Old News
2018
19 December 2018
Setup and Maintenance of Linux on the Raspberry Pi
We are going to setup a Raspberry Pi for use as a headless server. Once it is setup and put in the closet, our only access is through SSH. So we will look at initial configuration, how to write and modify programs, how to grab source code from GitHub, how to get and configure applications.
In order to keep your Raspberry Pi software up to date, make changes, or issue new commands you will need to use the command line. Knowing a few commands, or working off a cheat sheet is easy. We will explore some basic commands, and learn how to find other commands.
17 October 2018
Web interface for Raspberry Pi Apps
Building applications to run on the Raspberry Pi is getting to be a common occurrence. But how we interface to the applications is often an issue that is over looked.
For this talk we will explore how to build a web interface for turning on an off some LEDs. This will provide a framework for how to control an application using a Web interface.
23 September 2018
Training Video from JCC
I have released a video of John doing the Tai Chi Short form with voice over. The video shows three views front in the mirror, Side in another mirror, and back. This should allow you to see how the person is performing the movement.
Additionally there is a audio track of the same short form, but done at a slow pace to practicew with. Both the audio and video can be downloaded for personal use.
18 April 2018
Google AIY Voice
Google created the AIY Voice kit to promote the use of Google Assistant. So how does it work and what can I do with it. Lets find out together as we explore how it works.
15 April 2018
Tai Chi Resources
Since som of my students are asking for more resources to earn about Tai Chi, I thought I would start a new section on my web site. Enjoy, and feed back would be appreciated.
2017
20 December 2017
Automation with OpenHab2
Do It Yourselfers often like to experiment with home automation. Whether is is turning on light, or watering the lawn, automation can save you both time and make your home more livable.
Today we are going to pursue using the automation program “OpenHab2” and the switches made by TP-Link. We will discuss how to set it up on a Linux computer, although is works on most OSs.
18 October 2017
Raspberry Pi Thermostat
Instead of using a Raspberry Pi for some toy, why not create a multi-zone thermostat. This month we are going to discuss how to implement a thermostat using a raspberry pi, relays, and temperature sensors.
Next meeting we will create a web interface for the thermostat so it can be controlled by any computer, tablet, or phone in the house.
17 May 2017
Linux server for your home
We have talked about Linux on a desktop machine, but one of the real strengths of Linux is it’s use as a server. Servers often run headless (without a monitor, keyboard, and mouse) tucked away in a closet. Due to the stability of Linux and scheduling capabilities they make good servers.
For today lets explore what you can do with a server to enhanse your home. I will assume you are running Windows on your laptop or desktop machines, although Linux has some special advantages working with a Linux server.
15 March 2017
Picking a Linux distribution - Lessons in Linux
Picking a Linux distribution can be a complex task if you want to go through a evaluation process. In this presentation I have tried to give you some tools to allow you to make intelligent decisions about which distribution to use.
To summarize the best way to make a decision is to spend some time learning about distributions. Spend some time talking to people who are more familiar with Linux. And finally plan on spending some time learning about what ever distribution you choose.
18 January 2017
Raspberry Pi Boot Process - Makers and Linux
As we delve into the Raspberry Pi I thought it would be useful to understand how the Linux System works on this microcontroller. This will help us understand how to make better software choices.
Additionally it will allow a deeper understanding of how the Linux Kernel controls the hardware.16 March 2016
Raspberry Pi Programming - Makers and Linux
The Raspberry Pi is a pint sized computer designed for the experimenter and maker. But to put this small computer to work we need to be able to program it.
Since the OS on the Raspberry Pi is Linux we can take advantage of all the programming languages available on Linux. But also being a small computer, means it does not easily support the graphical and programming applications available on a Linux Laptop. Besides, one of the best way to work on a Raspberry Pi is over SSH.
So we are going to configure a Raspberry Pi for remote access over SSH, then explore how to program it for some temperature measurements using both Python and Perl.
