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    TotalSonic

    @TotalSonic

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    Website www.totalsonic.net
    Location Austin / Cedar Park, Texas, USA

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    Best posts made by TotalSonic

    • RE: Wish list : which apps do you need?

      Apps I would love to see eventually made available on UT:

      Video Chat - even a single way to do this would be fantastic - whether it is via eventual support for Telegrams currently alpha video call capabilities being enabled in TELEports - or via Morph support for various web based services, or via WebRTC - whatever gives us a viable option on UT devices that is easiest to implement is all good by me.

      Task List with ToDoTxt support - there are a ton of existing task list apps for UT already, but I really would like one that has ToDoTxt support, along with NextCloud syncing support, so that it could be synced to a multitude of cross platform apps, all in a "future proof" format. Info on the ToDoTxt spec is at http://todotxt.org/

      Native basic Video Editing app - while there are a number of online web services that can be used for this task, it would be way more efficient and reliable if there was a UT app that could do basic functions like trim, rotate, resize and reformat for videos - especially useful for posting to social media directly from ones mobile device.

      Ride share app - it would be very useful for me if there was a UT native app for either Uber or Lyft (the two most popular services for this in the USA). While these services can be hailed via an online web page accessible via Morph, the rest of the experience is definitely not as smooth as what you get on Android and iOS.

      Widevine support - it would be nice if there was a Widevine plugin for Morph, allowing it to be used for movie streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. I understand the proprietary DRM nature of this makes it difficult to do this - but given that there are plugins for Linux via Chrome (that is compatible with some of the other Chromium based browsers, as well as Firefox) - perhaps there is some way this could still be implemented.

      Best regards,
      Steve Berson

      posted in App Development
      TotalSonicT
      TotalSonic
    • tips for running GIMP in Libertine

      GIMP in Libertine

      Start with installing gimp package in your Libertine Container.
      Screenshot is GIMP running in Libertine Container using the Color 48 theme to make icons usable on a mobile device - https://bitbucket.org/paynekj/paynekj-gimp-scripts/raw/2e8e87faf5eaaf6036e0d8b68ff9f6f37a3f0421/themes/Color-48.7z

      In order to install this theme I had to extract the 7z archive on my computer and upload the folder to the phone. Then I had to go into home/phablet/cache/libertine-container/xenial/rootfs/usr/share/gimp/2.0/themes rename the "Default" theme folder as "Old Default" - and then paste in the Color 48 theme folder renamed as "Default" (because trying to change the theme from Gimp's gui would just crash it)

      Also to get the GTK menus to be sized to be useable on phone it is important to: create a file named .Xdefaults in a text editor (tedit is a good Ubuntu Touch native one for this) with a single line Xft.dpi: 280 - or whatever other dpi value which you prefer. Save this to the home directory of your chroot environment - usually .local/share/libertine-container/user-data/xenial/ in your normal home directory.

      You also still need to use an external bluetooth keyboard for GIMP on the phone in order to have the gui respond.

      Best regards,
      Steve Berson

      posted in Support
      TotalSonicT
      TotalSonic
    • RE: TheKit Interview

      great and informative interview! Thanks for posting and huge thanks to TheKit for all the work he has done for UT

      Best regards,
      Steve Berson

      posted in News
      TotalSonicT
      TotalSonic
    • RE: Working VoLTE reports, share your experience

      Phone calls over VoLTE in the USA are now working for Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro (miatoll), using latest Focal (20.04) dev channel build! Tested using T-mobile network, calls are clear with no echoes either way, with both calling and receiving working great. SMS text and single recipient MMS photo sending and receiving work on this device with VoLTE as well. Big thanks to the UBports team and the community devs and porters for this very big step for UT!!

      Best regards,
      Steve Berson

      posted in General
      TotalSonicT
      TotalSonic
    • RE: Snap/Vivaldi/Firefox related problems

      There is a known bug with Snaps that osk is not properly called up with them. From my understanding Mir 2.x integration is needed to fix this, and while this is something the core dev team is working on, it might be a few months before it arrives for UT. A possoble work around is to use bluetooth keyboard with these apps.

