- Talk - lists.gtalug.org

NVidia GTX 1080 annoucement
by William Park 24 May '16

24 May '16

Howdy, I only caught the last 30min of the live stream. Made me wonder... Is there way to use its 2560 GPU cores as substitute for the usual 4 CPU cores? -- William

4 3

example of why RISC was a good idea
by D. Hugh Redelmeier 22 May '16

22 May '16

<https://software.intel.com/en-us/articles/google-vp9-optimization> Intel describing how they improved the performance of the VP9 decoder for Silvermont, a recent Atom core. The meat is several not-really-obvious changes to the code to overcome limitations of the instruction decoder. The optimizations seem particular to Silvermont but the article says: Testing against the future Intel Atom platforms, codenamed Goldmont and Tremont, the VP9 optimizations delivered additional gains. These optimizations did nothing for Core processors as far as I can tell. I don't know if it affects any AMD processors. A RISC processor would not have a complex instruction decoder so this kind of hacking would not apply. I will admit that there are "hazards" in RISC processors that are worth paying attention to when selecting and ordering instructions but these tend to be clearer. Another thing in the paper: The overall results were outstanding. The team improved user-level performance by up to 16 percent (6.2 frames per second) in 64-bit mode and by about 12 percent (1.65 frames per second) in 32-bit mode. This testing included evaluation of 32-bit and 64-bit GCC and Intel® compilers, and concluded that the Intel compilers delivered the best optimizations by far for Intel® Atom™ processors. When you multiply this improvement by millions of viewers and thousands of videos, it is significant. The WebM team at Google also recognized this performance gain as extremely significant. Frank Gilligan, a Google engineering manager, responded to the team’s success: “Awesome. It looks good. I can’t wait to try everything out.” Testing against the future Intel Atom platforms, codenamed Goldmont and Tremont, the VP9 optimizations delivered additional gains. Consider 64-bit. If 16% improvement is 6.2 f/s, then the remaining 84% would be 32.55 f/s. Not great, but OK. For 32-bit, 12% is 1.65 f/s; the remaining 88% would be 12 f/s. Totally useless, I think. Quite interesting how different these two are.

5 23

FF 46 Locking Ubuntu 14.04
by Stephen 21 May '16

21 May '16

I posted this on the Ubuntu forums. Just got one reply, from someone experiencing the same problem. I am hoping someone here can offer some advice: Prior to the latest update (within last week) I was getting FF crashing on some web sites. My best guess is that the sites had lots of javascript. Now, after the update, I am getting FF locking up my desktop. I need to do a soft reset to get going again. Very much no fun. CPU is Intel i5, 64 bit, 16 GB ram CPU temperature app shows good numbers. I run the Gnome shell. I use the machine as a LAMP and SAMBA server. I have never had trouble like this before. Suggestions and advise requested. Thanks -- Stephen

2 2

[GTALUG-Announce] Meeting on 14 June 2016 - Nerd Money with Warren McPherson
by Myles Braithwaite 19 May '16

19 May '16

<http://gtalug.org/meeting/2016-06/> # Nerd Money with Warren McPherson The outrage, the greed, the cryptography, the possibilities! **Crypto Literacy** - a quick kindergarten class of the foundational ideas that enable the current crop of "Applied Cryptography" applications. **Innovation of Bitcoin** - After a hundred failed attempts to create digital money the innovations of Hashcash and Bitcoin Mining turn out to be the enablers for a new internet epoch. **Blockchains and Society** - Polarising emotional debates where people arguing contradictory positions all imagine themselves to be defending the little guy. The dichotomy between open Bitcoin community and advocates of private, permission led blockchains. ## 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 - Please discuss on the general mailing list (i.e. <talk(a)gtalug.org>) where you want to go for dinner. * 7:30 pm - Meeting and presentation. * 9:00 pm - After each meeting a group of GTALUGers move to The Imperial Pub (54 Dundas St East) for refreshments and more socialising. # 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 jeopardise 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 honoured` 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 https://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/announce

1 0

the wicked waste that is closed Android hardware
by D. Hugh Redelmeier 15 May '16

15 May '16

Factory Direct is selling the Hobo Arc HD for $119 (with a coupon). On paper, this is great hardware. It has a 10" 2560x1600 pixel IPS display! Just like my Nexus 10. The Kobo comes with Android 4.2 and is frozen in time at 4.2.2. The Nexus 10 gets frequent updates (but not to Andoid 6). No third party firmware projects seem to exist for the Kobo. So this wonderful hardware cannot be recommended. Most Andoid devices seem to be abandoned way too young. Nexus devices have a better track record. If a device is well supported by Cyanogen Mod then there is real hope.

