For those of you who hate Microsoft Windows, you’ll love what I found on Digg this afternoon. It’s this amazing wallpaper by lahandi from DeviantArt! Check it out!

Isn’t this the best linux wallpaper background ever? The bottom reads “In a world without walls and fences, We need no Windows and Gates”. Genius! Need I say more?

I personally think that Bill Gates is a great man and he has created something wonderful, after all it is a business for Microsoft. I don’t hate Microsoft or Gates, but this is a great wallpaper!

Download it here:
http://lahandi.deviantart.com/art/Kill-Bill-52784151

After several instances of failed attempts to install Beryl on my openSUSE machine, I’ve finally had time and decided to try compiz-fusion. Compiz-fusion is a combination of Compiz and Beryl which are both enhancements of different window managers in linux using C and OpenGL technology. Compiz is no different from Beryl and Compiz-fusion is a Beryl with plugins from Compiz.

Before I go into the steps to install it, I’d like to map out my current system specifications first:

Processor: Pentium 4 3.0e HT
Memory: 1Gb DDR PC3200
Video: GeForce 4 MX AGP

As you can see, the specs are not that great, my processor is about 3 years old, the graphics card is about 4 but it runs flawlessly with the default settings of Beryl Manager and Emerald Themes. The developers made sure that you didn’t need “Vista Aero” type cards to run it which is great!

Okay, here comes the installation part, these exact steps worked for me. If you follow some tutorials online, there are extra steps that mess up your installation so if you have similar hardware like mine, then follow them. I will assume that you have nVidia graphics drivers for openSUSE already installed.

1) Add “http://software.opensuse.org/download/X11:/XGL/openSUSE_10.2/” to your YaST repositories.

2) Search in YaST and install the following: (Make sure no other Beryl installation is installed)

• beryl-core-snapshot
• beryl-plugins-snapshot
• emerald-snapshot : window decorator
• emerald-themes-snapshot
• aquamarine-snapshot
• beryl-settings-snapshot
• beryl-manager-snapshot

3) Enter the terminal or konsole under super-user mode and run the following:

	nvidia-xconfig --composite

	nvidia-xconfig --allow-glx-with-composite

 	nvidia-xconfig --render-accel

	nvidia-xconfig --add-argb-glx-visuals

	rcxdm restart

	beyrl-manager

	beryl

Thats it, by this point, beryl manager should be running and beryl should work without a problem. I have consolidated many steps into 3 simple steps that are easy to do. Feel free to post any questions or problems you may be having and I will be glad to troubleshoot it.

Currently migrating files from Windows hard drive.. goodbye Windows.

I was passing by the SAC with my friend to get something to eat and there was this booth setup, what caught my eye was the Firefox stickers they were giving out. So I stopped by and discovered that Stony Brook has a Linux user fan club. I immediately asked about it and it seems awesome. I will check out their future meetings. The next general meeting is on February 27, 2007 7:00PM at Computer Science Building Room 2129.

However, today they are hosting a Firefox Install Fest where they will offer free food and software. I really wish I can attend but I have a math midterm later on and I need to study for it. Anyway, if anyone is interested, please give them a visit, they seem very geeky and are all Linux guru’s.

Check them out at http://lugsb.cs.sunysb.edu.

Today I tried installing Beryl with Ubuntu Linux and dual boot it with my Windows. My efforts were a waste because I found out the MD5 did not check after I had screwed up the installation. So I spent 4 hours restoring my Windows to working order. For some reason, the BIOS did not recognize the hard drive and I had to install a whole new installation and used Norton’s PartitionMagic to restore my Windows installation.

I’m going to purchase a new hard drive [seperate from windows] and try again the next time I come home. Maybe SuSE with Beryl. I leave for Stony Brook tomorrow afternoon. My weekend home was so far, NOT productive!

Happy Chinese New Years!