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For SpaceNut ... you had a topic somewhere that dealt with operating systems, but wherever it is, it did not include the word "system" in the title.
This topic is available for anyone who might be so inclined to post news ab out updates of any of the many software operating systems that exist and are in actual use by members....
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Unbuntu is out with version 22.04.1 LTS for 64 bit systems.
I have numerous machines that use that OS, so am having to spend multiple hours baby sitting the upgrades.
Unlike with my experience with Microsoft upgrades, Linux ones (and specifically Ubuntu) are error free, and everything "just works" after the upgrade.
I do not have experience with Apple, but understand (from comments by those who do use Apple) that their experiences are generally positive as well. I understand that Apple long ago converted to a flavor of Linux.
Web Browser upgrades occur frequently, and generally without incident.
In fact, the main way I know that a web browser update is needed is when a customer facing entity (like a bank) refuses to accept login by an obsolete browser.
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Because the current investigation of pixel properties is leading toward XML as a format for delivery of captured data to a spreadsheet, I was curious to know if an XML viewer is available. It turns out that Chrome is able to support a free extension.
Home/
Developer tools/
XML Viewer
XML Viewer
XML Viewer
Olgierd Borowski
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Developer tools
Update 2022/08/17 ... there are a number of XML "pretty print" utilities ... some are online and some run locally
Google found a convenient option available to Ubuntu users (and probably users of other flavors of Linux) ...
xmllint is a utility that can be given the command: xmllint --format (your xml file) > outputintext.xml
The result is a text file that contains the XML output of a spreadsheet in human readable forrm
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This post is intended to (try to) increase public awareness of work done by a member of the Columbus Computer Society, to help new owners of Raspberry Pi computers to load the Raspberry Pi flavor of Debian.
Mr. Wright is (now retired) from a career in Information Processing that included serving as an instructor at a local community college.
An Unofficial Raspberry Pi - Craig Wright's Home Page
https://www.craig-wright.us › piFiles › RaspberryPiS...PDF
Dec 19, 2020 — Copy a Raspberry Pi OS image onto a microSD card via Raspberry Pi Imager ... Note that during the initial setup, you might want to connect a ...
At last night's Zoom meeting of the Columbus Computer Society, Craig demonstrated the process of loading a brand new Raspberry Pi right out of the box, all the way through waking up on the local Intranet as a fully configured Linux box ready to accept logins and to perform such tasks as the owner might request.
If there is interest in the book, or the process of configuration, I am willing to ask Mr. Wright if he would be available to give a (small) class to NewMars members.
As most readers of this forum would know, the Raspberry Pi is a compact but surprisingly powerful computer system designed and manufactured in the UK.
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The Raspberry Pi documentation site has been down for a while, due to a combination of changes not in the host's control. It took a while to work through the steps needed to adjust to the changes.
The site is back up: https://craig-wright.us/raspberry_pi.html
If anyone is interested in working with a Raspberry Pi, Mr. Wright is available once a month for online consultation.
I can (and will) forward any inquiries that might come in from NewMars members.
Plus, there is a contact option on the web site itself.
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This post is about the new VR device from Apple. They call it something else.
I stopped in at the local Apple store today, to see the helmet. I had not made a reservation, so had to wait for a slot to open up. There are (were) two teams of staff working with this product. There is a sales person/demonstrator out front, and a support person in the back, for each of two tables.
When I was waved over to meet my guide, we went through some preliminaries before I could start the demo. The procedure involves taking a camera view of the visitor's head. I note with interest that if Apple wanted to, they could save that data. However, I did not think to ask. In any case, the readings finally took, and the helmet was brought out from the back on an oval serving tray. The demonstrator then spent more time explaining how to hold the device, and how to fit the headband. There is a dial on the head band that the wearer can adjust for tightness. I liked that design feature, and used it.
What I had come into the store to find out is whether this device could be used for teleoperation, and I came away convinced that it most definitely could.
The "see through" feature of the screen is ** very ** nice, and far superior to anything I have seen previously.
The image quality is outstanding. All in all, I feel safe in recommending this experience to anyone who might have the least interest.
Just be sure to call ahead to make an appointment.
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This post is about differences between Windows and Linux. The specific focus is installation of FluxBB software on the two different platforms.
