[Cbsupport] computerbank machine feedback

Sat Mar 17 19:52:22 UTC 2007

Dear Computerbank/Kylie,

Thanks for information and advice about yum and alien. I am still going over
it.

The computer I purchased from CB is going very well, especially in terms of
meeting my expectations.

I am having a lot of problems with the computer but they are all self
inflicted. None of them relate to reasons why I chose a CB computer.

The software packages that were installed on the machine, did not reflect my
needs or interests perfectly, but my needs and interests might not be
typical of most clients. I think that overall the software selection
achieves a good balance, and is as least as good as the medium automatic
installs of Fedora, as about half of the software that I consider to be
essential was there initially.

It would have been good to have the emacs editor as well as vi, and I like
maths programs such as, TeX, LaTeX, gnuplot and octave, but I am not sure
how useful they are for the general population, who might be more interested
in the multimedia and the internet.

I have never recompiled a kernel or anything like that, I wonder if the
kernel is already fine tuned for the hardware on the CB machines? I suspect
that it might be.

So anyway thanks for a good value computer.

BTW:
I wonder if there are going to be any training sessions in the weekends in
the Easter holidays (6th -15th of April). I guess you guys probably intend
on actually having a holiday which would be fair enough.

Here are more of my self induced problems if you would like to here about
them.

The first problem is getting all or some of Wine the menu to appear in the K
menu on the toolbar, I know that there are instructions as to how to create
desktop links in computer bank manual, but I think I need to somehow get the
program to put a menu there itself.

As when I installed Wine on my Gnome Fedora desktop, Wine seemed to install
a menu/interface in the F Applications part of the toolbar. The
menu/interface, seems to be a lot more transparent than the command line
options. Perhaps switching over to Gnome on the CB machine will remedy this,
which leads to my other problem:

I don't know how to switch over to the Gnome desktop, however it is very
much my own problem, since Kylie once gave me explicit instructions on how
to do it, and I lost/forgot them.

Also I think I am close to getting my Canon ip 1000 printer to work through
localhost:631, but I am having problems. I understand that is a computer
that you neither stock nor recommend. Maybe I will ask about it some other
time.

