Sunday, June 19, 2011
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Howto Set Default Icon for a File Type (for Gnome on Ubuntu GNU/Linux)
I wanted to change the default icon for one certain file-type on Ubuntu GNU/Linux, because the icon for this file-type would otherwise have the blank paper icon. In this example will use: .torrent files
- I have downloaded a .png file of the new icon that I want to use.
- Rename that file to: "gnome-mime-application-x-bittorrent.png" (for other file-types change 'x-bittorrent' to the proper name of your application)
- Move that file "gnome-mime-application-x-bittorrent.png" to the folder ".icons" in your home folder. In case the ".icons" folder does not exist simply create it there (mkdir ~/.icons)
Based on the following thread from UbuntuForums: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=355714
Posted by
Muhammad N. Jassim
at
6:14:00 PM
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Friday, November 14, 2008
We Continue to Coexist
- We continue believing in the freedom of thought and discussion (intellectual debates)
- We continue denouncing Antisemitism
- We continue calling for interfaith union
- We say the Christian world should beware of Zionism
- We never forgot the Holocaust and will never forget other tragedies
P.S.: notice how the Rabbi continues using the word Allah, which is simply the Arabic word for 'God', unlike the popular misconception that Allah is 'God of the Muslims' or 'God of the Arabs' ! Arab Jews and Arab Christians have always used the word Allah, just like us, the Arab Muslims. Non-Arab Muslims, who are the large majority of Muslims in the world, are preferring more and more to use the Arabic word Allah, because it is unique, gender-less, and it is the proper noun for God Almighty in all the Semitic languages, among other reasons. (For further reading see the book: What is His Name?)
(Alternative link to download the video: http://www.mediafire.com/file/tnz1ywjyjz0/jewish_rabbi_says_he_can_live_peacefully_under_islamic_rules.flv)
Posted by
Muhammad N. Jassim
at
11:35:00 AM
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Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Realistic Perfectionism
I am a realistic perfectionist.
Perfectionist as in, I can do many things better; the reach for limits of human ability. For example I can improve my language, my writing, my thinking, etc. So why not reach to achieve such good improvements, I say. And when done right, this is actually a very healthy thing for the human being.
~Muhammad
Posted by
Muhammad N. Jassim
at
7:34:00 AM
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Labels: MJ, philosophy
Monday, September 22, 2008
Islamic Economy As We Believe
Those who deny the existence of Islamic economy uphold the above arguments. They seem to be under the impression that we claim the existence of economic discussion in Islam.
Comprehensiveness of Islamic laws
"Islam has fully explained what is lawful and what is unlawful. It has an answer to every question that people may be confronted with to solve in their lives. It has mentioned even the penalty for a minor scratch".
Then the Imam put his hand on Abu-Basir and said:
"With your permission, may I press your hand a little bit?"
"I am at your disposal, my lord." replied Abu-Basir.
The Imam then pressed him a little and said:
"Even the penalty for this is there in Islam".
2. According to another report the Imam Jaffer al-Sadiq (a.s.) once said:
"Islam gives an answer to all that is required by the people. There is no point which has not been discussed by Islam. Even the compensation for a little scratch inflicted upon the body of someone else has been mentioned."
"Allah the Almighty raised the Holy Prophet (pbuh) at a time when there had been no Prophet since long, and the people were in a deep slumber. They were all violating the commandments of Allah. At such a critical juncture the Prophet (pbuh) was raised with a beacon of the light of guidance, i.e. Holy Qur'an. It contains the remedies of all your ills. It tells you how to arrange your livelihood and groom your relations".
Application of Islam is Another Witness
Islamic Theory Needs to be Brought Into Definite Shape
Morality of Islamic Economy
"He should collect money as ordered by Allah and should disburse it to the eight categories of the poor and the needy. Money should be disbursed in a way that it should be enough for the recipients for a year without facing any hardship. If any surplus is left it should be enough for the recipients for a year without facing any hardship. If any surplus is left it should go back to the treasury. In case of a shortfall, the ruler has to augment the zakat fund from other resources available to him."
