@valo
@valo
The Linux operating system, part 1 The operating system (OS) of a computer is basically what keeps it running. If the hardware is the body, then the OS is the mind and/or soul. What I'd like to cover (those with a star are discussed in this article): History* Structure of the OS* Users and permissions* Distributions Interfaces Terminals, shells Scripting Useful commands A brief history In 1969 a new computer operating system was released called UNIX intended to work on a…
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My fractal of the day. This one doesn’t belong to the Mandelbrot series. Do you like abstract art? #DigitalArt
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This beautiful oak has a diameter of about 5 meters. It’s absolutely huge. I can’t remember how old it is, though. It was amazingly beautiful a month ago when the leaves had turned golden 😊🍂 #NPhotography
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I’ve taken countless lake views, yet I can’t get enough of them. This is a bit swampy at the shore... well, there’s no shore really, just the moss and some other small plants end. Better watch out when stepping. #nature #lake #landscape #NaturePhotography
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How many #Linux users are here? I use both Windows and Linux and I wouldn’t give up either of them. A user on read.cash mentioned that he/she would be curious to learn more about Linux. I’m planning to publish a series of articles on the topic. Today I wrote the first one. https://read.cash/@valo/the-linux-operating-system-f81b3c77 #Technology
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Have you ever seen purple mushrooms? No, it’s not photoshopped. I boosted the vibrancy a bit but it really is purple. Nearby there was a more grayish-brown specimen with just a hint of purple. It’s called Cortinarius violaceus. According to Wikipedia, it’s hardly edible but not toxic, either. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortinarius_violaceus Do you like mushrooms? #Nature
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Regrets in life - and how math can prevent them I don't like regretting past events. But I don't like dreaming about things that aren't certain, either. A dream, or more precisely, an assumption that something will come true makes you imagine many steps in the future. But so why do I mention math in the title? Well, dreaming is an attempt for predicting future. And this is not any different from extrapolation. Read below to see how simple it actually is. An imaginary…
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It’s a bit hard to find a good niche for my latest article on read.cash. It’s both some abstract thoughts and a simple mathematical concept. But hey, maths can prevent you from disappointment and regret. https://read.cash/@valo/regrets-in-life-and-how-math-can-prevent-them-d10041a6 #Psychology
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Nice to see the hazels preparing for winter. How do you like the post-processing? #photogtaphy #nature
@valo
November is a late autumn month here and it was a surprise to see this pretty violet blooming 😊 #SmartPhonePhotography
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I had a nice walk after lunch. It’s chilly but sunny. #Photography
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There were those tiny cute few droplets on this flower 🌸 #FlowerPhotography
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I made a few new fractals and got excited about this one 😊 What do you think? #DigitalArt
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This photo looks so summery yet I took it on a November day, just a few degrees centigrade outside. #Nature
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The Linux operating system - terminal, command line, shell Yesterday I gave a quick introduction to the Linux operating system. I wrote several paragraphs on its history, what is user vs kernel mode and a bit on user rights. Each of these could be elaborated in more details but today I continue with terminals and shells. If you haven't read my previous article yet, go check out: https://read.cash/@valo/the-linux-operating-system-part-1-f81b3c77 So what's a terminal? The…
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Summer is here... ummm no... 😄 Winter is coming any time soon. #photography #flower #sunflower
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Do you prefer it in colour or in black and white? #Photography
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Photo post-processing What's your opinion about post-processing of photos? Some say that they never process their photos and that they come straight out of the camera. Others turn their photos into fine artworks. I am kind of in the middle. I'm not skilled enough to produce a masterpiece by blending countless layers and drawings and what not in Photoshop but I'm pretty okay with making my photos "look mine", if you get what I mean. An example: Did I cheat by boosting the…
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What's your opinion of post-processing? Is it cheating? Cheat out an example over on https://read.cash/@valo/photo-post-processing-b340992a
@valo
Last night I posted a second article about #Linux. Do you know what’s a terminal? How about a punch card? https://read.cash/@valo/the-linux-operating-system-terminal-command-line-shell-f850f0f4 #Technology
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I just love spending time in the forest. It’s so relaxing and there’s always something new to see. How about you? #Nature
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Generating fractals is some kind of obsession. Here’s another new one. #ArtAndPhotography
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It was so nice to go for a walk in the forest and absorb the smells, feel the tree bark and just be one with nature. #Photography
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A memory from last summer. It was a lovely warm night and I watched the sun set, creating beautiful colours #photography #forest #tree #silhouette #sky #Nature
