This is the first in a series of posts devoted to irssi, possibly the best irc client there is out there. This series will (at least) include:
Irssi: Command line irc client (An introduction to irssi for new users)
Irssi proxy (Irssi to the next level. For advanced users only)
Irssi scripts (Adding awesome utilities to irssi)
Irssi is possibly the best irc client there is out there. It can be installed and used on a variety of operating systems. Even legacy ones!!! It is a command line irc client, now you're thinking that nowadays it has no future at all. On the contrary!!! That is precisely what makes it outstanding. Let me explain you how I discovered irssi. In order to do that I have to tell you all my irc story. Do not worry it's really short. One or two lines at most. I was not an irc fan untill recently.
-My first irc client was a web-based one. I used it to connect to #kanotix back in ~2006 to ask the team a question and (I imagine) congratulate them.
-My second irc client was X-chat. A great and widely used client (There is no doubt about it) I had used it occasionally before. I first used it seriously in 2011 to connect to #debian-live (You will surely notice the 5 year leap. I told you before, I was not an irc frequent user.
-My third and last one is irssi. I discovered it searching for irc clients apt-cache search irc client
The great thing about command line clients is that you can install them on a web server and keep them connected to your favourite channels 24/7. Does that mean that you chat all day and all night long? No way. It means that by keeping your client up and running you can read the backlog and keep track of what's happening in the channel while you're out there walking the dog or sleeping. On a channel there are people from all time zones. This means that while you sleep other people arrive home from work or when other people wake up you are on your lunch break. Now it's easy to understand this 24/7 thing.
Irssi works very much like any other irc client. Only that whereas on X-chat you click on your mouse to connect to a server on irssi you have to type some commands to do it. It is not my intention to write a list of irssi commands, there's their website for that. I only want to enhance irssi's performance and show it to new users. For example to connect to #debian on oftc you would have to type several commands like for example:
/server add ...
/connect ...
/join #...
... but once you get used to it it's not difficult at all.
I think this is enough for an introduction to irssi. If you want more information you can visit http://www.irssi.org/ or wait for my next installment in the irssi series.
Enjoy!!!
07 June 2011
Script to copy a customized debian-live image to a USB drive with persistence
I assume:
-You like creating customized debian-live images
-You like using them with persistence to store changes
-You copy the image and create the partitions by hand which is great to learn how to do it but you would like to make it all automatically using a script.
Well you're reading the right post then, but be warned that:
-This script is very simple and written and tested for personal use at home.
-No magic regexes used, just a logical sequence of variables and commands.
-You really must know what you're doing if you decide to try this script. Use at your own risk. The commands in the following script are very useful but if misused they can cause a filesystem mayhem and even destroy important data.
Here it is:
#!/bin/bash
## Script to automatically copy a customized debian live system image to a usb flash drive and create a partition for persistence
############ BE WARNED!!!! ###############
## This script assumes you know what you're doing!!! Using dd, parted and mkfs can end up in data loss!!!
## X = # Letter of your device /dev/sdX could be /dev/sdb or /dev/sdc ...
## In order to know your device name you can run ls -l /dev/disk/by-id
## Y/Z = # Numbers of your partitions. /dev/sdXY could be /dev/sdb1 or /dev/sdc2 ...
X= # For example < c >
Y= # For example <1>
Z= # For example <2>
START= # Number in MB where the partition must start for example <166> or <1024>
END= # Number in MB where the partition must end for example <4007>
cd /directory/where/your/image/is
dd if=binary.img of=/dev/sd$X
umount /dev/sd$X$Y
parted /dev/sd$X mkpart primary $START $END && mkfs.ext2 -L live-rw /dev/sd$X$Z
-You like creating customized debian-live images
-You like using them with persistence to store changes
-You copy the image and create the partitions by hand which is great to learn how to do it but you would like to make it all automatically using a script.
Well you're reading the right post then, but be warned that:
-This script is very simple and written and tested for personal use at home.
-No magic regexes used, just a logical sequence of variables and commands.
-You really must know what you're doing if you decide to try this script. Use at your own risk. The commands in the following script are very useful but if misused they can cause a filesystem mayhem and even destroy important data.
