Automatically Mounting SMB Shares

Mounting Samba Shares
Working with Kubuntu 7.10.
One of the first things you'll want to do when working with Linux after coming from Windows is to link up with your other Windows PC's on the network. Whether it be a file library or music or just another computer to link to, you'll almost certainly want these to load on startup, instead of having to sudo mount the directory each time you log in.

You'll need to have smbfs (Samba File System) installed first.

In terminal type:

sudo apt-get install smbfs

The folder you want the share to be mounted in can be anywhere, though usually it is either in the /media or the /mnt folders.

Create this in terminal by typing:

sudo mkdir /media/share_folder

After that you need to add the mount point into fstab file.
In terminal type:

sudo kwrite /etc/fstab

Add the line:

//SMB_SHARE /media/share_folder   smbfs  auto,credentials=/root/.credentials,uid=1000,umask=000,user   0 0

Obviously you'll have to select the right Samba Share and also the folder you want it to be mounted in.
SAVE the file and close /etc/fstab.

You will also need to create the file /root/.credentials. Do this by typing into Terminal:

sudo kwrite /root/.credentials

and add the following text:

username=your_smb_username
password=your_smb_password

SAVE and close /root/.credentials


Then you need to make it secure by changing the permissions on the file. (From memory this sometimes causes extra issues for me when auto mounting)

In terminal type:

sudo chmod 600 /root/.credentials

Now you're ready to go. You can either reboot and watch it go, or you can reload your fstab by typing the following into Terminal:

sudo mount -a

And there you have it. How to make your samba shares automatically load on start up. The same applies for Gnome desktop - but use gedit instead of kwrite. Everything else should work.
For more info, see Matt Stone's article: Automatically Mounting Windows SMB Shares in Ubuntu v3.

'Till next time...

A life with Linux

As many of you know I've started using Linux as my main OS. I'm using Kubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy Gibbon) at the moment and loving it.
Because of this I'll be adding bits and pieces about Linux to my Blog; such as the following step-by-step guide on How to automatically mount Samba shares.
I'm also starting up a collection of Linux distro's on CD - so if any of you have some available and wouldn't mind putting them on CD and sending them to me that'd be awesomely appreciated.

For the majority of you this may be a bit boring, especially if you're reading up on what I'm up to at the moment! But know that I will continue to post articles on what's relevant in my life at the moment.

'Till next time...

Kitting Out your KDE desktop

KDM Login Screen and Splash Screen customization.
Browsing through KDE-look.org can be an awesome time waster. Full of peoples contribution to themes, wallpapers, login screens, icons, splash screens and window decorators, it is an almost never ending library of ways to make your desktop un-standard!

One of the major problems with it though is there are no Packs. When one installs one login screen, but has a different splash screen, it results in an inconsistent feel - and consistency is one of the first thing one is taught at Art school.

So I took some time to browse through kde-look and piece together some themes which had matching login and splash screens.

Amora: Login // Splash
Alien (Blue): Login // Splash
Black: Login // Splash
ArchLinux: Login // Splash
Dark-Kubuntu: Login // Splash
Kubuntu-Volutes*: Login // Splash
KDE-Volutes: Login // Splash
joy kubuntu: Login // Splash
kubuntu-blue: Login // Splash

* - My personal favourite. Also has a wallpaper available.
Alien also has Green, Graphite and Red themes available.

'Till next time...

Acer Notebooks shipped with Ubuntu

Acer Aspire 4315 Laptops are now being shipped with copies of Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy Gibbon) in Auckland and Wellington DSE stores. (http://www.geekzone.co.nz/freitasm/4387)Recently I also saw them for sale in the Noel Leeming catalogue as well (Lower Hutt - not sure how widespread this is).Because its not fitted with Windows, they're also going for a cheap price of $699.00.
I'm speculating when I say I think there is a good chance that the reason for this is the ultimate failings of Windows Vista. These shortcomings are widely documented and update and install I've heard can be cumbersome. I think this is one of the reasons there has been an influx of Window's users switching to distro's such as Ubuntu, which are easy to set up and update, and have full functionality of Windows with similar programs available free of charge.
With a bit of tweaking, one can even get Ubuntu looking and working like Vista if you wanted to! (I have here using Compiz in Kubuntu 7.10 with Flip3D and Aero transparent theme - both of which I can't get in my own Windows because the laptop came with Vista Home Basic!)

