Useful Thoughts and Actions Taken

How to Install Thunderbird Email Client and Configure PGP RSA Public Private Key Encryption

You hold your private key with Thunderbird email client. Not some email provider that will fold when men in black show up.

The following instructions for Thunderbird installation were generated installing on MS Windows.  For installation of Thunderbird on a box running Ubuntu Linux you will have a short detour when setting up your email accounts.   Notes and instructions for that can be found here:  Ubuntu Linux Thunderbird Email Client Install and Debug

By Fudgy McFarlen, ago

How to Create a Zip Archive on Ubuntu that is Compatible with Windows

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Ubuntu Linux zip files often fail to open in Windows due to incompatible character encodings, long file paths exceeding 260 characters, or the use of password protection features that default to Linux-only encryption. To fix this, use 7-Zip on Windows, re-create the archive using zip -r -k archive.zip folder/ in Linux to ensure compatibility, or ensure filenames lack special characters like '  ….. more

Yes, 7-Zip archives (.7z) created on Ubuntu are generally compatible with Windows. 7-Zip is a cross-platform tool, and its file format works across Linux, Windows, and macOS. 

Here are the key details regarding compatibility:

Compatibility Notes

  • Native Compatibility: 7-Zip is open-source and designed to work across platforms. Archives created with p7zip (the command-line port in Linux) or the newer native Linux version of 7-Zip can be opened on Windows using the 7-Zip application.
  • Windows 11 Support: Windows 11 now has native support for extracting 7-Zip archives, meaning you might not even need to install third-party software on the Windows side.
  • File Permissions & Attributes: While the archive will open, be aware that Linux-specific file attributes (like read/write/execute permissions) may not translate directly to Windows.
  • Best Practice for Compatibility: When creating archives that need to be used on both systems, stick to standard settings. If you use specialized compression methods available in newer Linux 7-Zip versions, older Windows 7-Zip versions might need to be updated to extract them. 

To install 7-Zip on Ubuntu, open the terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run sudo apt update followed by sudo apt install p7zip-full. This provides command-line support for various formats via the 7z command. To add support for RAR files, run sudo apt install p7zip-rar. 

Key Commands:

  • Install: sudo apt install p7zip-full p7zip-rar
  • Compress Files: 7z a archive.7z /path/to/files
  • Extract Files: 7z x archive.7z
  • List Contents: 7z l archive.7z 

For users needing the latest 7-Zip features, the official binary can be downloaded directly from the 

7-Zip website.

By Fudgy McFarlen, ago

Standard Install Disk Partition of Ubuntu Linux of an Erase and Install Instance

  • GAI: what does a standard install disk partition of ubuntu linux look on an erase and install instance?

When selecting the "Erase disk and install Ubuntu" option in the Ubuntu installer (a "clean install"), the installer automatically partitions the entire drive using the GPT (GUID Partition Table) scheme for modern UEFI systems. It typically creates two or three main partitions to manage boot files, the operating system, and memory. 

Here is what a standard, modern (22.04/24.04) "Erase and Install" partition layout looks like:

Typical Modern Layout (UEFI) 

/dev/sda1 (or nvme0n1p1): EFI System Partition (ESP)

  • Size: ~512 MB to 1 GB
  • Filesystem: FAT32
  • Purpose: Contains the bootloader (GRUB) and EFI files.

/dev/sda2 (or nvme0n1p2): Root Partition (/)

  • Size: Remaining space on the disk
  • Filesystem: EXT4
  • Purpose: Contains the OS, applications, and user files.

Swap:

  • Modern Behavior: Modern Ubuntu versions typically do not create a separate swap partition. Instead, they create a swap file (e.g., /swapfile) located inside the root (/) partition

Notes

  1. EFI = Extensible Firmware Interface
  2. UEFI = Unified Extensible Firmware Interface

An EFI partition (or EFI System Partition, ESP) is a small, FAT32-formatted partition on a hard drive or SSD required by UEFI-based computers to boot the operating system. It holds bootloaders, drivers, and system utilities. EFI stands for Extensible Firmware Interface, which is the predecessor to the modern Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI). 

