Category: Ubuntu Linux

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Ubuntu discs offered

A Careful Reader from Massachusetts asked (in so many words) if there were any of those Ubuntu discs left from Revival?

Yes and no. Rocket scientist that I am, I packed the five discs in the same pocket with a padlock. The lock had sharp edges and scuffed and scraped the discs. I didn’t give any (of course) and Revival, but there’s no reason why I can’t burn some more — the blanks are, what?, twenty cents each — and send them on request.

So, yes, my Massachusetts Reader, it is on the way.

And if you are one of the next four to email me at bitb-at-boyinthebands.com, I will send you one, too. You can turn that old boat-anchor of a computer (provided it has at least 128 megabytes of RAM) into something useful.

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To Revival (and bringing Ubuntu discs)

The Unitarian Universalist Christian Fellowship Revival is underway in NYC. I’ll be taking a bus at 2:00 a.m. to participate in the Saturday and Sunday sessions. PeaceBang, Philo, Adam, Ron and to ye non-blogging friends — I’m coming!

I’ll also be bringing discs with the Ubuntu Linux operating system (the stable, long-supported 6.06 release, which is better for newcomers.) These have three uses: to try it out live on top of another operating system without a permanent installation, to install it if you want it, and to pull (for Windows; like this) some open-source software if you’re not ready to come over. If you’re there, just ask. If I have some left, I’ll note it here and will mail them to anyone in the world — first come, first served.

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New Ubuntu release coming; listen to BBC podcast

I just can’t wait for the Ubuntu 6.10 “Edgy Eft” due to be released on October 26. Some people wanting long-term support will want to stick with the current 6.06, but others should look here for release notes. It will include among other things Firefox 2.0, which will be released generally today. See GetFirefox.com in a few hours (from noon, Eastern US time.)

Mark Shuttleworth, founder of the Ubuntu Foundation, talks about Ubuntu Linux in the developing world and collaborative educational texts in a podcast/broadcast of the BBC Radio show Digital Planet. Download here. (There’s also a good article on the social benefits of a new wifi hotspot in Salamanca, Chile in the same download.)

And see the Shuttleworth Foundation site and its wiki, too.

October 25. OK, I couldn’t wait. I upgraded my Ubuntu installation last night. I’m sure there will be a few more things to install later — there’s a button that tells you if there are new software versions available — but I really like it, especially Firefox 2.

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Ubuntu Christian edition?

Linux spawns new distributions like — uh, — nineteenth century Lutherans made denominations. I like and use Ubuntu Linux (“Linux for humans”) and some of its derivitives, but am not sure what to make of Ubuntu Christian Edition. What, I wonder, is the purpose?

It seems to be a properly orthodox (if you’ll forgive the term) Ubuntu install with GnomeSword (Bible study software), DansGuardian (parential control/censorware; what pray makes this inherently Christian?) and a few other aps sprayed in Bible verses. Since I can (and have) added GnomeSword and DansGuardian (for testing) from my ordinary Ubuntu installation, I don’t see the point. But you can buy a Christian Ubuntu Women’s Raglan Hoodie if you like.

And I suppose what really bothers me is that ubuntu is a Xhosa linguistic family philosophical concept, a part of the philosophical core of the new South Africa. Hard to translate, but is linked to the idea that we become more human in relation with other human beings. It does have Christian meanings, too.

Archbishop Tutu often refers to ubuntu. Bill Clinton spoke about it recently. (I’ll use it in a sermon tomorrow!) To cross cultural metaphors, a mensch has ubuntu. I’d hate to see Christian Ubuntu be reduced to a thin derevation of an operating system. And in practical terms, I’ll use the ordinary version of the OS and add in the software I like.

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Legacy Windows user? Time to go to Ubuntu Linux

Today, Microsoft stops supporting Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows ME (Millenium Edition). (Washington Post link) Yes, these are old operating systems. But yes, a lot of people still use them. The computer I own came with Windows ME and it chugs along just fine, thank you.

Not that I run Windows on it anymore. About three years ago, I installed a variety of Linux on it. After about a month of switching between Linux and Windows, I dropped the Windows and never looked back. Not that it was always easy or convenient at first. But Linux desktop operating systems have matured in great measure in the last three years, and if you are looking to move on — this is the time, and Ubuntu Linux 6.06 is probably your version.

I have come to appreciate the transparency its intellectually freedom gives, and the cost savings and product experimentation that the “other kind of free” allows.

I know it can be a bit intimidating to make that first step, but if you’re interested leave a comment.

Ubuntu Linux

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Using GnomeSword to tease out biblical citations

Y’all know I love Ubuntu Linux and use it exclusively on my home computer. I wanted to highlight a piece of software I’ve been using on it: GnomeSword, the Bible and related texts reader for the Gnome desktop. (I’m using it to identify the introits in the old Evangelical and Reformed Church The Hymnal lectionary. More about that later.)

The only thing I use it for is looking up King James Version references, and to date there are no English modules for copyrighted Bible translations. But a robust format is there for this. John Wesley’s notes on the Bible, Brother Lawrence’s Practice and other texts are available. Seeing Universalist commentaries would be nice, but probably a waste of time. (The Linux using, Bible researching Unversalist community is pretty small.)
The main project. The SWORD Project: Open Source Bible Software

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My current Ubuntu install

This will mean almost nothing to most readers, so feel free to skip this one if you’re not interested in Ubuntu Linux.

My machine is a four and a half year old HP Pavilion 7855 with a 1GHz Pentium 3 processer and 384 MB of RAM (added a 258 MB card yesterday), a CD reader, and a CD writer/DVD player. Two USB ports. Nothing all that special or uncommon, if you have a computer at all. The kind of machine a company with a decent IT budget might give your church as they upgrade.
I’ve installed Ubuntu Breezy Badger (5.10) and have added and removed software, both from the Synaptic Package Manager, but mostly from the Add Applications feature, to help me keep my newcomer’s mind. But I think a newcomer should wait at least for Dapper Drake (6.04), to be released in the fourth week of April. Again, I’m trying to see what would help churches and church-related entities.

What I added and deleted from the default install after the jump.

Continue reading “My current Ubuntu install”

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A simply-maintained computer

Well, I’ve had some problems before partioning my hard drive with Linux — not one of Ubuntu Linux’s strengths — and ruined the partion with my whole system on it. Fooey. Fortunately I backed up my system all last weekend, so that all I lost was my email. It took less than an hour to get back to where I was.

Almost.

I’ve decided not to restock the computer’s memory with all the files I’ve been keeping. They’re happy on CD-ROMs. I’ll be adding in files — either file from the Internet or from those CDs — rather jealously. Just as jealously as I’ve been keeping or discarding my material goods.

I mention this because I think I’ll discover what files, services, and programs are important and which ones aren’t. Since I tend to do churchy stuff more than anything else at home — sad, sad preacherboy, I know — there will be some bearing on this blog. Keep you posted.