Misc : Ubuntu 11.10

Another countdown Banner for Ubuntu 11.10 

Customize Lubuntu part 1 : My personal customization for powerful, fast and comfortable OS

My hope for low spec computer

It is another hobby of mine to mess around with my OS, but in the end I got bored and want some light yet fast OS. Microsoft Windows is definitely no option and after some research it come down to Lubuntu. Here I will record of what I did for this new project. First part would be installing the Lubuntu desktop

1. This is the most important step BACKUP YOUR DATA. 
2. Clean the application. Psychocats have good command line for that here. You might also check other command or good tutorial from him. In this case if you not sure from which Ubuntu derivative you are coming, just combine all the command there. 
3. After finish you get your new OS.

But these step are only installation part. But as the title said

customization for powerful, fast and comfortable OS

Lubuntu default applications are great, but I need something more. So I have to research through a lot of package, change some setting and make some list of what I need

• Jdownloader and Autokey. Both are my important applications.
• For Autokey to autostart at the beginning, I simply change /etc/xdg/lxsession/Lubuntu/autostart (credit to this post here)
• Find the alternative for Ubuntu software source. here I use Kpackagekit. Muon could be another alternative.
• Install Kate, because I need some firepower on simple everyday text editing. Sorry Leafpad
• Ubuntu Tweak is tool that you cant miss for this session. Since I need option from this application to change the default application for specific extension.
• Install Browsers, Opera, Firefox, Chrome, Chromium. It seems overkill but it work. Put an exception to chrome, because it always need a lot of resource at the start of program. I may have to work without it. I already uninstall it and switch to chromium. Note for Opera, if it cant be installed from repository, you have to install from official website.
• I just have Deadbeef and Audacious as the default mp3 player. But Deadbeef have this last.fm plugin, so I choose this as default mp3 player.
• Same thing also happen by Gnome Mplayer to VLC. 
• This would be difficult, Pcmanfm or Nautilus. Both are simply good file manager, but I prefer Nautilus. After installing Nautilus, you cant change 100% to it but I though of another way.
• Change file manager shortcut from "pcmanfm" to "nautilus --no-desktop" 
• edit /home/user/.config/openbox/lubuntu-rc.xml by change every "pcmanfm" command to "nautilus --no-desktop"
• Download Nautilus script from g-scripts, another nautilus script site. I take this website because they have archiver-unarchiver which can replace default extract here option
• XArchive and File Rollerare not a good file archiver application, and Q7z isnt working on lubuntu. My last choice come to Peazip. It is good application when you handle with CJK filename.
• I install LxMenuEditor to arrange my menu

Miscellaneous thing that I find when writing about this post

• Calibre, a good ebook manager. If you have a lot of ebook this application will help you to sort them.
• I also install Dropbox integration to nautilus.

Things that cant be done with lubuntu

• Easystroke or mouse gesture application in general is not supported on Lubuntu. I am still researching about this one. when I found a good application, I will report here. Another alternative is installing add on for every browser.

For now I think thats all. My lubuntu is ready. If everything is worked as planned then maybe there will be no second part of this.

Berlin Expedition part 2: first upload

train station, a photo by foreturiga on Flickr.

here is the first photo. this one is edited with hugin software. it was pretty easy to do it and you can make it too.
download the software here
the next photo hopefully will be up for the next month along with the expedition post along it.

Via Flickr:
taken at S-Bahn Beusselstrasse. it my first photo i uploaded on flickr

Berlin Expedition part 1 : setting up

next time I will upload my own foto

I got bored yesterday and I just got an idea about take a tour around Berlin. but the normal tour would be normal (obviously), so i take some rule and made my exploration of Berlin a special one.

My target is actually all S-Bahn and U-Bahn in Berlin, because they are easy to find. So rule is that i have to walk from one Bahn to another one. no minimal amount of Bahn that i have to take for every play as long as they are integer and bigger than one. If i have reach a Bahn, then that Bahn will be my save point. i can continue my exploration from this Bahn with any transportation available and walk to next Bahn. It is actually pretty simple so anyone can try.

while the exploration i will also take some photo and post them here.

My arsenal for this project will my ultimate camera Kodak C913 silver, old lovely Nokia, Ipod shuffle 2GB, and my wallet.

so the next problem is how i post here. For now i will use google map to show the route i have take. The photo will be uploaded in Photobucket, hope they have good online photo editor.

Misc : Ubuntu 11.04

Here is the countdown banner for ubuntu 11.04

now I am excited to see the new ubuntu.

Misc : Blog note

This blog is not dead, i am just busy with my real life and didn't give too much time on this one. I may add another post this month.
in the meantime i also do some project on my holiday, you can follow it on my facebook page. the report and everything else will be back to here to be compiled and prepared for another project. see you next time.

i love writing part two : online and offline solution for writing on pc

now for pc

this is the second part of my project report and this time we will talk about tools. i am here to answer what do we use to make a good writing. some people would said that writing isn't about your tool but the content of your tool which is more important. but for me better tool for writing is needed as the addition for the enjoyment of writing itself. so let me list what i like to use for my great writing.

1. Google Docs

this one is simple solution for working online. as the new google chrome OS come to the market i feel like i have to be used to the google docs as i can feel how to work on cloud computing. this also have another function as an collaborating tool. i have already tried it to make some project with my friend and it is awesome. but the down side of this tool is that you need Internet to do it and a google account . anything else is that google cant completely change is to replace the offline desktop office environment. if you have time you should also see another alternative like Zoho.

2. Libre Office

this is another of my favorite. it it open source and almost like super tool you can use for making a great text work. since it also offline and you can install it on which ever OS do you have (windows, mac OS, and Linux). maybe majority would choose another alternative, Microsoft office, but it is your choice. another alternative would be this Abiword. Abiword would have smaller installation package and maybe more simple than two office environment i already mentioned

3. Focus Writer

one application that got on my favorite list recently. this software is almost same like libre office, but it have this feature that let you writing without distraction. another feature that i like is the typewriter sound. it little bit of oldies but actually funny and yet i love it. another alternative would be this online form like Pyroom or this one, Darkcopy.

4. Tomboy Note

this one come with little size but huge function. perfectly build for taking a note and another small writing but important in unpredicted time. another plus point is that you can add useful plug in on this one. they various plug in and i recommend adding latex support for some one who need to write their mathematical function here. if you are on Ubuntu, tomboy note also support back up in Ubuntu one. the downside here is that tomboy only have limited text editor. you may need a bigger office environment like in Libre Office or Microsoft Office. The alternative is like Evernote.

5. Gnome do

i didn't mean to write all my application here. but this is one of application i need to access all of that with speed typing. also with additional plug in you can do computer activity with writing, no mouse needed. you can also reach your browser and do some Internet activity with this one. a great software indeed if you lazy to use your mouse. the downside is that you still need to learn how to work with this for a while and you will how useful this one. another alternative for this one is google desktop.

that what help me on my everyday life. i write this post using focus writer and upload anything with chrome. if you want more alternativ  software than this list you can also search on alternativeto, a website that i already mentioned on another post of mine.

ps note: merry christmas and happy new year. wish for more writing in next year.