Eye Candy of Cairo-Dock for Home Users

I often repeat that GNU/Linux Home Users strive for stability ,user friendliness and beauty for their desired and chosen distributions.

Cairo-dock is an animated and very beautiful application launch bar displayed on the desktop comparable to Mac OS X's Dock but offers more options in it.

It is themable , re sizable and can be easily ran and exited at any time. It is compatible with Beryl ,Compiz-fusion and KDE through Kwin .

The Cairo-dock Home Page is offering further details about this light eye-candy tool for any GNU/Linux desktop.

The project page for Cairo-dock is found at BerliOS where the latest binaries are available for download and you can submit your bugs or feature requests.

I installed Cairo-dock on my Pardus 2007.3 desktop through "Pisi" package manager and it works seamlessly.

PCLinuxOS 2008 doesn`t offer Cairo-dock package and I wish that Texstar and his team should not keep us deprived from this beautiful tool when we have almost everything available on PCLinuxOS repositories.

I have also put a request for Cairo-dock Granular Package at the forum of Granular Linux . Lets hope Anurag and Chrisz considers making these packages for Granular 1.0 Final which is to be released sooner I guess.

" my cybershot ventures" I Artististic expressions of a Medical Doctor

I have friends, we all have friends. But then some friends are more than friends, they are life time happening with us.

Samir Rana is a Medical Doctor and a health care administrator but he rarely introduces himself as a doctor ( even his blog page

doesn`t say he is a doctor). He is an artistic mind with artisitc talents and a life time fanaticism and craving for expression of arts.

He is running "my cybershot ventures" blog where he is expressing his artistic talents through the eye of digital photography. He captures the scenes of common happenings around us which we often ignore and brings the beauty that lies hidden in those trivial scenes into our vision.

His artistic potentials were always there, he kept looking for an outlet, a source of expression of his inner world. This took him along a long path of sitting on shrines, practicing "Malang" life and reincarnating as Sidharta Gautama.

It looks like he has found a real canvas of "blogging" this time where he is all ready to paint every single color of his inner artistic turmoil wildly and in a care free manner.

I am sure this will let his mercurial soul calm down a bit and let the whole world know what he always wanted to tell them.

Tux is Looking Good With Firefox !

Nice looking wallapapers of a Tux and Firefox

Pardus 2007.3 Desktop Screenshot

Pardus GNU/Linux 2007.3 Desktop with "Crystal" theme, Vista Aqua wallpaper ( I hope Vi$ta does not offend my friends,but I like this wallpaper ) and Cairo-dock with MacOSX theme"


I took this screenshot with Ksnapshot, it`s fun to enjoy two of my best rated , favourite desktop GNU/Linux Distributions i.e PCLinuxOS 2008 Minime and Pardus Desktop Linux 2007.3 as dual boot.


I urge all home users to try any of these distributions , you will be happy with their shiny looks , user friendliness and out of the box rock solid stability.

DistroWatch.com: Top Ten Distributions I PCLinuxOS

There was this nicely written review of Top Ten Distributions on DistroWatch.com which also included PCLinuxOS. I am posting the PCLinuxOS review from that list of Top Ten here as status verbatim along with PCLinuxOS logo and a desktop screenshot. It is worth reading.

PCLinuxOS was first announced in 2003 by Bill Reynolds, better known as "Texstar". Prior to creating his own distribution, Texstar was already a well-known developer in the Mandrake Linux community of users for building up-to-date RPM packages for the popular distribution and providing them as a free download. In 2003 he decided to build a new distribution, initially based on Mandrake Linux, but with several significant usability improvements. The goals? It should be beginner-friendly, have out-of-the box support for proprietary kernel modules, browser plugins and media codecs, and should function as a live CD with a simple and intuitive graphical installer.

