Monthly Archives: September 2008

howto linux software

Problems with database when rolling back from F-Spot 0.5 to F-Spot 0.4

2008/09/24 – 10:22 am

Some people would like to try the new F-Spot 0.5 just to see the new features, and then rolling back to F-Spot 0.4, which till now looks stabler.

Actually the new F-Spot uses a different version of the database: upgrading F-Spot will upgrade the database, so rolling back to an old version of F-Spot will result in database damaging. Obviously it’s better to avoid this.

So ff you are planning to try F-Spot before switching to the new version, there are a few things you can do to save your work1 .

First method. Make a backup of your F-Spot settings

To make a backup of your F-Spot settings, you only need to make a copy of the ~/.gnome2/f-spot/ folder, which is the place in which F-Spot store its database. You can navigate to that folder by using Nautilus, or run a simple command from the console:

cp -av ~/.gnome2/f-spot/ ~/.gnome2/f-spot.backup/

After you finished trying F-Spot 0.5 and you still like the 0.4 version, you can easily rollback by running:

rm -rf ~/.gnome2/f-spot/
mv ~/.gnome2/f-spot.backup/ ~/.gnome2/f-spot/

Those two lines will restore the backup you made and will delete all the work and the updates you made while trying F-Spot 0.5.

Second method. Run F-Spot with a new empy database

You can also run F-Spot without touching at all your old database by using the following:

f-spot --basedir /tmp  --photodir /tmp

This will store all the work you make during the try in the temporary directory, which will be deleted on your next reboot. F-Spot will not touch any of your old settings.

I already got database error: am I lost?

No, your aren’t. Everytime F-Spot gets an error loading the database it will try to restore it but will also make a copy of it in your home directory. So just have a look in your home: you will probably find a file called photos-20080924-0.db. The name could change a little bit: those numbers are the date in which the database was created, so in this case it’s 24th semptember 2008. After you find the file, you only need to copy it (do not move it, copy it) over the damaged database file, that is located in ~/.gnome2/f-spot/photos.db. Just remind that this will be the database used by the 0.5 version, so you must use that version to load it (i.e. you cannot use 0.4 anymore).

  1. we all know how long it takes to tag all the images [↩]
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linux software

New upstream version for F-Spot. Here it goes the 0.5.0.1

2008/09/24 – 2:32 am

Some annoying issues in the new F-Spot 0.5 has made developers release a new version with some fix.

This version also perfectly builds on amd64 machines (the previous one had some problem on Ubuntu, don’t know why and now I just don’t care so much).

I uploaded a new version on my PPA on Launchpad. It is ready for Hardy and Intrepid. If you already installed F-Spot 0.5 from my ppa, you only need to run

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade

For more details on installation, please refer to my previous post.

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linux software

New F-Spot 0.5.0 – Build for Ubuntu

2008/09/21 – 8:10 pm

F-Spot developers released a new version of their photo management software. Here you can read the release note. I made a package for Ubuntu Hardy and Ubuntu Intrepid. Both are available on my PPA on Launchpad. Note that there could be some issues with this build: please refer any problem you find. It is sufficient writing a comment on this blog.

Quick instructions for Hardy

If you are using Hardy, add the following repositories to your sources (you can either use Synaptic or edit your /etc/apt/sources.list):

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/michelinux/ubuntu hardy main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/michelinux/ubuntu hardy main

On Hardy you will also need a more updated version of GTK-Sharp, which you will find in the same repository. So if you are using the standard apt way there are no problems, but if you prefer to download the single deb file remember to download the GTK-Sharp deb file as well.

Quick instructions for Intrepid

f you are using Intrepid, add the following repositories to your sources:

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/michelinux/ubuntu intrepid main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/michelinux/ubuntu intrepid main

It is not necessary add the deb-src repository: add it only if you are planning to play with sources.

Know Issues

This package won’t compile on amd64. Still investigating. This is the build log, if you have any idea or suggestion please let me know (just leave a comment to this post). Also, if you have a 64bit machine (Intel or AMD it’s pretty much the same) youi could try to download the upstream source of F-Spot and trying to compile it on your Ubuntu box.

This has been solved with the new upstream version 0.5.0.1. Please upgrade your installation by running

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade

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howto

Tweaking Firefox Full Screen

2008/09/17 – 8:10 am

Firefox can go full screen by just pressing the «F11» key on your keyboard or choosing the Full Screen option from the “View” menu. It will also hide away the top bar, which in full screen mode is composed by the address bar and the tabs bar. The browser will also play a smooth animation when hiding away the unnecessary part of the GUI.

Unluckily my computer is not that fast and Firefox interface is much slower on Linux than on Windows1 . So I would like to change some behaviour of the full screen mode, but the standard Preferences window doesn’t include any option about that. The only way is to go through the about:config interface.

