In Ubuntu, there is an infamous issue with the Gnome clipboard manager. (Actually, it’s not even decent enough to be called a “clipboard manager.”) Many people face extremely annoying problems of losing data when copying and pasting, especially when the copied source is closed. Ironically, this problem has not been fixed in the recently released 8.04 Hardy Heron.

The Symptoms

• Pasting from a copy returns empty.
• Clipboard empties when the copied source is closed.
• The user yells in annoyance as the system clipboard fails.

To solve the main issue of clipboard data loss, install Glipper for Ubuntu.

Glipper is a GNOME based clipboard manager. It is basically the GNOME counterpart of the KDE Klipper. Because Glipper is written in Python, it is customizable with many different Add-Ons and extensions. However, Glipper lacks the ability to handle image copy pastes.

How to Install:

Open the Synaptic Package Manager
System > Administration > Synaptic Lackage Manager

Search for ‘Glipper’ and mark it for installation. Afterwards, apply the installation.

Add Glipper to your GNOME Panel.
Right Clip Panel > Add to Panel > Drag “Clipboard manager” to an appropriate place in your panel.

After six months of development since the first Toolchain Uploaded from October 2007 and 6 Alpha releases with various Betas, Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron has finally been released today. And as is, the Tech Savvy community is obviously excited. However, don’t get too jumpy now. Besides some security and software updates, not much (besides small technical differences) can be found between Hardy and the 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon. However, as it always is in the Open Source community, upgrading is important. And with Ubuntu’s built in package handler and updater, this has and still is easier than ever.

To Update from within Ubuntu:

Goto System -> Administration -> Update Manager

Install any necessary updates.

Once you see the “New distribution release ‘8.04′ is available” message, click the Upgrade button.
It might take some time for Ubuntu to organize the process needed, download the files, and go through the update installation process. Just follow the instructions and be patient.

~Cheers to Open Source and a Linux for Humans

Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron Release Schedule [Ubuntu Wiki]

Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron Features [from Ubuntu.com]

Following Ubuntu’s rise to the top of the Linux distribution bulk, Wubi brings new and free-of-charge hope to Windows users who are curious about this operating system but are too lazy to burn CDs, partition, and perform other mundane preparations for dual-boots. Although Wubi is still a beta, it is a promising opportunity for the people unfamiliar with Linux and the apathetic lizardmen who could never muster the mental strength to partition a drive (me).

Adhering to Ubuntu’s user-friendly style, Wubi’s software-esque application makes installing Ubuntu ridiculously simple. Wubi gets downloaded, executes, and uninstalls like a usual software. After a few questions and a reboot later, it’ll go about its own business – which takes about 3 hours totally in my case.

To illustrate the ridiculously little effort to install Wubi, here are three steps that summarize the procedure.

1. First, select a password.
2. Secondly, click install.
3. “There is no three.”

Wubi requires at least 4 GB of your drive, and have a slightly slower hard drive access speed if it does not have a dedicated partition. Aside from the default Ubuntu, other flavors are also available during setup, such as Edubuntu, UbuntuStudio, and Xubuntu (recommended for slower computers). Although I’ve encountered some wireless problems with this version of Ubuntu, everything seemed to be identical to my other computer dedicated to Ubuntu.

For more information, check out Wubi’s FAQ.

For those seeking portable applications, operating systems, or software/programs, Mojo Pac is the king on the hill. Rather than launching an application like the Portable Apps Launcher or U3 launcher bar, MojoPac actually runs a new instance of a compressed Windows XP Operating System. Basically, once MojoPac starts to run in full screen, a new GUI (Graphical User Interface) initiates as a new instance of Windows XP. In this instance, all the data of the operating system lies withing your USB drive. You can virtualize most of the software and applications that you use in your normal Windows OS. In this sense, MojoPac is extremely special because not only does it allow you to run any application with portability, it runs them with its own version of Windows XP. The current cost for the MojoPac Freedom edition is FREE so download it quickly. The Deluxe edition is $30, but really we don’t need its expensive features. Basically, running MojoPac is like running your Windows XP withing another Windows XP. MojoPac can be installed on most memory devices including USB flash drives, iPods, external hard drives, etc.

Download MojoPac [MojoPac Products]

Hard drive disk partitioning is one action that you should not avoid. It helps you organize your data and can avoid major catastrophes, such as loosing all your precious data.

To those who do not understand partitioning, read the Wikipedia article Disk Partitioning [Wikipedia]. A partition is basically an organized sector on your hard drive acting like a single drive. For instance, C: is the most popular Local Disk partition. Many people also have D: as a back up drive/partition. When you partition (verb) your hard drive, you are splitting up your disk into more drives.

What’s the purpose of this? Many:

1.) Prevent Catastrophes- Most of us have already experienced computer failures in combination with huge data loss. If you haven’t, you’re either really really really lucky, or… I don’t know why else you haven’t had failures… But anyways, partitioning your disk can prevent such problems. By separating your precious data, such as pictures, from your Windows drive (usually C:), you can avoid the failure of Windows affecting your pictures. Basically, if your Windows goes bizark and corrupts, it can not harm data on another partition. Thus, you would be able to boot up with, say, a live Linux CD and then copy all your safe data in that nice little partition you made. Read the rest of this entry »