alejandrocuervo.com/blog

Author: acuervo

  • UPDATED, Finally! Adobe releases native 64 bit Flash 11 for Linux

    UPDATED Jul 23/2011

    Finally we have a native 64bit Flash 11. It is working very well, I highly recommend it.

    Before installing it, make sure that previous versions of Flash and nspluginwrapper are uninstalled.

    Download it from:
    http://download.macromedia.com/pub/labs/flashplatformruntimes/flashplayer11/flashplayer11_b1_install_lin_64_071311.tar.gz
     untar, copy and link  libflashplayer.so to /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins by doing the following in the terminal. (make sure you close Firefox first)

    tar zxvf flashplayer11_b1_install_lin_64_071311.tar.gz sudo cp libflashplayer.so /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/ sudo ln -sf /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/libflashplayer.so /usr/lib/firefox-addons/plugins/ sudo ln -sf /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/libflashplayer.so /usr/lib/xulrunner-addons/plugins/

    Done!

    Or, alternatively (you should always read and understand scripts before running them) you can do this installation just by copying and pasting the following in the terminal:

    wget https://blog.alejandrocuervo.com/downloads/flash_x64_en.sh && sudo chmod +x flash_x64_en.sh && sudo sh ./flash_x64_en.sh

    This script will install Native 64 Bit Flash 11 and will also remove previous versions of flash and “nspluginwrapper”
    Note: If you just want to see the code for the script, it is available here:
    https://blog.alejandrocuervo.com/downloads/flash_x64_en.sh

    EDIT #1: January 01/2009: Updated everything to use latest adobe version 10.0.d21.1
    EDIT #2: March 02/2009: Updated everything to use latest adobe version 10.0.22.87
    EDIT #3: August 02/2009: Updated everything to use latest adobe version 10.0.32.18
    EDIT #4: January 05/2010: Updated everything to use latest adobe version 10.0.42.34
    EDIT #5: February 11/2010: Updated everything to use latest adobe version 10.0.45.2
    EDIT #6: October 12/2010: Updated everything to use latest adobe version 10.2.161.23 Preview
    EDIT #7: July 23/2011: Updated everything to use latest version of Adobe Flash version 11.0.1.60

  • Fix webcam not working with Google chat or Google Plus Hangouts under Ubuntu 64bit

    1) Make sure Google Talk plugin is installed.

    2) In the terminal:

    sudo apt-get install lib32v4l-0
sudo mv /opt/google/talkplugin/GoogleTalkPlugin /opt/google/talkplugin/GoogleTalkPlugin.real
echo '#!/bin/sh' | sudo tee /opt/google/talkplugin/GoogleTalkPlugin
echo "LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib32/libv4l/v4l1compat.so /opt/google/talkplugin/GoogleTalkPlugin.real" | sudo tee -a /opt/google/talkplugin/GoogleTalkPlugin
sudo chmod +x /opt/google/talkplugin/GoogleTalkPlugin

    3) Restart Browser.

     

    Done!

     

    In case you need to revert:

    sudo rm /opt/google/talkplugin/GoogleTalkPlugin
sudo mv /opt/google/talkplugin/GoogleTalkPlugin.real /opt/google/talkplugin/GoogleTalkPlugin

  • Migrate from Gmail to Google Apps and keep labels, read-status, stars and email date

    Install imapsync:

    Under Ubuntu:

    sudo apt-get install imapsync

    then:

    imapsync --host1 imap.gmail.com --user1 username@gmail.com --port1 993 --ssl1 --password1 GmailPasswordHere --host2 imap.gmail.com --user2 username@YourGoogleAppsDomain.com --port2 993 --ssl2 --password2 GoogleAppsPasswordHere --authmech1 LOGIN --authmech2 LOGIN --syncinternaldates --split1 100 --split2 100 --allowsizemismatch

    Done!

  • TV Channels Costa Rica

  • Thunar, Nautilus, exo-utils and “the location is not a folder” error.