So next time you're thinking of getting a new laptop - get your hands on a copy of Ubuntu (Bootable LiveCD means you can run it and give it a go before you actually install it) and if you like it, you might find yourself in for a nice surprise!

'Till next time...

Update // 15//01//2008 - Horizons

Time for a site update.
I saw a template for a blog and implemented it. I liked it so much I decided to try and replicate it for my site. It wasn't hard, and so most of the Spill site that was before it was easy to convert over. (Spill has been saved in case I decide I want to revert back to it again. I still quite like its design as a part of me). I've chopped the page templates down to 2 column instead of 3, and made a fixed centred column... Which made things difficult in IE (as usual). I think I've gotten things fixed for IE using quite a simple method.
In Firefox, the following css gives you a centred div

[code]
#content_wrapper {
width: 720px;
margin: 0 auto;
}
[/code]

However, in IE the term auto doesn't work the same and so the div is not centred and the site design is lost.
I found out however, that by centering the text of the body, IE will centre divs inside it. But then everything has centred text. The way to fix this however is to align the div's text to be left...as follows...
[code]
body {
text-align: center;
min-width: 720px /* Mozilla needs this in case of the window being resized smaller than the width of the content wrapper... */
}
#content_wrapper{
text-align: left;
width: 720px;
margin: 0 auto; /* So that the centering still works in Firefox */
}
[/code]
}

I've also managed to load the blog files and archives to my server (alingham.eirenz.net) as I notice the quota that I have has been increased rather generously! THANKS GAZZA!

'Till next time...

Blackcube

The latest of my sub-sites has been launched.
Blackcube is the latest series of work that I am working on. It explores the relationship of land to people, to language and of opposites. It combines drawing and painting and illustrates New Zealand and spirituality.
See it now at http://alingham.eirenz.net/blackcube/
'Till next time...

Rhetorical Questioner

I'm not a big fan of answering questions. Its been one of those things. In class, I don't see the point as such if I already know the answer. If I don't, then I'm hardly going to answer it in the first place.
I'm much more a fan of asking questions. Questions that might not have any answer. Questions that possibly don't require an answer. But most importantly, questions that get people to reflect on what they thing, without asking them to respond.

'Till next time...

Christian Friends

Last post I received an Anonymous comment which suggest not forgetting to hang out with my Christian friends...
Firstly, as it was Anonymous I do not know who posted it, and so this reply is not directed at them personally.
Last post I outlined how I'd spent time with Vicky and her family over the Christmas period and how I'd enjoyed it.
The comment got me slightly confused. I haven't reacted to it till now purely because I didn't know how to. But I began to think about it and why it had me confused. Three retorts appeared:
1. The bible calls us to go out into the world. Jesus hung out with non-Christians as much as He did His followers.
2. It is not my place to judge who is and who isn't a Christian. Some openly proclaim it as they should, but just because someone doesn't, doesn't mean their relationship with Christ is any more or less developed.
3. I don't consider friends as being Christian or Non-Christian. When I choose to hang out with people it is because that is who I want to hang out with. Being the shy, introvert person that I naturally am means that those occasions happen rarely.
All in all it hasn't been that I haven't not been hanging out with Christian friends nor non-Christian friends. I've been hanging out with those who I choose to hang out with.
I prefer not to make that distinction between Christian and non-Christian friends because I feel that is unfair on them for me to treat them any differently. I live one life whether I'm around fellow believers or strangers to the truth, so both parties see the same person. There is no two backyards that I have to decide which to play in. Its just one big happy family.
'Till next time...

Merry New Year?

The last week or so has been kinda hectic with both Christmas and New Year festivities plaguing the days. Much a good time has been spent with Vicky and her family; a time I have very much enjoyed being a part of. Something has come from frequent contact with her parents and siblings and things are a lot more comfortable for me now.
We are at an all time record for us, currently at 9 days seeing each other in a row, with 10 being tomorrow and 11 likely to be on Thursday. As we don't live together this is a bit of an achievement!
So to all you who bother to read, a belated Merry Christmas and all my best wishes for the new year!
'Till next time...