Here it is:
#!/bin/bash
## Script to automatically copy a customized debian live system image to a usb flash drive and create a partition for persistence
############ BE WARNED!!!! ###############
## This script assumes you know what you're doing!!! Using dd, parted and mkfs can end up in data loss!!!
## X = # Letter of your device /dev/sdX could be /dev/sdb or /dev/sdc ...
## In order to know your device name you can run ls -l /dev/disk/by-id
## Y/Z = # Numbers of your partitions. /dev/sdXY could be /dev/sdb1 or /dev/sdc2 ...
X= # For example < c >
Y= # For example <1>
Z= # For example <2>
START= # Number in MB where the partition must start for example <166> or <1024>
END= # Number in MB where the partition must end for example <4007>
cd /directory/where/your/image/is
dd if=binary.img of=/dev/sd$X
umount /dev/sd$X$Y
parted /dev/sd$X mkpart primary $START $END && mkfs.ext2 -L live-rw /dev/sd$X$Z
06 June 2011
Bluetile
One of the things that impresses me the most is that after years trying and testing software there is always something that leaves you like: "WOW. How come I had no idea that such things existed?"
Well this time it was bluetile a window tiling utility for the gnome desktop. Yes, I'm a gnome man. I sometimes switch to other desktops for the sake of changing a little bit but I always come back. Lately I had been playing with awesome an awesome window manager. I loved the tiling thing but suddenly I discovered bluetile. I'm still learning some of its keybindings but the basic tiling is very easy to do. You just have to click on some buttons on the bluetile bar and that's it. I can't continue writing this post. I have a lot of tiling to do...
Well this time it was bluetile a window tiling utility for the gnome desktop. Yes, I'm a gnome man. I sometimes switch to other desktops for the sake of changing a little bit but I always come back. Lately I had been playing with awesome an awesome window manager. I loved the tiling thing but suddenly I discovered bluetile. I'm still learning some of its keybindings but the basic tiling is very easy to do. You just have to click on some buttons on the bluetile bar and that's it. I can't continue writing this post. I have a lot of tiling to do...
05 June 2011
The writing's on the wall
This painting was done using the original debian logo from http://www.debian.org/logos/ and posterized using software (Debian ships several programs to do that: apt-cache search poster ). We created the poster, cut it out and painted it using graffity spray. The size is approximately 2 square meters or 6 feet.
A picture's worth a million words.
A picture's worth a million words.
25 May 2011
22 May 2011
Gnome 3
Gnome 3 is a complete redesign of the Gnome desktop environment. I have tried it using an Opensuse live CD and the experience was like wow, it really is something you need to get familiar with in order to get things done.
Some of the most outstanding features of Gnome 3 are:
-They have enhanced the use of traditional virtual desktops. Yes, virtual desktops have (almost) always been there, but not many people took advantage of them. Now, their use is a bit more automatized in the sense that windows are assigned to different spaces, grouping them to make the best use of your graphical environment.
-Minimize and maximize buttons have disapperared from windows. Only the close button remains there. At first it is a bit strange but later on you really enjoy the way windows resize automatically for fullscreen, half screen or floating around. It's great.
Something I do not like:
-There is no traditional menu. Clicking on Applications displays icons for all installed applications. It's something similar to having a million icons on the desktop only that it isn't.
I love clean pristine desktops, I do not like no icons there. What are they useful for anyway? Alt + F2 is the way to go.
Well, this is my initial overview of gnome 3. It is supposed to be included in testing soon. I'll have more time to test it and learn more things about its usage. I'll sure discover new strong points and flaws.
Some of the most outstanding features of Gnome 3 are:
-They have enhanced the use of traditional virtual desktops. Yes, virtual desktops have (almost) always been there, but not many people took advantage of them. Now, their use is a bit more automatized in the sense that windows are assigned to different spaces, grouping them to make the best use of your graphical environment.
-Minimize and maximize buttons have disapperared from windows. Only the close button remains there. At first it is a bit strange but later on you really enjoy the way windows resize automatically for fullscreen, half screen or floating around. It's great.
