Is Debian the Most Stable Linux Distro?

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I have been using Fedora for many years. Fedora is the leader out-breaking new software. I have found many research related software are more comfortable in fedora than some other Dostros, which I have tested. But the greatest drawback of this OS is the instability and crashing of several times. Surprisingly windows 7 showed great improvement, however, it is not freeware.

Because of YUM and RPM system and is bluish configured, I had shifted in CentOS. Although CentOS is designed for server, it was good in desktop also. And I could install research related software and they were working well, however, not good for Skype. But when I made update a few days after installing 6.3, the system did not start. There was no facility for bug report at that case. It booted only and hanged on log in screen. I had restarted several times but same problem persisted.

Then I tried Linux Mint. I surprised with its awesome feature. Really, it was very good looking. But yesterday when I updated Linux Mint 14, Nadia, I got the same problem as CentOS. Does it mean Linux OS are still in infancy in terms of reliability and stability.

Probably, I have to try Debian but may I install the latest version of some software such as Libreoffice, VLC, Autodock, Chimera, etc.

At this stage I need such Distro, which is stable for at least for 2-3 years without compromising for the latest software and security. I mean the software / application could be installable a few months later than the final release date, if not immediately. Please comment if you have any idea.

Is Grub and Boot Error in Fedora the Reason for Declination in User Numbers?

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I had used Red Hat, a kind (distro) of Linux operating systems over a decade ago as a first Linux OS. So, I love to use Fedora, CentOS, Scientific Linux, and Fedora as the most preferred nowadays.

I like Fedora because it is a leader of all Linux distro in terms of rolling out and testing of new software. There are some science dedicated Linux distros, such as Scientific Linux, Bio-Linux, Scibuntu, etc. However, it has been easier for me to use latest science / chemistry related software, such as PyMol, Chimera, Autodock, OpenBabel, BioPerl, etc. in graphical version via Fedora. Sometimes, some of this software had made me irritation due to repeated crashes. We can tolerate the crash because of availability for free use of these precious software. But the obnoxious condition in Fedora is due to crash or error in Grub / boot.

I have always been using a dual boot system of Fedora and Windows OS. Grub boot as master. Fedora 4, 9, 12 and 17 were shipped the version with Grub Error, as I experienced. Unlike other error crash, for Grub / boot error, we are unable to report or repair with the simple restart of the computer. It may be due to infection / viruses or due to bugs.

The grub / boot error is a very sensitive issue. At the initial days, I couldn't fix that error and had to format hard disk, which was responsible for my data loss. Thus, this boot error affected Windows system also. I hope Fedora will be shipped with a stable and reliable version of Grub. And Fedora can compete with Linux Mint, Ubuntu and Mageia to take its sovereignty again.

Install OpenBabel in Fedora 16 to convert chemical file formats

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OpenBabel is a software that has been widely used by computational chemist. Usually the structure of any compound are drawn using mainly ChemDraw and ACD ChemSketch  softwares and default file format are .cdx and .sk2, respectively. But for the computational study the required file format are; .mol2 or .pdb etc. OpenBabel can convert as pr required.

People who are lazy in typing may become tired in typing "babel [-i (input-type)] (name) [-o (output-type)] (name)" many times to convert the individual files. They may seek to install the graphical version of OpenBabel by the command "cmake ./openbabel-2.x.x -DBUILD_GUI=ON" but thay may face a lot of difficulties in many Linux Distros such as to install wxWidget.

As I have been mentioning Fedora, a kind of Linux operating, is the leader NOT a follower, many latest Linux software repository can be acquired easily in Fedora through yum. Similarly it is very easy to install OpenBabel in Fedora 15 and 16.

1. Become root by typing su and then your root password.
2. Type yum install openbabel-gui
3. wait and then press y.

It will be installed within 10-15 minutes and enjoy.

Update Mendeley, Reference Managing Software

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Due to different styles of references for thesis or articles to be submitted in different journals or departments, reference managing software is exigent nowadays. Mendeley is a freely available reference managing software, which is the most suitable for Linux user, however, Windows user can also use it. Endnote is another good option for Windows user but we have to pay for license.
        Full version of Mendeley 1.1.3 was released few months ago, download from here.

1. Extract to your suitable folder e.g., to /media/sda5/softwares
2. Run by clicking icon "mendeleydesktop" on the location of /media/sda5/softwares/mendeleydesktop-1.1.3-linux-i486/bin
3. Go to "tools" and "Install OpenOffice Plugin" or "Install LibreOffice Plugin" (if you see the message "it won't find "unopkg" in its default location...................... or something like this" then, locate towards /opt/libreoffice/program and click "unopkg" )
4. Click on "Add Documents" and locate any one PDF and add
5. Open "LibreOffice Writer" or "OpenOfficeOrg writer" (equivalent of MS Word) and write something
6. Click "Insert Citation" then go to Mendeley Desktop and click the PDF in the document section just you have added (BibTex or other format can be added)
7. Click "send citation to word processor"
8. Then go to word file and click "insert bibliography"

Enjoy
you can choose different citation styles according to your requirements.

