Custom EOG rating plugin

When using a low powered netbook as a travel companion running Linux, the Gnome EOG image viewer can be used to provide an initial review tool, with a little hacking.

Custom gdk_pixbuf_loader to handle embedded RAW preview images

The Gtk/Gnome subsystem provides the basis for many of the popular (along with KDE) window managers on Linux. One of the areas of the current gtk subsystem that handles image formats can be extended if needed via gdk_pixbuf_loaders. By implementing and installing a newer loader for your image format, the current image viewers such as eog (Eye of Gnome) will seamlessly display these images.

The standard installation of loaders on Fedora 23 does not provide a suitable image loader for RAW files...

Fedora 23 / Aircrack on HP Mini 210 3025sa

Working with airmon-ng on Fedora 23 running on HP Mini 210 3025sa with an Atheros AR9285 wifi card using stock kernel ath9k module.

Photo/Media backup on the move - a Linux Netbook Solution

I was looking for a small solution that can be used to back up photos/media whilst traveling, but most solutions require a computer - whilst there are solutions that are essentially a harddisk wrapped in h/w with an SD or CF slot that perform basic backup. These solutions however are relatively expensive (200GBP + range) and they are providing limited functionality. Other options would be simply to buy more CF/SD cards but I've always found these to be a waste since they become redundant with the next camera upgrade.

Therefore, the realistic option was to look at a laptop... but new lightweight laptops are expensive. However there was a market segment in ~2009-2012 that may fit the requirements: netbooks. Netbooks were a range of small/lightweight and inexpensive laptop that filled a market that has since been dominated by the popularity of iPad and other tablets. The netbooks were relatively small but under powered laptops with a generation of mobile processors (typically, the Intel Atom) that was designed, seemingly, for internet access and minor word processing/office tasks - as such netbooks were usually installed with Windows XP or a slimmed down version of Windows7 (called 'Starter') although some Linux variants were shipped by manufacturers.


So the hunt was on - and after some initial considerations (keyboard layout - where's the pipe key?!?) the HP Mini 210-3025sa was the one I targeted on eBay at the time.

Fedora 23 (Mate-Compiz) on HP Mini 210 3025sa Netbook

The HP 210-3025 was sold as a 2011/2012 netbook with a 64bit Intel Atom n570 dual core 1.67Ghz chip with hyper threading, pre installed with Windows 7 Starter and a 250Gb internal 2.5" disk (with a standard 9.5mm height rather than the slimmer 7mm) and 1GB RAM - the machine was equipped with a Wireless adaptor, a 10/100Mbit ethernet, 3x USB 2.0 ports and an internal SDxC reader. The screen is 10.1" with a 1024x600 resolution and weighing in at 1.04kg (machine only) with a 0.305kg charger - the battery was 0.310kg so a minimum weight of 1.44kg.

The HP boots from the 64bit live images with no issues and we find: