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tiny GNAME change that I don't like
by D. Hugh Redelmeier 17 Dec '23

17 Dec '23

The latest version of GNOME is included in the latest Fedora and Ubuntu. (It's hard to talk about this GUI stuff because I (and probably you) don't know the names of visual components.) On the top bar of the screen, "Activities" is on the far left. Next to it used to be the name of the application that had focus. If you clicked on that name, you would get a list of instances of that application, plus a couple of other potentially useful choices. When I have a lot of windows for a particular application, I sometimes use this to choose the instance I want to have focus. This feature is gone. You can still get a similar effect using Windows-Tab and Windows-DownArrow, but it is kind of awkward having to hold the Windows key. Furthermore, I find the description less useful. Am I the only one who cares about the loss of this feature? The word "Activities" has been replaced with a horizontal oval and a dot. I don't know what that change signifies. I don't even know how to interrogate GNOME about this.

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Meeting tonight?
by Lennart Sorensen 17 Dec '23

17 Dec '23

Is there a meeting tonight given I think it is the second tuesday of the month? Wasn't sure if an annoucement was stuck in a queue somewhere waiting to be permitted through. Just wondering. -- Len Sorensen

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ot: sort of, is it really impossible to get real cable anymore?
by Karen Lewellen 08 Dec '23

08 Dec '23

Hi folks, before simply saying you avoid television, Part of what I do professionally means accessing a great deal, news channels and other things for example. And for me, the, I will just watch it on my computer is a nailed shut door. This entire property is Bell fibe saturated which while it might translate to one of their fibe TV boxes working for me, its almost December and I am no closer to my land line solution..even with photographs of the existing jacks. So,I am wondering if at all, it is still possible from anyone to simply find old fashioned cable box cable. I have all the rest of the equipment, and it all works..even my VCR. I am even wondering if, since the place is so saturated for wireless, if I got an older apple TV, third gen still had optical connectors, or a rocku, I could come up with something. not as good as regular cable, but I am grasping for ideas. thoughts? Kare

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Re: [GTALUG] AI Alliance
by Scott Allen 06 Dec '23

06 Dec '23

I asked https://huggingface.co/chat/ the question: "Should the Greater Toronto Area Linux User Group join the AI Alliance?" and got this answer: I cannot make a decision for the Greater Toronto Area Linux User Group (GTA LUG) regarding joining the AI Alliance. However, I can provide some information and considerations that may help inform their decision. The AI Alliance is an organization that aims to promote the development and use of artificial intelligence (AI) in various industries, including technology, healthcare, finance, and more. By joining the AI Alliance, members can access resources, networking opportunities, and collaborative projects that can help them stay up-to-date with the latest developments in AI and expand their expertise. Here are some potential benefits of GTA LUG joining the AI Alliance: 1. Access to resources: The AI Alliance offers its members access to a wealth of resources, including research papers, webinars, case studies, and tutorials on AI-related topics. These resources could be valuable for GTA LUG members who want to learn more about AI and its applications. 2. Networking opportunities: Joining the AI Alliance would give GTA LUG members the chance to connect with other professionals and organizations interested in AI, potentially leading to new partnerships, collaborations, or business opportunities. 3. Collaborative projects: As a member of the AI Alliance, GTA LUG could participate in collaborative projects with other member organizations, startups, and research institutions. This could lead to innovative solutions and advancements in areas like open-source AI software, AI-powered tools for developers, or AI applications for social good. 4. Advocacy: The AI Alliance advocates for policies and regulations that support the responsible development and deployment of AI. By joining the alliance, GTA LUG could contribute to shaping the conversation around AI ethics, privacy, and security. 5. Brand visibility: Participating in the AI Alliance could enhance GTA LUG's reputation as a forward-thinking and innovative community group, dedicated to exploring emerging technologies like AI. 6. Potential sponsorship opportunities: The AI Alliance might offer sponsorship opportunities for events, conferences, or hackathons, which could help GTA LUG secure funding for their activities. 7. Discounts and special offers: Members of the AI Alliance may receive discounts or special offers on AI-related products, services, or events, which could benefit GTA LUG members. 8. Educational opportunities: The AI Alliance provides educational resources and workshops on AI-related topics, which could help GTA LUG members improve their skills and knowledge. 9. Community engagement: By joining the AI Alliance, GTA LUG could demonstrate its commitment to engaging with the broader tech community and contributing to the growth of the AI ecosystem. However, there are also potential drawbacks to consider: 1. Cost: There may be membership fees associated with joining the AI Alliance, which could be a financial burden for GTA LUG. 2. Time commitment: Participating in the AI Alliance might require a significant time investment from GTA LUG members, particularly if they choose to take on leadership roles or participate in collaborative projects. 3. Focus shift: Joining the AI Alliance might shift GTA LUG's focus away from its core mission and objectives, potentially diluting its efforts in promoting Linux and open-source technologies. 4. Overlap with existing initiatives: Some of the AI Alliance's goals and activities might overlap with those of other organizations or initiatives that GTA LUG is already involved with. It's essential to evaluate whether joining the AI Alliance would complement or conflict with these existing commitments. 5. Governance: GTA LUG should assess the AI Alliance's governance structure, decision-making processes, and values to ensure alignment with their own principles and goals. Ultimately, the decision to join the AI Alliance should be based on careful consideration of how it aligns with GTA LUG's strategic objectives, available resources, and member interests. If the benefits outweigh the costs and the alliance aligns with GTA LUG's goals, joining could provide valuable opportunities for growth, collaboration, and contributions to the larger tech community. -- Scott