Install LibreOffice in Older Version of Fedora

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As I have been writing (can be found under labels: Linux, Fedora, Computer), Linux OS has been improving in graphical user interface and other packages/applications. OpenOffice, which is one of the powerful application/package, was the Linux equivalent of MS Office (Word, Excel, Power-point, Access, etc.). Recently, OpenOffice has been replaced by LibreOffice in Linux OS probably due to license conflict. In the latest version, Fedora 15, it can installed as;

1. Open terminal, and become root user (type "su" and then type password ".......")
2. Type "yum install libreoffice" OR type "yum groupinstall "Office/Productivity""

In older version of Fedora (bur not older than Fedora 8), we have to

1. Download all the required files here (Other options are available to select there, e.g., to install in Windows, ".exe" file can be selected).
2. Extract the zipped file (mouse-right click and click on "extract here". Careful ! where does this file situated, normally it remains under home/Downloads).
3. Open terminal, and become root user
4. Type "yum localinstall /home/bishnu/Downloads/LibO_3.3.4rc1_Linux_x86_install-rpm_en-US/RPMS/* --nogpg" (after few seconds it will ask for permission, then type "y")
5. Then again type, "rpm -Uvh  /home/bishnu/Downloads/LibO_3.3.4rc1_Linux_x86_install-rpm_en-US/RPMS/desktop-integration/libreoffice3.3-redhat-menus-3.3-401.noarch.rpm --force"

Note: Bishnu can be replaced by your username, or entire /home/bishnu/Downloads can be replaced by actual location of these file. But it will be easier, if we paste this folder (software) under /Downloads, if it was brought from friend's computer/purchased). The file names LibO_3.3.4rc1..... / libreoffice3.3-redhat-menus-3.3-401 are variable with the time.

Reasons of Fedora 15 for Chemistry Related Programs

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Today, final version of Fedora 15 is going to be released. Fedora is a type (distro) of Linux Operating System. I have been using this OS (Red Hat Linux before 2004) for a decade. See my previous article; Pros and cons of Linux OS.
 

Reasons and features of preferred Fedora 15
As I mentioned Fedora is the leader not follower, so, some of the latest software and Linux repositories are available in Fedora 15. Few of them are;

• KDE 4.6.x,
• Xfce 4.8,
• GCC 4.6, 
• GNOME 3,
• LibreOffice 3.3.0,
• gnome-chemistry-utils-0.12.8,
• Rupee Sign,
• improved SPICE support,
• /var/run mounted as tmpfs,
• /var/lock mounted as systemd, etc. and
•  Yum is not necessary to upgrade.

Several Chemistry related programs are available under gnome-chemistry-utils package. Chemistry-utils can appear in Gnome-3 menu that conatins as follows: (These were available inside “education” menu in previous Fedora).

• 3D molecular structure viewer (GChem3D)
• Chemical calculator (GChemCalc)
• 2D structure editor (GChemPaint)
• periodic table of the elements application (GChemTable)
• crystalline structure editor (GCrystal)
• spectra viewer (Gspectrum).

GNOME 3 is somewhat similar to aerospace of Windows vista and 7 that make feel with gnome-shell. This helps window management. It provides a top bar that hosts the 'system status', a clock, and a hot corner that switches to 'overview' mode, which provides easy access to applications and windows. Also, it provides controls for keyboards, monitors, network, sound and power. There is only a close button, not a minimize or maximize button. Double-clicking the title bar of a window maximizes and vice-versa. This type of inclusion may make confusion to some people who were enjoying previous Gnome.  

Reference: Fedora Project Homepage

Spy thru' Mozilla Firefox or else ?

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       Every-time when I open Firefox, after computer start (not after restart of Firefox without restarting the computer), CPU fan run in the fastest speed with busy HDD indicator for initial 15 minutes. This was surprising, it shouldn't be, and in another user account; no such abnormality could be seen.
       Upon checking the “System Monitor”, the CPU was busy and astonishingly there was peak in the graph of sent and received items, even-though, I hadn't opened any web site. I don't remember that I had activated any automatic update in this Fedora 12. 

Peak in this graph is indicating something is downloading

Here CPU is busy and making cooling fan work hard

CPU, memory and network usage graph in Fedora

 I deleted this user profile and recreated with the same name, the problem solved. Again after few months later, the problem reappeared in both user accounts this time, and I deleted and reopened both with the same name, and nowadays working well. However, I am still skeptical what was uploading and downloading or installing or whether, was it normal process ?

Fedora 14 Released

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Fedora 14 (A kind of Linux Operating System) has been released today and its feature can be found here and installation guide can be found here and here or pdf. You can Download different desktop environment of Fedora 14 from here.

Why Fedora ?

1. Benefit of Linux OS (Visit my previous article).
2. More than 2,000 (software) repository are available and free.
3. Release cycle is short (Approx. 6 months) so, latest discovery in Linux system is included in Fedora in comparison to other Linux OS (Fedora is leader, not follower). But, critics say that software/codes are tested in Fedora may cause instability and hamper on its reliability.
4. Easy to install not only whole Operating System but also software and applications using yum install ..... (good internet connectivity is beneficial).
5. Can be used as Home/Office Desktop environment even as Server (CentOS is preferred).
6. Available in many different languages.
7. Wide community support, just mention your problem here (registration is necessary) probably, get solution within 24 hour.

Remember you are getting everything free; don't aspect so much facility, however, you'll get almost your needs.