wag-net

ArchLinux: Banshee and iPod detection

wag — Fri, 21 May 2010 15:45:26 +0000

If Banshee doesn’t detect your iPod anymore, it might be Banshee’s iPod detector:
Podsleuth is included in [extra] but doesn’t work anymore after the DeviceKits->UPower switch.

The following PKGBUILD compiles the new 0.6.7 version which fixes the iPod detection problems for Banshee.

Create chroot jailed SSH User

wag — Fri, 14 May 2010 10:11:18 +0000

This will setup a user which, on ssh login, gets redirected to a chroot jail (requires OpenSSH >= 4.9).

1. Create user:

# useradd -G users -s /bin/bash jail
# passwd jail

2. Create chroot jail:

# mkdir -p /var/jail/{bin,home/jail,lib}
# cp -aL /bin/{bash,cat,cp,echo,grep,gzip,less,ln,ls,mkdir,more,mv,nano,pwd,rm,sh,tar,vi} /var/jail/bin/
# cp /etc/skel/* /var/jail/home/jail/
# chown -R jail:users /var/jail/home/jail/

Copy the required libraries, check if there’s a /lib64 link to /lib and add one if so.

# ldd /var/jail/bin/* | grep -Eo '/lib[^ ]*' | sort | uniq | xargs -I{} cp -aL '{}' /var/jail/lib/

This creates a minimal enviroment for the ssh user.
You can add more functionality f.e. device nodes, /etc-files or /usr/bin-programms (incl. dependent libraries).

3. Configure sshd:
Add the following to /etc/ssh/sshd_config

Match User jail
  ChrootDirectory /var/jail/

Restart sshd

# /etc/init.d/sshd restart

ArchLinux: Hibernate splashscreen with uswsusp and splashy

wag — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 12:51:43 +0000

splashy works great on startup and shutdown, but not while hibernating with pm-utils.
uswsup would work with splashy but the default package from community does not include splashy support.

Compiling the lastest official version 0.8 from suspend.sourceforge.net with ‘–enable-splashy’ raises an error:

checking for splashy_open in -lsplashy... no
configure: error: Required libsplashy was not found

The newer version 0.9 from git.kernel.org fixes that error.

After compilation, hibernating and resuming will display the installed splashy screen.

Here’s the package providing uswsusp with splashy support: uswsusp-splashy-git

PyGTK: TemperatureWatch [update]

wag — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:52:24 +0000

Display live CPU Temperature and Fan speed in a GTK window.
Working on Ubuntu, ArchLinux and Thinkpad T60, probably others too.

Version 1.1 released:
- Includes Fan speed

Code below or here

#!/usr/bin/env python
# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
#
# Display live CPU Temperature in a GTK window.
# Working on Ubuntu, ArchLinux and Thinkpad T60, probably others too.
#
# Version: 1.1
# Requires: python >=2.5, python-gtk2, python-gobject
# /proc fs with thinkpad_acpi module enabled
#
# Copyright (C) 2009 wag@wag-net.ch
#
# This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
# (at your option) any later version.
#
# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
# GNU General Public License for more details.
#
# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
# along with this program. If not, see .
 
 
import gtk, gobject, pango
gobject.threads_init()
import subprocess as sp, re
 
 
class TemperatureWatch():
    def __init__(self):
        # Set path to cpu thermal_zone proc file, or leave blank
        self.p_CPU0 = "/proc/acpi/thermal_zone/THM0/temperature"
        self.p_CPU1 = "/proc/acpi/thermal_zone/THM1/temperature"
        self.p_FAN = "/proc/acpi/ibm/fan"
 
 
        gobject.timeout_add(500, self.update)
        self.win()
 
 
    def update(self):
        """Update labels every half second"""
        # Execute system call, regex for numbers, set label
        if self.p_CPU0:
            CPU0 = sp.Popen(["cat", self.p_CPU0], stdout = sp.PIPE).communicate()[0]
            rCPU0 = re.search("(\d+)", CPU0)
            self.l_CPU0.set_text("%s °C" % rCPU0.group(0))
 
