So I recently got the Linkbook that Vodacom is offering. They have just dropped the price to R99 per month  including 300MB data so figured I would give it a try.

According to the site, the features are as follows:

Internet
• 3G Connection Manager
• Firefox based web browser
• Email
• Social Networking
• Best of the Web
• MSN
• Network Neighbourhood

Entertainment
The Linkbook comes with
• 7 free games
• 10 Educational Games
• Image Viewer for viewing photos
• Microphone for recording sounds
• A Music Player
• A Movie Player
• Wallpapers to customise the background of your desktop
• Free Music and Videos
• Camera
• Voice Notes

The linkbook has fairly modest specs running on PowerPC architecture. It’s running at about 400MHz, and with 256 Megs ram, you are not going to be replacing your desktop with this anytime soon, but it is suitable for some basic web browsing, email and word processing.

The system is running Ubuntu Linux, with XFCE and a custom interface. While it looks good, it’s pretty much locked down. Great if you don’t want your kids breaking the system, but it really sucks if you want to make the system more productive.

Personally I want to use the Linkbook to remote admin linux servers, as well for basic browsing, email and word processing. OK, maybe some music as well.

So first things first. To open a terminal open the file manager and right click on an open space. You will be prompted with a menu. Go ahead and click “Open a terminal here”.

Next you will want to enable the repositories. Open Settings, the open the update manager (Called Software Update on the Linkbook). Now click the Settings button on the lower left hand side. From here you can enable the extra repositories (main,universe,restricted and multiverse). Don’t forget to enable the third party software as well. You can go ahead and do an update and upgrade on the software.***

*** Please dont do a distribution upgrade or things may break.

On the up side, should things go horribly wrong you can always restore from the hidden partition.

To access the hidden partition shutdown the Linkbook. When turn the Linkbook back on, repeatedly press the “u” key . This should give you a menu. Select option “2″ to start the restore process. It takes about 40 minutes or so.

OK, so if you are like me, the default interface is probably bugging you to no end.

To enable the  default XFCE or Gnome interfaces, try the following:

cp /usr/share/xsessions/limeos.desktop /usr/share/xsessions/gnome.desktop
cp /usr/share/xsessions/limeos.desktop /usr/share/xsessions/xfce.desktop

You will then need to modify the two files as follows:

[Desktop Entry]
Encoding=UTF-8
# The names/descriptions should really be better
Name=Gnome
Comment=Use this session to run Gnome as your desktop environment
Exec=Exec=gnome-session
Icon=
Type=Application
X-Ubuntu-Gettext-Domain=xfce-utils

And for the XFCE file:

[Desktop Entry]
Encoding=UTF-8
# The names/descriptions should really be better
Name=XFCE4
Comment=Use this session to run XFCE as your desktop environment
Exec=xfce4-session
Icon=
Type=Application
X-Ubuntu-Gettext-Domain=xfce-utils

This will enable the options for Gnome and XFCE as desktops. You can select these desktops using the session selector at the login screen (The Green Icon).

If using XFCE, install xfce-goodies. then run “xfce-panel -a” to select applications (such as the battery monitor) to add to the panel at the bottom.

One last thing… The 3G application that Linkbook provides is actually quite useful. Create a shortcut to run the command “sudo lime3g”.

Good luck, and don’t forget to drop me some feedback if you have any success.

EDIT:

Some people have been having issues with the 3G connection in weak signal areas, and find they are unable to connect:

The modem actually does swap automatically between 3G and Edge/GPRS but sometimes the network connection on 3G is not sufficiently bad to drop back to Edge, but not good enough to use properly.  This happens with a lot of smartphones too.  The solution is to force the modem to use Edge/GPRS instead of 3G.  The connection manager will be updated in the next software update, but there is an interim solution to run a file (it doesn’t have any extension) and select 2G.

this is how to force the modem to 2G instead of 3G.  Please note that it’s beta software.

PLEASE NOTE: This is a very Beta version and is not as clean as it can be.  Will update soon but in the meantime this is functional.

The software can be downloaded here. Click to download.

Note that you may need to make the file “executable” by changing the permissions. Right click the file, click properties, then click the permissions tab. There should be a tickbox that says something along the lines of “Allow executing file as a program”.

Alternatively, open up a terminal, and type “sudo chmod +x linkbook-modem-manager-v1_0″ from  the same location as where you saved the file.

See comments for further tips, tricks and clarifications.

Thanks to Bryan for his assistance.

Have you experienced random power cuts this year? Let me know, and perhaps we can chart them to figure exactly what is happening.

Closed for FIFA 2010

So you think you’re going to make money with the Fifa 2010 world cup? Expecting the economy to at least break even after all the investment SA has put into the world cup preperations?

Think again.

