August 2015 - Talk - lists.gtalug.org

Alternative to KOrganizer (KDE) ?
by William Park 13 Aug '15

13 Aug '15

KOrganizer is a calendar program in KDE. And, it's the only thing that's tying me to KDE desktop. What calendar program do you guys use in other desktops? I know of and test drove - Evolution (GNOME) - Orage (XFCE) But, they can't pull me off KDE, yet. -- William

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Where Should We Dine Before the August 2015 GTALUG Meeting? (was GTALUG Meeting on 11th August, 2015 at 7:30pm)
by Myles Braithwaite 12 Aug '15

12 Aug '15

On Mon, Jul 27, 2015 at 8:50 AM, Myles Braithwaite <me(a)mylesbraithwaite.com> wrote: > * 6:00 pm - Before each meeting a group of GTALUGers dine at Love At > First Bite (96 Gerrard Street E). Let's try doing this again, vote for where you want to go for dinner before the August GTALUG meeting <http://survey.gtalug.org/index.php/642325>.

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Slightly OT: git question
by Giles Orr 12 Aug '15

12 Aug '15

I'm writing a Python script that checks git repositories in the user's home folder (other folders is an option that should be added soon) and then tells you their status, both local and remote. I want to release it publicly using github, but I'd like to maintain a private repo, and only push certain releases to github. I admit this is mostly because I keep extensive notes in the source code and am perhaps a bit embarrassed what those notes say both about my memory and my limited coding skills. I should probably just get over it - particularly since the code itself probably says more than the notes. But - git is flexible enough that I imagine that this is an option: has anybody done this? As my knowledge of Python is somewhat rudimentary, so is my knowledge of git. The only thing I'm fairly sure about is that rebasing will be involved. If I wasn't concerned about pull requests (as novel as it seems now, I like to hope they'll happen) this could be done in any number of sloppy ways. But it seems like I need either a branch or a separate repo (which, and why?) that includes only the github data, and I need my private repo to have the github one as a "tracked branch" or something like that that I can merge from. Is this making sense, or am I thinking about it all wrong? I welcome all suggestions and thoughts, thanks. -- Giles http://www.gilesorr.com/ gilesorr(a)gmail.com

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Love at First Bite Closed
by Myles Braithwaite 11 Aug '15

11 Aug '15

Bill, Ivan, and me are heading to Z-Teca at 66 Gerrard Street East.

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Re: [GTALUG] UEFI bios/firmware
by Abby 11 Aug '15

11 Aug '15

Sure us crazy! Sent from my Samsung device -------- Original message -------- From: Lennart Sorensen <lsorense(a)csclub.uwaterloo.ca> Date: 08-11-2015 13:23 (GMT-05:00) To: phiscock(a)ee.ryerson.ca, GTALUG Talk <talk(a)gtalug.org> Subject: Re: [GTALUG] UEFI bios/firmware On Tue, Aug 11, 2015 at 11:01:24AM -0400, phiscock(a)ee.ryerson.ca wrote: > I had this same problem on an Acer laptop until I discovered you need to > enter a password and enable the password. > > When you are finished disabling things, you can then disable the password. So you have to set a supervisor/admin password for the bios before you can change the secureboot setting? Crazy. :) -- Len Sorensen --- Talk Mailing List talk(a)gtalug.org http://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk

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Thinkpad T420 as a VM host
by Alex Volkov 11 Aug '15

11 Aug '15

So I replaced a 4GB memory stick in my Thinkpad T420 with an 8GB one bringing the total amount of available ram to 12GB with maximum of 16GB.Even though Lenovo say that the laptop supports only 8 GB of ram total. As it stands now this 4 year old machine becomes a pretty cost-effective platform for virtualization: * Intel Core i5-2410M * 16GB max memory (~$65 per 8GB stick). * 2 SATA ports (built-in and ultrabay) * 2 mSata ports (one could be used for solid state storage) * 1 eSata port. * 1 Gigabit ethernet * 1 SD card Canada computers sells refurbished ones for about $300 and I think there are some available in Brampton. Also I saw a few similar refurbished machines on Amazon. Alex.

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Re: [GTALUG] UEFI bios/firmware
by Abby 11 Aug '15

11 Aug '15

Hello KevinYes it was I that you informed.I will be getting to one of those computers give give some of the ideas a try.So, unless anyone has any additional thoughts that may help, it is up to me to check it out and get back to the group with the results.Thank you all for your help.Cheers Abby Sent from my Samsung device -------- Original message -------- From: Kevin Cozens <kevin(a)ve3syb.ca> Date: 08-11-2015 11:27 (GMT-05:00) To: talk(a)gtalug.org Subject: Re: [GTALUG] UEFI bios/firmware On 15-08-11 10:47 AM, Abby wrote: > In at least 3 computers I have come across, that has this option grayed out. I mentioned the other day to someone on this list that you may have to set a supervisor password in the BIOS before you can change the UEFI and/or secureboot setting. Give that a try and see if it helps. Just remember to removed the supervisor password if you don't really want it long term. -- Cheers! Kevin. http://www.ve3syb.ca/ |"Nerds make the shiny things that distract Owner of Elecraft K2 #2172 | the mouth-breathers, and that's why we're | powerful!" #include <disclaimer/favourite> | --Chris Hardwick --- Talk Mailing List talk(a)gtalug.org http://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk

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[GTALUG-Announce] [UPDATE] Re: GTALUG Meeting Tonight at 7:30pm
by Myles Braithwaite 11 Aug '15

