Clutter Learns Linux

[V.T. Eric Layton]

The Zip doesn't need to be mounted to have the fstab entry, Clutter. The fstab tells Linux what devices exist, and how/where to mount them. That file doesn't change. It's created when you installed Linux on your system. You can modify it to add/remove entries as needed, though.To get your Zip to work properly, there are three distinct steps you must take:1. Create a directory in either /media or /mnt for the Zip drive. I prefer to use /media for this. Open the Gnome Terminal and do this:

Clutter@ClutterSystem:~$ sudo mkdir /media/Zip100 (or whatever you want to call it)Password: ********* (your regular user password here)

*This step creates a sub-directory in the /media directory that will be used by Linux to mount the Zip disk. 2. Install Bruno's S95Zipnode script. *This creates the mounting node at each boot up of the system.3. Edit your fstab to add an entry for the Zip drive.

Clutter@ClutterSystem:~$ sudo gedit /etc/fstabPassword: ********** (your regular user password here)

Gedit will open with the fstab file ready for editing. Add the following line to the fstab:

/dev/hdb4 /media/Zip100 auto rw,user,noauto,sync 0 0

*Note: If you name the sub-directory that you created in /media something other than Zip100, be sure to use whatever name you chose in the fstab entry also.With those three steps properly performed, your Zip should behave normally within Linux. You'll still have to mount/unmount for each disk, but that's the way it is with all removable media in Linux. You can place the Disk Mounter in a Drawer on one of your Panels, like I have. It makes things a little easier. See the screenshot link below:http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v647/vte...hot_15Oct06.pngThe Disk Mounter is in that pop-up panel on the left.Hope this helps!Luck!~Eric

Clutter, you will blow up your install a couple of times . . . it happens to every new user . . so please don't worry if you do

HAHA! NO! Please say it isn't so!

[Cluttermagnet]

Thank you very much, guys-I'll answer Bruno's questions later this evening after I return from work. I will try Eric's suggested zip drive setup and report back. I'm not going to get discouraged. I'll keep at it until I have some usable Linux skills, then I'll return the favor by helping others to make the change. Yes, I do expect to crash and burn. I've hosed copies of 98SE a number of times, then reinstalled. In later years, I've taken more to making drive images and restoring one of those images after a disaster. Every time, my OS setups get better, as I continue to learn. I do have some small degree of mastery over 98SE now. I'm planning on doing the same or better with Linux for sure.

Edited April 7, 2007 by Cluttermagnet

[Bruno]

Hi Clutter . . . I see something odd in the quote you posted from the /etc/fstab ( first line ):

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.

The past I have marked RED . . I hope they are NOT really in your /etc/fstab, would you mind to check ?? Bruno

[Urmas]

Tried to save a copy to put in this thread, but forgot and imported a Win-incompatible file extension over to my 98SE box, so cannot send it.

(From Silly Questions Dept.) Why aren't you hooking up to the net with your Linux box instead?

[V.T. Eric Layton]

If I remember back a few thousand posts here, he can't get Ubuntu to see his modem.

[striker]

I think Clutter uses two modems, one internal and one external.See these:http://forums.scotsnewsletter.com/index.ph...st&p=221227http://forums.scotsnewsletter.com/index.ph...st&p=221225http://forums.scotsnewsletter.com/index.ph...st&p=221216Maybe the link below can be a starting point to help Clutter set up his modem :https://help.ubuntu.com/community/DialupModemHowto

[Bruno]

Maybe disabling the onboard modem in the BIOS will make it easier to configure and use the external one . . . . ?? Bruno

[Cluttermagnet]

Hi Clutter . . . I see something odd in the quote you posted from the /etc/fstab ( first line ): The past I have marked RED . . I hope they are NOT really in your /etc/fstab, would you mind to check ?? Bruno

