Some screenshots of XBMC on my XBOX.
I really enjoy XBMC. It's the only thing that makes my old first-gen XBOX worth a damn any more. GameStop no longer carries them, but PS2 and GameCube titles are readily available. So, an open source project has given it new life.
Here's some recent screenshots:
 |
| From XBMC Screenshots |
And one more:
 |
| From XBMC Screenshots |
Listening to some Professor Kliq, an artist whose work is licensed under a rather liberalCreative Commons license. The XBMC skin is Focus from SVN.
Gnome/Metacity is tweakable, y’all.
I hear/read it a lot. Gnome/Metacity is not as configurable as other Desktop Environments (DE). That's not entirely true. It's not as EASILY (read GUIfied) configured as other environments.
Wait! Which environments provide a GUI configuration for all of the tweakable desktop elements like title font, window border, button shape, size and/or placement?
I can think of 2 that allow such fine-grained control in a GUI:
I prefer Gnome for all its "bloat" and "size." Again: Why is this? On a modest system (Intel Celeron 2,2GHz, GeForce 8400 GS, single 21" display via DVI and 2GBs of RAM running the latest Arch Linux 64-bit version), I can enable the built-in compositing in Metacity without noticeable impact to my desktop performance. 3D performance drops dramatically, but I turn off the compositing if I really need 3D performance, like when playing games or playing games.
Gnome is very configurable, however. Like with other DE/WM combinations, you'll have to get "under the hood" and "get your hands dirty." This means that a few config files have to be tweaked, you WILL need a command prompt and the changes may not be permanent. It's Linux, not OS X or Windows.
I've modified the default icon theme, changed the background of the panel and other tweaks that make my desktop:
- Unique (Like every other alternative-OS-running-mofo's desktop. Is that ironic?)
- Personal (That's what PC meant originally, right? No reason it should mean anything else now.)
- Functional (By adding this myself, I can be more productive. Can be, but I'm not)
I like the customization freedom I have with Gnome. Is it as easy as in other DE/WM combinations? No, not really? Do I care? Nope. Not enough to remedy the situation.
Now Playing Notification using ncmpcpp, libnotify and Gnome
I missed the functionality of a Mac OS X application and through the a mix of LinuxJournal's tip for using at with libnotify, some tinkering and assignment to <Mod4+F5>, ncmpcpp and this code:
notify-send -i audio-x-generic "Now Playing" "$(ncmpcpp --now-playing '?? %t ??^M^M?? %a ??^M^M ?? %b ??')"
EDIT: Crikey! The above code was pasted from vim in a terminal, so the ^M's are actually the following keystrokes: <ctrl-v><ctrl-m>. It's to get the linebreak needed to separate the track, artist and album so nicely.
I get the following via libnotify when I press the "Windows" key and F5:
Adding new hotkeys using the rarely-used "Windows" key.
I abhor using that word to describe that key and I'm too lazy to replace the keymap with a "penguin" or a "mudflap girl" or whatever else it could be. For now, it remains the "Windows", "Super" or even "Mod4" key.
One of the best uses of that key, however, is as a modifier for personal Keyboard shortcuts. Gnome doesn't clobber keyboard shortcuts that use these keys. Your DE/WM may vary.
For example, I've added some questionably convenient shortcuts for myself:
Linux…why I run it
and why I don't really give a rat's ass why you run what you do
Arch Linux defines simplicity as 'without unnecessary additions, modifications, or complications', and provides a lightweight
UNIX-like base structure that allows an individual user to shape the system according to their own needs. In short; an elegant, minimalist approach.
What this means to me is that my ArchLinux installation will be radically different from another ArchLinux user's installation. This highlights the versatility of a Linux system. This is one of the key reasons I prefer Linux and specifically distributions that give me real freedom: the freedom to run the software I'd like to run. Nothing more, nothing less.
Another reason that I believe ArchLinux maintains the spirit of Linux is their adherence to Code Correctness over Convenience. This is the notion that upstream developers (those that actually write the software) should correct their code rather than the have the distribution apply patches (Gentoo, Ubuntu. That means you). If the distribution patches the code that you're writing, the experience you're having with your computer is going to be specific to that distribution. While this can be a benefit for many, I believe that by allowing upstream developers to maintain their software, anyone running ANY distribution of Linux can experience the same thing. This is one way that Linux can have a consistent look and feel.
