Other
Getting Software
Kpackage
Thousands of software packages are already compatible with MEPIS. First open KPackage (Kmenu -> System -> KPackage) and see if the software you need is available.
For further information about how to use KPackage, read the KPackage Handbook (KPackage menu -> Help -> KPackage Handbook).
Unofficial Packages
Other "unofficial" packages are available at: apt-get.org
How to install a "Visual Linux Basic" in Mepis Linux
Visual Basic is an interesting piece of software to easily produce applications for graphical user interfaces. Having this ease in Linux would improve the availability of end-user applications alot. Though many C++ programmers heavily disagree with me because of the many flaws VB has on Windows, it's a fact that it was one of the reasons for rapid adoption of Windows by the users. And because of the very different approach of Linux these mentioned (security)flaws will most probably never exist.Market Overview
There are three or four active projects that work on the topic:
wxBasic
Website: http://wxbasic.sourceforge.net
wxBasic is a programming language for the wxWindows GUI toolkit. It is actively developed but lacks the development environment. I can't comment alot on this, sorry.
Gnome Basic
Website: http://gnome.org/projects/gb
Michael Meeks, a Ximian employee, works on this. His weblog doesn't say much about it and the version is 0.20. It seems it isn't very useful at this stage of development.
Gambas
Website: http://gambas.sourceforge.net
Gambas is an actively developed programming language and development environment for the QT toolkit, the one that KDE is based on and is Mepis' main desktop. The mailing list became very active in the last weeks. Version 0.7.2 was just released. It's very far in it's development and already very useful.
HBasic
Website: http://hbasic.sourceforge.net
A very ripe tool for QT (0.9.9e). The language is able to make use of C++ QT and C# (dotgnu.org - .NET) components, comes with a complete development environment and tools like a database editor. HBasic is developed by two persons but new releases appear about every two weeks.
I'm not a programmer but judging from the stage of development and discussions in the mailing lists I monitor, I decided to give HBasic a try on Mepis 2003.10.RC2.
HBasic Installtion on Mepis Linux
1. Download the freshest .rpm package from here: http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=9994
2. Login to a console and become root (su)
3. We must transform the rpm package to a native Debian package. alien is the tool for this task.
Change to the directory where the HBasic rpm resides.
alien -d HBasic*.rpm [Enter] is the command to execute.
4. Now installation of the generated .deb package:
dpkg -i hbasic*.deb [Enter]
5. As a normal user create a desktop shortcut to /usr/local/hbasic/bin/hbasic
It works pretty well for me, here is a screenshot: http://stibs.cc/mepis/hbasic.png
So if you BASIC programmer guys feel the urge to create something useful for Linux, give it a try :o). The documentation on the website is very complete. You can view it online or download as a separate tgz package that it is available inside the HBasic environment on click.
Cheers!
STIBS
Howto Configure KMail
Short howto inspired by a question by BloodlessPharao in the Forum. It shows how to konfigure KMail, to receive and send emails from your provider and gives a hint about using sendmail or not.OK, everything you need, you find in the menu under "Settings" - "Configure KMail".
First step is creating your identity. It's a *must*, otherwise you cannot send mail. Create a "New" with "blank fields" and fill in your information (especially your mail address), then save it.
Move on to the next button at the left -> "Network". Here you can specify everything for send/receive mails.
Under the "Receiving" tab, click "Add" to add a new account. It asks in the first step, which account type you setup. POP3 is the most common type of Email account. The screenshot shows which data and which checkmarks are required for a POP3 account.
With click on "OK" you save the new account. You should now be able to receive your emails when your internet connection works.
But stop, sometimes you want to answer an email. So we need to do something at the "Send" tab. Click on the "Add" button for adding a new account for sending emails. Choose "SMTP" for the next answer because emails, sent out by a local Sendmail account, get caught in the spam filters of mailservers. They recognize that your sending IP Address (you get it when logged on to your ISP) is a dialin account from an ISP. The next screenshot shows the required settings for your SMTP account:
Additional for SMTP:
It is possible (but not usual) that your mailprovider requires SMTP authentification. If so, check the according checkbox and fill in your smtp username and password and check saving the password as well. Otherwise you have to type username and password each time you send a mail.
br> Again a click on the "OK" button saves your SMTP account. Next "OK" click closes the KMail settings and you're ready to check your mailbox.