Sorry to cause you unneeded worry, Bruno-My actual /etc/fstab table starts out with a 'normal' line"# /etc/fstab: static file system information."I'll be more careful in the future to make sure anything I represent to be a 'quote' actually is. And I'm teasing you about syntax. Heh! Those characters are garbage from converting from some native Linux file type to a plain .txt file extension (within Linux). I think I keep using the overly powerful Open Office Word Processor because I haven't yet figured out how to wake up the simple equivalent of Notepad or Wordpad in Ubuntu. I know they live there in Ubuntu- I've just been too busy to learn these simple things so far. I'm doing everything the hard way. I'm often communicating with the group using an entirely separate tower under Win98SE. Maybe 1/3 of the time, I actually have the Linux box connected, on my 2nd dialup line. Remember, I'm in transition here. I know 98SE pretty well. And BTW remember my comments? I have 4 different PC towers, 2 monitors, etc. right on this one desk I sit at. All of it older hardware, say about 3-5 years old. Everything is beige. Keyboards, KVM's, mice- everything. I call it the 'beige monolith' , ala "2001 A Space Odyssey". Getting back to the garbage characters, I'm literally carrying data across from one tower to another the 'old fashioned' way- no fancy networking for me. No, it's 'balance a pail of water on your head and walk 5 km', etc. I never did become much of a networking afficionado in 98SE. Didn't really feel like I needed it for the low volume of data flowing between various machines, over the years. And networking in Windows just exposes you to more nefarious hacks, if the bad guys ever get onto your hard drive. So it's been floppies, zip100 disks, CDR's, lately USB flash drives. Needless to say, my efficiency will improve in Linux. I can move a heck of a lot faster in 98SE right now. I've had 10 years to learn Windows, 8 years on 98. The only networking I'm interested in for Linux right now would be that Ethernet jack over at my friend's house, whenever I get around to lugging my Linux box over there. I need to focus mainly on learning fundamentals in Linux- file management, downloading/ configuring utilities and configuring the OS, etc. In a few weeks, if things are going well, I may promote myself to Linux 100, "Linux for Disadvantaged Windows Refugees, Part 1".

[Urmas]

I haven't yet figured out how to wake up the simple equivalent of Notepad or Wordpad in Ubuntu. I know they live there in Ubuntu- I've just been too busy to learn these simple things so far.

Gedit... Applications ->Accessories -> Text Editor (or something like that).

[Bruno]

Okay . . . I get the picture Clutter . . . . I now more or less understand your setup and see you moving frantically from one beige box to the other ;)Please take things in your own tempo . . . don't let us hurry you . . Anyway glad the garbage in your fstab is only an illusion you tried to trick me with :blink: :DB) BrunoPS: As for the equivalent of Notepad . . . did you ever just fire up "gedit" from the menu ? It can save files with the .txt extension

[Cluttermagnet]

Maybe disabling the onboard modem in the BIOS will make it easier to configure and use the external one . . . . ?? Bruno

Sorry you guys are worrying about my dialup, too. Actually, I have had no problem getting my external modem to coexist with my internal Winmodem in Windows. Windows does not seem to care. As for Linux, I just select /dev/tty1, with this particular box, and it fires right up and accesses the internet, no real problems. On another box, it has, for some reason, been /dev/tty0- even though that box also has an internal modem. In fact, I can often get the 'wizard' in Ubuntu to autofind the external modem, though not always in every PC I have.That being said, dialup is at times a little flaky in Ubuntu, although not any more flaky than in 98SE, I suppose. My main and my only complaint at this time is that I don't 'see' my dialup connection progress or my online status, traffic indications, as I do in 98SE. I do at least hear the dialout and handshake on the little speaker in the modem. If the connection stalls or is dropped, however, I have no way of knowing. I assume most of this will be solved by moving to kppp, when I get the time to do that. It is amazing, BTW, just how useful that little dialup icon is in 98SE. It's an animated icon, and shows two screens which light up to represent download and upload traffic. Simple, but very, very effective. I wish for something even half as slick as that in Linux. Crude indicator though it is, that little icon gives just enough information that you have a pretty good grasp of your 'networking' status at any given time- offline, online, during modem handshake, etc.Oh, I do have one dialup problem lately. I think I'm about to fire one of my dialup ISP's. My connections to their network share have become very flaky lately. Meanwhile, my other dialup ISP has performed flawlessly at the same time, so I can rule out any equipment or line problems entirely. At 5 USD per month, I think I can afford two ISP's. I will let one go, pick up another. Two is good, with dialup. A lifesaver, at times. Edited April 7, 2007 by Cluttermagnet

[striker]

Aha ...

[Cluttermagnet]

Aha ...

Exactly.But the one in Ubuntu seems to only apply to Ethernet. It shows nothing of dialup traffic. I have that one on my upper 'panel' (toolbar), but it is useless unless I'm connected via broadband, apparently. Edited April 7, 2007 by Cluttermagnet

[Urmas]

Exactly.But the one in Ubuntu seems to only apply to Ethernet. It shows nothing of dialup traffic.

