Well this took a bit of work. I had downloaded Gizmo's linux client (didn't work with my laptop... gave up trying). Then I tried twinkle (worked with Gizmo, but had audio issues). Gave up for the night, and today I had a bit of time so I tried to get it working again.
Ekiga turned out to be the way to go.
Ekiga Settings
AFTER YOU HAVE A GIZMO ACCOUNT, here is how to set it up on Ekiga. You will need your SIP number from Gizmo (begins with 1747).
1) Cancel the wizard for the Ekiga account (unless you feel like having that in addition)
2) Go to Edit > Accounts
3) In the Accounts window that popped up, go to Accounts > Add a SIP account
4) Fill in the details below
Name: YOUR NAME
Registrar: proxy01.sipphone.com
User: YOUR 1747... Gizmo number
Authentication User: Same as User
Password: Your Gizmo password
5) Press OK. Simple as that.
Google Voice settings
1) Login to Google Voice (http://www.google.com/voice/)
2) Go to your settings (upper right corner)
3) Go to Phones
4) Add another phone
5) Fill out below
Name: Whatever name you want, I chose Gizmo5
Number: Gizmo number, drop the first 1... just 747......
Phone Type: Gizmo
6) Save
To make a call, you have to go into Google Voice. There will be a "Call" button. Enter the number to call, select your Gizmo account... and in a just a moment your Gizmo account will receive a call and you are good to go.
Now I need a more comfortable headset so this is actually a desirable way to communicate.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
IEs4Linux in Jaunty
Ok, so I had neglected to blog what I did in Intrepid and I ran into a wrinkle remembering HOW I did it. So, here is a full list of what I did. This is on a fresh install of Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope.
1) Add official repository for WINE (instructions http://winehq.org/download/deb).
2) Open a terminal
user@computer:~$ sudo apt-get install wine cabextract
user@computer:~$ wget http://www.tatanka.com.br/ies4linux/downloads/ies4linux-latest.tar.gz
user@computer:~$ tar zxvf ies4linux-latest.tar.gz
user@computer:~$ cd ies4linux-*
user@computer:~$ ./ies4linux --no-gui --install-ie7
Adding the option "--no-gui" will allow it to install on Ubuntu (avoids the Python error doing it without the option). The other option "--install-ie7" creates a clone of the ie6 with the rendering engines of IE7. It is BUGGY for sure. But, I can just delete it if I need to later.
After install I add menus manually, delete the "bin" the install created in my home folder (has startup scripts, but I just created menu entries and didn't use these), delete "ies4linux-latest.tar.gz" and the extracted files located in my home folder.
1) Add official repository for WINE (instructions http://winehq.org/download/deb).
2) Open a terminal
user@computer:~$ sudo apt-get install wine cabextract
user@computer:~$ wget http://www.tatanka.com.br/ies4linux/downloads/ies4linux-latest.tar.gz
user@computer:~$ tar zxvf ies4linux-latest.tar.gz
user@computer:~$ cd ies4linux-*
user@computer:~$ ./ies4linux --no-gui --install-ie7
Adding the option "--no-gui" will allow it to install on Ubuntu (avoids the Python error doing it without the option). The other option "--install-ie7" creates a clone of the ie6 with the rendering engines of IE7. It is BUGGY for sure. But, I can just delete it if I need to later.
After install I add menus manually, delete the "bin" the install created in my home folder (has startup scripts, but I just created menu entries and didn't use these), delete "ies4linux-latest.tar.gz" and the extracted files located in my home folder.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Jaunty -- pre-installation
So, I am finally have time to do my standard WIPE and FRESH INSTALL of my laptop. I use each release of Ubuntu as an opportunity to do some "house cleaning" and remove the junk programs I never used and to start off with a new experience. Here are the list of programs that are carrying over and the programs I will test out this release:
Accessories
Gnome DO
This was a late cycle addition (when they released the new Docky theme) and has supplanted AWN as my dock now. The clincher was that it could launch the Watchtower Library (just dragged it from the WINE menu entry). I tried so many different ways to get AWN to do that and it just wasn't playing nicely.
VirtualBox OSE
This has become an essential for me. I need it for a few Windows native applications that are not stable (or even usable) under WINE. This release I am going to do a different strategy though. I am going to set up the virtualbox onto an external HD. I don't use VB THAT much, so this should save some resources and when I do use it it should keep the internal HD cooler.
