Lightkeepers

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Jono Bacon: The Big Ubuntu Brainstorm Braindump

I thought this was interesting.....posted it on my blog....http://lightkeepers.blogspot.com

Roy

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Jono Bacon: The Big Ubuntu Brainstorm Braindump

via Planet Ubuntu by jono on 3/19/09

One of the facilities that has been hugely popular in the Ubuntu community has been Ubuntu Brainstorm. With Brainstorm you can register ideas and features for the Ubuntu project and others can vote those ideas up or down. There are also tools in Brainstorm to indicate potential solutions or notes around the idea. Brainstorm has become a great way to get an idea of what our users want.

As we build towards the 9.10 release cycle, I figured it would be useful to present a summary of the most popular ideas of all time and the most popular ideas within the last six months: thanks to Jorge for helping me with this. This should offer some great food for thought for the wider community to work on. Here goes…

Most Popular over the last 6 months

These are the most popular ideas that have been registered in Brainstorm in a recent cycle. Many of these ideas give a great impression of more recent desires around functionality in Ubuntu.

Check my hardware against application blackists BEFORE 'upgrading'

On 12 Jan 09 - 1653 Votes

http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/17218/

Better life battery for laptop

On 3 Feb 09 - 646 Votes

http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/17825/

Volume control should close when you click somewhere else

On 14 Feb 09 - 829 Votes

http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/18045/

Redesign ubuntu for 2010

On 21 Jan 09 - 773 Votes

http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/17540/

Allow ALT+Tab when drag and drop

On 4 Jan 09 - 753 Votes

http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/17042/

"Scan wireless networks" option in NetworkManager

On 29 Jan 09 - 750 Votes

http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/17725/
http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id#498887

Easy screen-sharing and audio-chat for instant messengers

On 7 Jan 09 - 743 Votes

http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/17102/
https://blueprints.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+spec/replace-pidgin-with-empathy
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/EmpathyVsPidginUsability

There should be a simple GUI to do basic disk maintanence tasks

On 30 Dec 08 - 723 Votes

http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/16919/
http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Features/DeviceKit

When abbreviating filenames, cut out the middle, keep the beginning and end

On 19 Nov 08 - 720 Votes

http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/15752/

Guest account needs a change

On 19 Nov 08 - 690 Votes

http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/15773/

Make System Monitor as powerful as Windows Task Manager

On 24 Sep 08 - 682 Votes

http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/13626/

"Speed up" Ubuntu by reducing duration of Compiz animations

On 3 Jan 09 - 664 Votes

http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/17009/

Automatic handling of external monitor

On 20 Jan 09 - 647 Votes

http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/17509/

ubuntu main menu icons are too big, they take too much space

On 30 Jan 09 - 594 Votes

http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/17748/

Native Firefox on Ubuntu is even slower than on Wine

On 21 Jan 09 - 767 Votes

http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/18058/
https://developer.mozilla.org/en/Building_with_Profile-Guided_Optimization

Synaptic/Apt-Get should check for free disk space before download or install

On 15 Sep 08 - 669 Votes

http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/13235/

Unify sound drivers and the sound api

On 22 Oct 08 - 661 Votes

http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/14682/

Usplash should use a time-based progressbar

On 18 Nov 08 - 578 Votes

http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/15741/

Something in this big 'ol list strike your fancy? Well, roll your sleeves up and start making plans for the Karmic cycle. Lets see how many of these features and problems we can fix. Start your engines folks…

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Nick Ali: Ubuntu Podcast #22

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Nick Ali: Ubuntu Podcast #22

via Planet Ubuntu by boredandblogging on 3/20/09

In this episode:

Fun and accidents at Florida Linux Show
Florida Linux Show interviews coming soon
Ubuntu Case badges
UFBT and Ubuntu Classroom Team offering on securing Ubuntu sessions
John Dvorak plugs Ubuntu
Interview with David Thomas of the New Mexico LoCo, discussing New Mexico Linux Fest and Endorphin Power Company.

Update: Thanks to Vadim for pointing out that clicking on the thumbnail above returned a 404. Its fixed now.

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Wednesday, March 25, 2009

National Geographic News

lrhanna@gmail.com has sent you this story from National Geographic
News. We hope you enjoy it

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/03/photogalleries/week-in-space-pictures-35/index.html?source=rss

Exclusive images from VK9LA team

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Exclusive images from VK9LA team

via DX World of Ham Radio by DX World on 3/24/09

VK9LA team member Stan, SQ8X has sent through exclusive images for publication in DX World of Ham Radio.

More to follow soon.

Thanks Stan!

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Sunday, March 08, 2009

Crew Selected for Mock Mars Mission

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Crew Selected for Mock Mars Mission

via SPACE.com on 3/8/09

The crew was recently announced for the first phase of a mock mission to Mars.

