We’re a little light on content, but we’ll make up for it with enthusiasm!
Announcements:
Ronny, K4RJJ, will be the LHS ambassador at the Dalton Hamfest, February 25, 2012, in Dalton, GA. Stop by and say hello.
Topics:
Linux Mint 12 Review
Richard has been using Ubuntu for some time, but he’s been unhappy with the latest version. He’s rediscovered Linux Mint! Version 12 is out, with Gnome 3, Gnome 2, MATE, and Cinnamon, and he gives a brief review.
His primary needs: browser, email, Audacity, XChat, and a few others.
Using the Gnome 3 desktop, as a desktop fills with icons, a new desktop is automatically created.
By moving the mouse to a hot corner, you’ll see a high-level view of all your open applications.
Russ has been using Linux Mint Debian Edition, so he’s missing out on the Gnome 3 goodies, at least for now.
Our hosts then drift into a discussion of various desktop managers and visual effects.
WINE is a collection of libraries for Linux that support Windows library calls from a Windows application.
EchoLink, for example, is a Windows application works quite well under WINE on Linux.
If you can’t find a native Linux application that does what you want, you may find that WINE will allow you to run the Windows program.
There are a couple of different versions of WINE, all based on the core version of WINE.
Cedega: a version of WINE that supports a variety of Windows games.
CrossOver: a version of WINE that originally focused on supporting business applications such as Internet Explorer and MS Office, but has also expanded to include some games and running Windows applications on a Mac.
Some repositories may not have the most recent version of WINE (1.4 at the time of recording).
Under System Tools (in Linux Mint, or Debian) there is a WINE Configuration tool.
To install a Windows program under WINE, download the Windows installer application. At the command line, type “wine [name of installer executable]“, and the setup program should proceed just as with Windows. A program icon should appear under the WINE program folder, and the program will, hopefully, run just like in Windows.
Some Windows programs will run just fine under WINE; others won’t. Give your favorite a try and see!
One of the most-wanted ham radio applications, Ham Radio Deluxe v. 5.0, does not run at all under WINE. If you can find a copy of HRD v. 4, it should work under WINE. Remember, too, the native Linux application fldigi does much of what HRD would do.
Russ has also tried the N1MM Logger under WINE, and it worked fine.
The Winetricks tool might help get a Windows application running under WINE.
This episode we left up to the listeners because we hadn’t had enough time to prepare some content for ourselves. While waiting for some input, Richard decided to give an impromptu review of the improvements in Gnome 3 and his assessment of the technology, and where he thinks it’s going from here. You might be surprised by his analysis.
After that, we had a request to discuss WINE in a little more depth than perhaps we had touched on in previous episodes. So we take a fairly broad view of the WINE project, how to use it for your applications, what its can and can’t do, and how it can benefit you.
As a quick reminder, Hamvention in Dayton is coming up quickly, from May 18-20. As always, if you can spare a few bucks, quid, euros, drachmas, or whatever currency you currently use to help send LHS out to Ohio for the weekend, we’d love to see everyone there. Any little bit will help.
Thank you to all of our listeners, as always. We couldn’t and wouldn’t do it without you!
Welcome to another installment of Linux in the Ham Shack.
After the holidays, consider attending a Skywarn training class so you’ll be prepared for the next storm season.
Topics:
Contesting software for Linux
Ian, KM4IK, wrote that he’s now using Ubuntu 11.04 in his ham shack, but wants suggestions for a native Linux contest logging program. Good question, Ian, and we have a few suggestions. However, as neither Russ nor Richard are contesters, these may or may not be suitable for you.
JL Logger is a Java application that supports all of the major contests.
YFKlog and YFKtest are curses-based programs that run in a terminal session. YFKtest uses the hamlib libraries for rig control.
TLF also runs in a terminal session and uses hamlib for rig control.
KB is still in development. It runs in the Gnome window manager. Radio control for the Yaesu FT-1000 only.
Fldigi has a built-in logger, and will also work with CQRLog.
N1MM Logger has been reported to work under Wine. Others have had problems.
Russ tried installing N1MM under Wine, and while the installer ran fine, N1MM didn’t run properly when launched. Apparently, you must have the ALSA libraries installed. Note that the N1MM website warns that you should perform the Full Install, then install the latest update. Do not run the Full Install without first installing the update. Russ also tried the JL Logger, but it crashed. After realizing that it requires that the Java Development Kit, he installed that, but it still crashed. Look for an update in a future episode.
Richard was having an issue with the VLC plugin for Firefox 7.0.1; the LHS music stream would play one song then stop. The VLC Media Player should work.
Our hosts briefly digress into a discussion of the DEFCON system; DEFCON 1 is the most serious, while 5 is the least. Hollywood often gets it wrong.
Feedback:
Burt, K1OIK: please contact us about recent emails we’ve received from you. It may be that your email account may have been compromised.
Leif, KC8RWR, wrote us regarding the discussion of EchoLink clients in episode 66. He tried QTEL and it worked fine. Thanks, Leif. (Also look at SvxLink.)
Tom, KA2D, who is on the committee for Ham Radio University in New York, asks if there are any LHS Ambassadors in the Long Island, NY area. No, Tom, so you’re it!
Andy, KC2ZWR, of the Suffolk County Radio Club, will also be at Ham Radio University on January 8, 2012, and offers his services as ambassador for that event.
Tony, K7ISS, wrote to say he was happy that Richard had a good time at the Texoma Hamarama. Richard blogged about his visit to the event.
Mike S., sent a VERY generous donation to the podcast. Thank you, Mike!
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