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testing kblogger in KDE 4

Budweiser Shootout

Wow. That was an exciting race. I am happy for Dale Jr and Hendrick Motorsports. I can't belive it. 

Mike

Tech Support

One of the issues that most new comers to linux have to deal with is RTFM. In other words Read the Friendly Manual. This has the effect of turning new comers away, with the thoughts that linux users are jerks and an elite class of people who don't care to help the new comer. Is that really true?



I recently thought about the times I have called tech support for some program or computer problem. I end up talking to someone, who if they speak english, don't speak it very well. It is frustrating listening to them read off of a card, step by step instructions for checking something. I think it would be easier for them to mail the card to me so I could fix it myself.



Then it dawned on me. Two things really.



First, the tech support is only having to deal with one or two operating systems. There are some differences with the versions of windows, but for the most part they work the same. This is not true of linux where there are several different desktop environments, different hardware, different drivers. All of these differences can span several years of computing. A much wider array of software/hardware to work with.



Second, they are being paid to resolve the customers problem. Most times they are being paid to take the brunt of the customers angst towards the product. In linux few of the 'helpers' get a paycheck. Most work as volunteers because they like the product and are willing to put themselves into the mix to help out.



It would be nice if those seeking assistance in linux forums or IRC keep in mind that hardware, drivers and such vary from system to system. The more specifics attached to the problem, the quicker a solution can be found. Additionally, those who help are doing so for free. Be courteous and we will be too.

Mike

Acer Aspire 5315-2135 Wal-Mart Special

Here is the step by step instructions for how I installed kubuntu gutsy 7.10 on my Acer Aspire 5315-2135.

Notes:

Since this is a reinstall I had previously backed up my /home directory to my desktop.  

I have already installed the bios update 1.19 running Windows Vista, this fixes the erratic operation of the touchpad:

ftp://ftp.support.acer-euro.com/notebook/aspire_5315

You can skip to Section A - D if you have already installed Gutsy.

Contents:

A. Setup partitions to prepare for install*
B. Start install*
C. Complete install and reboot*
D. Update system
E. Setup Wireless
F. Setup Sound
G. Touchpad Setup
H. Setup Compiz

* CAUTION: These steps will REMOVE VISTA. Please do not follow them if you wish to keep Vista installed on your computer. I have left the restore partition intact, just in case I need to restore vista later.  

References:

ubuntuforums.org
help.ubuntu.com
ubuntuforums.org

Boot into a live session of kubuntu 32-bit.

A. Setup partitions to prepare for install

1 Open konsole (terminal) and install gparted

sudo apt-get install gparted

2 Run gparted and remove the second partition 'sda2'

3 Add new partition at the beginning of the available space
3.1 Set size to 2000MB (installed RAM x2) 
3.2 Format as 'swap'

4 Add new partition to fill remaining space
4.1 Format as 'ext3'

5 Format last partition 'sda4' as 'ext3'

6 Commit changes and close gparted

B. Start install

1 Select 'Manual' partitioning
2 Edit sda3
2.1 Format as 'ext3'
2.2 Mount as '/'
3 Edit sda4
3.1 Format as 'ext3'
3.2 Mount as '/home'

C. Complete install and reboot

D. Update system

1 Open Adept Manager 
2 Fetch Updates
3 Full Upgrade
4 Apply Changes

#Here I installed 'ssh' and logged out. I then restored my /home directory from my desktop using rsync

E. Setup Wireless

1 Install ndiswrapper

sudo apt-get install ndiswrapper-common ndiswrapper-utils-1.9

2 Remove restricted driver for Atheros card
2.1 Open kcontrol>System Administration>Restricted Drivers
2.2 Select 'Administrator Mode' and deselect the ath driver
2.3 Select 'OK'

3 Install wireless driver

3.1 Download driver

wget http://blakecmartin.googlepages.com/ar5007eg-32-0.2.tar.gz

3.2 Extract driver

tar xzf ar5007eg-32-0.2.tar-gz

3.3 Install kernel headers and build-essential

sudo apt-get install linux-headers-$(uname -r) build-essential

3.4 Blacklist the ath_pci driver

echo "blacklist ath_pci" | sudo tee -a /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist

3.5 Restart system

3.6 Install driver

cd ar5007eg-32-0.2/ar5007eg/
sudo ndiswrapper -i net5211.inf

3.7 Load module

sudo modprobe ndiswrapper

At this point I was able to use wireless!