Draconian measures are in place, that restrict your rights, giving you as a citizen of the country less rights than an international organization whose only interest is profiteering. Only a select few (i.e. those rich enough to buy in) are going to profit. FIFA has implemented  such wonderful things  as search-and-seizure, heavily restricted local business activities, and red tape to make sure only official FIFA sponsors reap any benefit from the world cup.

Boycott FIFA, and support the little guys instead.

Moses Mabhida Stadium a different point of view

Check out http://www.thedailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2010-01-05-boycott-fifa for more info.

I for one won’t be watching the matches, but then I wouldn’t anyway. If I want to see acting and theatrics of that level I will go see a movie instead.

Google Street View Car

Google Street View Car

It seems that thanks to the FIFA 2010 world cup, Google has fast-tracked it’s plans to roll out Google Street View in South Africa. I spotted the Toyota Prius in the Overport / Morningside area in Durban today, so it seems Google has not wasted any time in getting the ball rolling.

There is no doubt that this technology will be a boon. It has it’s place, and it will do more good than harm, but Google street view is not without controversy. There have been reports the world over of  privacy concerns. The cameras in some cases being mounted high enough to see over residential boundaries.In other cases people have been caught in embarrassing situations: Men leaving sex shops, being publicly drunk and the like. Sometimes more bizzare / coincidental  things get caught on camera.

It makes me wonder what fascinating issues South Africans will have to deal with. Taxi Drivers being caught “bending” the law. “Gangsta’s” and prostitutes getting caught in the act. Cops sleeping on duty, or getting bribed. The possibilities are endless.

How long before the ANCYL (and others) starts labelling Google racist. It’s only a matter of time.

Your child refuses to be brainwashed

So this is one letter? So what?. Unfortunately the above letter is only a taste.

The world is changing…Slowly our freedoms are being eroded.

It’s not only the RIAA,  MPAA, and Disney are not the only ones putting greed above freedom. Names like Microsoft, Apple should also ring bells. But what about Amazon?

Book publishers have had it tough lately, so you can’t really blame them for grabbing any opportunity. It took them a long time to accept e-books, but slowly they are making inroads. Who wouldn’t want e-books? Granted they are not easy on the eyes, but with the advent of e-paper, e-book readers such as the kindle have made reading and managing e-booksa breeze. OK so the current generation of readers are a tad pricey, but at least the ebeooks are cheaper than traditional books? They must be cheaper: Printing costs are zero, and distribution costs are minimal. After origination costs, it’s all profit. Well, you would think so, but try pricing e-books, and compare the pricing to regular books. Scary stuff.

Well at least you get the same rights with an e-book as a regular book, right? Wrong. Besides the usually draconian restrictions, howe about sales not being final. Seriously.

Last month Amazon made headlines by remotely deleting a book from customers Kindle e-book readers. There were nice enough about it, and refunded the money for the purchase, but is this the future you want? A future where corporations can do what they want,  eroding your rights, one licence agreement at a time. Do you really want to give them the right to effectively sneak into your house late at night and take back items that you legitimately purchased?

Big brother is not necessarily the government anymore. The new big brother was invited in by unwitting consumers by clicking the “next” button without reading the fine print. Take back your freedom. Join the EFF. Fight for your rights, or one day you may discover you don’t have them anymore.

As somebody once told me :

We are living through historic times, you just don’t realise it because you are too busy living through it.

Oh, one last thing: For those wondering about the book that Amazon deleted, how is this for irony… The title was (Drum roll please): George Orwell’s “Nineteen Eighty-Four”.

Antichrist Poster

Antichrist is a movie that will haunt you.

Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg play a couple grieving after the death of their young child. They deal with grief in different ways: As a psychiatrist, Dafoe’s character “Nick” shows little emotion, while the grieving wife is a complete emotional mess. Despite being warned that treating your own family members can lead to problems, he chooses to treat his wife. He asks her to describe her darkest fear, which she describes their secluded cabin in the woods called “Eden”. Something bad happened there, and he pushes her to confront it in order to overcome it. They decide to go to the cabin, and try heal, however things progressively get worse as they slowly descend into what can only be described as hell.

Antichrist is a movie of stark contrasts: it is beautiful,sensitive, violent, and only Lars Von Trier can make a baby’s death a beautiful visual experience.

People will argue the points… When did she snap, did she know what she was doing, was it pre-meditated, what did X, Y or Z symbolise, but in the end you will take away your own interpretation, and that is what is important.

When leaving the theatre, I could see that people were shell shocked. Antichrist presents the sex and violence in an unusual way. It is not what people expect and is unashamedly graphic in its portrayal of sex and violence. It can also be called misogynistic, and when all these elements come together you get controversy. Don’t let this put you off. It is less violent than many of the dodgy horrors out there, it is just presented in a way that most people have not yet become accustomed to.  Antichrist is one of the best movies of the year, even if it is hard to watch at times. The rich symbolism, and the ambiguity will keep you thinking for days as you keep turning it around and around in your mind.

