yahoo, msn, aim, icq, etc... always changing their protocol and always causing connection problem for third party messenger apps like pidgin.

while linux distro always stick to one apps version at their release and do not upgrade to latest release.

then, recently yahoo change their protocol again.
all these causing all ubuntu users cant connect to yahoo messenger.
you can use getdeb and install the current version. but then you need to manually update pidgin everytime new version released. or everytime you encounter another connection problem.


the only good solution is to keep your pidgin always update to the latest release version. the instruction on pidgin site also not very up-to-date and will not install gpg key for the repo.

this will keep your pidgin always up-to-date:

sudo apt-key adv --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys A1F196A8
echo deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/pidgin-developers/ppa/ubuntu \     `lsb_release --short --codename` main | \
    sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/pidgin-ppa.list
sudo aptitude update
sudo aptitude upgrade

that's it.
everytime you do 'sudo aptitude update && sudo aptitude upgrade' you will get the latest release version.

--
tips & tricks on computers and gadgets
denny on IT ; let's doIT
documenting the brain

it seem like a docking launch bar that really catchy for everyone started by apple osx.
since then, everybody want it...

there're lots of launch bar for linux. not only 5 or even 10.
1. Avant Window Navigator

2. ksmoothdock

3. cairo dock

4. kooldock

5. kiba dock

6. engage 

7. menu bar

8. xqde

9. tuxbar

10. simdock; it's fast & simple. doesnt require xgl

11. wbar; another fast & simple dock.

12? kxdocker; discontinued. replaced by xqde.

13? gnome-dock; another dead one.

14. fbpanel; not purely launchbar, but can be configured to look like osx

too bad, none that i know of have menu launcher and easy gui configuration.

which one you use?

--
tips & tricks on computers and gadgets
denny on IT ; let's doIT
documenting the brain

tools to check if your cpu support hardware virtualization:

• cpu-z  
• secureable
• AMD Virtualization™ Technology and Microsoft® Hyper-V™ System Compatibility Check Utility
  

or, in linux use this oneliner:

egrep ‘(vmx|svm)’ /proc/cpuinfo

--
tips & tricks on computers and gadgets
denny on IT ; let's doIT
documenting the brain

how to automatically mount windows/linux samba shares? that is the question...

currently, there're two apps that i know can do this. use only one of them. or if you use both, make sure you use it on different folders.

1. fusesmb quick start:

sudo aptitude install fusesmb
sudo mkdir /mnt/Neighborhood
sudo chown yourusername:fuse /mnt/Neighborhood
fusesmb /mnt/Neighborhood -o allow_other

2. smbnetfs quick start:

sudo aptitude install smbnetfs
sudo mkdir /mnt/Neighborhood
sudo chown yourusername:fuse /mnt/Neighborhood
smbnetfs /mnt/Neighborhood

that is it.
to make it the apps run at startup, you can put it either in your .bashrc or your session manager autostart.

--
tips & tricks on computers and gadgets
denny on IT ; let's doIT
documenting the brain

many ways you can show your twitter as image signature on email or forums:

• twisig:
  
• twitsig:
• twittysigs:
• dynno:
• tweetbars:
• tweeterized:
  
• twitstamp:
• multisig:
• twittersticker:

which one you use?

--
tips & tricks on computers and gadgets
denny on IT ; let's doIT
documenting the brain