Transcript from GalliumOS First Impressions video

Hi this is Phil Shapiro. I have installed this new operating system GalliumOS on my Dell Chromebook 11 and I totally love it. This operating system is optimized for Chromebooks. It's really fast. It's pretty. I love the logo. Check out the logo over here. I love this logo for GalliumOS and it works on Chromebooks from the last like two years — from about 2013 onwards. If you click your download beta they show you the compatibility list of which Chromebooks your works on. It does work on the very popular Acer C720 and it works on my Dell Chromebook 11 which is sweet. So I'm here recording this using SimpleScreenRecorder — this software over here. I'm going to minimize it right now. Good — and I have a Logitech webcam. I'm using GUVCview - G-U-V-C-view that lets me monitor. It's like gives - it makes my Chromebook into the sort of like ScreenFlow on the Mac or Camtasia Studio on Windows, but this is all free the software over here on Linux is all free, which is really sweet. So one of the ways that I keep track of GalliumOS go here to Twitter and I do a search and I tweeted about this just yesterday. I'm loving GalliumOS, It’s so responsive and visually attractive. I sent them a hundred dollar donation and that's true I sent them a PayPal donation. The people who are making GalliumOS have put in a lot of work and it shows. It's a really nice product and they give it away for free. I found a really interesting tour of GalliumOS from this - The Linux Help Guy in England - he does a really nice such a nice tour. Search for it GalliumOS Linux for your Chromebook. He spells it without that space - here that's good and he does a 13 minute tour. It's really excellent. I recommend it over here. Jack on Linux.com Jack Wallen has written a really rave review of the ideal Linux distribution for Chromebook hardware so come and read Jack's really good article right here on Linux com. You can look that up over here. I always like to visit Opensource.com and here's something new from Don Watkins. He has a new blog post. He's one of their prolific bloggers. By the way their website is getting close to a million views per month. It's a good place to stop by to visit. They always looking for writers. If you have something to submit, they are very encouraging. I found this is Jason’s new article I'd like to read it right now, but I'll have to come back and read it. So he's talking about Seth Godin’s book Poke the Box - Start Something New. I've never thought of doing that, so maybe I should give that a try. And here is the hardware compatibility list. I set it up in the tab. Let's take a look. Down here we have a little start button. It comes with the Chromium browser but I installed Chrome - I also installed a Google Chrome I installed under graphics. I installed Blende. Let's take a peek. Here comes Blender blender 2.7 - and Blender is actually taught to some teenagers. Go to open source.com and read some really interesting blog posts. It does have a bit of a steep learning curve, but you can do really many interesting things with Blender with 3d drawing 3d animation and even 2d animation. It's all possible. So there's Blender looking really nice on GalliumOS. What else did I install? It came with a AbiWord, the very lightweight word processor. Then I installed LibreOffice of the office 5 and it works really well. Check it out. Here is LibreOffice — boots up in like less than two seconds and I've got everything I want right here. I love the spreadsheet and the drawing program. So those are my favorite parts. I use the presentation sometimes, but sometimes I just use Google Docs and then for presentation under multimedia. Of course, I installed Audacity, the sound recorder and editor. I record I installed Simple Screen Recorder and the GUVCview which lets me monitor right here the video that i'm recording right now. And let's take a peek at some video You can see it's really responsive. If i come down here here's my file manager the first thing over from the start button and look it looks very similar to like a Mac or Windows. We have a videos folder, downloads folder, a documents folder and let's go over here to video. I found a really nice video in youtube that was shot in 4k very high resolution and let's take a look over here just to see how it looks on GalliumOS. Wow, this is looking pretty nice. This is a day at the zoo in Asheboro North Carolina. So, I downloaded this off YouTube. Look at the detail here. Isn't that amazing? And right now I'm in VideoLan made by some really smart people over in France. And look at this — isn't this pretty? Look at there there's a zebra and I love seeing that. How about if we go to zoom half size? Bring this over then you get to see me again not that you really want to then over here look at that zebras then down here we've got some elephants right about there. There's gazelles. Yep, look at that ostrich, There's an elephant so you can see VideoLan is playing back this really high-resolution video gorgeously on my Chromebook. And of course Chromebooks are used mostly for testing, but for me this Chromebook is almost like a MacBook Air. And about one-third the price because now that I have GalliumOS I can install whatever Linux programs I want — and a look at that detail makes you feel like you're right there. So, what else to show and explain? One thing I found out was a bit confusing when I came over here to adjust the audio on this Chromebook I came over here to system and then I went to settings and I couldn't find the sound or volume and it turns out the sound and volume was sitting over here in the multimedia folder Pulse Audio. Volume control is right here. And so this is Pulse Audio your volume control input there you go it shows shows my level voice level so that was sitting in the multimedia folder and I sort of was expecting it in the settings, but that's good. I just want to pass that note on to you. Oh, let's look at what else is under graphics. Here's Inkscape. Ooh thanks, loving Inkscape. Let's switch off the page over here document properties. Let's switch off the page border. I like to do that and let's make some calligraphy. Whoa, look at that! Isn't that pretty? Isn't that neat? And then I'm going to come over here and write a little message to the people who made GalliumOS. GalliumOS rocks. I'm sending you a hundred dollars. Thanks. And I actually did I sent them a PayPal yesterday. And look there's no pixelation on this. Let's choose a different color palette. Down here, about the default Ubuntu color palette. Default right there so now we could choose maybe that blue or purple or whatever. so there's Inkscape. I love Inkscape. Close without saving. What else to show you? What else to show you? There's that elephant just waiting for us. Of course, If you have the terminal emulator I like to install software from the terminal emulator Synaptic Package Manager' under assistance. Yes Synaptic Package Manager and this is all based on Xubuntu of the Ubuntu with the X in front of it. So I give it two thumbs up GalliumOS. This is my first impressions and I'm going to be using this perhaps just this this might be my main computer at this little Chromebook with GalliumOS. I'm having such a good time using it. Over now this is Phil Shapiro. So now I come down to SimpleScreenRecorder and I click Save recording.

