That is not a problem as many Linux users are very familiar with the terminal, so using a GUI app for managing the code on Github would not be their first choice. Nevertheless there are many GUI apps on linux for managing Git repositories but usually they are ugly :)

The following tutorial (gallery) is a Step by step guide for management of Github with Git Cola GUI. It will help you understand how you can manage to migrate from terminal to a GUI app. So if you are already familiar with git in terminal then this tutorial is for you! If you are not yet familiar wit Git and Github and you want to jump start, you should definitely read this :

git – the simple guide: No deep shit !

Github Git Cola GUI

If you have ever worked with git you may have been working with the same workflow. Every step that is presented in this tutorial, has an equivalent terminal based git command:

• (1) Install Git Cola GUI : sudo apt-get install git-cola
• (2) Copy the repository link : cd /path/to/localclones/repo
• (3-4-5) Launch Git Cola and paste the link: git clone /github/repo/link
• (6) Edit your preferences: git config –global user.name “John Doe”,  git config –global user.email “johndoe@mail.com”
• (7) Edit your code : gedit file (or any editor you may prefer)
• (8) Refresh to see the chages: git status, git diff
• (9) Stage, comment and commit: git add file, git commit -m “Commit message”
• (10) Tag your changes : git tag -a v4.5.6 -m ‘my version 4.5.6′
• (11-12-13) Upload your changes and tags: git push, git push origin v1.0.4
• (14-15) Check the Github page to see your changes and tag.

Now click on the images and follow the tutorial

What do you feel after following the tutorial ?

Do you feel comfortable, leaving the terminal ?

Do you use other Linux based Git GUI apps ?

The post Github: Step by step management of Github with Git Cola GUI appeared first on Cerebrux.

Github and Git Gui on Linux

In this tutorial we shall see how easy it is to manage Github, when using Git Gui.
After the installation of Git Gui we will:

Stage,
Comment,
Commit,
Tag,
Push our code to Github

These are the most common tasks that every git user does in terminal. By using Git Gui things go better, faster and you become more productive.

The post Manage Github with Git Gui on Linux appeared first on Cerebrux.

Here’s an excerpt:

4,329 films were submitted to the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. This blog had 38,000 views in 2012. If each view were a film, this blog would power 9 Film Festivals

Click here to see the complete report.

The post 2012 in review for Cerebrux blog appeared first on Cerebrux.

Technically, AeroFS file syncing is based on “peer-to-peer filesystem” where all the devices you have installed AeroFS on, are contributing to this file system. Communication happens peer-to-peer, so any two or more devices can talk to each other directly, without a middleman server, and regardless of whether you’re on a corporate LAN, on the Internet, or in any other network.

You also do not need Internet connection on a home network. Install aeroFS on two or more home computers and unplug your home network from the Internet. Update some files on these computers, and you will see that AeroFS still syncs in this isolated network.

AeroFS File Syncing Security

Each computer running AeroFS has a 2048-bit RSA key, certified by AeroFS service to be authentic. This prevents “bad guys” from being able to impersonate you. When two computers communicate with each other, they perform “mutual authentication” using the keys. Because the connection is encrypted directly from one device to the other, data “in transit” is end-to-end encrypted and is safe from attacks.
The best part is that you can securely share your folders with anyone who has an e-mail address like your friends, your family or co-workers.

AeroFS file syncing is free, whether you want to share 1, 10, or 1,000 GB. You most probably already have all the storage you need because your files are only stored in your devices and not on the cloud.

This file syncing technology is yet in Beta state and in “invite only state”… so go to https://www.aerofs.com/ and add your email.

The post AeroFS: File syncing without cloud or server storage appeared first on Cerebrux.

Open Source software has nothing to do with freedom or licenses (source). In contrast, Free Software has everything to do with the freedom to do whatever you want with the code that is provided with an open source – free software.

Although the OSI definition of “open source software” is widely accepted, a small number of people and organizations use the term to refer to software where the source is available for viewing, but which may not legally be modified or redistributed. Such software is more often referred to as source-available, or as shared source, a term coined by Microsoft

Nevertheless, the History of Open Source infographic is quite accurate and informative.

The History of Open Source Software

(click image to enlarge)

(via)

The post History of Open Source: How did all started – Infographic appeared first on Cerebrux.

Fragmentation of the Android platform is a hot topic on every tech blog. The truth is that on the one hand my father and my grandmother doesn’t care and on the other no one is telling the truth or understand what they mean by “Android Fragmentation”. Is there really Android Fragmentation or it is actually a Fragmentation of Android Devices.

