Last weekend I spent some time on getting python-turbogears to build for Factory. In the process, I came across a spec file error which was causing not only python-turbogears to fail on Factory, but also dozens of other python packages. The problem was the spec file line:

%{__python} setup.py install –prefix=%{_prefix} –root=$RPM_BUILD_ROOT –record-rpm=INSTALLED_FILES

Once I fixed this for python-turbogears and it’s dependent packages (the solution is to replace –record with –record-rpm), I was able to get version 1.0.6 building for Factory. There were a few other issues which needed to be resolved (some deprecated def as() functions in python-peak and python-ruledispatch were causing syntax errors on python 2.6 – because ‘as’ is a reserved keyword), but finally I got it sorted out.

Once python 1.0.6 was successfully building on Factory, I decided to update the package to the most recent stable version of the 1.0.x package line from http://www.turbogears.org – 1.0.7. I had to rewrite the infamous cherrypy2 patch for 1.0.7 and also had to update the python-elixir package (the older 0.5 Elixir was incompatible with python-sqlalchemy >= 5) but now it builds properly.
You can now download and install python-turbogears using:

zypper in python-turbogears

(if you have the devel:languages:python repository, of course).

Thanks to Peter Poeml for his help packaging and fixing bugs.

Maybe you saw already my previous post, and you realized that I am using maybe 90% free software also on my windows computers. So, I would like to point out just a few links with free or opensource software for windows:

• Ultimate List of Free Windows XP Software from Microsoft
• Ultimate List of Free Windows Vista Software from Microsoft
• A simple list of the best free/open-source software for Windows
• The OSSwin project: Open Source for Windows
• GNUWin II
• OpenDisc
• TTCS OSSWIN CD
• Freshmeat.net
• Sourceforge.net
• Open Source Software CD

Do you want more? Check out our google friend.

I needed to insert tables in wordpress posts, but I found just one plugin for this task WP-Table. But it will not work, it is  not compatible with the new wordpress versions. What I did is to use google docs: File -> New Document -> Table -> Insert, populate your table.

Now, when you finished the table go to: Edit -> Edit HTML. Copy the HTML source code for the table and paste that html code in your wordpress posts, but in HTML EDIT MODE.

I hope that the method will work also for you.

If you are working in Scientific Computing, like me, then the next links are for you:

• Free Software :: Scientific Software
• Graphics Software
• Numerical Analysis Software
• Scientific/Engineering Software @SourceForge.net
• Scientific/Engineering Software @Freshmeat.net
• Wiki du laboratoire MAS
• Applications @Ubuntu
• Applications @OpenSUSE

I am using FreeNX but here is a solution to access a running X session with x11vnc.

* install the package:

$ sudo zypper install x11vnc

* ssh to remote machine and:

$ x11vnc -display :0

* ok, now on local machine:

$ vncviewer your_remote_ip:0

For more details and some comments (password option, ...) check the following link and try: man x11vnc

Just a simple method to clone your hdd, doesn't matter if you have also windows on it. I am using OpenSUSE and ddrescue:

I consider:
/dev/sda - old hdd
/dev/sdb - new hdd

    $ sudo zypper install ddrescue  # install the package
    $ sudo dd_rescue -v /dev/sda /dev/sdb # "dd_rescue" on OpenSUSE

• Grab the nearest book.
• Open it to page 56.
• Find the fifth sentence.
• Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions.
• Don’t dig for your favorite book, the cool book, or the intellectual one: pick the CLOSEST.

The quote comes from
A Mighty Fortress: A New History of the German People by Steven Ozment.

Let’s extend the application to make it even more useful!

* add support for YaST-Repositories

* add Support for different architectures

* use always a random temporary directory

Now, it looks like this:

You can grab it out of my home: in the openSUSE Build Service (for openSUSE 11.0).

Start it with “repoviewer”, add the repository’s url, select the type, the architecture and hit “Go!” .
You can choose the architectures only for the “highest” type of the family as they list the “lower” types, too.
So to see “ppc” packages. use “ppc64” in the combobox and later “ppc” in the “Arch” column.
For big repos (like factory) it takes some time to download and parse the metadata.

Also try in a console-window:
unset DISPLAY; repoviewer

thanks to libyui, that just works !
Update: You can access also local directories (like mounted CDs/DVDs).
Just use “file:///” and the full path ! E.g.: “file:///media/SU1100.001/”