December 2007 - main

apache/CGI sort of ish question
by Chris G 27 Dec '07

27 Dec '07

I'm fishing around for knowledge and ideas about things that I'm not very knowledgeable about here so be gentle! :-) I'm looking for a simple direct way of dynamically converting reStructured text to HTML. I.e. I want to create text files in rst format (so they're reasonably readable "as is") and point my web browser at them and see them in HTML. I can already do this using pyBlosxom and one of its plugins but it's a rather roundabout way of achieving something simple and all the blog type extras are a nuisance. The pyBlosxom plugin uses Docutils' /usr/bin/rst2html to translate the reStructured Text to HTML, what I'm looking for is some way to tell apache that when it sees a file xxxxx.rst it should run it through /usr/bin/rst2html and display the resulting HTML. Is there a standard apache way of doing things like this? Or am I talking CGI? Or what? -- Chris Green

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Re: [ALUG] Firefox
by Bev Nicolson 24 Dec '07

24 Dec '07

I suspect (though I don't know) that it's the RealPlayer issue again. I had trouble getting the thing to install in the offical manner. It seemed that the install file was hampering the process, or at least, to get round it meant including a Debian site in apt. so that the install prog/script/whatever-you-call-those-things was bypassed. (Suggested by someone who knows *way* more than I ever will about Ubuntu.) So, (and I know there will be those who ask 'but why RealPlayer when this (insert name of favoured multi-media program) is way better?' :¬) ) if I tried using the official RP update option, which is on offer now, would that work both as a 'get round' to the above problem (in terms of allowing me to get to 6.10) and as a program? Or is that a 'you'll just have to try it' question? Bev. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Wayne Stallwood" <ALUGlist(a)digimatic.co.uk> > To: ALUG <main(a)lists.alug.org.uk> > Subject: Re: [ALUG] Firefox > Date: Mon, 24 Dec 2007 01:49:47 +0000 > > > > On Sun, 2007-12-23 at 19:06 +0100, Bev Nicolson wrote: > > > > Well, I have actually tried what it suggested on the Ubuntu web site > > to upgrade to 6.10 but I get an error message about a Debian multi > > media package website and checking my network connection. Hmm. Still, > > I have got 7.04 so perhaps I should have go... > > Bev. > > It might be that there is a repository in your apt sources list that is > no longer available (or doesn't support 6.10). Have you added any > automated media package installers like automatix that may have messed > with your /etc/apt/sources.list ? are there any uncommented lines in > there that don't point to ubuntu.com or it's mirrors ? > > Upgrading to the 7.04 version via the CD you have may be more difficult > than upgrading to 6.10 first, I'd check the ubuntu forums before doing > that and probably suggest you do it via the repositories rather than > from a CD (if you have broadband) > > > > _______________________________________________ > main(a)lists.alug.org.uk > http://www.alug.org.uk/ > http://lists.alug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/main > Unsubscribe? See message headers or the web site above! > -- _______________________________________________ Surf the Web in a faster, safer and easier way: Download Opera 9 at http://www.opera.com Powered by Outblaze

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Re: [ALUG] Firefox
by Bev Nicolson 24 Dec '07