Something I do not like:
-There is no traditional menu. Clicking on Applications displays icons for all installed applications. It's something similar to having a million icons on the desktop only that it isn't.
I love clean pristine desktops, I do not like no icons there. What are they useful for anyway? Alt + F2 is the way to go.
Well, this is my initial overview of gnome 3. It is supposed to be included in testing soon. I'll have more time to test it and learn more things about its usage. I'll sure discover new strong points and flaws.
12 May 2011
The great misconception of the command line
I started using computers in high school in the 80's. Back to those days it was Dos or Nothing so typing commands at the terminal emulator came as a natural thing to me. In fact it was one of the reasons why I decided to adopt Debian as a sole operating system some years ago (Woody but just for 4 or 5 months till Sarge was released)
But make no mistake, most of the time I am a desktop user just like everybody else with a difference perhaps. I always have at least one terminal window open performing one of my everyday tasks: running one of my home-grown scripts or screen(+irssi) or wget or whatever. I just need to tell you that I'm hooked on centerim (formerly known as centericq) since Etch. I just can't do without them all.
I found that many people, especially newbies, are a bit scared of the command line because they believe that they have to learn a million commands. And that is totally incorrect. It is true that you have to learn a lot of things to use the command line proficiently but it really is not that hard.
Take screen for example. It has perhaps a hundred options and key bindings but the average user has more than enough with 8-10 of them. Besides most options are mnemonic like d = detach r = reattach p = previous n = next S = split ... So it is not complicated.
The shell is perhaps the most powerful tool for sysadmins but this is true for everyone alike: the more you use the command line the more you learn to appreciate it. I have written a bunch of scripts through the years but I am definitely not an expert. Anyway I like writing shell scripts a bit more everyday.
Let me quote from one of my bedside books: The linux command line by William E. Shotts, Jr.
It's been said that “graphical user interfaces make easy tasks easy, while command line interfaces make difficult tasks possible” and this is still very true today.
There is though a really dangerous and sometimes evil command. It is:
(Do not try this at home!!!)
# rm -r *
I know I shouldn't use it as carelessly as I sometimes do, but it comes in handy on certain occasions.
Well, what else can I say? I have had some unwanted surprises. The only solution would be using this alias:
alias rm -r *='echo are you REALLY sure? Are you mad or something?'
(But unfortunately it is not possible to do it like this because you have to create aliases without blank spaces, too bad)
One final word: Follow my advice and use and enjoy the command line. In time you'll see it is worth it!!!
But make no mistake, most of the time I am a desktop user just like everybody else with a difference perhaps. I always have at least one terminal window open performing one of my everyday tasks: running one of my home-grown scripts or screen(+irssi) or wget or whatever. I just need to tell you that I'm hooked on centerim (formerly known as centericq) since Etch. I just can't do without them all.
I found that many people, especially newbies, are a bit scared of the command line because they believe that they have to learn a million commands. And that is totally incorrect. It is true that you have to learn a lot of things to use the command line proficiently but it really is not that hard.
Take screen for example. It has perhaps a hundred options and key bindings but the average user has more than enough with 8-10 of them. Besides most options are mnemonic like d = detach r = reattach p = previous n = next S = split ... So it is not complicated.
The shell is perhaps the most powerful tool for sysadmins but this is true for everyone alike: the more you use the command line the more you learn to appreciate it. I have written a bunch of scripts through the years but I am definitely not an expert. Anyway I like writing shell scripts a bit more everyday.
Let me quote from one of my bedside books: The linux command line by William E. Shotts, Jr.
It's been said that “graphical user interfaces make easy tasks easy, while command line interfaces make difficult tasks possible” and this is still very true today.
There is though a really dangerous and sometimes evil command. It is:
(Do not try this at home!!!)
# rm -r *
I know I shouldn't use it as carelessly as I sometimes do, but it comes in handy on certain occasions.
Well, what else can I say? I have had some unwanted surprises. The only solution would be using this alias:
alias rm -r *='echo are you REALLY sure? Are you mad or something?'
(But unfortunately it is not possible to do it like this because you have to create aliases without blank spaces, too bad)
One final word: Follow my advice and use and enjoy the command line. In time you'll see it is worth it!!!
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