So yeah, as you can tell when I said I would get back on this during Fall Break, I lied. Anyway, I'm in Csec right now (don't worry I understand PGP already though I'm still paying attention.)
As for responding to the post, I would like to avoid taking a complete side here because I can understand both. I don't think that in most instances these functions would actually be used. However if you do need to change a large number of data than they would definitely be useful. You will wish you knew them when you have a hundred line document to change, but everyday I don't see myself using them much.
That is just my opinion.
Monthly Archives: October 2012
Response
So yeah, as you can tell when I said I would get back on this during Fall Break, I lied. Anyway, I'm in Csec right now (don't worry I understand PGP already though I'm still paying attention.)
As for responding to the post, I would like to avoid taking a complete side here because I can understand both. I don't think that in most instances these functions would actually be used. However if you do need to change a large number of data than they would definitely be useful. You will wish you knew them when you have a hundred line document to change, but everyday I don't see myself using them much.
That is just my opinion.
As for responding to the post, I would like to avoid taking a complete side here because I can understand both. I don't think that in most instances these functions would actually be used. However if you do need to change a large number of data than they would definitely be useful. You will wish you knew them when you have a hundred line document to change, but everyday I don't see myself using them much.
That is just my opinion.
LINUX and the law
http://www.itworld.com/it-managementstrategy/301421/true-legal-vulnerability-linux
The article on ITworld.com mixed two of my favorite areas of life technology and law. It discussed the litigation history of the programming language Linux. Linux, right now is a free software system that is used on just about every data management system in the world, from UPS to Starbucks, but while its technical prevalence is huge its financial stake is very small. Many companies have taken the Linux software and reworked it into their own systems or used it as the basis, most notable RedHat but there is no large centralized producer of pure Linux. Most of the money in the market is from companies which have modified Linux to make it their own. This is why litigators have had so much trouble suing for patent infringement. Even once you put aside the legal difficulties of winning a lawsuit against a company involved in the Linux space you are still left with the social ramifications. If a company were to win a patent lawsuit against a particular aspect of Linux then most companies in the world would have to overhaul their Linux machines. The global economic stress that this would cause is only rivaled by the anger it would cause. This anger at the company that brought down Linux would most likely have a very negative effect on the company itself. So for now Linux is safe but there is no knowing when some company will feel the urge to file a lawsuit.
Midterm!
Last week we had the midterm exam for ECE 2524. It went pretty well. I was a little worried about some aspects of the midterm but I think it did a good job at covering everything we’ve learned so far. I did great on all of the command parts and I mostly only struggled on the bash script and a little on the python problems. I couldn’t remember doing anything with writing scripts so I was definitely rusty – the only experience I had was a little bit of studying I did after I saw an example question on the example midterm that was on writing a bash script. So that went a little poorly for me, but overall I did great on the midterm and I think that it really helped me see how much I have actually learned in half a semester!
Now, looking forward, we only have half a semester left! Which means I need to make more blog posts! Just kidding. I will try to be more consistent though.
Desktop Environments – GNOME
Ever since I installed Ubuntu 12.04 LTS for Intro to Unix and Applied Software, I have been trying to find alternatives to the default Desktop Environment, Unity. I gave Unity a chance for the first few weeks on installing the OS, but it felt like an awkward combination of Mac OSX and Linux fundamentals. Then I began researching for new desktop environments. While researching, I found into GNOME Desktop Environment. After I installed it from the Ubuntu Software Center, I logged out and went to select the GNOME interface. The selection menu, there were multiple options. GNOME Classic, GNOME, Ubuntu, Ubuntu 2D.
GNOME Classic is basically GNOME 3.0 with a the classic GNOME 2.0 interface. This was created for people who couldn’t adapt to the new interface.
GNOME 3.0 is the latest version of the desktop environment. It is similar to Unity in many ways, but the biggest difference is the way the GNOME 3.0 interface looks.Surprisingly, I found out that Ubuntu Unity was forked from the GNOME 3.0. Unlike Unity, many of the setting and apps are hidden away until you hit a hot corner on the left to reveal all of the running apps,app tray, and additional virtual desktop.
Overall, I found GNOME 3.0 to be a little annoying when it came to be productive because the desktop screens where set up on top to bottom, and in order to open any app it required going to the app tray. I’ll try to stick with it a little bit longer and see if I can look past these annoyances.
If anyone is interested check out the GNOME website: http://www.gnome.org/gnome-3/
Unix
Over the course of this semester I have thoroughly enjoyed learning about Unix. I recently noticed that I now run Ubuntu unless I am forced to run Windows on my computer. When I start my computer up and I have the choice of Ubuntu or Windows, I always choose to run Ubuntu unless I need a certain software that isn’t available on Ubuntu and is only in Windows. I love the fast boot up time and how fast the software is in general compared to Windows. I also love the terminal. I feel like I have learned so much in the class of Unix and it is not useless knowledge. I know that I will be using this knowledge for the rest of my life in my career and for my own enjoyment.
Ubuntu Bloatware and Arch Linux
After using Ubuntu quite regularly for quite a long time now, I have grown accustom to the fast boot up, fast processing, and great customization features. I dread the Sunday nights that I choose to boot into Windows 7 to work on my AC Circuit Analysis Lab assignments. Ubuntu without a doubt has a very minimized package set that makes it as quick as possible. Windows 7 on the other hand, is bogged down with a bunch of unnecessary bloat ware and applications. Ubuntu on the other hand, is stripped down of all of this and I notice this via the significant performance difference.