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DIY sun tracker for solar panels

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DIY sun tracker for solar panels

via MAKE Magazine by Jason Striegel on 3/8/09

You've probably seen a number of light-following robotics projects. Making a light detector is one of the first projects a new Arduino maker embarks on. What better way to use a light detector than to aim a solar panel at the sun? Instructables user bwitmer shows us how.

For a class project (PV Design, Appalachian State, Dr. Dennis Scanlin) I decided to try making a low cost PV (photovoltaic) tracker. Being able to follow the sun's path through the sky can raise your solar panel system's output considerably (30-50%), but the argon filled ones can be a bit pricey, and seem to be a bit unsteady in wind. I looked at several different designs, looked at what materials I could find, and this is how I did it.

He's using an inexpensive purchased LED tracking unit, but if you're comfortable making your own, that part should be fairly straightforward. What's cool is the simple design of the hardware. The project uses a couple of bike wheels and a linear actuator to enable the movement of the panel. It looks to be relatively low-maintenance, and the bike wheels are easy to come by and should support quite a bit of weight.

Solar PV tracker

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Space Shuttle Discovery Set to Launch March 11

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Space Shuttle Discovery Set to Launch March 11

via SPACE.com on 3/6/09

After numerous delays, NASA has scheduled the next space shuttle launch for March 11.

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Press Release: Titanic Honors Radio Heros

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Press Release: Titanic Honors Radio Heros

via KB6NU's Ham Radio Blog by Dan KB6NU on 3/8/09

Branson, MO—From the Titanic Museum Attraction in Branson, MO to other points around the world, ham radio operators using call sign W0S will? pay tribute to the brave men who used a Marconi radio to signal for help when the mighty Titanic went down at sea 97 years ago on April 14th, 1912.

The 3rd Annual W0S Special Event will take place at the Titanic Museum Attraction's free outdoor entertainment?center from 8am-7pm Saturday, April 11, 2009.??

"We want to continue to honor the Titanic radio crew that sent the sinking distress?signal immediately after the ship hit the iceberg. Without these radio transmissions, many additional lives would have been lost that?night," said Rod Kittleman, spokesperson for the hams. " They represent what Ham radio operators do today, help save lives during disasters." ?

The special call sign, W0S, stands for "White Star," the name of the ?company that built the Titanic. ?Detailed information and media gallery is available on the station's website.??

The World's Largest TITANIC Museum Attraction opened in 2006 and has? become a landmark Branson tourist destination. The 17,000 square foot,?ship- shaped structure—built half scale to Titanic's original size –?towers more than 100 feet above its anchored position on the Branson? Strip. A 90-minute, self-guided tour covers 20 galleries on two decks?where more?than 400 priceless artifacts that once belonged to Titanic's passengers?or crew are on display. None of the artifacts were retrieved from the? ocean's floor.

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IBM's Antique Attic

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IBM's Antique Attic

via Boing Boing by David Pescovitz on 3/4/09

Since the 1930s, IBM has not only created adding machines, computers, and the like, but also collected them. They apparently have an amazing historical collection of "counting and reckoning tools and devices," some of which can be checked out online. Joel has the details over at Boing Boing Gadgets. Seen here is a Hahn Calculator from 1774. It could multiply, divide, add, and subtract up to values with 12 digits. "IBM's 'Antique Attic' Gallery"

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VK0BP - Update from Davis Base, Antarctica

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VK0BP - Update from Davis Base, Antarctica

via DX World of Ham Radio by DX World on 3/5/09

Bob, VK0BP

Bob informs DX World of the following date changes:

Just an update to my activity down here at Davis Station…

I will be here until roughly 1/11/09 instead of the initial date of 7/3/09. The initial date was given as the date of the last ship of the summer returning to Australia. This was my ride back home if all was not going to plan down here, and back home. But since it is going smoothly I will now be here until November.
Cheers,

Bob

VK0BP

*Note: VK0BP website

ARRL Audio News: Mar 6, 2009; Vol 28 Number 9

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ARRL Audio News: Mar 6, 2009; Vol 28 Number 9

via ARRL Amateur Radio News on 3/6/09

ARRL Audio News--OPEN--In this edition . . .; FCC Special Counsel Laura Smith Visits ARRL HQ; FCC Has Done "Literally Nothing" to Comply with Court Ruling; ARRL Audio News ID--Satellite Update--BREAK:; Julius Genachowski Nominated as Next FCC Chairman; April QST on the Way to Your Mailbox; ARRL Soliciting Nominations for 2008 Hiram Percy Maxim Award; ARRL Audio News--IN BRIEF/CLOSE

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Comments by Thomas Sowell

This is a copy of comments by Thomas Sowell, well known columnist.

