back on the track

Published at October 20, 2009 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

After 568 days, I have finally found the time and motivation to work on this blog. This is mainly due to the fact that I still received messages from people who are reading the outdated post.

First a complete update of the blog engine is necessary, but then soon the first post will be online hopefully together with the release of the two new OS Windows 7 and Ubuntu 9.10.

New topics will cover mainly Ubuntu, still on the Thinkpad x60, Linux Applications, Android (if i am lucky to get a new phone), web technologies(development & use), the Operating System War (Apple vs Windows vs Linux), some minor posts about my PhD work(which is about to be finished soon) and maybe a little personal notes from time to time.

 I haven't been following any Flash development lately, so there won't be anything new on Flash topics.

Adobe AIR on Ubuntu

Published at March 31, 2008 in Flash, ActionScript 3, Programming, WebTech and Linux. 3 Comments

Adobe Air has been released for Linu, ALPHA-quality. See how to install it and launch Applications.

Continue reading ‘Adobe AIR on Ubuntu’

Skype 2.0 (no more Beta-release)

Published at March 14, 2008 in Bugs, Gutsy Gibbon, WebTech and Linux. 0 Comments

March 13th 2008 - Skype Release Version 2.0 for Linux. The first release of Skype for Video conferencing, which is not Beta. And the newest release comes with a lot of Bugfixes.

So upgrade and update…

Release Notes

Download Skype 2.0.0.63  

GPRS using wvdial with w810i

Published at March 9, 2008 in Gutsy Gibbon, Thinkpad x60 and Linux. 5 Comments

Some time ago I used my phone's internal GPRS Modem using the PPP package. Recently I wanted to use the modem again, as a friend gave me the notice that his phone wasn't working anymore, and I noticed with the old Scripts I couldn't manage to get it working too.

So I was thinking for a long time what could be the source of the problem, and now I believe one package of PPP hs changed and uses different default values. So I thought by giving a value for every option this might solve the problem and Yep it did. So the actual files for /etc/chatscript/GPRS and /etc/ppp/peers/GPRS are the following ones

The file /etc/chatscript/GPRS for Swisscom, Switzerland Users 

 TIMEOUT        120
ABORT           'BUSY'
ABORT           'ERROR'
ABORT           'NO CARRIER'
''              'ATE1'
OK        AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","gprs.swisscom.ch"
OK        ATD*99***#3
# or OK        ATD*99#
CONNECT        \d\c

The file /etc/ppp/peers/GPRS is as follows

# You usually need this if there is no PAP authentication
noauth
# The chat script (be sure to edit that file, too!)
connect "/usr/sbin/chat -v -f /etc/chatscripts/GPRS"
# Set up routing to go through this PPP link
defaultroute
# Set this to /dev/ircomm0 or similar
/dev/ttyACM0
# Speed
115200
# Reconnect on disconnect
persist
# Be extra verbose
debug
# You may need these
passive
noipdefault
noproxyarp
ipcp-accept-local
ipcp-accept-remote
ipcp-restart 2
ipcp-max-configure 20
ipcp-max-failure 20
asyncmap 0xa0000
novj
nodeflate
nobsdcomp
# Use remote DNS
usepeerdns
# With GPRS, authentication is normally done  automatically
# via your cellphone number, so leave login name empty
user ""

Now connect the phone via USB to your computer and select Phone Mode on the w810i. Then if you want to connect either call

'sudo pon GPRS'  or 'sudo pppd call GPRS'

To disconnect simply call 'sudo poff'.

But on my way investigating the source of the problem I found the package wvdial . Which I found much easier to use.

1. Connect your Phone via USB and select 'Phone Mode'.

2. Execute 'sudo wvdialconf',

3. Add the following section to the file /etc/wvdial.conf (for swisscom Users)

[Dialer Swisscom]
Init = AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","gprs.swisscom.ch"
Username = gprs
Password = gprs
Phone = *99***1#

4. Then to connect simply execute : 'sudo wvdial Swisscom' (where Swisscom is the same as in Dialer Swisscom)

5. To disconnect simply CTRL+C. 

Is it “Linux or Windows” or “Linux vs. Windows”??

Published at February 27, 2008 in General and Linux. 6 Comments

I have been asked a lot these days "Why do you use Linux?"

There are several questions that arose in my head by such a simple question. First of all I wonder why people keep on asking? An operating system is just an operating system, after all! You don't ask which OS your TV set runs, do you? Or your microwave-oven? Well, an OS is just a more or less complex software that allows you to run other software. So today, where Linux can be seen as at least as stable as Windows, choosing Linux is just a personal choice, or is there more?

Second point, why did people notice that I use Linux? Well, yes…Linux isn't perfect yet. There is still a lot of software around that either works only half or keeps crashing very often. For example, Flash and Skype, are only two of there tools which today are essentia, but are still not ready for Linux. Flash, puts my CPU to over 100%, and Skype is working fine, except video mode. Skype's video mode should work, but all depends on the used Window Manager…well that's another story. So people around me noticed that I am using Linux, because some of my apps didn't work as excepted. 

The third point I keep asking me, is the following, using Linux is kind of like shopping at the next door supermarket run by a normal guy. Using Windows is kind of like shopping at WalMart (or Auchan in Europe). The one-man shop (or maybe a community) puts his own effort into the good functioning of the whole, he choose the items to sell well, or maybe he is specialized in a field, like selling african items or french Water? Walmart just offers the whole, several hundreds of different olive oils, ….

Using Linux, is therefore like supporting the local supermarket around the corner. Using Windows, you can be sure to get a good product used by millions around you, and software on it is generally working better as there are more users(or testers). 

OsX?? You really want to know?? Well using OsX is fine, but that's like Walmart selling their salads and other food,  with the notice that you are only allowed to eat this food(it does not matter that you paid for it) only if you buy Walmart plates, forks, knives,….Ah and if you use other knives and forks, of course the salad will make your knives and forks unusable and will immediately loose taste:)

But after all Using Linux or Windows is just a personal choice and I don't want any one out there feel offended by this message, and no-one should feel sorry or guilty.It is just a personal choice:)