how to view all the uninstalled packages in a debian based linux?

dpkg - > is a debian package manager command
dpkg -l - > will list all the packages with their status installed/deinstalled/removed/half-installed etc

The first 2(actually 3) letters of the output of " dpkg -l " command are significant to us, because it tells the current state of the package.  if it is
ii  - installed
rc - removed but configuration files are kept
So, " $dpkg -l | grep ^rc "
will display all the package that are removed but configuration files are still kept.

Note: if you purged configuration files of a package during removal using
"apt-get remove --purge < package_name >" then those packages will not be displayed.

For more information about dpkg :
i) man dpkg
ii) dpkg -l - > Read the first 4 lines ;-)
iii) Read this http://linuxprograms.wordpress.com/2010/05/11/status-dpkg-list/

How to install a specific version of a debian package?

Some times the debian package version which is installed in your linux box (say foo-package-x.y.xy ) is different from what version you really want(say foo-package-y.x.yx).  Assume that both the versions are available in the repository.  So, how we install the exact version we needed..? Here comes the solution, from terminal issue the following command,

$sudo apt-get install foo-package=y.x.yx
Replace the foo-package with your packagename, y.x.yx with the version (name)number you need.  Now, the package with the given version will be installed.

If you want to see all the available versions of particular debian package in the repository.. do the following,
$sudo apt-get update 
The above command updates the package index of your machine with the repository.
$sudo apt-cache show <package-name>
The above command shows the details of package, where we find version details also.

Want to install linux debian packages without internet connection..? check this out

How to install/configure skype in debian based linux?

skype:

 is a VoIP based software application which is mainly used for peer to peer phone/video call, instant messaging over internet connection in free of cost^*.  To use this one should have a valid user account with skype.  Now, skype have features like file transfer,  video conferencing also.

free of cost^*  - Only between skype accounts,  yes you can call/sms any landline/mobile phone... but with applicable call charges :(.

1. Download the latest linux version of skype from here.  Select your exact distribution like debian, Opensuse, ubuntu etc..

2. Install the downloaded package using your package manager.  I am using BOSS GNU/Linux 4.0 and it is a debian based one.  So, the following steps regarding installation is applicable to only to the debian based linux  distributions like ubuntu, BOSS GNU/Linux, linuxmint, knoppix etc.

GUI way:
Right click the downloaded skype-xy-z.deb package -> Open with gdebi package installer -> Install

Command line way:
$dpkg -i fullpath-to-downloaded-directory/skype-xy-z.deb

Once installed, as per your distribution's application classification skype menu will be placed either below internet or sound & video.  In BOSS GNU/Linux it will be placed under Internet.

3. If you have skype user account already then just use it.  If not create your user account by "Do not have user account.? create " link from the Skype GUI application.

GUI -> Graphical User Interface
BOSS -> Bharat Operating system solutions
GNU -> GNU's Not Unix
VoIP - Voice over IP(Internet Protocal)

How to add border to photos using gimp?

By script-fu method:
1. Open/Load the image to which you want to add the border into gimp
2. Click on Filters -> Decor -> Add border -> Give X,Y(breadth,width) value & select the color -> OK
Note:  This method will increase the dimension of the existing image by the value you given in X,Y value.  To repeat/increase the border size use ctrl+f
3. You can add other border types like Fuzzy border which is available in the same menu as above

By shrink & layer method:
1. Open the image in gimp, select the full image ctrl+a.
2. Shrink the image using Select -> Shrink
3. Create a new layer with default dimension by Layer -> New Layer
4. Invert the selection by Select -> Invert or ctrl+i
5. select the paint bucket tool, select either color or pattern, then click on the border region
Note: This method will shrink the visibility of the original image dimension by the value give in shrink.

How to add/edit email signature in gmail/yahoo?

Email signature:
As per wikipedia Email signature is,
"An e-mail signature is a block of text appended to the end of an e-mail message often containing the sender's name, address, phone number, disclaimer or other contact information."

Add/Edit Email signature with gmail:

gmail-settings

1. After log in into you gmail account click on the  gear wheel symbol(at right top) -> settings -> General tab -> signature block
2. Input your signature block text & save
3. To check click on compose -> the new message will show the signature you just gave.



Add/Edit Email Signature with yahoomail:
1. After log in into your yahoomail account click on options(at top left) -> mail options -> signature
2 & 3 are same as in gmail.

How to install chrome extensions/plugins/add-ons from unofficial sites?

By default google-chrome browser allows to install the extensions that are got from google's chrome webstore only.  So, what if you not find a useful extension in chrome's web store but available/downloadable with some third party website...?   How to install those extensions(.crx files)?

* Basically the google-chrome's extensions are .crx files.
* The extensions that available with chrome webstore be installed directly
* To install these third party extensions do the following.