Android Platform Fragmentation

One of  the most beautiful things about open source software is the inheritability of knowledge to every one who is interested in implementing, copying, adding new features or creating something entirely new. The only obligation is that everybody else should have the same rights to the knowledge that you have cumulated with open source. This brings us to a silly “fear” of fragmentation. As for Android in terms of fear, it was present from day one:

Another meme I remember is… yes, “fragmentation”. Literally before the close of business on the same day we announced Android (4:46pm to be precise), I saw the first article about Android “fragmentation.” The first day wasn’t even over yet, and the press had already decided that Android would have a “fragmentation” problem.

Dan Morrill, Open Source & Compatibility Program Manager

Literally, this came from the wrong perception that tech journalists and bloggers do have on open source development process and various Linux Distributions. More over, Dan Morill continues by pinpointing the problem with the term fragmentation:

The thing is, nobody ever defined “fragmentation” — or rather, everybody has a different definition. Some people use it to mean too many mobile operating systems; others to refer to optional APIs causing inconsistent platform implementations; still others use it to refer to “locked down” devices, or even to the existence of multiple versions of the software at the same time. I’ve even seen it used to refer to the existence of different UI skins. Most of these definitions don’t even have any impact on whether apps can run!

Because of this stories around the globe, many have asked me if a e.g. task management app on one device will work on another device that has a different user interface ! As you can see the misconception of the term “fragmentation” leads nowhere in terms of usefulness if a developer wants to develop an app for Android:

Because it means everything, it actually means nothing, so the term is useless. Stories on “fragmentation” are dramatic and they drive traffic to pundits’ blogs, but they have little to do with reality. “Fragmentation” is a bogeyman, a red herring, a story you tell to frighten junior developers. Yawn

Android OEM Fragmentation

The OS its self is one. The latest version is the one that is available for OEM‘s to use and develop their devices. But what about the devices that OEM’s have already shipped with an older version of the OS ?

Dan Morrill goes on to admit that :

Now, that’s not to say that there aren’t real challenges in making sure that Android devices are compatible with each other, or that there aren’t very real concerns that keep app developers awake at night. There definitely are, and I spend a great deal of time indeed thinking about them and addressing them. The trick is to define them clearly.

As we have seen how OEM’s integrate the Android OS into their devices, they care just about:

• Selling devices
• Interoperability of their ecosystem (smart tv’s, game consoles etc)
• Market share

They do not care about updating the OS on their existing smartphones because it costs them time/money/human resources and the whole procedure impacts the continuous selling of their new devices.

From OEM’s perspective it may not be a problem, but running the OS on different devices inevitably leads to issues involving bugs, missing components, or APIs that have been added or altered. To help developers overcome problems encountered Google offers an Android compatibility program.

We’ve been operating this compatibility process with our OEM partners for over a year now, and it’s largely responsible for those 60+ device models being inter-operable.

Consumers on Android version Fragmentation

Is this a concern that the end user has to have when he is buying an Android device? Does the end user care about, this low level technical details ?

I don’t think so. More over, the concern about having the latest version of Android on a device purchased last year is also invalid. Ask your non-geek friend, cousins if they have the latest version of Android OS on their device and you will see a strange face looking at you that thinks “what the heck is he talking about ?”  They just don’t know/care/like changes/etc.

This brings us to the question “Who should really care about having the latest Android version”

The answer is simple : The one who knows the term “Android Version”

If you know the term, then probably you know how to look for it, ask it or search if a device you need has the latest or at least it will get the latest version. The problem is that when you buy and Android device in 99% of the cases are that you have an Android Clone (Yeap! New Term )

Android OS Fragmentation or Android OS Clones ?

Fellow geek smartphone users… let us speak the truth… if you own an Android phone it’s probably not an Android phone but a clone. And yes, even if you have spent $600 and even when the OEM has promised (they never do, but lets say they do) that it will someday receive the latest version of Android, it is still a clone and not pure Android.

Let’s face it ones and for all. The only Android devices out there are the Nexus. Period.

It always has the latest version of Android, all the software and services of Google and No OEM and Carrier customizations. All the other devices have cloned the repository of the Android source code on a specific date and then started developing for the next line of their devices.

But until the devices are ready, there is already a brand new Android OS version that probably they will never touch for these specific devices.

If you care about having the latest Android version, there is only one choice Nexus. If you are not particularly fond with being always up-to-date on your smartphone then there are many clones out there that are tailored to your likings and needs (in terms of hardware features and user interface).

