Category Archives: software newspaper

Get power on pdf files and modify them on the fly with pdfmod (PDF Mod) and PDF Editor on Ubuntu

Since its invention, the pdf format has been the most versatile standard to share documents with a fixed layout. Everyday we share, read and create a lot of pdf files but sometimes we would like to modify them to create “new” personalized version more suitable to our needs.

For example, sometimes you need to extrapolate just a page from a pdf files or you want just to create different versions of the same file with few variations for your colleagues. For all these purpose pdfmod is the right solution for you.

Pdfmod has not been developed for some years because the versions we were able to find for Linux were the 2011 ones but, for what we know and tested, it still runs on all main platforms as Linux, Windows and OSX. Pdfmod is  a little bit different from other similar programs because it allows you just to modify the pdf file changing pages order, deleting pages or adding new pages from other pdf files. It also allows you to change some main metadata (title, author, keywords and subjest) of your pdf file in just few clicks and, of course, you can save the modified copy of the original pdf file.

These features could be basic for more sophisticated people but I can assure you that, if you have the need to do this kind of work different times in a week, pdfmod is the software you will use more often. Installation on Ubuntu is very simple, you just have to open a terminal and type:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:pdfmod-team/ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install pdfmod

and you will find a new PDF Mod launcher into the Accessories menu.

To get complete power on your pdf files we suggest pdfedit (PDF Editor) which allows you to “break” protected pdf files and modify them. To install pdfedit, use Synaptics Package Manager or the Ubuntu Software Center.

Don’t forget, when you use pdfedit you just have to open the “target” pdf file, save it using the Flatten feature you find into the Tool menu and open again the “new” file to modify it without any restriction.

Easy to install and simple to use, in few words the above described programs worth a try!  AddThis

How to install “old” add-ons on Firefox 5. The easy way!

Firefox add-onsI usually update my Firefox as soon as possible but often, especially after installing the new version 5 on a Ubuntu 11.04 platform, I had to lose many add-ons that I previously selected and used daily. To avoid this problem I found some tips on the web and I tested all of them with different results.

Solution 1
- download the .xpi file from its official Firefox add-on webpage using the right mouse button (Save Link As) on

- unzip the .xpi file with Archive Manager and open install.rdf using a Text Editor;

- find this line: em:maxVersion and change the value from e.g. 4.0.* to 5.0.*;

- click on   icon in the Firefox Add-ons Manager, select “Install Add-on From File…” and follow the visual instructions.

Unfortunately this solution didn’t work always during my tests

Solution 2
- open a new Tab on Firefox and type: about:config;

- agree to the warning message;

- search all the lines with the string extensions.checkCompatibility and set the values to false

- restart Firefox and enable or install your “old” add-ons.

Solution 3 – The easy one!
- open a new Tab on Firefox and click on Tools –> Add-ons;

- search for the Add-on Compatibility Reporter and install it;

- restart Firefox and you will be able to install all the old add-ons.

Sometimes you will discover that installing “old” add-ons doesn’t mean that they really run on Firefox 5 but, in my experience, more than the 70% of them will be good for the new version. Have fun!! AddThis

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Rediscover Prism by Mozilla (Ubuntu, MAC and Windows tips)

In 2007, when Prism was launched, there were some enthusiastic reviews about this application. Then the widget era began and Prism popularity decreased. Anyway, Prism is still a powerful application for all that people who desire to run their more often used web application saving RAM and CPU resources. Prism, based on XULRunner, is multi platform, easy to use and very flexible. To use it on Ubuntu you can launch the Terminal and type:

sudo apt-get install prism

or using the Synaptics Package Manager (System —> Administration —> Synaptics Package Manager). Then go to Applications —> Internet —> Prism and a small windows appears. Now, fill in all the required information: the web application URL, the name you prefer, settings and do not forget to click on the Desktop shortcut option. At this point you will find a new rough icon on your Desktop with the name you chose. The first time you use it, with the right mouse button click on it and go to Properties —> Permissions and Allow executing file as program. If you want to change the icon you have to click on it (with the right mouse button), go to Properties —> Basic and choose your favorite icon clicking the icon on the upper left corner. If all are steps are annoying for you, it is possible to use Prism as add-on for Firefox. In this case, on Firefox, go to Tools —> Add-ons —> Get Add-ons and type Prism on the search bar. You will install Prism as a simple add-on for Firefox. Now, you can automatically generate a Prism application just clicking on Tools —> Convert Website to  Application when you are in the web application page.

On Windows or MAC we suggest to download the standalone package directly from the official web page or install Prism as Firefox add-on following the same steps we described for Ubuntu. If you use the Prism standalone package you have to decompress it in your favorite location. For Windows users: when you set up a new Prism application, try the tray menu option but do not forget to click on the Desktop shortcut or you will not be able to find again the application after you close it.

In my experience, Prism is really useful with all the Google web applications, with Zoho services and Pandora. Try and enjoy it! AddThis mp3 link

Save your status, energy and time using the Hibernate shutdown option on Windows XP

Usually, when you shut down your Linux OS, you have the option to Hibernate your computer. Using this option you are 100% sure that, when you power-on again your PC, you will find exactly the same programs, browser tabs and system configuration you. In Windows XP you have the same option but often it is hidden. If you have access to your XP computer as Administrator, you can follow the following instruction to restore it: Start —> Control Panel —> Power Options. Find the Hibernate tab and then click on Enable Hibernation. That’s it! AddThis mp3 link

How to protect your profile and emails on Thunderbird 3 (Ubuntu and Windows instructions)

On Thunderbird, the only way to be 99% sure nobody will read your emails is to save your profile on an encrypted folder (or disk partition) using e.g. TrueCrypt but if you are not concerned that you are under surveillance, you can simply use a quick and useful trick that allows Thunderbird to ask for the Master password every time you launch it.

