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Q&A<br />
* Which package is the command<br />
'cd' in?<br />
http://goo.gl/zfrmXi<br />
* How do I run a sudo command<br />
needing password input in the<br />
background?<br />
http://goo.gl/a3OPnq<br />
* I have a file named "-t". How to<br />
remove it?<br />
http://goo.gl/vfjoL7<br />
* Why won't this script run on<br />
startup?<br />
http://goo.gl/mn3ezn<br />
* How to add accents, etc, to<br />
letters using the "English (UK)"<br />
input source?<br />
http://goo.gl/sLCmkM<br />
TIPS AND TECHNIQUES<br />
Information, Please<br />
Activity in the Ubuntu Forums<br />
has dropped by half over the<br />
past few years, which is probably a<br />
good thing, since it means that<br />
fewer people need help.<br />
However, I have noticed that a<br />
lot of the people who ask for help<br />
provide about 1 0 per cent of the<br />
information that anyone would<br />
need to help them. At the risk of<br />
repeating myself, I would like to<br />
make some suggestions.<br />
It's almost always relevant to<br />
tell people what version of Linux<br />
you are using. For example,<br />
"Xubuntu 1 5.1 0 64-bit". There's no<br />
single way to get this information<br />
which works across various<br />
versions of Linux, so you should<br />
write it down when you download<br />
it – if there is any chance you will<br />
forget.<br />
It is often relevant to tell<br />
people about your computer. In<br />
order of relevance: memory, video<br />
adapter, CPU, and hard disk size<br />
and layout. And sometimes, the<br />
Wi-Fi adapter or audio device. My<br />
favorite program for getting this<br />
information is lshw, which can<br />
provide nicely formatted details<br />
about your system:<br />
cd Desktop<br />
sudo lshw -html ><br />
myconfig.htm<br />
Identify the application, if you<br />
have a question about it. It's not<br />
"my backup program," it's "rsync".<br />
(Or whatever.)<br />
If you have a question that<br />
involves a website, identify it. "I<br />
have a problem playing video<br />
1 5601 5647 on vimeo.com" is a lot<br />
more useful than "I have a problem<br />
playing online videos".<br />
If you get an error message, the<br />
exact message is obviously<br />
relevant. If you can't record it any<br />
other way, take a picture with your<br />
cellphone.<br />
Then there's one more step: put<br />
the organized data into Google! My<br />
best Google queries have used<br />
four words, but you need to think<br />
about what four words are most<br />
relevant. My personal experience is<br />
that I almost always find the<br />
answer, so I don't need to ask a<br />
question.<br />
Gord had a long career in the<br />
computer industry, then retired for<br />
several years. More recently, he<br />
somehow found himself "The IT Guy"<br />
at a 1 5-person accounting firm in<br />
downtown Toronto.<br />
full circle magazine #1 08 49 contents ^
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