23 January 2016
Learning Linux for Geeks - Lessons in Linux
So you consider your self to be a computer geek already. But all your experience is in Windows. Now you have a hankering to learn Linux, and don’t know where to start.
This is an introduction to Linux for you. I will be focusing on the command line since for the advanced user that is where the real power of Linux is found. The GUI is fine for the riffraff, but the power users go for the command line.
20 January 2016
Micro Controller Programming - Makers and Linux
One of the most important parts of working with microcontrollers is learning to write code. Programming is how we make use of the hardware to accomplish our task.
We are going to start learning to program the Arduino using the IDE and the Nano. I chose this platform first because it is easier to work with. The Audion is more limited than the raspberry pi, but the programming environment is simpler.
2015
16 September 2015
Raspberry Pi: Introduction - Makers and Linux
What is a Raspberry Pi? What can you do with a Raspberry Pi? How do I start with a Raspberry Pi?
Join me as we explore this single board computer. We will discuss what it can do, and how to interface to the outside world. In the process we will discuss how to setup a new board, and how to gave a remote Raspberry Pi for use over the network.
Lastly we will build and program a small circuit to get your hands engaged in a real application. I will not pretend to be an expert, but merely a leader in the exploration of this microcontroller.
17 June 2015
Home Automation: Weather Station with Arduino - Makers and Linux
The weather is a constant topic of interest and concern to everyone. We have weather apps on our phones, and reports on our radio’s. Yet all this information is based on weather stations that report information like temperature, humidity, barometic pressure, wind direction and speed, plus rain fall amounts.
The process of perdicting the weather is beyond home weather stations. But recording those pieces of information can be fun and challenging. Add to this that the WeatherUnderGround Personal Weather Station Network , encourages you to contribute your data to their site, and you have an interesting DIY project.
18 March 2015
Home Automation: Fan Control with Arduino - Makers and Linux
The Internet of Everything is bring more automation into our lives. The idea is to allow devices in your home, office, and environment to talk to each other. But behind this idea is the automation of tasks using electronic control. A prime target of automation is the home, one of the lowest tech environments around.
Since automation is coming on strong I thought it would be fun to do some home automation ourselves. So I thought we would begin exploring this new level of automation by building some home automation.
Do you ever get home after work in the spring and notice the inside of the house is hotter than the outside? Well suppose you could sense the temperature outside, and the temperature in the house, and turn on a fan to draw in the cool air before you got home.
We are going to design a system that can do just that and discuss how to program it.
2014
15 October 2014
Makers and Linux
The maker movement is a DIY (Do It Yourself) movement which encourages people to explore new ideas. The high school shop class has become a thing of the past. But losing the hands on aspect of working with your hands, has led to a generation that is afraid to do things themselves. If we are going to create a new generation of strong Americans, we need to reclaim the DIY spirit, and encourage people to experiment.
In the electronics arena of the maker movement Linux is a driving force providing the Operating System underpinnings for many of the experimenter boards. It is open source, it is scaleable, it is modable and best of all it is free.
This section will explore how to use Linux in an exploration of micro controller boards. We will explore how Linux can provide a stable base on which to build and experiment.
18 June 2014
Linux with DIY CNC Router - Stem
So you decided to build you very own CNC (Computer Numeric Control)router. Now you need software to control the CNC. You need a design program to create your master pieces. You need to convert your master piece for the CNC control software. Linux comes to the rescue. Come along for an interesting walk throught wood working Linux style.
21 May 2014
Exploring Microcontrollers Part 4 - Linux and Makers
We have learned to work with the Arduino Nano to make some interesting circuits. Now lets have a look at a different type of microcontroller board the Raspberry Pi.
We will look at how a computer reads and writes analog signals, and how power is measured. Then we will put it all together.
19 March 2014
Arch Linux a different type of Linux - Lessons in Linux
We have been focusing our attention on the Ubuntu version of linux. But there are other Linux distributions.
