L I N U X - M A D U R A I ----------------------------- Monthly Newsletter Issue - 02 Month: February 2002 Contents: 1. Message from the moderator 2. News from the world of Linux 3. Tips to speed up K Desktop Environment -- Krishna 4. LUG News 1. Message from the moderator Glad to meet you all yet again in this column. I welcome all new members who have joined Linux-Madurai in the last month. Though the number of people in Linux-Madurai is above 50, there's not much communication or discussion going on. Most new comers opt to remain silent and watch the threads. I invite one and all to actively take part in the discussions and post your doubts and queries freely. Having a LUG with a lot of members who merely remain spectators is no use, I feel. One thing that drives any linux user is the thirst to learn. To learn new things, to tinker around and come out happy. The joy of installing, configuring and making linux work as a normal desktop computer or a network server, has to be experienced, to be understood. And when you have a Linux machine up and running(and better than Windoze), you yearn to find out more, to make it more customised, to get it more powerful. This thirst that is never ending, that gives any geek a kick, that makes Free Software thrive. Long live Free Software. Another glad news is that by this February 4th, Linux-Madurai is one year old. This LUG was found on Feb 4th, 2001. From a one man team, it has grown into a 61 member strong community. So, guys, it's time to wish ourselves a happy birthday. ;-) And, it's high time that we meet or organise some event. Members who reside in Madurai are kindly requested to conduct a meeting of some sort, and get going. Unfortunately, I am away from Madurai. See you all next month, in this same column. Till then, Happy Tuxing. 2. News from the World of Linux Debian Release: Popular linux distribution Debian, comprising of 100% free software, and managed by a non-commercial team of developers, has released Debian GNU/Linux 2.2r5 code named Potato on 10th January 2002. Details at http://www.debian.org. IBM: Linux mainframe replaces Unix servers: IBM's new Linux-only mainframe is the strongest sign so far of the company's enthusiasm for uniting the relatively new OS with the decades-old business computer line. http://techupdate.zdnet.com/techupdate/stories/main/0,14179,2842687,00.html Is AOL bidding for Red Hat? Read the details at this URL: http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1106-819761.html RedHat raises the roof on Linux: Red Hat Advanced Server is a higher-end version that includes features designed for more powerful servers such as communications, clustering and load-balancing. http://techupdate.zdnet.com/techupdate/stories/main/0,14179,2843290,00.html Hot Downloads for Linux: Gtk-Splitter 0.9a Split files into smaller pieces, put them back together, create DOS batch files and more. http://hotfiles.zdnet.com/cgi-bin/texis/swlib/hotfiles/info.html?fcode=102173&b=zdlinux File System Benchmark 1.1 Test all common file system calls and file system library calls with user generated script files. http://hotfiles.zdnet.com/cgi-bin/texis/swlib/hotfiles/info.html?fcode=100742&b=zdlinux DeepCypher (for Linux) 3.0 Encrypt messages with this high-security encryption application. http://hotfiles.zdnet.com/cgi-bin/texis/swlib/hotfiles/info.html?fcode=94747&b=zdlinux 3. Some tips to speed up the K Desktop Environment -- Krishna Hi, KDE is a popular Desktop available. Ofcourse, it is not as light on the system as iceWM or windowmaker are, but for those whatever-be-the-case-i'll-use-KDE types(like me), here are some tips to speed up KDE(esp. on low-end systems) from the KDE-devel list. Not sure whether the last one really speeds up ;). a) If you see something like 'IceTransmkdir: Owner of /tmp/.ICE-unix should be set to root' in you ~/.xsession-errors , put the following in some of you system startup scripts chown root:root /tmp/.ICE-unix chmod 1777 /tmp/.ICE-unix You'll get 5 seconds speedup. b) Do 'ps aux | grep ' and try to minimize the number of running processes (KDE applications have quite high memory requirement per process, partially also due to the linker) c) Stop using Kwrited, it's only used by wall(1) and write(1) , in KDE3, you can turn that off in the Konsole kcontrol module, in KDE2, simply remove it's binaries (remove $KDEDIR/bin/kwrited, $KDEDIR/lib/kwrited.so, $KDEDIR/lib/kwrited.la) d) Stop using knotify, who needs those annoying sounds anyway (it's actually sometimes used for useful things, like error dialogs from the printing system), just again remove knotify binaries (no system solution in time for KDE3, I'm afraid) e) Don't use khotkeys (just delete $KDEHOME/share/config/khotkeysrc, it won't run then in KDE2.2 ) f) Turn off the alarm daemon if you don't need it. g) Don't use Klipper (in KDE3, you'll be able to run it as an applet, which saves memory). h) Use KMixApplet instead of docked KMix, it's again one process less, not to mention the fact that the applet is simply better anyway. i) Use only a single color or horizontal/vertical gradient for background, no pictures, no different background for different desktops (amazing how that can eat memory). j) Don't use TTF fonts without AA (i.e. don't set TTF fonts in settings/l&f/fonts) - X11 must be loading the whole font in memory or what. k) Turn off starting arts on startup, it's just sounds anyway. l) In settings/peripherals/keyboard, turn the layouts off completely (the checkbox at the top), and set the layout in XF86Config. m) Don't use all that stupid eyecandy like fading menus, fading applets, highlighting of icons and buttons. n) Use smaller resolutions, there's definitely less to paint on 400x300 than on 1400x1050. o) Before logging in KDE, start with a short prayer to the Great. Tux^H^H^HKonqi 4. LUG News: Linux Madurai has now become a popular linux user group in South India, with 61 members. Linux - Madurai got invitation from Bangalore LUG to participate in Linux-Bangalore Conference last December. Linux-Madurai is officialy registered with Linux.Org(www.linux.org) and Linux.Com(www.linux.com) Linux-Madurai is supported by Sair Linux and Gnu Certification, and we get sponsors, CDs and other stuff thankfully from Seascope Technologies, Mumbai. February 4th marks the one year completion of Linux-Madurai's existence. Though the LUG members haven't met in person or in any formal or informal meeting, it's understood that it is high time to organise meetings and linux events in Madurai, and to show ourselves off to the world. Suggestions regarding the organising and conducting of a meeting are welcome. PS: Sorry for not including the 'Tips' section this month, due to lack of time. Assuring you all a bulk of tips next month. And inviting a lot from you guys and gals too. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- L I N U X - - M A D U R A I -------------------------------------------------------------------------------