        if self.p_CPU1:
            CPU1 = sp.Popen(["cat", self.p_CPU1], stdout = sp.PIPE).communicate()[0]
            rCPU1 = re.search("(\d+)", CPU1)
            self.l_CPU1.set_text("%s °C" % rCPU1.group(0))
 
        if self.p_FAN:
            FAN = sp.Popen(["cat", self.p_FAN], stdout = sp.PIPE).communicate()[0]
            rFAN = re.search("(\d+)", FAN)
            self.l_FAN.set_text("%s RPM" % rFAN.group(0))
 
        return True
 
 
    def win(self):
        """Create window"""
        win = gtk.Window(gtk.WINDOW_TOPLEVEL)
        win.connect("destroy", lambda q: gtk.main_quit())
        win.set_title("TemperatureWatch")
        win.set_border_width(20)
 
 
        # Box, AspectFrame, Table
        vb = gtk.VBox(False, 0)
        win.add(vb)
 
        af = gtk.AspectFrame()
        af.set_border_width(2)
        vb.pack_start(af)
 
        table = gtk.Table(2, 3, False)
        win.set_geometry_hints(table, min_width=150, min_height=120)
        table.set_row_spacings(5)
        table.set_col_spacings(5)
        af.add(table)
 
 
        # Labels
        l__CPU0 = gtk.Label("CPU0 : ")
        l__CPU0.set_padding(5, 5)
        l__CPU0.modify_font(pango.FontDescription("16"))
        table.attach(l__CPU0, 0, 1, 0, 1)
 
        l__CPU1 = gtk.Label("CPU1 : ")
        l__CPU1.set_padding(5, 5)
        l__CPU1.modify_font(pango.FontDescription("16"))
        table.attach(l__CPU1, 0, 1, 1, 2)
 
        l__FAN = gtk.Label("FAN : ")
        l__FAN.set_padding(5, 5)
        l__FAN.modify_font(pango.FontDescription("16"))
        table.attach(l__FAN, 0, 1, 2, 3)
 
        self.l_CPU0 = gtk.Label("00 °C")
        self.l_CPU0.set_padding(5, 5)
        self.l_CPU0.modify_font(pango.FontDescription("16"))
        table.attach(self.l_CPU0, 1, 2, 0, 1)
 
        self.l_CPU1 = gtk.Label("00 °C")
        self.l_CPU1.set_padding(5, 5)
        self.l_CPU1.modify_font(pango.FontDescription("16"))
        table.attach(self.l_CPU1, 1, 2, 1, 2)
 
        self.l_FAN = gtk.Label("0000 RPM")
        self.l_FAN.set_padding(5, 5)
        self.l_FAN.modify_font(pango.FontDescription("16"))
        table.attach(self.l_FAN, 1, 2, 2, 3)
 
 
        # Button
        b_quit = gtk.Button(" Quit ")
        b_quit.set_border_width(2)
        b_quit.child.modify_font(pango.FontDescription("11"))
        vb.pack_start(b_quit)
        b_quit.connect("clicked", lambda q: gtk.main_quit())
 
 
        win.show_all()
        gtk.main()
 
 
 
TW = TemperatureWatch()

PyGTK: ShutdownLater [update]

wag — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:53:45 +0000

Shutdown, reboot, hibernate or suspend your computer later!

GTK GUI which lets the user choose between shutdown, reboot, hibernate or suspend
after a specified amount of time.
Runs on UPower-DBus calls, which surpasses the need for root access.
Working on Ubuntu 10.04, ArchLinux 2009.08 (Maybe other GTK, DBus, DeviceKit systems too).

Version 1.1 released:
- gnome-desktop 2.30 fixes (Ubuntu 10.04 compatible).