4 7

war story: I fixed a tablet
by D. Hugh Redelmeier 13 May '16

13 May '16

I have an Asus Transformer T100TAF tablet-with-keyboard that I bought to run Linux. It turned out to be hard to convert it to Linux from Windows. Scott gave me a glimmer of hope in a posting Monday. So I brought it on Tuesday. Unfortunately, the T100TAF did not function. I've just now fixed it and I thought that the story might help someone. <http://www.transformerforums.com/forum/asus-transformer-book-t100-battery-i…> Summary: with no good hypothesis, I opened the tablet, unplugged the battery connector, plugged it back in, and everything now works. Opening a tablet is more traumatic than opening a notebook but probably easier than opening a cell phone. Soon I can try debian 8.4.0 multiarch on this 32-bit UEFI machine.

2 1

Scripting Inkscape, and a new font appears
by Stewart C. Russell 11 May '16

11 May '16

Hi - it was great to see a bunch of you all last night. That was a good round table last night. [Impatient types can skip to the end, where you get to play with a free font I made.] A couple of months back at the Graphics session, someone asked if Inkscape - the 2D vector graphics workhorse that everyone seems to use - could be scripted. We pretty much said that it couldn't. Recently, I found out that it does support a limited form of scripting, and wish to pass this on. The key to it is understanding Inkscape's command verbs. These can be listed using: inkscape --verb-list These verbs map to Inkscape commands, and often have names linked to the menu they live in (such as "FileQuit" doing what you'd expect). I had a task I had to repeat on many files: convert all the stroked lines to filled paths. You'd need to do this if you are laser engraving a simple drawing, but there are other applications for this too. Here's a command that would do this for all objects in a drawing, and _overwrite_ the input file: inkscape --verb EditSelectAll --verb SelectionUnGroup \ --verb EditSelectAll --verb SelectionUnGroup \ --verb EditSelectAll --verb SelectionUnGroup \ --verb EditSelectAll --verb ObjectToPath \ --verb EditSelectAll --verb SelectionCombine \ --verb EditSelectAll --verb StrokeToPath \ --verb FileSave --verb FileClose \ --verb FileQuit input.svg What this does: 1. Selects everything, and ungroups all objects (×3, to break up most nested groups); 2. Selects everything, and converts all objects to paths (so text, circles, polygons, spirals become paths, the lowest-level SVG object); 3. Selects everything, and combines everything into one path; 4. Selects everything, and converts all strokes to filled paths (so a two node straight line 1 mm wide would become a four node filled rectangle 1 mm thick); 5. Overwrite the input file, close it, and quit. The process has some disadvantages: 1. It opens a window *every* *time*. You can't execute verbs without the GUI opening. 2. You can't have another copy of Inkscape open while you do this. 3. Realistically, you can't really do *anything* at your computer until this is done, as it's popping up windows and shifting focus like crazy. (ssh types can say “heh!” in a smug manner now) 4. You can't set parameters to verbs. 5. It will overwrite the input file. 6. It clogs up your "File / Recent" menu with all of the files you scripted. So, about that font:- Years ago, Commodore made a fairly terrible little pen plotter, the 1520. Its main claim to nerdworthiness was that, until recently, its 2KB microcontroller had never been successfully dumped. When it was finally cracked open (details: http://e4aws.silverdr.com/hacks/6500_1/) it revealed a rather cleverly encoded vector font. This encoding - packing a simple but complete 8×8 plotting language into 8 bits - used only 660 bytes to describe an entire font. With a bit of PostScript, that ugly Inkscape script up there, and Fontforge (and its slightly less ugly-but-still-Python scripting) I made a family of OpenType fonts from the Commodore 1520 ROM dump. You can even use 'em on the web (if you really want to embrace that "No, Really, I Wouldn't" aesthetic): https://fontlibrary.org/en/font/fifteentwenty Or source: https://github.com/scruss/FifteenTwenty Have fun! Stewart

2 2

Fwd: Your chance to speak out against the TPP in person
by David Collier-Brown 11 May '16

