[olpc-help] Using the Terminal Activity & Adobe Flash

[Richard A. Smith]

SMJ H wrote:

> 1. Why is the following always the first line in the
> Terminal Activity: [ olpc at xo-OD-4D-AA~]$

Thats the standard username at hostname prompt.  Most unix type operating 
systems will pre-set that as your command prompt.

In the XO's case the hostname is set to xo- and then uses some of the 
information from your wireless cards MAC address.  Each machine needs a 
unique hostname when they are all on the same network.  We auto-generate 
that hostname for the user when the OS boots for the first time.

The username is olpc.  The olpc user is auto-logged on when the laptop 
boots.

> I can the type "login" without the quotes and without
> a colon: with a space after the $ (see above first
> line in the Terminal Acitivty) and hit Enter and get
> "password"  I don't have a password but the cursor
> won't accept anthing anyway!

Sugar has already done this for you.  The terminal app just starts up a 
command shell using the current username. ie olpc.

You will only get the "login:" prompt if you switch to one of the 
virtual consoles by using Ctrl-Alt-F1 F2 or F3.

That puts you at a login prompt.  Where you have 2 options.  Login as 
'root' user aka the system administrator or login (again) in as 'olpc'

But you don't ever need to go to one of the virtual consoles as long as 
the terminal app is running.

>  2. I don't know how I managed to download Adobe Flash
> GHS ver. 8,0,99,0 by typing in the following this
> info. is from the wiki:
> 
> wget flash90115.notlong.com
> exit
> 
> I saw the download happen but I got the wrong version
> of Flash - I did the test on the Adobe link and now
> I'm not sure how to delete that GHS version.

I'm afraid I won't be of much help here.  I don't ever install Adobe 
flash.  Try re-sending this mail back to help at laptop or waiting for 
someone else in the forum to help.
The volunteer support people handle a lot of tickets. A simple reminder 
that you still need help should get a response.   Did you get an auto 
response from your last mail with a ticket number?

> 3. I tried to log in as root but get a bash-3.2#
> message as it told me

If your prompt is bash-3.2# then that means you are already root.  Its 
typical for unix systems to indicate the 'root' user by changing the $ 
sign of the login to #

so your [ olpc at xo-OD-4D-AA~]$ prompt becomes bash-3.2# when you become root.

Theres not any reason that the root prompt can't also be setup to say:

  [ root@@xo-OD-4D-AA~]#

Its just not been done.  What you see is just the result from the fact 
all the developers already know what all that stuff means and nobody 
though about changing it.  If you would like to do this then become root 
using your 'su -' command then type 'cp /home/olpc/.bash* .' then you 
can 'exit' and go back to the olpc user.  Next time you become root with 
'su -' you will see your new command prompt.

This copies the same init scripts from the 'olpc' user into root's 
directory and so it will get run on the next login.  Oh and you can't 
see those files normally because files that start with a period '.' are 
hidden.  You have to view them with the -a option to ls so 'ls -a' (for 
all)

Seems like a good idea to have that setup by default.  I'll post a bug 
about it.

> Please help!!  I am not a programmer and I need help
> in order to keep this laptop and learn how to use it!

I realize that the above may be more technical than you would like but 
without getting into a huge tutorial on Linux command lines its hard to 
have a description that isn't technical.

Google can help.  If you google for things like "Linux command prompt" 
or using linux command line" or "Linux shell tutorial" or even just 
Linux tutorials you will find many, many, many web pages on using the 
command line.  And they can do it far better than I can.

-- 
Richard Smith  <richard at laptop.org>
One Laptop Per Child