Nth attempt to learn programming

I am making the 'nth' (dont know how many times I started and left it in between due to various circumstances viz lack of time, social and family obligations) attempt to learn programming seriously. After buying many books of various programming languages and also after reading many mailing list posts discussing which language first I have zeroed on Python.
After all this I havent started yet so to speak.
Meanwhile I took a debian quiz
I answered only 14 out of the 42 questions correctly, not bad for a non techie like me I feel.

Another link
What would you put in a Computer Science Curriculum
echoed my thoughts about education curriculum and the practical scenario. I hardly use the technicalities learnt while I was studying for my Chartered Accountancy course. It is just a degree for entering the job market. What we study is pure theory and book knowledge and the actual scenario while working is different.

Who am I?

Which character do I represent
I am John Sheridan
John is a character in the Babylon 5 universe. You can read his biography at the Worlds of JMS fansite

Kanotix update,broadband connection thru linux

I did proceed with the kanotix install on HDD. It was a smooth install. Also was able to login tried connecting to the internet through the same but failed. I was searching for some information on the same but could not any relevant info.
Actually setting up the broad band connection is very easy and I did it on FC3 and slackware.
Y0u have to run the following commands
adsl-setup-----------------To setup
adsl-start------------------To start the connection
adsl-stop-------------------To stop the connection

If your distro does not contain these commands you may need to install these from the roaring penguin site.
Here give the username and password and enter thePrimary& alternate DNS ip addresses and everything works fine.
Only problem was that I could do it only as root.
Now I could try out yum for updating packages. First I updated Firefox to 1.06 and then installed the XMMS Mp3 plugin.
I was not much impressed at what I saw in Kanotix.
I dont know, but I do not like KDE much because of its bloat and also since I have used command line and Slackware only from the time I got hooked to linux.
I got an errorin Kanotix and the KDE desktop crashed and it partially worked when I logged in as a normal user.
I have Slackware 10.1 installed without KDE/GNOME but only Xfce and it seems to look great.
Need to do some research on blogs and how to add other's blog links to my blog etc....
I have added a counter on my blog and blocked my home ip and office ip (the only places from where I will update/post) so that visits from these ip's get excluded.
The counter has not moved since then and is at 7 which includes 6 visits by me (till the time I dicovered how to block IP's) and 1 outside visitor.
It seems that the first distro you ever use always retains you back as is in my case.
I have used slackware since 8.0 and I still prefer Slackware with its default CLI login.

Broadband internet !!!!!! Uh oh --Hi-speed internet & Kanotix

Finally I got a so called Broadband connection(correctly speaking it is a hi-speed connection) on my home PC. This was after trying my local cable operator 2 times without any response and even Sify who responded after 12 days. I got a connection from Exatt (through a local dealer). The speed is good. I was connected on 11/8/05.

Well the first thing I wanted to do was surf to check the surfing speed and download some large file to check the download speed. I surfed some random sites and I was getting a good speed the same which I get at my workplace and also very very fast than dial-up.
I tried to some files(3-4mb) and I could download at an average of 9 to 10KBps. This was very good. On an average I am getting a speed of 15-16KBps
I downloaded Mozilla Firefox and Azureus the Bittorrent client and downloaded the Kanotix Distro iso file. Now I browse with firefox.
It took me at least 4-5 days with 4hrs of continuous downloading (2hrs each in the morning and evening). I also wrote the ISO to a cd.
I downloaded this based on some reviews. I need to freeze on one Distro as my default os another step towards being truly open source.
I tried the live cd and it worked great but i need to try the HD Install


Some links to Kanotix
KANOTIX - Putting the Pizzazz on Debian
My workstation OS-Kanotix

Will update soon with my Kanotix experience

/dev/hda and /dev/hdb on new PC

I had bought a 40g HDD and installed it on my old PC a IBM PC300gl Celeron 500 64mb RAM
I wanted to try out networking. This requires lot of time and also lot of experimenting. Also the old PC does not support booting from CD and there lay the problem. I have to disconnect the drive connect it to my mew pc install what I want and again install it back in the old pc.
This was not happenning. So i decided to remove the HD from the old pc and attach it to the new pc as primary slave.
I was partly successful. Bios detected the HD but after 2 tries. It was detecting as 32 gb instead of 40gb. After lot of fiddling and changing the jumper settings and finally removing all jumpers except one I got what I wanted. Still I am unclear on the jumper settings and what I did to make it work.
There is a hidden burning desire in me to try those first 50 or maybe 100 distros mentioned on distrowatch for e.g.ike Kanotix/DSL and of course freebsd and LFS even though the principles are the same.(based on RH/Deb/Slack) This desire erupted one fine day and I made the above changes.

Now I have 80g and with 20g gone for Win XP and assuming I keep 2 to 3 gb free space and on an average 4.5g for each distro(it may vary) I can have 12 distros on my PC(this may include one bsd). Wow!!!!!!
Now I have FC3(full)/Debian 3.1(25/04/05)-only base and mc,Slackware without KDE and Gnome on /dev/hda and Ubuntu on /dev/hdb

Worst part is my landline is dead for the past 1 month and hence no net connection
I am searching for a broadband(so called) subscription and no one is appraoching me. Finally I will have to rely on MTNL's ADSL.