24 Dec '07

Well, I have actually tried what it suggested on the Ubuntu web site to upgrade to 6.10 but I get an error message about a Debian multi media package website and checking my network connection. Hmm. Still, I have got 7.04 so perhaps I should have go... Bev. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Wayne Stallwood" <ALUGlist(a)digimatic.co.uk> > To: ALUG <main(a)lists.alug.org.uk> > Subject: Re: [ALUG] Firefox > Date: Sun, 23 Dec 2007 16:09:48 +0000 > > > On Sun, 2007-12-23 at 15:54 +0100, Bev Nicolson wrote: > > It is just Firefox that freezes/stops responding. (I'm not too > > sure exactly what X is but nothing else appears to be affected.) > > As to the version of ubuntu I use, well it is the long term > > support version and I don't fancy the hassle of changing to > > something newer just yet. And why not? :¬) > > Bev. > > If you really don't want the (to be fair 95% of the time relatively > minor) hassle of upgrading Ubuntu every 6 months then the LTS version is > a fair choice. I use it on my home media server PC because given the > very limited set of functions that machine performs it wouldn't really > benefit from being on something newer. > > Unfortunately what you don't get on LTS is bug fixes that come as part > of new versions of key packages like firefox. A lot of > compatibility/security/stability fixes have been made to Firefox since > 1.5 and unless you want to manually update your copy or find a more > recent version in a backports repository somewhere then you may be stuck > with some bugs. > > My personal view is that the only time I would consider LTS versions for > desktop computing over more recent versions is if I was supporting a > whole office full of Ubuntu and a 6 month upgrade cycle was impractical. > In that event I would probably be creating my own packages to apply more > recent versions of things like Firefox (if they don't exist already). > That or some business critical system that I daren't touch unless there > is a specific benefit to justify my tampering (but in all fairness I > probably wouldn't be running mission critical business systems on > Ubuntu) > > The main problem you have now is your upgrade path is pretty complicated > because the supported path would be Dapper>Edgy>Feisty>Gutsy which is a > lot of effort (in reality it may be possible to skip some of those but > the official upgrade instructions are pretty clear in stating that only > an upgrade from the previous version is supported). I am hoping that > there will be a direct upgrade path between LTS versions so you would be > able to do Dapper>Hardy next April..But I wouldn't hold your breath on > that being the case. > > Also there have been some significant improvements to not only the > applications but the core systems since Dapper. Gnome has been improved > in places and now feels faster than it ever has done to me, faster boot > times, Some magic foo in Feisty/Gutsy that gives a similar performance > gain to prelinking stuff but without the hassle factor (short version > some apps start much faster), the list of application improvements is > almost endless, not to mention better hardware support etc. > > > > > _______________________________________________ > main(a)lists.alug.org.uk > http://www.alug.org.uk/ > http://lists.alug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/main > Unsubscribe? See message headers or the web site above! > -- _______________________________________________ Surf the Web in a faster, safer and easier way: Download Opera 9 at http://www.opera.com Powered by Outblaze

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Firefox
by Bev Nicolson 23 Dec '07

23 Dec '07

I'm opening myself up to many people who will say 'well use this browser instead' but hey.:¬) I use Firefox version 1.5.0.13pre (and Ubuntu 6.06 LTS) and when I have a webmail application open a bit too long (an hour or so say - I've not timed it) it will freeze when I try to sign out. I have looked for information that is specific to this version but while 2.0 is covered this one isn't it seems. Has anyone found a work around that works? Bev. -- _______________________________________________ Surf the Web in a faster, safer and easier way: Download Opera 9 at http://www.opera.com Powered by Outblaze

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Re: [ALUG] Firefox
by Bev Nicolson 22 Dec '07

22 Dec '07

Ted, It's webmail provided by a well known search engine. Bev. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Ted.Harding(a)manchester.ac.uk > To: main(a)lists.alug.org.uk > Subject: Re: [ALUG] Firefox > Date: Sat, 22 Dec 2007 11:46:27 -0000 (GMT) > > > On 22-Dec-07 11:33:14, Bev Nicolson wrote: > > I'm opening myself up to many people who will say 'well > > use this browser instead' but hey.:¬) I use Firefox version > > 1.5.0.13pre (and Ubuntu 6.06 LTS) and when I have a webmail > > application open a bit too long (an hour or so say - I've > > not timed it) it will freeze when I try to sign out. I have > > looked for information that is specific to this version but > > while 2.0 is covered this one isn't it seems. Has anyone > > found a work around that works? > > Bev. > > Is it a webmail site hosted by (e.g.) an ISP? It could well > be that they time you out after a certain time (e.g. 1 hour) > of inactivity. > > In that case, it would be nothing to do with your browser. > You would have been silently logged-out, while your browser > would still be displaying the logged-in page. Then, when you > try to log out, there's nothing there to log-out from. > > (Just a guess). > Ted. > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > E-Mail: (Ted Harding) <Ted.Harding(a)manchester.ac.uk> > Fax-to-email: +44 (0)870 094 0861 > Date: 22-Dec-07 Time: 11:46:22 > ------------------------------ XFMail ------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > main(a)lists.alug.org.uk > http://www.alug.org.uk/ > http://lists.alug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/main > Unsubscribe? See message headers or the web site above! > -- _______________________________________________ Surf the Web in a faster, safer and easier way: Download Opera 9 at http://www.opera.com Powered by Outblaze

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usb adsl modem with linux driver
by Jenny Hopkins 22 Dec '07