The post There is NO Fragmentation, just Android clones appeared first on Cerebrux.

Nexus 7 Box
image credit: doctorandroid.gr

My new Nexus 7 has arrived and here are the first things I did that are “a must do” If you buy one.

Nexus 7 tablet is manufactured by ASUS on behalf of Google and added to its “Nexus” flagship-line of products. As a Google Nexus device, the Nexus 7 offers a “pure Android” experience as it comes with a stock Android OS, free of carrier or manufacturer modifications such as custom graphical user interfaces (or “skins”  such as Samsung TouchWiz and HTC Sense) that exist in other Android devices and they are the first to receive updates to the operating system. Nathan Olivarez-Giles of Wired summed up his view on his article “Lucky Number 7” for Nexus 7 with the following:

This is the Android tablet you’ve been waiting for. Beautiful, detailed display. Handsome design and fantastic build quality. Jelly Bean feels like it was built for the Nexus 7. The first 7-inch quad-core tablet, it has Porsche-like speed and agility

So without any further delay, here are some things that you should do once you start using your Nexus 7 table. Also at the end of this article I post a detailed full specs and facts to keep in mind when buying a new Nexus 7.

First things to do with Nexus 7

Configure Google Account. The first thing you should do is to sign in with your existing Gmail account or create a new one. Your Gmail account will keep in sync your data and regularly backup your information and settings for when you need to do a recovery. Also for email accounts other than Gmail run the Email app and follow the on-screen instructions to configure your email.

System and Software Update. Once you have completed your activation, check to see if there is a System Update. Once I did it my Nexus 7 did a minor upgrade of its Android version from 4.1 to 4.1.1. Also Run the Play Store app and hit the My Apps icon (down arrow over a line) at the top of the screen. You should see several apps that show an update available, hit the update all button and let it do its thing. The first app update may give you the option to automatically update in the future, I recommend allowing this to happen by ticking this box.

Social networks. From the Play Store download and install your favorite social network apps. Then go into Settings and scroll down to the Accounts section and add each network you use so the Nexus 7 can sync with them.

Tablet Manager for PC/Mac. This is a must app and one of the first thing I install to my Android devices. It is called AirDroid and there is no other app like this out there for free. With this app installed in your Nexus 7, you can manage wirelessly your apps, files, folders, pictures, videos, see the available free space, upload or download your files from PC to Nexus and vice versa. I repeat “NO Cables… Wirelessly !”.

File Manager. You should install a file manager to be able to see your files, folders and any data available on the external partition of Nexus 7. For the most part you may never need to use it, but it is good to have it. My favorite is the Solid Explorer (Solid Explorer Beta 2)

File Sync. If you need some files to be available on every device you have (PC/Mac, Tablet, Smartphone) then you will need to install a cloud sync app. My favorite is the Ubuntu One because I use it on my PC which runs Ubuntu 12.04. It is available for Windows, Mac, Android and iPhone and it allows you to have your favorite files and folders with you. If you don’t have an account you can create one :

And here is the screenshot of how it look on your phone and Nexus 7 once you install it from Play Store:

Video Player. The video player that comes with nexus 7 is pretty good. But if you need more feature like adding subtitles and get the most out of the Quad Core CPU, then you should definitely try MX Player that is available on Play Store.

Tablified Market HD. It is especially hard to find apps that work well on the tablet. The free Tablified Market HD app is a great app for finding all the apps in the google Play Store optimized for the tablet. Discovering good apps for the Nexus 7 is fun with this app installed. You can find it by searching for it by name in the Google Play Store.

Gaming. The Tblified Market is great to find app optimized for tablet, but what about games ? Well, Nexus 7 incorporates an 12 core Nvidia Tegra chip so the best place at finding games is the “nvidia Tegra zone”. You can find and install the app through the Google Play Store your Nexus 7.

Books and E-Book reader. One of the best things that makes 7 inch screen awesome, is portability and e-book reading. For e-books you will need two apps. One reader app for your Nexus 7 and one E-book Management software for your PC/Mac

• Nexus 7: Moon reader is my choice of e-book readers. You can read thousands of e-books for free and it supports online e-book libraries. You can import your local books and it supports txt, html, epub, mobi, umd, fb2, chm, rar, zip or OPDS file types.
• PC/Mac: Calibre, is the one way to go free e-book management software available for Windows, Mac and Linux. Not only you can organize you ebooks on your PC and have a little library of your books, but you can also create e-book from various types of files (docs, PDF etc) and later import them (wirelessly with AirDroid or by syncing folder with Ubuntu One) to Moon Reader.