Posting to a Blogger.com blog via email (it works!)

Yup, works.

Building a Backyard Sentence of Your Own

Building a sentence of your own is much easier than it seems. All you need are some simple tools and assembly guidelines. In no time at all you can have yourself a fine, sturdy sentence that will give you years of use and enjoyment. First, the tools. Believe it or not, you can construct a perfectly solid sentence with no more than a pencil and paper. If you really want to get fancy you can opt for a cheap ball-point pen.

Now, the materials. Virtually all the materials you'll need for your homemade sentence can be found at your local hardware store. The larger, chain-type hardware stores will have everything all strewn out along an aisle or two. Your mom-and-pop hardware stores will have everything you need behind the main counter. But before you jump into your station wagon, there are some preliminaries to take care of. Sit down and take a minute to think about the type of sentence you want to build. As with any construction project, the planning stage just can't be skipped.

Consider, for instance, the uses you'll have for your sentence. If your sentence will be used mostly by children, make sure that your sentence's nouns and verbs aren't too high for them to reach. Also, watch out that your sentence doesn't have any lengthy adjectives for the young one's to trip over.

Now that you have a good idea of the type of sentence you want to build, roll up your sleeves and head-on out to the hardware store. With a good plan in mind, you'll be able to assemble a fine sentence in a snap.

The first thing you'll need to get is a good solid noun. Nouns are usually found right over there by the lumber. Large hardware stores will have a gigantic stack of nouns piled up out back. Take your time to find yourself a real solid looking noun. Be sure to look at the noun from different angles. If the noun looks warped, throw it back. When you have found a noun that looks about right, sit down and take a closer look at the fine texture of the noun. Ask yourself whether the grain of the noun is all pointing in the right direction. Check to see if the noun has any knots or imperfections. Choosing the right noun can make a big difference in how your finished sentence turns out.

Once you find a noun that suits your purposes, then look for an appropriate verb to go with it. Verbs come in all shapes and sizes. Find one hat matches the color and feel of your noun. Stay away from ornate looking verbs. Many a sentence has collapsed upon an ornate verb. With your noun and verb firmly in hand, you're almost half-way there. Mosey on over to the paint department to pick up some adjectives and adverbs. Two or three well chosen adjectives will add color and atmosphere to an otherwise drab looking sentence. Select an adverb or two to give your homemade sentence that professional look. Finally, you'll want to pick up some articles, indefinite pronouns, and the like. You'll find these over by the nuts and bolts. Slap a couple of these on either side of your other materials.

Now you can step back and admire your very own homemade sentence. Far better than those store bought ones, don't you think?



Phil Shapiro


#makermovement



(This essay may be freely redistributed and reprinted for any nonprofit educational purpose. Use by a for-profit company requires permission from the author, who can be reached at: pshapiro@his.com or on Twitter at philshapiro YouTube channel

Articles -

MAKE magazine

Opensource.com

TechSoup for Libraries

FOSS Force

PCWorld magazine