Matt Hartley

Attention: As of Ubuntu Heron this article is no longer an issue, you DO NOT need to blacklist rt2500usb any longer. Just plugin the rt73usb device, give it a few minutes for networkmanager to find it and go - that is it. But remember, its first use might take a bit for NM to see [...]

Not too long back, I had a reader ask me whether or not it was worth it to try one of the Linux distributions released for 64bit architecture vs that of 32bit. I thought the question was rather timely, as I had recent purchased a new notebook from System76.com that happens to run Ubuntu 8.04 64bit [...]

If there is one tip I have been looking for a simple, duplicable solution to, it has to be s simpler way to make Gmail your default email client. Seriously, would it not be fantastic to simply click on a mailto link in Firefox and then have it automatically set you up with the right [...]

Coming off of Photoshop to GIMP is almost painful. I can certainly tell you that my wife never would. So using Crossover Office with Photoshop for Windows might be the easiest path. With that said, if you are looking to get your GIMP on, here are some great places to get your feet wet and [...]

It’s enough to make you want to scream, having connectivity issues with your favorite Linux distro. And frankly why most people are best off with a Mac Mini, as it sometimes means getting your hands dirty. Well, being the determined geek that I am, I opted to get something resolved that has been bugging me [...]

Back in my Windows days, there was one application I simply could not live without - Tray-It! Designed as a simple yet brilliant application that allowed the user to dock any application next to their clock in the system tray on the Windows OS. Definitely one of my favorites, that’s for sure.
Back in the Linux [...]

Maybe it could be easier to secure reliable VPN access for Linux users, but I tend to doubt it. Thanks to Witopia, all I would need to do is purchase a copy of personalVPN and then email the support dept for instruction on getting things setup. Again, it could be made easier for potencial users [...]

Today, David asks:
Hey Matt, read your how-to and watched the video on Youtube for getting
the default sound card to “stick”, but it doesn’t seem to be working for
me. I have an Audigy from Creative Labs (had a Xi-Fi bad had to go back
to my old sound card…don’t get me started on that) and a [...]

I have seen instances where Canon document scanners stop working after the upgrade from Edgy to Feisty. Being as I have not yet tested this in Gutsy yet to see if the Feisty bug has been fixed, this may also apply to Gutsy users as well. This even be a problem on other distributions in [...]

Keeping your Ubuntu install clean and working is actually pretty easy, when using some common Linux sense. Just follow the tips below and you will spend much less time in rescue mode with your Linux desktop.
1) Backup your fstab configuration. I cannot say this enough. Should something go wrong with your existing one, this [...]

Today, Tom asks:
I have heard that it is important to make sure that you protect a Linux system from viruses, even though the viruses may not affect Linux? Why and what would I use on Ubuntu to protect myself?
Despite not really needing to use an antivirus in Linux, it is not a bad idea [...]

I know that this latest Miro release has been pretty odd, being that it does not play well with sun-java6-plugin or sun-java5-plugin for some strange reason. It’s so bad as a matter of fact, that you actually are forced to remove Java completely, which is just plain silly. Here is how I fixed the problem [...]

I just secured serious support for wireless with upcoming options, like Pre-N and 802.11n from Edimax directly. No money changing hands, just loaners for testing. Expect to see a LOT more wireless options coming into Linux land very soon. I could hardly believe the conversation I had today - wow. Very exciting stuff.
Edimax is now [...]

Updated: With Gutsy, just use the sh script provided below and use Network Manager. Wicd has a number of issues now with these chipsets that have yet to be reliably worked out. 
In a previous post, we discussed the best means of successfully enjoying wireless on your built for Windows notebook computer. Which PCMCIA cards I [...]

**Edit** Because I apparently really need to spell this out, lossy format to lossy format is not preferred and it will degrade the quality of the output audio. Most people know this, but I am spelling it out super clearly again, for those who are not hearing this during the video. Must be a burst [...]

So you just downloaded Flock, fell in love with it and believe this is the browser for you. Previously, you already installed all the preferred plugins for Firefox, yet Flock does not see them on Ubuntu? Where are the Flock plugins on Ubuntu! Not to worry, just paste this into a terminal window as you [...]

Those of you know that I work closely with WeatherBug in a consulting capacity. After much work on the by the WeatherBug software developers, I am thrilled to announce that they have released a Java based application into the wilds of the Linux world. Available both in Deb and RPM format, this self-contained app will [...]

Many of you have found yourselves frustrated by the lack of Linux compliant cards for ExpressCard slots on newer notebooks. Many people tell you to just get a Linux compatible USB option, often times leading you to this mess. Obviously, every card claiming to use the rt2500/rt2570 chipset(s) while supposedly using the ralink2500usb driver. And [...]

So you just upgraded to Ubuntu Gutsy and you cannot get the Internet to work? You appear to have a LAN connection or Network-Manager is allowing you to connect to your access point, yet when you type in http://www.google.com, the domain will not resolve - it just keeps reading ‘connecting’. Why? Use of of ipv6 - [...]

 (Update: Please consider using network manager again as it is working now with Gutsy and Wicd has been causing too many problems. Again, Wicd is not recommended as network manager is working just fine with the Edimax EW-7608pg.)
With the release of Ubuntu Gutsy, there remains questions as to whether or not Ubuntu wireless bugs with [...]