Mental Fusion

Installing Eclipse CLassic on Linux Mint / Ubuntu

2012-02-01T16:22:00.000-08:00

Last night I had this idea of creating my own OS but after a couple of research, I ended up deciding to start small and go into Android app development. Here are some articles that I came across regarding this idea.

http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/102065/Android-A-beginner-s-guide

http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html

As I have learned from the articles, the easiest way to get into Android app development is through the use of Eclipse. I personally prefer this method because I don't have much programming knowledge, especially on Java.

To cut the story short, I have to install Eclipse through a tarball file. Here's how it worked for me.

1. Download the Eclipse tarball file here. http://www.eclipse.org/downloads

2. Open Terminal (from main menu or Ctrl+Alt+T)

3. Extract the file.

tar xaf /home/cosmic/Downloads/eclipse-SDK-3.7.1-linux-gtk.tar.gz

*location of file and file name might differ from yours

4. Move to /opt/ folder.

sudo mv eclipse /opt/

cd /opt/

sudo chown -R root:root eclipse

sudo chmod -R +r eclipse

5. Create an Eclipse executable file in your path.

sudo touch /usr/bin/eclipse

sudo chmod 755 /usr/bin/eclipse

sudo nano /usr/bin/eclipse

Copy this into nano:

#!/bin/sh #export MOZILLA_FIVE_HOME="/usr/lib/mozilla/" export ECLIPSE_HOME="/opt/eclipse"  $ECLIPSE_HOME/eclipse $*

Save (Ctrl+o) and Exit (Ctrl+x)

6. Create a Gnome menu item.

sudo nano /usr/share/applications/eclipse.desktop

Copy this into nano.

[Desktop Entry] Encoding=UTF-8 Name=Eclipse Comment=Eclipse IDE Exec=eclipse Icon=/opt/eclipse/icon.xpm Terminal=false Type=Application Categories=GNOME;Application;Development; StartupNotify=true

Save and exit.

7. Launch Eclipse for the first time.

/opt/eclipse/eclipse -clean &

You're Eclipse should be ready to go. ^_^

Tips and Tweaks for Linux Mint

2011-06-26T11:58:00.000-07:00

Continuing the Linux Series of my posts, I've decided to create this topic since Linux Mint the distro that I am personally using and it is also what I recommend to those who are planning to switch from Windows OS to Linux.

Linux Mint installation usually comes with all the applications you would need to attend to your daily computing needs and settings are set in a manner that would somehow be pleasant for everyone. But why not customize it so that it would be a perfect fit to your needs and your personality.

Add / Remove Applications

As a starting point, it is best to install / uninstall applications from the Software Manager since this would categorically list thousands of applications you could install on your system. Here's how it goes:

Go to Menu >> Software Manager.
Browse the categories until you reach your desired application. (You could also simply type the name of the application in the search bar located in the upper-right corner of Software Manager)
Click on the application.
Click Install or Remove as the case may be.

If you cannot find the application in the Software Manager, you could use the terminal to perform the same task.

Go to Menu >> Terminal.
Type "sudo apt-get install name_of_application" (e.g. sudo apt-get install firefox)
Enter your password. (The password for your system. This is the one that you've set upon installation)

Note:

Typing the command above would update an application if it is already installed.
To uninstall application using the Terminal, just replace install with uninstall (e.g. sudo apt-get uninstall firefox)
Whenever you are asked to type your password, you may notice that it do not seem to be typing but believe me it does. It is just hidden for security purposes.

Tweaks

Customizing the look and feel of your system what is included in the "Freedom" that I am referring to in my earlier post: Shifting to Linux.

You can do this by changing settings in Menu >> Preferences >> Appearance

Here are other tweaks:
Tips and Tricks for Linux Mint after Installation

Computer Hardware Quiz

2011-06-26T11:24:00.000-07:00

This is in response to a comment made by QualityPoint in my previous topic: "Shifting to Linux".

I've checked the link but I didn't find it to be useful for me (at the moment). Though, there is no doubt that this would be helpful for those who are thinking of going deeper into the field of Computer Hardware. That's why I decided to post it as well.

Here is the link: Computer Hardware Quiz

The quiz tackles details regarding hardwares which includes appearance of certain parts and commonly used stuff. These may be susceptible to obsolescence of presented information specially technology is fast pacing. It would be helpful if a hardware expert try to check the quiz and comment back here and share your thoughts.

Disclaimer:

The quiz discussed above does not belong to me and comments that I've made are simply opinions based on my knowledge and experience.

Tuning Musical Instruments Using Computer

2011-06-21T12:20:00.000-07:00

I had a hard time tuning my violin because the battery of my digital tuner was lost. Good thing I found a Linux based instrument tuner -- Lingot. It is accurate and easy to use as claimed by the software.