You sure? Check page 3/post #54 of this (rather large) thread... there are two panel applets to choose from... man... dial-£%¤#-ing-up!

[Cluttermagnet]

Gedit... Applications ->Accessories -> Text Editor (or something like that).

Ahhh, OK. Got it. I think that Ubuntu's bias towards very 'generic' names like "Text Editor" is throwing me off. I'm used to the silliness of formal names like "Notepad". Even "gedit" is at least 'OK', as I see it. But "Text Editor" is just so bland and generic as to elicit yawns. It doesn't grab the attention. It isn't 'memorable' . "Ubuntu" is memorable. Linux utilities often seem to open with the masthead displaying such pablum that you have to go to the Menu and Help/About to even figure out which software utility you are using. OTOH, Linux is not consistent. I open the editor as you show above, and it says "Unsaved Document 1 - gedit". OK, but I had to know the route Applications/ Text Editor to get there. I think later versions of Windows, from XP on, do this, too. It drives me crazy. Once I have learned the name of a utility, and know how it is used, I want the OS to reference it by name. This bland, generic stuff is just silly. This is a case of catering to the 'least common denominator', I imagine. For an absolute beginner, I guess it makes sense. For me, it doesn't.Just one example of how easily I navigate around in Windows 98SE- I use button launch utilities to store probably around 50-75 or more utilities. I can thereby keep my desktop reasonably clean of icons, although I still do have a standard set of icons I feel are important enough to keep on the desktop. See- Windows? GUI? They get you hooked, get you spoiled with icons. I want to find a good 'button launch' utility for Linux and set up a similar system. Oh, and we're talking about one click launch from the button utility. Yes, I know you can configure Windows and Linux to be single click launch from the desktop, but I consider that a liability, personally. Too easy to cause an unintentional single click on the desktop. I actually want double click on the desktop, but I want single click from a launcher utility. I don't like drop-down menus at all. I consider them a default, an anoyance. I like to set up a desktop much more efficiently, and drop-downs are just way too 'clicky' for me. Also on a larger screen size with a small 17 inch CRT monitor, all that scrolling down the drop-down menu is tricky and is a major time waster. Give me icons, mate! (or perhaps command lines, as a slightly better alternative). Edited April 7, 2007 by Cluttermagnet

[Cluttermagnet]

You sure? Check page 3/post #54 of this (rather large) thread... there are two panel applets to choose from... man... dial-£%¤#-ing-up!

Yeah, dial-£%¤#-ing-up indeed. It is a major pain!Well, I see two icons in the 'panel' menu. One is Terminal Server Client Applet, the other is Network Connection. Neither seems to apply to dialup (?) I have never seen either 'animated'- giving any indication of traffic in or out. And neither seems to have any data on connection speed, bytes sent, etc. Am I missing something? (Remember, I'm not using kppp yet, if that has anything to do with it) Edited April 7, 2007 by Cluttermagnet

[Cluttermagnet]

I have a question about keyboard debounce settings in Ubuntu. Often I type a word like "seems" and it comes out as "sems". I'm quite sure that this is a slow debounce setting getting in the way. I'm quite sure I strike the (same) key twice but get only one letter. How do I access that in Ubuntu Linux? I know how for Windows.Edit: I found it myself:System/ Preferences/ Keyboard.I'm experimenting with the settings now.Hey! I thought Linux was supposed to be hard! This is too easy. I want my money back.

Edited April 7, 2007 by Cluttermagnet

[Urmas]

Once I have learned the name of a utility, and know how it is used, I want the OS to reference it by name. This bland, generic stuff is just silly.

Agree. You can right-click on [Applications] start menu -> "Alacarte Menu Editor" opens... rather slowly, mind you, but opens anyway.Case Gedit: (in Alacarte) left menu, click on "Accessories". Right menu, click on "Text Editor" (or whatever it's called). Click on "edit" button. Now you can change "Text Editor" to "Gedit" or whatever you like.Oh, and... me, I think the "Applications-Places-System" menu item is waste of space... if you right click on a panel, you can choose an "all-inclusive" start menu (with "Ubuntu wheel" icon)... and delete "Applcations-Places-System".