Configuration

Running

Code below or here

#!/usr/bin/env python
# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
#
# GTK GUI which executes shutdown, reboot, hibernate or suspend after a given time.
# DBus, UPower and ConsoleKit handles the stuff under the hood.
# If the methodes are allowed, no root access is required.
#
# Version: 1.1
# Requires: gnome-desktop 2.30
#
# NOTE: UPower-Suspend/Hibernate do not give a reply through dbus. This programm
# does ignore that, but if you try to suspend/hibernate after a wake up
# it takes about 20sec till the non existing reply gets recognized.
# TODO: Check if dbus requests are allowed (CanStop(), CanRestart()).
# Support older backends (Hal, DeviceKit-Power, SessionManager).
#
# Version History:
# 1.0 - Initial Release
# 1.1 - Gnome-Desktop 2.30 fixes: UPower replaces DeviceKit-Power,
# ConsoleKit replaces SessionManager
#
# Copyright (C) 2010 wag@wag-net.ch
#
# This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
# (at your option) any later version.
#
# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
# GNU General Public License for more details.
#
# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
# along with this program. If not, see .
 
 
import gtk, gobject, dbus, dbus.mainloop.glib
gobject.threads_init()
dbus.mainloop.glib.DBusGMainLoop(set_as_default=True)
 
 
class C_ShutdownLater():
    def __init__(self):
        self.loop = gobject.MainLoop()
        self.do = "shutdown"
        self.win_conf()
 
 
    def win_conf(self):
        """Create configuration window"""
        win = gtk.Window(gtk.WINDOW_TOPLEVEL)
        win.connect("destroy", self.quit)
        win.set_title("ShutdownLater")
        win.set_border_width(20)
 
 
        # Box, Table
        vb_main = gtk.VBox(False, 0)
        win.add(vb_main)
 
        t_rb = gtk.Table(2, 2, False)
        win.set_geometry_hints(t_rb, min_width=200, min_height=70)
        t_rb.set_row_spacings(5)
        t_rb.set_col_spacings(5)
 
        f_rb = gtk.Frame(" Initiate : ")
        f_rb.set_border_width(4)
        f_rb.add(t_rb)
        vb_main.pack_start(f_rb)
 
 
        # RadioButtons
        rb_shutdown = gtk.RadioButton(None, "Shutdown")
        rb_shutdown.set_border_width(5)
        rb_shutdown.connect("toggled", self.rb_callback, "shutdown")
        t_rb.attach(rb_shutdown, 0, 1, 0, 1)
 
        rb_reboot = gtk.RadioButton(rb_shutdown, "Reboot")
        rb_reboot.set_border_width(5)
        rb_reboot.connect("toggled", self.rb_callback, "reboot")
        t_rb.attach(rb_reboot, 1, 2, 0, 1)
 
        rb_hibernate = gtk.RadioButton(rb_shutdown, "Hibernate")
        rb_hibernate.set_border_width(5)
        rb_hibernate.connect("toggled", self.rb_callback, "hibernate")
        t_rb.attach(rb_hibernate, 0, 1, 1, 2)
 
        rb_suspend = gtk.RadioButton(rb_shutdown, "Suspend")
        rb_suspend.set_border_width(5)
        rb_suspend.connect("toggled", self.rb_callback, "suspend")
        t_rb.attach(rb_suspend, 1, 2, 1, 2)
 
 
        # Table, Labels
        t_sp = gtk.Table(3, 2, False)
        t_sp.set_row_spacings(10)
        t_sp.set_col_spacings(10)
 
        f_sp = gtk.Frame(" After : ")
        f_sp.set_border_width(4)
        f_sp.add(t_sp)
        vb_main.pack_start(f_sp)
 
        l_h = gtk.Label("Hours")
        l_h.set_padding(3, 3)
        t_sp.attach(l_h, 0, 1, 0, 1)
        l_m = gtk.Label("Minutes")
        t_sp.attach(l_m, 1, 2, 0, 1)
        l_s = gtk.Label("Seconds")
        t_sp.attach(l_s, 2, 3, 0, 1)
 