In ongoing development of improvements to the FluxBB software used by NewMars, we have instances running on Windows and on Linux. The challenge for the Admins was to recreate the Linux environment on a development machine separate from the Mars Society production environment. I asked ChatGPT4 to think about the differences in the two environments, and suggest a procedure that would allow the developer on Linux to enjoy the same success as the developer on Windows.
Apache Internal Server Error objected to the content of this post, because it contained names internal to FluxBB
The secret is to use this command in the directory where the forum files are stored:
s u d o space p h p space i n s t a l l . p h p
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This post is about Linux on a Chromebook.
The local Linux Focus Group includes a member who lives in Canada, North of Toronto, near Lake Ontario.
This member also recently upgraded his Chromebook, and I am planning to set up Linux on my machine, in anticipation he will be doing the same. I am hoping we can compare notes next month.
In the mean time, ahead of launching the setup process, here is what I am seeing:
Chrome logo
Google ChromeOS
Your Chromebook is up to date
Version 132.0.6834.208 (Official Build) (64-bit)
See what's new
Automatic updates provide you with the latest features. Explore highlights from recent updates.
Opens in new tab
Get help
View help articles or find device support
Opens in new tab
Send feedback
Share feedback or report an issue
Opens in new tab
Diagnostics
Test your battery, CPU, memory, connectivity, and more
Opens in new tab
Firmware updates
Firmware is up to date
Opens in new tab
Additional details
Developers
Linux development environment
Run developer tools, IDEs, and editors. Learn more
Google ChromeOS
Copyright 2025 Google LLC. All rights reserved.
Chrome is made possible by the Chromium open source project.
Chrome is also made possible by other open source software.
ChromeOS is made possible by additional open source software.
Terms of Service
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Awesome! The installation only took a short time.... This is a virtual machine, so perhaps installation is quicker than a normal Linux installation. A normal Linux installation can take hours. After the set up completed, a Terminal Window appeared, with the contents that I will attempt to paste below:
(this message will be repeated 4 more times).
(to silence this message, run the following in this terminal):
echo 5 >"/home/newmarsmember/.local/share/cros-motd"
newmarsmember@penguin:~$ NOTICE:
To provide a more stable graphical user experience in Crostini,
the GPU-based rendering driver (virgl) has been disabled by default
for existing and new environments in ChromeOS version 131 and newer.OpenGL and OpenGLES applications will continue to function using a
CPU-based rendering driver (swrast).If you would like to re-enable GPU-based rendering in an unsupported
capacity, you may visit: chrome://flags#crostini-gpu-support
in your Chrome browser and set the flag to "Enabled", then restart
your device.(this message will be repeated 4 more times).
(to silence this message, run the following in this terminal):
echo 5 >"/home/newmarsmember/.local/share/cros-motd"
newmarsmember@penguin:~$
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This post shows a first exploration of the Terminal Window in Linux on Chromebook:
-bash: mddir: command not found
newmarsmember@penguin:~$ mkdir chromebook
newmarsmember@penguin:~$ ls
chromebook
newmarsmember@penguin:~$ set a=1
newmarsmember@penguin:~$ set b=2
newmarsmember@penguin:~$ set c=a*b
newmarsmember@penguin:~$ echo $a,$b,$c
,,
newmarsmember@penguin:~$ echo $anewmarsmember@penguin:~$ pwd
/home/newmarsmember
newmarsmember@penguin:~$ cd chromebook
newmarsmember@penguin:~/chromebook$ pdw
-bash: pdw: command not found
newmarsmember@penguin:~/chromebook$ pwd
/home/newmarsmember/chromebook
newmarsmember@penguin:~/chromebook$ cd
newmarsmember@penguin:~$ cd chromebook
newmarsmember@penguin:~/chromebook$ cd ~
newmarsmember@penguin:~$
The set command did not work as i expected. Or the echo command did not work as expected.
On Ubuntu 22.04 the set commad would have created a variable named "a" and insered a numeric value.
The echo command would have shown the contents of "a" if preceded by a $ character.
The next command I will try is uname -a
This ** should ** reveal the version of Linux we are running.
