Minimalist config file for conky with time, date and IP address

It's been a while since I've published anything on this blog. This time, I just want to share you my very simple .conkyrc file.

It is a rather minimalist conky setup giving you only the time, date, use of RAM and CPU and the IP address. As I often need to ssh into this computer from other computers in my local network, this is the fastest way to keep track of the current IP.


minimalist conky setup with time, date, ip, ram and cpu usage



######################
# - Conky settings - #
######################
update_interval 5
total_run_times 0
net_avg_samples 1
cpu_avg_samples 1

imlib_cache_size 0
double_buffer yes
no_buffers yes

#####################
# - Text settings - #
#####################
use_xft yes
xftfont Ubuntu:size=8
override_utf8_locale yes
text_buffer_size 2048

#############################
# - Window specifications - #
#############################
own_window_class Conky
own_window yes
own_window_type override
own_window_transparent yes
own_window_hints undecorated,below,sticky,skip_taskbar,skip_pager
#own_window_argb_visual yes
#own_window_argb_value 100

alignment bl
gap_x 30
gap_y 0
minimum_size 190 180


default_bar_size 60 8

#########################
# - Graphics settings - #
#########################
draw_shades no

default_color efefef
default_shade_color 1d1d1d
color0 ffffff
color1 ffffff
color2 ffffff


TEXT
${font Open Sans Light:pixelsize=80}${time %H:%M}${font}
${font Open Sans Light:pixelsize=40}${time %d.%m.%Y}${font}

RAM $memperc‰ ${membar memperc}

CPU1 ${color white}${cpu cpu1}% ${cpubar cpu1} ${freq_g 1}Ghz
CPU2 ${color white}${cpu cpu2}% ${cpubar cpu2} ${freq_g 2}Ghz

$hr
{addr eth0}

Lightweight window managers: pekwm

It's been probably two years since I last used pekwm. Now that Urukrama has published a very good Pekwm Guide in his blog, I think I'll give it a new try on some of my older comupters.

Penguin update didn't like Lightweight Linux

Around the 25th of April, Google rolled out the Penguin algorithm update that is supposed to devaluate low quality and spammy links built by search engine optimization companies.

Interestingly this blog dropped 5-6 positions down from the top of the Google results for the search "lightweight linux". This means I get no only 25 % of the daily visitors I used to get until the Penguin update. Of course, the number of daily visitors should not be an end itself.

Most of the links I get to this blog are from other blogs published in Blogspot or Wordpress.com and there should not be any grey or black hat manipulative links around.

On the other hand, most of the links use the words Lightweight Linux as the anchor of link. This seems to be the only possible reason for the clear drop in the search engine rankings. It would help a lot to have more variation in the link anchors.

I hope I'll have enough time to write new articles to this blog on a regular basis. Then I might some month or some year gain at least part of the now lost readers back.

And if you think this blog is worth reading or following -- please link to some of my articles in your blog! I would very much appreciate your help!

xorg.conf for G3 600 MHz iBook with R128 built in 2001


# /etc/X11/xorg.conf (xorg X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This xorg.conf seems to work fine with my G3 iBook built in 2001
# using Debian Wheezy.
#
# Most probably you should change the kbd setting :)
#
#

Section "Files"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/misc"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/cyrillic"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi"
# path to defoma fonts
FontPath "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "bitmap"
Load "dbe"
Load "ddc"
Load "dri"
Load "extmod"
Load "freetype"
Load "glx"
Load "int10"
Load "vbe"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "kbd"
Option "CoreKeyboard"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbVariant" "nodeadkeys"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "fi"
Option "XkbOptions" "lv3:lwin_switch"

EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "CorePointer"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Synaptics Touchpad"
Driver "synaptics"
Option "SendCoreEvents" "true"
Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"
Option "Protocol" "auto-dev"
Option "HorizScrollDelta" "0"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Generic Video Card"
Driver "r128"
BusID "PCI:0:16:0"
Option "UseFBDev" "true"
Option "NoAccel"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Generic Monitor"
Option "DPMS"
HorizSync 28-49
VertRefresh 43-72
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "Generic Video Card"
Monitor "Generic Monitor"
DefaultDepth 16
SubSection "Display"
Depth 1
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 4
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen "Default Screen"
InputDevice "Generic Keyboard"
InputDevice "Configured Mouse"
InputDevice "Synaptics Touchpad"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
Mode 0666
EndSection

Why did I decide to update Debian?

Last night, I somehow decided to update the Debian Lenny I had been using on my 600 MHz iBook for a few years. It was a mistake.

Only after the update and first boot of Wheezy I remembered having encountered severe problems in getting the X running on this old laptop.

After the update I got a bunch of error messages somehow caused by the Wacom drivers installed by default. After removing the xserver-xorg-input-wacom, I was able to boot the box without endless error messages.

But when I gave the magic word startx on the command prompt, I got black screen instead of the ratpoison window manager. Ouch. Again.

It seems I need to go through this Xorg configuration hell once again in 2012. Or should I just uninstall the whole xorg and live on the console and screen? Or should I finally get rid of this lovely white laptop?

Legacy OS 4 Mini needs only 800 MHz & 256 MB

EENpup 2010 Mini Beta has beeb rebranded as Legacy OS 4 Mini. The distribution should run OK with most of the hardware made in the 21st century.

New to Legacy OS what’s with the name? Legacy OS as the name suggests is a Linux Distribution designed to run on obsolete Legacy Hardware. A User should be able to bring back to life a PC or Laptop running a Pentium III or 4 Processor. This release of Legacy OS is targeted at users running a minimum of the following: Pentium III 800Mhz Processor with 256Mb’s of Ram with a minimum of 4GB for the Hard Drive. Those with the last generation of Pentium 4 Processors with 1GB of Ram and a 40GB plus size Hard Drive will enjoy applications that open fast and run fast.


I'm not sure if I would enjoy using some of the default applications on a box that barely meets the technical requirements. For example, if you really need to have flash and Firefox you should at least consider getting hardware that has a bit more RAM and processing power.

For more information and download links, see the Puppy Linux Discussion Forum.

Results of my first poll ever

A week ago, I decided to publish the first ever poll on the Lightweight Linux. I asked my readers if the can write code and if they actually do it.

Interestingly, most of my readers either write code at least sometimes or would like to learn to write program code.

This should not come as a surprise: the Linux users are, after all, geekier than the general audience. Most of us probably have read a few computing books and can at least write an occasional script.

During the last week I've been busy working on some client search engine optimizing (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM) cases. At the moment, my main software tool for keeping the spreadsheet data in order is Excel, even if I very often decide to export the data into CSV files that can be searched, sorted and analysed very easily with tools like grep and sort.

The main reason for my interest in polishing my coding skills is that I want to be more efficient in analysing the business data. Some scripting is always necessary for being able to transform the data into actionable knowledge. Only then the data can be used to inform me in making better use of client money in marketing.

Fortunately, the OS X command line provides me with all the tools I need for this. Basically all the experience I have gained with using Linux is transferable to OS X shell. Thus there is no real need for building a dual boot system with Linux.

Moreover, it would be far more useful to install Windows on the Macbook as the "free" Excellent Analytics tool can only be used with Windows version of Excel.

Of course, I would be more than happy if there is a really free alternative framework that can be used for connecting Libre Office with Google Analytics. In that case I would have something to tell my colleagues at work -- and a reason for pushing free software forward in a business environment.