Thanks again
Russell

On 3/15/07, Kylie Davies <mailkylie at optushome.com.au> wrote:
>
> Hi folks,
>
> Alien is also useful for converting rpm files to debian packages. I was
> able to alien the limewire.rpm file to get it installed on my debian
> laptop (with dpkg -i limewire.deb). Maybe I had to get the dependencies
> too, can't remember. It works no real problems. Syntax is
>
> alien blahblah.rpm
>
> and it will generate a deb file. It will do automatic naming unless you
> specify otherwise (i think). I think we include it on the distro. But
> dont expect all to work, sometimes things don't.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Kylie
>
> On Thu, 2007-03-15 at 22:34 +1100, Adam Jenkins wrote:
> > Hi Russell and Kylie,
> >
> > I can't shed any light on the mouse issue sorry, but I would definitely
> > recommend you use yum for updating packages with Fedora.  alien is a
> tool
> > for converting from 'alien' formats to RPM, from memory; and you really
> > shouldn't need to use it.
> >
> > yum has a configuration file /etc/yum.conf
> > You can either have all your repositories defined in that, or you can
> have a
> > file for each in
> > /etc/yum.repos.d
> >
> > Generally yum works well, though it can be slow (you can add a timeout
> value
> > in yum.conf to make it be more patient), and if you want non-free stuff
> like
> > MP3 or DVD decoding support, you might need to add
> > some extra repositories.
> > http://www.fedorafaq.org/#installsoftware has some brief information
> about
> > using yum, and the guy who updates that page has made available on it
> his
> > own yum config and an update so your install can use the LIVNA
> repository,
> > which is a good one with packages for playing DVDs, and proprietary ATI
> and
> > NVIDIA drivers.
> >
> > Hope that helps!
> > Adam
> >
> >
> > >From: Kylie Davies <mailkylie at optushome.com.au>
> > >To: Russell jarvis <colouredstatic at gmail.com>
> > >CC: Adam Jenkins <msi006 at msn.com>
> > >Subject: Re: etc configuration and kvm switch
> > >Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2007 21:59:59 +1100
> > >
> > >Hi Russell,
> > >
> > >oops...i have not sent a reply...i thought it was on list...but it is
> > >private to me.
> > >
> > >I have cc'ed Adam as he may be able to help with an answer.
> > >
> > >Hows it all going with the computer? Any bug reports for us? Be very
> > >handy to have some user feedback. :)
> > >
> > >Cheers!
> > >
> > >Kylie
> > >
> > >On Sat, 2007-03-03 at 15:53 +1100, Russell jarvis wrote:
> > > > Dear computer bank,
> > > >
> > > > I realise now that the configuration files in the directory etc are
> > > > probably written according to XML YAML syntax.
> > > >
> > > > I figured out that the mouse driver or mouse module (what ever it
> is)
> > > > always loads okay, but I need to turn on my other computer for the
> > > > mouse to work. It seems as if my other computer is providing power
> to
> > > > the switch or something, even though the switch has an independent
> > > > power supply (I should double check that). When I installed Fedora
> on
> > > > my other machine the peripheries where probably already plugged in
> > > > through the switch. But since the Debian install on the CB box was
> > > > done for different peripheries that plug directly into the box  I
> > > > probably shouldn't expect them to behave predictably.
> > > >
> > > > Thanks
> > > > Russell
> > > >
> > > > On 3/2/07, Russell jarvis <colouredstatic at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > > Dear cbs team,
> > > > >
> > > > > Sorry I forgot that you had told me specifically comment out those
> > >specific
> > > > > lines.
> > > > >
> > > > > I have tried commenting out all of the sid, and keeping the etch
> and
> > >the
> > > > > Debian multimedia, however I think the server is still behaving as
> if
> > >the
> > > > > files should not be accessible to me. Maybe I am tired and am
> doing
> > > > > something stupid. I don't know what language the file will be
> > > > > interpreted/compiled in but I assume the comments are the ##
> marks.
> > > > >
> > > > > W: GPG error: http://ftp.au.debian.org etch Release: The following
> > > > > signatures co                                uldn't be
> > > > > verified because the public key is not available: NO_PUBKEY
> A70DAF5360
> > > > >                          70D3A1
> > > > > W: GPG error: http://debian-multimedia.org etch Release: The
> following
> > > > > signature                                s couldn't be
> > > > > verified because the public key is not available: NO_PUBKEY 07DC56
> > > > >                      3D1F41B907
> > > > >
> > > > > The etc/apt/source.list file:
> > > > > ##COMPUTERBANK Victoria Debian Sources
> > > > >
> > > > > ##Internal Sources
> > > > > ## deb http://omnidimensional/debian/ etch main contrib non-free
> > > > >  ## deb http://omnidimensional/debian/ sid main contrib non-free
> > > > >
> > > > > ##External Sources
> > > > > ##deb http://ftp.au.debian.org/debian/ sid main contrib
> > > > > non-free
> > > > > deb http://ftp.au.debian.org/debian/ etch main contrib
> > > > > non-free
> > > > >
> > > > > deb http://debian-multimedia.org/ etch main
> > > > >
> > > > > ##deb http://debian-multimedia.org/ sid main
> > > > > ##deb http://security.debian.org/ etch/updates main
> > > > > ##deb http://download.skype.com/linux/repos/debian/ stable
> > > > > non-free
> > > > >
> > > > > I did however manage to install wine on my Fedora Core machine
> using
> > >yum and
> > > > > Fedora repositories. However I can't just put the CD with the
> windows
> > > > > executable in that machine at the moment because I am having
> trouble
> > > > > configuring the DVD drive on the Fedora box. Is it okay to ask
> about
> > >Fedora