I rate Antichrist 8/10

Just kill him already

(Found on the Internet somewhere)

Dr. Laura Schlessinger is a radio personality who dispenses advice to people who call in to her radio show. Recently, she said that, as an observant Orthodox Jew, homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22 and cannot be condoned under any circumstance. The following is an open letter to Dr. Laura penned by a east coast resident, which was posted on the Internet. It’s funny, as well as informative:

Dear Dr. Laura:

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God’s Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the other specific laws and how to follow them:

1. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord – Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness – Lev.15:19- 24. The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

4. Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can’t I own Canadians?

5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath.. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination – Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don’t agree. Can you settle this?

7. Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? – Lev.24:10-16. Couldn’t we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God’s word is eternal and unchanging.

Your devoted fan, Jim.

In the words of Mike Rutherford : Every generation blames the one before.

This is a little different… First I’m hearing positive things from Julius Malema’s mouth, and second I’m seeing interesting new DA posters.

It seems that Julius Malema is putting out positive messages these days. According to the Independent Online,  he is standing against crime, and is pushing for the youth to be responsible when it comes to HIV/AIDS :

We the youth must participate in crime fighting programmes … Engage ourselves in arresting civilians, especially those who steal from the poor.
The youth of South Africa must be careful, especially those who think that sleeping around is fashionable. They must know that doing that is like committing suicide.

I am not so sure about the “arresting civilians” part, but the message is getting better. Is Julius turning a new leaf, or has he been sufficiently grinded by the powers that be for his past antics? Whatever the reason, I am glad he is starting to push a positive agenda. Let’s hope he keeps on this path.

The next thing that really got me was this poster:

Now I know the world is turning on it’s head. Why you ask? Simple. I have met Warwick. In fact I have known him on and off for a few years through friends and shared interests.

He is a nice guy. He is hard working, reliable, and above all honest. What the hell? An honest politician? How the hell did this happen?

I suppose next I will hear that Robert Mugabe is sharing power with the opposition, and that America has elected a black president… Oh wait… Damn, the world really is turning on it’s head.

Maybe these are signs that everyone should be looking towards a positive future, after all the future is what we make of it. We can choose to be either positive or negative.  Recession be damned, here’s looking forward!

Your child is very sick, but instead of taking her to the doctor, and despite the signs that it is serious, you invite your prayer group over to pray for her. As a result of your neglect, your child dies, and you do not consider yourself a religious extremist… Does anyone else see a problem here?

It seems I am not alone in this thought, and it is nice to know that sanity sometimes does prevail, even in the justice system.

On Friday, May 22, a jury  convicted Leilani Neumann, 41, of Wisconsin, of second-degree reckless homicide for the death of her 11 year old daughter Madeline Kara Neumann. Obviously she will appeal the conviction. Dale Neumann, the girls father will stand trial in July for the same same charge.

Madeline Kara Neumann

Madeline, died on March 23, 2008,  surrounded by her parents prayer group and business partners. They only called for medical assistance after she stopped breathing.

Now before you think that this is something that was difficult to treat , remember that basic medical care (insulin and fluids) would have saved her life. She died from untreated diabetes.

Madeline’s Aunt, Ariel Gomez pleaded for assistance. According to the 911 call:

“My sister in law is, her daughter’s severely, severely sick and she believes her daughter is in a coma. And, she’s very religious so she’s refusing to take (Neumann) to the hospital, so I was hoping maybe somebody could go over there.”

According to District Attorney Jill Falstad:

“Religious extremism can be dangerous. In this case, it was fatal. Basic medical care would have saved Kara’s life — fluids and insulin. There was plenty of time to save Kara’s life.”

Defence lawyer Gene Linehan responded :

“…Neumann didn’t realize her daughter was so ill and did all she could do to help, in line with the family’s belief in faith-healing.

…Neumann was a devout Christian who prays about everything and took good care of her four children.

Religious extremism is a Muslim terrorist. They are saying these parents were so far off the scale that they murdered their child. The woman did everything she could to help her. That is the injustice in this case.”

Madelaine’s father, Brian Gordon , was quoted as saying:

“We definitely are not terrorists. We are Bible-believing, God-believing, Holy Ghost-filled people who want to do right and be right.”

Way to go Bush administration… You have successfully brainwashed your constituency into thinking that you have to be Muslim to be a religious extremist.

I hope you are proud of yourselves.

Read the original story here, with commentary here.

*EDIT: The title is not meant to imply that all Muslims are terrorists or extremists.