 
        # SpinBoxes
        sp_h_adj = gtk.Adjustment(0, 0, 999, 1, 10, 0)
        self.sp_h = gtk.SpinButton(sp_h_adj, 1, 0)
        self.sp_h.set_numeric(True)
        self.sp_h.set_size_request(50, 27)
        t_sp.attach(self.sp_h, 0, 1, 1, 2, False)
 
        sp_m_adj = gtk.Adjustment(0, 0, 59, 1, 10, 0)
        self.sp_m = gtk.SpinButton(sp_m_adj, 1, 0)
        self.sp_m.set_numeric(True)
        self.sp_m.set_size_request(45, 27)
        t_sp.attach(self.sp_m, 1, 2, 1, 2, False)
 
        sp_s_adj = gtk.Adjustment(0, 0, 59, 1, 10, 0)
        self.sp_s = gtk.SpinButton(sp_s_adj, 1, 0)
        self.sp_s.set_numeric(True)
        self.sp_s.set_size_request(45, 27)
        t_sp.attach(self.sp_s, 2, 3, 1, 2, False)
 
 
        # Table, Buttons
        t_b = gtk.Table(2, 1, False)
        t_b.set_row_spacings(10)
        t_b.set_col_spacings(10)
        vb_main.pack_start(t_b)
 
        b_start = gtk.Button("Start")
        b_start.set_border_width(4)
        t_b.attach(b_start, 0, 1, 0, 1)
        b_start.connect("clicked", self.start, win)
 
        b_quit = gtk.Button(" Quit ")
        b_quit.set_border_width(4)
        t_b.attach(b_quit, 1, 2, 0, 1)
        b_quit.connect("clicked", self.quit)
 
        win.show_all()
        gtk.main()
 
 
    def win_run(self, main):
        """Create running window"""
        win_conf = main
        win = gtk.Window(gtk.WINDOW_TOPLEVEL)
        win.connect("destroy", self.cancel, win_conf, win)
        win.set_title("ShutdownLater")
        win.set_border_width(20)
 
 
        # Box, ProgBar
        vb_main = gtk.VBox(False, 0)
        win.add(vb_main)
 
        pb_adj = gtk.Adjustment(1, 0, 1, 1, 5, 0)
        self.pb_time = gtk.ProgressBar(pb_adj)
        self.pb_time.set_size_request(200, 30)
 
        af_pb = gtk.Frame(" %s in : " % self.do.capitalize())
        af_pb.set_border_width(4)
        af_pb.add(self.pb_time)
        vb_main.pack_start(af_pb)
 
 
        # Table, Buttons
        t_b = gtk.Table(2, 1, False)
        t_b.set_row_spacings(10)
        t_b.set_col_spacings(10)
        vb_main.pack_start(t_b)
 
        b_pause = gtk.ToggleButton("Pause")
        b_pause.set_border_width(4)
        t_b.attach(b_pause, 0, 1, 0, 1)
        b_pause.connect("toggled", self.pause)
 
        b_cancel = gtk.Button("Cancel")
        b_cancel.set_border_width(4)
        t_b.attach(b_cancel, 1, 2, 0, 1)
        b_cancel.connect("clicked", self.cancel, win_conf, win)
 
        win.show_all()
 
 
    def quit(self, data=None):
        self.loop.quit()
        gtk.main_quit()
 
 
    def start(self, widget, data):
        """Start choosen process"""
        win_conf = data
        # Get spinbutton values as int, calculate total and current time
        h = self.sp_h.get_value_as_int()
        m = self.sp_m.get_value_as_int()
        s = self.sp_s.get_value_as_int()
 
        self.t_total = (h*3600)+(m*60)+s
        self.t_current = (h*3600)+(m*60)+s
 
        # Hide main window and show run window
        win_conf.hide()
        self.win_run(data)
 
        self.timer(h, m, s)
 