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I’m so happy how this one turned out 😊 #abstract #abstractart #digitalart #fractal
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Apps for post-processing of photos What kind of apps do you use to process your photos? My workflow depends on whether I took the photo with my DSLR or with my phone. Dedicated camera For the DSLR, I dump all the photos from the memory card to my file server and then I use **Lightroom** to apply light modifications. If I want something further than that, my tool of choice is **Luminar**. It has more features to make the photos look artistic. It can be a bit clumsy, so I…
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Good morning! How has your day begun? #Photography
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Are spiders scary or interesting to you? There’s just a spiderweb here on the photo, so even if you hate them, it’s worth checking it out. #Nature
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Again a memory from a month ago or so. It was a beautiful autumn day 🍂🍁 I like strong contrast and the beautiful blue sky serves as a great background to the red-orange leaf. #photography #nature #leaf #sky #autumn #fall
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Any idea what’s the name of this flower? #FlowerPhotography
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What do you think of digital art? #ArtDesign
@valo
The Linux operating system - structure, graphics and distributions This is my third article in the series about Linux. I already presented shortly the history, mentioned what are the interfaces, and why we use a "window where you can type". Now it's time to discuss the structure of the OS and then Linux distributions (also known as distros). This ended up being too long an article, so I decided to split it in two. The installation tutorial will come in the next article. The…
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It was a long day tosta. So glad it’s weekend already. What are your plans? I’m going to rest tomorrow and then back to work on Sunday. #Photography
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I was going through the photos on my phone and found this cute caterpillar. It will overwinter in this form, and then in spring it will become a cabbage butterfly 🦋 #Nature
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This is a fragment of the Mandelbrot series. #abstract #abstractart #digitalart #art #fractal
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The lottery of life Knowledge is a valuable asset. From early on we hear that it’s important to study hard in order to find a good job, so that we can have a decent life. However, there’s one thing that’s forgotten. Knowledge and skills are just one part of the story. We often underestimate just how important luck is. Being in the right place in the right time can open the door possibilities to employ one’s potential to the fullest. Life is a lottery Imagine that you’re on…
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Money is the root of all evil Yes, money causes suffering in many. It is power and authority. Those possessing lots of money decide the direction where the world moves in. Yet, is money itself the problem? If you stop and think about it, money is just a tool. It's not any different from, let's say, a knife. It has a particular purpose - it's a means of exchanging items and services. How does a knife even compare? Well, it's a tool, too. It serves to cut an item into pieces,…
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The Linux operating system, native installations, virtual machines, live systems Step 1. Choosing the type of installation Linux installation can be done in several ways. One can have it as the only operating system on the computer. Or, one can have a dual-boot machine - having two separate installations of Windows and Linux. The user chooses which operating system to boot when restarting the computer. Another option is to run a virtual machine (VM). This means that one can…
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Today I added one more article about #Linux, discussing how to prepare a live USB stick and try it out without making a full installation. https://read.cash/@valo/the-linux-operating-system-native-installations-virtual-machines-live-systems-82fc6dda #Technology
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Today I focused on the other social media I’m active on and noise.cash ended up abandoned. It’s a pity that we’re always limited on time. #time #busy #socialmedia #Nature
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It’s a bit of a cliche photo - just a grain field. When I saw it again it brought back some nice memory from last summer. It was full of opportunities to go out and spend time in nature with cameras in the backpack. What are some of the big moments of last summer for you? #Photography
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And of course... the fractal of the day ☺️ #art #digitalart #fractal #abstract #abstractart
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Earning from social media I signed up for read.cash last Sunday and this is article number 14 in my publications list. I'm followed by 13 people, yet in my wallet there is $21.60. I must say I'm impressed and that this is far better than anything I could have expected. I've earned money on social media before but good luck doing that with 13 followers on Instagram, Facebook or whatever. Now, one can argue that the effort I put in to earn those $21.60 is too much for the…
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I just got a notification for a new sponsor - for the first time here! I got so excited and I thought that I pressed Approve but... then it vanished. :( I didn't put down the username, sadly. I'm so sorry and at the same time deeply grateful! If you read this, are you willing to make a new request? In any case, many, many thanks!
