How-To: Set up date on Linux

Maybe your date on Linux is wrong, like mine, it happens on every new Arch install on this laptop, but can be easily fixed!

The current time is 14:19 hours, and my screen shows 08:27, the date is actually correct, Nov. 8.

As non root user to the “date” command, it will output something like this:

┌─[yamifrankc]──(~)
└─| % > date
Sun Nov  8 08:20:41 CST 2009

Now, as root(you can use Sudo of course):

# date mmddttttyyyy.ss

• mm = Mont number
• dd = Day number
• tttt = Time in 24 hours format (13:45 for example)
• yyyy = Year
• ss = Seconds

You can, of course run it without the seconds variable. Lets see my output:

┌─[yamifrankc]──(~)
└─| % > !! date 110814252009
Password:
Sun Nov  8 14:25:00 CST 2009

Yours should look like mine.

[Note]: I have aliased !! to be sudo on my .zshrc , I will explain how to do it later on both Bash and Zsh.

Awesome, now our Linux install “know” the current time, but our system doesn’t ,if we restart we will have the incorrect time again. Lets fix it.

As root do:

#  hwclock –systohc

And now your system will have the correct date after you reboot.

Cya

Customizing Midnight Commander

So here I am again.

I use two File Managers, PCManfm which is graphical and Midnight Commander, a CLI one.

Personally, i hate the default look of Midnight Commander :

It features a 2 panel view. So you can see two directories at same time. I like that, but don’t need it.

You can also see a bit info about the selected file and the menu. Hiting F1 will give you help, and F2 gets you the menu, and so on…

Well, well… awesome app already. All my terminal apps run on urxvt running Tmux, and they all are transparent(yeah, i love my desktop background) so MC breaks it… but i dint knew i could unbreak it!

My actual config is this:

If you wish no have a MC somewhat like mine do this:

[ Have one panel showing selected file info]

F9 >> Layout >> Panel Split & Other Options
# Use the space bar to deselect the following options
[ ] Equal split
…
[ ] menuBar Visible
[ ] show Mini status
[ ] Keybar visible
[ ] hIntbar visible

F9 >> Right >> Info C-x i

Done!

But after that we still have a non transparent MC…

[ Modifying MC colors ]

You should follow this link to do that: Modifying MC Colors .

I have the same colors the author is using, i liked it :).

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I must say thanks to Filam from the Arch’s forum, i first saw his similar config and asked him. Isn’t Open Source Community awesome? :D.

Thanks to Ajnasz too, he is the author of how to change MC colors.

Cya…

Vimperator

Web browsing is a hard duty. We need, to almost move our hands from the keyboard to the mouse when browsing every time we do something. The way pages are done don’t let us use a text mode browser, most pages will lose the feel, etc.

So then, we have some browsers made for 99% keyboard use! One of those is Uzbl,which i have been using around a month. It is an Unix-philosophy follower, “Do one thing and do it well”. And yes, it does browsing well, but it only browse the web, it doesn’t has bloat like cookies handler, downloads handler or such things! Although the users(and developers) made scripts to do those things.

But less than a week ago i started using   Vimperator. All the power of FireFox 99% keyboard controlled(yes, flash stinks) and a minimal User Interface!

If you are a somewhat veteran Linux user, or love Vim(or gVim) you will love Vimperator. It uses vim-alike keybinds.

H,j,k,l,i… all them are here. Using Vimperator you can also manage all on your browser, from tabs to those Firefox GUIs(Addons,etc.).

Vimperator is not another browser…maybe i made you think so…

It’s just an add-on. The current version is 2.2 and works on Firefox 3.5 and derivations(such as Iceweasel or Swiftfox) and can be downloaded here: Download Vimperator , and The code .

After it install you will need to restart Firefox, and the next time you will see a minimal User Interface and the User Guide. There you will learn to use Vimperator, and if you don’t like it, you will know to to uninstall it.

