Showing headlines posted by ardchoille

In my spare time I like to do graphics work. During my GNU/Linux journey I have designed themes for XMMS, gKRELLm, icons, splash screens, GNOME Display Manager, Metacity, GTK2, fluxbox, openbox, desktop wallpapers, logo's, PmWiki, and HTML templates. Nothing makes a person more proud than having their artwork featured by a major open-source project.

I recently mentioned Linux in a conversation that started with "I'm tired of the problems my computer has with Windows" and was told that Linux doesn't have any support. Really? Then the dozens of websites, mailing lists, news feeds and IRC channels that I use must be figments of my imagination.

Until yesterday I have been happily making backups of $HOME using the tar command in a bash script. However, my home directory has grown over the years but my storage device hasn't and there are tons of files that I don't really need to backup. So, I set out to learn how to use the --exclude and --exclude-from switches provided by tar. What I found was interesting, these switches didn't work.

First of all, I don't run Compiz because I see it as no more than a resource-wasting annoyance. Sure, it looks cool, but it doesn't help me with productivity in any way. Secondly, I keep multiple windows open at all times, so I rarely see my desktop and it was good to see that GNOME shell includes a window switcher which can be accessed with the traditional Alt+Tab hotkeys. Finally, my system isn't a high-end system. I build my computers because it allows me to pick and choose hardware that I already know works with GNU/Linux. GNU/Linux, if you know what you're doing, doesn't need the latest and greatest hardware.

GNOME is a desktop environment and an international project that includes creating software development frameworks, selecting application software for the desktop, and working on the programs which manage application launching, file handling, and window and task management.

When you open Nautilus you will see files and folders. Most of those files, when double-clicked, will be opened with the associated application. When you double-click on an image icon, by default, the application Eye of GNOME will open and display that file. But what if you wanted that file to automatically open with The GIMP for image editing? There are a couple of ways to do this.

How many times have you installed Linux only to have something happen which required a re-install? Or you get a machine up and running the way you want it and then you want to re-create the system on another machine? In either of these situations, the last thing you want to do is to have to remember all of the applications you installed and then spend the time installing them all again.

Over the past years I have helped a number of people switch to Linux. One of these folks is a good friend of mine who has recently taken an interest in my collection of LiveCD's. I carry a cd carrier in my backpack so I always have my livecd's with me and my friend wanted a copy of gOS.

One of the first things most people do after installing a Linux distribution is to tweak settings and customize the desktop interface. One of the things I normally do in customizing the desktop interface is change the panel icon. Up until now I have been doing this by fiddling around in /usr/share/icons/$icon_theme and I never liked replacing system files even if the change was easy to revert.

Linux is fun, in my opinion, and I have been using it as my sole operating system since 2001. Most major Linux distributions are accompanied by well-stocked software repositories so I don't need to look very far to find a solution for any given task. However, there are times when I need a bit training and the first thing I do is reach for a tutorial. Linux is powerful and contributes greatly to productivity, but, as with most things in life, a new system can require a learning curve. This is where tutorials come in handy.

GDM is the GNOME Display Manager, a graphical login program, which provides a simpler alternative display manager for the X Window System's XDM. GDM is released under the GNU General Public License (GPL). The X Window System by default uses the XDM display manager. However, resolving XDM configuration issues typically involves editing a configuration file. GDM allows users to customize or troubleshoot settings without having to resort to a command line. Users can pick their session type on a per-login basis. GDM also features easy customization with themes.

I started learning computers back when DOS was all that was available to me, so I was comfortable with the command line. When Windows 95 was released my command line usage dropped considerably because there simply wasn't the "need" for it that there once was. I've gone from using the command line all the time to using it very seldom because GUI's were getting better and becoming more wide spread.

HandBrake is a free, open-source, GPL-licensed, multi-platform, multi-threaded video transcoder, available for MacOS X, Linux and Windows. I have used Handbrake to convert several types of video files to work on my various gadgets including the Sidekick and g1 mobile phones.

I was browsing the Get Deb site and happened to find an application called Ubuntu Tweak which piqued my interest. I'm now wondering how I ever managed to use gnome with Ubuntu Tweak - I spent ten minutes tweaking settings that I didn't even know existed. I'm also wondering why this application isn't shipped with Ubuntu. This application is a must for new Ubuntu users and veterans alike.

I'm going to show you how to run a screensaver as the desktop wallpaper in the gnome desktop environment. You need to be using gnome and have the xscreensaver-data package installed in order to accomplish this task.

I wanted to take a few minutes and share a couple of games that I enjoy quite often. I've never been one for the shoot-em-up games, rather I prefer games that put my brain to work solving problems. There are many "brain games" available for Linux, but I would like to let you know about two games that I use to feed my puzzling addiction.

I recently helped a friend switch to Ubuntu and he wanted a list of Ubuntu-related links. I compiled the following list for him and thought it might be useful to others.

I've been using Firefox for years and have collected what I feel are the best extensions for this wonderful browser.

I'm a blogger but I like to write about personal things that don't belong in a blog. I have been using a standard text editor to manage my personal writings but there are always shortcomings with standard editors when it comes to keeping a personal journal. I recently happened upon a very nice application tailored specifically for people who keep a personal journal.

I keep a daily journal because my memory is not what it used to be. I have friends who keep daily journals just because they like to write.