However, after some research, I have noticed that Ubuntu also has some “bloatware.” What does that mean? It means that there can be an OS that can be built that gives an even bigger performance boost than Ubuntu. We do not use ALL of the packages that come with Ubuntu and I think that it is an important part of Unix to be able to have an OS that is as customized and stripped down as possible for the user. As a result, I think Arch Linux is the way to go. Over winter break, I plan on getting a new SSD, partitioning it, having Windows 8 on one partition, and Arch Linux on the other. I think by installing Arch Linux as a core Linux installation and building up your Linux environment package by package, one can acquire a very intricate grasp of Unix and appreciate the platform much more. I hope to do this over winter break and see if I can really push the limits of performance for my computer.
Third Look at Ubuntu – reposted
I posted this one on the wrong blog too, but I have figured it out for future posts.
Having been using Ubuntu through the first half of the semester, I thought I would revisit my feelings about Linux in general and about Ubuntu specifically. When not doing any assignments I find myself using only Windows 7. I know some people who after this class have adopted Ubuntu as their primary operating system, but I won’t be one of those people. I know the ins and outs of windows and I just feel there is so much in Ubuntu that I don’t know and I won’t ever be able to know it as well as windows.
The idea of an open source “do anything you want/need to do” is great and that is why Linux is so popular. It can adapt to your needs and let you accomplish everything you need to. When using ubuntu for class or homework, I find myself dreading using it. It may just be my computer but it feels extremely slow and hard to use. Some of the basic settings have default settings that I don’t like but don’t know how to change.them.
I started off on the wrong foot with ubuntu trying to run off a flashdrive. I completed our first homework assignments on the multiple commands we had to learn. I didn’t upload it because I was going to check it later before it was due. A while later I booted to Ubuntu again and the files were gone because I had set up the flashdrive wrong. I ended up going with VirtualBox. If I had started learning Ubuntu first instead of Windows I’m sure I would like it more, but I am resistant to change.
Post Midterms Updates
Even though we haven’t had our class for two weeks, the midterm and other projects helped me a lot to learn Ubuntu Operating System, Ubuntu terminal, Python etc. There is still a long way to go, but I am in the process of getting there. In addition, we got our grades for the first exam. I got a better grade that what I anticipated. Looking at the schedule, I see that we are behind in schedule, mostly in projects. I have been experimenting with some new Unix commands in the terminal. Data/ files manipulation in Ubuntu is so much easier than windows in Unix terminal. Shortcut keys such as cp and mv enables you to make copies and pasted them in directories which can also be created by typing mkdir. I am looking forward to do more assignments in C++.
For ECE 3574, I completed my first GUI project. It was a simple QWidget which had four buttons. Each button had a signal which connected to a corresponding slot and performed associated action. In addition to that, our 2nd GUI project was assigned as well. HW5 demands us to implement a log in page where the information is stored in password.dat file. If the user enters the password correctly, the user is then directed to play a tic-tac-toe game. Meanwhile, there are other frames which could register a new user, change password, display welcome screen, etc. This project might be tough, but using Unix Philosophies of modularity might simplify this project. These are my updates for this week. Check back next week for more updates.
How to tuple-boot
So, I need Windows for various classes, and I need Ubuntu for a couple of classes as well as the simulation work I’m doing at RoMeLa. Unfortunately, I don’t really like either of these operating systems, and prefer Arch Linux. The required steps for booting all three are something like this. I actually set this up a while ago, so I may accidentally leave some things out.
1. Install Windows.
2. Use a GParted LiveCD to repartition your hard drive.
2. (a) You’ll need to resize the larger NTFS partition to the size you’d like Windows to occupy
2. (b) Add at least two partitions for your linux root directories. Because this will be more than three partitions (disallowed by DOS partition tables), you’ll want to have an “extended" partition as the third one, and then the remaining partitions logically inside this extended partition.
2. (c) It is *possible* to share a home partition between the two linux distributions. I’m not sure whether I recommend this. It’s safe to assume that this isn’t going to work 100% perfectly. Different versions of software (for instance, different versions of GNOME) have different expectations about their config files. I especially had problems between Unity, Ubuntu’s desktop environment based on GNOME, and GNOME Shell in Arch. I solved this problem by using the tiling window manager wmii, and ensuring that both copies were the same version. However, there’s a lot of potential for mismatched versions across distributions, and you’ll have to solve these problems on a case-by-case basis.
2. (d) You might want a swap partition.
3. Install your first Linux distribution. In this case, I’d go with Ubuntu first, because the way it sets up booting is a little opaque, whereas it’s possible in Arch to really understand what’s going on under the hood.
4. Install the second Linux distribution.
5. Set up the bootloader. You can do this with a standalone tool like supergrub2disk, or with your operating system’s tools. I’d recommend GRUB2 and os-prober (be careful to mount all partitions beforehand. os-prober will see bootable Windows partitions that aren’t mounted, but not Linux partitions).
6. Hooray! Now go about complaining to everyone you meet about the idiotic n-boot setup you’re forced to use.