ESP8266 Getting Started with Arduino IDE

If you find that your board isn’t showing up in ports and you’re getting this error:

error: espcomm_open failed

error: espcomm_upload_mem failed

First install the  Silicon Labs CP2102 USB to UART Bridge driver for your operating system.

Then follow the instructions here to add the ESP8266 board to the Arduino IDE.

see this tutorial 

 

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How to force-overwrite virtually anything.

Getting into one of these situations is not uncommon. Sometimes packages aren’t packaged properly and you end up with a broken package which refuses to fix itself.

If you try:

sudo apt-get -f install

You will get a message like this:

Unpacking replacement vlc …
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/vlc_1.1.0-1ubuntu1_i386.deb (–unpack):
trying to overwrite ‘/usr/lib/vlc/plugins/access/libxcb_screen_plugin.so’, which is also in package vlc-nox 1.1.0-1~ppa1~maverick
dpkg-deb: subprocess paste killed by signal (Broken pipe)
Preparing to replace vlc-nox 1.1.0-1~ppa1~maverick (using …/vlc-nox_1.1.0-1ubuntu1_i386.deb) …
Unpacking replacement vlc-nox …
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/vlc-nox_1.1.0-1ubuntu1_i386.deb (–unpack):
trying to overwrite ‘/usr/lib/vlc/lua/playlist/anevia_streams.luac’, which is also in package vlc 1.1.0-1~ppa1~maverick
dpkg-deb: subprocess paste killed by signal (Broken pipe)
Errors were encountered while processing:
/var/cache/apt/archives/vlc_1.1.0-1ubuntu1_i386.deb
/var/cache/apt/archives/vlc-nox_1.1.0-1ubuntu1_i386.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

For reasons why this happens see point 7.6.1 from the debian policy manual

The fix for the problem is pretty easy if you know what to do:

sudo dpkg -i --force-overwrite <filename>

eg. sudo dpkg -i –force-overwrite /var/cache/apt/archives/vlc-nox_1.1.0-1ubuntu1_i386.deb

THANKS www.absolutelytech.com

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Limewire for Ubuntu

Limewire, a P2P file sharing application is now available for Linux. Thanks to the Khattam blog, for spotting this.

The deb can be downloaded from Official Limewire Website or Click here for Direct Download.

After downloading it, if you double click it (LimeWireLinux.deb), you may get the following error:

Error: Dependency is not satisfiable: sun-java6-jre|icedtea-java7-jre|sun-java6-jdk|icedtea-java7-jdk

This can be solved by either adding/enabling the Lucid Partner Repository for sun-java6-jre or by modifying LimeWireLinux.deb to be satisfied with openjdk-6-jre.

More instructions from Khattam

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Star Wars in your console

Type this in a console:

telnet towel.blinkenlights.nl

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Customising notifications

To make notify-osd customizable, you need to add Roman Sukochev’s PPA to your Software Sources, do a system update, and then restart notify-osd.

MORE

UPDATE: A great utility

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:amandeepgrewal/notifyosdconfig

Then

sudo aptitude install notifyosdconfig

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Opening locations quick tip

Picked this tip up from http://ubuntuguide.net

I used to click Places->Home Folder to browse my home folder and find out something by navigate in this nautilus file manager.Here’s a quick-way to open folders in ubuntu desktop which will save a lot of time.
Just press / key in your ubuntu desktop,and a “Open Location” window pop up.

then,press enter to launch root folder or type ~/ to open home folder as well as Alt+Home key combination,/mnt/ to open mnt/folder:

In this “open location” window,you can also type following:
computer:///
Shows Computer, lists the disk partitions
network:///
Shows the network locations
fonts:///
Lists the fonts installed on the system
burn:///
Opens the CD Writing Window.
themes:///
Lists the themes available for the Gnome Desktop
system-settings:///
Gives access to system settings
smb:///
samba – windows network

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Why bots are big and how to setup a simple IRC-based supybot (part 2)

In part 1 we showed you how to set-up  a simple IRC-based supybot. Don’t forget supybot lives in an IRC channel, so you’ll need to boot up an IRC client to talk to him. You will also notice that Supybot is not all that bright off the bat. Depending on which plugins you activated upon installation, you’ll probably have a few basic commands and some routines, like being able to google for information in your channel. Sounds a bit like any modified shell doesn’t it?

Supybot doesn’t have much of a personality, so we’ll need to download some extra plugins to make him a bit more intelligent than a vacuum cleaner.