Several years and development releases later, PCLinuxOS is rapidly approaching its intended state. In terms of usability, the project offers out-of-the-box support for many technologies most Windows-to-Linux migrants would expect from their new operating system. On the software side of things, PCLinuxOS is a KDE-oriented distribution, with a customised and always up-to-date version of the popular desktop environment. Its growing software repository contains other desktops, however, and offers a great variety of desktop packages for many common tasks. For system configuration, PCLinuxOS has retained much of Mandriva's excellent Control Centre, but has replaced its package management system with APT and Synaptic, a graphical package management front-end.

On the negative side, PCLinuxOS lacks any form of roadmap or release goals. Despite the growing community involvement in the project, most development and decision-making remains in the hands of Texstar who tends to be on the conservative side when judging the stability of a release. As a result, the development process of PCLinuxOS tends to be long and a new version is not released until all known bugs are solved. There are currently no plans for a 64-bit edition of PCLinuxOS.

Pros: Out-of-the-box support for graphics drivers, browser plugins and media codecs; fast boot times; up-to-date software
Cons: No 64-bit edition offered; no out-of-the-box support for non-English languages; lacks release planning

Software package management: Advanced Package Tool (APT) using RPM packages
Available editions: MiniMe, Junior and BigDaddy editions for 32-bit (i586) processor architectures

Suggested PCLinuxOS-based alternative: SAM Linux Desktop

PCLinuxOS Repository List

I am posting this link which shows all the major PCLinuxOS repositories list, choose the repository that is closest to you and add it to synaptic and you will get all the updates and packages faster.

Here is the PCLinuxOS Repository List

PCLinuxOS Minime 2008 Review

I have made my custom made system from PCLinuxOS Minime 2008 and it works flawlessly on my system.

Here is a great review and discussion thread about PCLinuxOS Minime from Raiden`s Realm.

It`s worth reading for everybody who loves this great GNU/Linux distribution.

How to reinstall GRUB on PCLinuxOS

Every now and then we install two distributions as dual boot or dual boot Windows with Linux and then we are puzzled how to reinstall GRUB. Below is a simple command line re-installation method of  GRUB for PCLinuxOS and which works for any other distribution running GRUB legacy.

Reinstalling GRUB:

a ) Boot system from PCLinuxOS Live CD
b ) Log in as root
c ) Open a Konsole window, and at the prompt  ( [root@home-pc saleem]# )    type;

                                 [root@home-pc saleem]# grub

                                 grub> : The grub prompt will appear

d) From the grub prompt type;

grub> find /boot/grub/stage2

(hd0,0)
(hd0,4)
(hd0,5)
(hd0,9)

A list similar to the above one  will appear.

e ) You need to know which partition your Linux OS is located. For example it is (hd0,4) thus I type these commands

     grub> root (hd0,4)

     grub> setup (hd0)

f ) Exit GRUB by typing "quit"

Some Screenshots here

 g ) Restart you computer. The GRUB bootloader should now appear.

My PCLinuxOS Corner

There are so many individual choices and too many options to choose from : that is the beauty of Open Source and GNU/Linux distributions.

Since I am die heart KDE user and out of the huge list of GNU/Linux distributions which offer KDE I have always experienced the best home computing experience with the "Master of the KDE GNU/Linux Distributions" which is PCLinuxOS the true "distro-hopper-stopper".

I am going to start my personal PCLinuxOS corner here on my blog page. I will share all interesting piece of information about PCLinuxOS that I come across : news, interesting links, reviews and much more.

Hopefully it will benefit all PCLinuxOS home users.

Beauty of Tuxes

It`s the beauty of Tuxes that make them fit anywhere on any desktop.
Sharing these two beautiful Tux wallpapers with all of my readers and visitors.
Happy Tux Life to all of you !

GNU/Linux offers no packages for Women??

We have all variety of packages in GNU/Linux which are no gender specific and anyone can use them in home computing . But then we have games for kids and adult males.

I was wondering why can`t or don`t have some special packages on every or at least the major GNU/Linux distributions which are more feminine oriented ?

