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In Windows-land you could hold ALT and type numbers on the keypad to type extended characters like copyright symbols, degree symbols, etc.  In Linux (at least if you're using Gnome) you can type the Unicode codes directly and you don't even need to have a keypad (good for those on laptops).

Press CTRL-SHIFT-U (this starts the Unicode typing mode)
Type the Unicode code (find the codes at http://www.unicode.org/charts/ for whatever you want to type)
Press SPACE (this ends the Unicode typing mode)

So for example you could type:  CTRL-SHIFT-U, A, 9, SPACE and you'll end up with this: ©

If you don't like typing the SPACE at the end, you could just keep holding down CTRL-SHIFT through the whole thing.  When you release CTRL-SHIFT it will end the Unicode mode for you.  Then the example of that is:  Hold CTRL-SHIFT, U, A, 9, Release CTRL-SHIFT and you'll get the same result.  It's a little awkward to hold CTRL-SHIFT while typing a list of characters, so you'll have to decide which method is better for you.

Keep in mind that if you find a code that starts with one or more zeros, you don't have to type them.  So you might find the © listed as 00A9, but you only need to type A9 instead.  If it ends with zeros you must type those, though.

Here are some examples that might interest you:

Copyright © = A9
Degree ° = B0
Deg F ℉ = 2109
Deg C ℃ = 2103
Trademark ™ = 2122
Phone ☎ = 260E
Information ℹ = 2139

Useful Links:
http://www.unicode.org/charts/ (all Unicode Charts)
http://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U2600.pdf (Misc Symbols)

I've been developing Android apps using Eclipse on Ubuntu.  Things have been going great until a recent update from Ubuntu caused Eclipse to start locking up on me when using the Content Assist feature.  I ended up disabling that feature altogether.  Ugh.

So I finally figured it out.  I had two versions of XULRunner installed: xulrunner-1.9.1 and xulrunner-1.9.2.  I removed xulrunner-1.9.1 and now all is well.

If you have a similar problem be sure that Eclipse isn't trying to use conflicting versions or trying to use multiple versions of XULRunner simultaneously.  I don't know the "real" problem, but I do know that this fixed it.

Hoorah.

Note to self:  dmidecode is great.  I should interface with it for some good stuff.

If you get the error "Error claiming USB interface: Device or resource busy" when flashing your Nokia N810 via USB, this might help:

sudo modprobe -r cdc_phonet

(source: talk.maemo.org)

General information and directions to help flash your N810 can be found here:
http://wiki.maemo.org/Updating_the_tablet_firmware


[updated 2010-03-24]:
In Ubuntu 9.10 it seems to still fail even after removing cdc_phonet, so you have to remove phonet too.

sudo rmmod phonet
sudo rmmod cdc_phonet

(source: talk.maemo.org)

So, I've finally joined the Perl Group within Debian.  I thought it'd be a difficult thing to do, but no... it's not.  My biggest misunderstanding of the process is that I thought I needed to be a Debian Developer (DD) to join a group.  Nay!  You just have to have a clue.  I requested assistance to gain that clue and was happily greeted with "clue".  Go to a page and read about it.  Then let them know you created a new user in the system.  Ta-da!

So now I begin lurking and watching the group.  I'm not going to do anything yet until I observe a bit about how they go about getting things done.  I'd rather not look like an idiot straight away.

In my observation thus far, I've noticed a Perl module that I'd never seen before:  Net::DRI.  Someone had just packaged it and submitted it to the group.  Basically this module is the equivalent to DBD, but for domain registry company interfaces.  It makes a single API to abstract all the different APIs provided by various registrars.  Very nice!  I haven't given it a shot yet, but the idea just sounds genius.  Who knows, maybe I'll even submit some code to handle the registrars I use.

Like using "tail -f /var/log/apache2/access.log"?  Try this out:

Run this command "less /var/log/apache2/access.log"
Type "/POST" to find all "POST" matches (it highlights them)
Press "F" (yes, CAPITAL F, not lowercase), which then follows.

This will follow the file, highlighting "POST".  I never knew this was possible in "less", but it is.  Now you get highlighted matching while following.

I want a Linux powered (preferably Debian) 24 port gigabit switch with wireless.  How crazy am I to want this?  Does it exist?

I created a new module and uploaded it to the CPAN.  It allows for Perl-based access to Debian's APT package management tools.  It's a bit like Windows Update for Debian-based Linux distributions.  In theory it should work for other Linux distros that have had APT added on non-standardly, though I haven't tested that yet.

Right now it lets you list the packages to upgrade, install/upgrade packages, and remove/purge packages.  I plan to add searching (for installable packages) and whatever other functions that people request.

You should find it on the CPAN sometime today, when it's finally indexed, distributed, and made available on the CPAN site.

Debian has some modules that basically do the same thing, but they're complicated and aren't typically available for those that have installed APT on non-Debian distros.  This module is easy to use and doesn't have any dependencies other than a Linux distro that can use APT itself.  Plus it's pure-perl, so it doesn't even need compiled.  This means that as long as the distro can use APT, it shouldn't matter what environment or processor it uses.

Joy and her sister watch Private Practice on ABC.  This week they missed it and hoped that I could find it online for them.  Sure enough, I found it... on ABC's website.  That'd be great, except they specifically don't support Linux.  Everyone, except Brent, in town that I have direct (or near-direct) access to their computers uses Linux.

Last time this happened, I wiped my laptop's hard drive and installed Windows so they could see one stinking episode.  How absurd is it that Hulu.com can get it right so well (it works amazingly well in Linux), but ABC is moving in the wrong direction completely?  Supposedly ABC's streaming video worked in Linux at some point in the past.

*growl*