Beyond the time and space
We are living in a world with 3-dimensional space: width, height, and length. A point is zero dimension; a line is one dimension with length property; a rectangle is two dimensions with width and height properties; a cube is 3D with width, height, and length properties.
So, how is the fourth dimension? Normally, we will use time for fourth dimension. Why?
Now, if there is a point, with coordinate (x,y). Since it is a point, there is no length, width, or height, thus it is zero dimension. If the point is moving according to axis-y gradually with constant speed, and we record the point with time (t), then we plot the point into a graph, it will become a line as the right side of the image above. Therefore, zero dimension becomes one dimension.
Arch Linux Thunderbird export CSV encoding problem
I tried to synchronise my Thunderbird address book with GMail manually. So, I need to export the contacts into CSV format. However, there is encoding problem after exporting to CSV, because my contacts contian Chinese characters. The text file has encoding error if viewed by Gedit. I tried to import it from GMail, these errors still exist.
To solve it, I use the command-line to run Thunderbird with:
env LANG=en_US.utf8 thunderbird
This solves the problem after I tried to export the contacts to CSV format again. Actually, the Arch Linux is already set the locale (in /etc/rc.conf) as en_US.UTF-8.
Arch Linux and network printer
Actually I never tried to use Linux to print anything before. This is because of the driver problem. It is difficult to get appropriate printer driver for Linux.
Today, I tried to use Arch Linux to install a network printer. The printer is Fuji Xerox Document Centre. Firstly, I installed all the printer packages for Arch Linux based on the wiki. Then, I tried to add the printer using gnome-control-center. However, I cannot add any printer with gnome-control-center, it is GNOME3. So, I tried to find the other solution from Internet to add printer.
A math problem 6/2(1+2)
Today, I read the newspaper, and found that there were a lot of people discussing this questions. You can read it from Yahoo! Answer. And there are a lot of people answering this expression equal to 9:
6/2(1+2) = 9
I really don’t understand the possibility of answering it as 9. Some of them said based on PEMDAS, it must be 9; also other said based on distributive property, it is 1.
From LXDE to Xfce on Arch Linux
The best feature I like about Arch Linux is that it can be freely customized. Previously, I was using LXDE on Arch Linux. Then I found some problem that when I want to change the desktop background mode, LXDE will be restarted immediately. This problem causes me fail to boot properly when I am upgrading the kernel. As a result, I need to downgrade the kernel to the previous one in order to boot properly.
KOEI Romance of the Three Kingdoms and the real world
I like to play KOEI’s game, especially Romance of the Three Kingdoms (San Goku Shi). It is related to the real world management.
When playing the game, we need to first build a kingdom. Then, the player should found that, if the kingdom has only one character (officer), the kingdom can do nothing, because each character can do only one task (or limited tasks) for each month. Even the character has maximum status values: intelligence 100, war 100, politic 100, charisma 100, though the character is useful, the kingdom itself is useless. Thus, the player needs to recruit more officers to work for the kingdom.
Trying on Arch Linux: Part 2
Previously, I mentioned that I am going to create a customized Arch Linux installation disk. I succeed to customize it, but I failed to customize to what I want. I can only customize the core-packages to the latest version, but not including the installation of extra packages, unless I customize the AIF (Arch Linux Installation Framework). But customize an Arch Linux installation disk is time exhaustive, I tried and tried and tried… Luckily I was using VirtualBox.
Trying on Arch Linux
These days, I tried to install Arch Linux on VirtualBox. Though the installation steps are quite exhaustive, but after I run GNOME, the feeling is so good!
| Features | Linux Mint | Ubuntu | Arch Linux | FreeBSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Available packages with ISO image | A lot, with proprietary software | A lot, no proprietary software, need to download and install after OS installation | Minimalist, need to download and install after OS installation | A lot |
| Configuration needed after installation | Little | Little | A lot | A lot |
| Partition of installation | Can be installed in logical partition | Can be installed in logical partition | Can be installed in logical partitioin | Must be installed in primary partition |
| Init | /etc/init.d/ | /etc/init.d/ | /etc/rc.conf | /etc/rc.conf |
| DistroWatch ranking on 2011-03-22 | #2 | #1 | #7 | #15 |
| Rolling release | No | No | Yes | No |
I tried Arch Linux, because Lifehacker said,
The real installation of Linux for dual boot
Long time ago, I tried Linux LiveCD. Then I liked it. So, from then on, I tried to run Linux on VirtualBox. However, running Linux on VirtualBox requires a lot of memory, and it is not a real OS, the feeling is so bad. Until one day, I came to Wubi Installer, this is really great, computer with a dual boot without losing Windows. Wubi is for Ubuntu, and mint4win is for Linux Mint.
Sharing my OpenOffice Impress template
Looking at the OpenOffice Impress default templates, they are too dull for me. Then, I am looking for the better template, but cannot find a better one. The main problem is the background. So, I decide to create my own template. I am using the background from deviantART user, PL0. Thanks to his design. Then using the GIMP, to edit the image, then make it as the OpenOffice Impress template. Have a look.