Linux and open source tips, tricks and discussion. Free software, hardware and modern culture. The Binary Times audiocast is created by Mark and Wayne, two chaps who just like using linux and open source software and want to spread the word. Linux is free and open source and it is an excellent choice of operating system for our ever changing times. This audiocast is released fortnightly.
https://www.thebinarytimes.net
The Binary Times - Series 6 Episode 1
Series 6 Episode 1 - The guys kick off another season chatting about installing Linux on family computers, mastering markdown, Wayne gives more updates on using Ubuntu Touch as a daily driver, more under the hood tips and another epic Irish saying. Enjoy.
00:24 Wayne introduces us to the first audiocast episode of Series 6! It's too hot in Bristol and it's misty and overcast in Kilkishen.
04:00 Mark announces The Open Source Community on Steam's Open Source Community You Tube Channel and their announcement video. They plan to feature the Open Source Community's Edition of the Binary Times Audiocast, so there's even more ways now to consume our content!
05:50 Mark tells us what he's been up to for the last two weeks, and it's not been contemplating the meaning of life. He tells us that instead he's been contemplating the meaning of markdown, with the help of Mastering Markdown, [3 Reasons Why Everyone Needs to Learn Markdown][05], the Markdown project homepageand one of Github's many guides, This leads to a discussion around the benefits of markdown.
11:01 Mark tells us he's been listening to the Mintcast podcast lately due to a listener's recommendation, and he's been enjoying the good content.
13:51 Mark goes on to tell us that he's started back into duolingo.
15:02 Mark tells us about Komun.org.
19:49 Mark goes on to tell us that his daughter is now using Ubuntu MATE and loving it, he sings the praises of the welcome screen and congratulates all those involved in making the distro happen!
22:27 Wayne tells us he's been stealing Nextcloud tips from other podcasters. Useful utilities in Next Cloud's App Store are AppOrder, Right click, and Text
23:40 Wayne goes on to speak about Ubuntu Touch. Wayne gives a shout out for Mateo Salta and all the hard work he's putting into updating apps. Wayne mentions Solitaire, UBports NetWalk and Network Scanner. Wayne goes on to tell us that he's been on ubuntu touch now for six weeks and is really enjoying it while moving in the right direction. Mark briefly mentions KOreader as a possible ebook and pdfreader. Wayne goes on to tell us that he's changed from the pdf format to epub.
31:06 Wayne admires the consistency of gestures in the apps of Ubuntu Touch.
32:15 Wayne relates some of the chat going on in the UBports Supergroup on Telegram, and it goes as follows:
Q: Do I still have the stock recovery running underneath UBports? Is there an Android layer running underneath UBports?
A: The recovery is replaced with a custom one. the bootloader is standard android bootloader though; and we run some small parts of Android in a container, as it's required to get the hardware to work
Q: Nice. So it's literally just enough of an Android custom bootloader to kick things off, and after that everything is FOSS? (apart from the binaries needed to interface with the hardware, of course)
Q: I did not understand it. Does ubuntu touch need some remaining android stuff/drivers/anything? Or does the ubports installer remove android completely
A: No, an Android container is run to work with Android services and drivers. It's minimal, but it is Android built from Android source.
Mark steers the conversation towards the Librem 5 and the Pinephone.
37:52 Wayne brings it back around to interface tips on Ubuntu Touch. They both recommend the UT Tweak tool. Wayne also tells us how to take a screenshot, and that is hold down the volume up and volume down keys simultaneously.
42:00 Wayne tells us how he used diff to resolve a situation at work. He goes on to tell us about his Windows 7 and Office 2010 woes at work. His suggestion to move to Linux did not provoke the reaction he expected. Wayne is wondering what remote desktop server is available in Linux. Wayne gives the phrase 'If I replace Outlook, there would be Outcry!' to Microsoft.
55:20 Pondering where time goes, the guys kick off Under the Hood
Mark's Under the Hood is related to Libre Office. In Libre Office, if you point at a button with drop down options in the standard tool bar menu and click and hold the left mouse button, you will see all the options.
Wayne's under the hood tip is related to Reader View in Firefox. To activate this, hold down Ctrl+Alt+R and you will be in reader view.
59:10 Irish saying of the Podcast: Táim an fear or I am the man!
We hope you enjoy the podcast as much as we did making it!