    Installing Thunar in gnome causes Nautilus to show a “the location is not a folder” error.

    The problem is a thunar dependency called exo-utils.

    Removing exo-utils also removes thunar. Some of us need to have both thunar and nautilus installed in gnome:
    Since the problem is exo-utils, I have built a thunar .deb without the exo-utils dependency.

    Here is how for 64bit:

    wget http://launchpadlibrarian.net/69753654/thunar_1.2.1-3ubuntu2_amd64.deb
dpkg-deb -x thunar_1.2.1-3ubuntu2_amd64.deb tmpdir
dpkg-deb --control thunar_1.2.1-3ubuntu2_amd64.deb tmpdir/DEBIAN
gedit tmpdir/DEBIAN/control

    Remove ‘exo-utils’ from the ‘Depends’ line and save

    dpkg -b tmpdir thunar_1.2.1-3ubuntu2_amd64-no_exo-utils_dependency.deb
sudo apt-get remove exo-utils
sudo dpkg -i thunar_1.2.1-3ubuntu2_amd64-no_exo-utils_dependency.deb
sudo apt-get -f install

    Or

    Download the package from here:

    https://blog.alejandrocuervo.com/downloads/thunar_1.2.1-3ubuntu2_amd64-no_exo-utils_dependency.deb

    Done!

  • Zero out a drive in Linux

    To zero out a drive:

    dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda

    To make sure that the drive is really zeroed out:

    dd if=/dev/sda | hexdump -C | head

  • Website Prototyping Tools

    Axure $

    Balsamiq Mockups $

    Blueprint $

    Creately $

    • creates diagrams, wireframes, web and desktop UI mockups
    • has collaboration features and contextual toolbars
    • Online Adobe Flash-based application
    • http://creately.com/

    DesignerVista $

    • Desktop- Windows, .NET Forms, Java Swing, Java SWT, Office Ribbon Style GUI Mockups
    • Web – Websites, Silverlight, Sharepoint and YUI web applications GUI Mockups
    • Mobile – iPhone, Windows Phone 7, Android GUI Mockups
    • Sketch – Desktop and Web (Low-Fidelity Sketch )
    • Wireframing, UI Spec, Annotations, Favorites, Library Support
    • http://www.designervista.com

    Denim

    EasyPrototype $

    FlairBuilder $

    FluidIA

    ForeUI

    • specialized tool, commercial
    • create multipage screen mockups, sitemap structure supported.
    • support various UI styles: hand drawing, wireframe, Windows XP, Mac OS X and Windows 7
    • DHTML based interactive simulation in web browser
    • customized element and library supported, download new resources from the community site (http://www.ForeUI.net)
    • provide rumple effect that similar with Napkin L&F
    • export prototype to images, PDF or DHTML file
    • cross platform (Windows, Mac OS X, Linux and Solaris)
    • http://www.ForeUI.com

    GUI Design Studio, by Carreta Software $

    • visual styles for Windows Vista, XP, NT or low-fidelity outlines + office ribbon bar style interfaces
    • connect screens or pages to create interactive prototypes
    • generate HTML, PDF or RTF specification documentation
    • export designs as images to file or clipboard or share projects with a free viewer
    • http://www.carettasoftware.com

    Hot Gloo – The Online Wireframe Application

    Himalia Guilder:

    JavaFx

    • Based on JavaSwing, but with allegedly simpler syntax.
    • Meant to partially compete with Flash and related Adobe tools
    • http://javafx.com

    Justinmind Prototyper $

    • Create high-fidelity application prototypes
    • Generate fully functional HTML prototypes and customized MSWord specifications
    • http://www.justinmind.com

    JustProto

    LucidChart

    • rapid prototyping with true interactive experiences
    • creates diagrams, wireframes, web and desktop UI mockups
    • real time collaboration features
    • Web-standards based
    • http://lucidchart.com/

    Lucid Spec $

    Mockflow

    Mockingbird

    MockupScreens $

    • create mockups and organize them in scenarios (usecases/stories/whatever)
    • present scenario in a slideshow and document the feedback
    • http://mockupscreens.com

    Napkin Look & Feel

    • opensource skin for Java Swing
    • http://napkinlaf.sourceforge.net/
    • Unusual in intent: produces GUIs (pure mock-up, functional, or mixed) that look like a note scrawled on a napkin, to try to force management to intuit that a GUI mock-up does not mean that the product is finished!