I have seen Window$ tools for pharmacists,homeopaths,traditional medicine practitioners and so on. Why can`t we have some packages for women on Linux?

I am clueless , would you people like to generate some ideas? !

PCLinuxOS 2008 Minime Tour on Webcam !

Dr.Hassan Sajid Kazmi is an old friend and colleague of me . He used to be a Window$ and GNU/Linux GURU years back but then the medical private practice and professional life took him away from these " extra curricular,extra professional " hobbies unlike me as I keep myself absorbed in OSS and GNU/Linux world after my professional duties time.

He met me online and we chit chatted about different things including my Linux blog page. I decided to take him on a tour of my PCLinuxOS through my webcam so that he can see how things got changed and improved when he left using Linux years back.

Kopete works out of the box for my little Chinese made webcam and when Dr.Sajid witnessed the first view of my PCLinuxOS desktop he was shocked at its beauty: "what Linux is this? " was his first question.

I ran Compiz-fusion and the different 3D effects on it and despite the fact that he was watching it through the small lens of my webcam he was amazed and he said "is this part of this OS or some kind of add-upon" ? I told him this is Compiz-fusion.

Then I opened shell and ran apt-get commands for him and he liked how shell worked flawlessly. He asked me where and how will I get different packages and I ran Synaptic for him and installed Abiword for him and when he saw his typed name on Abiword page he said " this is great" !

Then I played few videos for him from my multimedia collection on KMPlayer, Caffeine and VLC and he was thoroughly impressed.

Tuxpaint, Tuxcart, frozen bubble and many other games were a delight for him to see and he said "nice graphics".

He asked me how and from where he can get this Linux and is it a 700MB CD? I told him that he can get the mini 2008 ISO and can make a custom system from that exaclty as I have done. He was glad as did not want a big Iso file to download. I told him how he can remaster his custom made system with a simple tool called "mklivecd".

He was worried that this Linux might need some kind of super fast computer and I told him that it runs well on my Pentium IV 2.HT and he was delighted as his PC is superior to mine.

I am so glad that I have reincarnated an old Linux user and convinced him to try PCLinuxOS once after years of self induced surrender to Window$ and this magic worked through a small tour through my webcam!

I call it another good day in my GNU/Linux life, another Window$ victim rescued!

Draco GNU/Linux

Draco GNU/Linux, is a semi source based Linux distribution and intended to be lightweight,simple and Clear Linux with strong package system.

It offers the rock solid stability of Slackware Linux as its base with the light weight and flexible desktop environment offered by XFCE.

For package management Draco GNU/Linux follows the concept of "Linux and BSD happily together !" which means using pkgsrc as the default package manager.This concept has also been adopted by Voltalinux and BlackMouse Linux .

Draco Linux, is a one-man-project, developed by Norwegian Ole Andre Rodlie.

The latest stable version 0.3.0 of Draco GNU/Linux was released on April 10, 2008. Featuring kernel 2.6.23 (with optional 2.6.16), Glibc 2.6.1, GCC 4.1.2, and OSS 4.0,this version is available This release also introduces Draco Desktop. Draco Desktop contains the latest stable Draco release, bundled with software from the latest pkgsrc branch. Draco Desktop defaults to XFCE, with Fluxbox as an option.

Draco GNU/Linux website provides rich sources of information through its wiki page including Installing Draco, Using Draco, DracoPKG, Draco Desktop, and FAQ.

I think Draco GNU/Linux is a good alternate for those who want Slackware stability , BSD simple and stable package management and with a light weight desktop environment like XFCE .

WinUtuxU OS: Window$ XP with Ubuntu skin?

Every now and then we hear about some kind of fun projects which stay for a while and then disappear.

One such example was Lesbian GNU/Linux which is a "parody" Linux distribution which was actually never materialized more than its website.

Recently I saw two threads on Ubuntu forum where a some kind of Window$ and GNU/Linux hybrid operating system known as WinUtuxU OS was discussed.