      For Firefox, I would suggest installing the version built for UT by Fuseteam, it features osk working, along with touch scrolling, pinch to zoom, as well as some tweaks to the gui better optimizong it for mobile use. Just download the most recent build for arm64, unzip, and then open the click in Open Store to install - https://gitlab.com/debclick/uFirefox/-/artifacts

      Best regards,
      Steve Berson

      posted in Support
      TotalSonicT
      TotalSonic
    • RE: Ubuntu Touch Q&A 110 Saturday 9th October At 19:00 UTC

      I was just thinking it would be fun and illuminating, and could possibly garner some promotion for UBports, if some recent devices (e.g. Volla Phone) that were fully configured were handed to some figures that were key to Canonical's initial effort to create Ubuntu Touch (e.g. Mark Shuttleworth, Jono Bacon, etc.) and if there impressions on how far Ubuntu Touch has come in the 4 years since Canonical dropped it were recorded and posted as a video. It would be nice to hear some talk by them on what they think could have happened if Ubuntu Edge had become a reality, as well as what they think UBports can offer for the future in terms of what has become of their "baby" once it "left home."

      Just an idea! - and given that UBports has now been developing UT for around the same amount of time that Canonical did (about 4 years each - Canonical did 2013-2017) maybe one that makes sense to do now.

      Best regards,
      Steve Berson

      posted in News
      TotalSonicT
      TotalSonic
    • using Firefox with UT in 2021

      For those attempting to use Firefox in UT, the one option currently available to us is to use it within a Libertine container. For many devices the Firefox 84 version that is in the default repositories will crash whenever a site is attempted to be loaded. However, Firefox-esr (extended support release) 78 works stably in my testing (although slowly, due to the lack of hardware acceleration for apps in Libertine containers currently).

      arm64 version is here (scroll to bottom of page to find download links to the deb package in your language)
      https://launchpad.net/~mozillateam/+archive/ubuntu/ppa/+build/21042451

      and armhf version is here -
      https://launchpad.net/~mozillateam/+archive/ubuntu/ppa/+build/21042452

      Best regards,
      Steve Berson

      posted in Libertine
      TotalSonicT
      TotalSonic
    • RE: Use Mattermost instead of Telegram to discuss about UT

      Telegram is NOT hosted in Russia - servers are located around the globe, financial HQ is in London UK, operational HQ is in Dubai UAE. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telegram_(software)

      There are chat groups for UT also already hosted on Matrix (but that do not bridge to the Telegram groups) if one is looking for an existing alternative to Telegram.

      I had never even heard of the Mattermost service prior to this post - given that there is no UT client for it at all seems one is putting the cart before the horse as far as this request goes.

      Best regards,
      Steve Berson

      posted in General
      TotalSonicT
      TotalSonic
    • RE: Ubuntu Touch Q&A 90 Saturday 5th December At 19:00 UTC

      Given that the current "promoted/supported devices" are now all discontinued and at least 4 years old (with the Nexus 5 now 7 years old) - doesn't it make sense to change both the website as well as support priorities to a new set of "promoted devices"? Seems to me Volla Phone, PinePhone, OnePlus 3/3T, Sony Xperia X series, PineTab, perhaps Google Pixel 3A, and whatever Xiaomi/Redmi device is looking to be easiest to fully support, would all make sense to change the focuses to as far as what is "promoted"- with the understanding that some devices (e.g. PinePhone, PineTab) need a bit more development before placing into this category.

      Best regards,
      Steve Berson

      posted in News
      TotalSonicT
      TotalSonic
    • RE: We Drop Ubuntu Touch Entirely

      @grenudi said in We Drop Ubuntu Touch Entirely:

      1. Browser Development Challenge
        Current situation:

      Morph browser maintained by small team

      Yes, Morph is indeed maintained by a small team, but the QtWebEngine it uses is maintained by a larger team upstream of it, and is basically an implementation of Chromium (which obviously has a gigantic team maintaining it).

      No extension support (including ad blocking)

      INCORRECT - ad blocking can be easily enabled via the uAdBlockNG app (available in the Open Store at https://open-store.io/app/uadblockng.liohmoeller ), and in the EFF's online test at https://coveryourtracks.eff.org provides "strong protection against web trackers and ads" once it is activated

      Alternative approach:
      Consider adopting Firefox Mobile or Chromium-based solution with privacy enhancements, allowing browser development resources to redirect toward core OS improvements.

      See above - Morph is using Chromium. AND Marius posted today on the UBports Telegram group a new test build using the Qt6 Webengine (which updates to a much more recent Chromium version) that should likely be integrated into a UT update by the end of this year.

      There is also THREE additional projects led by UT community members developing alternative native browsers for UT:
      uFirefox - a mobile optimized fork of Firefox that uses the current 143 verson - https://gitlab.com/debclick/uFirefox
      uWolf - a mobile optimized version of Librewolf (which is a privacy/security hardened fork of Firefox) - https://open-store.io/app/uwolf.chromiumos-guy
      Mimi - new browser in alpha state using Apple's WebKit webengine - https://open-store.io/app/mimibrowser.fredldotme

      SO - browser development for UT is ongoing, and seeing some major improvements that will be available to all UT users soon.