A personality plugin is available from Animus. (It is very basic, but a step in the right direction) [be warned, Personality is still a bit buggy, see my comment below]

Download the personality folder to your /botdir/plugins/ folder.

You will need to load the plugin manually.

First make sure you are the owner by identifying to the bot in a private channel;

1. Open a private conversation

/query <bot-name>

or

/msg <bot-name>

2. Identify with the bot

identify <owner-name> <password>

Supybot will either respond or decline your command.

3. Now enter the following command to show the plugins path

supybot.directories.plugins

In my case: /home/freebot/botdir/plugins

4. Load your plugin

@load <name of plugin>

In my case @load Personality

If you’re wondering where the plugin file is, its a folder, usually containing plugin.py and some other files. Leave the files alone, or configure them to your satisfaction.

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Show MySQL who is boss

Regaining control of a MySQL installation is not all that difficult. Trouble is, there are a lot of tutorials out there showing intermediate users how to reset their mysql root password. For total noobs like me,  it’s not that we can’t remember our password, it’s just that mysql has a habit of getting installed with password=NO. In other words no password, therefore no root access.

Gaining access can quickly turn into a wild goose chase as you hunt down processes while risking your installation. If time is a factor, it can be days before you figure out the problem.  No fear, after battling with a variety of incomplete and badly written “guides”, strange advice and the cult of msql administration.  I found a guide that works with my current mysql setup on Ubuntu Karmic. Thanks to the accurate and faithful nixCraft for being there for us.

I am reproducing the information below (which is under old school copyright) because without it I would be like stuffed. Hope nobody minds. It is common knowledge according to MySQL but laid out in a much clearer fashion. So if you reading this, take the time to check out nixCraft. Its a wonderful site.

Here are the steps you need to take. In all likelihood you need to run them as root. Do we need to tell you that? Not really, you knew that already didn’t you?

Step # 1: Stop the MySQL server process.

Step # 2: Start the MySQL (mysqld) server/daemon process with the –skip-grant-tables option so that it will not prompt for password.

Step # 3: Connect to mysql server as the root user.

Step # 4: Setup new mysql root account password.

Step # 5: Exit and restart the MySQL server.

Here are commands you need to type for each step (login as the root user):

Step # 1 : Stop mysql service

# /etc/init.d/mysql stop
Output:

Stopping MySQL database server: mysqld.

Step # 2: Start to MySQL server w/o password:

# mysqld_safe --skip-grant-tables &
Output:

[1] 5988
Starting mysqld daemon with databases from /var/lib/mysql
mysqld_safe[6025]: started

Step # 3: Connect to mysql server using mysql client:

# mysql -u root
Output:

Welcome to the MySQL monitor.  Commands end with ; or \g.
Your MySQL connection id is 1 to server version: 4.1.15-Debian_1-log

Type 'help;' or '\h' for help. Type '\c' to clear the buffer.

mysql>

Step # 4: Setup new MySQL root user password

mysql> use mysql;
mysql> update user set password=PASSWORD("NEW-ROOT-PASSWORD") where User='root';
mysql> flush privileges;
mysql> quit

Step # 5: Stop MySQL Server:

# /etc/init.d/mysql stop
Output:

Stopping MySQL database server: mysqld
STOPPING server from pid file /var/run/mysqld/mysqld.pid
mysqld_safe[6186]: ended

[1]+  Done                    mysqld_safe --skip-grant-tables

Step # 6: Start MySQL server and test it

# /etc/init.d/mysql start
# mysql -u root -p

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Install Microsoft theme packs in Ubuntu

If you pining away for those gob-smacking Windows 7 theme wallpapers, here is how to install them in Ubuntu

1. Download any one of the theme packs from Microsoft

2.Install p7zip-full via Synaptic

3. Change the .theme extension to .7z and open with archive manager by right-clicking on the file

4. Extract the wallpapers and install via Appearance Preferences

If you really need to get the wallpaper to change automatically every so often, be a devil and install Wallpaper Tray.

While you at it, you may as well change the Xsplash background picture.

Here’s how:

Installing  Xsplash-Background-Settings will allow you to choose one of your new wallpapers as the background. No more gloomy Ubuntu.

Add Xsplash-Background-Settings ppa

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/meerkat/stable/ubuntu karmic main

apt-get update

apt-get install xsplash-background-settings

The programe will ask you to paste a piece of code in a terminal to change the permissions on the xsplash folder. Do it.

