Data that Matters

DATE:  29-October-2008
Filed Under: Linux, USB Devices

New Focus

For a long time the focus of this Blog has primarily been on portable applications. I was on endless quest for new portable applications to try and review. At-lass I have found a new passion; Linux. I have two USB drives configured to run Linux (Slax and Puppy), I currently have Damn Small Linux installed on my laptop, and I have a Open Suse virtual machine that I run from my desktop computer. In addition using MobaLiveCd I also run various Linux Distro's from my portable USB drive.

Linux offers so many distributation's that call out to be noticed. Each distributation has own unique workspace and applications that need to be explored. Of course each distributation has its quirks and configuration problems that must be addressed, like connectivity issues for instance.

I haven't forgotten about portable applications and you will still see plenty reviews on my finds, but I will be focusing more on Linux for a while. I will keep you informed.

DATE:  24-October-2008
Filed Under: USB Devices, Linux, System

Reconfiguration Acts

With the purchase of a Kingston 8GB USB drive I have made changes to my USB devices. Two of my five USB drives have been configured to run Linux. I had Slax Linux installed on a 512MB device, the same device that I formally had Puppy Linux installed. The Kingston now holds my portable applications; the Toshiba holds Slax Linux and the Lexar 512MB Puppy Linux. Slax is about double the size of Puppy so it is better suited for the 2GB drive. Now I have room to let Slax grow and don’t have to worry about leaving too many of my files behind on the drive.

DATE: 16-October-2008
Filed Under: Linux, USB Devices, System

Quick Change Act: A New Linux Distro

I wasn't able to access Puppy Linux from my USB the other day. I was prompted with a dialog stating that Puppy's start-up files could not be found. I didn't have a copy of Puppy with me, but I did have a copy of Slax that I had recently downloaded.

Although USB Slax Linux is larger than Puppy Slax does fits comfortably on my Lexar 512MB Firefly. Slax offers all the applications that I need when I am away from my desk. I love Puppy's simple and efficient interface, but Slax offers a fully implemented Samba, the KDE desktop (which I am familiar with) and other features that make it an excellent Linux distribution to have on hand.

DATE: 15-October-2008
Filed Under: Linux, Sites

Some Recent Articles on Linux that I have found Interesting

Software Installation in Linux
Installation of software in Linux has never been a straight forward procedure, at least not for the novice. The Software Installation in Linux article offers some suggestions on how software can installed in the Linux operating system.  

What is Linux Hosting?
The “What is Linux Hosting?” page defines what Linux web hosting is and describes the components that make-up the LAMP server configuration. LAMP is an acronym for four technology components, which includes the Linux operating system, the Apache server, MySQL, and PHP.

Linux Newbie Administrator Guide
The Linux Newbie Administrator Guide gives the novice and expert Linux user a through look at all aspects of Linux. The guide includes tips on installation of Linux through its use. This treatise is well worth the visit.

The 10 Best Linux Distributions
There are many Linux distributions and Ken Hess has his favorites. Ken gives his in reverse order of his preference and includes some basic information about each distribution. What is Ken’s favorite; Ubuntu?

Wireless Tools for Linux
The Linux operating system has made great strides in providing wireless capability, but does not offer a wide verity of tools for wireless connections. The Linux Wireless Extension and the Wireless Tools is an Open Source project being sponsored by Hewlett Packard.

The set of tools includes:

iwconfig manipulate the basic wireless parameters
iwlist allow to initiate scanning and list frequencies, bit-rates, encryption keys...
iwspy allow to get per node link quality
iwpriv allow to manipulate the Wireless Extensions specific to a driver (private)
ifrename allow to name interfaces based on various static criteria

Interestingly useful and informative article.

Download tools

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DATE: 15-September-2008
Filed Under: USB Devices, Linux

Multiple Devices Multiple Uses: Worlds within Worlds

I have often wished that I could open a totally different desktop that would include all of my portable applications. The customizable desktop environment would allow you to access and open your portable applications, access the Internet, and share data between your USB device and your desktop computer.

The J.U.D.E project has been repurposed, but it originally hoped to bring this type of environment to your desktop. Although J.U.D.E resided on your USB drive you needed Administrator rights to run J.U.D.E on your desktop so J.U.D.E did not run totally from your USB device. In addition, J.U.D.E was never completely implemented and its promised capabilities were never totally developed.

