Probably stupid question, but

[Liam Proven]

On 27 August 2013 19:28, Gene Heskett <gheskett at wdtv.com> wrote:
> On Tuesday 27 August 2013 13:36:36 Liam Proven did opine:
>
>> On 27 August 2013 18:18, Gene Heskett <gheskett at wdtv.com> wrote:
>> > Liam, old habits are hard to break.
>>
>> Life means growth. When an organism stops growing, it dies.
>
> And sadly, at 78, that doesn't seem as far in the future as it did 60 years
> ago.

Even at 45, I know that feeling!

>> You do, do you? How? NB we are talking about Adobe Flash here, AIUI.
>
> Restricting it to flash, no, I didn't know for sure.  But other packages,
> yes.

The "right way" to install a newer version on Ubuntu is to find a
repository, add it to your list of sources, and then use apt-get to
install it.

For a great many things on Ubuntu, people run their own private repos,
called PPAs: Personal Package Archives.

The thing is, getting a package from a PPA at least means that it's
been packaged for Ubuntu and therefore has had /some/ degree of
minimal testing. And while you're at the mercy of the PPA maintainer -
you have to just hope or trust that they'll keep the packages in the
PPA fresh - you will automatically get updates when you update your
system.

The main exception for this is slowly-changing proprietary apps, e.g.
Skype - proprietary vendors often won't allow a 3rd party to host
their code in a repo. But some do - when you install Google Chrome, it
automatically adds Google's repo to your list of sources.

But the key thing is - /don't/ manage your own packages. The OS does
that. Let it. It is perhaps *the* single biggest technical boon of the
Debian family of OSes. Don't break it, don't fight it.

> Sorry, anyone spending as much time here, doing support, would seem to have
> to have:
>
> A: a means of support - somebody writing a paycheck, else its 100% a labor
> of love, and that doesn't buy the vittles or the shingles to keep you dry.

I am a freelance writer and IT consultant. I have 2 books on Amazon
and mostly am published on The Register. I also do small-business IT
consultancy, mostly in the SE of England but also in other places
occasionally. I am a co-founder & partner in Simplicity Computers, as
well, but I have little on-going involvement and it is an unpaid
position.

> B: a few names in your address book so you CAN effectively serve as an
> intermediary between the concerned user, and the packaging people.

Nope. I'd be willing but I have no connection with Canonical. I've met
the SABDFL and had a drink with him, I go to the London Ubuntu launch
parties and know a few Canonical people, but I have absolutely no
business, professional or technical relationship with them.

I have, as it happens, applied for a job with them, but unfortunately
I didn't get it, due partly to being injured, unwell and unfit for
work at that time. Shame but there you go.

> If not, you are spinning your wheels at similar rpms to mine.

Tell me about it. At 45 I am getting way too old for this industry and
am actively looking to leave it. I hope to continue writing, though.

> Well, I haven't quite figured out why (booted to a 3.8.2 kernel ATM) the
> simulator mode will not run on a non-rtai kernel, so more & more if I want
> to write gcode from a comfortable chair as opposed to standing up at a
> keyboard thats about a foot too high, so an ssh -Y session seems the better
> way to do it.  Make sure the motor power is turned off, and run it on the
> real machine to test my latest "great new thing". ;-)

Yup - a remote session, or dual-boot a machine.

> I've been drawing a check, making electrons do useful work for better than
> 60 years.  But only with the help of computers since about '80, so we
> aren't that far apart.

[Nod] First job in 1988 here.

> I wrote my first code for an RCA 1802 and built the rest of the hardware to
> control a broadcast VCR in the summer of '80 when I was the A.C.E. at KRCR-
> TV in Redding CA, with only a machine code monitor for code entry in hex
> and to save the result to a cart machines tape.
>
> Then I went on down the road, but that code was still in several times a
> day use in 1995, the last time I checked. 15 years is an eon in the
> broadcast business.

:¬)

> Then why is that particular repo not enabled by default in the distribution
> /etc/apt/sources.list?


Because it's proprietary, non-Free software.

>  When I discovered it wasn't in the list synaptic
> was showing me, I did the next most obvious thing, went browsing and when
> the failure showed up, clicked the button. 99% of the new users will do
> that.

That may be obvious to you, but it's still wrong. Sorry, but it is.
The right thing to do is go to Google and type something like

UBUNTU HOW TO INSTALL FLASH

> Sure, its nothing more than nuking the # sign in front of it, but first,
> the new user has to know enough about the system to be able to install a
> decent editor so he can nuke that #.

Nope. They just need to go to Software Sources in System Preferences
and tick the box for the repos they want.

> Then she will need to learn how to
> use sudo.  Something with a gui for control like gedit, instead of some
> teeny stripped thing that takes a long time to figure out how to use
> fluently.  You throw way too much too fast at the new user.

Wrong way. Wrong wrong wrong. You're trying to apply 1990s thinking to
an OS from the 2nd decade of the 21st century. Doesn't work and you'll
break it.

> Agreed, but why is it so hard to find the fixes?\

It isn't. Use Google. Always use Google. It should be the first thing
you do whenever you encounter any technical problem. Use Google. Make
it the first thing you do.

Tonight, I wanted to make some flatbread to go with my left over
curry. I have some gram flour but I don't know how to make flatbread.
My neighbour gave me some Indian style lentil pancakes last week and
they were great so I wanted to try to make some myself.

Did I go to my recipe books? No, because it's 2013 not 1913. I went to
Google and typed

GRAM FLOUR PANCAKE

Bang. Dozens of recipes right there. I read about 3 or 4. They're all
a bit fancy but the basic message is:

* make a batter with water and a little oil
* add some spices for flavour
* fry

So I did that. I didn't add enough spice but it worked and it took
2min to find out how and 10min to make them.

Don't know how to do /ANYTHING AT ALL?/ Ask Google. The collective
knowledge and wisdom of the human race is moving online at a scary
pace. Use it. Join it. Ride on that wave.

Think you know or used to know but haven't done it recently? Google
it. Someone may have a better way. Whatever it is, it's there:

http://www.wikihow.com/Fold-a-T%E2%80%90Shirt-in-Two-Seconds



-- 
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