Just type “about:config” in your address bar and press Enter. Please remember that this interface allows you to modify every little behaviour of the browser: pay extremely attention! After promising you will not do anything wrong, look for the following keys (you don’t need to type the exact words, just type “full” and they will come out):

  • browser.fullscreen.animateUp
  • browser.fullscreen.autohide

The first one, browser.fullscreen.animateUp, is about the animation: to stop any animation set it to ‘0‘ (zero). Setting it to ‘1‘, which is the default value, will make Firefox play the standard sliding animation. Other values have same behaviour as ‘1‘, but in the future may be used to specify different kind of animations.

The second option, browser.fullscreen.autohide, says whether Firefox should keep some of the interface (address bar and tabs bar) in full screen mode or not. Of course, if you set this option to ‘false‘, the previous one has no more meaning. The default value is ‘true‘.

  1. believe me: it’s hard for me to admit [↩]
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software

Firefox: Eula o non Eula, questo è il problema!

2008/09/15 – 12:16 pm

Mozilla ha scritto a Canonical, la ditta che materialmente mette insieme Ubuntu, che la smettano di distribuire Firefox senza che gli utenti prendano atto e accettino le condizioni della licenza d’uso (EULA – End User License Agreement). Canonical ha ricevuto e ha messo al primo avvio del browser l’accettazione della licenza, manco fossimo su Windows.

La polemica infuria e molti vorrebbero che IceWeasel (o ABrowser, o quant’altro) o al limite Epiphany ne prendessero il posto come browser principale. Secondo me bene fa Shuttleworth ad accettare le condizioni imposte da Mozilla (in pratica è solo una questione di marchio) per una serie di motivi:

  • Firefox è un prodotto che molti già conoscono. È usato dal 20% degli utenti (almeno di quelli che navigano) mentre Ubuntu si perde tra le cifre decimali;
  • È giusto tutelare i marchi. Ubuntu è un marchio registrato, Canonical è un marchio registrato e perfino Linux è un marchio registrato. Ciò non toglie che le maniere di Mozilla siano quanto meno discutibili.

Sarebbe però una mossa estremamente gradita da parte di Mozilla (il sasso l’hanno buttato loro) trovare un accordo con Canonical piuttosto che chiedere ad ogni utente di sottomettersi alle regole del mercato. Oppure, meglio, semplicemente smetterla con questa storia e trovare un’altra maniera per tutelare il proprio marchio e fare in modo che il browser sia effettivamente e completamente open. Insomma gli altri brand non chiedono accettazioni di licenze o sottomissioni varie: ci mancherebbe altro che per usare Linux dovessimo inventarci qualcosa del tipo IcePenguin.

Se proprio ‘sta cosa ce la dobbiamo sorbire, allora tanto vale trovare un modo educato per proporla all’utente: l’ultima build che ho provato mostra la EULA in una scheda e la cosa non turba più di tanto, anche se mi piacerebbe sapere se per Mozilla è sufficiente.

Un’altra maniera potrebbe essere quella di mettere l’EULA di Firefox all’interno della licenza di Ubuntu mostrata durante l’installazione (così è sicuro che nessuno la legga). C’è però da considerare che Ubuntu non mostra una licenza di utilizzo (capito Mozilla? Ecco come si fa!), o almeno non me l’ha mostrata quando ho provato ad installare quella che tra un meze e mezzo sarà la 8.10 Intrepid Ibex. Inoltre questa soluzione non è applicabile alla versione live… Insomma teniamocela in una scheda e che si veda una volta sola e mai più1 .

In definitiva nonostante tutto io voto per Firefox®, anche se ho un debole per Epiphany, specialmente se accoppiato con WebKit2 .

  1. magari solo dopo gli aggiornamenti [↩]
  2. sto preparando una nuova build di Epiphany con WebKit… Restate sintonizzati [↩]
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linux

Dell Mini 9… Avanti il prossimo!

2008/09/13 – 4:00 pm

C’è veramente da diventare pazzi. Dell ha fatto un computerino piccolo e carino (chiamatelo netbook se vi pare) e negli Stati Uniti è disponibile sia con Ubuntu che con Windows. Magno gaudio!

Insomma decido che lo voglio ma la sorte mi è avversa. Infatti sembra che il giocattolo in questione non sarà venduto in Europa se non con Windows. Si nello store Francese che quello Britannico C’è solo la versione con Windows Xp. Ma di che mi preoccupo? In Italia del Mini 9 non c’è neanche l’ombra.

Dell, mi senti? Cosa c’è che non va in Italia? Hai paura della mafia o cosa? Siamo veramente un mercato tanto miserabile?

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linux

Dell Mini 9: it won’t be mine

2008/09/13 – 4:00 pm

They really want to get me crazy. Dell introduced a nice small notebook (call it netbook, if you like) and in USA it’s available with both Ubuntu and Windows. So happy!