So my quest continued until I learned of USB Linux. These miniature distributions of Linux allow you to run Linux from your portable device. They include their own desktops with a relatively full complement of applications. I express relative because desktop versions of Linux include many additional applications and typically make use of full featured versions of these applications where as some of the USB application versions are especially designed and trimmed down to conserve on distribution size.

It is neat to be able to boot into a totally new and unique world; a world within a world. USB Linux distributions offer data creation tools, the ability to save your creations to your device, and the capability of sharing your files between your device and your PC. In addition, you can access the Internet through your modem or a Network interface and communicate with other kindred souls.

There are many Linux distributions that are well suited for USB devices and sites that will walk you through the process of installing these distributions to your USB device, which I have mentioned in prior postings. There are although several sites that list small Linux distributions that could possibly be installed on a USB drive.

• The Live CD List
• Distro Watch
• Small and Live Unix distributions
• Linux Link
  

Although I routinely use Damn Small (DSL) and Puppy Linux and run them on small capacity USB drives imagine installing multiple versions of these portable Linux distributions on SD cards. One gigabyte cards have come down in price considerable. Purchase several cards, a card reader, and a card wallet and you could switch between these virtual portable worlds as you saw fit.

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DATE: 12-September-2008
Filed Under: Linux

Sharing Data between Puppy Linux and your PC

I am runny Puppy Linux on a 512MB USB drive. Being able to share files between this device and my PC is a must. I am sure that there are other methods, but I have found one method so far that works for me.

I create my documents using AbiWord and screenshots using mtPaint. AbiWord allows you to save your files in multiple formats so finding a compatible format for my PC is not an issue and MtPaint saves files as PNG’s which is also a cross plat-formed format.

Saving my files to Linux’s default location when I am ready to move files over to my PC I click on Home on Puppy’s desktop and then My Documents. I then click on Drives also on the desktop and click the device I want to mount. (In Linux you must first mounted a device in order to accesses files on the device.)

Mounting a device will spawn a new window showing the contents of that device at its root. Simply drag the files from Linux to the mounted device. Be careful to choose the appropriate option when prompted to select copy or move.

DATE: 11-September-2008
Filed Under: Linux, USB Devices

Getting to Know Puppy Linux, part 1

I am running Puppy Linux from a 512 MB Lexar Firefly USB drive. Running Linux from this device allows me to take Linux with me wherever I go. The Firefly is small physically, but just the type of device for Puppy Linux. Puppy is a scaled down distribution of Linux that could be run entirely from your systems memory and includes everything you might need when you are away from your computer.

Puppy includes many of same programs that are found in other Linux distributions but the programs are scaled down and without all the bells and whistles. If you do the room and want to add additional capability Puppy offers Puppy on a Leach and the ability to recompile Puppy.

Puppy's desktop includes over twenty icon shortcuts so I thought I would start here and briefly identify their uses:

1. Home
   Opens a window with your default folders like your "My Documents", "My Applications", and "Puppy Reference", ECT.

2. Help
   Includes information about Puppy and application documentation.

3. Drives
   Allows you to view USB drives that are connected to your PC and allows you to mount (access) your files on these devices.

4. Install
   Allows you in install additional packages (software) to Puppy.

5. Setup
   Setup includes wizards to help you setup different components and services in Puppy like the firewall, printers, network interface, sound, ECT.

6. Edit
   Spawns Geany a text editor.
   

7. Console
   Opens a console window otherwise known as a termical window in Linux. The rxtv terminal allows you to become one with your machine.

8. Write
   The Write icon opens AbiWord a great open source and feature rich word processor. This posting is being written in AbiWord.
   

9. HTML
   The HTML shortcut opens Composer a simple, but effective Web editor.
   

10. Calc
    Allows you to access Gnumeric a full featured spreadsheet program that allows you to save your documents in multiple formats including a Microsoft spreadsheet. 
    

11. Paint
    Spawns mtPaint a graphics creation, editor, and screenshots program. The screen shot for this posting was taken with mtPaint.
    