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This post shows the operation of the uname -a command in Linux running on a Chromebook:
newmarsmember@penguin:~$ uname -a
Linux penguin 6.6.56-05934-gf790fe104dba #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Wed, 25 Dec 2024 22:23:38 -0800 x86_64 GNU/Linux
newmarsmember@penguin:~$
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This is a follow up to Post #11
The monthly Linux meeting here is scheduled for this evening, and I decided to ask Gemini for some tips on what it might be possible to show using the Chromebook version of Linux. I was surprised by what appears to be a substantial capability.
Conversation with Gemini
Hi Gemini! Thanks again for your assistance with previous questions! Today I have a question I'll bet you don't see every day. I have a Chromebook and I've activated their version of Linux. The Linux starts and presents a terminal window. I'm a member of a Linux discussion group and they are meeting again this evening. I'd like to be able to show them something that Linux on Chromebook can do, running simple shell commands isn't very impressive. Can you find any discussion of how others might be using Linux on Chromebook? I opened a terminal window on the Chromebook and entered uname -a
Penguin 6.6.65-06377#1 GNU/Linux
You're right, simply running uname -a isn't going to set the discussion group on fire! Let's find some more impressive and practical uses of Linux on a Chromebook, especially considering your uname -a output (kernel 6.6.65).
Here's a breakdown of what we can focus on and how to find relevant information:
Understanding the Chromebook Linux Environment (Crostini)
Crostini: The official name for the Linux environment on Chromebooks. It's a containerized Debian-based environment, meaning it's relatively isolated from the core Chrome OS.
Purpose: Google designed Crostini primarily for developers, but it's useful for many other tasks.
Limitations: While it's powerful, there are limitations. Hardware acceleration for graphics (especially for demanding games) can be tricky, and direct hardware access is restricted.Impressive and Practical Uses for Your Linux Discussion Group
Development Tools:
Showcasing your ability to code: Install a code editor like VS Code (via the Debian repository or a .deb package) or Neovim. You can then run a simple Python or Node.js script.
Demonstrating Git: Show how you can clone a repository, make changes, and commit them. This is a common workflow for developers.
Web Development: Start a simple web server (e.g., using Python's http.server or Node.js's express) and access it from the Chrome browser.
Productivity and Utility:
File Management: Use mc (Midnight Commander) for a powerful, text-based file manager. It's visually more appealing than simple ls commands.
Text Processing: Show off powerful command line tools such as awk, sed, and grep. For example, you could download a large text file, and then use grep to find all lines that contain a certain string.
Image Manipulation: Install imagemagick and show some basic image conversions or manipulations from the command line.
Audio/Video: Demonstrate ffmpeg's capabilities for converting or manipulating audio and video files.
Linux Educational Demonstrations:
System Monitoring: Use htop to show real-time system resource usage. This is visually informative.
Network Tools: Demonstrate ping, traceroute, or netstat to show network connectivity and information.
Scripting: Write a simple shell script that automates a task, like backing up a directory or processing a text file.
Showing off Newer Kernel Features:
Since you are running a relatively new kernel, you could potentially show some of the features that are available in that kernel. Though most of these are very technical, and would not be visually impressive.
One area that has been improving in the newer kernels is containerization. You could attempt to run a simple docker container. But this can have complications on a chromebook.Finding Discussions and Tutorials
Reddit:
r/Crostini: A dedicated subreddit for Crostini users.
r/ChromeOS: General Chromebook discussions.
r/linux: General Linux discussions, where you can find tips and tricks applicable to Crostini.
Chromium OS Documentation:
Google's official documentation for Crostini is a valuable resource. Search for "Chromebook Linux (Beta)" or "Crostini."
YouTube:
Search for "Crostini tutorials" or "Linux on Chromebook." You'll find many videos demonstrating various use cases.
Linux Forums:
General Linux forums can be very helpful.Example Commands to Impress:
Install and run htop:
Bashsudo apt update
sudo apt install htop
htopInstall and use mc:
Bashsudo apt install mc
mcShow a simple Python web server:
Bashpython3 -m http.server
(Then, open your Chrome browser and go to localhost:8000.)
Install and use imagemagick to resize an image:
Bashsudo apt install imagemagick
convert input.jpg -resize 50% output.jpgShow network information:
Baship a
Using grep to find a string in a file.
Bashgrep "search string" filename.txt
Important Notes:
Always use sudo apt update before installing new packages.
