2016-08-07

Debian within a Windows partition?

A few years ago, I remember that Ubuntu had a trick that allowed the distribution to be installed as one large file within a Windows partition. Does the same thing exist to install Debian?

2016-06-22

Batch photo manipulation via free software tools?

I have a need for batch-processing pictures. My requirements are fairly simple:

  • Resize the image to fit Facebook's preferred 960 pixel box.
  • Insert Copyright, Byline and Bylinetitle into the EXIF data.
  • Optionally, paste my watermark onto a predefined corner of the image.
  • Optionally, adjust the white balance.
  • Rename the file according to a specific syntax.
  • Save the result to a predefined folder.

Until recently, I was using Phatch to perform all of this. Unfortunately, it cannot edit the EXIF data of my current Lumix camera, whose JPEG it claims to be MPO. I am thus forced to look for other options. Ideally, I would do this via a script inside gThumb (which is my main photo editing software), but I cannot seem to find adequate documentation on how to achieve this.

I am thus very interested in hearing about other options to achieve the same result. Ideas, anyone?

2016-02-04

xf86-video-geode 2.11.18

Yesterday, I pushed out version 2.11.18 of the Geode X.Org driver. This is the driver used by the OLPC XO-1 and by a plethora of low-power desktops, micro notebooks and thin clients. This release mostly includes maintenance fixes of all sorts. Of noticeable interest is a fix for the long-standing issue that switching between X and a VT would result in a blank screen (this should probably be cherry-picked for distributions running earlier releases of this driver). Many thanks to Connor Behan for the fix!


Unfortunately, this driver still doesn't work with GNOME. On my testing host, launching GDM produces a blank screen. 'ps' and other tools show that GDM is running but there's no screen content; the screen remains pitch black. This issue doesn't happen with other display managers e.g. LightDM. Bug reports have been filed, additional information was provided, but the issue still hasn't been resolved.


Additionally, X server flat out crashes on Geode hosts running Linux kernels 4.2 or newer. 'xkbcomp' repeatedly fails to launch and X exits with a fatal error. Bug reports have been filed, but not reacted to. However, interestingly enough, X launches fine if my testing host is booted with earliers kernels, which might suggest what the actual cause of this particular bug might be:


Since kernel 4.2 entered Debian, the base level i386 kernel on Debian is now compiled for i686 (without PAE). Until now, the base level was i586. This essentially makes it pointless to build the Geode driver with GX2 support. It also means that older GX1 hardware won't be able to run Debian either, starting with the next stable release.

2016-01-31

Stupid Design: Facebook's Selling Something feature

Over these past few months, I've been going through my personal belongings to reduce them to the bare essentials – more-or-less following the rule "If I cannot remember that I had it, I probably don't need it" – with an explicit goal to make it easier for me to relocate in the near future.

Part of that iterative process has involved selling surplus items via Facebook groups. While I initially rejoiced at the invention of the new Selling Something feature, the more I use it, the more I end up cursing at the lack of thought that went into designing that feature:

For instance, in the feature's most recent implementation, it has become possible to post the same ad in several groups. Great idea, right? Actually, no. What this option does is post individual copies of that exact same ad in each group. Managed to sell a particular item? You'll have to sort through each and every duplicate post in each group to mark the item as sold. Need to edit the ad to lower the price or add requested information about the item? Same thing: go through each individual copy of the ad in each group. Seriously, Facebook? Who the fuck designed that senseless implementation?!

Here's a better implementation: centrally manage all items via the user's account preferences, and let the user tick checkboxes besides each item to decide which groups will see that particular item. Ditto whenever editing the ad's content or marking an item as sold; do everything via the user's account preferences. Rather than making the content group-centric, make it user-centric.

You're welcome.