fsm category archive

HOWTO: Rotate JPG images in GNOME’s Nautilus File Manager

Originally published 6 October 2007 in Free Software Magazine. It was pointed out in the comments there that Nautilus Extensions is another way of customizing Nautilus, and that the extension nautilus-actions should be used instead for what I’m trying to do here. I had seen Extensions mentioned as a more powerful alternative at gnome.org, but I still like scripts for this job. However, I should at least acknowledge Nautilus Extensions as another option.

I recently went looking for a way to rotate JPG images from within Nautilus, and found a nice way to do this and more. It’s not difficult to customize the right-click popup menu in Nautilus to perform custom actions on files. Here are some instructions and scripts to get …

Peach! (Free Software, Free Movies)

Originally published 18 September 2007 in Free Software Magazine.

Apparently I’ve been living under a rock, because I only recently found out about the Blender project’s free and open source short movie, Elephants Dream, when I happened across Terry Hancock’s review of it last year at Free Software Magazine.

The motivation behind the project was to create a great movie short using only free and open source tools, while at the same time finding ways to improve the quality of those tools and free software projects in general.

Elephants Dream

The artists primarily used the excellent 3D modeling and animation software, Blender, along with many other free software programs, including The GIMP, CinePaint, and Inkscape. The credits …

How dumb can GNU/Linux users be?

Originally published in Free Software Magazine, 28 November 2006. This one picked up some diggs and I thought would make it to the front page with resulting praise, adulation, and scathing condemnation, but then it was cruelly buried. I suppose my provocative, attention-getting headline may have been frowned on. I paid the price and only got 0.15 seconds of fame instead of 15 minutes.

Question: How dumb can GNU/Linux users be?

Answer: As dumb as necessary.

Let’s rephrase: How technically sophisticated should GNU/Linux users have to be? How knowledgeable should any computer user have to be? The answer to that, of course, ranges from “very” to “not very.” We need to get past the name-calling of clueless newbie …

Red Hat Film: ‘Truth Happens’

I thought it might be fun to try hosting one o’ thems fancy YuuuwToob videos here. Don’t know if it’s something I’ll want to do that often. I’m leery of relying on another web site to provide a major component of a post, especially in this case where I don’t know how long-term I can depend on a YouTube video to be available with all the take-downs happening and sure to come. I’d hope that the owner of the copyright on this particular clip wouldn’t demand its removal, but you never know. Another potential problem: Can you even view YouTube videos with free software?

This is a companion piece to this week’s Free Software Magazine entry, and related to the Gandhi quote in this recent post. Beyond that, I’ll let …

Free Tanks for Everyone! Good Gas Mileage.

Originally published in Free Software Magazine, 6 November 2006.

I’m guessing many FSM readers will recognize the title reference, if like me you’re a fan of Neal Stephenson’s work. If you’re not a fan, then… er… how could you not be?! I’m kidding. I realize tastes differ, but to me, Stephenson is essential geek reading.

His essay, In the Beginning was the Command Line, has been around for several years now. It’s showing some age in areas, but it reads as well today as it did back in 1999. It’s filled with interesting ideas and thoughts about technology and culture, including free software. For example, you don’t have to read very far …

Does Free Software Taste Great, or is Open Source Less Filling?

Originally published in Free Software Magazine, 30 October 2006.

Which do you like best: the satisfying, rich taste of principle in free software? Or do you prefer the less morally filling and pragmatic goodness of open source? Do you wish people would stop endlessly rehashing the whole question of “free” versus “open source?” Or do you enjoy the chance to talk about goals and philosophy? As you might suspect, since I’m bringing it up…

…I like to talk about it. Is it too soon, though, following the lengthy debate stirred up by the recent “What should we call it?” FSM poll? Too dividing? Pointless? Do I …