Linux AirlinesDisgruntled employees of all the other OS airlines decide to start their own airline. They build the planes, ticket counters, and pave the runways themselves. They charge a small fee to cover the cost of printing the ticket, but you can also download and print the ticket yourself. When you board the plane, you are given a seat, four bolts, a wrench and a copy of the seat-HOWTO.html. Once settled, the fully adjustable seat is very comfortable, the plane leaves and arrives on time without a single problem, the in-flight meal is wonderful. You try to tell customers of the other airlines about the great trip, but all they can say is, "You had to do what with the seat?"

Edited April 7, 2007 by Urmas

[Cluttermagnet]

Linux AirlinesDisgruntled employees of all the other OS airlines decide to start their own airline. They build the planes, ticket counters, and pave the runways themselves. They charge a small fee to cover the cost of printing the ticket, but you can also download and print the ticket yourself. When you board the plane, you are given a seat, four bolts, a wrench and a copy of the seat-HOWTO.html. Once settled, the fully adjustable seat is very comfortable, the plane leaves and arrives on time without a single problem, the in-flight meal is wonderful. You try to tell customers of the other airlines about the great trip, but all they can say is, "You had to do what with the seat?"

Exactly! But ultimately, that's what I like about Linux. And that is pretty much what the advanced user does with 98SE. I have it 'all tricked out' (customized/ modified).

Agree. You can right-click on [Applications] start menu -> "Alacarte Menu Editor" opens... rather slowly, mind you, but opens anyway.Case Gedit: (in Alacarte) left menu, click on "Accessories". Right menu, click on "Text Editor" (or whatever it's called). Click on "edit" button. Now you can change "Text Editor" to "Gedit" or whatever you like.Oh, and... me, I think the "Accessories-Places-System" menu item is waste of space... if you right click on a panel, you can choose an "all-inclusive" start menu (with "Ubuntu wheel" icon)... and delete "Accessories-Places-System".

Great! I changed "Text Editor" to read "Text Editor - gedit" for now. A good beginning! Thanks! Edited April 7, 2007 by Cluttermagnet

[Cluttermagnet]

Any hints for Clutter about how to start setting up desktop icons to launch utilities? And how about a Button Launcher utility written for Linux? (multi-panel icon storage panel 'toolbar') Does such an animal exist?Eric gives some hint of this, I believe. He shared a graphic in his post #245 on Page 10 of this thread: here. I see a vertical 'panel' (toolbar) with a bunch of icons (looks like). I'm not real sure what exactly this screenshot is supposed to show, however. Very colorful, thu all the icons are way too samll to see ay my screen resolution.

Edited April 7, 2007 by Cluttermagnet

[Urmas]

Any hints for Clutter about how to start setting up desktop icons to launch utilities? And how about a Button Launcher utility written for Linux? (multi-panel icon storage panel 'toolbar') Does such an animal exist?

The simple way: Go to start menu (let's say... Gedit)... grab the [Gedit] start menu icon and drag it to desktop or panel. That's it. Or... right click on the panel -> Add to panel -> App launcher... or right click on desktop... create launcher."Button Launcher utility"... "Drawer" (Add to Panel etc.) . [Yes, this was what Eric told you about.] Edited April 7, 2007 by Urmas

[V.T. Eric Layton]

Any hints for Clutter about how to start setting up desktop icons to launch utilities? And how about a Button Launcher utility written for Linux? (multi-panel icon storage panel 'toolbar') Does such an animal exist?Eric gives some hint of this, I believe. He shared a graphic in his post #245 on Page 10 of this thread: here. I see a vertical 'panel' (toolbar) with a buinch of icons (looks like). I'm not real sure what exactly this screenshot is supposed to show, however. Very colorful, thu all the icons are way too samll to see ay my screen resolution.

Clutter,You can install a "Drawer" on any panel you choose. It actually looks just like a little drawer on the panel. Within that drawer, you can place any launchers for apps that you like. Just drag them to the drawer from the Main Menu and let go. You can move them around within the drawer, also, and lock them in place when you get them how you want them. You can also create more panels and set them to "auto-hide" on the right and left of your screen. Just drag your launchers (shortcuts, in Windowspeak) to the panels like you would for the drawer. You can also add as many drawers to the panels as you like.Screenshot of my drawerEDIT: HERE is a bit more magnified view of the drawer. Edited April 7, 2007 by V.T. Eric Layton

[Cluttermagnet]

The simple way: Go to start menu (let's say... Gedit)... grab the [Gedit] start menu icon and drag it to desktop or panel. That's it. Or... right click on the panel -> Add to panel -> App launcher... or right click on desktop... create launcher."Button Launcher utility"... "Drawer" (Add to Panel etc.) . [Yes, this was what Eric told you about.]