I have also found a Windows version of it but I haven't personally tried that one. Here's the link:
http://lingot.gitara.org.pl/index.php.en

Please comment here for your opinion regarding the software (specially the Windows version).

Shifting to Linux

2011-06-21T11:01:00.000-07:00

Since I was introduced to computer, I have been using Windows OS. As I go deeper into computing, I've heard about Linux and the wonderful things that it can do. Here are some of the things that I like best about Linux:

Freedom
Secured (against virus and similar threats)
Mostly free softwares
Flexible (you can customize it from appearance to functions)

There are also different distributions (versions) of Linux that would fit to your needs and technical knowledge. Here is a quiz that might help you decide on which distro (distribution) is right suitable for you:

http://www.zegeniestudios.net/ldc/

For those who are used to the Windows environment Linux Mint would probably be an option for you. It is somehow close to Windows environment so shifting wouldn't be that hard. Using Mint, you could also access Live Chat with other Mint users and from there, you could seek technical advice.

A disadvantage for Linux would be the fact that most softwares are created for Windows since it has the largest share of house computers. On the other hand, Linux developers continue to create counterpart softwares for those created for Windows.

Based on my experience, I could say that Linux provided me with the computing experience that I've been looking for.

Here's a point-by-point comparison from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Windows_and_Linux#Security

Shifting to another Operating System is definitely a thing to consider if you feel that there is still something missing in your computing experience and your current OS could not deliver your expectations.

Disabling Autorun in Windows XP Home Edition

2010-06-20T02:08:00.000-07:00

I've created a topic about Avoid Being Infected Through USB Flash Drive. Part of the tips is disabling AutoRun function of Windows. Unfortunately that tip is not applicable for Windows XP Home Edition.

But let's party all users of Windows XP Home Edition!

I recently found a way to do the trick. Here's an alternative:

Use Tweak UI.

Steps:

Download Tweak UI by clicking on the link above.
Install Tweak UI.
Open Tweak UI (Start > Powertoys for Windows XP > Tweak UI)
Click the "+" sign before My Computer on the Tree List on the left side of the window.
Click the "+" sign before AutoPlay.
Under AutoPlay, click Drives.
Uncheck all drives that you want AutoRun to be disabled.
CLick the OK button on the lower portion of the window.

And there you have it! You have just put your computer's security to a higher level.

*Note: You need Administrative Rights to perform this.

Running the application as Admin using the Run as. . . won't work. In able to do the tweak on a Limited Account, temporary change the account type into Computer Administrator before running the application. After that, you may change the account type back into a Limited Account.

Firefox crashes when using Yahoo Mail

2010-04-24T06:58:00.000-07:00

I had this problem about crashing of my browser whenever I use Yahoo Mail. At first I thought it was a virus so I scanned my PC but unfortunately, my AV did not find any infection.

After weeks of searching for a solution, an Advisor in Bleeping Computer directed me to an article posted by Firefox. After following the instructions in the said post, I finally solved the problem that's been bugging me for sol long.

Here's the link to that post of Firefox:
http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Firefox+crashes+when+using+Yahoo+Mail

Found another great info!

2010-04-18T04:57:00.000-07:00

In one of my previous posts, I've included a guide fr staying safe while enjoying your computer.

Here's a more detailed guide from Bleeping Computer, an online forum that I'm participating.

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic123660.html

Windows Security Suite

2009-11-20T08:09:00.000-08:00

This is a follow-up to my post about Rouge Spyware.

I thought I was over it until I performed a scan. Thanks to the new version of MBAM I was able to detect rouge files that remained on my system. Maybe the problem with most of us is that we don't take action unless there is evident unwanted activities happening to our computer. If there is something I learned (or relearned), that would be about proper maintenance of computer. See to it that the computer is scanned regularly. Never rely on scheduled scans.

Back to Blogging

2009-10-28T12:08:00.001-07:00

I'm sorry for being out for so long. I know that I have left a lot of topics unfinished but I decided to leave it that way (unless anyone would still be interested to those topics - just inform me). For the mean time, I would be sharing topics that might be useful for computer owners.

If you wish for a topic to be finished just leave a comment on that topic or send me an email at cosmic_sniper05@yahoo.com . I would really be glad to know that there is anyone interested on those topics.

'till next post. . .

^_~

Beware: Rouge Spyware on the loose!

2009-08-28T05:02:00.000-07:00

I am now encountering a rogue spyware. What is more alarming is that none of my security programs is able to detect it. It is also hard to identify since it does not give the usual means of identifying a malware.