22 Dec '07

Hullo there, Has anyone on list had a successful experience with adsl usb modem and linux? One of my clients is very keen to get a usb adsl modem, for tidiness more than anything. He bought a ZyXEL P-630-S1 and I had a look at it today. lsusb shows: "Bus 001 Device 014: ID 0586:330e ZyXEL Communications Corp" however cxacru module will support 330a and 330b but 330e is not listed. This is on a debian box kernel 2.6.18-5-k7 I'm tempted to advise sending it back and getting either a known supported one, or a traditional adsl modem router, but I'm happy to have a fight with this one if there is chance of a successful outcome. Otherwise can anyone advise a asb adsl modem they do know to work, other than the now unavailable 'speedtouch'? Thanks to all and Noodles for help on irc this morning, and thanks in advance, Polite Jenny

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Wifi again
by Barry Samuels 21 Dec '07

21 Dec '07

I'm baffled by wifi. I see people quoting ranges of over 100 feet or more with wireless access points inside buildings and I can hardly stretch to 12 feet. I've just done some tests using the following: Netgear WG602 v1 Wireless Access Point D-Link AirPlus XtremeG DWL-G520 Wireless PCI card Netgear WPN802 RangeMax Wireless Access Point Netgear WPN311 RangeMax Wireless PCI card With the units only 12 inches apart the results are: Link Quality Signal Strength WG602 + D-Link 70% -29 dbm WPN802 + D-Link 60% -38 dbm WPN802 + WPN311 77% -21 dbm Shouldn't I be getting close to 100% quality at that distance? With the units 12 feet apart (with some obstructions) the results are: Link Quality Signal Strength WG602 + D-Link 34% -61 dbm WG602 + WPN311 36% -61 dbm WPN802 + WPN311 31% -65 dbm Why should there be such a drop in quality/signal at that distance? How do other people get the range that they apparently do? What sort of range/signal do you get? I don't understand those minus figures for signal strength except that -21 is better than -61. What is the strongest signal that one can get using that notation? -- Barry Samuels http://www.beenthere-donethat.org.uk The Unofficial Guide to Great Britain

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Re: [ALUG] Wifi again
by Barry Samuels 21 Dec '07

21 Dec '07

On 21/12/07 16:33:54, Paul wrote: > On Friday 21 December 2007 10:49, Barry Samuels wrote: > > But seriously though - the house has wooden internal partition > > walls which include a 3 inch layer of fibreglass insulation. > > If it is a modern house using plasterboard & studwork construction, > you may well find the walls are lined with aluminium foil - Part of > the plasterboard construction & intended to improve the thermal > insulation of "new builds".. > > > Regards, Paul. Walls are lined with MDF not plasterboard and there is definitely no metal foil. I did find that the WAP in it's new room gave noticeably better performance by putting it on a shelf just 18 inches below the ceiling. Still only around 42% quality but better than before. -- Barry Samuels http://www.beenthere-donethat.org.uk The Unofficial Guide to Great Britain

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Re: [ALUG] Discuss: Favourite Text / Programmer's Editor
by John Seago 21 Dec '07

21 Dec '07

On Thursday 20 December 2007, Paul Tansom <paul(a)aptanet.com> wrote: > One day I'll try Emacs, because it would be nice to actually be able to > compare it to Vim properly. All I ever do is fire it up and then find I > can't do anything, even get out, so I kill the process. I can never > remember the exit incantation! With Vi I had a short crib sheet for the > basics that got me going in minutes. I should really find one for Emacs > before I next fire it up! This might be what you're looking for. One day I'll try Emacs, because it would be nice to actually be able to compare it to Vim properly. All I ever do is fire it up and then find I can't do anything, even get out, so I kill the process. I can never remember the exit incantation! With Vi I had a short crib sheet for the basics that got me going in minutes. I should really find one for Emacs before I next fire it up! -- John Seago GNU/Linux Registered User No. #219566 http://counter.li.org/ () ascii ribbon campaign - against html mail - against microsoft attachments /\

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Ethernet and telephone cables
by Barry Samuels 20 Dec '07

20 Dec '07

Does anyone know if it would be possible to use an existing internal telephone cable as an ethernet cable by changing the faceplates on the sockets? -- Barry Samuels http://www.beenthere-donethat.org.uk The Unofficial Guide to Great Britain

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