If a zip file contains the filenames which are Japanese, the encoding normally is SHIFT_JIS especially Windows. To extract the files, normal “unzip” will not work. 7z is a good solution.

The following commands are done in terminal. Firstly, we need to change the LANG environment variable, because the default LANG is normally UTF-8. Since the filenames are SHIFT_JIS, which is not UTF-8, we need to change it.

[code language=“bash”]LANG=ja_JP # Don’t use UTF-8, use “export” if needed[/code]

Linux is a great OS. Open source and free. Can work as server or desktop. There are a lot of applications: office suite, internet web browser, email client, image editor, 3D modeler, games, online games, software development tools, etc. Using Linux, I can almost do anything I want just as I am using proprietary OS.

However, there is a drawback. If a computer cannot be used for playing games, then it will not be 100% perfect. Yes, Linux has a lot of free and open source games, but I feel that there is still a gap between free games and the commercial games. Though I may not use Linux to play the latest game, at least it should allow me to play my favourite game.

Yes, again. HP Mini 1000 series, small screen, lightweight, RAM is not big. I like Ubuntu Desktop Edition, though there is Ubuntu Netbook Remix, it is not my favourite. Because I use the netbook just like a desktop, got a lot of developers’ tools, GIMP, etc.

Ubuntu, using GNOME as the desktop environment. I like GNOME because I like GTK+. I like GTK+ because I like C programming. Then, I read an article about Xfce, which is more lightweight thant GNOME. Which is also using GTK+. So I tried it.

This is not an easy work for me.

1. Firstly, I download the Ubuntu 10.10 alternative CD ISO.
2. Then, following upgrade using the shell script by following this article.
3. Restart

No wireless device detected, cannot connect internet through WiFi. What the X?! I used this method before by upgrading from 9.10 to 10.4, but this time fail.

1. Then use the broadband connect to the internet
2. System > Administration > Additional Drivers
3. Download and update certain things, I don’t know what are they
4. Found “Broadcom STA wireless driver”
5. Activate
6. Failed! Ask me to check /var/log/jockey.log

Then I think I need to update everything, so I run System > Administration > Update Manager. Then I asked for “Partial Upgrade”, and needs to download about 200Mb data. Not the good solution. Search solution online. Then I found this.

When I was using Windows to manage my files, I always open a lot of windows to move my files. Even the window is already open, I will open a new window.  Because it is difficult for me to find the opened windows. And my taskbar will full of tasks.

So, I tried to find a Windows Explorer replacement. Tried all the best free file managers by Gizmo’s Freeware. Then, only FreeCommander fulfils my needs. There is no need to open a lot of windows.

I was using Huawei E220, a very old USB Modem. Yet, running on Ubuntu does not have any problem.

Then I tried the new Huawei E1552 on Windows. Nicer interface. Newer is better. But when I tried it on Ubuntu, yes, Huawei Mobile Partner icon is on the desktop. Can open it. But I cannot connect to internet.

So, in order to solve this problem, I tried to search from Internet. Right, I need USB_ModeSwitch to solve this problem. Reading the page, you will find a lot of steps need to follow.

I need to add some text to a lot of text files. Previously, I used jEdit to perform regular expression for several files. But currently, I need to add the text for about 120 files. In order to do this, I tried using Unix tools, “sed”, “grep”, and “xargs”.

Firstly, I tried MSYS, yet it fails. Because the “sed” version was too old. Then, I used Cygwin.

My problem was to add the following text to the text files:

Ubuntu, in my opinion, is a great Linux distribution. There are several ways to let you try out Ubuntu. After download the CD, I can burn it to the CD and boot from the CD. I can try Ubuntu as a LiveCD. I can also boot it from a USB pendrive like a CD.

When installation, I can create a new partition on my harddisk. I can install it on the logical partition and boot from there. Unlike FreeBSD, which needs to be installed on a primary partition. Not only that, I can also install Ubuntu side by side with the same partition with other OS (such as Windows). This is special.

I found the following message when I was trying to install CVS on Ubuntu 10.04 with synaptic,

Please insert the disk labeled: Ubuntu 10.04 LTS _Lucid Lynx_ - Release i386 (20100427.1) in drive /cdrom/

I am not sure why is this message appears. But my Ubuntu 10.04 was upgraded from Ubuntu 9.10 with the alternative CD. Fortunately, I got the CD image. Thus, to solve this problem, I mount the alternative CD to the “/cdrom/” drive. Then, there is no problem for the installation.

Huawei Mobile Broadband, which I bought about 2 years ago, is failed to run properly on my HP Mini 1000 series with Ubuntu 10.04. It will keep trying to connect to internet, yet failed. And I also found a “MOBILE_CONNECT” icon on the desktop. If I tried to click it, it will immediately missing.

So, to solve this problem,

1. I right-click the NetworkManager Applet,
2. Edit Connections…
3. Goto Mobile Broadband tab
4. Click Add button
5. Then it will show the Huawei broadband device
6. Continue the steps for my service provider, which is Celcom
7. Can connect to internet properly.

I do this whenever I cannot connect to internet properly using the Huawei Mobile Broadband.