Judebert.com (Entries tagged as linux)

Neat RTS: Quantum

judebert@judebert.com (Judebert) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 17:39:00 -0400

Quantum is a really neat RTS game that I found while perusing The Linux Game Tome. Don't be put off by the name of the repository: the game runs equally well on Linux, Mac, and Windows, because it's programmed in Java. Don't be put off by the programming language, either: it starts and runs quite quickly.

I recommend using the Quantum webstart link, since you'll not only get the up-to-date version, but libraries that are appropriate for your system, too. (This is practically necessary if you run on a 64-bit Linux machine.)

There's no documentation, so I'm writing my own. Read on for my Quantum strategy guide.

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Alpha Geek Learns Python for Star Wars XScreenSaver

judebert@judebert.com (Judebert) — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 10:06:38 -0400

My work computer is pretty restricted. I don't get any admin privileges at all. This is occasionally a real problem, like when I need something for development. But usually it's only a pain; although my browser's Java plugin only supports 1.4, I can't imagine a business case when I need a better one; after all, we're developing a real application, not an applet.

One such pain is the text in XScreenSaver. It's using uptime to provide text for the Star Wars screensaver and similar text-based modules, which is just boring. I'm allowed to specify a command that will produce text output, like fortune, but I'd like to get an RSS feed. And since xscreensaver-text isn't installed, all I can use is elinks, which puts raw HTML in the output.

So, being the Alpha Geek, I learned enough Python to read a feed. It's installed by default, but the Universal Feed Parser isn't. I had to figure out how to manipulate the module search path, read the arguments, and traverse and combine lists and dictionaries. No biggie. The source to my python "screenfeed" script is available if you read more.

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Better Passwords for My Kids

judebert@judebert.com (Judebert) — Tue, 29 May 2007 14:36:03 -0400

Melissa asked me for her own account on my computer a few days ago. This is significant to a geek such as myself, because I run an almost-exclusively Linux box. I asked her why, and she said she likes some of the programs on my computer, and she wants her own account.

When I asked why the family-access account wasn't good enough, she said that Tatiana has her own account, and she'd like to be able to have her own stuff, just like Tatiana. I interpreted this to mean not just desktop preferences, but also private content. This led to a discussion of computer privacy, and therefore directly to passwords.

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