In Ubuntu you have to follow two different steps. First of all, go to Edit —> Preferences —> Security —> Passwords and create your Master Password. Secondly, go to Edit —> Preferences —> Advanced —> Config Editor (click on “I’ll be careful, I promise”). Then in the filter bar, type password and change the parameter for mail.password_protect_local_cache to True. The next time you will launch Thunderbird nothing will be displayed (old and new emails) before you insert the correct Master Password.

If you are using Thunderbird on Windows you have to modify mail.password_protect_local_cache going to Tools —> Options —> Advanced —> Config Editor (click on “I’ll be careful, I promise”). Then, as for Ubuntu, in the filter bar type password and change the parameter for mail.password_protect_local_cache to True. AddThis mp3 link

CLI Companion: una ayuda concreta para utilizar la Consola añadiendo una lista automatizada de comandos

Hace unos días he encontrado esta nueva aplicación para Linux, se llama CLI Companion. Aunque Linux ha evolucionado muchísimo y hay que reconocer que ya casi no hace falta hacer uso de la Consola para ejecutar programas y tareas varias, pero también hay veces que gracias al uso de la Consola se puede solucionar pequeños problema que de otra forma seria bastante mas complicado. En esos casos CliCompanion nos hecha una mano añadiendo una lista con diferentes comandos junto a nuestro terminal. La lista de los comando no es infinita, viene con unos cuantos; para cada comando hay una referencia donde se explica la función, también es posible añadir comandos y los parámetros correspondientes. Además CliCompanion tiene un apartado de búsqueda donde es posible encontrar el comando que mas nos interese en cada momento. Desde cuando lo instalé en mi Kubuntu 10.04, tengo que confirmar que es una muy buena aplicación y puede ser instalada con lo repositorios correspondientes y tener futuras actualizaciones o directamente através el paquete .DEB. Os dejo el enlace de la Web:
http://okiebuntu.homelinux.com/okwiki/clicompanion
AddThis mp3 link

Stixy: a collaborative online application to easily share ideas and more..

StixyIn many collaborative projects it is often necessary to share ideas, images, documents, ect.. but, as everyone could testify: ideas fastly flight away; it is not easy to remember video and photographs and so on… In a traditional office a common board could effectively help to coordinate trends and share photos but when working in internet it is high the possibility that many of this stuff will be lost before next meeting with colleagues. Moreover, now it is possible to use Stixy, a simple intuitive but powerful online application which allows you to display and share all you want (notes, photos, documents, to-do lists and also music) on the web. We tried Stixy (better its Beta version) and we enjoyed it a lot: clean, easy to share and positively influenced the mood in our team. For some more information you can read a brief review in our Freeware Page. Something to try! AddThis mp3 link

SoundConverter: the best (and the simpliest) audio converter for Ubuntu!

Linux PageThis week, in our Linux Page (in Spanish) we have posted a review SoundConverter which is, in our opinion, the best and perhaps the most complete audio converter for Ubuntu. SoundConverter is very simple to install and after few minutes you will be able to freely “play” with your music library. SoundConverter plays: Ogg Vorbis, AAC, MP3, FLAC, WAV, AVI, MPEG, MOV, M4A, AC3, DTS, ALAC, MPC, Shorten, APE and writes: WAV, MP3, FLAC and Ogg Vorbis files. In the SoundConverter website you can also find some useful extra instructions about “how to enable mp3 output“. More in general, please don’t forget to take a look at the Ubuntu Documentation site to learn how to play restricted formats on your Feisty. AddThis

Neo 1973: the free, opensource, Linux based anti-IPhone!

Neo 1973

Last July 9, the Openmoco Inc. (a Taiwanese company) launched Neo 1973 developer edition. Today, in our Linux Page we have posted a complete review about the main features contained in this quad band, GPRS enabled mobile. The consumer version is planned for next October and we hope there will be a decrease in its actual price (USD 300). The many features contained in this mobile are -more or less- the same that in the IPhone but the main difference is that Neo 1973 is based on 100% open source software and it can easily opened for any desired hardware modification (only if you are expert hackers). The 2.8″ VGA TFT color touchscreen display is a little bit smaller than in the IPhone but it is very clear and the images look sharp. Bluetooth 2.0, AGPS and a USB 1.1 port are integrated. Last but not least, Neo 1973 supports high quality audio codecs and a Micro SD slot which can be used to upgrade its default 128 MB RAM and 64 MB NAND Flash memory. AddThis

SpaceTime: powerful 3D browsing for Windows 2000/XP/Vista!

SpaceTimeToday in our Freeware Page, we posted a review (in Spanish) about SpaceTime: a brand new 3D tabbed “browser” which runs using the Internet Explorer 7 engine. SpaceTime has a powerful graphics and is very attractive to use but, unfortunately it needs a good hardware to run without problems: 512MB RAM, 128MD graphics adapter (3D capable), Pentium 4 2.4GHz or AMD 2400xp+, a minimum screen resolution of 1280 x 1024 and an ADSL connection to Internet. SpaceTime is in its beta version but during the tests we didn’t find any bugs. Moreover we were fascinated by its multiple features; in fact it is also possible to search (Google, Google Images, Yahoo!, Yahoo! Images, Flickr) and shop (ebay) in an delightful 3D environment. At the moment SpaceTime is available for Windows 2000, XP and Vista but “the Mac version is coming soon”. In our opinion SpaceTime is an interesting free consumer PC software application which represents the state of the art for contemporary 3D technology. AddThis