One such distribution is Arch Linux, which is focused on simplicity and gives a lot of control to the user. We will take a closer look at this distribution, and it’s differences from Ubuntu.
2013
18 December 2013
Exploring Microcontrollers Part 3 - Linux and Makers
Now that we understand resistors, capacitors, bread boards, and other peripherals for our microcontroller it is time to jump into using one of the boards.
So today we are going to explore making use of the Arduino Nano.
16 October 2013
Linux vs Windows - Lessons in Linux
Many of us work in the Windows OS during the day, but go home and use Ubuntu, or another version of Linux in the evening. Even though both use folders, and directories, there are some differences which can be confusing, or liberating.
In this talk I will list a number of differences and point out the value to the change. Some of the changes are based on different perspectives on how the computer works. Some of simply variations on a theme. and some are simply examples of the engineering principle NIH Not Invented Here
19 June 2013
Exploring Microcontrollers Part 2 - Linux and Makers
Before we can start to create our first microcontroller project we need to understand a few basic components, and how to read a circuit diagram.
So we will learn about some of the basic building blocks of electronics before we use them to make a simple circuit.
15 May 2013
InstallFest - Lessons in Linux
You have a computer that is running windows and you want to install one or more copies of Linux. How do you do that?
Learn how to partition and install Linux.
How to configure the boot loader for multiple OSs.
How to load more than one Linux Version without clobbering /boot
How to use one version of Linux to rescue another OS.
How to backup your Master Boot Record and partition table.
Finally we will use part of the meeting to install Linux on machines people bring to the meeting.
4 April 2013
Linux the fastest growing OS - Lessons in Linux
What is it about Linux that makes it so popular on so many platforms.
Linux for Super Computers
Linux for Routers
Linux for Embedded systems
Linux for Servers
Linux for Virtual Machines
Linux for Smart Phones
Linux for people who want control of their computer.
2012
21 November 2012
LFS and Backup for Linux - Lessons in Linux
The Linux system follows an organized structure known as Linux File System (LFS) which defines where programs, libraries, and configuration files live. We will explore this structure and discuss how to optimize the layout for your next installation, as well as where to find programs. The LFS will naturally lead to a discussion of how to backup your Linux system for recovery. We will discuss what to back up and what to not backup. Finally we will look at backup tools and how to make your own.
Looking ahead to next month I will be speaking about:
The Linux operating system is the third most popular OS for personal computers. What is it about Linux that compels people to load it on their computers? We will explore the reasons for choosing Linux for your OS of choice.
11 October 2012
Networking in Linux - Lessons in Linux
Networking in Linux is something we all use, but do we understand what is needed to make it work? Do we understand how to troubleshoot it when it doesn’t work? What happens when you only have a command line interface? I will attempt to give you both a mini course in networking and how to troubleshoot it in the process. Roll up your sleeves this talk is going to cover lots of details necessary for your Linux chops.
Looking ahead to next month I will be speaking about:
The Linux system follows an organized structure known as Linux File System (LFS) which defines where programs, libraries, and configuration files live. We will explore this structure and discuss how to optimize the layout for your next installation, as well as where to find programs. The LFS will naturally lead to a discussion of how to backup your Linux system for recovery. We will discuss what to back up and what to not backup. Finally we will look at backup tools and how to make your own.
12 September 2012
Ubuntu 12.04 New Look - Lessons in Linux
Ubuntu 12.04 is out and contains a new look. But for those of us who are familiar with the old look it can be confusing. So we are going to have a look at the default windowing interface Unity as well as it’s base Gnome 3.
Looking ahead to next month I will be speaking about:
Networking in Linux is something we all use, but do we understand what is needed to make it work? Do we understand how to troubleshoot it when it doesn’t work? What happens when you only have a command line interface? I will attempt to give you both a mini course in networking and how to troubleshoot it in the process. Roll up your sleeves this talk is going to cover lots of details necessary for your Linux chops.