There is a difference in the content of the tradition which says:
"He who sleeps satiated while his neighbor is hungry, is not a true believer in Allah and the Hereafter"
"It is binding on the rulers to help the poor from their own resources in order to satisfy their needs".
What is lacking in Islam as compared to other economic theories?
The above is one of four articles, together meant as introduction to Islamic Economy
Notes:
- Physiocrats on Wikipedia
- Hadiths: meaning the sayings/traditions of Prophet Muhammad & his House-Hold, peace and blessings of Allah be upon them.
Further reading:
- Our Economics (temporary link)
- An Islamic Perspective of Political Economy: The Views of (late) Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr
- Islamic economic jurisprudence on Wikipedia
- An Islamic Jurisprudence regarding Zakat: p1, p2, p3, p4
- An Islamic Jurisprudence regarding Khums: p1, p2, p3, p4, p5, p6, p7, p8
Posted by
Muhammad N. Jassim
at
10:44:00 AM
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Labels: Islam
Monday, August 18, 2008
Which Non-Free Files Are Still in Firefox 3.0.1
Couple of questions and my answers.
Question:
Question:
Thanks MJ, but specifically which files included in Firefox 3.0.1 does GNU not consider Free, and why?
Thanks for answering.
- Answer:
- This is a list of the files that are removed from Firefox® 3.0.1 source:
./mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbOSXDirectory.o
./mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbOSXCard.o
./mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbOSXDirFactory.o
./mailnews/addrbook/src/nsAbOSXUtils.o
./plugin/oji/JEP
./build/wince/shunt/build/shunt.vcb
./build/wince/shunt/build/shunt.vco
'./directory/c-sdk/ldap/examples/macintosh/asearch (2i).68k.u'
'./directory/c-sdk/ldap/examples/macintosh/asearch (4i).68k.u'
'./directory/c-sdk/ldap/examples/macintosh/asearch PPC.u'
./directory/c-sdk/ldap/libraries/macintosh/LDAPClient.mcp
./modules/oji/tests/script/killer.exe
./modules/plugin/samples/default/mac/NullPlugin.rsrc
'./modules/plugin/tools/sdk/samples/basic/mac/Basic Plugin.mcp'
./modules/plugin/tools/sdk/samples/basic/mac/Basic.rsrc
'./modules/plugin/tools/sdk/samples/scriptable/mac/Scriptable Plugin.mcp'
'./modules/plugin/tools/sdk/samples/scriptable/mac/Scriptable PluginIDL.mcp'
./modules/plugin/tools/sdk/samples/scriptable/mac/Scriptable.rsrc
./other-licenses/7zstub/firefox/7zSD.sfx
./toolkit/mozapps/update/src/updater/macbuild/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/MainMenu.nib/keyedobjects.nib
./toolkit/mozapps/update/src/updater/macbuild/Contents/PkgInfo
./extensions/manticore/resources/manticore.psd
./extensions/universalchardet/doc/UniversalCharsetDetection.doc
./config/bin2rc.exe
./config/makedep.exe
./config/mangle.exe
./config/mantomak.exe
./embedding/browser/activex/src/pluginhostctrl/cab/redist/ATL.DLL
./embedding/browser/activex/tests/vbrowse/browser.frx
./embedding/browser/activex/tests/vbrowse/frmToolBar.frx
./embedding/browser/cocoa/res/English.lproj/alert.nib/objects.nib
