It’s been a long time since my last post so I need to fill you in on
what’s been happening.

I wiped my hard drive and made it dual boot – win98 and Ubuntu Linux.
My daughter (12yrs) did the same to her computer a few weeks ago.
Personally I like the Gnome desktop which is the default desktop
environment in Ubuntu. I said previously that I’d probably use Kubuntu
at Teen Challenge but I’m changing my mind. Kubuntu probably has some
work to do before I would use it for training computers. Ubuntu has
games whereas Kubuntu doesn’t they have to be downloaded and installed
later. There are other things Kubuntu doesn’t have but I can’t remember
them at the moment.

Getting some multimedia apps to work is a bit of a challenge. I found
this helpful HowTo http://www.oldskoolphreak.com/tfiles/hack/ubuntu.txt
I’m enjoying getting things working and learning the Ubuntu/Debian way.

I’m going to be teaching a Return To The Workforce course under the ACE
(Adult Community Education) program. It’s basic computing, word
processing, spreadsheet, database, Internet and email on Linux boxes!!
I’m looking forward to it 🙂 There has been so much response that
there is a waiting list as well as another group which my sister is
teaching.

http://lca2006.linux.org.au
Linux.conf.au will be held in Dunedin next year. The call for papers
has just gone out. I would like to speak at the Linux In Education
Mini-conference. The organisers haven’t decided what mini-conferences
they’re having yet. I hope they do have the Linux In Education one I’d
love to speak at it and go to New Zealand! So would my daughter for
that matter. I’ll have to get started on my paper.

I never thought that I’d send out an e-zine but I am. I started one for
my students. I wanted a way to keep in touch and to help them keep up
their Internet/email skills and learn new ones. It’s fun for me and I
hope interesting for them.

I’m about to go and watch one of my favourite TV shows, Spicks And
Specks on ABC. http://www.abc.net.au
It’s a music quiz show.

When I reinstalled Open Office, Writer would work but not Draw. Now I’m having other more major problems with the computer so I think the hard drive is on the way out. It’s all backed up so I haven’t lost anything. If I can get another hard drive for it I’ll try Kubuntu I want to change my whole training room over to Kubuntu. This is my main job teaching computing and doing sys admin at Teen Challenge at Murray Bridge.

I’ve been asked to set up a computer training room and teach for ourTeen Challenge drug rehab in Adelaide. This means finding the boxes, installing an os, (pref Kubuntu unless I have any major hassles with it) setting up network, then teaching.

A great Kubuntu site is kudos.berlios.de

I found that when I removed everything (a file called sversionrc was in a couple of places) to do with Open Office and then reinstalled it worked!  

I will be upgrading these machines when the current word processing class has finished.  It wouldn’t be nice to do it to them in the middle of their lessons.

I’ve got a job interview today for a part-time temporary job with the Australian Bureau of Statistics. It’s a long time since I’ve had a job interview. Usually it’s me interviewing others not being interviewed. Hopefully it’ll be okay.

I’m running Open Office 1.0.2 on Mandrake 9.1 (at work on one of my student boxes) and having the following error message come up when trying to save a document-

Error saving document. Wrong parameter. The operation was started under an invalid parameter.

After this message OO closes and the document is lost.  OO has run fine on this machine for about 2 years.  I renamed the Open Office directory and reinstalled it but it still does the same thing.  I’ve searched the OO support pages and FAQs but haven’t come up with anything.

I asked the NewChix list at Linux Chix and was politely referred to Google. There’s plenty on Google about this but all the answers say reinstall which I’ve already tried.

I’m going to an ITShare meeting today so hopefully someone will be able to help me there.

I’ll post the results so that anyone else having this prob can hopefully benefit (that is of course if anyone ever reads this 🙂
I’ve got to get this fixed by Friday when the next word processing class is.

If anyone does happen to read this and has fixed this problem could you please post your findings here!!!!

I’m very happy my son has come to stay with us for the weekend for Mother’s Day!! He bought me Ferrero Rocher chocolates and a voucher to Target! Shopping and chocolate hmmmm nice 🙂 I’m glad he could come and visit as he’s working now and doesn’t get many chances I don’t care about the presents I just want to spend time with him.

My daughter gave me seeds for the garden!! and is taking me out for lunch. I cherish the time we get to spend together it is very precious.

We’ve been creating great Tuxracer courses!! and will be uploading them to Tuxracer websites soon. If I do eventually get around to making my own website again I’ll probably put them there too. If you haven’t done it before it is easy and a great way for kids to learn. Good motivation for them too. We had a ball. I’ve taught my daughter and a small computing class too.

If you don’t have Tuxracer you can get it here. There’s information here for getting your 3d graphics card working properly under Linux. I used their instructions and info from Opengl.org too.

Another good website is Tuxracer Belly Rub this is probably where I’ll upload our courses.