(1) Create a 2 GB image:

sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=snapshot.img bs=1024k count=2000 &

You can create a larger image size if you need it, and your burnable media can handle it.

(2) Format it using ext2

sudo mke2fs -m 0 -q -F -b 2048 snapshot.img 1>&2

Honestly, I can’t remember why I was redirecting output to stderr. Maybe I had a good reason for that. But suffice it to say, you simply want to use the file you created to make a file system. For example, instead of the above, you can use something like `mkfs -t xfs snapshot.img`

(3) Mount the image

sudo mount -t ext2 -o loop snapshot.img /mnt/snapshot

For the mount, you want to make sure to use whatever filesystem type you created the image with.

(4) Copy the data, preserving information

sudo rsync -avH --numeric-ids --progress --stats --delete --exclude /proc/ \
--exclude /sys/ --exclude /tmp/ --exclude /var/run/ --exclude /var/tmp/ \
--exclude /mnt/snapshot/ / /mnt/snapshot/

This is an example of copying the entire system (if it’s small enough to fit). In this example, you want to make sure you exclude the mount point for the snapshot, because otherwise you’ll have a recursive rsync that will go on forever. It’s definitely good to make sure you exclude /proc/ and /sys/ too. You could exclude /dev/ since today’s Linux just regenerates it on boot anyway. (If you were porting to other hardware you may want to do this to be “safe” but usually it’s safer to just keep a copy of it.) –progress and –stats are extraneous options, and if you’re a neat freak, you can use –delete-excluded too to make sure those directories are cleared out in case you accidentally copied things over.

(5) Unmount and burn using cdrecord

sudo umount /mnt/snapshot
sudo cdrecord -v -eject dev=/dev/cdrom snapshot.img

You can alternatively use any burning software to apply the image directly to burnable media.

Now keep in mind, that when you want to mount this CD/DVD you will need to mount it by hand, as root, using the filesystem type you burned it with. It’s a good idea to write the fs type on the CD along with whatever else you’re going to call it so you know how to mount it later.

First copy the contents of the CD to a directory

auto-boot/
|-- VERSION
`-- isolinux
|-- alt0
|   |-- all.rdz
|   `-- vmlinuz
|-- boot.cat
|-- custom.msg
|-- isolinux.bin
|-- isolinux.cfg
|-- memtest
`-- target.msg

To change default auto configuration file, edit:
isolinux/isolinux.cfg

To produce a custom boot CD:

mkisofs -R -J -o auto-boot.iso -b isolinux/isolinux.bin -c isolinux/boot.cat \
-no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 -boot-info-table ./auto-boot/

• C:\winnt\system32\drivers\etc\hosts
• C:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

Notice how they kept the etc/ directory? Hmmmmm

Here is how I installed it for my own user. You will need the cpio utilities installed including ‘cpio’ and ‘rpm2cpio’ which are installed on many rpm based systems.

1. Download the gzipped rpm files from OpenOffice.org
2. Unpack:

   tar xzvf OOo_2.2.0_LinuxIntel_install_wJRE_en-US.tar.gz

3. You should now have a directory similar to OOF680_m14_native_packed-1_en-US.9134/
   cd to the RPMs directory inside this new directory and unpack the RPM files locally:

   ls *.rpm | while read file; do rpm2cpio $file | cpio -idmv; done

4. You should see the files from the RPMs created, e.g.

   ./etc
   ./etc/.java
   ./etc/.java/.systemPrefs
   ./etc/.java/.systemPrefs/.system.lock
   ./etc/.java/.systemPrefs/.systemRootModFile
   ./etc/init.d/jexec
   ...
   opt/openoffice.org2.2/share/xslt/export/xhtml/header.xsl
   opt/openoffice.org2.2/share/xslt/export/xhtml/master_chapter_numbering.xsl
   opt/openoffice.org2.2/share/xslt/export/xhtml/master_document.xsl
   opt/openoffice.org2.2/share/xslt/export/xhtml/master_refs_workaround.xsl
   opt/openoffice.org2.2/share/xslt/export/xhtml/master_usability_links.xsl
   opt/openoffice.org2.2/share/xslt/export/xhtml/ooo2xhtml.xsl
   opt/openoffice.org2.2/share/xslt/export/xhtml/table.xsl

5. I like to keep all of my personal packages in a single directory. Usually I make a directory in my home called pkg/ which I will move openoffice to. So first, move the openoffice directory under opt/ that was created above to ~/pkg/:

   mv opt/openoffice.org2.2/ ~/pkg/

6. I also like to use symlinks for my current most updated version of a software:

   cd ~/pkg/
   ln -s openoffice.org2.2/ openoffice.org

7. Then I create some scripts in my ~/bin/ directory that I include in my path environment. The first one is openoffice.org itself. I create an executable file called ~/bin/openoffice.org that looks like this:

   #!/bin/bash
   exec ~/pkg/openoffice.org/program/soffice "$@"

8. It’s also nice to create one for the openoffice.org printer administration gui. I create an executable script called ~/bin/openoffice.org-printeradmin that looks like this:

   #!/bin/bash
   exec ~/pkg/openoffice.org2.1/program/spadmin

Now, if you have ~/bin/ in your PATH environment you should be able to load files using openoffice.org <filename>

“The only obligation which I have a right to assume is to do at any time what I think right.”
Henry David Thoreau

A philosophy that not only should you do what you believe is right, but more deeply that you cannot be anything else but who you are. If you try to be someone or something else, if you try to live by a code in which you don’t really believe, you will have internal conflict until you accept your Way.

Some years ago, when I heard this I thought about all those rebates I’ve done. I’ve done quite a few, and my experience has been mixed. I’m not exactly sure how the decide which people they’re going to attempt to deny (even with legitimate rebates). I’m fairly certain that they are not simply careless because the rate at which I’ve been denied at least the first time has been about 50%. That’s way too high to be coincidental considering that it’s never happened even once through all the other mailings I’ve done like paying bills where I’m actually sending them money.

So yes, I would say that they are following the first Rule of Acquisition:

Once you have their money, never give it back.

I entered the hotel in the quiet residential area. I knocked on her room door and waited for her to come. I smiled when I saw her beautiful face. Melisa was happy to see me and surprised that I brought her breakfast. We lazily stayed in her hotel room and relaxed as we shared our breakfast. From her window of the hotel room we could see the lake that was next to the shopping and entertainment area near the hotel.

After breakfast when we were ready, we went downstairs and walked to the shopping area nearby. The day was still beautiful and comfortable, and it was a nice walk, as we proceeded to walk on the trail around the lake opposite of the more busy areas. We held hands as we walked through the geese that had gathered from the lake stretching across the trail. When we got to the other side of the lake, we went to the shopping areas nearby. We got some ice cream and walked around the different stores. In particular, I think Melisa enjoyed going into the bookstore.

After a while, we decided to have a late lunch. We went back and we drove to get sushi. The place was almost empty because it was after lunch. The sushi there is always good, fresh, and cut well. In addition to sushi I ordered a fried tofu with fish flakes, because I wanted Melisa to try it. When we were sitting there, I thought about how easy it is to get along with her and how lucky I am.

In the afternoon we decided to go back to the hotel and rest. While at the hotel, we looked at the movie schedule for the theater near the hotel, and also the one near the steakhouse that I was planning on taking her for lunch. I think the one near the hotel is a much nicer theater, so I decided we should go there, but it would mean that we need to eat dinner first. So Melisa took a nap.

We had to drive a little way to get to the steakhouse. It is a western, kind of cowboy, style place. It was nice to show Melisa some kind of native food here. I think she really liked it, but didn’t expect that we ate so much. The steaks are so big compared to what she is used to. “Maybe tomorrow we can order salad from a place near the hotel,” I told her.

When we left the restaurant, the night was cool and comfortable with the smell of rain in the air. We drove back to the hotel area for a movie. The movie was nice, but I really cared more about being with her. It was just good to have her here, and I was happy that this was a special day. I really hope she was having fun.

After the movie, we took a walk around the lake again that night. This time we walked more slowly, and we enjoyed our time together. As it grew darker, we could see the stars appear. On the far side of the lake from the buildings, we sat on one of the benches around the path. I gave Melisa a hug, and sat close to her. I could tell we were both feeling something. After a little bit I kissed her, and whispered, “it’s not illegal here”–about something only she would understand.

After that, we went back up to the hotel room. I could tell Melisa was tired. I gave her a little massage as she relaxed and watched some TV. We spent a little time together, and before I left, I made sure to tell her “happy birthday.”

* shaking Melisa to wake her up *

It’s interesting. The keyboard is exceedingly small, and the keys are like those flexible keyboards. But I guess it wasn’t meant to teach typing skills. Also it has a touchpad mouse with two mouse buttons: X and O (of course). It has 3 USB ports, a headphone jack, a microphone jack, a rotating screen, built-in speakers, a built-in microphone, and what appears to be a built-in camera.

I posted some pictures on Picasa:

XO

I managed to surf the net with it a little bit and investigate:

• Memory is just under 256 MB
• 1 GB disk space
• Fedora release 7 (Moonshine)
• processor Geode AMD 430 MHz w/ 128K cache

The final word on this review: this laptop is great for kids.

Updates

I’ve been getting questions about it, so I’ll answer them as they come in.

• Is the display black and white? It does support color, but it seems to have a lot of black/white/gray as a base color.