Gentoo makes local news

[Vanquirius]

Cool. You're my hero

[playfool]

is there any interest in a Ogg Theora version of the higher quality file - I can't promise it will stay up forever since I only have 10 gigs of transfer alloted for my account per month, and the small one already caused more than 200 megs of downloads in a few hours.

[playfool]

http://www.lovesunix.net/gentoo-high.ogg (15.6 megs - please mind my bandwidth I pay for it)

Extraketchup, could one convince you to do an article on the school setup for GWN maybe - I'd love to learn more about the setup you have.

[Lokheed]

When I encoded the video, I used the ffmpeg encoder set to mpeg4. I thus assumed I was using a "generic" mpeg4 codec. When I went to view this in Windows (since most our audience does use Windows), it did not work. I went to download the mpeg4 codec, and the site redirected me to the DivX codec website.

So, confession time - I'm no expert in DivX. My understanding is it uses the mpeg4 format, but also includes some proprietary DRM-like mechanisms. I assumed mpeg4 uses mpg extension. Am I wrong? Please educate me

At this point, there is no 'generic' MPEG4 encoder. You have the OSS XviD and the PP DivX to encode into MPEG4. There are still other MPEG4 codecs out there but we will omit them because they arent contenders. I dont know what deal FFMpeg struck with DivX or if they even have, but if you paid for it, its likely that it comes with the DivX encoder. If you didnt pay for it in any way shape or form, then I would be surprised that DivX would give anyone the encoder for free. The encoder is what you pay for if you buy DivX. The free version of it allows you to view MPEG4 encoded media and nothing more.

Both XviD/DivX encoders will function the same. I know DivX might have added some PP locks but this would be news to me, yet I havent encoded into MPEG4 for ages now, so it might very well be so. Normally any MPEG4 decoder can view any MPEG4 enocded media. When you install the codecs, there are usually options to set them to play eachothers content. Installing the Koepi's XviD codec yields an option to decode DivX media. Really all that is set to distinguish between DivX or any other encoded media lies in what is called the files 'fourCC.' This is a tiny string placed in the beginning of the file that tells your OS what codec it needs to fetch. You can change this via a utility also found in Koepi's XviD so any video encoded with the DivX encoder, can be 'relabeled.'

MPEG4 is a standard and deals only with the video stream. The file extension (.avi) is just a container and you can encode an MPEG4 video stream with OGG audio and bundle that into an OGM container (.ogm). The mpg file extension is not MPEG4 but rather an ancient video format based off MPEG2 (SCVDs are encoded in this format and so are DVDs, though DVDs are encoded with a huge bitrate for quality in comparison to SVCDs).

Really file extensions arent that meaningful when trying to derive what the media is. You can rename an mov to avi and it would still play depending on what video player you have playing your videos. Most programs play just about everything if you have the right decoder installed.

Playfool:

XviD is free and open source. Visit xvid.org for more details.

[playfool]

Playfool:

XviD is free and open source. Visit xvid.org for more details.

It's my understanding that to comply with the MPEG-4 standard one is required to have a license - for which one must play, because of patents contained within. This is in direct conflict with the GPL. It cannot therefore truly be considered a free and open format, good as it might be. There have been numberous discussions on this topic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xvid

[codergeek42]

Mirrored: High Quality (~15.6 MB)

Both are in Ogg Theora format (thanks, playfool).

That's quite awesome, extraketchup!

[Lord Bob]

Spare by bandwidth please

Will do!

Mirrors! yay! (man, my dorm net admins are going to go nuts! )
Ogg Theora - high quality (15.6MB)
Ogg Theora - low quality (5.3MB)
DivX - Low quality (4.9MB)

As for "extraketchup" -- good job. That was a good interview. Good explanations for normal mortals . Now, if I could get hooked up to that distcc cluster, I'd be happy .

[Dlareh]

You "developed a system"? Perhaps you have, but all that was covered were emerge, kde, and distccmon, which is more properly termed "are using some tools"

Ugh... gaentu? It's pronounced jentu, with a soft g like the word gentle (see the faq).