Little more google probing took me to the WinUtuxU OS home page which is all Arabic . My interest in this "hybrid" OS grew because of a statement I read somewhere saying that it is a " WinUtuxU OS with SP2 (Windows & Linux in One CD) " and it sounded like some kind of CoLinux to me .


But little more dissection of the story makes it more confusing: Is it a Window$ XP SP2 heavily themed with Ubuntu like looks or is it Ubuntu that looks like Window$ ? !


Ubuntu forum threads tell me that it is actually some form of heavily hacked Windows XP. It seems they replaced all the default programs with open source programs, and somehow modded everything, including the installation process. It offers long list of OSS packages such as JRE-5.0-Update-6gtk+-2.10.13Python-2.5.1vcredistdotnetfx-2.0InfraRecorder-0.43.1cdrtfe 1.3CdFly-0.37zip-4.51peazip-1.8.2Gimp-2.2.17Blender-2.44Inkscape-0.45.1ImageMagick-6.3.4frozen_bubble-1.0.0supertux-0.3.0tuxracer and so on.


Intelligent on behalf of the developers of this OS and shameful for window$ that its closed source architecture can be so easily modified and converted to look like GNU/Linux !


I translated the WinUtuxU OS website from Arabic into English and saw an interesting statement: " This version is completely different to the other versions of windows... The style never won't change, even after taking the updates from Microsoft. "


So does this mean it can get updates from M$ updates and it can also be updated for the OSS softwares that come with it via synaptic or apt-get? This certainly has to be sorted out!
Whatever this WinUtuxU OS is I am sure it will attract a lot of people, no matter if it is a fun or a parody OS.

What makes KDE superior to GNOME for home users?

I am a KDE user and advocate and although I am very clear that it is an individual choice but I still see few points that I think make KDE superior to GNOME for home users.

GNU/Linux home users would prefer KDE as compared to GNOME because of few reasons.

1: They are previous M$ Windows users and the transition from Windows to GNU/Linux because smooth and comfortable because KDE offers more user friendly and Windows like computing environment than GNOME does.

2: Most of the recent Desktop Linux Distributions offer KDE as a main desktop environment along with GNOME and others ( e.g XFCE ) available from repositories for installation if one desires it. PCLinuxOS ( 2008 Minime ) is an awesome Desktop Linux distribution that offers KDE with a great performance ,looks and feel for home users.

3: KDE has got a strong and highly active community and KDE development keeps a fast pace with the routine requirements of computing for home users .

4: KDE offers stability and great looks for home users of all ages including kids .KDE looks prettier than GNOME on a home desktop and laptop computer.

KDE is a great desktop environment especially for newbies and home users . If we want GNU/Linux grow and spread to homes and common users then in my humble opinion we have to promote KDE .

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Sad Penguins

Found this wallpaper of Sad looking penguins, would like to share it with my friends too.

Unfriendly & "I know it all"attitude of some of the GNU/Linux developers & communities

Linux Newbie is a person who has started using Linux either out of curiosity to discover and experience a new, different group of operating systems or Windows users who want Linux as an alternate . In the confusion of selection of a good or working Linux Distribution they intend to test different distributions and visit their corresponding IRC help rooms. But unfortunately they are met there with Linux "GURUS" and as the Wikipedia page defines a Newbie they are mostly ridiculed and bullied by both the developers and the so called GURUS.

This approach by some of the Linux communities towards the newcomers is not of any help or appreciation but rather discourages a lot of people to ever try Linux at all.

All the Linux communities are not Newbies hostile, I have seen so many helpful ones who will go to any extent to help the newbies or any one who is asking for any kind of online technical help.

I will not mention names of those hostile, " i know it all " communities but will definitely mention those who are true helpers which are PCLinuxOS , Sidux & Fedora teams.

In my humble opinion if we want to help Linux grow we have to re evaluate our behaviours and try to be more friendly to our newbies, our hostility is equivalent to the M$ closed doors approach and we have to stop mimicking M$.

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