Now I’m quoting the features, direct from the project page:

• Vim-like key bindings (h, j, k, l, gg, G, 0, $, ZZ, <C-f>, etc.)
• Ex commands (:quit, :open www.foo.com, …).
• Tab completion available for all commands with support for 'longest' matching when :set in 'wildmode'
• Extensions! Yes, you can extend Vimperator’s functionality with scripts just like you can extend Firefox with extensions..
• Explore JavaScript objects with :echo window and even context-sensitive tab completion..
• Hit-a-hint like navigation of links (start with f to follow a link).
• Advanced completion of bookmark and history URLs (searching also in title, not only URL).
• Vim-like status line with a wget-like progress bar.
• Minimal GUI (easily hide menu bar and toolbar with :set guioptions=).
• Ability to :source JavaScript files, and to use a ~/.vimperatorrc file with syntax highlighting if you install vimperator.vim
• Easy quick searches (:open foo will search for “foo” in google, :open ebay terminator will search for “terminator” on eBay) with support for Firefox keyword bookmarks and search engines.
• Count supported for many commands (3<C-o> will go back 3 pages).
• Beep on errors.
• Marks support (ma to set mark ‘a’ on a webpage, 'a to go there).
• QuickMarks support (quickly go to previously marked web pages with go{a-zA-Z0-9}).
• :map and :command support (and feedkeys() for script writers).
• :time support for profiling.
• Move the text cursor and select text with Vim keys and a visual mode.
• External editor support.
• Macros to replay key strokes.
• AutoCommands to execute action on certain events.
• A comprehensive :help, explaining all commands, mappings and options.
• Much more…

Arch Linux

You should know there are several Linux ‘versions’, also called Distros.

There are lots of distros, on the most used we can find Debian, Ubuntu, Gentoo, Fedora…

And there’s that one i like to use: ArchLinux.

Arch is a DIY(Do it Yourself) distro.

By default it just install the core system whit very basic apps.  An editor, few networking apps, a package manager(Pacman), bash, and few more.

Then, what is good about it? Well, i already said it :p.

As it install nothing but core apps by default you can really have just what you want, and you’ll be bloated only if you want.

It has official versions for i686 and x86_64 processors, but there are ports to other architectures. They are highly optimized so you will always have a quick system.

Arch, as many almost any distro has its own way to install software: PACkage MANager(Pacman).

Pacman is like aptitude from Debian based distros. It access the repositories you has set, download the software and install it. The Arch repositories are:

• [core]

Here you find the packages which makes Arch Work. Kernels, etc…

• [extra]

Here is the software people wants but aren’t system required.  Xorg, Window Managers, Browsers…

• [community]

The applications here are the Arch User Repository(AUR) that got enough votes. They are maintained by the Trusted Users(TU).

• Arch User Repository

The PKGBUILDS here are maintained by Arch users. Here you find git/subversion/darcs/etc version of software on [extra], patched applications, new applications, etc.

There are the [testing] and [unsupported] repos too, but i dont need to explain them…or do i?

Arch’s packagers do hate dependencies, so they delete the most they can without messing up the software. That gives you an almost free  of fat software system.

Pacman is a text mode packager manager, but of course, there are several GUIs for it. Shaman is an example.

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Arch could look hard for new users,but is not. I have less than a year using Linux(less than six months when i first installed it) and its easy to use, and if i have any problem the awesome community will help me.

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ArchLinux official site // Arch Forums // Arch Wiki // Arch on Wikipedia // <— Some links i leave you…

My article sucks, i know :p.

Well, cya.

Water at 2000 frames per second

I just saw this video from Yoshiki on Twitter. Awesome, insn’t it?

Water at 200 FPS

 

IRC Quote…

I wish to post something about my Laptop, my system or the apps i use already, but I’m trying Awesome, maybe I’ll stick to it…

So for now, a quote:  [Note: I couldn't find the quote on Rizon quotes bots, so i wrote it,  as i recall it]

<[Jim]> CAsercan is a hacker. I gave him op and he kicked people

I know, barely recalled :[ …

Oh, i also added Arturo-’s and Vengeful’s blogs into the blog roll :o.

From school…

I have some free hours.

My teacher is somewhat lazy and he will not give us class today.

Schools PCs have Windows :(, Im gonna Puke.

Im bored and im downloading some mame emulators for my firend and showing him Twitter.

Cya

Hello World

So hi.

First entry…

At first i was going to post more, even a screenshot, but i will do it later.

Well,this is my blog number 3. First one was in blogspot, it sucked. Second one was in here,wordpress; it sucked too.

Well, the blog is about free software, Linux, IRC and more things. Also about me, kinda.

Cya!

* YamiFrankc has quit Blogging. (Quit: Irssi!)