16 May 2012
Create Your Own Website - Lessons in Linux
Have you ever thought about creating your own web site. We are going to explore how to create and maintain a web site.
In this first installment we will talk about some choices and methods of maintaining a web site.
18 April 2012
Text Processing and the Web - Lessons in Linux
In the Unix world there have been a number of systems for creating documentation. A number of them are still around and doing well. This talk will explore a few of them to give you an idea how you can convert words on a page into a presentation document.
One important aspect for this transformation ability is creating and maintaining web sites. We will look at how a Wiki like page can transform into HTML, or XML, or PDF without revision. We will explore how to easily edit a text document which becomes a web page, or a web site.
15 February 2012
Ubuntu Apps of Interest - Lessons in Linux
We have talked about Ubuntu, but most of us spend more time using the application, not the operating system. So for this talk I choose some applications to explore, Firefox and some music players.
18 January 2012
The Command Line is Dead, Long live the Command Line - Lessons in Linux
The command line is the original type of interactive input to every computer system. Even though the graphical user interface has taken over most peoples interaction with the computer, there is still many valuable uses for the command line, provided you are willing to spend the time needed to learn the commands.
2011
21 December 2011
The GUI - Lessons in Linux
The Graphical User Interface (GUI) has become the default interface for personal computers. Lets take a look at how we got to the GUI, some of it’s components, and variations on how it looks and works. I will be focusing on the Linux implementation of X Windows and the Linux display managers.
14 September 2011
Welcome to Ubuntu - Lessons in Linux
You just brought home your new Ubuntu system, so where do you start to make it your own? Let look at some common configuration and setup steps you should make.
16 March 2011
Exploring Microcontrollers - Linux and Makers
Today many of our appliances come with displays and buttons. Instead of motors and gears, many household items today have embedded Microcontrollers. We are going to explore how we can experiment with Microcontrollers at home.
16 February 2011
Linux From Scratch, What is a Personal Computer - Lessons in Linux, Advanced
Before we start to setup our Linux From Scratch system I would like to discuss what is a personal computer. Having an understanding of what makes a computer, and how it operates at a hardware level will help understanding why software works the way it does.
Before we end we will discuss how to get started with the Linux From Scratch setup.
19 January 2011
Creating a Web at Home - Lessons in Linux
Have you ever noticed how useful web pages are? Have you ever thought about how you could use the web at home to find information, share ideas, or just play? Well we are going to learn how to make web pages, and serve them at home.
2010
15 December 2010
Linux From Scratch, Core Tools - Lessons in Linux, Advanced
Tonight we are going to discuss the tools/applications which make up the core applications as defined by LFS (Linux From Scratch), and a couple other small distributions.
Next we will look at how the system boots and what happens before the boot prompt.
Lastly, time permitting, we will discuss shell scripts. These scripts and the shell that supports them are what make many of the operations of Linux useful.
20 October 2010
Linux From Scratch, Gentoo Finish Install, and examine Portage and Init - Lessons in Linux, Advanced
In this meeting we will finish the Gentoo install. Then we will look at how the Gentoo package management, Portage, works. Then we will look at how a Linux system initializes.
22 September 2010
Netbook Computers and Linux - Lessons in Linux
Tonight we are going to explore the netbook and Linux. I will be using this Lenovo Ideapad S10-3T to demonstrate 6 different versions of Linux. I will also discuss how to go about installing these distributions on a Netbook which has no CD drive.
16 June 2010
Linux From Scratch, Configuring Gentoo - Lessons in Linux, Advanced
In this meeting we will be continuing the install of Gentoo on the machine. We will learn more about configuration for the kernel and finalizing the system.
21 April 2010
Linux From Scratch, The Beginning - Lessons in Linux, Advanced
In this session of the WPCUG Linux group we are going to learn how to build a Linux installation by making our own distribution. We will learn how to boot strap a system. How to create a system using the scripts and methods created for Gentoo.