11 May '16

I'm on the mailing list for openmedia, and they posted this invitation to the first-come-first-served petitioning period at the Toronto consultation. I'm going to go over my old submissions about DRM schemes harming the book business and make a written submission. --dave -------- Forwarded Message -------- Subject: Your chance to speak out against the TPP in person Date: Wed, 11 May 2016 08:15:30 -0400 (EDT) From: Soledad Vega <contact(a)openmedia.org> Reply-To: contact(a)openmedia.org To: davecb(a)spamcop.net OpenMedia Hi David, I’m Soledad, OpenMedia’s Community Engagement Specialist, and I wanted to update you about an important development that will give you the opportunity to take part in Parliament’s consultations about the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) in Toronto. As you may know, Parliament’s trade committee has been travelling across the country holding in-person hearings on the TPP.^1 ^2 In response to the limited public participation seen at the first few hearings,^3 the committee will now include one hour for public comment in each meeting. *This is your chance to participate.* We know the TPP will strip us of our democratic rights and threaten the open Internet. That’s why *it’s so important that Canadians like yourself turn up in numbers at the trade committee’s upcoming hearings.* This Friday May 13 (that’s right, two days from now), the committee will be in Toronto, and we need to show decision-makers Canadians don’t want this deal. *Our friends at Unifor are organizing a protest for 10am, right outside the hearings at the Carlton Ritz Hotel.* If you can show up on Friday,**you will also be able to use the public engagement hour to tell the committee why you oppose the TPP, and give a voice to thousands of others like yourself. Here are the details: *When*: Friday, May 13 *Where:* Carlton Ritz Hotel, 181 Wellington Street West, Toronto, *Protest:* Be there for 10am! *Public engagement hour: *11:45am-12:45pm *Facebook event* <http://qb.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=D52i764Tf2%2F7nKeLqB2gmFibB%2Fl…> Speaking slots for the public engagement hour will be handed out on a first-come-first-served basis, *so be sure to arrive early to ensure you’ll be enabled to speak.* If you are planning to attend and/or you want to stay in the loop, use this Facebook event <http://qb.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=zXRMEXuTfrcbFlAd1yXWtlibB%2Fll5…> to RSVP and stay in touch with others planning to come. These consultations are our last best chance to force our elected representatives to listen. If you can, make sure you attend. You’ll be doing the Internet a huge favour. With gratitude, –Soledad, on behalf of your OpenMedia team /P.S: If you’ve yet to do so, don’t forget to send your message about the TPP directly to Parliament’s trade committee, your MP, and Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland using our tool at //https://LetsTalkTPP.ca/ <http://qb.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=kO4rrKxdMpGhmtJul431HaGDv%2BUeJ…>/./ *Footnotes* [1] Consulting Canadians on the Trans-Pacific Partnership <http://qb.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=%2Fyo8j7I3kYCVh%2FVWVHO2yFibB%2…>. Source: Government of Canada [2] We Made it Happen: Your Voices on a Jumbotron outside the TPP Hearings <http://qb.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=%2FW%2BDT0eZeOBEzDnRjWFkwVibB%2…>. Source: OpenMedia [3] I went. I saw. I cried for what counts as ‘public consultation’. <http://qb.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=4mF4HfvCDw9BZHu%2BoPZ5C6GDv%2BU…> Source: OpenMedia OpenMedia <http://qb.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=KQ8fJs95UgJYBzQ4KJcZMlibB%2Fll5…> We are an award-winning network of people and organizations working to safeguard the possibilities of the open Internet. We work toward informed and participatory digital policy. You can follow us on *Twitter* <http://qb.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=tBrQuO6jiz%2FDXh64qIwf%2BFibB%2…>, and like us on *Facebook* <http://qb.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=AxumnVeH9t8jEBgpwf%2FPAVibB%2Fl…>. You have received this message, because you have subscribed to OpenMedia's list with the email address davecb(a)spamcop.net. You can manage your email preferences. <http://qb.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=J3HP6%2BTIkOEA05943U%2FoYFibB%2…> If you no longer wish to receive our emails, click here <http://qb.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=e6TcZZX6oSUH4Mo1tvP0oVibB%2Fll5…> to unsubscribe.

1 0

Bitkeeper again open source...
by Christopher Browne 10 May '16

10 May '16

https://www.bitkeeper.org/ Git now a mistake??? There's a gigantic dose of "nothing mentioned about why it got taken private way back when"... -- When confronted by a difficult problem, solve it by reducing it to the question, "How would the Lone Ranger handle this?"

2 4

[GTALUG-Announce] GTALUG Meeting Tonight at 7:30pm
by Myles Braithwaite 10 May '16

10 May '16

<http://gtalug.org/meeting/2016-05/> # Round Table Q&A Session A Round Table Q&A Session is where we 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 meeting at Thai on Yonge (370 Yonge Street) for dinner. * 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 https://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/announce

1 0