> > > > > questions here or is CB strictly dedicated to Debian/Ubuntu?
> > > > >
> > > > > Yum and apt-get seem like similar types of programs. I wonder what
> the
> > > > > program alien does and if you advise against using it.
> > > > >
> > > > > Also I am having trouble with logging in with the mouse module not
> > >working
> > > > > 50% of the time (on the Debian box), this also happened on an
> Ubuntu
> > >box
> > > > > that I had, and I reasonably sure that it is related to a KVM
> switch
> > >that I
> > > > > use. Does anybody know how to change settings/configure the mouse
> so
> > >that
> > > > > this doesn't happen anymore?
> > > > >
> > > > > Thanks
> > > > > Russell
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > On 3/2/07, Kylie Davies <mailkylie at optushome.com.au> wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> > > > > > From: Kylie Davies < mailkylie at optushome.com.au>
> > > > > > To: Russell jarvis <colouredstatic at gmail.com>
> > > > > > Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2007 18:56:59 +1100
> > > > > > Subject: Re: Using APT and Synaptic
> > > > > > Hi Russell,
> > > > > >
> > > > > > If you mean you are using apt-get install from the command line,
> > >then
> > > > > > yes, Synaptic uses the same repositories.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > This is set by a file called sources.list which lives in the
> > >/etc/apt
> > > > > > directory. It can be edited with a text editor too (need root).
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Alert: Always make a backup of a file before changing it. Using
> the
> > > > > > command line and if you are in the directory where the file
> lives,
> > >type:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > cp sources.list backupsources
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Basically cp means to copy, so you are making another copy of
> > > > > > sources.list and calling it backupsources. If you are real keen
> to
> > >use
> > > > > > the command line, there is an intro tutorial re command line
> over at
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > >
> http://doc.vic.computerbank.org.au/tutorials/learning_linux_command_line_interface/
> > > > > >
> > > > > > The APT error you are getting could be just a temporary error
> about
> > >that
> > > > > > particular file. Do an apt-get update (type in at command line
> as
> > >root)
> > > > > > and try again. Your repository lines look fine to me.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > You might want to get wine-utils and wine-doc too.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > >From the commandline the command would be
> > > > > >
> > > > > > apt-get install wine wine-utils wine-doc
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I'm not sure that ubuntu sources should be in there too, this
> could
> > > > > > break things. I'd leave them commented out. Perhaps only keep
> the
> > >etch
> > > > > > one in (take out sid stuff) and debian multimedia.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > You can have as many repositories as you like. Just be careful
> how
> > >you
> > > > > > use them because things could get out of whack (say esp if you
> mix
> > > > > > ubuntu and debian ones).
> > > > > >
> > > > > > With respect to bjcups...not sure what you mean, except to say
> > >configure
> > > > > > printers with kde control centre or from within a browser.
> Browse to
> > > > > > localhost:631. Both these ways will set up a printer system
> wide.
> > >Both
> > > > > > essentially talk to the same thing....CUPS...common unix
> printing
> > > > > > system.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > And yes, by all means send emails to cbsupport... good for
> others to
> > > > > > see. Do you mind if i forward this one?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Cheers,
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Kylie
> > > > > >
> > > > > > On Tue, 2007-02-27 at 18:12 +1100, Russell jarvis wrote:
> > > > > > > Hi Kylie,
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > I am trying to apt-get wine, but I am guessing apt accesses
> the
> > >same
> > > > > > > file for repository URL's as synaptics. I think this because I
> may
> > >be
> > > > > > > having the same repository problems as I get messages like the
> > > > > > > following:
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Err http://ftp.au.debian.org sid/main libgpg-error0 1.4-2
> > > > > > >   403 Forbidden
> > > > > > > Failed to fetch
> > > > > > >
> > > > >
> > >
> http://ftp.au.debian.org/debian/pool/main/libg/libgpg-error/libgpg-error0_1.4-2_i386.deb
> > > > >   403 Forbidden
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > I have about seven repository URL's in the synaptics ->
> settings
> > >->
> > > > > > > Repositorys now including some Ubuntu ones. I have removed the
> > > > > > > omnidimensional ones. Does it matter how many different
> repository
> > > > > > > URL's you end up in there?
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Also I wonder what commands I should use with bjcups. I am
> trying
> > >to
> > > > > > > configure my printer so it only prints in black and white. Is
> > >bjcups
> > > > > > > any different from localhost:631 ?
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Should I address emails with this kind of content cbsupport,
> so
> > >more
> > > > > > > newbies  can capitalise on the information?
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Thanks again
> > > > > > > Russell
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > >
> >
> > _________________________________________________________________
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>
>
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