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Windows 7 conversion to Ubuntu

I’m busy writing this as the Ubuntu installer is doing what it was designed to do,  deleting an installation of Windows 7 on a newish Samsung laptop. A close friend of mine is all fired up about Ubuntu and I guess there are going to be some comparisons to be made, after persuading him that having one installation ( as opposed to duel-booting) is the only sane way to go (No sense in having Windows AND Ubuntu problems, and if you have problems, let them be Ubuntu ones!). How does Ubuntu rate in terms of presentation?

Yes Windows 7 aside from the commercial excess and Microsoft cant, is a feisty thang indeed, a buxom blonde  whose features  stay with you for about a week or two, pity about the avaricious personality.

Yes, t’is not just the eye-candy, the OS is a beauty in the user interface department with some fine touches, like file previews in the taskbar, tool bars in the file manager, animations and system-wide sounds, which really all put KDE to shame.

There is no point in comparing Windows 7 to Gnome, so I won’t even try. But the encounter with the dark side got me thinking:

We’ve really become too reliant on Compiz to save us at the end of the day. Enabling the default settings in Ubuntu just doesn’t do it for the new user. One is expected to modify the system with Compiz-Config like every other LXER and isn’t this the problem with taking the easy way out? More work for us?

There appears to be  no major design innovation occurring in the subtle world of Ubuntu graphics (aside from shifting things around and around). Also, absolutely nobody in the community is offering up overall system schemes to turn us all more productive creatures. (I know I sound like I’m about to sell my soul to a large corporation,. but stick with me)

I”ve harped on about this a few times in various forums:  The desktop computer is expected to function on so many levels. Daytime its an Office. Afterhours, its an Enterternment and Multimedia Hub. On Weekends it can go from Programming Interface to Gaming Centre in 0-5 seconds and nobody but nobody is offering us the kind of overall design solutions to make each of these unique activities stay in their rightful place. Perhaps Gnome-Shell will finally liberate us, but until then, we have a terrible mashup of all of the above. A desktop that is crippled by the demands of each sector of the community, as Ubuntu becomes the workhorse you toss around with no means of simply turning on the candy.

Ontop of this, the problem of too many candy options and not enough over-riding design statement. For example, have you tried flicking a switch and having Appearance Preferences, Compiz-Settings and System Sounds change to suit your mood? I know I can do it manually, but has anyone tried automating this and presenting us with the evidence of design statement that doesn’t fall apart the next day when you have to pack everything away and go to work, WITH THE SAME BLOODY LAPTOP OR DESKTOP COMPUTER!!!!

Then again there are areas where we don’t seem to have much of an option at present and maybe that is a good thing.

“What, you mean there are no sound themes to choose from and no wallpaper sets?” I can just imagine the sweat breaking out as my associate realises he will have to spend the rest of the week in an environment that:

A) Has no sound effects urging him to open and close nautilus windows

You can however download system sound themes which have this feature. Install as per instructions. To activate System > Preferences > Sound . Click on “enable window and button sounds”

B) No animations to waste time looking at while the nautilus file manager does its thing

C) No folder previews so that we can peak into media folders without having to open them.

[UPDATE:I guess this is a subset of the above issue, but the fix works nicely }

D) A Gnome menu that is decidedly outdated and difficult to edit.

E) Small scruffy icons which are hardly 3-dimensional and the complete opposite of the trend towards fat, or  icon is everything, started by Apple Iphone and now taken up to some degree by Windows 7.

F) No wallpaper sets (as opposed to single wallpapers) which are automatically cycled on login.

G) An upbeat login that matches the upbeat wallpaper.

If you feeling like a Grumpy Gnome, there is a quick method to rectify some of the Windows 7 design damage, well at least the last two points.

If you pining away for those gob-smacking Windows 7 theme wallpapers, here is how to install them in Ubuntu

Hack Microsoft Theme Packs

1. Download any one of the theme packs from Microsoft

2.Install p7zip-full via Synaptic

3. Change the .theme extension to .7z and open with archive manager by right-clicking on the file

4. Extract the wallpapers and install via Appearance Preferences

If you really need to get the wallpaper to change automatically every so often, be a devil and install Wallpaper Tray.

And the coup ‘d gras, change the bloody GDM background you doofus. Here’s how:

Installing  Xsplash-Background-Settings will allow you to choose one of your new wallpapers as the background. No more gloomy Ubuntu.

Add Xsplash-Background-Settings ppa

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/meerkat/stable/ubuntu karmic main

apt-get update

apt-get install xsplash-background-settings

The programe will ask you to paste a piece of code in a terminal to change the permissions on the xsplash folder. Do it.

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