WINE
I install ArtRage, WTLB, IE4Linux, and Macromedia Flash MX 2004. Might play around with AofEII this time around if I get ancy for some different games.
Games
FreeCiv
GFCE
Secret Maryo Chronicles
Graphics
Inkscape
With the tablet PC, this is a great vector program. I used this guy to do some pretty interesting graphics this last release cycle. One of those programs where you have to get used to it (like GIMP) but once you get down the tools it is quite useful.
Rawstudio
With CHDK on my Canon Powershot, this program is a no brainer. Works GREAT.
Specimen Font Previewer
Nothing helps narrow down which font I want to use for a project like this baby. I have found myself loading in all the fonts I have on any system into my laptop JUST so I can use this program and narrow down which font I want for a DVD project, website, business card, etc.
Internet
Amazon MP3 Downloader
CheckGMail
eMusic Download Manager
Dropbox
This is not as stable as I would like. Hopefully it is fixed with the fresh installation. Dropbox in general is quite useful though. An auto-synced FTP site that gives you a free 2GB online storage. Nice.
FileZilla FTP - until I find a better solution
Recommendations are being sought.
Sound & Video
Audacity
Banshee
--DVD support--
That is the plan. I am going to backup my Home folder now and get ready for the project.
Accessories
Gnome DO
This was a late cycle addition (when they released the new Docky theme) and has supplanted AWN as my dock now. The clincher was that it could launch the Watchtower Library (just dragged it from the WINE menu entry). I tried so many different ways to get AWN to do that and it just wasn't playing nicely.
VirtualBox OSE
This has become an essential for me. I need it for a few Windows native applications that are not stable (or even usable) under WINE. This release I am going to do a different strategy though. I am going to set up the virtualbox onto an external HD. I don't use VB THAT much, so this should save some resources and when I do use it it should keep the internal HD cooler.
WINE
I install ArtRage, WTLB, IE4Linux, and Macromedia Flash MX 2004. Might play around with AofEII this time around if I get ancy for some different games.
Games
FreeCiv
GFCE
Secret Maryo Chronicles
Graphics
Inkscape
With the tablet PC, this is a great vector program. I used this guy to do some pretty interesting graphics this last release cycle. One of those programs where you have to get used to it (like GIMP) but once you get down the tools it is quite useful.
Rawstudio
With CHDK on my Canon Powershot, this program is a no brainer. Works GREAT.
Specimen Font Previewer
Nothing helps narrow down which font I want to use for a project like this baby. I have found myself loading in all the fonts I have on any system into my laptop JUST so I can use this program and narrow down which font I want for a DVD project, website, business card, etc.
Internet
Amazon MP3 Downloader
CheckGMail
eMusic Download Manager
Dropbox
This is not as stable as I would like. Hopefully it is fixed with the fresh installation. Dropbox in general is quite useful though. An auto-synced FTP site that gives you a free 2GB online storage. Nice.
FileZilla FTP - until I find a better solution
Recommendations are being sought.
Sound & Video
Audacity
Banshee
--DVD support--
That is the plan. I am going to backup my Home folder now and get ready for the project.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Ubuntu and IE web design
I grew tired of constantly loading a VM JUST for testing to see how the website loaded in Internet Explorer. Maybe I should back up...
Why design in Ubuntu?
I absolutely love gedit (Text Editor) in Ubuntu. The syntax highlighting, line numbers, bracket highlighting (has saved me SO many times in debugging), automatic indentation, and PLUGINS! Brilliant. It is like everything I loved in Notepad2 and then some.
Couple gedit that with the after-mastered-becomes-quite-useful GIMP with the ever increasing usefulness (I find taking a quick screenshot with the "Print Screen" button and then using the excellent rectangle select tool in GIMP to figure out what is going on with my margins is a rather quick debugging tool) and you get a taste of why I like to use Ubuntu.
It doesn't stop there of course, I adore the ability to spread my work out over a few desktops and then switch quickly between them to access my different programs and folders.
Also, the ability to setup a web server on the local machine to test code before publishing it on a live server brings peace of mind, saves a lot of bandwidth, and saves time.
Realistically, I can do all of this within Windows in a fairly timely turnaround. There are solutions for doing it all in Windows, but I just prefer Ubuntu due to it being free, open source, and constantly improving.