Key Details About Linux EFI Partitions:

  • Purpose: The UEFI firmware reads this partition to find and load the bootloader (e.g., GRUB, systemd-boot) to start Linux.
  • Size & Filesystem: It is typically 100MB to 500MB, formatted with FAT32.
  • Mount Point: In Linux, it is usually mounted at /boot/efi.
  • Requirement: Mandatory for booting in native UEFI mode, not required for legacy BIOS/MBR.
  • Multi-boot: A single EFI partition can store bootloaders for multiple operating systems, including Windows and various Linux distributions. 

If you are using a GPT disk, the EFI partition is assigned a specific GUID to help the system identify it.

The following is an Ubuntu Install USB stick partition set

By Fudgy McFarlen, ago

Unit 34.1: WordPress Header like wpBeginner

wpBeginner header

Research Links

To create a WordPress header similar to WPBeginner without editing code, you can use drag-and-drop page builder plugins or your theme's built-in header customization options.

Here are the main approaches:

Using a Theme Builder Plugin (Recommended for advanced customization):

Plugins like SeedProd or Elementor (with an add-on like Boostify Header Footer Builder) offer extensive drag-and-drop functionality to design custom headers.

  • Install and activate your chosen builder plugin.
  • Navigate to the plugin's theme builder or header options in your WordPress dashboard.
  • Create a new header template and apply display conditions (e.g., "Entire Site").
  • Use the builder's elements (logo, navigation menu, search bar, etc.) to design the layout, style, and make it responsive.
  • Many builders also have options to make the header "sticky" on scroll.

Using your Theme's Customizer or Site Editor: Many modern themes, especially those supporting Full Site Editing (FSE), have options in the Appearance > Editor or Appearance > Customize sections.

  • Go to Appearance > Editor and select the "Header" template part.
  • Use the block editor to add a logo block, site title block, and navigation block.
  • Adjust styling like background color, font sizes, and layout to match the WPBeginner style.

Adding Code Snippets: If you only need to insert specific code (like tracking scripts or custom CSS) into the header, you can use the free WPCode plugin (formerly Insert Headers and Footers by WPBeginner) instead of modifying theme files.

  • Install and activate WPCode.
  • Go to Code Snippets > Header & Footer.
  • Paste your code into the "Header" box and save changes.

By utilizing these tools, you can replicate the desired header style without needing advanced coding knowledge.

  • GAI: Seedprod Starter Theme  – SeedProd's Starter Theme is a minimalist, responsive WordPress framework designed to be customized without code using their drag-and-drop Theme Builder. It serves as a foundation, including pre-built templates for headers, footers, single posts, and WooCommerce pages. The theme emphasizes speed, ease of use, and full visual control for designing custom WordPress sites………more
  • Seedprod Documentation
  • Wordpress.org: Website Builder by SeedProd — Theme Builder, Landing Page Builder, Coming Soon Page, Maintenance Mode
  • Seedprod pricing

By Fudgy McFarlen, ago

Graph of Expected Maximum Deviation from Mean of a Normally Distributed Variable with Increasing Number of Samples

         

           

By Fudgy McFarlen, ago

Installing SeaMonkey on Ubuntu Linux

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Method 1: Using the Ubuntuzilla Repository

This method makes it easier to update SeaMonkey in the future via apt upgrade. 

  1. Open the Terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T).
  2. Add the Repository: Run the following command to add the repository to your system:

    cat <<EOF | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mozilla.list
deb http://downloads.sourceforge.net/project/ubuntuzilla/mozilla/apt all main
EOF
  3. Import the GPG Key: This ensures the package integrity.

    sudo apt-key adv --recv-keys --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com 2667CA5C
  4. Update and Install: Update your package list and install the latest English build.

    sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install seamonkey-mozilla-build
By Fudgy McFarlen, ago