"There is far more to fear from this administration than its amateurism in governing. The urgency with which it has rushed through a monumental spending bill, whose actual spending will not be completed even after 2010, ought to set off alarm bells among those who are not in thrall to the euphoria of Obama's presidency. The urgency was real, even if the reason given was phony. President Obama's chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, let slip a valuable clue when he said that a crisis should not go to waste, that a crisis is an opportunity to do things that you could not do otherwise. Think about the utter cynicism of that. During a crisis, a panicked public will let you get away with things you couldn't get away with otherwise. A corollary of that is that you had better act quickly while the crisis is at hand, without Congressional hearings or public debates about what you are doing. Above all, you must act before the economy begins to recover on its own. The party line is that the market has failed so disastrously that only the government can save us. It is proclaimed in Washington and echoed in the media. The last thing the administration can risk is delay that could allow the market to begin recovering on its own. That would undermine, if not destroy, a golden opportunity to restructure the American economy in ways that would allow politicians to micro-manage other sectors of the economy the way they have micro-managed the housing market into disaster." --Hoover Institution economist Thomas Sowell

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

To disable the pc speaker

For what it's worth.....

To disable the pc speaker, go to admin tools in the control panel and select device manager. click on the view tab at the top and select "show hidden devices". expand the non-plug and play drivers section, right click on "beep" and select disable. This use to be in the Bios. Much easier this way.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Unexpected display of non-readable characters in a page

An unexpected display of non-readable characters in a page for characters like the quote mark seems at best sporadic. However, this behavior is normal for IE, Firefox and other browsers. This is caused by the change is the page encoding. One possibility is an inconsistency in the Meta tag between pages. By default, my browser is set to encoding > auto-select > Unicode (UTF-8). However, because the encoding > auto-select is checked, the browser will render the page using the encoding as determined by the character set or Meta tag specified in the page [i.e.: Meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1].

For example, if one page rendered in a browser session has a different encoding from the next rendered page’s character set, IE should (but not always) use the new encoding setting as determined by the Meta tag or page character set. For whatever reason, if IE cannot determine the character set, it could use an inappropriate setting. You can try to prevent this situation by checking the Internet Option > Advanced > Browsing > ‘Always send URLS as UTF-8’ setting which forces the browser to attempt to set the encoding to UTF-8 for the page. This does not help if the encoding is specifically overridden in the page.

For more information which applies to IE6 and IE7, take a look at the following KB article: support.microsoft.com/.../928847 .

I hope this helps.

Roy

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Monday, January 26, 2009

Something to think about...

Last word

lincoln_seated "Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing."

- Abraham Lincoln

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Olympic moments day to day

For some of us, getting up in the morning is an Olynpic moment. We all have our crosses to bare.

Thursday, January 31, 2008

I passed....

I passed the General license test. What a thrill. I am working on the HF station now. I will most likely use wire dipoles for the short term. I just want to let you know that I will be on the air soon.....

Regards,
KG4TXU

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Times...they are a changin....

Well, I don't know what to say. FCC rule changes will eliminate the requirement for radio amateurs to know code. Morse code is so vital to the amateur radio professional. Even at low power, the message can get there. I am only a technician and I will not be able to upgrade to the General class before the rules change. However, this will not stop me from learning the code. One good think now is that HF will be available for me to try my hand at what I have already learned.

later...'73

Sunday, November 05, 2006

Amateur radio is great....

I really enjoy Amateur Radio. In these post, I will begin to explore this art. Stay tuned.

73
KG4TXU

Thursday, March 26, 2009

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Most Popular Ever

Fix suspend/hibernate

Speed up ubuntu/gnome boot time

Easy mounting of images and ISO and CUE

Clean up preferences and administration

Improved file/folder sharing experience

Fix compatability with webcams and microphone

Enhanced Mobile Device Sync

Better wifi support

Easy way of backing up/moving your documents and settings

Disk Manager by default

Mouse button extension

Better Hardware Profile Manager

Better DVD support

Better monitor support and configuration tools

Professional looking boot loader

Restoring the bootloader by Ubuntu installation CD

Include a graphical frontend to edit /boot/grub/menu.lst installed by default

Provide a simple interface for labeling partitions

Make ubuntu more responsive (performance)

GUI configuration front end for common services

Most Popular over the last 6 months

Check my hardware against application blackists BEFORE 'upgrading'

Better life battery for laptop

Volume control should close when you click somewhere else

Redesign ubuntu for 2010

Allow ALT+Tab when drag and drop

"Scan wireless networks" option in NetworkManager

Easy screen-sharing and audio-chat for instant messengers

There should be a simple GUI to do basic disk maintanence tasks

When abbreviating filenames, cut out the middle, keep the beginning and end

Guest account needs a change

Make System Monitor as powerful as Windows Task Manager

"Speed up" Ubuntu by reducing duration of Compiz animations

Automatic handling of external monitor

ubuntu main menu icons are too big, they take too much space

Native Firefox on Ubuntu is even slower than on Wine

Synaptic/Apt-Get should check for free disk space before download or install

Unify sound drivers and the sound api

Usplash should use a time-based progressbar

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Wednesday, March 25, 2009

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Sunday, March 08, 2009

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Thursday, February 26, 2009

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Tuesday, February 17, 2009

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Thursday, January 31, 2008

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Sunday, November 05, 2006

Include a graphical frontend to edit `/boot/grub/menu.lst` installed by default