8 April 2010
Windows and Open Source Myth or Reality? - Lessons in Linux
Windows and Open Source Myth or Reality? When the IBM PC first came on the market, it opened up the hardware and software to non-IBM companies. The hardware world exploded with many different brands of computers. Before the IBM PC, much of the software on computers was created by the users and often shared. The original OpenSource movement came from MIT and a group called the Free Software Foundation.
OpenSource exists because people like to create neat applications. Computers allow you to create programs with little cost, distribute them almost free, and contribute to them over time and space. So this freedom is expressed by people creating pet projects and sharing them with the world through the Internet.
15 March 2010
Welcome to a Fresh Ubuntu Install - Lessons in Linux
Welcome to a Fresh Ubuntu Install You are ready to start using Ubuntu, but you don’t know what configurations are needed. Since this is new install you are not sure what needs to be done so you can use your system. Today we are going to review what needs to be done to a fresh install. This is picking where the install fest in January 2010 left off.
2009
15 December 2009
Welcome to Ubuntu File Managers - Lessons in Linux
When it comes to files and directories in Linux many people have trouble without windows explorer. Since the ability to handle files is critical to computers we are going to review a few file managers for Linux.
21 October 2009
Welcome to Ubuntu - Lessons in Linux
Your new Ubuntu is fresh from the box and you are dying to use it. But where do you start? We will hitting some of the highlights of the Jaunty Jackalope (9.04).
14 July 2009
Lessons in Linux - Dual Boot a new Computer
You just bought a new computer and it has Windows on the whole disk. How can you make this a dual boot with Linux? We will discover how to do this in Ubuntu.
16 June 2009
Lessons in Linux - Linux Backup for Windows
Backup is a subject which needs no explaining. But what about using Linux to backup your windows partition. This Lesson in Linux discusses backup strategies and how to use Linux to backup your windows data.
2008
2 December 2008
Let the Penguin help you - Lessons in Linux
This lesson is going to tackle Rescuing a Window PC This might seem a poor topic for a Linux group. But the simple fact is that it is another example of how a Live CD can be valuable to a Windows user.
2007
26 June 2007
I know this might seem a little out of character for me, but I am concerned about Internet Radio. The latest attack is financial. Here is a summary of what is happening.
Royalty rates for webcasters have been drastically increased by a recent ruling and are due to go into effect on July 15 (retroactive to Jan 1, 2006!). If the increased rates remain unchanged, the majority of webcasters will go bankrupt and silent on this date. Internet radio needs your help! From 2007
Small web broadcasters are being shutdown, because the previous exemption expired. AM and FM radio are exempt, but small web broadcasters are not. Welcome to Congress at it’s finest.
Please help stop this insanity. www.SaveNetRadio.org
21 March 2007
Applications make the Computer - Lessons in Linux
The latest installment of lessons Beginner’s Linux Applications talk has been uploaded. This talk covers similar applications in Windows and Linux to show how similar they are. We then look at differences and finally a Dual Boot Suggestion.
20 February 2007
Computers for Beginners - Lessons in Linux
I uploaded a new talk for the Linux Section of the WPCUG named Beginner’s Linux Intro.
2006
20 December 2006
Remote control of Linux - Lessons in Linux
Welcome to another talk for the Linux Section of the WPCUG. I have created a new talk on Remote access using Linux. Enjoy.
17 October 2006
What is a Window Manager - Lessons in Linux
After too long an absence I have added a new lesson. Please see the lesson on Window Managers for the most up to date presentation.
5 January 2006
Revised web pages for the Lessons pages. They are now all xhtml pages which should work correctly with Internet Explorer.
2005
16 December 2005
Welcome to the new Lion’s Wing web site. This site came into being to pull together my disparate web pages. Additionally, it gives me a public forum to build on. So with out further ado, please feel free to explore.
Written by John F. Moore
Last Revised: Tue Nov 26 12:39:08 PM EST 2024
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
