Technology and You - Linux

Charting your Boot-up - Bootchart

nospam@example.com (Rohan Dayal) — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 15:06:33 +0100

At the risk of sounding overtly geeky, here's what my boot process in Ubuntu looks like (click to show full size):

There's nothing special in the content itself (apart from my boot time of 30 seconds - woohoo!). What's special is Bootchart - a software that traps and records all boot processes, and creates a lovely chart that you can analyze your boot process with. My guess is that it would be a boon to developers. Yes, the same can be obtained through a boot log - but as they say - a picture is worth a thousand words. This chart can help in determining that are increasing startup time and hogging memory, etc. The program was created in response to this challenge:

"The challenge is to create a single poster showing graphically what is going on during the boot, what is the utilization of resources, how the current boot differs from the ideal world of 100% disk and CPU utilization, and thus, where are the opportunities for optimization."

I wonder if any similar utilities exist in Windows. If you know of any, do let me know.

Take a Peek into my World - Ubuntu Screencast

nospam@example.com (Rohan Dayal) — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 17:52:00 +0100

Here's a screencast of my new Ubuntu installation in all its glory. The screencast shows off the following in order:

The easy to navigate application menu with classified entries, not just a catch-all menu
Nautilus - The file manager is highly customizable
Windows drives are easily accessible - You just need to enter your password once
The transparent terminal - How's that for eye candy?
Wobbly windows - whoever would have thought of that!
Multiple workspaces - You can organize multiple windows and unclutter your desktop
Firefox is the default web browser - and it should be
Synaptics package manager is used to get access to thousands of programs for Linux
Add-remove programs provides an easier interface for programs customized for Ubuntu - All required programs are automatically downloaded, installed and configured
You can move windows across workspaces - Nice to know that
Finally, the desktop cube in all its glory - Compiz-Fusion is a real shot in the Linux arm

The video was captured in xvidcap that directly records videos in the FLV format as required by Youtube.

Should Youbuntu?

nospam@example.com (Rohan Dayal) — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 00:01:52 +0100

As a follow up to my post on Ubuntu, I'd like neo Linux-enthusiasts to read this wonderful article (titled - Linux is Not Windows) I found through StumbleUpon. The article describes the hardships that Windows users feel while transferring to Linux. Here's an extract:

You'd be amazed how many people complain that Linux is not exactly like Windows. They come to Linux, expecting to find essentially a free, open-source version of Windows. Quite often, this is what they've been told to expect by over-zealous Linux users. However, it's a paradoxical hope.

If you really just want Windows without the malware and security issues: Read up on good security practices; install a good firewall, malware-detector, and anti-virus; replace IE with a more secure browser; and keep yourself up-to-date with security updates. There are people out there who've used Windows since 3.1 days right through to XP without ever being infected with a virus or malware: you can do it too. Don't get Linux: It will fail miserably at being what you want it to be.

If you really want the security and performance of a Unix-based OS but with a customer-focussed attitude and an world-renowned interface: Buy an Apple Mac. OS X is great. But don't get Linux: It will not do what you want it to do.

If you want an OS that doesn't chauffeur you around, but hands you the keys, puts you in the driver's seat, and expects you to know what to do: Get Linux. You'll have to devote some time to learning how to use it, but once you've done so, you'll have an OS that you can make sit up and dance.

I couldn't have summarized it better. If you do decide to stay with Windows, read my previous post on securing Windows.

Goodbye Windows - Hello Ubuntu

nospam@example.com (Rohan Dayal) — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 00:41:05 +0100

There - I did it. I have totally shifted to Ubuntu. It's a breath of fresh air, and it has breathed new life into my old laptop (an HP Compaq nc6230). The latest release, Gutsy Gibbon is not exactly for the feint of heart, but with the right kind of browsing through the Ubuntu Forums, you'll get everything working. Well, it took me a sabbatical and a break from blogging - but I think it was worth it.