1. Open your chrome browser -> Click on the  symbol(at the right top, just below the close,minimize buttons of the browser window) -> Tools -> "Extensions"
2. Now open the directory where you have your third party chrome extensions(.crx files), then drag and drop the .crx file into the chrome browser tab where the "Extensions" is open.
3. Now google-chrome browser will prompt you with "cancel" & "add" button.  Click on the "add" button the extension will be added to the browser.

How to enable wireless in BOSS GNU/Linux?

 Some time wireless/wi-fi is not working in BOSS GNU/Linux[or any debian based linux like ubuntu etc].  The reason

1.  The exact firmware/driver for the wireless card, what you are using is not installed.  Because your driver may not be the popular one which is used by many laptop vendor/company/product/model.

2.  Due to the license under which the firmware/driver is released.

Note: If the license of the driver allow to distribute then by default the driver is added with the Linux Operating system.  Some drivers are free but not allowed to distribute, in this case the user manually should install that driver by his own. 

In both cases you should find and install the correct firmware.  In general the following firmwares are enough for get wi-fi access. (There are some special case, where your wi-fi card not from the vendors like b43, broadcom, intel.  If it is so, you need to get the .deb file from the vendor's site or from other distro's repository.)


Install the following firmwares from the repository using terminal(with root permission),
Applications -> Accessories -> Terminal

$sudo apt-get install firmware-b43-installer firmware-brcm80211firmware-iwlwifi firmware-linux-free

Now you can check whether these firmwares installed, by the command
$dpkg -l | grep firmware
the o/p of this command will be like the following

ii  firmware-b43-installer       4.150.10.5-4        Installer package for firmware for the b43 driver
ii  firmware-brcm80211         0.32~bpo60+1    Binary firmware for Broadcom 802.11 wireless cards
ii  firmware-iwlwifi                0.32~bpo60+1    Binary firmware for Intel Wireless 3945, 4965 and 5000-series cards
ii  firmware-linux-free            2.6.32-39            Binary firmware for various drivers in the Linux kernel

How to findout make of the wireless card:

1. After the system bootup, from termianl read the message in "/var/log/syslog" by

$sudo tail /var/log/syslog

2. $lspci

3. $lshw

4. $lsusb (if you are using wireless dongle for your PC.)

after the installation of these things in your machine(some times we need to restart) wireless thing comes into the effect.  now just click on the network icon (nm-applet) and now you can see the options like

wireless network

enable wireless

create new wireless network

connect to hidden wireless network and the menu itself shows you all the available wireless networks.

For intel wifi cards:
install firmware-iwlwifi

For broadcom lp-phy type wifi cards:
install firmware-b43-lpphy-installer

A simple anology of English & Helmet

A simple analogy of English Vs Helmet.

Do you wear your helmet while eating in restaurant..? Do you wear helmet when you are traveling in a bus..? Do you wear a helmet when you are jogging in a beach..?  Do you wear a helmet while posing to a photo..? Do you wear a helmet while cycling..?  Do you wear a helmet while you bathing..?

Ans: No we don't.

Do you speak in English with your friend even you both know Thamizh well..? Do you speak in English while eating/ordering food in restaurant in Tamilnadu..? Do you speak in english while you traveling in a bus...?  Do you speak in english in a thamizh program which is going to be telecast in thamizh channel..?...

Ans: A Shameless YES we do.

So, When we need do wear helmet...? when it is really needed.  i.e, While driving bike.  But we don't ;-)

So, When we need do speak in English...? when it is really needed.  i.e, the opposite person(s) don't know Thamizh, and English is the only medium to communicate.  But we are....?

Very simply... "Use it when actually needed"

See the japanese, chinese people....

Remember am not opposing to (learn/speak) english... use it accordingly.  And don't forget thamizh (yes it's (y)our mother tongue.)

People here are not able to distinguish between english & knowledge, beauty & white in color.

"English is a language not knowledge.. White is a color not beauty.."

P.S:  Just i did write what i thought, what is my view/stance(since long time)...  If it hurts(anybody), just bear it :).  Because, its true(fact fact fact factuuuuuu Thanks to actor santhanam.).

How to change the username of your twitter account..?

1. Login into your twitter account
2. goto -> settings(on top near to search, in the drop down last but first option, just before sign out) -> account(on leftside menu first option)
3. You can see your full account details like username, time zone, mailid etc.. In username textbox type your new desired username and wait for twitter's response regarding the availability of that username.  Try with some modification in the username until you get username available message.  Once you got go to the bottom of the page and save changes. 
Thats all now your username is changed to new one as you entered.


Note: 
1. Details are based on the look of twitter in desktop/laptop web browser not from mobile browser.
2. Once your username is changed you should use that new username while signin into your twitter account.

