Geeking Out With Python and Tornado

Life On The Edge: Installing Kubuntu 11.04 Alpha / Beta With update-manager

After reading my last article you might be brave enough to install Ubuntu / Kubuntu 11.04 Natty Narwhal, even after my warning in that article. If you follow the simple steps in this article you will be able to upgrade your current Ubuntu / Kubuntu install to the newest Natty Narwhal version. Which is alpha 3 currently and which will be beta 1 on March 31st.

To start we need to install update-manager:
sudo apt-get install update-manager

Then we simply run:
sudo update-manager -d

Before running the distro-upgrade we have to install all of the security updates found by update-manager. It is important to not skip this step:

Installing 32 bit Packages On A 64 bit System

Are you running a 64 bit version of your Ubuntu or Kubuntu desktop?  Running into apps like Adobe Air who only have a 32 bit package available?  There are two simple steps to running 32 bit under 64 bit install getlibs, a package that will solve 32 bit dependencies for your package.

sudo apt-get install getlibs ia32-libs

This getlibs package can do a lot more then you would expect go here for more information.  In our example you could use it to install Skype or Adobe Air, how ever the below described method can be used for any 32 bit deb package.  To force dpkg to install the 32 bit dependencies we have to use --force-architecture .  Run the code below to now install the package.

Kubuntu 11.04 Natty Narwhal Is Almost Here

It is almost time for Kubuntu 11.04 Natty Narwhal, what is new and more important what is gone.  With every release improvements are made, and software and features are removed.

What is new in Kubuntu 11.04:

Many small improvements and bug fixes are made.  Some larger changes I will discuss below.  There will be things I forget, or don’t even know about, if you have anything to add feel free to leave a comment below.

• One of the things I have been waiting for is better support for Intel, ATI and Nvidia graphics.  I use mostly ATI graphics and better Kernel support, because of the update to Kernel 2.6.38-5.32, is awesome.  They have fixed some of the suspend/resume errors.  Also an black screen on boot was fixed.

Learning a New Language Is Never Easy

I decided to teach myself a new language, a new programing language that is.  This time its Python, mainly because I have been playing around with the quickly Ubuntu package.  Quickly makes it really easy to create GUI applications, its a combination of Gedit and Glade interface designer both of which are used to edit your application. Gedit for editing the Python files and Glade to design the interface.  If you clicked the link than you already knew this.