linux for blondes

Lists, for people with OCD-like tendancies

() — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 17:49:41 +0000

This is probably the best place to start with anything computer-wize - how to write a list. The ls command lists the files in the current directory.

Stage 1: open up a terminal

Stage 2: type ls

Stage 3: press return (This is really as easy as things get around here)

Stage 4: watch as pretty lists appear as if by magic (unless you are in an empty directory when you will be disappointed)

Useful added extra options:

ls -a lists all, ie includes hidden files

ls -l lists extra lists ie it tells you about the file

ls -F shows the type of file with a \ for a directory, * for an executabe file, @ for a symbloic link (I have no idea what that is, but I can now identify it in a list)

ls -alF tells you everything (but I wont understand it)

Ubuntu on the mac book

() — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 13:32:06 +0000

I now have ubuntu on my new mac book pro!

It wasn't too difficult. All I needed was boot camp, refit, an ubuntu CD, 1 hour when I didn't want to do anything on my computer and a handy computer geek for when I didn't quite inderstand the websites were talking about.

I'm not going to list out everything I did because some nice people have already done that for me (many many times) so check out these websites

http://www.ehow.com/i/#article_4919543

http://refit.sourceforge.net/

http://wiki.onmac.net/index.php/Triple_Boot_via_BootCamp
http://www.apple.com/support/bootcamp/
http://www.ubuntu.com/

And to find yourself a geek ...

http://www.findyourgeek.com/

kittie discovers computer

() — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:40:32 +0000

http://icanhascheezburger.com/2010/01/28/funny-pictures-video-kitteh-computer-2/

I can has coffee?

() — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 11:07:21 +0000

http://icanhascheezburger.com/2010/01/28/funny-pictures-caffine-since-when/

Learn about differential gears, old style

() — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 10:47:43 +0000

Nokia N900 - Linux based phone

() — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:05:43 +0000

Greetings shiny, stylish, black, linux based phone. Hello Nokia N900.

The new Nokia N900 (almost available but not quite) has crashed into the smart phone market. It is a hybrid of phone and tablet computer, coming down more heavily on the side of tablet computer. It's competition is stiff: iPhone, Droid, Blackberry ...

The numbers all add up: 600MHz processor, 1GB application memory, 32 GB internal storage, 600x480 touch screen display. And there is a string of connection abbreviations: GPS, 3.5G, WLAN, GSM, GPRS, EDGE, WiFi. I think that's everything i would need? There is a nice 5 megapixel camera, but no zoom. When someone makes a phone/computer/camera with proper zoom I will be buying it without question

However, the big attraction of this phone is the Maemo 5 Linux based operating system and the ability to multitask. Being female, the ability to multitask with my mobile devices is important, even essential, to me. My brain can handle using the internet, phone and calendar at the same time - surely my phone should be able to as well? (Men beware, you may not be able to handle the N900)

Ohoh - and unlike my iPhone the N900 can handle Flash. Yes I know it's proprietary and yes I know you can do shiny things without Flash. But there is nothing more frustrating than browsing websites composed of blank pages where there should be pretty animations.

The big draw back of the N900 is size. It is definitely thicker than the iphone. Heavier too. A large amount of that is probably thanks to the fold out QUERTY keyboard. Come on designers - I thought we were passed all that? I love typing. I type faster than I write. But these tiny fold out keyboards are just too small to type on properly (and I have small hands). So they are not quite useful for anything and merely take up space.

Sleek, black, stylish. So, will it replace my iphone? Sadly not until they make it smaller.

http://maemo.nokia.com/n900/

Babies that twitter

() — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 21:52:26 +0100

Proud father and imaginative inventor, Corey Menscher has made the ultimate yummy mummy gadget, the Kickbee. This chunky belt of electronic wizardry detects every kick from junior fetus and informs the world via Twitter. Just what we need, another way for expectant mothers (and tech crazed fathers) to show off and annoy us.

However, once you get past the inane tackiness of this gizmo it razes another, bigger, much more important question.

The digital freedom of our children is being stolen before they even know what that means: tiny, innocent fetus can tweet from the womb; newborn babies have their pictures plastered over Facebook; toddlers have their own Myspace pages; infant school children have email addresses and mobile phones. Childhood has being stolen by the microchip.

But it’s more than just children sitting in front of computer game consuls rather than playing outside. The pictures, the movies, the text, everything about these infants of the digital generation is spread over the internet before they have the chance to decide whether they want maintain their privacy, a commodity which should be so carefully guarded.

Who owns these tweets? These photos? These first words? The ownership, distribution and secondary or even tertiary uses of this data is vague. Once on the internet can anything actually be deleted? What will come back to haunt you in years to come?

Perhaps yummy mummy with a tech fetish wants everyone to know when baby kicks, but does she realize that the flood gates which she opens are very difficult to close?

Keyboards

() — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 12:44:21 +0100

Problem number one of the day - why does my keyboard insist on printing @ instead of " and vise versa?

Ah - that would be because I haven't set up my keyboard preferences. The problem is that US and UK keyboards send different signals for the same key sets.

In the menu click on System -> Preferences -> Keyboard and then click on the Layouts tab to bring up this:

As you can see the default is set as USA. If you are lucky your keyboard type will be in the drop down list under "Keyboard model."

To change the layout click on Add to bring up this:

You will see when you select the different layouts the different keysets appear. You could really confuse people by changing this! You can also alter the type of keyboard (querty, dvorak, mackintosh) by changing the variants tab.

Top tip: This will not change the keyboard layout for applications that are already running but next time you open them all your keyboard gremlins will be gone.

Blogging

() — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 23:44:46 +0100

Well, there's typepad, and wordpress and blogpress and countless other blogging apps for the iPhone. But none are really up to scratch. As a blonde I am demanding when it comes to my technology. So developers listen up - I'm looking for an app that will upload to blogger/blogspot with text and photos - needs to work quickly, accurately and flexibly. Is anyone going to take up the challenge?

Ultracase iPhone case

() — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 20:09:22 +0100

When it comes to picking an iPhone case, where do you start? Do I want a hard cover, soft cover, all over cover in metal, plastic, leather, silicone?

I chose the Ultracase Astheric case. It is a polycarbon, leather cloth and (all important) glitter half case for the iPhone 3G and 3GS. As it only covers half of the phone I have a screen cover aswell and just have to hope I don't drop it down more than one flight of stairs. It certainly protects the phone from daily wear and tear, minor scratches and the occasional (OK, regular) low imact fall.

It shiped from abroad so took a few days to get to me but appart from that I love my bling iPhone case!

http://ultra-case.com