11 Aug '15

On Tue, Aug 11, 2015 at 9:10 AM, Myles Braithwaite <me(a)mylesbraithwaite.com> wrote: > <http://gtalug.org/meeting/2015-08/> Something has come up and William will not be able to give his talk tonight on Samba. We will be rescheduling him for the September meeting. Tonight's meeting will be a Round Table Q&A Session where we will take questions from the audience, and the audience discusses and attempts to answer those questions from their own knowledge. It's a great way to meet fellow members of our community and discover the skill sets we each bring to the table. > > ## Location > > George Vari Engineering and Computing Centre > 245 Church Street, Room 203 > Ryerson University > > <http://goo.gl/maps/16oJ2> > > <http://www.openstreetmap.org/way/23447525> > > ## Schedule > > * 6:00 pm - Before each meeting a group of GTALUGers will be dining at > The Restaurant Formerly Know As Love At First Bite (96 Gerrard Street > E). > * 7:30 pm - Meeting and presentation. > * 9:00 pm - After each meeting a group of GTALUGers move to the The > Imperial Pub (54 Dundas St East) for refreshments and more > socializing. > > # Code of Conduct > > We want a productive happy community that can welcome new ideas, > improve every process every year, and foster collaboration between > individuals with differing needs, interests and skills. > > We gain strength from diversity, and actively seek participation from > those who enhance it. This code of conduct exists to ensure that > diverse groups collaborate to mutual advantage and enjoyment. We will > challenge prejudice that could jeopardize the participation of any > person in the community. > > The Code of Conduct governs how we behave in public or in private > whenever the Linux community will be judged by our actions. We expect > it to be honored by everyone who represents the community officially > or informally, claims affiliation, or participates directly. It > applies to activities online or offline. > > We invite anybody to participate. Our community is open. > > Please read more about the GTALUG Code of Conduct here: > <http://gtalug.org/about/code-of-conduct/>. > > If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about the GTALUG Code > of Conduct please contact the GTALUG Board @ <board(a)gtalug.org>. --- GTALUG Announce mailing list announce(a)gtalug.org http://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/announce

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UEFI bios/firmware
by maxcess 11 Aug '15

11 Aug '15

Hi gang. Can anyone send me links or info. On how to disable high security UEFI in windows 8 & 8.1 computers. Cheers Abby

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Keyboards WAS Re: Thinkpad T420 as a VM host
by Giles Orr 11 Aug '15

11 Aug '15

On 5 August 2015 at 23:20, D. Hugh Redelmeier <hugh(a)mimosa.com> wrote: > Many people love ThinkPad keyboards, especially the ones on older > ThinkPads. One of the main complaints about newer ThinkPad keyboards is > "they aren't as good as the old ones". > > How can this square with your observations? > > - keyboards are at least partially a matter of personal taste > > - your T43 might have a dud keyboard. > > In any case, the only way you'll really know if you'll like a keyboard is > to try it. > > Me? Lots of keyboards seem bad, some seem elegant but not to my taste, > many seem fine / good enough. None has captured me. > > | - it's stiff, so you need to "push" rather than "tap", > | - it doesn't spring back, fast enough or "crispy" enough, so you > | actually notice and become aware of the keypresses. And, that > | interferes with my typing. > > Many typists like being sure when they press a key. > > Significant key travel is considered desirable by many (but not all). > And rare in modern notebooks because of the quest for thin. > > A tactile signal of a keypress registering is considered a Good Thing > (except by many gamers). Something sort of lost with most modern > key structures. > > There has been a renaissance of mechanical keyboards. They cost > several times as much as regular keyboards. And a great deal has been > written about the characteristics of each. I thought that I'd like > Cherry blue, brown, or clear keys. > <http://www.keyboardco.com/blog/index.php/2012/12/an-introduction-to-cherry-…> > > I'm using a mechanical keyboard to type this (Rosewill RK-6000; > imitation Alps keys, somewhat like Cherry Blue). It is fine, but not > a revelation. I have the same reaction to my wife's keyboard with > Cherry brown switches. I find it especially disappointing that a key > can register on my keyboard without a click and a click can happen > without a registration (these problems don't seem to happen with the > way I type). > > In ThinkPads, I like my x61's keyboard better than my T530's. I have a rather depressing variety of mechanical keyboards, including a couple IBM Model Ms. To clarify my biases, I LOVE the feel of the IBM Model M keys. My keyboard at work is a Kinesis Advantage with their standard Cherry Brown switches. I think the Advantage's physical layout is about the best that's available in any keyboard right now: vertical columns (rather than slanted columns we still persist in copying from typewriters: not only is it no longer necessary, it's actually ergonomically bad), dished hand areas to match differences in finger length, and a split between the hands. I have three Kinesis Advantages. As mentioned, one has the original Cherry Browns. They're okay. I have a second that I refitted with Cherry Blues: that's the one I use at home. That's my idea of a great keyboard. The Cherry Blues are about as close as you'll get to the behaviour of the IBM Model M buckling spring keys (short of buying one of the Unicomp keyboards that actually have buckling springs). They have a strong tactile click when the key activates. It's also audible: it's just as well I live alone, as the Blues are notoriously loud and irritate the crap out of people nearby (just like the Model M). I refitted the third Kinesis Advantage with Cherry Clears. Initially they feel quite similar to the Browns, but they're stiffer: you don't notice it immediately, but after a couple hours of typing, I found it genuinely tiring to use. I don't use it much. I highly recommend the Cherry Blues to non-gamers. Just be prepared for the noise. The bigger Canada Computers stores usually have several keyboards with different Cherry switches out for testing. If anyone has questions about any of this, feel free to contact me off-list: I've been a bit of a keyboard wonk for a couple decades. -- Giles http://www.gilesorr.com/ gilesorr(a)gmail.com

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