Where Windows shines above Ubuntu
Then here is the wrinkle in my default workstation: Internet Explorer still holds the majority of the market for web browsers. I have never liked Internet Explorer and tell people all the time to use something abstracted from their OS (Opera, Firefox, Safari, Chrome, I DON'T CARE... just get something NOT so intricately involved in your OS)... but let's face it the average computer user doesn't know any better. They just use what is on the computer to begin with.
Leaving web designers chained to comply with IE's often-frustrating habit of CREATING exclusive solutions and not COMPLYING with W3C standards.
Obviously Microsoft is not too concerned about getting a version of Internet Explorer on linux machines. They don't care. They figure they have lost that market already and the "demand" for a true IE on linux is probably restricted to EXACTLY what I need it for: web design.
Solutions:
There are basically three solutions I have been told about and have found so far. I don't count signing out of Ubuntu and using a Windows OS as a "solution" to the problem. That is more of a "I give up" scenario... and I DON'T GIVE UP that easily.
1) Virtual Machine
I have been running a VirtualBox VM of Windows XP Pro on my laptop and my desktop for the last few months. @crgwbr of KomodoKomputer also suggested this when I brought up this issue again today. Wasn't really new to me... but I appreciate the willingness to help and always like when people are so helpful and friendly.
PROS: Completely accurate, fully compliant, as bug free as IE will get
CONS: Slowish startup time, resource hog (especially tough on my laptop)
2) IEs4Linux & WINE
I already had WINE installed, so following the installation guide here I have got a nice, quick solution. Not the LATEST version of IE, but modern enough to get a quick view of how the CSS and javascript is functioning and being shown on IE. Thank you @calebhailey for this recommendation. I may write a blog about how to set this up in Intrepid... since the instructions were slightly off on the installation guide.
PROS: Light on system resources, fast, shows javascript, decently accurate
CONS: Not the most recent Internet Explorer, required a bit of setup (instructions slightly out dated)
3) BrowserShots & IE NetRenderer
@techfun gave an interesting recommendation of BrowserShots (http://browsershots.org/). I will definitely give this a try as the RANGE of web browsers it gives you snapshots for is quite impressive. Compartively less impressive, but perhaps easier to use is IE NetRenderer (a plugin for Firefox). Although the comments on the Add-on webpage is slightly concerning. Not sure if I will bother to add it onto Firefox or not...
PROS: No setup
CONS: Just provides a "screenshot" of the webpage loaded in the different browsers, no javascript support, etc
Verdict
With all of these different options, I now have a broad "solution" to work with. For strictly HTML sites, I will probably use BrowserShots. This gives me the added bonus of sending the screenshots to clients as "samples" of how their site looks on different computers and browsers. For "during producton" designs I will use IEs4Linux on one of my desktops. That way I can test and load as I work and debug. During "final runthrough" and "beta testing" I will open up my VM and use the real IE to make sure it is how I have designed it to look and behave.
Why design in Ubuntu?
I absolutely love gedit (Text Editor) in Ubuntu. The syntax highlighting, line numbers, bracket highlighting (has saved me SO many times in debugging), automatic indentation, and PLUGINS! Brilliant. It is like everything I loved in Notepad2 and then some.
Couple gedit that with the after-mastered-becomes-quite-useful GIMP with the ever increasing usefulness (I find taking a quick screenshot with the "Print Screen" button and then using the excellent rectangle select tool in GIMP to figure out what is going on with my margins is a rather quick debugging tool) and you get a taste of why I like to use Ubuntu.
It doesn't stop there of course, I adore the ability to spread my work out over a few desktops and then switch quickly between them to access my different programs and folders.
Also, the ability to setup a web server on the local machine to test code before publishing it on a live server brings peace of mind, saves a lot of bandwidth, and saves time.
Realistically, I can do all of this within Windows in a fairly timely turnaround. There are solutions for doing it all in Windows, but I just prefer Ubuntu due to it being free, open source, and constantly improving.
Where Windows shines above Ubuntu
Then here is the wrinkle in my default workstation: Internet Explorer still holds the majority of the market for web browsers. I have never liked Internet Explorer and tell people all the time to use something abstracted from their OS (Opera, Firefox, Safari, Chrome, I DON'T CARE... just get something NOT so intricately involved in your OS)... but let's face it the average computer user doesn't know any better. They just use what is on the computer to begin with.
