Since i have no available OS on-hand for my newly built desktop,
except for XP currently installed in my 1st Green PC. I really wanted
to try Win7 but i cant settle for an evaluation version for i need
something that will last long. This forced me to switch Ubuntu.
….Downloading Ubuntu 9.04 (9.10 was in beta stage during that time)
….still downloading …still downloading …and still downloading.
…done.

Everything went well in the OS installation. First problem envountered
is that my Genius GPen can be detected. Tried several sites and forums
but no avail (or should i say, i can’t comprehend with the
discussion/instrcution). Anyways, that is not much of my problem since
i don’t use the pen much.

Second problem encountered was the installation of my Brother DCP-130C
Printer. Search for an instrcution didnt took long but the having it
installed cost me a lot. I beleive i still have it bookmarked…let me
post the link later.

Since i find all hardware working, all that i need at least, i becan
installing all applications that i need. I searched for all Linux
equivalent of the necessary applications i usually need. I have a list
below thinking that you might have a need for them:

• Outlook Express = Evolution Mail / ThunderBird
• Trillian Pro = Pidgin
• Photoshop = Photoshop via VirtualBox
• Notepad++ = Notepadd++ via VirtualBox/Wine
• Google Chrome = Google Chrome via VirtualBox
• Opera = Opera via VirtualBox
• Safari = Safari via VirtualBox
• IE = IE via VirtualBox

Good thing that there are several applications that supports Linux. I.e.

• Firezilla = Firezilla
• Firefox = Firefox

I know… I know. Why use Linux when all my needed applications don’t
run in Linux? Reason is simple. I dont have the luxury to buy a new
OS. Now back to the configuration of my Ubuntu….

Everything runs smoothly in my dry run. Speed is satisfactory
consdiering i only have a dual core 1.6ghz procie and 2gb ram. I then
thought it’s time to put this new amazing OS to real time tests.

The usual applications i use at the same time are: photoshop,
notepad++, and at least 2 browsers. After several hours of working,
virtualBox crashes at least twice. It didnt bother me much and would
just restart it. But as days goes by, it becomes more frequent that
there are times that i am required to restart the whole system.

Im not sure if it is really virtualBox that crashed. But my lack of
knowledge on Linux is making things more complicated. I have been
using Windows since 3.1 and have not tried non-Windows OS ever since.
This experience made me well versed in tweaking and finding soluitions
when an application crashes.

The frustrated me now decided to uninstall Ubuntu and go for Win7.

To be honest, i really like Ubuntu and will recommend it to those who
need a desktop for ineternet and office use.

To conclude, if ever you need to switch OS, make sure that you know
what you need it for. If you will use it to search the internet, do
research, type/compose document and spreadsheets, go for Ubuntu.
Windows 7 costs too much that i can build another desktop out of it.
Mac? Not sure if i can recommend this. Have not used one yet.

This is the first time in our almost 2-year stay that flood water entered this house. In spite of our precaution to elevate our home, we were still approximately 5″ deep under water. I have here our Guard trying to make sure that water is kept out:

Good thing that Sadhana’s craddle is well elevated:

…and our precious fridge that my wife and i lifted in this trolley-converted-stand:

My wife and I are so sad that the Christening of our daughter did not pushed through. But we mourn more for those who have lost more than we do.

Reception follows at our house at No. 400 Capt. Drive, Palo Alto Subd., Habay 1, Bacoor Cavite City 4102. If you need directions, please call us at our land line (046) 571-0219 or  our mobile phones 0906-2992777 or 0917-9997161. I also have a map here [church] or here [home].

1. make Featured Content Gallery working
2. make sidebar1 (the one under search bar on the left) display properly
3. enable widgets
4. able to fit on 1024 resolution monitor (fixed width)

Preview

Update:

here’s the work in progress: sawakas.eraldmariano.com

We started JDM project sometime February of 2009. The project is not much of a challenge since i was only asked to make a very simple layout. Below is the approved design:

Later in the process, i was asked if it was possible for the client to update the contents. THAT posed a problem. Initially, i thought of SSI but later thought that may not work considering the client has no knowledge of html. Here is where i thought of WordPress.

If you have been reading my previous posts, i began creating a simple theme just to see if i can do such [read more]. Fortunately, i can! yay!

Now the process began and things was simple until i came to the left sidebar. It was a little difficult for me, with no php knowledge. Browsing to WordPress’ Template Tags took me nowhere. I also tried WP-dTree and result to a bug on WP running on 2.8. Darn! it looked nice but…. Anyways, i found another option, Posts By Category by Frucomerci.

This is a simple but very effective plugin and needs very little tweak. The image below shows how the unmodified plugin looks like in my template:

With a few twists and turns and a couple more paracetamols, i arrived with this.

Theme’s Features

Site URL

Change Log

In the beta version, you will have to place logo.png for your blog title to be displayed, else, you’ll end up having pabile.info In this release, you will have the traditional blog title and blog description in your header. In addition to this, you will also be able to see your pages in the header, this is bad for a person like me who only has one page in his blog

I also placed, archive and tag cloud at the footer. This was hard coded in the footer so for those who have these widgets on their sidebar, it is advised that who have them removed or you will end up having duplicate widgets on the same page. I’ll try to make this footer customizable on future release.

I was able to test this theme on WP2.8 and seems that it works well. This is one benefit of rewriting everything if things gone bad.

Let know if you find bugs. Enjoy!

Download V1.01 Here!

This theme is free. You are not allowed to modify any file in it.

Feature

Download Sadness

Did you like the Silk Icon set? Get it here!

but now, i have finally realized what it should contain (thanks to nerdluck). i have decided to put in my strengths, weaknesses opportunities and may be …threats; a more detailed gallery of original designs; credits (link page) to whom credit is due; and the best of all and can only be seen in eraldmariano.com, you will finally be able to know more about erald mariano. I am not going to waste my money on paying hosting and domain plans for a lousy and nonsense site anymore!!!

here is a preview of what i have in mind. this all new site will be launched on June 12, 2009 (hopefully).