And if you think, graphics on the Vista are cool - check this video out - you are bound to be impressed (yes, the cube and the dock work on my laptop).

About the best thing of Ubuntu are its repositories. With a click of a few buttons (just click on 'Add/Remove' in the applications menu), you have access to programs that:

Convert metres to feet (ConvertAll)
Synchronizes your music collection with your iPod (RhythmBox, Amarok, Banshee)
Burn CDs/DVDs (GnomeBaker, Brasero)
Edits images as well as Photoshop (the Gimp)
Take notes - Wiki style (Tomboy)
Read comics off the Internet (Comix, Buoh)
Edit documents (OOO, Abiword), make presentations, create databases, and work on spreadsheets (all OOO)

And all are free!

Of course, popular applications seen on Windows like Firefox, VLC Media Player, BitTornado and Google Picasa work too.

Take a day off, install Ubuntu, and let me know of your experience by leaving a comment below.

You can download Ubuntu using normal download or a torrent (intel computers). You can even request for a FREE installation CD to be sent to your house by clicking here.

PS> This post has been written in 100% Ubuntu :)

Give Ubuntu a Test Drive

nospam@example.com (Rohan Dayal) — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 00:17:28 +0200

My first attempt at Linux was 5 years back when I had given it up with a 'too difficult to handle' tag. Just installing the operating system was a big event in itself with tons of caveats and configuration changes. The release of Ubuntu made things a lot better, but still, I wanted a safe and easy way to experiment without making any significant changes to my PC configuration.

I read about Wubi - a program for installing Linux on a virtual drive in a Windows computer and allowing it to be loaded at boot time. I craved for more ease. My efforts led to VirtualBox - a virtualization software that can install and run Ubuntu in a window within Windows XP. Virtualization is a method of creating a virtual computer for an operating system that makes the operating system believe that it is working in a computer of its own, whereas it is actually working in an environment created by another operating system. You can do whatever you want to inside the environment without affecting the main operating system. To see the results, click on the screenshot.

Here's a step-by-step of getting your own Ubuntu system up and running:

Download and install VirtualBox from here (choose the Windows x86 binary if you are running an Intel based PC)
Download an Ubuntu ISO (I would suggest the Desktop version) from this page (it will be ~700 MB in size)
Run VirtualBox, click on the New Virtual Maching button and give it a name (I chose Feisty after Ubuntu's current release codenamed Feisty Fawn), select the type as Linux 2.6
On the next screen choose how much RAM to offer to Ubuntu (I chose 256 MB on my 512 MB RAM laptop, and it worked wonders - Ubunty was quite breezy :)

In the next screen, click on 'New' to create a virtual hard disk for Ubuntu to use

You can create one that is 'Dynamically increasing in size' in the screen that follows

I chose to make the drive 6GB in size - this left a good 4 GB for me to experiment in

Back in the Virtual Machine screen, 'Finish' to create the drive
Your drive should appear in the main VirtualBox screen
Next, click on the settings button, and then select the 'CD/DVD-ROM' tab
Check the 'Mount' checkbox, select the 'ISO image file' radio button, and navigate to the Ubuntu ISO you downloaded
That's it, click on OK, and double click on 'Fiesty' to start Ubuntu's installation.

You'll go straight to the Ubuntu Live desktop. Click on 'Install' and just follow the instructions. When asked for hard disk options, let Ubuntu take the entire virtual hard disk you created. The installation will take some 20 minutes - so you can grab a cup of coffee in the meantime (or play Jetman!).

Once the installation completes, do remember to unmount the Ubuntu CD-ROM ISO so that 'Fiesty' goes to the installed OS and not the live OS the next time you start the virtual machine.

Wasn't that easy? I hope to open a world of Linux applications with this soon. Let me know if there is any particular application that you want me to cover by leaving a comment below. Also, do let me know if you run into a problem installing Ubuntu.