      Best regards,
      Steve Berson

      posted in OS
      TotalSonicT
      TotalSonic

    Latest posts made by TotalSonic

    • RE: Lomiri in Debian 13 Scaling Issue

      @CiberSheep - unfortunately I don't think there is an x86/amd64 deb version of the UT Tweak Tool available.

      posted in Lomiri (was Unity8)
      TotalSonicT
      TotalSonic
    • RE: Lomiri in Debian 13 Scaling Issue

      @messayisto - the current lack of ability to change display scaling is exactly the same issue why I don't find Lomiri is a usable DE on laptop and desktops yet. I am hoping that support for changing display scaling in System Settings will become supported sooner than later.

      posted in Lomiri (was Unity8)
      TotalSonicT
      TotalSonic
    • RE: Recommendations for Ubuntu Touch

      @ufoddos said in Recommendations for Ubuntu Touch:

      I hope Ubuntu Touch can become the most viable alternative to Android for mobile devices.

      I do as well, as I think most of everyone who posts on this forum does too.

      It should be secure,

      That "should" is most certainly something the UBports core team and Ubuntu Touch community wants as well. In terms of online security, this is something that has been improved recently via the update to a 24.04 LTS Ubuntu base, which enables for upstream security updates to be easily shipped in the system OS. There is also ongoing work towards enabling encrypting user and other data for the OS, with initial basic support for this already implemented in the latest version. However one big downside for UT in terms of physical security is that the bootloader needs to remain unlocked for the OS to load. This is something that likely needs to cooperation of a device maker to fix for specific devices.

      respect privacy, and reject government censorship and surveillance.

      The UBports Foundation and the Ubuntu Touch itself already does all of these things. There is absolutely no data mining from either, and the uAdBlockNG app available from the Open Store allows one to avoid a significant amount of invasive trackers and ads.

      In terms of system architecture, it should incorporate UI features from WebOS.

      I will have to strongly disagree with you on this point, rather most of us using it, and certainly those developing it, think it should NOT be sublimating its own design aesthetics to one from another existing project. Ubuntu Touch was created in the first place to be exactly entwined with its own unique desktop environment (initially called Unity 8, now rebranded as "Lomiri"), as well as with a curated unified design ethic and theming, and what UT really needs is just more developers willing to contribute some PR's to shape this to improve and expand its capabilities, rather than simply replicate designs made in other projects.

      In terms of applications, I hope it supports web applications.

      It already does, and since it was started. Lots of apps available in the Open Store are in fact wrappers and containers for various webapps. And the "Webber" app allows one to easily create ones own webapp via making a launcher and container for a url. There are currently some compatibility issues with this due to the age of the Chromium supported by the current QtWebEngine 5.x used for the system wide Morph browser, but the core team is very busy now focusing on updating the webengine used by UT's Morph browser to QtWebEngine 6.x, and there is in fact a preview app in the Open Store alpha stage one can use, that can in fact access a good majority of services that are made available for general webapp use. Of course there is the challenge that there are a good number of online services that are only made available to Android and iOS apps currently (such as a number of banking apps), and sadly being able to create compatibility for many of these is beyond any control of UT's developers. But otherwise - yes, UT supports webapps.

      It should support unified communication.

      Dunno what you mean by "unified communication", but there is currently native app and/or webapp support in UT for: phone calls (via 2G, 3G, and now VoLTE for a growing number of devices) SMS & MMS (core Messenger app), email (both imap & pop3), Matrix, Telegram, Jitsi, Whatsapp, Signal, XMPP, IRC, and a few other protocols. Plus other services such as Session and Wire can be accessed via Android apps installed in Waydroid containers. While this might be the opposite from "unified" and certainly not totally complete, UT is certainly capable of being quite capable as far as messaging goes.

      I dislike Android because it's closed, increasingly sluggish, has a bloated design, a virtual machine mechanism, consumes a lot of power, has excessively high device requirements, pushes system junk, and isn't a true Linux distribution.

      Yes, I dislike Android for this as well, although there are some "degoogled" AOSP ROM's these days which do a good job of fixing some of those issues. However the future continuing development of those ROM's is increasingly threatened by Google's own recent moves towards even further centralizing control over the Android eco-system, which makes projects like Ubuntu Touch even more important going forward.

