Ubuntu 12.04 Beta 2

I have been experimenting with Ubuntu 12.04 beta 2 64-bit in VirtualBox 4.1.10, and it runs as good as Ubuntu 12.04 beta 1 64-bit. Whatever refinements have been made must be under-the-hood adjustments since beta 2 looks and behaves the same. It is good to see that the developers are making improvements before the final release.

Since beta 2 should be closer to completion than beta 1, I spent more time with it. I so wanted to be friends with Ubuntu 12.04, but some things are just…not…meant…to…be.

Word of the Day: misbug

misbug is an unintended property of a program that turns out to be useful.

Source: The New Hacker’s Dictionary 3rd Edition by Eric S. Raymond

Nautilus Split Pane Mode

Probably one of the most convenient features of the Nautilus file manager is its split-pane mode.

Tabs and new windows are supported, but this simple feature seems to impress people the most due to its usefulness. Surprisingly, few people know that a split-pane mode exists even though it’s available from the menu bar.

How is split-pane enabled? It’s easy!

Hardinfo – System Profiler and Benchmark

📅 March 23, 2012
“How fast is my CPU compared to others?”

“How can I generate a summary of my system info?”

Hardinfo is a free, open source profiling and benchmarking program with an attractive GUI that generates reports about your system and performs benchmarks.

The Cyborg R.A.T. 7 Albino Gaming Mouse

⌚ March 22, 2012

Update 2013: The Cyborg R.A.T. 7 is now known as the Mad Catz R.A.T. 7. This article reviews the older Cyborg model, but the newer Mad Catz model is apparently the same product.

“Daddy, buy me this one!”

The Mad Catz R.A.T.7 Gaming Mouse for PC and Macis the best mouse I have ever used, and I wondered, “Can it get any better?” Yes! And it’s called the Cyborg R.A.T. 7 Albino (now marketed as the Mad Catz R.A.T. 7 White version), whose styling appears to be a combination of 1970’s blocky design and technology from a sterile clean, futuristic society.

After running this rat through the maze of everyday computer use, here are my thoughts about this fine product along with the answer to the question, “Does the Albino work with Ubuntu?”

Making the Cyborg RAT 7 Albino Work with Ubuntu

The Cyborg R.A.T. 7 Albino (my review here) is the white version of the Cyborg R.A.T.7 Gaming Mouse for PC and MACand identical in every way – including the unresponsive buttons experienced shortly after log in.

Do not despair! This issue is easily resolved, and the Albino functions perfectly after adding a new section to /etc/X11/xorg.conf.

Book Review: Linux Phrasebook

⌚ March 20, 2012
“Help! I am new to Linux, and I want to learn the command line. Where should I start?”

The Linux Phrasebook by Scott Granneman is without a doubt the best hands-on book I have ever read that teaches practical command line usage, and I always recommend it to anyone new to the Linux command line. In fact, I would highly suggest reading this book before reading the Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification.

This small, pocket-sized paperback consists of sixteen easy-to-follow chapters covering a variety of topics that you will most likely encounter in everyday usage.

But exactly why is this book so helpful?

Removing Metadata From Images

Digital cameras often add a wealth of extra information to images for improved filing. However, if you value your privacy, this information can reveal details about yourself. These details may include geolocation, the kind of camera you own, your time zone, the date and time the picture was taken, and even the software you use. (In Ubuntu, right-click on an image file, and select Properties > Image to view the metadata.)

When you upload these images to the Internet, the metadata is uploaded also, so anyone can view it to piece together tidbits of information about your life and habits or even discover where you live.

Is there any way to strip this extra info?

Yes, there is, and here are two ways to do it.

What is a Flippy?

📅 March 17, 2012
Have you ever heard of a flippy disk?

PeaZip – A Cross-Platform GUI Archiver

📅 March 16, 2012
PeaZip is a cross-platform archiver for Linux and Windows sporting a good-looking GUI. If you like GUI-oriented archive programs such as WinZip or 7-Zip, then you will feel at home with PeaZip.

PeaZip Main Window

Both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of PeaZip are available for 32-bit and 64-bit Linux and Windows. PeaZip is not available in the Ubuntu repository, so you will need to download it from the PeaZip web site. For Ubuntu (64-bit) using Gnome, download the DEB (all) version. A Qt version is also available for KDE.

Once downloaded, run the .deb package file locally (not remotely) to install PeaZip. PeaZip will then be available from the main menu at Applications > System Tools > PeaZip. If the PeaZip menu does not appear, either enable it manually (right-click the Main Menu and choose Edit Menus) or log out and log back in.

PeaZip is self-explanatory if you are already familiar with GUI archivers, and an excellent, well-written 40-page help manual is included (Help > PeaZip Help). PeaZip is free and fully functional. Feel free to explore!