I already planned to buy it but The curse of Penguin Island1 is definitely not helping me. In fact this little toy seems not to be sold in Europe except for the Windows version, which is something that I simply don’t need. Both in France and in UK Dell stores it’s available only with Windows XP, but luckily I don’t need to worry so much: in the Italy store the Mini 9 it’s just a page not found.

Hey Dell! Are you afraid of Italian Mafia or what? Are we really such a bad market for you?

  1. This is a citation from a famouse and popupar video game of some years ago. Try to guess. [↩]
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howto linux

Hibernate eventually working on my Linux Box

2008/09/11 – 8:05 am
de fence - by stockwerk23

de fence - by stockwerk23

I have to confess: I had surrendered a lot of time ago. I was not able to get my computer hibernate, or better, it could hibernate, but it would not wake up correctly and I needed to restart. Just like Walt Disney.

Luckily Ubuntu is updating twice a year and so I tried again yesterday. And it failed. So I had a look on the logs and I found out the problem was the X server, whose process was eating 99% of the CPU after waking up. Even the computer seemed hanged it wasn’t: I could login through SSH. So after a visit to Ubuntu Forums, I guessed it was because of NVidia proprietary drivers and I eventually reached this page, from which I got some good hints.

Basically what I did was to add the

Option "NvAGP" "1"

under the device section in the /etc/X11/xorg.conf file, and change the following

ACPI_SLEEP=true
ACPI_HIBERNATE=true
SAVE_VBE_STATE=false
POST_VIDEO=false
SAVE_VIDEO_PCI_STATE=true

in the /etc/default/acpi-support file. Remember that both files must be edited as superuser: have you ever heard about sudo?

I did not blacklisted the agpgart and the intel_agp (altough I have via_agp) and it worked anyway.

Next step: convince screenlets to do what I want insted of what they want.

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web

MP3tunes free accounts not so actractive anymore

2008/09/09 – 9:00 pm
MP3tunes has downsized free space

MP3tunes has downsized free space

This a little surprise. Since they were offering your mp3s an unlimited online host for free I was used and pleased to sync my music with my locker, mainly in order to listen to it from other computers (the iPod is never so happy when you connect to a stranger computer, thanks stupid iTunes!).

Last time I started the LockerSync (they also have a Linux version) to upload a couple of disk I just ripped, I saw I am using 18.36 GB out of 2.00 GB. Actually what happened is that MP3tunes changed their policies (they would do that from time to time) and stopped offering unlimited space. My file will stay safe until I delete them, but I won’t be able to upload any new tunes until I go under 2 GB, unless I subscribe for a premium account.

There are some more new limitations introduced, like the audio & visual advertisement, making your songs collection playing like a radio, interrupted from time to time by some nice voice telling you where and how to spend your money1. And also they won’t allow free accounts to play through third part hardware and software: I was just so happy about the upcoming Amarok 2 is supporting MP3tunes from its Internet tab. Do you want to use that function? That’s just $4.95 per month (about 3,50€ at today rates).

OK, it’s their right to do what they want with their servers and hard drives (since I’m a poor poor user looking for free stuff). I just want to complain their service is not so interesting as it was before. It’s time to look for something better… or for a new hard drive.

  1. Actually I played it a couple of hours and it never occurred [↩]
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linux

Dell Inspiron Mini 9: is Ubuntu really cheaper than Windows XP?

2008/09/05 – 4:26 pm

Dell has introduced its first netbook, called Dell Inspiron Mini 9 and available with Ubuntu Linux or Windows XP SP3. The Ubuntu version starts at 349$, while the Windows version starts at 399$. I think I will choose the Ubuntu version to save some money, but… is it really cheaper? Let’s check.

Ubuntu Inspiron Mini 9 costs as much as Windows version

Ubuntu Inspiron Mini 9 costs as much as Windows version


The Ubuntu version and the Windows version only differ for Hard Drive size and the Webcam. The WinXP equipped toy has 8GB Hard Drive and 0.3 MegaPixel integrated webcam. The Ubuntu equipped one has 4GB Hard Drive and is completely missing the webcam.

Luckly the Dell website lets you choose the components you want. I definitely want my Ubuntu Inspiron Mini 9 with 8GB Hard Drive (need to add 35$) and I cannot live without a 0.3 webcam (need to add 15$). So:

  349$ (base price for Ubuntu version)
+  35$ (hard drive upgrade)
+  15$ (webcam upgrade)
------
= 399$

which is exactly the same price of the Mini 9 with Windows XP. The things go even worse if you try to compare an upgraded version of Ubuntu Mini 9 with the most expensive version with Windows XP: in this case the Ubuntu version will be more expensive than the one with the Microsoft OS.

It really sounds like there’s something wrong. But what?

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