So basically they filmed a few emerge and distccmon screenshots, with you talking in simple terms but offering no discussion about the relative merits of other more popular non-vendor Linux distributions, or how you keep the 20 machines in sync.

You sort of explained the benefits of USE flags, that's about all I can give you credit for.

Awesome, indeed!

[allucid]

You "developed a system"? Perhaps you have, but all that was covered were emerge, kde, and distccmon, which is more properly termed "are using some tools"

here's one that applies:

a procedure or process for obtaining an objective

Ugh... gaentu? It's pronounced jentu, with a soft g like the word gentle (see the faq).

he's not the one who pronounced it like that.

So basically they filmed a few emerge and distccmon screenshots, with you talking in simple terms but offering no discussion about the relative merits of other more popular non-vendor Linux distributions, or how you keep the 20 machines in sync.

That type of discussion would have been completely lost on 99% of the audience.

You sort of explained the benefits of USE flags, that's about all I can give you credit for.

He wasn't asking for any 'credit'.

Trolls.

[petrjanda]

You "developed a system"? Perhaps you have, but all that was covered were emerge, kde, and distccmon, which is more properly termed "are using some tools"

Ugh... gaentu? It's pronounced jentu, with a soft g like the word gentle (see the faq).

So basically they filmed a few emerge and distccmon screenshots, with you talking in simple terms but offering no discussion about the relative merits of other more popular non-vendor Linux distributions, or how you keep the 20 machines in sync.

You sort of explained the benefits of USE flags, that's about all I can give you credit for.

Awesome, indeed!

Don't we just love jealousy?

[jakamaka]

Hooray !

Now that's something I would want my school to do as well..damn windows2k exchange servers

[extraketchup]

You "developed a system"? Perhaps you have, but all that was covered were emerge, kde, and distccmon, which is more properly termed "are using some tools"

Ugh... gaentu? It's pronounced jentu, with a soft g like the word gentle (see the faq).

So basically they filmed a few emerge and distccmon screenshots, with you talking in simple terms but offering no discussion about the relative merits of other more popular non-vendor Linux distributions, or how you keep the 20 machines in sync.

You sort of explained the benefits of USE flags, that's about all I can give you credit for.

Awesome, indeed!

Not sure if this was meant as a flame, but I'm of good cheer, so I won't take it as such . Let me answer you, however. The "system" I "developed" was some extensive python scripting that allowed me to install Gentoo on all 20 computers to begin with (understand that when a news crew does a story, they take almost an hour of interviews and crunch it down to a couple of minutes). This script allowed me to turn the computer on and just run the script (I call it genstall) to install the base Gentoo system on each workstation. I also scripted the remote updates for our lab (this includes keeping all 20 computers updated with /etc files, emerging new files from a central location, etc.). Those scripts may not be pretty or fancy, but they are mine, and I spent some time on them.

As for explaining one version of Linux vs another, or details of how the "guts of the machine" work, please remember that this was a local news crew that broadcasts to the average Joe in Northern Maine, not some special on TechTV (I miss that show). Most people around here don't even know what Linux is, let alone any of the technical jargon needed to explain details of our operation

As for pronouncing Gentoo - oops...... I admit, I've been pronouncing it wrong.....

Anywho, no hard feelings - just answering the post !

EK

[Dlareh]

Let me answer you, however. The "system" I "developed" was some extensive python scripting that allowed me to install Gentoo on all 20 computers to begin with (understand that when a news crew does a story, they take almost an hour of interviews and crunch it down to a couple of minutes). This script allowed me to turn the computer on and just run the script (I call it genstall) to install the base Gentoo system on each workstation. I also scripted the remote updates for our lab (this includes keeping all 20 computers updated with /etc files, emerging new files from a central location, etc.). Those scripts may not be pretty or fancy, but they are mine, and I spent some time on them.

Cool, that's interesting. Do you have this posted somewhere?

