2010 Projects: Go Open Source

I’ve been so busy lately between work (did some extra hours because of a co-worker’s operation) and getting ready for uni I forgot about this blog until Rubenerd left a comment overnight.

Anyway, now that I’ve remembered, it’s time to post about fulfilling another one of my 2010 Projects things: going open source. This update comes to you from Firefox 3.5 under Ubuntu 8.1 Intrepid Ibex, unlike all previous updates which have been from Firefox under Windows.

First I used GPartEd to wipe out the Linux Mint installation that I had but never used (and had forgotten the password for). Then I shrank the Windows partition to 42Gb and set up partitions for the swap area (6Gb), Linux (42Gb) and my home directory (the rest of the disk… 140Gb in total).

I first tried setting up Ubuntu 9.1 Karmic Koala. It worked fine until I updated it, then the updater gave me an error about read-only filesystems. On restarting it wouldn’t mount something or other and the GUI wouldn’t start.

So I wiped it out and reinstalled. This time the installer failed (same error about read-only filesystems).

So I tried the CD installer (as opposed to the DVD). Installed fine, updating produced the same read-only error.

At this point my bootloader was borked. So I got on my wife’s laptop and downloaded Ubuntu 8.1 Intrepid Ibex and burnt it to DVD.

After installing *that*, it booted up fine. Set it to use Internode’s quota-free mirror of the repositories, updated… and it worked! And it’s been fine ever since, I’ve installed Linux versions or equivalents of everything I used to do under Windows, and it’s going great. Even writes fine to my NTFS formatted external hard drive. I’m keeping the Windows partition because I will need some Windows software for uni, but 95+% of the time I’m in Linux.

I guess I should post some links to the things I’ve mentioned:

• Ubuntu Australia since I’m in Australia, I’ll link to the local site.
• Internode download mirror where I got most of the software I used from. Doesn’t count towards your quota if you’re one of their customers.
• GPartEd the open source partition editor
• Ubuntu entry on Wikipedia just in case anyone wants more info.
• finally, Linux Tux t-shirt I found while looking for the logo I used at the top of the page.

2010 Projects

I don’t really do new years resolutions, as nobody ever really keeps them. When you’re ready to make a change, you will, no matter what the calendar says.

Having said that, I have been planning a few projects which just happen to be ready to start in January:

• Start a garden. This will pose a few challenges on its own. We are renting an upstairs flat, but there is a paved courtyard downstairs. The only people who go in there are electricity meter readers and people visiting us. My plan is to (1) get rid of the weeds growing through cracks in the pavers then (2) get some pots and start growing things.
• Go open source. I have this machine dual-booting Windows XP and Linux Mint, but I end up using Windows most of the time. I’m going to back up all my data, then convert this machine to run only Linux.
• Get my weight down to 85kg. I’m currently 102kg. BMI calculations say I should weight 75kg, but when I was at my fittest and healthiest I weight 85. I may have failed the pool body fitness challenge but I have been losing half a kilogram a week for the last month (due to having protein shakes for breakfast). I will achieve this goal by eating healthier and getting exercise. As soon as this post is up I’m getting on the stationary bicycle.
• Start my own personal archive – categorise and label all photos, documents, etc. that I have lying around. This will involve sorting all the digital photos on this computer and printing the best to put into albums. It also means organising my filing cabinet so I can find things. And getting a scanner so everything can be digitised. And coming up with an off site back up of the digital bit. And documenting family events. Eventually I hope to digitise the family history archive and add that too.
• Work out what’s going on with uni, and finish off my degree. I’ve been doing what was meant to be a 3 year degree since 2002. This is the year (or maybe early 2011) I’ll finally finish it off.
• Use the random computer parts lying around here to build a file server. Then all my files should be easily available on the LAN.
• Knit a decent pair of socks. At the moment I’m in the learning stage, making socks that at least resemble socks but they’re not great.
• Start writing a book of some sort. I have a few ideas but I don’t want to share until it’s ready.
• Move this blog to some other hosting with its own domain. That way it will still exist if anything happens to wordpress.com.
• Blog at least three times a week. I know when I started I wanted to do every day, then twice a week, and it’s actually been more like once a fortnight.
• Learn to cook more. I know the basics, but I need more techniques and recipes. I’m getting bored of eating the same stuff every week.

So there it is… my non-resolution list of things I want to achieve in 2010.