./embedding/browser/powerplant/resources/cfmAlias.rsrc
./embedding/browser/powerplant/resources/cfmAliasDebug.rsrc
./embedding/minimo/mozconfig
./embedding/qa/testembed/testembed.aps
./embedding/tests/MSDotNETCSEmbed/MSDotNETCSEmbed.suo
./embedding/tests/cocoaEmbed/res/English.lproj/MainMenu.nib/objects.nib
./embedding/wrappers/DotNETEmbed/DotNETEmbed.snk
./intl/unicharutil/tools/data/case.dat
./intl/unicharutil/tools/data/cmbcl.dat
./intl/unicharutil/tools/data/ctype.dat
./intl/unicharutil/tools/data/decomp.dat
./intl/unicharutil/tools/data/num.dat
./js/src/fdlibm/fdlibm.mdp
./js/src/js.mdp
./js/src/liveconnect/jsj_nodl.c
./plugin/oji/JEP/MRJPlugin.plugin/Contents/MacOS/MRJPlugin
./plugin/oji/JEP/MRJPlugin.plugin/Contents/MacOS/MRJPlugin.jar
./plugin/oji/JEP/MRJPlugin.plugin/Contents/Resources/MRJPlugin.rsrc
./plugin/oji/JEP/JavaEmbeddingPlugin.bundle/Contents/MacOS/JavaEmbeddingPlugin
./plugin/oji/JEP/JavaEmbeddingPlugin.bundle/Contents/Resources/Java/JavaEmbeddingPlugin.jar
./plugin/oji/MRJ/plugin/Resources/Dialogs.rsrc
./plugin/oji/MRJ/plugin/Resources/Strings.rsrc
./plugin/oji/MRJ/plugin/Resources/Version.rsrc
./plugin/oji/MRJ/plugin/MRJPlugin.jar
./plugin/oji/MRJ/plugin/netscape.plugin.jar
./plugin/oji/MRJ/plugin/Source/JMURLConnection
./plugin/oji/MRJ/testing/ConsoleApplet/ConsoleApplet.mcp
./plugin/oji/MRJ/testing/JSApplet/JSApplet.mcp
./plugin/oji/MRJ/testing/SwingApplet/TestApplet.mcp
./plugin/oji/MRJ/testing/TrivialApplet/MyApplet.mcp
./plugin/oji/MRJCarbon/MRJSDK/JavaFrameworks/JavaEmbeddingLib
./plugin/oji/MRJCarbon/plugin/MRJPlugin.jar
./plugin/oji/MRJCarbon/plugin/Resources/Dialogs.rsrc
./plugin/oji/MRJCarbon/plugin/Resources/Strings.rsrc
./plugin/oji/MRJCarbon/plugin/Resources/Version.rsrc
./xpcom/reflect/xptcall/tests/eVC4/XPTCInvoke_Testing.cpp
./xpcom/tests/StringFactoringTests/StringTest.mcp
./xpcom/typelib/xpidl/macplugin/compiler.rsrc
./xpcom/typelib/xpidl/macplugin/linker.rsrc
./xpcom/typelib/xpidl/macplugin/panel.rsrc
./xpcom/typelib/xpidl/macplugin/version.rsrc
./xpinstall/packager/mac/ASEncoder/build/ASEncoder.mcp
./xpinstall/packager/mac/ASEncoder/rsrc/ASEncoder.rsrc
./xpinstall/packager/mac/ASEncoder/src/ASEncoderUsage.script
./xpinstall/test/pre_checkin.xpi
./xpinstall/wizard/libxpnet/GUSI/lib/GUSI_Core.PPC.Lib
./xpinstall/wizard/libxpnet/GUSI/lib/GUSI_ForeignThreads.PPC.Lib
./xpinstall/wizard/libxpnet/GUSI/lib/GUSI_MPW.PPC.Lib
./xpinstall/wizard/libxpnet/GUSI/lib/GUSI_MSL.PPC.Lib
./xpinstall/wizard/libxpnet/GUSI/lib/GUSI_SIOUX.PPC.Lib
./xpinstall/wizard/libxpnet/GUSI/lib/GUSI_Sfio.PPC.Lib
./xpinstall/wizard/mac/rsrc/MIWCommon.rsrc
./xpinstall/wizard/mac/rsrc/Mozilla.rsrc
./xpinstall/wizard/os2/setuprsc/box_ch_d.bmp
./xpinstall/wizard/os2/setuprsc/box_chec.bmp
./xpinstall/wizard/os2/setuprsc/box_unch.bmp
./xpinstall/wizard/unix/src2/logo.xpm
./gfx/cairo/libpixman/src/pixman-vc71.lib
./gfx/src/mac/printerplugin/Resources/English.lproj/Localizable.strings
./gfx/src/mac/nsMacGFX.rsrc
./layout/doc/SpaceMgr_BlockReflSt_OD.sda
./layout/doc/object_diagram_template.sda