How to view tamil(or any regional language) websites, blogspots in android phones without installing fonts?

1. Install opera mini from google play
2. Launch the opera mini browser in your mobile
3. In the address bar type "opera:config" [without quotes]
4. Scroll to the end of the page & search for "use bitmap font for complex scripts" and enable(yes) it.

Thats all... :) now open any tamil web page that will be looks properly.

Note:
1. Remember with this method you can only view the web pages in tamil(or any other language) and you can't write.  But one is not needed to install any fonts.
2. With this method, actually the browser shows the full web page as a bitmap image.  So, regardless of language all the webpages will be rendered properly.

UGC NET June 2012 Computer science and applications Questions - Paper II

Dear Friends the following are the questions asked in paper I of 2012 UGC NET Computer science and appliations.  

Paper – II [Right answers are in green color]

1. What is the protocol used by a diskless machine to get its ip address
   1. ARP
   2. RARP
2. Two Database users try to access same record
   1. recordlock
      
3. Key process areas of CMMI4 is also defined in
   1. CMMI3 2. CMMI5 3. CMMI2 4.
4. All leaves at same level in this tree
   1. AVL tree 2. B-tree 3. B+-Tree 4.
5. Color needed to draw all vertices of a planer grpah is
   1. 4 2.  5 3.   6 4.
6. station is 2000 meter apart from hub what will be used?
   1. 100Base Tx
   2. 100Base Fx
   3. 100Base T1
   4. 100Base F1
7. Data encryption/decryption occur in which layer?
   1. Data link layer
8. host and router uses TCP/IP software which layer's software not needed to include in router
   1. physical layer
   2. data layer
   3. network layer
   4. application layer
9. Page fault % for frame size m=4 43214513421
10. Which circuit switching delayed due to store in ram and send.
    1. Packet
    2. frequency
    3. time division
11. which metric is not depend on progrming lanugage?
    1. Loc
    2. function count
    3. members of token
12. Assume that, if quantum of time is increased in the round robin algorithm then,
    1. increase in turnaround time
    2. decrease in turnaround time
    3. turnaround time varies irrelevent
13. The technology used in bluetooth is
    1. Frequency multiplex
    2. Time multiplex
    3. Frequency duplex
    4. Time duplex
14. Mobile ip's main responsibility is
    1. ip binding and registration
15. functional methods
    1. minimize cohesion and maximize coupling
    2. maximize cohesion and minimize coupling
    3. maximize cohesion and maximize coupling
    4. minimize cohesion and minimize coupling
16. Maximum bits needed to store a 3 digit decimal number
    1. 8
    2. 16
    3. 10
    4. 12
17. what is the maximum value of signed integer can be stored in 2 byte
    1. 2^15-1
    2. 2¹⁶-1
    3. 2¹⁵
    4. 2¹⁶
18. output of printf(“%c”,100)
    1. prints ASCII value of 100
19. which one of the following will only delete content but not structure.
    1. ERASE
    2. DELETE
    3. PAX
    4. ZAP

Click here for Paper I Questions

All ugc-net subject syllabus.  

Computerscience & applications syllabus download

UGC NET June 2012 Computer science and applications Questions - Paper I(common paper)

Dear Friends the following are the questions asked in paper I of 2012 UGC NET Computer science and appliations.

Paper – I (Question booklet code X) Common paper to all the UGC NET subjects.
[Right answers are in green color]

1. Petrol price increased by 25% consumption decrease to not rise the expenditure
   1. 20 %
2. how many regional NCTE are in india
   1. 4
   2. 6
   3. 8
3. Indian institute of advanced study situated at?
   1. Dharmasala
   2. shimla
4. AIR named for broadcasting which year?
   1. 1936
   2. 1946
   3. 1926
   4. 1956
5. TRP rating abbreviated as
   1. Television rating point
   2. Total rating point
   3. Target rating point
6. DAVP is abbreviated as?
   1. Directorate of advertising and visual publisity
7. Indian video mode?
   1. PAL
   2. NCTE
   3. SECAM
8. Which makes irritation in eyes
   1. sulfur dioxide
   2. PAN
   3. nitrous oxide
9. Cloro floro carban emit by
   1. refrigerators
10. which is not renewable energy
    1. fresh water
    2. clear air
    3. fertile soil
11. heart and soul of indian constitution told by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
    1. right to speech
    2. right to equality
    3. right to constitutional remedies
12. ASCII abbreviated as
    1. American standard code for information interchange
    2. African standard code for information interchange
13. Internet Explorer is a?
    1. Browser
    2. OS
    3. Compiler
       
       

       Click here for Paper II Questions

       
       
       All ugc-net subject syllabus.  
       Computerscience & applications syllabus download

How to know your gmail friend is chatting(keyboard not video) from his android mobile or from browser?

