability" refers to a very high level of reliability, a necessary trait for key servers in corporate and government environments. Since mission-critical elements of a project cannot be delayed without delaying the overall project, servers which support these key elements must have very high reliability. A server with 99.9% uptime is on the low end of mission-critical reliability.

When discussing the reliability of servers the 'five nines' rule is often referenced. This means 99.999% availability. In practical terms this means 5 minutes of downtime ''per year''.

User:Chalupamaster92

2004-03-13T14:57:51Z

Koody: fixing layout

I suppose you wonder why I call myself the master of the chalupa. Frankly, so do I.

The name's Bryce. Comp sci major at the University of Utah. Been toying with Linux on and off since 1999, primarily due to the influence of Slashdot.

I think this is a cool and useful project, and I'd like to contribute.

----

Especially a master of the the chalupa of the 92nd degree. Wow. That's some chalupa-mastery. :)

Nah, the reason I post: I noticed you ask about making indents - check out [[LQWiki:Wiki_markup|markup help]], and welcome.

[[User:Digiot|Digiot]] 01:57, Mar 7, 2004 (EST)

----

I wish I mastered Chalupa like this guy. The C_plus_plus template looks good - could you add the same for [[C]] and [[Java]]?

[[User:MHouliston|MHouliston]] 18:26, Mar 7, 2004 (EST)
----

I stumbled across the C++ tutorial template. ''You crazy bastard!'' 
Just kidding ;-) Nice work. I just hope someone starts writing to it so that it begins to grow. Problem is that I'm too lazy to start doing it now.

[[User:Koody|Koody]] 09:55, Mar 13, 2004 (EST)

----

User:Chalupamaster92

2004-03-13T14:55:34Z

Koody: Greetings

I suppose you wonder why I call myself the master of the chalupa. Frankly, so do I.

The name's Bryce. Comp sci major at the University of Utah. Been toying with Linux on and off since 1999, primarily due to the influence of Slashdot.

I think this is a cool and useful project, and I'd like to contribute.

----

Especially a master of the the chalupa of the 92nd degree. Wow. That's some chalupa-mastery. :)

Nah, the reason I post: I noticed you ask about making indents - check out [[LinuxQuestions.org_Wiki:Wiki_markup|markup help]], and welcome.

[[User:Digiot|Digiot]] 01:57, Mar 7, 2004 (EST)

----

I wish I mastered Chalupa like this guy. The C_plus_plus template looks good - could you add the same for [[C]] and [[Java]]?

[[User:MHouliston|MHouliston]] 18:26, Mar 7, 2004 (EST)
----

I stumbled across the C++ tutorial template. You crazy bastard! Just kidding ;-) Nice work. I just hope someone starts writing to it so that it begins to grow. Problem is that I'm too lazy to start doing it now.
[[User:Koody|Koody]] 09:55, Mar 13, 2004 (EST)

----

Touch

2004-03-11T14:49:59Z

Koody: added time date info

'''Touch''' quite simply creates an empty file with the supplied name or changes the time stamp for an existing file to the current date and time. For example:

<tt>touch thesky</tt>

creates a file called "thesky" in the current directory. If the file already exists its time and date will change to reflect the current time and date.

<tt>cd</tt> 
<tt>touch .hushlogin</tt>

creates a .hushlogin file in one's home directory, which suppresses the display of /etc/motd on login