Btw: Since Spam Assassin checks each mail for spam, it slows the receive process down and your processor activity is up (needs quite much processor power). So don't wonder why it's that slow. You can edit Spam Assassin's whitelist and blacklist in the Mepis User Utilities!
Happy Mailing!
STIBS
Howto download Mepis Linux 2003.10.01 using Bit Torrent
Bit Torrent is a great tool for ad-hoc downloading of a file that is in demand. I have set up a torrent for the latest release of Mepis (2003.10.01) since the mirrors are still getting the new iso, and they are usually rather slow when everyone is trying to download after the initial release of a new version. If you have experience with Bit Torrent, the torrent links are [url=http://www.whatsinyourbox.org/metainfo.torrent]here[/url] and the alternate link is [url=http://shoegoo.homelinux.org:6881/metainfo.torrent]here[/url] Linux Users Howto First you need the Bit Torrent client (included with Mepis). If you are running a Debian based distribution simply type [code]apt-get install bittorrent[/code]. If you are running a distro that is not Debian based, obtain the right package for your distribution [url=http://bitconjurer.org/BitTorrent/download.html]here[/url]. Once the package is installed, download the .torrent file (in this case metainfo.torrent) from one of the above links. If your browser does not suggest opening the file with btdownloadgui save it to your home directory. Click the "K" menu and click "Run command". In the box type [code]btdownloadgui /home/yourusername/metainfo.torrent[/code] . If the browser does ask if you want to open it with btdownloadgui say yes. Once this is done, choose a place to save the file and you should begin downloading! Windows Users Howto Download the Bit Torrent client for Windows [url=http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/bittorrent/bittorrent-3.3.exe]here[/url]. Double click the .exe file and install Bit Torrent. Once it is installed, go to one of the torrent links above in your browser. It should prompt you to open the file with Bit Torrent. Say open, choose a place to save, and you should be downloading. For more information on Bit Torrent check [url=http://bitconjurer.org/BitTorrent/]here[/url]. -GarrettHowto use Ksirc for getting Instant Help for Mepis
Since there is a Mepis help channel on irc.freenode.net, you can get help face to face from people in the #mepis chatroom. You can ask your questions and get an answer in realtime. It can happen that nobody answers though there are people in the room. This is most probably due to the fact that people have to sleep, eat , do things away from computer but stay logged in.
Software
Mepis Linux comes with many applications that allow IRC (Internet Relay Chat). Kopete, the KDE instant messenger is one of them but a dedicated IRC program is Ksirc. You find it in the K-Menu under Internet – More Programs.
KSirc Usage
When you start it, the connection management screen shows up:
In the Connections menu is the New Connection item. Choose it and you get the next screen presented.
In the Server/Quick connect textbox type irc.freenode.net (that's the server), Port stays at 6667. That's all for this dialog, click on the Connect button now and you reach the following screen:
You are connected to the chatserver now but didn't step into a room yet. Now
you need to know some simple commands to get this working. IRC commands
start with a Slash (/) as the first character of an input line, followed by
the command itself without a whitespace between. Everything gets sent by
hitting the enter key.
/join #roomname ... lets you step into a chatroom
/nick yourNewNickname ... let's you change your alias (nickname)
/quit ... quits (oh! how interesting ;o) a chat session
/help ... lists all commands available
/help command ... shows help information for a single command
In the above picture you see the command to join the #mepis chatroom. If you
are there, you get the final screen for chatting and asking your questions or
just saying hello.
First thing you maybe want to do is change your nickname. Example to to
this is shown above. At the right part you see all currently connected
chatusers with their nicknames. If one name is tagged with an "a" in front,
the user is away. Type a nice "Hello all!" and hit enter and wait if people
resond (which they usually do if they're not working on something.
Hope to meet you there!