 
    def rb_callback(self, widget, data=None):
        """Set do variable from user input"""
        if widget.get_active():
            self.do = data
 
 
    def pause(self, widget):
        """Pause process"""
        # Kill or start timer
        if self.t_current != 0:
            if widget.get_active():
                gobject.source_remove(self.g_id)
            else:
                self.g_id = gobject.timeout_add(1000, self.count)
 
 
    def cancel(self, widget, win_conf, win_run):
        """Cancel process"""
        # Remove timer, destroy run window, show main window again
        gobject.source_remove(self.g_id)
        win_run.destroy()
        win_conf.show()
 
 
    def timer(self, h, m, s):
        """Call counter every second"""
        self.pb_time.set_text("%02i:%02i:%02i" % (h, m, s))
        self.g_id = gobject.timeout_add(1000, self.count)
 
 
    def count(self):
        """Countdown and rewrite progressbar"""
        # Countdown, calculate and update
        if self.t_current != 0:
            self.t_current -= 1
            pb_percent = float(self.t_current)/float(self.t_total)
 
            pb_h = self.t_current/3600
            pb_m = self.t_current%3600/60
            pb_s = self.t_current%3600%60
 
            self.pb_time.set_fraction(pb_percent)
            self.pb_time.set_text("%02i:%02i:%02i" % (pb_h, pb_m, pb_s))
 
            # Again, and again, and again...
            return True
        else:
            self.initiate()
 
 
    def initiate(self):
        """Send dbus messages"""
        # Shutdown with ConsoleKit
        if self.do == 'shutdown':
            bus = dbus.SystemBus()
            proxy = bus.get_object('org.freedesktop.ConsoleKit', '/org/freedesktop/ConsoleKit/Manager')
            iface = dbus.Interface(proxy, 'org.freedesktop.ConsoleKit.Manager')
            iface.Stop()
 
 
        # Reboot with ConsoleKit
        elif self.do == 'reboot':
            bus = dbus.SystemBus()
            proxy = bus.get_object('org.freedesktop.ConsoleKit', '/org/freedesktop/ConsoleKit/Manager')
            iface = dbus.Interface(proxy, 'org.freedesktop.ConsoleKit.Manager')
            iface.Restart()
 
 
        # Hibernate with UPower
        elif self.do == 'hibernate':
            bus = dbus.SystemBus()
            proxy = bus.get_object('org.freedesktop.UPower', '/org/freedesktop/UPower')
            iface = dbus.Interface(proxy, 'org.freedesktop.UPower')
            iface.Hibernate(ignore_reply=True)
 
 
        # Suspend with UPower
        elif self.do == 'suspend':
            bus = dbus.SystemBus()
            proxy = bus.get_object('org.freedesktop.UPower', '/org/freedesktop/UPower')
            iface = dbus.Interface(proxy, 'org.freedesktop.UPower')
            iface.Suspend(ignore_reply=True)
 
 
        self.loop.run()
 
 
sdl = C_ShutdownLater()

PyGTK: Stopwatch [update]

wag — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 21:31:42 +0000

I was looking for a little easy-to-use stopwatch for gnome without success.
Well then, let’s make an own one.

Looks like this after 13 minutes, 37 seconds and 70 miliseconds:

Magic by: python, pygtk, gobject

Code below or here

Update 1
Joakim Gebart increased the accuracy by using time.time().
See the comment for a patch.