Leaving web designers chained to comply with IE's often-frustrating habit of CREATING exclusive solutions and not COMPLYING with W3C standards.
Obviously Microsoft is not too concerned about getting a version of Internet Explorer on linux machines. They don't care. They figure they have lost that market already and the "demand" for a true IE on linux is probably restricted to EXACTLY what I need it for: web design.
Solutions:
There are basically three solutions I have been told about and have found so far. I don't count signing out of Ubuntu and using a Windows OS as a "solution" to the problem. That is more of a "I give up" scenario... and I DON'T GIVE UP that easily.
1) Virtual Machine
I have been running a VirtualBox VM of Windows XP Pro on my laptop and my desktop for the last few months. @crgwbr of KomodoKomputer also suggested this when I brought up this issue again today. Wasn't really new to me... but I appreciate the willingness to help and always like when people are so helpful and friendly.
PROS: Completely accurate, fully compliant, as bug free as IE will get
CONS: Slowish startup time, resource hog (especially tough on my laptop)
2) IEs4Linux & WINE
I already had WINE installed, so following the installation guide here I have got a nice, quick solution. Not the LATEST version of IE, but modern enough to get a quick view of how the CSS and javascript is functioning and being shown on IE. Thank you @calebhailey for this recommendation. I may write a blog about how to set this up in Intrepid... since the instructions were slightly off on the installation guide.
PROS: Light on system resources, fast, shows javascript, decently accurate
CONS: Not the most recent Internet Explorer, required a bit of setup (instructions slightly out dated)
3) BrowserShots & IE NetRenderer
@techfun gave an interesting recommendation of BrowserShots (http://browsershots.org/). I will definitely give this a try as the RANGE of web browsers it gives you snapshots for is quite impressive. Compartively less impressive, but perhaps easier to use is IE NetRenderer (a plugin for Firefox). Although the comments on the Add-on webpage is slightly concerning. Not sure if I will bother to add it onto Firefox or not...
PROS: No setup
CONS: Just provides a "screenshot" of the webpage loaded in the different browsers, no javascript support, etc
Verdict
With all of these different options, I now have a broad "solution" to work with. For strictly HTML sites, I will probably use BrowserShots. This gives me the added bonus of sending the screenshots to clients as "samples" of how their site looks on different computers and browsers. For "during producton" designs I will use IEs4Linux on one of my desktops. That way I can test and load as I work and debug. During "final runthrough" and "beta testing" I will open up my VM and use the real IE to make sure it is how I have designed it to look and behave.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
How To: Installing CHDK from Ubuntu
I finally got around to putting CHDK (Canon Hacker's Development Kit, chdk.wikia.com) on my Canon PowerShot SD400 Digital Elph. It's actually a lot easier than what I thought it was going to be. I'll save anyone who reads this a few minutes of figuring out. Here is a three (basic) step how-to. I have used exhastive directions, so hopefully this is easy to follow. Just read it all over once, and then start going right down the list and you should do it without any hassles.
You will need:
- SD Card (anything larger than 4GB might have issues, see the CHDK site)
- SD Card reader for the computer (I found that my Toshiba card reader DID NOT work for this)
- hexedit (sudo apt-get install hexedit in a terminal will fetch it)
1) Check if your camera is supported and download CHDK
1. a. Get your firmware for your camera.
-Connect your SD card onto your computer
-Create two empty text files on the root directory of the card (not in any folders, just on the main part of the card). The files need to be named "ver.req" and "vers.req". My camera was old enough, it needed the "ver.req" text file. Newer cameras need the "vers.req" file. I found that it worked if I just had BOTH in there.
