Free Software and Technology

        Free software is code that is not encumbered by copyright or intellectual property rights. From the point of view of its creator, it is something he offers to the community without guarantee, for the community to use and to improve on. From the point of view of the community, it is free for use and for modification.

        It is indeed arguable that free software is superior to proprietary software. However the model being used by proprietary software leads to impractical situations. If I have a copy machine using a non-free code, I won't be able to modify the code to better suit my particular need. I would have to buy another one for this one utility and use the former for the rest, increasing my cost. If I happen to be a programmer I still can't modify the code because somebody else owns the copyright. If the non-free code is failing/showing a bug and I happen to be a programmer I cannot just modify the code, again because of copyright.

        Proprietary software is essentially a monopoly that is anti-progress and so impractical when applied to the software world. It is a yoke carried by all non-free software users. Now I don't believe that there is a direct correlation on quality and free software. What I do suggest is that the free open source model is better at delivering technology to solve our problems.

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Appindicator In Natty Ubuntu 11.04

Previously ranted about the blind alley Ubuntu 11.04 seemed to be leading us when it comes to some applications not being ready yet for the dropping of system tray. What I should have done is press on. There are posts about editing a white list with a recommended GUI tool to help us out here , here and here . Like everything in Linux, there's a configuration file for it, if you can find it and if you have the inclination to go ninja. If not then there's dconf-editor. Download dconf-tools from Software Center. Navigate to desktop>unity>panel. Add your application in the white list. Then close the window. No save button. mmm. So far I have added Shutter, Dropbox and Keepassx in the white list. Before... After.

Evolution Mail on GNOME 3.26

There's a slight change in the user interface. A To Do column now appears to the rightmost after the GNOME 3.26 update. Also there's a noticeable stability increase, what with goa-daemon stopping its RAM usage creep. I don't have to kill it every couple of hours.

New Converge ICT Plan Max with Sky Now

I pulled the trigger on Converge Max plan 400Mbps with Sky channels. I went to their sales office and asked for the upgrade. No charge at all and they didn't ask me to return the old modem. It looks like they will pull it when they install the new modem.e It came with a black box for the TV. The configuration is easy but it took me 3 days to figure out the Wired connection. It should be fine except I have to jiggle it in the config (GUI). Turn 802.1x on and off to finally connect. Here's the speed for the Wired connection:

Danny's Space

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