Need to seriously devote some time in learning open source programming, well it could be any thing maybe just learning bash/emacs/vim anything.

I forgot my Debian root password and have messed up trying to recover it. I think i will have to reinstall it again.
Suse has become opensuse. I was never attracted to try SUSE basically because it was preconfigured and there was not effort required and yes it was not free. But many people in the world use SUSE and now I am getting interested in trying it also.

Some of the Distros I wish to use but do not have copies
DSL(have an old one),Kanotix,Slax,Minislack,Arch,Scientific

Will write about my progress on programming etc

Forgot to mention

Well I forgot to mention Debian 3.1 was released last week

Even after all the hype of a late release it is the top distro

Also FC4 released
Now I have FC3-Almost Full installation
Debian Sarge(25/4/05) Build only base and midnight commander added
Slacware 10.1 without GNOME or KDE but with fluxbox (stiil not booted)

Delicious=del.icio.us

Social Bookmarking the new in thing. I am constantly visiting this site http://del.icio.us
It spells delicious. I had found about this in Feb 05 but was not much interested. The interest arose again this month

You can add your bookmarks and share it with others. Super Duper Fundu stuff.

I have reinstalled FC3 and now Debian Sarge with only base and mc
installed mc with apt-get and just got a taste of apt-get

Will update soon hopefully

Linux Bazar shuts down!!!!!!!!:(

In my lsat post i mentioned that I had found a site from where I could get my Linux cd requirements and was professional enough and fast www.linuxbazar.com
The same site shutdown 2 days back. Very sad
The reasons for the closure as sited were
lack of time on there side and
the availability of fast broadband connections in india
well the first one seems true but the second is a myth.
I erased Ubuntu and installed Debian Sarge on my new PC.
I just wanted to try debian with all the debian buzz around and I had to make space on the PC.
It has 40G but 20g is for Win.
After the installation I found that the GDM screen was grainy just like safe mode in Windows.
Posted on mailing lists for possible solutions but did not have time to even switch on my PC.

Grounded! The meaning of this word come to the mind and actually I experience it what with
a family with a kid to take care of
a workplace where I have to work to earn my daily bread
other social obligations

Found some loads of information about social bookmarking
http://del.icio.us

Still on FC3

Still on FC3 and am using it the most. I log in and browse with Firefox
and chat with Xchat.
I found a new site for my Linux cds requirement in Bangalore and also very professional enough(www.linuxbazar.com)
I ordered 23 cds of various distros including Slack 10.1 and debian Sarge and 3.0r5.
Also included some distros which i had never tried like Mepis and Xandros.
Also ordered the latest Ubuntu release (Hoary Hedgehog 5.04).
I am really interested in trying BSD(Free BSD etc but am reluctant and afraid.
PC-BSD a BSD flavor for desktops has been released.
Now Distrowatch has become my favorite site. Last week it asked the readers to comment on whether there were too many distros.
It was a great discussion in the Distrowatch weekly with various arguments.
I came to know there were people in the world who were crazy like me and tried many distros like scientific linux,dynebolic etc.
I always think of having my home page with information on linux just for the satisfaction it gives and not for money.
It is really difficult to take time out to learn Linux when you have a family to look after, workplace where I spend 12 hours of the whole day and also social obligations.
Lets C!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yum

Logged in many times in FC3. Infact now I browse through Firefox, Chat on IRC with Xchat
and on yahoo with GAIM.

Looked up information on yum and could not start yum.
Crazed about trying all other distros mentioned on distrowatch.
tried my old computer also Ubuntu is very slow on 64mb and Celeron 500mhz
I will try Damn small Linux now. Thought of trying Mandrake 10.1 but gave up.
I need something that should make me learn something not a distro which starts up everything for the user.

Ubuntu the top distro

Ubuntu 5.04 Hoary has been released. I cannot download it but have registered for those free cd's.
Ubuntu seems to be in the news. Atleast on Distrowatch it has become the top distro on the basis of number of hits.
I have begun visiting Distrowatch everyday and its weekly newsletter is simply great giving a synopsis of all the distros released.
There are some 400 distros around according to Distrowatch. Wonder how many people are using the least known of them.
When I installed FC3 it did not configure GRUB for Ubuntu. I couldnt run Ubuntu.
Today resolved that issue and now I am triple booting. XP/FC3/Ubuntu 4.10
My old Pc is loaded with Ubuntu and will be a Pc with free OS only. One problem I face here is that i have one keyboard, mouse and Monitor.
Well first I will try networking both these computers and then maybe sharing keyboard ,monitor and mouse.
Atleast I wish to try the major distributions nd understand the different methods of implementing the same Os.(Slackware,Gentoo,knoppix...............)
The success of Ubuntu is mainly due to the non release of a stable version of Debian for the last 2 years.
But still on IRC Debian tops the list and is only next to Gentoo(#1).
Books which I bought this year worth Rs.3500/- are lying as its is w/o being read.
Today atleast in a fit of rage I prepared draft CV with the Oracle Financials implementation part.
I was planning this since last 3 months and was successful in only writing 2 lines. Today I happen to write it in full.
I hope with this I may soon find a job.

