Linux Community Magazine

Summit Ubuntu developer on Monday announced that Ubuntu 11.04 with unit comes as his default shell.  It is still focus on GNOME applications and unity are strongly dependent on the GNOME libraries but the standard interface.  For those who are not familiar with unit is it the default shell for the NetBook Edition of Ubuntu.Does canonical have the right to leave the GNOME shell for your flagship product?  Of course you do, it's their distribution.  Heck, they kept Brown for years even if teased incessantly.  It is whether you love or hate the decision to abandon the GNOME shell for the unit, Canonical's right to do as you see fit.  Of course it is easy, the default shell to change much as it is easy to change the default applications to install you.  To be honest, I like most the default application choices in Ubuntu, or the operating system is so solid, I enter just tweak little and I'm happy.For search, I prefer chrome on the default Firefox.  I prefer Pidgin about empathy.  Music I like Banshee.  I install twhirl for Twitter.  None of these tweaks problems with Ubuntu and most pretty to integrate, also cause if you not preferences.  So what does mean towards unity for most users? not much.Granted will use it a little differently, but most users should see much of a difference in functionality.  There is some question whether Ubuntu call still a "GNOME-based distro" can there really unit use as your default user experience.  That seems more an argument of the semantics though and role will not be much to the end user.So what are your thoughts on the switch to the appliance?  Is it a good move?  Move bad?  Arrogant, power-the showcase Communist-loving puppy kicks move?  Or not really interested?  Personally fall I in the latter camp.  If I don't like unit, I'll just install another option.  This is Linux after all and we can do what we want!

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One of the top 10 most popular distributions on Distrowatch.com's page hit ranking is Arch Linux. It attracts many users because of its ability users give a sense of ownership without excessive time and effort. He began his life in 2002 and has in popularity since increased. In addition to the major operating system, the project offers a moderate community, friendly and active user forum and much easy-to - follow documentation size.

Arch is designed as a rolling release system, what, means it is updated regularly on the package manager instead to newly installed every six months as some other distributions. However, developer share a new core and net image every six to nine months for new users or those, a clean start. It is a live CD, but don't expect a fancy desktop. It starts a command line interface for user a system from which you can work. But don't worry, the install procedure is not really very different from Slackware's.It is a wizard, potential users to visit the searching through most could procedure führt.Allerdings arch wiki and a few notes before you start.

The primary advantage of Arch Linux is that you can build your system to your own tastes and needs. Make it as light or full featured as you want. You can create packages from source if you wish. Another advantage is the high performance.A disadvantage is that you must be familiar with your hardware and müssen.Wieder setup a few configuration files by hand using a text editor, refer to the official Arch Linux installation guide or the unofficial beginners' Guide for complete details. Documentation is on the installation CD and / usr/share/aif/docs/official_installation_guide_en contain.

It is your choice but everyone of famous desktops are available for installation as most every piece of software, you might need.After install Pacman install additional software and keep your arch system updated.It can is similar to APT on the command line and install, uninstall, update, search repositories and installation data query.

Arch is not for the timid, but once it is installed users tend to positive reviews are erhalten.Also in the usually very happy, and Arch, if you want full control of the system you want to run get then arch is a very good choice. install a more traditional for those, which prefer to a full desktop in a few clicks may the chakra project and ArchBang two proposals.

Screenshot of arch user Mcordv.

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For a pretty scruffy-looking guy, I have to organize a surprisingly healthy approach to my files. However, I'm constantly against push the limitations of a system based directories. I am convinced that Linux tagging needs to make greater use, but I'm also beginning to wonder if desktop Linux could completely give up the hierarchical tree.

Why is it that Web-based technology makes such online bookmarking far stronger use of tagging the Linux desktop?Directories for files based on the way, that people have organized elements in the real world with categories and sub Kategorien.Dank of powerful computers and cheap, plentiful storage offers the tagging now a method of memory based on placing files in one place or another.

The word processing file that makes this article is stored/documents/articles / Linux_journal /, but it could be organized more efficiently if I could easily tag as "Documents", "Articles", "Linux Journal" also "op ed", "daft ideas", "tagging", "Linux" and "web posts". In this way I could find it by searching the alll Web contributions I have made this year, all of the op-ed peices I've ever written.

Some organisational situations illustrate the weakness of the hierarchical approach.For example, if I download some independent electronic dance music, where place it within a hierarchical system filesystem I? it works dance electronica independent or/mp3/independent / electronica / dance/mp3?Which system works best, depends on whether the key factor is that it is Electronica or independent produziert.Dies, where tagging in the own comes as it at once can be placed objects in more than one category.