STIBS
Manual Entries in fstab
If you need to add a manual entry in /etc/fstab, be sure to put the entry in the top section of the file, now labeled '# Static entries' so the entry will be persistant. Any entries in the bottom section 'Dynamic entries' will be lost on reboot.Online Upgrade
Upgrades to most of the MEPIS packages can be installed from the worldwide Debian pool sites. The Debian pool is updated daily at about Midnight UT. The level of stability varies. Sometimes the packages get out of sync. If that happens an upgrade will not work. Usually the problems clear up in a few days.Playing DVDs
Protected DVDs
To play protected DVDs you must install the libdvdcss2 package. This package is not included on the MEPIS CD or in the regular sources for legal reasons. It's available at: apt-get.org
After installing the package, you can insert a DVD, open Xine and click on the DVD control button. The DVD should begin to play.
Short Howto for Konqueror Interface Customization
To customize the startup interface of Konqueror, e.g. with an individual startpage, you have to search alot how to get this done. Well, this short howto should ease the pain.1. Remove or add parts of your browser interface as you wish.
Toolbars: Rightclick on empty space in the toolbar and the toobar settings menu appears.
Browsing history: Hit F9 and click the little clock at the left.
2. Surf to your desired Startpage
3. Save these looks for the next startup
Konqueror Menu Settings
-> Save View Profile "webbrowsing"
-> Dialog for saving appears -> save it.
Have Fun!
STIBS
MEPIS Traveller Disc How To
Please Note: The information and instructions that follow are for the MEPIS Traveller Disc. We are currently working on documentation for the latest version of Desktop OnTheGo technology.
What is The MEPIS Traveller Disc?
The MEPIS Traveller Disc is a unique application that allows users to save their home directory to a USB key, which is then recognized on any computer running MEPIS. By saving the entire home directory on a USB jump drive, a user can easily transfer all of their personal settings, including Internet browser bookmarks and desktop configuration, plus any files, such as documents and pictures, from one computer to another. Also, the Traveller Disc lets multiple users share the same computer without ever saving any of their personal information to the hard drive. And, since the MEPIS operating system can run from CD, a person could run their home directory from the Traveller Disc with MEPIS on CD and never save anything to the computer's hard drive. The MEPIS Traveller Disc provides mobility and convenience for users without bringing along a laptop. Imagine going on vacation, carrying your Traveller Disc and MEPIS CD, and being able to use your own desktop in a cybercafe!
The MEPIS Traveller Disc is useful for keeping home directories on multiple computers in sync. You can also use it to create a back up of your home directory to keep around as an insurance policy. If your system crashes, and you have access to a second system that runs MEPIS, you can have your home directory available while your system is being repaired, and later you can easily merge that activity back into your main system.
Getting Started with the Traveller Disc
How to Select a USB Key
The Traveller Disc application works best with computers that support USB 2.0 and USB 2.0 keys. You can try to run it with USB 1.1, but it may be too slow to be practical for use.
When selecting a key, try to get the fastest key with the most memory that you can. We recommend using a key that is at least 512 MB. Depending on the work you do, you may need a key with more memory.
Upgrading MEPIS
In order to use the Traveller Disc, you must be running SimplyMEPIS 3.3.1-1 or MEPISLite or better. If you are running SimplyMEPIS 3.3 or 3.3.1, you will need to upgrade a few packages.
To do the upgrade, run Synaptic Package Manager by clicking K>System>Synaptic Package Manager. You will be prompted to enter your Root password. If necessary, Synaptic will prompt you to update your package list. Click OK. Then click on Installed (upgradeable) in the box on the left side of the screen. From the list of packages in the right hand box, select meauto, meauto-data, and mepis-oscenter. Click in the box beside the name and choose Mark for Upgrade. You may be prompted that rsync must also be installed, click OK. Once you have selected these packages, click Apply. A window will appear showing the status of the upgrade. When the upgrade is complete, close the window and exit Synaptic. Your computer should now be ready to use the Traveller Disc.
Formatting a USB Key as Traveller Disc Media
Boot up your computer with MEPIS installed or running from CD. Once it has loaded, plug in the USB key. Open MEPIS OS Control Center by clicking the icon on the desktop or click K>MEPIS OS Center. You will be prompted for your Root password. Under System Maintenance, choose Format Partitions. Make sure you select the correct disk (usually sda), then choose the partition, and select Traveller. Click Format. It will prompt you to verify the action. Click Yes.
NOTE: Be certain that you have selected the proper disk BEFORE you format. Some hard drives may also appear as sda. You should be able to determine the name of your USB key by looking for the icon on the desktop. If you format the wrong disk, you will lose whatever data is on that disk!