    Petra

    Pencil

    Pidoco

    • Clickable Wireframes
    • Fast and easy Prototyping
    • Easy Remote Usability Testing
    • No Software Installation
    • Interface Prototyping
    • Realtime Collaboration
    • Prototype Reviewer
    • Remote Usability Tests
    • https://pidoco.com/en

    ProtoShare $

    • Create dynamic website wireframes & prototypes with drag-and-drop interface
    • Web-based collaboration
    • Add custom components with HTML, CSS, and Javascript
    • Export to a Word specification or web-page for user testing
    • http://www.ProtoShare.com

    Quplo

    • Create interactive HTML prototypes.
    • Web-based service with free trial; plans start at $5/month
    • Write HTML, CSS, javascript in the browser with code completion
    • No drag/drop wireframe support.
    • Offers a simple custom markup language built specifically for prototyping, including layouts, pages, parts, conditionals, loops, variables and functions
    • Includes popular javascript libraries & icon sets out of the box
    • Includes sharing, backups, export
    • http://quplo.com

    Screen Architect

    Serena Prototype Composer

    Simulify – convey your idea $

    • browser based tool, commercial
    • visualize Applications easily
    • create interactive websites & application wireframes
    • share with clients online & gather feedbacks
    • http://www.Simulify.com

    Storyboard Suite

    • GUI design tool (Storyboard Designer) and runtime engine (Storyboard Engine)
    • WYSIWYG UI Design environment based on Eclipse with complete simulation
    • Import Photoshop PSD files directly to jumpstart UI development
    • Optimized for embedded, resource constrained, environments
    • Plugin based for feature extension, Lua (www.lua.org) scripting
    • Support for QNX/Linux/WinCE/… using fbdev/directfb/SDL/OpenVG/OpenGL/agtdk/…
    • http://www.cranksoftware.com/storyboard

    Smart Draw

    WireframeSketcher

    • Create wireframes, screen mockups, storyboards
    • Plugin for Eclipse and Eclipse-based IDEs like Aptana Studio, Flash Builder, Zend Studio and others.
    • http://wireframesketcher.com

    InPreso

    • Create mockups for web and standalone applications, many skins (mac os, windows xp, windows vista, sketch, sample) change in single click, use standart gui elements (button,checkbox …) and many other shapes (arrow, rect …).
    • Standalone cross platform and web interface
    • http://www.inpreso.com/inpresoscreens/

    PowerMockup $

    Mockup Tiger $

  • Install GnuCash 2.4.0 with database support in Ubuntu 10.10

    Be sure to enable the “Source Code” repositories first.

    wget http://downloads.sourceforge.net/sourceforge/gnucash/gnucash-2.4.0.tar.gz
tar xvfz gnucash-2.4.0.tar.gz

sudo aptitude build-dep gnucash
sudo aptitude install texinfo subversion intltool libdbi0-dev libdbd-{sqlite3,pgsql,mysql} guile-1.8 guile-1.8-dev doxygen libdbi0-dev libdbd-{sqlite3,pgsql,mysql}

cd /usr/share/guile/1.8
sudo ln -s ../../slib slib
sudo guile -c "(use-modules (ice-9 slib)) (require 'new-catalog)"

cd ~/gnucash-2.4.0/

./configure --prefix=$HOME/stable/gnucash --enable-debug --enable-doxygen --enable-error-on-warning --enable-compile-warnings --enable-dbi
make all install

    and finally, run it

    ~/stable/gnucash/bin/gnucash

    Done!