You are currently browsing the category archive for the 'japanese' category.
Up until a few years ago I was getting fed up trying to show Japanese friends that linux was a viable option to Windows XP SP2, because the input method that Linux used at the time quite truthfully stank. The conclusion was that with an English keyboard, Windows was the way to go because of the (then) fancy Japanese input method applet.
Later on, I found out about Berry Linux, a Japanese LiveCD distro based on RedHat/Fedora that can easily show off Linux and allow users to do things like compose email that Japanese people can actually read (common problem on Windows), and surf the web in Japanese by default, instead of having to manually choose codepages and the like, which frustrates must computer users (if they haven’t already given up).
Berry Linux got an update today (to version 0.75), and now supports fancy-pants XGL - which I’m sure you’ll agree kicks Aero’s behind quite handily (footily?). If you’re trying to run Berry Linux Mini as a virtual machine you’ll get a console instead of X and you’ll lose the XGL capabilities, so I’d recommend testing it on a physical machine instead of a virtual machine - it’s a LiveCD so it’s quite safe to do so.
Here’s a feature rundown taken from the Berry Linux site’s English page (corrected a few typos):
- Common Features:
- Support for Kernel-2.6. ALSA, ACPI, selinux.
- Overlay Filesystem Support.
- XGL, 3D Desktop, support.
- Berry Linux is not necessary to install. (Root partition is in the RAMdisk using initrd, all commands are operated by being transfered from CD-ROM)
- It can install on Windows without parting partitions to use Setup.exe or install.bat. (Using squashfs/cloop/loopback device)
- It can install to your hard disk on Linux. (Use Berry Linux Installer or Copy under /BERRY/, and set up LILO or grub)
- Berry Linux can boot from USB-HDD/memory.
- Berry Linux uses WHIZ, a very sharp Kana-Kanji conversion system. (WHIZ Project)
- If you push the windows key, and show the K-Menu.
- Automatically recognizes USB storage, and show icons.
- Berry Linux uses free Japanese True Type Fonts.
- Berry Linux uses bootsplash when booting.
- Berry Linux uses DHCP to connect the Network. (If you’d like to use PPPoE, you should setting up it on the Terminal)
- It’s possible to save personal setting.
- Red Hat Fedora compatible.
- Using new technologies.
- Berry Linux’s Features:
- You can listen to mp3 using BMP/XMMS, and play DVD/DivX using MPlayer, XINE and Kaffeine.
- You can edit files of Microsoft Word, Excel by OpenOffice(TM).
- Berry Linux Mini’s Features:
- Minimum Linux environment is available by using Berry Linux Mini.
- Its file size is very small. (148.0MB)
- It’s light. Because of the Window Manager is Fluxbox.
- You can enjoy comfortable Linux environment.
- Berry Linux Server’s Features: (Published Berry Linux Mini as alpha version)
- Build the Linux Server easily.
- Minimum Server Linux enviroment is available by using Berry Linux Server.
- Its file size is very small. (161.3MB)
- It’s light. Because of the Window Manager is WindowMaker.
- You can enjoy comfortable Linux enviroment.

- To do:
- Support Software Suspend.
- Support Captive NTFS.

- Known Bugs: (Please help me!)
- Kernel panic on boot after realtek RTL-8139 ethernet intialization. (Kernel Bugs)
- Using cloop with kernel-2.4.22-pre7 to 2.4.23-pre2 sometimes stops in boot. (pre5 is OK)
- Sometimes gcc 3.3 is not good ! (Berry Linux 0.19 only)
- krb5.h isn’t in krb5-devel-1.2.8-4. (Berry Linux 0.19, 0.20 only)
You can grab Berry Linux from the SourceForge page or the Berry Linux main page - but I’d recomend using SourceForge if you are in North America as it is much faster.
Related Articles:
Whenever you start adding funny-flavored operating systems to a network, you eventually run into filesharing problems. Even if you only have a few machines, coming to a consensus on how to get files from point A to B can be quite taxing - especially if there’s work to be done.
Over the years I’ve tried FTP, Samba, NFS and a host of others. When configured well they work like a charm. However, when a new node joins the network (that shiny new Mac Pro of yours), things need to be reconfigured and can generally be a royal pain.
That has changed, though. We now have an acceptable solution that is free, easy to use and above all, secure. Introducing… SCP.
SCP has been around for a while now, and is gaining quite a bit of traction in the hosting world where it is (albeit slowly) starting to replace FTP for upload and download tasks. SCP stand for Secure Copy (CP being Copy on *nix variants). SCP works a lot like FTP in that you require an address to connect to, a username (login) and a password (we won’t get into stored keys today).
Now that we’ve decided what to try in our ad hoc network, how do we set it up? If you’re blessed with any variant of Linux or Unix, the work has been done for you already - the tools come with the operating system, and are generally found under the network tools in your fancy menus.
It’s a different story on Apple Macs and PCs, though. For example, Tiger comes with an SCP server, but no client. Right, about the Mac server. In order to activate it in Panther, Tiger and even Leopard, head on over to the System Preferences pane, and choose the Sharing applet (the folder with the caution sign on it). Once it has opened, check the Remote Login checkbox. This will enable SSH, and in turn, SCP. We’re halfway there. You can connect to an SCP server by using the Terminal on a Mac, but from what I can tell most Mac users are frightfully scared of it. But that gives me the oppurtunity to tell you about one of my favorite applications - Fugu (japanese for blowfish - and sporting a suitably cute icon to boot). Fugu allows you to connect to an SCP server to both download and upload files. Fugu is quite easy to use, so we won’t get into that, but will save it for another time if need be (just like stored keys). Oh, and as the screenshot shows you, it works with Mac OS X Server 10.4.7 too! (as well as Leopard)
In the PC world, WinSCP is Fugu’s sibling. You get an extremly easy to use interface, complete with drag and drop. Installation is a breeze, and best of all it’s free as in both beer and speech. Just like those soapbox ramblers. Getting a Windows SCP server is a bit more difficult, but currently exists in the form of BitVise WinSSHD. WinSSHD is slightly complicated, but most of the configuration is done during the installation procedure. They supply you with the needed variables, and one you have finished you will have set up an account you can use to test from your other workstations. The screenshot above was taken with the wonderful WinSnap - it comes highly recommended.
Let the cross-platform filesharing begin!
If you have any questions, or would like to suggest a topic for a future article, head on over to the blandname contact page and we’ll see what we can do!
Oh, and by the way, since you’ve noticed I always talk about virtualization, this certainly applies to getting files to and fro from your virtual machines in VMWare Server, Virtual Server (Virtual PC if need be) and Parallels - I have even found it to be faster than any other technique!
Related Articles:
I came across a great tip that should help anyone trying to make an FTP client in Ruby. Basically it seems the Net/FTP library is attempting reverse lookups of addresses you try to connect to (which is in itself fine, but perhaps unnecessary). The problem arises because the reverse lookup is called each time a new file transfer is initiated. blade.nagaokaut.ac.jp/cgi-bin/scat.rb/ruby/ruby-talk/112801
Here’s the resolution I found in the japanese forum:
BasicSocket.do_not_reverse_lookup = true
Related Articles:

Recent Comments