Once the USB key is formatted, exit the program and reboot your computer. Leave the USB key plugged in until the computer has reached the MEPIS boot screen (this is the screen where you can select how you want the computer to boot). At this point, unplug the USB key for a second and then plug it back in before the computer timed out at the boot screen. This will allow the computer to recognize the USB key as the Traveller Disc. The USB key is not unplugged, your computer may not recognize it when you first reboot.
NOTE: If you are using the Traveller Disc as your home directory, NEVER unplug it unless the computer is turned off or at the MEPIS Boot Screen! The best time to plug in the USB key is during the MEPIS boot screen. We do not recommend having the USB key plugged in before you power on the computer, as the initial power spike could be damaging to the key. Additionally, some computers may try to boot from the USB key if it is plugged in when the computer is first turned on.
During the boot, MEPIS will detect your Traveller Disc and check it for errors. If any errors are detected, MEPIS will automatically repair them. These messages will appear in the dialog during the boot.
The Traveller Disc will serve as the home directory for the default user only! Therefore, you must login as the default user. When MEPIS is installed, it is preconfiguered for two users: root and default. During installation setup, the first user will be recognized as the default (User ID 1000). Additional user accounts will not be recognized as the default user and therefore the Traveller Disc will not be recognized as their home directory. If you are running MEPIS from CD, the default user is “demo.”
NOTE: When using the Traveller Disc as your home directory, additional icons may appear on the desktop regarding the mounting of the USB key, home, and loop0. Please disregard them!
Using the MEPIS Traveller Disc
You can copy your existing local home directory to your MEPIS Traveller Disc using the MEPIS OS Control Center. Boot your computer without the USB key inserted. Insert the USB key. Then open MEPIS OS Control Center, enter your Root password, and under System Maintenance, select Sync Traveller. First, select the source (where you are copying from) and the destination (where you are copying to). Next, choose which parts of the source home directory you want to copy. Then select whether you would like to perform a “copy” or a “sync.” If you choose copy, files in the destination will be copied or updated from the source, but files that exist in the destination and not the source will not be affected. If you choose sync, the destination will be an exact duplication of the source, and any files that exist in the destination and not in the source will be removed. Once you have made the selections, click the Sync button. You will be asked to verify the action. Make sure there are no other applications running, then click Yes.
In order to make the Traveller Disc run faster, it is set up differently than most disks. Usually, to view the files contained on a disk, you can click the disk's icon to view the files/folders. The Traveller Disc works in another way. When you are not using the Traveller Disc as your home directory, but would like to view the files in it, follow these easy steps. Click the icon for the USB key on the desktop. A window will open with an icon named travel_home.iso. Right-click on this icon, and then click Actions>Mount (as Root) iso to /mnt/temp. You will be prompted to enter your Root password. A new icon will appear on the desktop called Hard Disc (travel_home). Click on this icon and your home directory is now viewable. You can use this to copy files manually between the local home directory and the Traveller Disc home directory. Once you are finished, the travel_home icon must be unmounted. Close the window you were using to view the files in the Traveller Disc home directory, right click on the travel_home icon and select Unmount (as Root). You will be prompted for the Root password. The icon will then disappear from the desktop. Before you remove the USB key, you must unmount it as well! Right-click on the icon, choose Unmount. Once the green arrow at the right corner of the icon disappears, you can safely remove the USB key. In some cases, the green arrow may stay on the icon after it has been unmounted, as certain video cards do not update icons properly. If this happens, try to unmount the device again. An error message will appear if the device is unmounted.
NOTE: Never unplug a USB device without unmounting it first! However, should you accidentally remove a device without unmounting it, you can correct the icon by unmounting as root. Also, if a device is mounted as root, it must be unmounted as root.
Reformatting the MEPIS Traveller Disc
If you would like to convert your Traveller Disc back to a regular USB key, this can be done easily by using the OS Control Center. Choose Format and select DOS. Then click Format. You will be asked to verify the action. Click Yes. This will convert your USB key back to "factory condition" and allow it to be compatible with Windows.
Note: If you choose to reformat your USB key, all files on the key will be removed. You can copy from your Traveller Disc to the local home directory using Sync Traveller.