Watch Netflix in Linux Mint and Ubuntu

Netflix has become a standard among video streaming services. It does have one not-so-small drawback among fans of the Penguin: they do not support Linux at all and probably never will. This is not to say, though, that it does not work with Ubuntu-based distributions, such as Linux Mint.

Steps to Linux Wizardry: Braving the Murky Depths of the Terminal, Part 1

For many beginning Linux users, Mint or otherwise, the Terminal is an intimidating question mark which hearkens back to days of old when most regular people only knew of mice which were pests, not input devices. Although its way of working may seem antiquated in comparison to the shiny graphical interfaces sported by PCs today, it is by no means worthy of the trash can. In fact, present day Linux and UNIX system administrators would mutiny if forced to work without it. Much like a magic wand, a beginner must learn a few basics before any wizardry can begin and the incantations resemble gibberish to the unlearned and a unique language to the master. Today we will begin a series of articles dedicated to learning the basics of the Terminal program.

Making RenWeb Work with Ubuntu and Mint

RenWeb is a popular school information management system commonly used in private schools in the United States. Although it is not the only one out there, it is one I have personally used. My day job is teaching music and acting as resident technical support at a private school in central Ohio. What may or may not be well-known to many is that the company is quite Windows-centric. Macs and Linux machines have been in many ways left out in the cold, that is, until recently.

Sliding into Linux: Easing the Transition

One of the first articles written for Day-to-Day Linux was about how hard it is to change operating systems. For example, my own first experiences with Ubuntu years ago were quite frustrating. Sometimes the best kind of support is a friend, neighbor, or coworker. Effectively striking out on my own, all I had was me. As much as the community is helpful and there are many, many tutorials and HOWTOs online, it didn't make day-to-day use any easier. Even after I decided to take the plunge and make it the main operating system in my household, I still had plenty to learn. For a beginner, Ubuntu would have been a non-starter, even before the desktop overhaul that is Unity.

Even though there will be challenges and obstacles for someone making the transition from Windows, there are plenty of ways to make the learning curve much more gentle.

What's Open Source? Should I Care? Why?

If you've been reading or watching the news at all in the last six months, you have undoubtedly come across news stories about Edward Snowden and how he leaked classified documents to which he had access while working for the National Security Agency (NSA). Since that time, there people have taken a great interest in what the NSA does and how it does it. If the thought of complete strangers snooping into your business disturbs you, you are not alone, especially when espionage and shades of truth are the meat and potatoes of the particular branch of the U.S. government. It also means that open source software has become much more necessary for computer security.

Setting Up a SMART board in Linux Mint 13

Having installed SMART Notebook and the drivers for SMART Tech's interactive whiteboards on dozens of Linux machines, I can safely say that the main issue is documentation which targets system administrators. Here are the simple steps to set up a SMARTboard in Linux Mint 13. These steps will also work in Ubuntu and Debian. Note that while I have done this procedure many, many times and you should not run into any trouble, I do not take responsibility for problems you may encounter in your own efforts. You have been warned.

Linux in Education: SMARTboards

One current trend in education in the United States is the push for technology in the classroom. Many schools are purchasing iPads, implementing one-to-one laptop programs, and increasing awareness in the STEM subjects, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Interactive whiteboards (IWBs) have been thought to be a worthwhile addition to the classroom, as well. Businesses are also deploying them in conference rooms to be a compelling visual aid. One question remains: how well does Linux work in this kind of environment. The short answer? Far from perfect, but generally pretty well.