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Re-creating a Wordpress Installation
by William Witteman 29 Nov '23

29 Nov '23

I am hoping to benefit from the experience of the group. I have to recreate a wordpress-based website for work, from partial information. I have a database dump, and the contents of the web root - which gives me hope that this is possible. What I don't have are any configuration files for the webserver, and this wordpress site used to live as a subfolder of another domain which has not been renewed - like http://expired.com/my_wordpress_site I also don't have the .htaccess file for the site. I put the files on my local Debian box, and re-created the database, but all the links on the site are broken, because they still try to resolve expired.com. I changed the siteurl in wordpress, but the problem persists, and I am at a loss. Anyone have any advice?

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Re: [GTALUG] Linux Unicorns
by D. Hugh Redelmeier 29 Nov '23

29 Nov '23

| From: ac via talk <talk(a)gtalug.org> | I have been wondering about tech unicorns and Linux. It seems to me that Linux has won and been commoditized on the server side. No high-level discussion needs to address this. Several distros are good enough and almost interchangeable in abilities. On the PC side, if you don't wish to demand a dedicated machine, you have to fit into what the market has. 1. Windows of various vintages 2. MacOS. 99. Linux. On the mobile phone and tablet side 1. iOS (not the most users but the most money) 2. Android. 3. Web App of some kind On the dedicate device side: an engineering choice. Embedded Linux if the device is beefy enough. All these decisions are easy. On the device side, it is just an engineering decision. Old Unicorns came from different times. 25 years ago, it wasn't obvious that Linux would be where it is (and isn't). Netflix uses NetBSD for at least some stuff. Making a decision like that today would take serious conviction. | Does anyone on the list actually know (as in personal experience) | whether/which (or even if) most tech unicorns are Linux based or with a | Linux origin story? That may be interesting history but I doubt that it is worth consideration for a new business. More interesting is to figure out how to use the cloud without being tied to a particular vendor.

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Re: [GTALUG] Linux Unicorns
by David Mason 29 Nov '23

29 Nov '23

Hugh wrote: There is room for innovation in infrastructure but it is hard to become a unicorn there since the area is mostly occupied by giants: - Amazon - Microsoft - Google - Oracle... Being cloud platform agnostic is smart. How you do it isn't something I know much about. I wonder if Apple uses Linux for anything or if all their services run on MacOS farms. I couldn't find any useful intel from a Google search. I wonder if anyone here knows. ../Dave

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Re: [GTALUG] Linux Unicorns
by Alvin Starr 27 Nov '23

27 Nov '23

On 2023-11-24 09:50, ac via talk wrote: > I have been wondering about tech unicorns and Linux. > > WARNING : do not read beyond this point if you are not at least > somewhat bored. - reading drivel is a choice, and this does at least > have a warning label :) [snip to keep those with short attention spans reading] > If anyone read up to here it would be much appreciated if you could > tell me that I cannot make a tech unicorn, as this will then motivate > me for the next few years while I get to the gluing of this shiny > horn to this currently very unwilling horse :) > > Possibly you could capture a unicorn. from tvtropes.org: > One of the most archetypal and well-known traits of theUnicorn > <https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Unicorn>is its affinity > for virgin women. In legends where unicorns were characterized as > either fierce and untamable or as incredibly elusive, a virgin maiden > was said to be the only one who could tame the beast or draw it out of > hiding. In works where unicorns are epitomes of benevolence and > purity, virgin maidens are the only ones the creatures allow close to > them — or, in certain cases, to ride them. So you just need to find a virgin. But. Your looking for a tech-unicorn... A Tech virgin? That is going to be hard to find these days. I once heard someone describing the fact that once upon a time the chair was a new technology. So this opens a whole discussion about how virginal you need to be to attract a unicorn. -- Alvin Starr || land: (647)478-6285 Netvel Inc. || Cell: (416)806-0133 alvin(a)netvel.net ||

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cheap cheap Virtual Private Servers
by D. Hugh Redelmeier 26 Nov '23

26 Nov '23

This is the time of year (black Friday / Cyber Monday) when you can get very cheap VPSes. Not necessarily good, but cheap. I have a couple that cost about US$10 or so a year. Sometimes useful for pinging. You can do actual useful things with them, but the resources are fairly constrained. <https://lowendtalk.com/discussion/190145/2023-black-friday-cyber-monday-fla…>

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GNOME's "Attach Modal Dialogs"?
by D. Hugh Redelmeier 26 Nov '23

26 Nov '23

By default, when a GNOME application pops up a dialog, it gets glued to (one of?) the application's window: the dialog sits in front of the Window, glued in place. If you move the dialog, the window moves with it. I'm not sure why this is considered useful behaviour. Perhaps because if you misplace the dialog, you might not know that the application is waiting for a response (I've had that happen in Windows). But it means that the dialog might hide something you need to see on the main window to fill in the dialog. At least on Fedora, you can change this behaviour using "GNOME Tweeks". Under Windows, set Attach Modal Dialogs to "off". Does anyone else like this default? <https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-shell/-/issues/443>

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