3.8 Add ndiswrapper to load on start

echo "ndiswrapper" | sudo tee -a /etc/modules

F. Setup Sound

1 Download alsa-drvers, alsa-lib & alsa-utils

wget ftp://ftp.alsa-project.org/pub/driver/alsa-driver-1.0.15.tar.bz2
wget ftp://ftp.alsa-project.org/pub/lib/alsa-lib-1.0.15.tar.bz2
wget ftp://ftp.alsa-project.org/pub/utils/alsa-utils-1.0.15.tar.bz2

2 Install required tools

sudo apt-get install libncurses5-dev gettext

3 Make source directory and copy alsa files to it

sudo mkdir /usr/src/alsa
cd /usr/src/alsa
sudo cp ~/alsa* .
sudo tar xjf alsa-driver*.bz2
sudo tar xjf alsa-lib*.tar.bz2
sudo tar xjf alsa-utils*.tar.bz2

4 Stop alsa

sudo /etc/init.d/alsa-utils stop
sudo /etc/init.d/alsasound stop

5 Compile alsa-driver

cd alsa-dr*
sudo ./configure --with-cards=hda-intel
sudo make
sudo make install

6 Compile alsa-libs

cd ../alsa-lib*
sudo ./configure
sudo make
sudo make install

7 Compile alsa-utils

cd ../alsa-utils*
sudo ./configure
sudo make
sudo make install

8 Restart system

9 Add acer to module version

sudo nano /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base

Add this to the end and save:

options snd-hda-intel model=acer

10 Run alsaconf

sudo alsaconf

11 Copy drivers to correct folder

sudo cp /lib/modules/2.6*/kernel/sound/pci/hda/snd-hda-intel.ko /lib/modules/2.6*/ubuntu/media/snd-hda-intel/

and

sudo cp -r /usr/src/alsa/alsa-driver-1.0.15/modules/* /lib/modules/2.6*/kernel/sound/

12 Load alsa-driver

sudo depmod -a

13 Restart alsa

sudo /etc/init.d/alsa-utils start
sudo /etc/init.d/alsasound start

14 Restart system

G. Touchpad Setup

1 Edit xorg.conf

1.1 Backup xorg.conf

sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup

1.2 Edit xorg.conf

sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf

1.3 Add the three lines at the end:

Section "InputDevice"
  Identifier "Synaptics Touchpad"
  Driver "synaptics"
  Option "SendCoreEvents" "true"
  Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"
  Option "Protocol" "auto-dev"
  Option "HorizEdgeScroll" "0"
  Option "SHMConfig" "on"
  Option "MaxTapTime" "0"
  Option "HorizScrollDelta" "0"
EndSection

2 Save and exit
3 Logout and restart X with 'CTRL-ALT-Backspace'

H. Setup Compiz

1 Install compiz and emerald

sudo apt-get install compiz emerald

2 Configure compiz to work with blacklisted Intel driver

sudo mkdir ~/.config/compiz
sudo touch ~/.config/compiz/compiz-manager
echo "SKIP_CHECKS=yes" | sudo tee -a ~/.config/compiz/compiz-manager

3 Whichever video player you use must be set to use the 'X11' driver instead of the 'xv' driver. Compiz does not play well with the xv driver, which is one of the reasons the Intel driver was blacklisted. X11 works well here.

Thanks to the following for providing what is here, or at least providing directions to it:

ubuntuforums
  mikeserv
  KriKit

Linux

I just had a thought. Most of the people who need stuff to just work are not going to be digging into the internals of their system. They don't want to know why the thing does what it does, only that it does it. The advantage to linux in this regard is that going in, most people have to work on something to get it working. Linux inspires people to want to figure out how the system works. Additionally there is a certain satisfaction in arriving at the point where something that didn't work now does. Linux is to computing what the 1980 Ford Pinto in the backyard that needs some work is to the mechanic. Laugh if you must, until that Pinto with the upgraded V8 smokes your new "sports car" at a stoplight. 

I am glad that ubuntu is making a linux OS that works for the most part out of the box. Not everything, nor every computer works correctly on a fresh install. Most things do though, at the same time allowing the adventurous user to dig in and find something new.

Mike

Distribution Shuffle

Just for fun this holiday I decided to install a few different distrubutions onto my laptop. I have a motive really... the new Bamboo Wacom tablet I got for Christmas does not work with the current kernel in Gutsy Gibbon. Needless to say it was a fun experience. Here are some notes from my day.

Since I was already successfully running kubuntu gutsy, I tried to upgrade to the hardy alpha release. The upgrade went alright, unless wireless networking is part of the picture. I couldn't get my wireless card to work with the restricted drivers manager or with ndiswrapper.

Having used Redhat 9 in the past, before moving to kubuntu, I decided to try out the newest fedora. The install was a little lengthy but not bad overall. I found the 'root' account familiar, but odd at the same time. I have grown accustomed to the ubuntu way of life. The wireless did not work here either... next.

I don't know for sure why I tried the next distrubution, it was painful to install, but I did. I burned a copy of opensuse 10.3 and decided to give it a whirl. How long does an install have to take? I think the last time I installed windowsXP took less time and asked fewer questions. Again, no wireless.

I gave up on my ventures and reinstalled kubuntu gutsy. Thankfully I was able to use some posts I had made on the ubuntu forums and was back up and running in just over an hour.

My thoughts on the other distrubutions... Fedora just seemed slow (these were installed and not running from the cd) and opensuse took forever to install. I know many people don't like the Adept Package Manager; however, I find it extremely easy to use. Somewhere in my short stay in each flavor of linux today, I missed the easy to install packaging system I get with kubuntu.

Happy New Year

Mike