Updates on Envy and Evolbck

Eitan Isaacson made me notice an error in Evolbck‘s code. My bad, I thought I had already done that. I guess I’m way too busy and (therefore) distracted.

I have kept Envy up-to-date since new Nvidia drivers have been released. There are a few bugfixes as well.
* Added: Nvidia driver 96.43.01
* Removed: Nvidia driver 9639
* Added: Nvidia driver 7185
* Removed: Nvidia driver 71.86.01
* Fixed: buildclean did not clean Envy's folder after the build
* Fixed: Envy's GUI shouldn't be resizable
* Changed: both Nvidia and ATI's kernel modules are removed provided that they are
already installed

You can get Envy here as usual.


Make sure you remove the previous release of Envy before you use the new one:
sudo apt-get remove envy
sudo rm -R /usr/share/envy

then install the new Envy

NOTE: Envy 0.9.8 will:
* support Gutsy
* be compliant with Debian’s new Python Policy
* be ready for localisation
I have postponed all the other features I had planned since I’m extremely busy.

Unofficial Evolution import/export utility – release

The tool which I mentioned in my previous post is now available.

I have packaged this tool in compliance with the new Debian Python policy (Envy’s next release will be packaged in the same way). This application is not localised yet but I think I only need to read the fine manual for this (and yes, Envy will be localised too).

You should consider it an alpha release therefore you will have to use it at your own risk. It works well on my computers at home.

A screenshot:
evolbck.jpg

I think this is my turn to thank Edward A Robinson since I used (part of) his VirtualTerminal.py. When I helped him on ubuntuforums he told me that he was convinced that I could use his code for Envy… well he was almost right and I used it for this new application of mine.

You can get a deb package here here

A new tool to import/export your mail and settings in Evolution

A few days ago I was looking for a guide to export my mail and settings (my accounts, address book, calendar, filters, etc.) to my laptop and I found a few guides. I wondered why, as far as I know, there is no way to export my data in Evolution (my favourite email client)… then I asked myself whether I should depend on those guides every time I need to move to another OS or computer. Ok, a script that automates the whole operation already exists but I wanted something more flexible and I found it somewhat absurd that I had to read a guide or use a script to export my data. I just wanted a GUI which could save me the time to find the script (my hard disk is a mess) or to find and read a guide (is it laziness or just lack of time?).

In the end I rolled up my sleeves and wrote a new application (in PyGTK) which will enable Evolution users to import and export (in a tar.gz file) their mail and settings in few mouse clicks.

My application seems to work well however I haven’t paid much attention to the details of its interface yet. All the writings you can see in the 2 screenshots below are provisional. I haven’t decided yet which name I’ll give it and I haven’t made the (GPL) code available yet, however I thought I would show you these screen shots:

evol1.png

evol2.png

I hope to release it soon and, as usual, constructive criticism is welcome.

EDIT: last night I found out that the next release of Evolution will have a new Backup/Restore feature therefore I’m glad to say that my application will become useless in GNOME 2.20. In the meantime you might want try my app.

Envy 0.9.7-0ubuntu11 is now available

here is the list of changes:

* Added: Nvidia driver 100.14.19
* Removed: Nvidia driver 100.14.11
* Fixed: Composite was disabled for the latest driver (this meant that no 3D Desktop effects could be enabled without reenabling Composite)
* Added: GUI dependecy checker. If some dependencies are not installed, an embedded version of Synaptic is called so as to install such dependencies (only in GNOME and XFCE).
* Removed the word "Ubuntu" from the .desktop, from the about dialogue and from the description in debian/control, since Envy is not used only in Ubuntu.

Unfortunately I didn’t manage to prevent Adept_batch from crashing when launched from Envy. This means that Envy won’t launch Adept in KDE in order to satisfy the dependencies which Envy requires. However such dependencies should be installed when you install Envy (i.e. Synaptic is called only if such dependencies are not installed). In other words this is nothing you should worry about.

Envy 0.9.7-0ubuntu09 and 0.9.7-0ubuntu10 were made available only to the Experimental release of Linux Mint (this is why I didn’t blog about them).

You can get Envy here as usual.


Make sure you remove the previous release of Envy before you use the new one:
sudo apt-get remove envy
sudo rm -R /usr/share/envy

then install the new Envy

Updates on URandR

After about a 1 month pause from work on URandR I decided to improve the code a bit (reusing some code from Envy) and started implementing Xinerama-style dual screen. There is still some work to do and I think I might have to change a great deal of the provisional GUI I’m using in order to improve its usability.