As for explaining one version of Linux vs another, or details of how the "guts of the machine" work, please remember that this was a local news crew that broadcasts to the average Joe in Northern Maine, not some special on TechTV (I miss that show). Most people around here don't even know what Linux is, let alone any of the technical jargon needed to explain details of our operation

So maybe you could tell them about Linux or OSS in general. That would have been informative, methinks. TV audiences don't really care about Gentoo in particular. I understand the piece was supposed to be about the system you developed... and I'm just pointing out that they didn't really cover it and that everyone else reading this thread that is calling this interview 'awesome' has their fanboy cap screwed on awful tight.

As for pronouncing Gentoo - oops...... I admit, I've been pronouncing it wrong.....

Yeah, I sort of figured the reporter based their pronunciation off yours (any good TV or radio reporter is a stickler about pronunciation, because they sound ridiculous when they get things wrong -- unless of course it is a complicated foreign name no one cares about anyway).

To those of you calling 'troll' or 'jealousy' -- you seriously need to get a life, and this is more of a response than you deserve.

[extraketchup]

Cool, that's interesting. Do you have this posted somewhere?

I don't have my "genstall" scripts posted yet for two reasons - 1) I'm working on a more versatile version for our staff computers. You see, our computer lab consists of 20 identical computers, right down to the type of hard drives they have. I set up one by hand, and then created a script to automate this process based on what needed to be done for the "patient 0" computer. Our staff computers, however, consist of a hodge-podge of different systems, which means the "genstall" script needs to be much more adaptive. I'm currently working on this so that I can get Gentoo on all our staff's computers as well. 2) Much of the script deals with the internal setup of our network. Setting up a workstation for the lab consists of much more than just installing Gentoo, there is a lot of network and school-specific configuration that goes on (installing student accounts, setting up access to the server, etc.) Posting the "unedited" scripts online would expose more of our internal network configuration than I would like (I've got to be security-minded). If I come up with something that has "universal appeal", even after I take away the school's network-specific code, I'll put it online.

So maybe you could tell them about Linux or OSS in general. That would have been informative, methinks. TV audiences don't really care about Gentoo in particular.

This is not our first interview with WAGM. A few years ago, when our school was featured in Linux Journal http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/6349, they did a piece on Linux and open source software. During this interview we focused more on the big-picture of Linux. Unfortunately, dumb as I can be sometimes, I accidently recorded over the VHS tape that I used to archive the newscast (these days I record to DVD, so no more of that!). If you'd like more details about our computer lab, how we use Linux, etc., just visit http://www.ghca.com/computers (the details page is currently down, but I'll have it back up shortly).

ps - this is another "shameless plug", but you can see our Linux-powered robot dog here - http://www.ghca.com/media/k9.mpg (I didn't tape over this WAGM interview ) As you can see, our local news (http://www.wagmtv.com) is very supportive of doing stories related to Linux tech. They really are great folks!

EK

[EzInKy]

So maybe you could tell them about Linux or OSS in general. That would have been informative, methinks. TV audiences don't really care about Gentoo in particular. I understand the piece was supposed to be about the system you developed... and I'm just pointing out that they didn't really cover it and that everyone else reading this thread that is calling this interview 'awesome' has their fanboy cap screwed on awful tight.

The main point is it was a positive piece and easy for non-tech people to understand and covered distributed computing fairly well, that is what made the interview "awesome" in some people's eyes.

[Dlareh]

The main point is it was a positive piece and easy for non-tech people to understand

Why is yet another uncricitally positive, easy to understand piece something to get excited about? News stations air thousands of similarly watered down stories every day -- I think this is yet another example of the sad state of TV news.

As a Gentoo user, you might like that it covers (and I use that term loosely) Gentoo, but these so-called 'Average Joes' are left with no perspective about what Gentoo really is. Heck, a fair number probably thought it was a shelf with computer books.

and covered distributed computing fairly well, that is what made the interview "awesome" in some people's eyes.

Fairly well? Since when is using distcc "coming up with something creative"' ? Perhaps if Mr Heinz had developed distcc or been the first to use it with portage the piece might be accurate. And why is distributed computing newsworthy, anyway?

The only real news here is genstall, which of course was not covered at all (unless you want to count the vague reference to a 'console').

