Viewing Your Linux Partition in Windows

If you are using Windows XP or Vista and have Linux you may be wondering where your Linux partition is. Most likely it is not showing up in My Computer. This is because most Linux partitions are formated in Ext2/3. Windows does not recognize this type of file system. If you have a floppy/thumb drive that is formatted in this way, it too will not show up.

The solution is FS-Driver. Installation is very simple. Download then run the executable in Windows. The set-up menu (above) should look very similar to your operating system’s own partition manager. Select your partition and drive letter and then you will see your Linux drive in My Computer. I suggest that if you have a separate partition for /home that you just use that.

PeerGuardian For Linux = MoBlock and mobloquer

If you download files with Windows XP or Vista most likely you use PeerGuardian 2 from Phoenix Labs to protect yourself. PeerGuardian blocks IPs making it the safest and easiest way to protect your privacy on P2P. If you are using Linux, however, you can’t use PG2; instead use MoBlock.

To download MoBlock install the deb package.

Add source files (System -> Administration -> Software Sources -> Add…)

deb http://moblock-deb.sourceforge.net/debian gutsy main
deb-src http://moblock-deb.sourceforge.net/debian gutsy main

Then in the command line run:

gpg –keyserver wwwkeys.eu.pgp.net –recv 9072870B
gpg –export –armor 9072870B | sudo apt-key add –

double dashes above except at apt-key add-

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install moblock-nfq

Restart and there you have it; MoBlock is installed. MoBlock can be run and tested in the command line.

• moblock-control start – inserts iptables rules and starts MoBlock
• moblock-control stop – deletes iptables rules and stops MoBlock
• moblock-control restart – restarts MoBlock
• moblock-control reload – rebuilds the blocklist and reloads MoBlock
• moblock-control update – updates the blocklists and reloads MoBlock
• moblock-control status – gives the iptables settings and the status of the MoBlock daemon
• moblock-control test – simple test to check if MoBlock is working

If your internet is down stop MoBlock and do one of the following:

If you have Ubuntu Gutsy 7.10 download the latest version of mobloquer. mobloquer is a GUI for MoBlock that works in Debian lenny and sid and Ubuntu gutsy and hardy (As seen in screenshot above). You should download this even if your internet works just for ease of access. Extract.

tar -xvf mobloquer-xx.tar.gz
cd mobloquer
qmake-qt4make
sudo make install

You may have to install qmake-qt4. If you do just run the line the command line give you.

If you do not have Debian lenny and sid and Ubuntu gutsy and hardy you will have to edit your config file which is located at /etc/moblock/moblock.conf to open ports and enable IPs.

Wacom Tablet in Ubuntu

For most graphic designers a tablet is a must. One of the best tablet makers out there is Wacom. Due to the myth about Linux not having drivers support for everyday necessities, designers have steered clear of Linux. However, Wacom now supports the open source movement.

The process is not that difficult but you will have to use the command line and edit files. First download the official, latest, stable version of the driver. Extract.

cd linuxwacom
sudo ./configure
make
sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.bak
sudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf

The last two lines helped open up the xorg file. Edit the xorg file so it looks somewhat like this.

Section “InputDevice”
Driver “wacom”
Identifier “stylus”
Option “Device” “/dev/ttyS0” #SERIAL ONLY

Option “Device” “/dev/input/wacom” #USB ONLY
Option “Type” “stylus”
Option “USB” “on” #USB ONLY

Option “ForceDevice” “ISDV4” #Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section “InputDevice”
Driver “wacom”
Identifier “eraser”

Option “Device” “/dev/ttyS0” #SERIAL ONLY
Option “Device” “/dev/input/wacom” #USB ONLY
Option “Type” “eraser”

Option “USB” “on” #USB ONLY
Option “ForceDevice” “ISDV4” #Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section “InputDevice”

Driver “wacom”
Identifier “cursor”
Option “Device” “/dev/ttyS0” #SERIAL ONLY
Option “Device” “/dev/input/wacom” #USB ONLY

Option “Type” “cursor”
Option “Mode” “relative”
Option “USB” “on” #USB ONLY

Option “ForceDevice” “ISDV4” #Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

If you have a Intuos3 or Cintiq 21UX add this.