I only claim to have experience with the distributions that I've run. I define "run" as: Used as my primary desktop distribution for a period consisting of greater than six months. This rules out distributions I tried but left for some reason. Ubuntu, Fedora, SuSE (and OpenSuSE) fall into this category. I have tried each of them, but I always fell back to Debian, Gentoo, or most recently, ArchLinux.
During that time, I have read the arguments (flamewars and not-so-flaming-wars) about which Operating System or distribution is "the best." I would argue that there is no such thing. There is what was best for you and your needs. Then, there's best for someone else's needs. I don't care if you run Mac OS X, Windows or Linux. If what you run helps you get what you want out of your computer, then stick with it.
I no longer evangelize about Linux with the same fervor that I once did. My passion has been tempered by experience. My only preaching now consists of sharing my firsthand experiences with free software and alternative operating systems.
In fact, I am going to delve into Ubuntu one more time, having downloaded the latest beta release of the distribution and installing the live image to my USB thumb drive. This will allow me to try it out with installing over my current installed base.
I am OS agnostic in the sense that I don't give a rat's ass what you run. If it works for you, wonderful. But don't try to convince me that it's the best.
Ads no more.
While I admire and utilize many of Google's tools, I am not a fan of their advertising model. Or, more to the point, certain aspects of that model. Also, much of my ranting has a bent for the adversarial when I speak of marketing and marketers in general.
It would seem hypocritical for me to deliver ads to any who may visit here and then speak to them of how to eliminate said ads from their web experience. Today, August 3 of the year 2009, I have removed any ads from this and my other Google-hosted blog. Ads would also detract from the reason I write this blog. My goal is not to make money with this process, but instead to share information about my experiences.
The topics I discuss here are only topics that interest me and not written to achieve higher page ranking or to promote any individual cause. That being said, any opinions held here or (mis)beliefs are mine and mine only.
October is my free music month.
For the entire month of October, I shall be listening ONLY to music that is freely available to distribute. You can feel free to follow me at last.fm.
I'm doing this to help wean myself and, hopefully, others away from the large record labels and toward a new method of distributing art. Sites like Jamendo, The Free Music Archive and ccMixter have a wealth of truly "free" music: free to distribute, free to remix, free to use as you see fit.
Missed will be bands like Dredg, The Crystal Method and Godsmack, but to replace them I have Tryad, Chronique, Chill Carrier, The Liquid Kitchen and Professor Kliq. I will be downloading and sharing more as the month progresses.
had teeth pulled – anxious as all hell now.
had 4 teeth pulled on Monday from the left side of my face. Punchy, but I'm managing.
Song of my now: Under the Influence by Matthew Good Band
Mother told me to be something
so I'm afraid enough to stay wide awake.
Technorati Tags: insomnia
FSF sins
I won't link to it here because there's already been enough traffic generated to the site, but the Free Software Foundation launched a campaign against Microsoft called Windows 7 Sins. The site's intent is to warn potential Windows 7 purchasers about the evils of Microsoft.
However, if you actually visit the site in question, it comes across as little more than a schizophrenic on the corner, shaking his fist and screaming obscenities. Many of the "sins" are not exclusive to Microsoft, supporting links are outdated and the overall theme seems to be "Don't trust Microsoft." Many of these "sins" apply to any proprietary software vendor: Apple, Adobe, Intuit, Symantec.
I mention it here because I'm very disappointed with this attack angle the FSF has chosen. The site gives few reasons for anyone to consider free software other than fear of Microsoft's monopoly. I wish the FSF would instead focus on promoting the benefits of free software in the context of user experience. This campaign seems spiteful, opportunistic and shameless in its timing.
What saddens me most is that most of the Windows users I know already have a negative impression of Linux users and often label them fanatics. This campaign by the FSF does little to change that view and, in fact, reinforces it. The handful of Windows users I asked to visit the site and provide feedback stated that they were not swayed by this site and still wished to install Windows 7 when it is released. A few of them even felt insulted by the page as it infers that they are stupid for continuing to work under Microsoft's reign.
I only ask that the FSF be fair as they would expect anyone else to be when discussing GNU/Linux rather than stoop to spreading fear as a means of swaying people's opinions.