./layout/html/tests/block/bugs/RealSnow.jar
./webshell/tests/viewer/mac/cfmAlias.rsrc
./webshell/tests/viewer/mac/cfmAliasDebug.rsrc
./webshell/tests/viewer/mac/viewer.ppob
./webshell/tests/viewer/mac/viewer.rsrc
./webshell/tests/viewer/mac/viewercarb.rsrc
./webshell/tests/viewer/viewer-beos.rsrc
./xpfe/bootstrap/appleevents/nsAppleEvents.rsrc
./xpfe/bootstrap/apprunner-beos.rsrc
./mailnews/mapi/old/tests/mapitest/mapitest.ncb
./mailnews/mapi/old/tests/mapitest/mapitest.opt
./xpfe/bootstrap/splash.bmp
./xpfe/bootstrap/mozilla.ico
./xpfe/bootstrap/mozos2.ico
./browser/app/mozicon128.png
./browser/app/mozicon16.xpm
./browser/app/mozicon50.xpm
./xpfe/bootstrap/icons/os2/mozilla.ico
./xpinstall/wizard/windows/setuprsc/bitmap1.bmp
./xpinstall/wizard/windows/setuprsc/downloadLogo.bmp
./xpinstall/wizard/windows/setuprsc/turbo-systray.bmp
./xpinstall/wizard/os2/nsinstall/stubinstall.ico
./xpinstall/wizard/os2/setuprsc/downloadLogo.bmp
./xpinstall/wizard/os2/setuprsc/bitmap1.bmp
./suite/branding/icons/gtk/seamonkey.png
./themes/classic/communicator/brand/throbber-single.gif
./themes/classic/communicator/brand/throbber16-single.gif
./themes/classic/communicator/brand/throbber-anim.gif
./themes/classic/communicator/brand/throbber16-anim.gif
./themes/modern/communicator/brand/throbber-single.gif
./themes/modern/communicator/brand/throbber16-single.gif
./themes/modern/communicator/brand/throbber-anim.gif
./themes/modern/communicator/brand/throbber16-anim.gif
./xpfe/bootstrap/splash.xpm
./themes/classic/communicator/icons/turbo-systray.gif
./themes/modern/communicator/icons/turbo-systray.gif
other-licenses/
README/mozilla/README.os2
netwerk/protocol/ftp/doc/rfc959.txt
directory/c-sdk/ldap/docs/draft-ietf-ldapext-ldap-c-api-05.txt
calendar/sunbird/app/sunbird.ico
calendar/sunbird/app/default.xpm
browser/branding/nightly
browser/branding/unofficial
./themes/classic/communicator/brand/throbber-anim.gif
./themes/classic/communicator/brand/throbber16-anim.gif
./themes/modern/communicator/brand/throbber-single.gif
./themes/modern/communicator/brand/throbber16-single.gif
./themes/modern/communicator/brand/throbber-anim.gif
./themes/modern/communicator/brand/throbber16-anim.gif
./xpfe/bootstrap/splash.xpm
./themes/classic/communicator/icons/turbo-systray.gif
./themes/modern/communicator/icons/turbo-systray.gif
other-licenses/
README/mozilla/README.os2
netwerk/protocol/ftp/doc/rfc959.txt
directory/c-sdk/ldap/docs/draft-ietf-ldapext-ldap-c-api-05.txt
calendar/sunbird/app/sunbird.ico
calendar/sunbird/app/default.xpm
browser/branding/nightly
browser/branding/unofficialAs you can see, it is mostly the branding/trademark and the name of the application which are non-free, by the GNU definition of Free Software. How can it be free when we need permissions from Mozilla® Corporation! :)
Also there are many non-free plug-ins and to list them all would require some researching. However Mozilla® Corporation have not defined any rule on discouraging non-free plug-ins, and rather their binary does recommend non-free plug-ins when the user visits certain sites.