Currently Xinerama-style dual screen requires editing your xorg.conf so as to set the Virtual resolution (i.e. the highest resolution you can use) (something you’ll only have to do once). The reason for performing such operation (in Keith Packard’s words) is the following:

The current [Intel] driver cannot reallocate the frame buffer, so whatever size you start with is the maximum the screen can ever become, and that this amount of physical memory is tied down for the whole X server run.

This is only a temporary “problem” (which the devs are going to fix). Of course URandR can calculate the Virtual resolution you need and, after checking whether you need it or not, add it to your xorg.conf (this is something I have already implemented).

Expect a few new screenshots in the next future.

On the removal of the posts on Envy…

First of all thanks for all your kind comments. I am putting the posts back.

After all Envy was born for the Community and its existence wouldn’t make sense without its users, who provide feedback and contribute to make Envy an easy alternative to reading long howtos (which I write as well) and to long (and inevitable) troubleshooting sessions if something goes wrong (as regards the said guides). All the time I spent helping users on Ubuntuforums.org made me realise how important it is to have a quick way to install the latest release of (ATI or NVIDIA) proprietary drivers (e.g. what happens if your new card is supported only by the latest driver which is not available in the official repositories?). There is a massive request for such tools and when I read that some users got to know Envy on Planet Ubuntu and saved their computer from reinstalling Ubuntu (or even XP), I think it’s better to put back the posts on Envy. Of course you’re free not to use Envy and to read howtos (on this subject), which is perfectly fine and you’ll become more knowledgeable.

Even if such posts might look like spam (or simply useless) to the (lucky) users of graphic cards which work with (3D enabled) open source drivers, very often do they solve problems to many users (and, at least as far as I can see on ubuntuforums, most users seem to have ATI or NVIDIA cards).

P.S. Don’t worry, if you have a look at my website you’ll see that there are well visible warnings against using non-official tools in Ubuntu. Furthermore Envy has its own page on Launchpad if you want to report bugs.

Envy 0.9.7-0ubuntu8 is now available

here is the changelog:
* Fixed: Envy aborted the operation with kernels named in a certain way (2.6.22-gms)
* Fixed: the linux-restricted-modules-2.6.22.1 folder was renamed and therefore
Envy's uninstallation was not clean. The folder get its original name back
when the installation process is complete

This release fixes a problem with certain recompiled kernels and makes sure that Envy can be uninstalled properly.

On Envy’s future:
I’m thinking of adding some new (long requested) features to Envy 0.9.8 such as the chance to choose between different releases of the same kind of driver, e.g. driver 100.14.09 and 100.14.11 (in the case of the “latest” type of driver).

Another thing I would like to add (in 0.9.9 maybe?) is the chance to export the packages (including the kernel module) that Envy builds so as to install them on computers which have no access to the Internet (however the machine which builds the packages will still need an Internet connection).

I haven’t designed the whole thing yet but I think I will do it at nights (therefore I have no release date) since I am studying for an exam (Postcolonial English Literature). There are only 2 exams left now and I can’t wait to graduate (again) and look for a job.

You can get Envy here as usual.

REVIEW: Ubuntu for Non-Geeks, 2nd Edition, Rickford Grant

I was contacted by No Starch Press and I was offered a free book on Ubuntu for review and I must admit that this is a book I am more than glad to review.

I will try to be as balanced as possible in this review, but of course my judgement is influenced by my experience as an Ubuntu user, as a moderator on ubuntuforums.org and as a (geek) troubleshooter (and developer).

Here you can find the table of contents of the book:
Table of Contents

You can find more information on the book here:
Book

First of all, let’s quickly introduce the book:

Who is this book for?
According to the author, this book is aimed at people who are “familiar with computers, but unfamiliar with Linux, or somewhat familiar with Linux but not with Ubuntu”. In other words this book is not for “seasoned geeks or power users”.

What is the purpose of this book?
The book is “an introductory guide that will provide new users with some hands-on experience in order to get them up, running, and comfortable with the Ubuntu distribution of Linux”.

What does the book come bundled with?
The book comes with a livecd for x86 (32bit) architectures.

I have chosen to write a chapter-by-chapter review so as to give you an idea of how the book is structured and of its quality (according to my opinion).

Now, let’s get to the very core of the review:

1 . BECOMING A PENGUINISTA
Welcome to the World of Linux

In chapter 1 the author introduces his readers to the world of Linux, explains how and when Linux was born, answers to frequently asked questions such as “is Linux ready for the desktop” (smart answer, by the way) or “why should I use Linux”, and shows how Windows users can check the compatibility of the hardware components of their computers.