FC3 finally great distro

It is the revision/incerement time in our company and as always the increment is always less than what you expect.
Basically the problem I face is that in comparison to friends and relatives(maybe) I work for a dirt cheap CTC. Getting a job is also always difficult in my case.The same happened and I was disappointed with my salary hike a meagre 10-15%.
The salary recd by me is not commensurate with the amount of work done that too selflessly.
I was frustrated last night with the state of my affairs and helplessness I faced.I worked till late and hence slept late.
I got up early today and thought that I could atleast use this time to do what I love most "Running Linux"Yesterday night when I reached home my brother was struggling to resolve a GRUB error.
I new that I could resolve it but was tired and did not think about it at night.
Morning I got the chance and I booted my new FC3 installation.FC3 is superb. I havent seen anything like this in Linux. Even better than Ubuntu.Guess what I did today
1>Ran Kppp and it detected my modem's chipset without any probs
2>Connected to the net and browsed with Firefox.I had little time as i had to reach office and hence visited google and spreadfirefox.com
3>connected to irc with Xchat
4>logged in to GAIM added my list of friends obviously no one was online.

ALL THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME THROUGH LINUX
getting near to becoming truly open source

Up and running pc's

I have 2 pc's new and old. Managed to load something on the old pc.
Combo drive installed and finally installed FC3.
It was superb. I was surprised when it asked me to test sound and literally some music came out from the speakers. I have never seen this any of the Linux distros I have used.
Am working hard in office trying to complete the complicated work in a better and faster way.
It is month end time and also year end time.
Worked on Sunday also i.e 27/3/05
Last week when I was working in the office past 8pm and listening to songs while working I heard one of my all time fav ghazal by Jagjit Singh "tera chehra kitna suhana.........".
Memories flooded my mind when I use to listen to the same song out of my limited collection of mp3's way back in 2000(when I was a bachelor :)
Guess what I use to hear this in Linux playing it in mpg123. I was a total newbie then and the linux intoxication had caught me. I was using a small linux distro(floppy based) called mulinux due to PC constraints.
News!!!!!!!!!
Slackware removes GNOME?????????
Gentoo 2005 released
Ubuntu and userlinux to combine

I had a P100 with 16mb RAM and 4.3G HDD.

Information overload

KDE 3.4 released
Knoppix 3.8 released

Linux Device drivers 3rd edition (covering 2.6 kernel ) is out. i just bought the 2nd edition in Bglore on 29/1/05 hope only changes will be with ref to 2.6 kernel!. I downloaded it from lwn.net.

There is a info overload. So much info available so little time to concentrate. Whatever u search on google there is load of information.

looked up info on bit torrent. Whether this also requires a broadband connection.
Yesterday tried some old cd's of Knoppix. Still waiting for the combo drive.
Taking a off tomorrow may do some prodcutive work.

New knowledge

What is iiimf???????????
Internet Intranet Input Method Framework Project

I did not know this. Read this on kartiks blog and searched google.

This for the i18n (internationalization) project.
I realised that I was nowhere near the latest in technology. I see myself as a primitive.
I have ordered a combo drive cd r/w and dvd reader. Hope to get it by the weekend.
Want to install Freebsd which I have on DVD.
Dont know why I am getting interested more and more in freebsd.
Also need those good old slack cd's 10 or 10.1

First post-Gentoo blogs

I read this blog kartikm@blogspot.com everyday. Nothing in particular but I happened to visit it once and found this to be a young linux developers blog.
In turn I found many useful links from here. Someday I will mail him.

Just like the above today I found a link to planet.gentoo.org. Oof!!!!!!!
this site has blogs of gentoo developers wth some additional links. Someday I plan to run Gentoo compiled from stage1 as my distro

Currently dual booting with Win XP and Ubuntu Warty(4.10).
I frequently visit www.distrowatch.com for latest updates on distros. There are 393 active distros as on 14/3/05 acording to this site. Wondered how many of these were used.
An interview of Ladislav Bodnar was posted on a site. It was a great read.
Nowadays whenever I start my Pc I log on to IRC through MIRC.
Yesterday night had 414 users online for Ubuntu.
I have bought some Rs.3500/- worth of computer books mostly related to open source.
Do not know when I will read them.
It is getting increasingly difficult to indulge in hobbies like linux and open source with a full time job and kid to look after.
Will keep posting daily I hope

New blog-only for Linux,Open source and computers in general

Starting a new blog just to write about my Linux experience. Also it will contain general posts in relation to software/hardware etc but more about open source.

Hope to keep it updated regularly.
My other blog is for general topics life and the universe.
Actually I was pondering for quiet a few days whether to create another blog and finally did it.