Tuesday, August 21, 2007

VMware experience

Windows and Linux on "Alt+Tab"

I wanted to install the php and mysql for intranet website in my
office. Complete office infrastructure is on Windows.

Since I had tried once earlier where I failed to get good
php setup done on the window's IIS server I was worried.

I knew something about VMware (Virtual Machine Ware) which
would help me install the Linux Server on the existing Windows server.

After browsing the site http://www.vmware.com/ I found that
"VMWARE server" is available for free. Downloaded the same and
started and installed in my XP workstation for the trial.

On starting the VMware server it asked for the CD drive location
where you can also give path of the iso image to be used as a CD drive.

So without burning the CD you can install the operating system from the
iso image.

I installed ubuntu (my second preference after MEPIS) and installed.

Finally I found that when I start VMware and run the ubuntu installation
the new m/c with distinct IP address and network identity appears and the
open source sites installed in this VMware server is available at the new
IP address. The performance it mind blowing.

I would be now migrating this to the windows 2003 server.

With successful implementation on the workstation I hope it works fine
on the serve as well.

Here are the screen shots for your.


Thursday, April 12, 2007

WINE better for Win 98 applications

I found that icicidirect technical chart site which uses JVM "Java Virtual M/c" for displaying charts was working fine on win 98 while in XP it faild to work. This time it was not working fine even in my linux's firefox.

Then I tried to use iexplore over wine and you know what it works gr8.

See the chart for yourself.

Thursday, March 29, 2007

wi-fi out of box

I have been using Linux on my thinkpad laptop. While to my surprise the wifi is working out of box from ubuntu and mepis. While with MS windows i needed to install quit a few software. On mepis I have even used wifi with liveCD.

Since the laptop has internal modem which is called WINmodem which can only run on windows as the design is only disclosed to MicroSoft. It is truly surprising.

Saturday, February 3, 2007

Installing Software packages on Linux

I know many IT proffessionals who believes that it is next to impossible
to add a new package to Linux installation hence better not to use LINUX.

This post is specifically ment for providing a how to install your favorite
software package on linux box as I do it. I have considered the ubuntu and MEPIS
for writing this blog. Here I have described many ways of doin so.

Way 1 Compile the package
The first and most uncomfortable way for newbie to install the software package
is to download the source (ie the C/C++/java . . . codes) and compile the package
on your system.

Way 2 Just ask Synaptic if you have internet on Linux Box
The Second and easiest way is to download the precompiled binary files
and install them. This can be fully automatic if you have your Linux Box
connected to internet.

As I have writen if you have the internet connections working in the linux installation
then it is easy to install packages from the synaptic package manager. The ubuntu, Debian
& MEIPS maintains the packages on their archive server. By default the path to few of
these server is pre-configured in your Synaptic package manager. It is called repository.

Synaptic package manager first loads the index of packages available on the said server.
When user ie you request for installation of your favorite package then the synaptic
gets that package from the server and Automatically installs it into your LinuxBox.

Since most of these packages are not maintained regularly and have different lisencing
policies they are grouped into various catagories of repositories. Sometimes you may
find that your favorite package is missing when you search in Synaptic. In such cases
you can also enable the repositories and many more packages would be available for
installation.

Way 3 Download .deb files and install on LinuxBOX without internet.

Third way is to install binary files on a Linux while you do not have internet
connection on Linux Box.
So then it comes out that there are few ways of installing
binary files.
Ubuntu and MEPIS are basically debian based linux distribution
and Debian uses .deb binary files for installing the software.

Here the process is as follows
1. Get the list of required binary (.deb) files for your package
2. Get the location on server from where you can download it
3. Download these .deb files
4. Bring it in one folder to Linux box
5. Start the Synaptic package manager and select
File> Add Downloaded Packages and add the folder containing .deb files.
This will install the availble packages in your folder.

While official site for step 1. 2. and 3. is http://packages.ubuntu.com but
it does does not give the location on the serve where it is located (with
some efforts you can also find that out).

Then there is http://www.ljl.byethost14.com/apt which help search your favorite package.
It gives the list and links to all the required deb files on the ubuntu server.
(Presently not available hope it starts soon)

Way 4 Use Ubuntu Live CD to do 2 Step download and
install on LinuxBOX without internet.

This other easier way is applicable if you have a you have a PC with the internet connection
then which can boot with the ubuntu live CD.

Here there are 2 PCs one is with internet connection which might be on other OS.
While other PC is your linux BOX which do not have internet connection.

Here you first boot the internet PC with LIVE CD follow all the steps mentioned in Way
2 while during clicking install in Synaptic just select download package. This will download
the required .deb files in the /var/cache/apt/archives/ folder. Now you can take this
directory to your Linux box and install your favorite packages.

Thursday, February 1, 2007

Ubuntu screen shots

Fire fox on ubuntu . . .

Planner on ubuntu . . .

VLC on ubuntu


Screen shots of the ubuntu desktop. I use vlc for playing media as it support widest range of media formats. Many of them are taken while doing some work on my laptop.

Wednesday, January 31, 2007

WIKI for you . . !

Would you like to have your own wiki in your PC so that you
can keep your own diary. ? Why not if it is free.

Just start the apache with php suppot and explode the dokuwiki into it

I have set up a dokuwiki in my laptop for my diary need. You do not need
the RDBMS database for this. Its available at http://wiki.splitbrain.org/wiki:dokuwiki

Another promising wiki is Prowiki http://sourceforge.net/projects/prowiki/

There are also now sofware which can become wiki on desktop read for more
at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desktop_Wiki

Sunday, January 28, 2007

After Step environment on UBUNTU




"AfterStep" on ubuntu 6.06.
You can change the complete GUI environment on Linux by installing one of many Desktop environment. After Step is there on the ubuntu package repository.







AfterStep great looks for the desktop

If you are for a cool looking desktop environment. I am yet
to come across a better one check the "afterstep".

http://www.afterstep.org/ for more detials

Thursday, January 25, 2007

Windows applications runs on Linux

By design Microsoft do not allow to run the linux applications
on Windows and also Microsoft see to it that the windows applications
are not easily run on Linux. To do this most of the fees paid to Microsoft
is utilized. (how about that)

Hence there have to be lot of efforts needed to make windows application
run on Linux.

There is an open source project by name WINE which helps do so
and the Codeweavers are the sponser for that project.

Check the following links for further details

http://www.winehq.org/site?ss=1


http://www.codeweavers.com/compatibility/my/advocated/

Thursday, January 4, 2007

LIVE CD . . !

The ubuntu and mepis comes with live CD. What is live CD ? Well just drop the Live CD into the CD drive and start the computer and you will find that the linux is on without disturbing the Hard disk. . .

Windows So long . . . !

My favorite Web browser : FireFox