#!/usr/bin/env python
# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
#
# Nifty GTK stopwatch using pygtk and gobject.
# min:sec.msec display; start, stop, reset and quit buttons.
#
# Version: 1.0
# Requires: python >=2.5, python-gtk2, python-gobject
#
# Copyright (C) 2009 wag@wag-net.ch
#
# This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
# (at your option) any later version.
#
# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
# GNU General Public License for more details.
#
# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
# along with this program. If not, see .
 
 
import pygtk, gtk, pango
pygtk.require('2.0')
import gobject
gobject.threads_init()
 
 
class W_Timer():
    def __init__(self):
        self.s = 0.0
        self.m = 0
        self.g_id = 0
        self.win()
 
    def b_start_cb(self, widget):
        # Start gobject, impossible to speed up by clicking multiple times
        if self.g_id == 0:
            self.g_id = gobject.timeout_add(100, self.count)
 
    def b_stop_cb(self, widget):
        # Kill gobject, reset g_id
        if self.g_id != 0:
            gobject.source_remove(self.g_id)
            self.g_id = 0
 
    def b_reset_cb(self, widget):
        # Reset time
        self.s = 0.0
        self.m = 0
        self.l_time.set_text("00:00.0")
 
    def win(self):
        win = gtk.Window(gtk.WINDOW_TOPLEVEL)
        win.connect("destroy", lambda q: gtk.main_quit())
        win.set_title("Stopwatch")
        win.set_border_width(20)
 
        # Table and window size
        table = gtk.Table(2, 3, False)
        win.set_geometry_hints(table, min_width=160, min_height=150)
        table.set_row_spacings(5)
        table.set_col_spacings(3)
        win.add(table)
 
        # AspectFrame, into table
        af_time = gtk.AspectFrame()
        table.attach(af_time, 0, 2, 0, 1)
 
        # Time label, into aspect frame, font size: 19
        self.l_time = gtk.Label("00:00.0")
        self.l_time.modify_font(pango.FontDescription("19"))
        self.l_time.set_padding(10, 5)
        af_time.add(self.l_time)
 
        # Buttons, into table, font size: 11
        b_start = gtk.Button("Start")
        b_start.child.modify_font(pango.FontDescription("11"))
        table.attach(b_start, 0, 1, 1, 2)
        b_start.connect("clicked", self.b_start_cb)
 
        b_stop = gtk.Button("Stop")
        b_stop.child.modify_font(pango.FontDescription("11"))
        table.attach(b_stop, 1, 2, 1, 2)
        b_stop.connect("clicked", self.b_stop_cb)
 
        b_reset = gtk.Button("Reset")
        b_reset.child.modify_font(pango.FontDescription("11"))
        table.attach(b_reset, 0, 1, 2, 3)
        b_reset.connect("clicked", self.b_reset_cb)
 
        b_quit = gtk.Button(" Quit ")
        b_quit.child.modify_font(pango.FontDescription("11"))
        table.attach(b_quit, 1, 2, 2, 3)
        b_quit.connect("clicked", lambda q: gtk.main_quit())
 
        # Run GTK and show window, buttons, etc.
        win.show_all()
        gtk.main()
 
    def count(self):
        # A minute yet?
        if self.s > 60:
            self.m += 1
            self.s = 0.0
        else:
            self.s += 0.1
 
        # Set new time to label
        self.l_time.set_text("%02i:%04.1f" % (self.m , self.s))
 
        # Play it again, Sam
        return True
 
 
if __name__ == "__main__":
    t = W_Timer()

Howto: Install Rockbox on IPod nano 2. Gen

wag — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:14:45 +0000

Some weeks ago, the Linux4Nano project managed to break the IPod nano 2. Generation.
Thus, it’s now possible to run custom applications on the device.
Rockbox made a port (currently in development mode) which runs quite well.

To get it running, you’ll have to install a bootloader (from Rockbox or Linux4Nano) and Rockbox itself.
The following steps worked for me but due development state, there’s no guarantee for anyone!
If everything worked, nothing will break and all music will be available like before.

Ok? Ok!