Be mindful of the limitations of your Chromebook's hardware. Some resource-intensive tasks might be slow.
If you are going to be running a webserver, or any other network services, ensure that your Chromebooks firewall is configured correctly.By combining these ideas and resources, you'll be well-prepared to impress your Linux discussion group with the capabilities of Crostini on your Chromebook.
Thank you ** very ** much for this awe inspiring list! I'll begin by posting your answer to a small online forum so it will be easy for members to find. It appears there is a lot that we might be able to try.
You're very welcome! I'm glad I could provide a helpful list. Sharing it with your online forum is a great idea. I hope you and your fellow Linux enthusiasts have a productive and enjoyable time exploring the possibilities of Crostini. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask!
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The local Linux Focus group has members in the US and Canada. It is open to the public, but membership in the sponsor nonprofit are appreciated, since the group has modest expenses to keep a web site running.
The meeting is this evening at 19:00 New Hampshire time.
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Search term:Mouse
This post is about how to find the mouse if it is lost in a maze of screens
Conversation with Gemini
Hi Gemini! Thanks for your help with numerous previous questions! Today I have a Linux trivia question. I often lose sight of my mouse. I have four screens, and sometimes the mouse hides out of sight on the border of one of the screens. It occurred to me that the operating system knows where the mouse is at all times. Is there a command I could issue at the terminal window that would reveal the coordinates of the mouse?***
Hello! You're very welcome, and I'm glad to help with your Linux trivia question. Yes, there are several ways to get the mouse cursor's coordinates from the terminal in Linux. Here are a few methods, ranging from simple to more robust:
1. xdotool getmouselocation
xdotool is a command-line X11 automation tool. If it's not already installed, you can usually install it with your distribution's package manager (e.g., sudo apt install xdotool on Debian/Ubuntu, sudo yum install xdotool on Fedora/CentOS, sudo pacman -S xdotool on Arch Linux).
The getmouselocation subcommand does exactly what you need.
Bashxdotool getmouselocation
This will output something like:
x:1234 y:567 screen:0 window:4194305
Where x and y are the coordinates, screen is the screen number, and window is the ID of the window the mouse is currently over.
2. xdpyinfo | grep dimensions and xinput list combined with xinput test-xi2This is a more complex method, but it can be useful if xdotool is unavailable or if you need more detailed information.
First, use xdpyinfo | grep dimensions to get the screen resolution. This will help you understand the coordinate system.
Bashxdpyinfo | grep dimensions
Then, use xinput list to find the ID of your mouse.
Bashxinput list
Look for your mouse device in the list. For example, it might be listed as "Virtual core pointer". Note the ID number.
Lastly use xinput test-xi2 <mouse_device_id> to stream mouse events including coordinates.
Bashxinput test-xi2 <mouse_device_id>
Replace <mouse_device_id> with the ID you found in the previous step. This will stream all mouse events including coordinates to the terminal. You will have to use Ctrl + C to stop the stream.3. Using /dev/input/mice or /dev/input/event* devices (more advanced)
Linux represents input devices as files in the /dev/input directory. You can read raw mouse data from these files, but it requires some parsing. This method is generally more complex and not recommended for simple coordinate retrieval.
You will have to identify the correct event file for your mouse, and then read the binary data, and then parse that binary data.Example Usage and Tips
To get only the x and y coordinates using xdotool, you can use awk:
Bashxdotool getmouselocation | awk -F ' ' '{print $1, $2}'
Or to get just the numbers:
Bashxdotool getmouselocation | awk -F '[: ]+' '{print $2, $4}'
You can create a simple alias or shell function to make this command more convenient:
Bashalias mousepos='xdotool getmouselocation'
#or a function
mousepos() {
xdotool getmouselocation
}
I recommend starting with xdotool getmouselocation because it's usually the simplest and most direct solution.***
Thank you for this comprehensive review of the available options. The computer I am using is too old to install xdotool, but the alternative methods you showed me seem to work. While I'm away, best wishes for similar success as you attempt to help all your other customers.
***
You're very welcome! I'm glad the alternative methods worked for you. It's understandable that older systems might have limitations with newer tools.And thank you for the kind wishes! I appreciate it, and I'll do my best to assist everyone who comes my way. If you have any more Linux questions or anything else in the future, don't hesitate to ask. Take care!
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