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I'm thinking of posting some quotes that inspire me. Yes, it's quite a cliche but hey, cliches are cliches for a reason 😉 Do you agree? What do you think of Henry Ford's words? #quote #inspiration #smart #wisdom
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Yesterday the weather was really weird. There was hail... in November... then came sunshine for a while. It was so pretty. #park #weather #sunnyday #MobilePhotography
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Let the week begin with some digital art #fractal #digitalart #abstract #abstractart #ArtDesign
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Lichens are very interesting organisms. They are, in fact, two organisms - a fungus and algae - that live in symbiosis. This means that they cannot exist on their own. #nature #macro #macrophotography #biology #Photography
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Is somebody else using noise.cash on their iPhone in Safari? At least once a day I need to re-enter the seed for my wallet here. I’m not using private browsing, so I thought that cookies remain. Well, I don’t get kicked out of my account, so at least that cookie persists. #iPhone
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Perfectionism kills So... my plan was to write a technical article every other day and then randomly some thoughts. Alright but... there is life happening, too, with its demands. I got plenty of tasks done today. I am actually rather satisfied with my results, however, I also wanted to write an article about Linux. And I started. I have a paragraph and some random sentences that will become the rest of the article. But... Well, time is a limiting factor. It's past midnight…
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I hadn't heard of this quote before but it's just so true! When things go bad and there's no direction, staying still and being passive will not bring any change. It will just extend the stay in hell. It's better to just try and do something - it might not bring the desired outcome but at least it will present new challenges and ultimately, lessons. Then with a clear head, one can find the right path. Of course, this is much easier said that done. Being in a hellish state…
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Today’s fractal, well, I didn’t make it today but still counts. #fractal #digitalart #abstractart #art
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Another memory from early autumn - a ripe wolfberry. Looks tempting but it’s actually toxic. #berry #fruit #nature #naturephotography #macrophotography
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I kind of overprocessed this photo but it still gives a good feeling. #sky #nature #naturephotography #photography
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The Linux operating system - virtualisation, a step-by-step guide for VirtualBox Virtual reality is an interesting experience where one gets the feeling of being in another world... Wait! Not that kind of virtualisation! I mean the emulation of a Linux installation on top of another operating system. In a sense, it is a virtual reality, as one can perform nearly all actions one would do in a native installation of the operating system. In my previous article about Linux, I…
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The Linux operating system - getting started with the command line In my recent articles about Linux, I gave an overview of the operating system. If you haven't read some of them, I would suggest that you go and check them out. Of course, if you know your way around, then you could skip but I still suggest that you take a quick look. Maybe you'll find something interesting; like... punch cards. List of previous articles The Linux operating system, part 1…
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The Linux operating system - working with files Having introduced how to change directories and list the files, it's time to move on to manipulating them. This includes copying, moving and deleting. (Lead image source: Unsplash) Copying files and directories The command is unsurprisingly `cp`. It works by giving the name of the file that you want to copy followed by the name of the new file, e.g., `cp my_file copied_file` The contents will be identical, as expected. That…
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Technology from past Technology is amazing and the rate at which it evolves is mind blowing. At home I have multiple items that used to be common but nowadays are obsolete. Well, this sounds like I'm really old. Sadly I haven't held punch cards in my hands, though I would buy a pack (and maybe a reader? 😄). The items that come to my mind include CPUs floppy disks (different sized) EEPROMs logic gates (you know what's a logic gate, right?) This beauty below was rather easy to…
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Unprocessed photos straight from the camera Microstock photo banks offer millions of photos, a large number of which end up on blogs. Here on read.cash I benefit from the content submitted on Unsplash and Pexels. I have the right photography gear, so I could be taking photos myself but for the purposes of blogging, it would be way too time consuming to both write and take the suitable photos in mind for every single article. Well, maybe if I were blogging for a living but I…
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Fear of data loss In his latest article @Infinity announced a new topic to write about - one's biggest fears. For many of us (including myself) there is nothing worse than losing our loved ones or them getting very sick. We also fear losing our money and home, and for a good reason. However, there are some other fears, too - though not as major. I have been writing about technology, so I will ponder on the topic from the perspective of digital data and devices.…
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The cost of success Be a good boy/girl, ace your studies and you'll succeed in life. Many parents tell that to their children. While it makes sense, it is not 100% true. Don't get me wrong, I'm all in for getting yourself well educated. I hold a doctoral degree myself, and I've been doing teaching. I've seen bright students struggle to get every detail right. Is this worth it? Is a university a place to pass exams or a place to acquire knowledge? How valuable is it really to…
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The Linux operating system - editing text files Several days ago I wrote about copying and moving files, as well as navigating through directories from the command line. Now I would like to proceed with actually creating new ones and editing them. https://read.cash/@valo/the-linux-operating-system-working-with-files-8adf8a3d It's a heated topic among Linux users what is the best text editor. There are three popular options and the user of each is 100% certain that his…
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Addressing the writers' block: three tips Every content creator has experienced moments when you realise that the clock is ticking, yet you haven't prepared today's publications (graphics, photo processing, posts, etc). What happens then is just pure panic. Oh no, what am I going to do now? I'm so lazy, I should have created this already long ago... quick, have to get it done... Wait. Not that way. This kind of attitude is of no use. I have experienced this myself and,…
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Film cameras are not dead Recently I wrote about some old tech that I own like floppies but I completely forgot film cameras. I use them all the time and so they're by far not obsolete. This summer I took more photos on film than with my DSLR. Here you can see my Asahi Spotmatic. This model was being produced in the 60s and 70s. It has its faults but when one keeps them in mind, the photos tend to work out rather well. Given that it's at least 50 years old and still in use…
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What is a camera really? What a silly question... In my last article I showed my film camera but later on I realised that maybe I went a bit too deep into terminology without explaining first. So, I'm taking a step back today. What are the parts of a camera? Well, essentially, a camera is just a light-tight box with a hole where one attached a lens. It can't have any other holes or light will be leaking in and destroying the frames. A camera needs a lens in order to condense…
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In my own world Do you know the feeling when you just want to be alone and not disturbed by anything or anyone? There are plenty of nice and fun things out there but yet hiding in one's nest feels the best option. For some people, avoiding others implies that you are offended, so you don't want to speak to them. It's hard to explain unless you have experienced it yourself. I am having one of those moments when I just need to take a break. It's been great to write articles…