- Connect the IPod to your computer
- Download ipodpatcher and make it executable

$ chmod +x ipodpatcher

- Decide if you want to be able to start some other stuff beside Rockbox
- Rockbox only:

# ./ipodpatcher

- Rockbox, original Apple software and other images, download ILoader and:

# ./ipodpatcher -a iloader.ipodx

- Download Rockbox and extract it to the root directory of your IPod
- Safely remove the IPod and restart it (press ‘Select’+'Menu’)

- Now, depending on your bootloader, Rockbox or…

- ILoader will start, select Rockbox with ‘Play/Pause’, the old Apple software with ‘Reverse’ or all the other stuff…

Ubuntu 9.10: 32 and 64 Bit Benchmark

wag — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:23:15 +0000

To 64 bit or not to 64 bit.

64 bit has some advantages and disadvantages compared to 32 bit.
+ possible to address more than 4GB RAM
+ better performance with various tools
- not all applications are 64 bit available
- more RAM space used due larger pointers and data types

Well, well, lets see what it does in general usage…

The following tests were executed on an identical 32 bit Ubuntu 9.10 and a 64 bit Ubuntu 9.10 setup:
- Boot speed from grub to the desktop with bootchart
- Copy a file (888MB) from and to an external HDD
- The same as above but copy from and to a Truecrypt container
- Compress and decompress a directory (333.5MB, 31’000 files) with tar-gzip and tar-bzip2
- Encrypt and decrypt a tar archive (348.8MB) with OpenSSL (AES-256-CBC)
- Encrypt and decrypt the same archive with GPG (DSA/ELG-E 4096)
- Encode a wav audio file (96.8MB) to mp3 and ogg with Lame and OggEnc
- Encode a wmv (71.5MB) and avi-xvid (253.8MB) Video file to mkv-x264 with mencoder
- Benchmark blender.test with Blender
- Benchmark various Nexuiz demos
- Compile the 2.6.31-15 kernel

Test conditions were:
- time command to measure the exact duration (except Nexuiz and Blender benchmark)
- Run every test 3 times or more (except kernel compilation)
- sync systemcalls to clear memory before tests

Test Machine specs:
- Asus P5K Pro P35
- Intel Core2Duo E6750 2.6Ghz
- Kingston 2GB RAM
- Samsung SATA 320GB 7200rpm
- GeForce 8600GT 256MB

Versions:
- Kernel: 2.6.31-14
- Bootchart: 0.90.2
- Truecrypt: 6.3
- VirtualBox: 3.0.8
- OpenSSL: 0.9.8
- GPG: 1.4.9
- Lame: 3.98.2
- Vorbis-tools (OggEnc): 1.2.0
- Mencoder: 1.0
- Blender: 2.49
- Nexuiz: 2.5.2
- gcc: 4.4.1

Now, the charts:

Startup speed measured with bootchart

Copy a file (888MB) to and from an external USB 2.0 HDD
Copy to HDD Copy from HDD

Copy a file (888MB) to and from a Truecrypt container lying on the external USB 2.0 HDD
Copy to TC container Copy from TC container

Not a real difference

Compress and decompress a directory (333.5MB, 31’000 files) with tar and gzip
Compress Decompress

Compress and decompress a directory (333.5MB, 31’000 files) with tar and bzip2
Compress Decompress

64 bit for compression, 32 bit for decompression

Encrypt and decrypt a tar archive (348.8MB) with OpenSSL AES-256-CBC
Encrypt Decrypt

Encrypt and decrypt a tar archive (348.8MB) with GPG DSA/ELG-E 4096 bit Key
Encrypt Decrypt

As you can see, encryption profits from 64 bit (except Truecrypt copy processes)

Encode a raw wav audio file (96.8MB) to mp3 with Lame

Encode a raw wav audio file (96.8MB) to ogg with OggEnc

Overall better audio encoding with 64 bit

Encode a wmv video file (71.5MB) to mkv (x264 codec) with mencoder

Encode a avi (xvid codec) video file (253.8MB) to mkv (x264 codec) with mencoder

XviD 1 : 0 WMV

Blender benchmark with the test.blend file

Heavily based on CPU usage

Nexuiz benchmark with the demos 1, 3, 5, average frames per second over all three demos

Tested with this open source game, may be different on closed source games

Kernel 2.6.31-15 compilation time with the ‘make menuconfig’ .config file

A bit more than 2 minutes between the two architectures on about an hour of compilation

The tar.gz, tar.bz2 and blender test were also run inside a VirtualBox Ubuntu 9.10 32 bit environment
on both setups, but with no notable difference

Well, except for a few tests, 64 bit made the race.