Please note that I don't speak officially for GNU or FSF, and this is only my humble understanding.
For further information, do read these:- Mozilla Trademark Policy
- http://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2004/02/msg00279.html
- http://glandium.org/blog/?p=97
Hope that helped.
~Muhammad
Posted by
Muhammad N. Jassim
at
4:04:00 AM
2
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Labels: Firefox, free software, questions and answers
Friday, August 01, 2008
Getting Started with GnuPG
This is a step-by-step guide to get going with GnuPG, on M$ Windows XP (with Service Pack 2).
GnuPG is the GNU project's tool that allows us to encrypt data and therefore have a secure communication.
GnuPG is Free Software (meaning that it respects your freedom). It can be freely used, modified and distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License.
While it's well known that I discourage everyone from using such an operating system that pose restrictions on the users right and left, like Micro$oft Windows.. I have written this guide only for the goal of helping my fellow human beings use our free as-in-free-speech software.
And since I have no Windows machine nor can access one, I had to depend on the help of a friend and his computer.
- First I instructed my friend to download GnuPG from http://gnupg.org/download/index.en.html (direct ftp link: ftp://ftp.gnupg.org/gcrypt/binary/gnupg-w32cli-1.4.9.exe).
- Then to double-click on gnupg-w32cli-1.4.9.exe file
- Then to choose English for the language
- Then to click OK
- Then to click on Next
- Then to read the license of the software, and to click on Next if he agrees with it.
- Everything was selected so he clicked on Next.
- Then selected en for English language again and clicked Next.
- Then he chose "C:\Program Files\GNU\GnuPG" for the destination directory and clicked Next.
- Then clicked on Install.
- And when completed he clicked on Next and finally clicked on Finish.
- GnuPG is now installed and ready to use.
- Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> Command Prompt
- Here I've instructed my friend to type:
cd
(and to always press Enter key of course after every command like this). - This will tell us what directory he's at. In his case it is "C:\Documets and Settings\user".
- He now changed directory to the desktop directory by typing exactly:
cd "C:\Documets and Settings\user\Desktop"
- Then I asked him to exactly type:
"C:\Program Files\GNU\GnuPG\gpg.exe" --gen-key
- And to enter 1 when asked to select an option, which was the default choice.
- Then to enter 2048, which is the default.
- Then chose an expiration period. He decided to keep the keys forever so chose 0.
- Of course he entered his name and e-mail address, as well as a passphrase and repeated the passphrase for confirmation.
- Now for the key I told him to type exactly:
"C:\Program Files\GNU\GnuPG\gpg.exe" --export --armor > pubkey.asc
All that in one line of course. - This finally gave him a file on the Desktop called pubkey.asc
- To check if everything went well, he used Notepad to open the file by typing:
notepad pubkey.asc
And there he saw the gibberish stuff. Look at my public key to know how it would look like.
At this point you have finished both setting up GnuPG and got yourself a pair of keys. A private key, and a public key.
The gibberish stuff inside the pubkey.asc file is your public key, and please feel free to share it with everyone. Send it to them in messages or e-mails or add it to the end of your e-mail letters.. etc...
Posted by
Muhammad N. Jassim
at
9:01:00 PM
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Wednesday, July 23, 2008
XULRunner
- Firefox uses XULRunner, check.