The chapter is well written and is a real pleasure to read, however the GPL and GNU are not even mentioned. I think they should be given due credits for what GNU/Linux distributions have become today. I hope this problem will be addressed in the next edition of the book.

2. WADING AND DIVING
Running and (If You Like) Installing Ubuntu

Chapter 2 will guide the readers through the installation of Ubuntu from the livecd. It is a step-by-step guide enriched with screenshots. After reading it you will really have no excuse for not installing Ubuntu.

3. A NEW PLACE TO CALL HOME
Getting to Know the Desktop

The livecd or a fresh installation of Ubuntu will definitely look different from Vista, XP or OSX. Chapter 3 is a first introduction to the GNOME desktop and explains how to use panels and menus.

I think that the description of what I deem to be trivial tasks (remember that I am a geek) can really make the difference in the learning curve of new Linux adopters. My friends and family (who are by no means geeks) have provided me with enough evidence to believe so.

4. MORE THAN WEBBED FEET
The Internet, Linux Style

In chapter 4 you will see how to set up Internet connections with or without DHCP, wireless connections (through Network Manager) and dial-up connections. This chapter also covers the use of applications such as Firefox (with its extensions and plugins), Evolution and Thunderbird, Gaim and Ekiga, i.e. what I can’t live without as far as Internet applications are concerned.

I would have liked to see also an application for file sharing (e.g. Amule or Frostwire) and a news aggregator (e.g. Liferea) mentioned in the book.

5. ROUNDING OUT THE BIRD
Downloading, Installing, and
Updating Programs the Easy Way

Chapter 5 is extremely useful as it deals with the Synaptic Package Manager (as well as Ubuntu’s Add/Remove tool) and clearly explains how to add new repositories, how to install, remove and upgrade packages. It also explains how to boot in an older kernel if the kernel you installed with the updates doesn’t work for you.

This chapter is very well written and I guess it doesn’t yet explain how to use APT (in the command line) so as to remain faithful to the promise the author made to his target audience (“non-geeks”, remember?). A true introduction to the shell is given later though. This chapter simply deals with “the easy way” to handle packages.

6. A TIDY NEST
File and Disk Handling in Ubuntu

Chapter 6 continues (and goes more in depth into) what chapter 3 started showing of the GNOME desktop. After providing a brief explanation of the Linux filesystem, it shows how to use Nautilus to browse folders, network shares and also how to browse an FTP as if it were just another folder on your hard disk.

This chapter also shows how to set file and folders’ permissions, burn data to CD/DVDs, handle archives (of compressed files) and usb storage devices.

This is definitely a chapter you might not want to skip.

7. DRESSING UP THE BIRD
Customizing the Look and Feel of Your System

Chapter 7 will guide you through the customisation of your desktop i.e. wallpapers, panels, windows backgrounds, themes, login screens, folder tags, splash screens, etc.

You will also learn how to create a new user account and how to log in to the new account inside a separate window on your desktop, without any need to log out from the account you’re currently using. The author also explains how to place the “Home” and “Trash” icons on your desktop.

A great chapter indeed.

8. SIMPLE KITTEN WAYS
Getting to Know the Linux Terminal and
Command Line

As I said, this book is not aimed at geeks however I feel that ignoring the existence of the command line is not such a good idea, especially if you find a guide which requires you to copy and paste the commands it suggests into the terminal emulator (have a look at ubuntuforums.org or at the wikis to see what I am talking about).

This chapter will introduce you to the shell and teach you how to copy and move files and folders, extract compressed files and so forth. I think this chapter will definitely shed some light on what is possibly the most feared (from newbies) and yet, in my opinion, the most powerful tool that we have available in GNU/Linux distributions. Don’t worry, it is a very non-geek friendly introduction to the shell.

9. AUTOMATIX AND NOT SO AUTOMATIX
More Ways to Install Programs

At a certain point some (if not most) users might want to watch their films (DVD, DIVX) on their computer, play their mp3s, etc. therefore they will have to install codecs which are not as free (i.e. free as in speech) as the rest of Ubuntu’s applications (of course I refer to the fact that some codecs are not GPL or even legal in certain countries).