Why not give Ubuntu 9.10 64 bit a try?

Steampunk USB-Stick

wag — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:08:46 +0000

After discovering Steampunk some days ago, I decided to make something by myself.
I steampunk’d my old 2GB USB-Stick:

But how?

Well… behold the adventures of Steampunk…

Frist, gathering some old clock pieces.
(bought various clocks for 25SFr/16€/25$ and disassembled them)

The case for the Stick came from an old wooden pendulum clock.
I don’t have much experience in building things with wood and metal,
also i don’t have a garage filled with big tools, so this looks a bit messed up.

Next, the stick has to fit into part 1&2, took some drilling and rasping.

By using glue, adding multiple gears and other pieces from the clocks onto part 1&2.
Nearly all pieces could be used in their original form, but some of them had to be
downsized to fit the imagination.

After some painting and gluing, finally combining the two parts and the stick.

Again, drilling and rasping the holes into part 3&4.
This step has to be very exact, else the head won’t hold onto the usb-connector.

Fullsize Image (450KB)
Adding some more gears, creating a little chimney and
connecting body & head with a miniature chain.
Finally, more painting and some varnish over the wood.

The whole took about 20-30h.
But could easily be done in less time with some experience and the right tools.

Howto: Hack Nokia 5800 XM (31.0.008, 31.0.101) with HelloOX2/RomPatcher+ [update]

wag — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 19:59:35 +0000

If you want to install custom applications on your Nokia 5800 XM, you’ll have to sign them with a certificate…
or just hack the phone and sign nothing.

Before you can start, you have to get a developer certificate especially for your phone.
Visit cer.opda.cn , register, login, goto My Certificates and press Apply cer.
Enter your information, you’ll find the IMEI number by typing ‘*#06#’ into your phone.
Your .cer and .key files will appear on My Certificates after about 24h.

Download the HelloOX2 Unsigned package from helloOX2.com
Now you have to sign the .sis package with your new developer certificate.
There are several ways to sign: Online signing (f.e. cer.opda.cn), various Windows tools,
symbian sdk kit for linux which includes a signing tool, or directly on the phone (f.e. FreeSigner).
The FreeSigner tool is already signed with a certificate (.sisx), means you can install it without any modifications.

Before hacking, backup your personal data on the phone either over Windows and Nokia PC Suite,
or use the internal backup tool from your phone and then backup your memory card.

Transfer your (un)signed HelloOX2 package to your phone via Nokia PC Suite
or manually to MEMORYCARD/data/installs, unplug phone and then install it on the memory card.
Just follow the popups (Modo is a file manager, if you need it).
Remove HelloOX2 if you like (but not RomPatcher+ !).
Afterwards, start RomPatcher+, activate Installserver_FP2 and add it to Auto.

Your phone is now hacked and you can install unsigned applications.

All credits to HelloOX2 and RomPatcher+ team.

Update 1:
Sadly my phone has an old product code, the new 40.0.005 is not available for me.
But updating from 31.0.008 to 31.0.101 still works with HelloOX2 (hooray….)

Update 2:
After version 50.0.005 upgrade, apps and rompatcher+ are still working.
No reinstall required, but if you would like to, consult HelloOX2.com

Take a look at these pages for apps, themes, games, etc.
Symbian Underground
MobileCastle – S60 v5 Symbian OS 9.4 Applications
DailyMobile – Symbian S60v5 Forum
GizmoGates – Symbian S60 5th Edition Application / Games / Themes