Configuring JabRef on different computers for using a shared database including pdf files

Since I host my literature data base and the associated pdf files on a shared directory, I wanted to make JabRef use the same database and link the pdf files correctly on different machines (MacOS, Linux, Windows). Took me a litte bit of trial-and-error, but here's the recipe:

Sipgate and a softphone for iPhone/iPod touch

Since I rely on different types of DTMF transfer protokols using sipgate (either inband for my telefone system at home for remote control, or info for the sipgate answering machine) I looked for a free and reliable softphone for my iPod touch and found Media5-fone. Works out of the box, has even a setup for sipgate and all DTMF modes work perfectly out of the box.

More memory makes the Mac run as hell...

Since I often work with virtual machines on my MacBook and always ran out of memory, I decided to give myself a present and got 8 GB of memory for roughly 50 EUR.

Reverting back - "Snow Lion"

Well, I normally consider myself not being a total computer noob, but reverting back from Lion to Snow Leopard somehow went entirely wrong:

The Lion roars tonight - MacOS 10.7 installation slightly different

Ok, so after the hipe around Lion, my nerdy heart talked me into getting a copy of it and install it.

PhonerLite, VoIP softphone for Windows

Since I was really unhappy with X-lite, which was offered by sipgate as standard softphone, I tried to hunt down a free, compact VoIP client for Windows.

Packages I recommend installing on a fresh Ubuntu system

The following list is more a reminder for myself when setting up a new system.

Fritz!Box 7050 as repeater with sipgate VoIP

This blog post is way off-topic but a reminder for myself how to create a functional setup.

Using the ADF of the Brother MFC-7420, MFC-7820N and MFC-7360N via the Scan-To keys in Ubuntu

In a previous post I talked about enabling the scan-to functionality under Ubuntu Linux, but the script presented there was only able to scan one page. Here now the solution for using the ADF (automatic document feeder) for scanning a larger amount of pages and getting a nice pdf out of it.

Kubuntu 10.10 hangs on logout

Running Kubuntu in VMware player is nice, if you need to run Windows but work at the same time in some Linux applications. However, logging out from kde hung the Xserver in my VMware.

PIL trouble - how to make it work again

For some odd reasons (I guess it is due to some updates of Xcode or other updates within MacOS) calling certain PIL functions on a MacPort Python 2.6 installation on MacOS 10.6 ended up in the error code:

ImportError: The _imaging C module is not installed

VoIP for MacOS 10.6: XMeeting and sipgate

Free SIP VoIP-clients on MacOS 10.6 are a species of software quite complicated to hunt down. Since I have a sipgate-account and wanted to use it on my Mac as well, I found Xmeeting. Unfortunately, configuration of it is not necessarily straight forward and definitely not Mac-like "just works". Here are some hints how to configure XMeeting correctly:

TeXShop and BibTeX for lazy guys - automatic call of bibtex

If you want to write a larger scientific document, like a diploma or doctoral thesis, you surely will use bibtex for creating your bibliography (and especially for the German guys: don't just copy and paste... but really use a good bibliography).

Functionalizing the "Scan-To"-button of Brother all-in-one printers for Ubuntu 10.10

This is a mere condensation of all the information given on the Brother website and my post on the partner blog. The procedure is valid for Ubuntu 10.04 and 10.10 with respect to at least the models DCP-7010, MFC-7420, MFC-7820N - connected via USB, probably for more. Please consult the Brother website if in doubt.

Update 2013-01-20: same works with a MFC-7360N.  (Use the packages appropriate for this model in the section below instead) The only change is, that the new scan-to-key tool has moved all its files to /opt/brother/scanner so put all scan scripts there and edit the appropriate .cfg file there.

Help for helpless copy cases - terminal for the Mac User

A friend of mine had big trouble in copying data from his harddrive to an external one. For whatever reason, Finder stopped with strange error warnings that a folder could not be created because it was already there - and there was no way to click "try again".