Through the use of Task Manager, I was able to identify it. It is Windows Security Suite. It may seem to be a useful software but actually it is not, instead it may bring harm to the computer. Upon searching Google, I found important information regarding this rogue but I haven't tried the removal tip yet.

I'll update this post after I have solved the problem.

Click here for the information about Windows Security Suite.

Virus? Be More Specific

2009-05-19T18:22:00.000-07:00

Most computer users refer to problems on their computers as VIRUS but in the online forum that I'm joining, the term VIRUS is seldom used by more experienced users. Instead, MALWARE is used.

Here are some classifications of Malware:

Rogue Programs - A Rogue Program is a program that in itself is typically not harmful, but typically use deceptive advertising and false positives as a scare tactic to have you purchase a registered licence of the software.

Trojans - Trojan Horses are programs that disguise themselves as harmless and beneficial programs but instead have a hidden purpose that you are unaware of.

Worms - A worm is a program that has the ability to spread from one computer to another on its own.

*Note: If you find something objectionable in this post, please inform me through my email: cosmic_sniper05@yahoo.com

EDIT:
This post is subject to improvement. I'm currently reading more articles to make this post more comprehensive. Please standby for new updates. To those who have links to useful articles, please let me know via my e-mail.

Be Sure that You're Searching a Safe Site

2009-05-19T17:40:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of sites throughout the web. Sadly, most of them are infected or contain malicious downloads. This is a serious threat to those who are surfing through their own computers. This could lead to identity theft, unwanted download of virus or trojans, and a lot more. Sure;y you don't want your computer to "Rest In Peace" lol.

Here are some guidelines to make your surfing safer:

Use an AntiVirus Program that has internet protection. (I use AVG Free Edition. Although it does not offer internet protection as intensive as others, it's still quite good enough.)
Visit only trusted sites but I know this is a bit impossible. In such cases try to check it here first: www.siteadvisor.com
Lastly, as they all advise, DON'T VISIT PORN SITES because most of them are infected.

Have a safe surfing!

BB Code

2009-05-16T11:41:00.000-07:00

Just recently I've heard about this new code.

It's somehow similar to HTML but this works in forums where HTML does not work. I learned about this type of code on Bleeping Computer. It's an online community where computer lovers meet and discuss computer issues.

Click here if you want to learn about BB Codes. Actually, I've not yet tried it on other forums. or other sites.

Unfortunately, it does not work here. If you have already tried BB Code on other sites please let me know by leaving a comment on this post. In time, I hope to post a new topic about sites where BB Code works.

Put Background Picture to Your USB Flash Drive

2009-04-07T13:52:00.000-07:00

Tired of the old white background when opening your flash drive? Express your self by customizing your flash drive so it would reflect the real you. Put your own picture or something that is uniquely you.

Steps:
[ExtShellFolderViews]
{BE098140-A513-11D0-A3A4-00C04FD706EC}={BE098140-A513-11D0-A3A4-00C04FD706EC}
[{BE098140-A513-11D0-A3A4-00C04FD706EC}]
IconArea_Image=test.jpg

Choose a picture that you want to set as background.
Save it into your flash drive.
Open Notepad. (Start>Programs>Accessories>Notepad)
Copy the following text:

[ExtShellFolderViews]
{BE098140-A513-11D0-A3A4-00C04FD706EC}={BE098140-A513-11D0-A3A4-00C04FD706EC}
[{BE098140-A513-11D0-A3A4-00C04FD706EC}]
IconArea_Image=test.jpg

5. Save the Notepad into your flash drive as desktop.ini

*note: replace "test.jpg" with the filename of your picture.
ex. my_pic.jpg

Setting a background might cause the text (file names) to be hardly seen. To resolve this, change the font color.

Here's how:

Open desktop.ini then add the following text at the bottom.

IconArea_Text-"0x[hexadecimal code of color]"

*ex. IconArea_Text-"0xFFFFFF" => this would change the font color into white

For hexadecimal codes check one of my earlier posts.

Try it now!

(^_~)

Hexadecimal Codes of Colors

2009-04-07T13:15:00.000-07:00

I found this site that gives the hexadecimal codes of colors. This would be useful for creating html and for some other purposes.

If you are interested follow this link.

Avoid Being Infected Through USB Flash Drives

2009-03-30T12:43:00.000-07:00

Nowadays, a lot of portable storage devices are available in the market. CD, DVD, Blue Ray, Flash Drive (USB), name it and you'll find it almost anywhere. No doubt almost everyone has his own storage device, Flash Drive to be specific.

Though it may be very convenient to use one, the truth is it's one of the leading cause of the spread of computer viruses. Computer shop owners are fully aware of this. Some computer shops are spending much on maintenance because every now and then a virus attack damages the system of the computers.