When dealing with files, it is a distinction between the files, the I usually have the care and those who I just about when I play with care within Linux's Innereien.Die standard setup this distinction recognises most Linux distributions, how the files are either stored:

outside of the / home directory (files, the I don't about most care) hidden within the / home directory (other files the I don't about most care), but the / home directory and (the files that I care about are visible)

It is this last category of files that is ripe for a tagged system moved wird.Verzicht on the directory system outside of the / home folder would mean, design not only a new operating system, but design a new set of applications.

Application discovery could make tagging more useful, because what it looks like when I open or save, I tagging that can use most of the time.For one thing, tagging, application-aware could reduce workload.A word processor might tag a file as a "Text document" and maybe some relevant tags from the system tag cloud to go with it offer me.When I download a file inside Firefox, bet I, pretty easy it would be for developers to mark as "downloaded".look file this way, which it considers that the information if I also that decide it belongs in the "video" and "Follower" "Film" "Science Fiction" categories "saw".

Most people probably have a pretty firm idea of what you think is a file browser, but most of the applications are actually specialized file browser.Why change could not supporting file browser suddenly in music browsing mode as soon as I the music file tag select tag? if it automatically switch to the details view, added an extra in the pane on the left for an album view won a time exceeded counter in the status area with some transport controls, you would have a pretty good music player.E-Mail clients are also specialized Dateibrowser.In classic three layout area representing the left panel shows the files folder in the right upper pane in the bottom right corner a Viewer.Klicken is on the message and it opens a slightly specialized text editor.

Use tagging ubiquitous on the normal desktop would be a way for desktop Linux which competition to get, and I have an idea that it would appeal to above all people, remember that understanding tagging not experts no problems on the Web have not waren.Denken computer experts.

I see two main obstacles to greater adoption of marking on the desktop as the lack of absence of a uniform standard for metadata and the above Anwendungserkennung.Mich I question, which the first mainstream distribution or desktop environment to experiment with removing directories and go 100% end user tagging are is?

The tagging image when this article was used symbol of Salvatore Vuono erstellt.Von free digital photos are downloaded.

______________________

Writer Michael Reed free http://www.unmusic.co.uk/ technology, retro computing, geek writes with culture and gender politics based in Großbritannien.Seine byline has appeared in several technology publications.

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This is our two hundredth issue!  We celebrated the 200th issue by sending Kyle Rankin at Spain, Shawn do leave the podcast alone.  OK maybe not we actually send it Kyle after Spain, but since he, Shawn gives us a solo version of Linux Journal insiders.  This month is the reader's choice awards, so it is a great month your preferences against fellow Linux Journalians compare to see how you compare.  We got our regular line of tech articles, tutorials and geeky reviews up.  Whether the 200th issue is your first exposure to Linux Journal, or this month your 10 x 20 barn-sized mosaic tribute to the magazine is completed; It is a question you don't want to miss.

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Error al deserializar el cuerpo del mensaje de respuesta para la operación 'Translate'. Se superó la cuota de longitud del contenido de cadena (8192) al leer los datos XML. Esta cuota se puede aumentar cambiando la propiedad MaxStringContentLength en el objeto XmlDictionaryReaderQuotas que se usa para crear el lector XML. Línea 1, posición 8957.
Error al deserializar el cuerpo del mensaje de respuesta para la operación 'Translate'. Se superó la cuota de longitud del contenido de cadena (8192) al leer los datos XML. Esta cuota se puede aumentar cambiando la propiedad MaxStringContentLength en el objeto XmlDictionaryReaderQuotas que se usa para crear el lector XML. Línea 1, posición 8848.

In Part 1, I introduced you to OTRS and guided you through the process of installing and configuring oTRS on your system. At the end of Part 1, you were able to log in to the OTRS Dashboard, which serves as the central point for all OTRS operations.

In Part 2, you'll learn a little more about how OTRS works and you'll also understand the concepts of agents, queues and customers. These concepts are essential to working with OTRS in a production environment. You'll also learn how to create your own OTRS theme, to customize OTRS to your corporate environment.

Now that you've got all the pieces installed and configured, it's time to take OTRS out for a spin and see how it works. To begin, assume for a moment that you run a Web hosting service named Dizzy Domains, selling customers the bandwidth and disk space they need to host their Web sites and email. As a small, service-oriented business, you've always tried to support your customers by responding to problems quickly and efficiently. Word has spread about the good service you offer, and you're signing up more and more customers every day. The natural consequence of more customers is, of course, more support requests and so, you've decided to install OTRS to help your three-man support team cope with the increasing workload.