[airstreamliving]

Aside from what Negative Nancy had to say, I think you did a great job. It is no easy task to be interviewed by a news crew. I've been through it - and as is generally the case - what comes out on television are usually the statements you least remember making. Regardless of what YOU say, the editors will cut and splice the conversation into what they feel is appropriate given their own personal bias and time constraints. I'd say you faired quite well considering.

But mis-pronouncing Gentoo is no big deal. I still have many people tell me I mis-pronounce Linux because I insist on using a long strong I, as in Lie-nuks. I do so because of the obvious - Linus Torvalds. His name is Linus (with a strong i), not Lenus. Thus, combining his first name with Unix, we would have LIE-nuks. Seems simple, no? I find the argument at every turn, but I insist on saying LIE-nuks because it is the only pronounciation that makes any sense, given it's a derivative of LIE-nuses name.

However, saying Gentoo with a hard G is interesting. Before I learned about the Gentoo Penguin, I thought Gentoo was a compound of Generation Two, so I always used the soft G when saying the name.

But as I once heard, "Assumption is the mother of all f*ck-ups."

[Dlareh]

Aside from what Negative Nancy had to say, I think you did a great job. It is no easy task to be interviewed by a news crew. I've been through it - and as is generally the case - what comes out on television are usually the statements you least remember making. Regardless of what YOU say, the editors will cut and splice the conversation into what they feel is appropriate given their own personal bias and time constraints. I'd say you faired quite well considering.

Yeah, it's a shame.

But mis-pronouncing Gentoo is no big deal.

Not a terribly big one, but there IS an official pronunciation...

I still have many people tell me I mis-pronounce Linux because I insist on using a long strong I, as in Lie-nuks. I do so because of the obvious - Linus Torvalds. His name is Linus (with a strong i), not Lenus. Thus, combining his first name with Unix, we would have LIE-nuks. Seems simple, no? I find the argument at every turn, but I insist on saying LIE-nuks because it is the only pronounciation that makes any sense, given it's a derivitave of LIE-nuses name.

There is no accepted pronunciation for Linux. If you are really interested, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wo ... nciation#L

[ian!]

Ogg Theora - high quality (15.6MB)
Ogg Theora - low quality (5.3MB)

Also mirrored here:
http://download.iansview.com/mirror/ghca.com/

[playfool]

Could someone please edit the toppost to list all the formats and mirrors?

[ian!]

Could someone please edit the toppost to list all the formats and mirrors?

Done. Ordered by "How much do you care about traffic..".

[Q-collective]

But mis-pronouncing Gentoo is no big deal. I still have many people tell me I mis-pronounce Linux because I insist on using a long strong I, as in Lie-nuks. I do so because of the obvious - Linus Torvalds. His name is Linus (with a strong i), not Lenus. Thus, combining his first name with Unix, we would have LIE-nuks. Seems simple, no? I find the argument at every turn, but I insist on saying LIE-nuks because it is the only pronounciation that makes any sense, given it's a derivative of LIE-nuses name.

Hmm, seems that Linus Torvalds disagrees with you

[Dlareh]

But mis-pronouncing Gentoo is no big deal. I still have many people tell me I mis-pronounce Linux because I insist on using a long strong I, as in Lie-nuks. I do so because of the obvious - Linus Torvalds. His name is Linus (with a strong i), not Lenus. Thus, combining his first name with Unix, we would have LIE-nuks. Seems simple, no? I find the argument at every turn, but I insist on saying LIE-nuks because it is the only pronounciation that makes any sense, given it's a derivative of LIE-nuses name.

Hmm, seems that Linus Torvalds disagrees with you

Linus Torvalds has his own way of pronouncing Linux! Film at 11.

[mark_alec]

Really cool

Although most viewers will not understand what exactly it was talking about, it is other schools that are most likely to watch and say to themselves, "maybe we should try something like that". You should contact the Gentoo Weekly Newsletter people about it.

[ian!]

You should contact the Gentoo Weekly Newsletter people about it.

The GWN folks already know about it.