Nowadays Smartphone user base is increased in multi-fold manner.  So while we chatting we don't know whether the person at the other end is chatting with you is using his browser and keyboard are he is chatting from his android mobile.

Picture 1. - Gmail gear

Here is the simple solution,
You just need to enable the google labs' Green Robot! 
So, how to do that
1. Login to you gmail account

2. Click on settings
    Your gmail setting is at the right top of the gmail window with the gear symbol(see picture1 gmail settings).  Click on that now you will get a drop down menu with options like settings, themes, help etc.  Select settings

3. Now gmail will load the settings page with options like General, Chat, Filters, Labs, Mail Forwarding etc(see picture 2 - gmail settings options).

Picture 2 - Gmail settings options

4.  Select labs and search for Green Robot! then enable it.  Thats all... :) !


Now in your chat window you can see a small Green/Red/Orange(according to active/idle/busy) Robot icon to some of your friends who are online but from their mobile.

World Chess Champion - Chess Super King Viswanathan Anand.

The All time king of chess "Viswanathan Anand" -  Chess Super King

How to install extensions of google chrome? / "Add to chrome" button missing/not shown.

First is first..
1.  Why i write this blog post.
  Previously i have google chrome browser (version details are in the following image)

google-chrome old version

When i try to install the chrome extensions in this browser.. i can search, view, read about the extension, can see the review and so.. but the problem is there is no "Add to chrome" button anywhere in the extension detail.. :(

I spent 10 minutes to find the solution but.. no fruitful information is found.  So, atlast i reinstalled my google chrome browser with the newer version(details in the following image).  Now when i browse for the extensions, it shows "Add to chrome" button also.  So, i can easily install the extensions now.

google-chrome new version

2.  How to steps
2.1 Go to the google chorme extensions website
* Click on the wrench -> Tools -> Extensions -> Get more extensions (or)
* Directly going to the chrome's webstore.
* Open new tab, at bottom you can see a label named "Apps" click on that, then click on chrome web store
2.2 Browse the extension in the "search the store" text field and finalize which extension you want
2.3 Click on the extension, there you can see a "Add to chrome" button, just click on it.. Your extension is installed.

Link to the Dictionary extension.

UP assembly Election 2012

This cartoon drawn using gimp on Mar6-2012 

UP Assembly election 2012

How to lock a linux user from logging into a machine?

In some scenarios its needed to lock a user to login into his own account.  This can be achieved by many ways.

1.  GUI way

 1.1 Go to System -> Administration -> Users and Groups

 1.2 Now select the particular user from the left side, then click on the advanced settings button

 1.3 Click on the Advanced tab then tick the check box with value "Disable Account"

 1.4 To revoke follow the 1.1 & 1.2 now you can see a "Enable account" button click and enable

2. Terminal way

1. As a root user issue the following command in the terminal

    $sudo passwd -l "username of the user to lock"

How to restore the last session(auto open previously opened pages) in google chrome?

The default setting of google chrome is not set to restore the previous session.  So how to let it to restore the previous session

1. Click on the wrench symbol in the chrome browser or press Alt + f key

2. Select or click the "Preferences".  This will open a new tab in your chrome browser.

3. Now Click on the "Basics" label from the left side

4. Now select the radio button with the value "Reopen the pages that were open last" thats all. 

Age conflict

This Cartoon drawn in gimp

Age conflict

Indian team Vs Indian PM - Same feeling

Drawn few days back in gimp using mouse... ;)

How to install/use fedora 16 (verne) in Debian based linux using virutal box?

This blog post explains you how to install fedora16 (verne) in virtualbox.  Even though i do explain the things in terms of BOSS GNU/Linux 4.0(Linux distro which am using),  it is applicable to all the debian based linux distros like ubuntu etc..

1. Download the fedora linux iso CD image of installable live media from here  you will get fedora-16-i686-Live-Desktop.iso file.
2. Install virtualbox-ose from your repository using the following command in terminal
$sudo apt-get install virtualbox-ose
3. After the installation of the virtualbox the menu entry is added in Applications -> System Tools -> Virtual box click that menu entry
4. In Virtualbox click on new -> Next -> Give a name & select os type(say Fedora16, OS -Linux, fedora) -> Next -> Base memory 800 MB -> Next -> Next -> Next -> Next -> 8.0 GB Hard disk size

5. Now Click on Fedora16 (for the first time) will show a small gui that asks you for the input OS either from CD/iso image of the OS.  Search for the place where your fedora16-i686-Live-Desktop.iso file and select it.
6. Soon the OS will be booted.  Thats all but now remember now you are in live mode only.  So, if you want install the live OS into the hard drive directly.  Now click on System tools -> Install/copy to harddrive
7. Give all the options for installation like keyboard layout, country, time & partition details   etc.
8.  Thats all :)