- Icecat uses XULRunner, check.
- Swiftweasel uses XULRunner, check.
- Seamonkey uses XULRunner, check.
- Swiftfox uses XULRunner, check.
- Songbird uses XULRunner, check.
The official Arch package of Firefox is so amazingly small in size, because everything is already in the XULRunner package. So this have been hunting me for a while, wanting to do the same, and rely on the official XULRunner if possible, or re-compile it if needed. Once I know how, it would solve a big problem in my life, and help easy lives of many others.
Anyone installing XULRunner more than once on their systems would probably agree that it would be nice to save the time compiling it, everytime a new version is released, and also the harddisk space. I mean, who would say no to gain more disk space while everything works like they were, if not better?
Need to figure out how exactly to do this. The part about compiling XULRunner is easy. It's exactly like compiling Firefox. The part where I get other packages to use it is the missing piece here.
Couple of problems:
1. Applications that should work with XULRunner, don't work, like Zekr package. The auther says we should just point the application to Firefox's directory, or XULRunner, or any varint or flavor of Firefox. Sadly, every attempt of mine to make it use XULRunner was a faliure. Many many hours wasted on this. Tried to point it to directory of Swiftwesel, and tried now with GNU IceCat, only to fail. Finally pointing it to SeaMonkey's directory worked. The auther assures me it would work with just XULRunner, so I am missing something here.
2. I need to make sure XULRunner is completely free software (as in librty and freedom), because I'm a Free Software activist, and to get it to work with GNU IceCat. Compiling IceCat is different a bit from compiling Firefox directly. This bit of differece is something I need to figure out. The default confugure options are different, and gave me nightmares to find out working one.
How can we compile with less Gnome dependencies, for those who want it so? Because me having Gnome installed (among other DEs/WMs) should not makes me assume everyone would install/accept such dependencies, and they have the right.
--enable-toolkit-cairo-gtk2
--enable-default-toolkit=cairo-gtk2
what about --disable-toolkit-qt?
What about --enable-system-cairo?
--enable-libxul or --disable-libxul ? And why --with-libxul-sdk=/usr/lib/xulrunner-devel-1.9 fails with IceCat in both cases?
What is cairo anyway? And is it better to use it or not? What is pango?
So many things to know, which I don't know yet and finding diffeculty understanding what I read about them, with my limited time.
On a side note, I've read it few times that Songbird would need special configuration for XULRunner anyway, meaning that it likely won't use the system shared XULRunner.
Posted by
Muhammad N. Jassim
at
8:07:00 PM
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Labels: Firefox
Sunday, July 20, 2008
What is Free Software?
“Free software” is a matter of liberty, not price. To understand the concept, you should think of “free” as in “free speech”, not as in “free pepsi”.
Free software is a matter of the users' freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change and improve the software. More precisely, it refers to four kinds of freedom, for the users of the software:
- The freedom to run the program, for any purpose (freedom 0).
- The freedom to study how the program works, and adapt it to your needs (freedom 1). Access to the source code is a precondition for this.
- The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor (freedom 2).
- The freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits (freedom 3). Access to the source code is a precondition for this.
Posted by
Muhammad N. Jassim
at
7:22:00 PM
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Labels: free culture, free software
Friday, July 18, 2008
Reading al-Qur'an

“You cannot simply read the Qur’an,
not if you take it seriously.
You either have surrendered to it already
or
you fight it.
It attacks tenaciously,
directly,
personally;
it debates,
criticizes,
shames,
and challenges.
From the outset it draws the line of battle,
and I was on the other side.”~Jeffrey Lang, Mathematics Professor
See his lecture From Atheism to Belief
Posted by
Muhammad N. Jassim
at
5:23:00 AM
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Which non-free files are still in Firefox 3.0.1?
The source code from the Mozilla® project is indeed Free Software, however the binaries that they release include additional non-Free Software. Also, they distribute and recommend non-Free Software as plug-ins.