Some computer shops take this problem by forbidding the use of flash drives. This may be a good idea to avoid being infected from flash drives but It's a silly decision for the business. By doing so, you are driving customers away!

Home users do you think your safe from this menace? ? ?

I don't think so. You may say, "There's no possibility that a flash drive would be inserted into my computer because I have everything that I need in a whole set." but there might be instances wherein you have to bring home a soft copy (file) of a project that your classmate did or perhaps a file from work that is needed to be continued at home. In such cases, you would probably be using a flash drive and if the computer where the file originated was infected with a certain virus, the virus would most probably infect your computer as well.

Don't worry! There are measures you could do to avoid, or at least lessen, the chance of being infected.

Here are simple measures you could do:

Install an AntiVirus - this is a basic protection that is necessary to every computer. (I use AVG Free)
Install Anti-Malware and Anti-Spyware - these are not alternatives for AntiVirus but rather tools that aid your AntiVirus. (I'm using Malwarebytes' Anti Malware & SUPERAntiSpyware Free Edition)
Keep your Softwares updated - not only the softwares mentioned above but also your operating system (windows update). Having an outdated software is almost like not having it at all. Updates are necesary to protect your system from new threats.
Disable AutoRun - this is a little more technical but it's definitely important! Some advance viruses run into your system as soon as your device runs, making it more infectious. (Click here for the procedure)

Maximize Online Forums to Your Benefit

2009-03-30T05:11:00.000-07:00

New to the computer world? Want to know what is the best software or anti-virus for your computer? Having problems with your computer? Or perhaps, you want to share your knowledge about computers?

Maybe you're one of those who do it old school. Stop using Yahoo, Google, or other search engines to answer your problems. Though search engines may be helpful to gain bits of information from the Web, I don't advice to be use it for answering your computer problems (specially if it involves delicate items such as your computer's registry).

The Web connects you from your computer to the rest of the world. It allows you to access different beneficial articles but at the same time it may also connect you to a lot of poisonous sites. This makes you vulnerable to computer infections.

Here are some tips to make your computer safe and secure on the net. Click here.

Going back to using search engines to solve your computer infections. I suggest that joining an Online Forum is better.

Advantages of Online Forums:

You could ask directly to more experienced users and to experts.
There are times that the problem of your computer is more than what you can notice. In such cases, careful analysis of processes that run in your system is necessary and this is only done by experts who are trained to do such task.
There are also some online forum sites that post info that may be useful for basic troubleshooting or just to learn more on how your machine and you can work together better.

Disadvatage of Online Forums:

By joining Online Forums, you expose yourself to a lot of information coming from different sources. Some of these may be harmful for your system, specially if you're troubleshooting your machine. Wrong Information may make the condition worse.

Conclusion:

There are a lot of things that you could utilize by joining Online Forums but by doing so you might also be exposing yourself to unreliable information. The key to avoid this is to choose a reliable site and use your personal knowledge before trusting / trying any advice. Your ample computer knowledge may save your computer from being a mere piece of computer chips. But above all make sure to BACK-UP YOUR FILES before doing anything to your computer.

Here's a Site that I recommend:
www.bleepingcomputer.com

I personally use this site and so far I haven't encountered any misleading information. Just take some time to read the basics of the site and everything will go smoothly.

For those who are interested here's my username on that site:
cosmic_sniper05

Removing Symptoms of Surabaya Virus

2008-12-23T11:48:00.000-08:00

Removing Surabaya Virus is very easy. In fact, the one that infected my computer was terminated after I installed Avast Antivirus. Though I have eliminated the Virus, its symptoms still persist.

One of the symptoms is the annoying pop-up after your computer boots.

A friend of mine told me that it might not be a virus but rather a spyware. So I searched the net for a way to get rid of this and I arrived at using Ccleaner to clean my windows registry but it didn't work the pop-up is still there. Desperately looking for an answer, I finally found this article teaching how to remove surabaya virus.

Click here to see the article.

This post realy helped me eliminate this annoying pop-up and it also solved the "hidden folder" thing (disabled folder option). At first I was hesitant to try the suggestions because it deals with the registry of my system. Though, I took the risk just to eliminate the symptoms of surabaya virus.

I'm very glad that it worked!!!

I recommend this to everyone!!!

IT'S WORTH IT!!!

Click here: Symptoms of Surabaya Virus

Removal suggestion is also given on the above link but I advice you to use the advice given on the article that I mentioned earlier. It's the one I tried becuse its clearer and easier to follow.

REMEMBER: You would be dealing with your windows registry! You don't want to lose vital registry. . .