      Best regards,
      Steve Berson

      posted in General
      TotalSonicT
      TotalSonic
    • RE: GPS location does not work anymore in webview (Noble)

      @pparent - did you test whether the preview for the Qt6 update for Morph available in the Open Store works for location for the website you are trying to link to yet?

      posted in Support
      TotalSonicT
      TotalSonic
    • RE: We Drop Ubuntu Touch Entirely

      @grenudi said in We Drop Ubuntu Touch Entirely:

      Resource Allocation Suggestion
      Current distribution (estimated):

      This isn't even estimated, it's just a wild guess with zero data supporting the conclusions made in it.

      posted in OS
      TotalSonicT
      TotalSonic
    • RE: We Drop Ubuntu Touch Entirely

      @grenudi said in We Drop Ubuntu Touch Entirely:

      Comparison: PostmarketOS Approach
      PostmarketOS demonstrates alternative strategy:

      500+ device ports versus Ubuntu Touch's approximately 50

      While I appreciate the efforts by the PMOS devs, most of those 500 device ports you note from PMOS just boot the system, and then don't do anything most people need a phone to do. Where as on UT the ported devices are much more likely to actually be capable of working as daily drivers, with the majority of the supported devices having all expected functions working.

      700+ contributors and growing
      Active funding (NGI grants, reserves over 40k EUR)

      That's great, and I know that UBports would welcome additional developers and funding too. Be aware that UBports does have a good number of patrons though.

      Reuses existing components (Alpine packages, established desktop environments)

      Obviously UT reuses LOTS of existing components received from Ubuntu, and has collaborated with Debian & Manjaro teams as well. PLUS there have been exchanges with the Mobian, Droidian, Postmarket and Sailfish OS teams working on certain issues too.

      Monthly development updates with community engagement

      There are regular updates from the UBports dev team on their YouTube Q&A, along with constant posting on multiple dedicated Telegram and Matrix channels.

      Best regards,
      Steve Berson

      posted in OS
      TotalSonicT
      TotalSonic
    • RE: We Drop Ubuntu Touch Entirely

      @grenudi said in We Drop Ubuntu Touch Entirely:

      1. Browser Development Challenge
        Current situation:

      Morph browser maintained by small team

      Yes, Morph is indeed maintained by a small team, but the QtWebEngine it uses is maintained by a larger team upstream of it, and is basically an implementation of Chromium (which obviously has a gigantic team maintaining it).

      No extension support (including ad blocking)

      INCORRECT - ad blocking can be easily enabled via the uAdBlockNG app (available in the Open Store at https://open-store.io/app/uadblockng.liohmoeller ), and in the EFF's online test at https://coveryourtracks.eff.org provides "strong protection against web trackers and ads" once it is activated

      Alternative approach:
      Consider adopting Firefox Mobile or Chromium-based solution with privacy enhancements, allowing browser development resources to redirect toward core OS improvements.

      See above - Morph is using Chromium. AND Marius posted today on the UBports Telegram group a new test build using the Qt6 Webengine (which updates to a much more recent Chromium version) that should likely be integrated into a UT update by the end of this year.

      There is also THREE additional projects led by UT community members developing alternative native browsers for UT:
      uFirefox - a mobile optimized fork of Firefox that uses the current 143 verson - https://gitlab.com/debclick/uFirefox
      uWolf - a mobile optimized version of Librewolf (which is a privacy/security hardened fork of Firefox) - https://open-store.io/app/uwolf.chromiumos-guy
      Mimi - new browser in alpha state using Apple's WebKit webengine - https://open-store.io/app/mimibrowser.fredldotme

      SO - browser development for UT is ongoing, and seeing some major improvements that will be available to all UT users soon.

      Best regards,
      Steve Berson

      posted in OS
      TotalSonicT
      TotalSonic
    • RE: Snap/Vivaldi/Firefox related problems

      There is a known bug with Snaps that osk is not properly called up with them. From my understanding Mir 2.x integration is needed to fix this, and while this is something the core dev team is working on, it might be a few months before it arrives for UT. A possoble work around is to use bluetooth keyboard with these apps.

      For Firefox, I would suggest installing the version built for UT by Fuseteam, it features osk working, along with touch scrolling, pinch to zoom, as well as some tweaks to the gui better optimizong it for mobile use. Just download the most recent build for arm64, unzip, and then open the click in Open Store to install - https://gitlab.com/debclick/uFirefox/-/artifacts

      Best regards,
      Steve Berson

      posted in Support
      TotalSonicT
      TotalSonic
    • RE: uWolf (LibreWolf)

      @Simmonz - yes, this is a known bug at the OS level for Focal 20.04. Hopefully a fix will happen after Noble 24.04 is released.

      posted in App Development
      TotalSonicT
      TotalSonic
    • RE: Connecting a Volla Quintus with a monitor

      @musicologist - I have never tested with this device, but generally the Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter (both gen1 and gen2) works well with most UT devices that support Miracast.

      posted in Volla Quintus
      TotalSonicT
      TotalSonic