Thanks, Urmas-The right-click on (upper) panel/ +Add to Panel/ Application Launcher method worked best for me. Drag and drop.The right-click on Desktop/ Create Launcher method will work for me after I get more up to speed on file navigation/ file management in Linux. For now, just a GUI method works best.

[Bruno]

Yeah, dial-£%¤#-ing-up indeed. It is a major pain!Well, I see two icons in the 'panel' menu. One is Terminal Server Client Applet, the other is Network Connection. Neither seems to apply to dialup (?) I have never seen either 'animated'- giving any indication of traffic in or out. And neither seems to have any data on connection speed, bytes sent, etc. Am I missing something? (Remember, I'm not using kppp yet, if that has anything to do with it)

Best thing you can do Clutter is to have gkrellm ( system monitors ) started at login, if you use dialup it will not show the up and down traffic stats when you are not connected. Once you connect the up and down traffic stats show up and show the amount of traffic in lines and numbers.Gkrellm looks like this: ( Time, weather, CPU, Processes, temperatures, fan speed, disk activity, net activity, memory, swap usage, partition usage, uptime and many more stats if you want to. ) Bruno

[Cluttermagnet]

You can also create more panels and set them to "auto-hide" on the right and left of your screen. Just drag your launchers (shortcuts, in Windowspeak) to the panels like you would for the drawer. You can also add as many drawers to the panels as you like.

Thanks, Eric-I got some of that. Creating the two side panels is easy, once you grasp that that is done from the top panel. New Panel is one of the drop-down choices when you right-click in the panel above. I don't yet see how one would go about creating a 'drawer', however. That's essentially what I'm looking for here- a 'drawer' applet or utility.

[Urmas]

Yeah, dial-£%¤#-ing-up indeed. It is a major pain!Well, I see two icons in the 'panel' menu. One is Terminal Server Client Applet, the other is Network Connection.

Isn't there another one in there... "Modem Status"?

[Cluttermagnet]

Best thing you can do Clutter is to have gkrellm ( system monitors ) started at login, if you use dialup it will not show the up and down traffic stats when you are not connected. Once you connect the up and down traffic stats show up and show the amount of traffic in lines and numbers.Gkrellm looks like this: ( Time, weather, CPU, Processes, temperatures, disk activity, net activity, memory, swap usage, partition usage, uptime and many more stats if you want to. ) Bruno

Wow!That's a pretty nice 'control center' sort of application. A lot of good system information in that panel. And I'm sure you can easily hide/unhide this thing with a mouseover or mouseclick. That is a bit fancier than what I had in mind, but it would serve well, just the same. So I will try it. Let me see if I can figure out how to locate it in Synaptic and get it installed...

[Urmas]

I don't yet see how one would go about creating a 'drawer', however. That's essentially what I'm looking for here- a 'drawer' applet or utility.

It's a "panel applet"... right click on a panel... choose "Add to Panel"... it's waaay down on the "list of applet items".

[Bruno]

Wow!That's a pretty nice 'control center' sort of application. A lot of good system information in that panel. And I'm sure you can easily hide/unhide this thing with a mouseover or mouseclick. That is a bit fancier than what I had in mind, but it would serve well, just the same. So I will try it. Let me see if I can figure out how to locate it in Synaptic and get it installed...

There is all kinds of easy ways to configure it . . . and the "net-section collapses when you are offline so it is pretty clear when you are on-line or not.The theme used Here is the "invisible" theme . . but the "glass" one is very nice too.Be sure to get the "weather" plugin if you want local weather.The system temperatures is a bit more complicated but we will cross that bridge when we get there. Bruno

[striker]

Clutter, some krells (how they are called) in gkrellm needs a bit of configuration, for ex. Vcore,+3.3V, +5V, +12V and some others. First see if it is available and if yes, try to make up your mind what you want of it now. Then ask what needs to be configured to be able to see what you wanted to see.Just trying to clear up a good idea, before you rush out to install it only to be confronted afterwards with some krells not functioning, due to a not being configured state of the krell.