Installing Nokia QT SDK on Ubuntu Linux

QT (pronounced as in “cute”) is a C++ multi-platform application framework and integrated development environment actually maintained by Nokia. QT is in the development scene since about 1991 but I got news about it only recently from a Ghabuntu's tweet. Since it promised a rapid multi-platform application development even for Nokia Symbian phones I decided give it a look.
 

Downloading: QT SDK or Nokia QT SDK?

QT is available for download in two version: QT SDK is in some way a “plain” version for desktop applications development while Nokia QT SDK is a version specifically studied for developing and deploying on Nokia devices. I downloaded Nokia QT SDK since I'm more interested in experimenting in mobile development. After some searching on QT forum it came out that Nokia devices compiling is not entirely supported in Linux version. In order to compile on Nokia devices one must download the “offline” version of Nokia QT SDK and then activate the “remote compiler” option, a service, held at Nokia forum which provides compilation of sent sources.

Installation

Once downloaded QT installation file I made it executable and launched as usual

chmod +x Nokia_Qt_SDK_Lin32_offline_v1_0_1_en.run

sudo ./Nokia_Qt_SDK_Lin32_offline_v1_0_1_en.run

the installation wizard started, after agreeing with license I selected the “custom” installation option in order to enable the “remote compiler”

Test drive: Ubuntu 10.10 netbook edition live (beta) on the EEEPC 900

The Ubuntu upgrade season is approaching and, as usual, I decided to give a look at the recently released beta version. I started from the netbook edition because it's the distribution that keep me more interested and, in some way, concerned.

Download, make and boot ...

Preparing a live USB disk has become an almost trivial task: I downloaded Ubuntu's ISO image from Ubuntu download page and prepared a booting SD card with the utility that Ubuntu itself provides. After few minutes (of disk preparing the download took a little longer) I've been able to restart my EEEPC and boot from the just prepared SD card.

The boot process took a little long to complete but this might be accountable to the SD card. At roughly half of the boot process the system asked if I'd liked proceed with installation or evaluating the live edition.

Upgraded to Netbeans 6.9.1 (on the EEEPC)

From time to time it happens I start dusting off the development environment on my EEEPC in order to start with some little new experiment. I so decided to upgrade Netbeans 6.8 there installed to the latest version 6.9.1.

Upgrading the JDK

As first step I decided, even if It's not strictly necessary, to upgrade to the latest JDK. I downloaded the self extracting archive from Oracle's download page and extracted it into the /opt directory:

chmod +x jdk-6u21-linux-i586.bin

mv jdk-6u21-linux-i586.bin /opt

sudo /opt/jdk-6u21-linux-i586.bin

As alternative JDK OpenJDK can be installed by a simple apt-get command:

sudo apt-get install openjdk-6-jdk

Installing Netbeans 6.9.1

I downloaded Netbeans installation file from Netbeans.org download page then I executed it:

chmod +x netbeans-6.9.1-ml-javase-linux.sh

sudo ./netbeans-6.9.1-ml-javase-linux.sh

the installation program starts and it's only matter of agreeing with licences and clicking “next”.

DVD labelling with Lightscribe on Ubuntu (and the EEEPC)

Just before departing for the Philippines I bought a Lacie external DVD burner for using with the EEEPC. I only needed to be able to burn DVDs while travelling but, since the price difference was minimal, I decided to buy a Lightscribe capable DVD burner. Now, back in Italy, while I'm involved in preparing vacation's slide-shows and and videos, I decided to burn my first Lightscribe label using Ubuntu and the EEEPC.

Installation

There are plenty of tutorials on the 'net about installing Lightscribe software, I based myself on this tutorial from Ubuntu community. First I downloaded Lightscribe system software and labelling software deb packages from the following links:

• Lightscribe system software
• Lightscribe simple labeller
• Lacie for Linux Lightscribe labeller

then I installed them with the dpkg command (you can do it also by double-clicking on the files)

sudo dpkg --install lightscribe-1.18.8.1-linux-2.6-intel.deb

sudo dpkg --install lightscribeApplications-1.18.6.1-linux-2.6-intel.deb

sudo dpkg --install 4l_1.0-r6_i386.deb

I'm back

Hello I'm back! After one month of relaxing stay in the Philippines I eventually returned in Italy. I know, I promised to write something while in the Philippines … I didn't, sorry, but I was really too relaxed. One thing really impressed me in the Philippines has been the great offer of WiFi internet connection available: in hotels, commercial centres, and even while travelling from Cebu to Tagbilaran on the OceanJet ships. So different from the odd WiFi situation here in Italy!

By the way now I'm back here in Italy and, even if I'm committed to sorting, managing and showing something like 13GB of pictures an video I'll be soon back with some boring technical post.

Stay Tuned!