12. Draw
    Opens InkscapeLite a Scalable Vector Graphic (SVG) creation program.
    

13. Browse
    Spawns SeaMonkey a Mozilla web browser.
    

14. Email
    Opens the SeaMonkey email and newsgroup browser
    

15. Chat
    Starts Gaim an open source chat and instant messaging client.
    

16. Play
    Allows you to access Gxine, Puppy’s default media player. Gxine is a full featured media player that plays content in multiple formats.          

17. Connect
    Allows you to connect to the Internet through your modem or network interface.

18. Lock
    Password protects and locks your Puppy desktop.

19. Pupzip
    As the name implies Pupzip allows you to either zip or unzip files and directories.

20. Trash
    Same as the Windows Recycle Bin, but with a cool icon.

DATE: 18 August-2008
Filed Under: Linux, System

Twelve Fedora Core 2 Resources

My reconfigured system will be a dual boot system using some form of Linux and Server 2003. To help me make my choice of Linux distribution I have collect twelve resources for one possible candidate Red Hat Fedora Core 2. Resources include how to create a duel boot system, making it work, installation instructions, tips and tricks, and how to mount an USB drive in Fedora

The Unofficial Fedora FAQ - Fedora Core 2
Fedora Project
Fedora Core 2 Release Notes
Fedora Core 2: Making it work
Personal Fedora Core 2 Installation Guide
Making Fedora Core 2 and Windows Play Well Together
Fedora Core 2 Tips and Tricks
Solutions to the Windows, Fedora Core 2 Dual Boot Problem
Beware Fedora Core 2 Linux if you dual boot Windows XP
Fedora Core 2 and WinXP Problems?
VPN (Virtual Private Network) with Fedora Linux
Mounting USB drives on Red Hat / Fedora Core 2

DATE:  26-June-2008
Filed under: Linux, Open Source

Five Sources of Linux Software

This list is long overdue and is just a start.

Ice Walkers
Ice Walkers provides a long list of reviews of Linux software. The reviews are updated regularly and software is broken into categories.

Live CD List
Liive CD List offers a huge selection of live Linux distributions.

Distro Watch
Reviews, news, downloads, and articles about dozens of Linux and BSD distributions.

Linux Links
There is no shortage of applications and utilities for Linux. Linux Links offers hundreds of choices for all types of applications and utilities.

Softpedia Linux Downloads
Offers news, reviews, downloads, and tutorials.

Linux Software
Linux Software offers distributions, applications, books and Linux apparel.

DATE: 13-June-2008
Filed Under: USB Devices, How-to, Linux

Experimenting with a $5.00 Lexar USB Drive

I was cruzing through Wal-Mart’s clearance isle in their Electronics department and noticed that they had Lexar 512MB USB drives reduced to $5.00. There were three in the box and I decided to purchase all three of them. You can never have too much memory or storage capability.

I have wanted a USB device for a portable version of Linux and I have been planning on purchasing another drive for this purpose. There are two Linux distro’s that seem like good choices for a 512MB drive: Puppy, weighing in at 88MB or Damn Small Linux DSL at 50MB.

I installed Puppy on the first Lexar USB drive using Puppy’s Universal Installer. Use the following instructions: Download the Puppy ISO and burn to a CD. Run Puppy from CD and wait for the live CD to load Puppy into memory. Once Puppy is loaded click on Menu and Set-up and look for the Puppy Universal Installer PUI command. Click the command once. Linux only requires single clicks. Double clicks will spawn multiple windows. Choose the drive you want to install Puppy on from the PUI console and click OK. Follow the online instructions and use the recommended options. The process might have to be repeated if the defaults don’t work. Just experiment with the console options.

Additional Resources

A List of Live CD’s

DATE: 24-Apr-2008
Filed Under: Linux

Use Linux Learn French

Slitaz Linux is a minimal Linux Distribution. Its 25MB will load completely into RAM. Slitaz Linux can also be installed and ran from your USB drive.

Slitaz contains X, JWM, Firefox, Leafpad, MTPaint, GQView, XPad, and a few other applications. Although parts of Slitaz are written in French, if you are familiar with Linux you should be able to find your way around.

Additional Resource

Learn more about Slitaz Linux