-Unmount the card, put it in your camera (right click on the SD Card on your desktop and press select "Unmount" to unmount the card)
-Power on, go to the "play" function on your camera, hold "Func / Set" and press "Disp"
-Write down what it says your Firmware version is (will be something like 1.01A, 1.01E, etc NOT 1.0.0.0 or 1.0.1.0)
1. b. Download CHDK for your camera (by the easiest method: autobuild site)
-Go to http://mighty-hoernsche.de/ (preferably in a different tab / window)
-Download the zip file for your camera model and your camera's firmware
2) Create a bootable SD Card and "install" CHDK
2. a. Create the bootable SD Card
-Connect your SD Card to your computer
-BACK UP ANY PICTURES OR MOVIES YOU WANT TO SAVE
-Unmount the card, put it in your camera
-Format the card using the function found in the camera's menu (this will ERASE EVERYTHING ON THE CARD)
-Connect your SD Card to your computer again
-open up a terminal
-type "sudo fdisk -l", figure out the "/dev/sd{letter}" of the SD Card (hint: look at the storage capacities)
-write down what you found out (for me, it was "/dev/sdb") and add a "1" to the end (again, for me, it was "/dev/sdb1")
-type "sudo hexedit /dev/sdb1" (replace with what you wrote above)
----press Enter / Return key
----type 40 (to take you to 0x40)
----press Tab key
----type "BOOTDISK"
----hold Ctrl and press the "x" key
----confirm you are saving and quitting hexedit
2. b. "Install" CHDK
-Unzip the file you downloaded for CHDK
-go to Places and then click on the SD card
-Copy the files from CHDK onto the SD card (do not place in any folders) (I had two files to copy "DISKBOOT.BIN" and "PS.FIR", some newer models will only need "DISKBOOT.BIN" apparently)
-Unmount SD card, take out of the reader (we will put it in the camera in just a bit)
3) Test CHDK
-Slide the "Lock" on the SD Card before you put it into the camera
-Put the SD Card in your camera, turn it on
There you go, you can now play around with CHDK. If you don't want to use CHDK, just unlock the SD Card and put it back in the camera. No harm to your camera. No hassle.
You will need:
- SD Card (anything larger than 4GB might have issues, see the CHDK site)
- SD Card reader for the computer (I found that my Toshiba card reader DID NOT work for this)
- hexedit (sudo apt-get install hexedit in a terminal will fetch it)
1) Check if your camera is supported and download CHDK
1. a. Get your firmware for your camera.
-Connect your SD card onto your computer
-Create two empty text files on the root directory of the card (not in any folders, just on the main part of the card). The files need to be named "ver.req" and "vers.req". My camera was old enough, it needed the "ver.req" text file. Newer cameras need the "vers.req" file. I found that it worked if I just had BOTH in there.
-Unmount the card, put it in your camera (right click on the SD Card on your desktop and press select "Unmount" to unmount the card)
-Power on, go to the "play" function on your camera, hold "Func / Set" and press "Disp"
-Write down what it says your Firmware version is (will be something like 1.01A, 1.01E, etc NOT 1.0.0.0 or 1.0.1.0)
1. b. Download CHDK for your camera (by the easiest method: autobuild site)
-Go to http://mighty-hoernsche.de/ (preferably in a different tab / window)
-Download the zip file for your camera model and your camera's firmware
2) Create a bootable SD Card and "install" CHDK
2. a. Create the bootable SD Card
-Connect your SD Card to your computer
-BACK UP ANY PICTURES OR MOVIES YOU WANT TO SAVE
-Unmount the card, put it in your camera
-Format the card using the function found in the camera's menu (this will ERASE EVERYTHING ON THE CARD)
-Connect your SD Card to your computer again
-open up a terminal
-type "sudo fdisk -l", figure out the "/dev/sd{letter}" of the SD Card (hint: look at the storage capacities)
-write down what you found out (for me, it was "/dev/sdb") and add a "1" to the end (again, for me, it was "/dev/sdb1")
-type "sudo hexedit /dev/sdb1" (replace with what you wrote above)
----press Enter / Return key
----type 40 (to take you to 0x40)
----press Tab key
----type "BOOTDISK"
----hold Ctrl and press the "x" key
----confirm you are saving and quitting hexedit
2. b. "Install" CHDK
-Unzip the file you downloaded for CHDK
-go to Places and then click on the SD card
-Copy the files from CHDK onto the SD card (do not place in any folders) (I had two files to copy "DISKBOOT.BIN" and "PS.FIR", some newer models will only need "DISKBOOT.BIN" apparently)
-Unmount SD card, take out of the reader (we will put it in the camera in just a bit)
3) Test CHDK
-Slide the "Lock" on the SD Card before you put it into the camera
-Put the SD Card in your camera, turn it on
There you go, you can now play around with CHDK. If you don't want to use CHDK, just unlock the SD Card and put it back in the camera. No harm to your camera. No hassle.
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