Section “InputDevice”
Driver “wacom”
Identifier “pad”
Option “Device” “/dev/ttyS0” #SERIAL ONLY

Option “Device” “/dev/input/wacom” #USB ONLY
Option “Type” “pad”
Option “USB” “on” #USB ONLY

EndSection

Section “ServerLayout”
Identifier “Default Layout”
Screen “Default Screen”
InputDevice “Generic Keyboard”
InputDevice “Configured Mouse”
InputDevice “stylus” “SendCoreEvents”
InputDevice “eraser” “SendCoreEvents”
InputDevice “cursor” “SendCoreEvents” #For non-LCD tablets only
InputDevice “pad” #For Intuos3/Cintiq 21UX/Graphire4 tablets. It should NOT send core event
EndSection

For pressure sensitivity add this line to the Stylus section.

Option “PressCurve” “50,0,100,50”

Now to use your tablet in Gimp you have change some things around in gimp.

File-> Preferences-> Input Devices-> “Configure Extended Input Devices”.
Under “Device” you will have 3 settings: Cursor, Eraser and Stylus. Set them from “Disabled” to “Screen”.

Now you should have pressure sensitivity in Gimp. *Hooray!* Just a side note, each input device (stylus,cursor,eraser) has a completely different set of attributes in Gimp, and in theory, you can even assign a unique serial number to different pens to get even more granularity. You will experience this when you try to use your eraser for the first time. Rather than selecting the eraser tool, you get the rectangle selection tool instead. This is by design, believe it or not. Gimp does not care that its an eraser, just that it’s not the pen you were just using. If you choose the eraser tool now, it will remember that for the next time you try to use it. On the plus side, you can set the eraser to be anything, including the Airbrush tool or Clone tool.

If you have any trouble check out the Ubuntu forums and the Wacom Help Page.

Installing a new GTK+ Engine in Ubuntu

The default GTK+ engine for Ubuntu Gutsy 7.10 is great but some users want more. There are many great engines out there but in this tutorial will tell you how to install Aurora.

Download and Extract files. In the command line type:
cd …/aurora-1.3
./configure ––prefix=/usr
./config -enable-animation
make
sudo make install

–prefix=/usr is two double dashes, WordPress screws up the layout. two of these: –

Then in the Theme Manager (System -> Preferance -> Appearance) Drag the gtkrc_themes.tar.bz folder to install the themes. It will atuomatically install the three themes.

If you get an error like this during this process

configure: error: GTK+-2.10 is required to compile aurora

Run sudo apt-get install libgtk2.0-dev in the command line.

To install more themes, GTK+ Engines, icons, or login screens visit art.gnome.org or gnome-look.org

Please share which GTK+ Engine you enjoy the most or screenshots. I know many people will say that clearlooks is the best.

Play/Rip DVDs in Ubuntu

Right out of the box Ubuntu Gutsy 7.10 does not play encrypted DVDs. All most all of my favorite DVDs are encrypted by the big bad cooperations. It is hard to rip these DVDs if you can’t read them to begin with. This guide will not tell you how to Rip DVDs, it is just linkage to being able to play them on Gutsy. I will write a guide for ripping later.

This is a very easy fix, but you have to choose which way you want to fix this.

The official way is much easier and makes much more sense but Limulus’ idea is also good.

I encourage you to test these out so you can start watching quality movies. Enjoy!

Creating Keyboard Shortcuts in Gutsy

There are a few ways to create custom keyboard shortcuts in Ubuntu Gutsy 7.10 but I found the following way the easiest. This guide will explain how to make gnome-do, a launchy and Microsoft/Vista/Instant Search type tool, a keyboard shortcut at Alt+Space.

Install Advanced Desktop Effects Settings (ccsm) in Add/Remove…(Applications -> Add/Remove…). Restart.

Run Settings Manager (System -> Preferences -> Advanced Desktop Effects Settings). Click on General Options (General -> General Options). Click the Commands tab. Type your command. For example type gnome-do at Run Command Line 0.

Click Actions tab. Expand Commands. Under key, t your command line number, click disabled and press your shortcut. For example press Alt and space to make a shortcut that runs on Alt+space.

Enjoy!

Connecting to the Internet on Gutsy

This little guide will tell you how to enable the firmware for Broadcom 43xx chipsets when you get the following error message in Ubuntu Gutsy 7.10.

The software source for the package bcm43xx-fwcutter is not enabled.

In order to do this you will need to have a computer with internet. If you don’t have a computer with internet go to your local library and put the files on a flash drive. If you are lucky enough to plug your computer in via wire do that.

All you have to do is download bcm43xx-fwcutter. It is a deb package so it is a graphical install. Install it. Restart computer.

Download bcm43xx(wl_apsta).

Next go to restricted drivers (System -> Administation – > Restricted Drivers Manager) and click enable. A diolage box should pop up telling you to specify a location of firmware. Point to bcm43xx(wl_apsta). Restart.

And there you have it! No command line necessary. Wasn’t that easy?