Download Calibre for your PC/Mac: Calibre Ebook managmente

Quick Tip: When you install Calibre, you will be asked where to store your e-books. You can define an empty folder that is inside Ubuntu One’s syncing folders so that it will be automatically available on your Nexus 7

Theses are my recommendations and things that I did when I started using my brand new Nexus 7.

Do you have any suggestions ? Please leave a comment so that everyone can benefit from your suggestions.

The post Nexus 7: First things I did that you should do appeared first on Cerebrux.

Remixing is the adoption, alteration, and recombination of per-existing things, to create something new. Now this is something common in music, open source development but not in the so-called “innovation industry”. Except that it is ridiculous to call something innovative and new it is hypocritical while everybody knows that nothing is original. As we saw in an earlier article even in one of the most competitive industries, the fashion industry, there is a culture of copying one another.

From Bob Dylan to Steve Jobs, our most celebrated creators both borrow, steal and transform.

Kirby Ferguson, creator of Everything is a Remix.

Every aspect of human life is full of mimicking, copying, refactoring, rebuilding (science, childhood, music, art, automobiles, math, food etc) and creating interesting remixes. But not in industries that are full of Copyrighted and Patented so-called “innovations”.

Related articles you may like to read:

• What can fashion industry teach us about open innovation (cerebrux.net/c3r3brux)
• Kirby Ferguson’s TED Talk: “Embrace the Remix” – a must-see (boingboing.net)
• Are all new things a mash-up of what came before? A Q&A with Kirby Ferguson (ted.com)

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If you are a writer, blogger or content publisher, you possibly care about the way you present your content. But have you decentralized your content ? Does your content reach your readers on every device that they want to read you ? Is your content served the way you want it ?

With the emerge of smartphones and tablets the publishing “industry” started to realize that providing just a mobile version of their website is not enough. Also “forcing” people to visit their site if they want to read their full content is discouraging when people want to read the entire content on any device they want.

Personally, I have provided social accounts, RSS feed and email subscriptions to offer my content to as many people as possible. But the new smart devices are pushing content creators to find new ways to serve their articles to many forms factors. Moreover, the content its self should have the right typography, form and beauty to please the reader.

Cerebrux now on Google Currents

Google comes to offer a fix to this Beautifying and Decentralizing bug, with a service and app called Google Currents Producer and Google Currents App.

Google Currents App is a magazine app for smartphones and tablets that were in December of 2011. It is currently available for Android and iOS devices. The application by default covers a variety of sources and offers a list of featured content that includes Forbes, CNET, ReadWriteWeb, and the like.

Google Currents Producer is a web-based self-publishing platform whereby publishers can customize the presentation of their content on Google Currents.

After reading a well-known Android blogger here in Greece, who was the first who had his contents delivered through Google Currents, I realized that I had to deal with this bug and use Google Currents. I chatted with him and talked about the platform and he convinced to download Chrome for Ubuntu (I prefer Firefox but it is not supported by G. Currents) and logging in Google Currents Producer to start preparing my content.

Download or Subscribe

If you don’t have Google Currents on your device or you may have it already installed you can now subscribe to my blog and read my article through G. Currents App by clicking the following banner or the one that will always stay on the right side of the Cerebrux Website.

Thank you all and I would like your feedback ones you subscribe.

Related articles

• Doctor Android on Google Currents  [written in Greek] (doctorandroid.gr)
• Google Currents to become a preinstalled app in Jelly Bean (theverge.com)
• Google Nexus 7: a device that finally raises awareness of the 7 inch form factor (zdnet.com)

The post Why Beautifying and Decentralizing your content matters ? appeared first on Cerebrux.

1. Open the terminal by pressing (Ctrl + Alt + t) or searching for “Terminal” in the Unity bar.
2. Copy and paste the following command into the terminal and press the ‘enter’ key.

sudo sed -i 's/NoDisplay=true/NoDisplay=false/g' /etc/xdg/autostart/*.desktop

You will have to provide your user account password to perform the command, if asked simply enter your user password and press ‘enter’ again (note: When entering your password, the terminal will not display characters on-screen, such as the asterisk ‘*’, for security reasons).

Close the terminal and now open ‘Startup Applications’ from the power menu or searching for it in the unity bar.

Hidden startup applications will now be displayed in the ‘Startup Applications’ manager as slightly greyed out. You can now continue to edit which programs start upon startup, including any hidden applications.

[source]

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