Chapter 9 remains faithful to its nature of get-things-done book and shows how to use Automatix in order to get the packages you need in no time through a friendly GUI. While I can agree with the author’s choice to use Automatix, I think it would be necessary to clearly warn the readers that they should use Automatix at their own risk. After all, Automatix is a 3rd party application and, as such, is not officially supported by Ubuntu. The same warning should be given about converting RPMs into DEBs or installing packages from source (which this chapter deals with). I am aware of the fact that many users just don’t care about this kinds of warnings if they just want to “get things done”, however I think it would be still useful to add such warnings (maybe in the next edition of this book?).

The rest of the chapter deals with Java and Wine, something which will make the transition from Windows much more comfortable.

10. GUTENBIRD
Setting Up and Using Your Printer and Scanner

Chapter 10 will teach you how to set up your printers and scanners. Should an open driver for your device not be available, the author explains where you can look for 3rd party drivers (as your last resort). Moreover you will learn an easy way to print your documents to a PDF.

11. FONT FEATHERED FRENZY
Adding New Fonts to Your System

Chapter 11 deals with something that Linux users seem to be very concerned about: fonts. You will learn how to install new fonts, Microsoft’s fonts and even how to create your own fonts. By the end of this chapter you will also know how to improve the look of your system fonts.

12. POLYGLOT PENGUINS
Linux Speaks Your Language

Chapter 12 covers multilingual support (which is outstanding in Ubuntu) and input methods, something you will likely need if you’re not a native speaker of English or you speak more than one language (as in my case).

13. PENGUINS BACK AT WORK
Getting Down to Business in Linux

Chapter 13 deals with home and office productivity programs such as OpenOffice, Abiword, Tomboy, Gnucash and Scribus. More space is (rightly so) given to OpenOffice which is a complete replacement of Microsoft Office however I would have liked to see also Gnumeric (a quite good alternative to OpenOffice Calc) in the list of productivity programs.

I really appreciate the inclusion of Tomboy (or Sticky notes, if you don’t like Mono) which can dramatically improve your productivity (well, it did in my case).

14. BRUSH-WIELDING PENGUINS
Linux Does Art

Chapter 14 covers Ubuntu’s support for digital cameras and some graphics applications that you will likely use such as the GIMP, gThumb, F-Spot, Picasa, etc.

While I would have liked to see Inkscape and XaraLX (for vector graphics) covered as well, I must admit that I found very interesting the tutorial about the creation of web photo albums (which I had never tried before).

15. TUX ROCKS
Music à la Linux

Chapter 15 deals with music players, changing file tags, burning files onto audio CDs, audio streaming from the web, CD ripping, etc.

I am glad to read that Rhythmbox (my favourite audio player) was given more space on this book than any other player e.g Exaile, Songbird, Realplayer, Streamtuner, Beep media player, etc.

Tagging mp3s is something you can’t live without if you want your playlists to be as coherent (i.e. efficient) as possible. This chapter is a real time saver especially if you have very long playlists.

Maybe mentioning Jokosher (beside LMMS) would have not been a bad idea (I’m not a musician though).

16. PLUGGIN’ IN THE PENGUIN
Ubuntu and Your iPod

I really can’t comment on chapter 16 since I’m one of the old dinosaurs who haven’t bought an Ipod yet (not only Apple’s). However I don’t doubt the usefulness of this chapter since questions on Ubuntu and Ipods are asked over and over at ubuntuforums.org.

17. COUCH PENGUINS
Video and DVD Playback in Ubuntu

This chapter explains how to play audio and video streams, DVDs, video CDs and edit the videos you made with your digital camera. It also deals with DVD ripping and the installation of codecs. I’m sure you won’t skip this chapter.

18. DEFENDING THE NEST
Security

New Linux users coming from Windows often wonder whether they should install an antivirus and set up a firewall as they used to (i.e. were obliged to) do in Windows. Chapter 18 will definitely shed light on their security concerns. I am sure that the readers who use Ubuntu and share files with other systems which run Windows will appreciate this chapter.

Conclusions

Apart from my concerns on not warning the readers against the risks of installing 3rd party applications and on not giving credits to GNU and to the GPL, there is only one thing which I would like to see covered in the next edition of this book: the basics SAMBA, how to share folders and printers with Windows and other operative systems.

Other than this personal wish of mine I must say that the book is very well written and definitely delivers what it promises (it’s “Ubuntu for non-geeks”). It also comes with an Ubuntu livecd thus allowing you to try most of the things described in the book without even having to install Ubuntu to your hard disk.

Honestly I can’t really think of a reason why you shouldn’t buy this book, maybe as a gift to your friends and family. This book will teach them how to fall in love with Ubuntu and leave Windows to the past once for all.