OTRS defines two main types of users: agents and customers. Customers generate support tickets; agents receive and resolve them. Therefore, as a necessary first step, you must create agent accounts for each of your support personnel, to enable them to log in to OTRS and begin dealing with customer requests. To do this, use the Dashboard -> Admin -> Users -> User Management -> Add User command and create accounts for each of your agents. Figure 8 has an example of what the account creation form looks like:

Figure 8: Agent account creation

You will need to enter each agent's first and last name, login username, password, preferred language, together with notification preferences for different OTRS events. Once these details are submitted, you'll be asked to specify the agent's privileges. By default, OTRS comes with three groups - "users", "admin" and "stats" - and allows you to customize the privileges each agent has with respect to tickets in each group. It's generally a good idea to ensure that your agents have full privileges for the "users" group, as this allows them to move, merge, create, add notes to and set priorities for tickets in most queues. Figure 9 has an example of how you can configure this:

Figure 9: Agent privilege mapping

To get things rolling, go ahead and create three example accounts, as shown below (replace the example email addresses with real ones if you'd like to receive OTRS email notifications):

Assigning agents to the "admin" group gives them administrative privileges, and assigning them to the "stats" group gives them access to report generation functions. You may also wish to create other groups - for example, based on department or role - and customize each agent's privileges for these groups. New groups can be created in the Dashboard -> Admin -> Groups section, while user/group privilege mappings can be further fine-tuned with the Dashboard -> Admin -> Users<->Groups section.

Next up, queues. In OTRS-speak, queues are simply categories, making it easy to group together tickets of a similar nature. By default, OTRS comes with a single pre-defined queue, the "Raw" queue, into which all incoming tickets are placed. However, it's quite easy to define new queues, and to manually or automatically filter tickets into these queues for resolution by specialized teams or individuals.

To illustrate, go ahead and add a new queue for email-related problems, by using the Dashboard -> Admin -> Queue -> Queue Management command. Enter a name for the queue, such as "Email Services", specify which group it should belong to (the "users" group is usually best), and select the email address, salutation and signature that should be used for the automatic email confirmation that goes to customers when they open a new ticket. Figure 10 has an example of how a queue can be configured.

Figure 10: Queue configuration

You'll notice, from Figure 10, that each queue also includes some fields related to something called "escalation". What's that all about, you say? Well, it's actually quite interesting. You see, OTRS automatically tracks each ticket, from the moment it is created to the moment it is closed, and can automatically flag ("escalate") tickets for special attention if they are left untouched for a certain period of time. Tickets can be escalated based on the time taken for an initial response, for an update or for a solution.

This automatic monitoring system is extremely useful, especially for organizations that have to handle many thousands of support requests, because it ensures that not even a single ticket falls through the cracks or is left unanswered. The actual time period for each type of escalation can, of course, be configured on a per-queue basis. For a Web hosting company like Dizzy Domains, 8 hours for a first response, 24 hours for an update and 36 hours for a final solution would probably be reasonable values to use.

With all this information at hand, go ahead and create some queues for Dizzy Domains, as shown below:

Agents can also "watch" particular queues them by adding those queues to their "My Queues" list. This list is a convenient way for the agent to quickly see relevant tickets as soon as he or she logs in. Agents can configure their "My Queues" list through the Dashboard -> Preferences -> My Queues screen after logging in (Figure 11).

Figure 11: Favorite queue selection

In case you're wondering about the "Raw", "Junk" and "Postmaster" queues, don't worry too much about them. These are the default queues that are automatically bundled with each OTRS installation. The "Raw" queue is a stream of all incoming tickets; the "Postmaster" queue references Postmaster-related issues; and the "Junk" queue, as the name suggests, is where agents can transfer invalid tickets.

Every customer who wishes to submit a ticket through OTRS must have an OTRS account. These accounts can be created in two ways: by an administrator, through manual entry of a customer's details, or by the customer through a self-registration process.

OTRS comes with a basic self-service portal, which allows customers to register themselves with their email address, as a necessary prelude to creating new tickets. You can see this portal for yourself by visiting http://localhost/otrs/customer.pl, which should produce something like Figure 12:

Figure 12: OTRS customer self-service portal

Before you can actually turn your system live, you might want to adjust this interface to better reflect your company name and branding. This is actually quite easy to do. To begin, navigate to your OTRS installation directory, and find the $OTRS/Kernel/Output/HTML folder. Within this folder, you'll see sub-folders for OTRS' default themes, named "Standard" and "Lite" (Figure 13).

Figure 13: Directory structure for OTRS themes

Create a new folder for your custom theme - say, $OTRS/Kernel/Output/HTML/Dizzy - and copy the files $OTRS/Kernel/Output/HTML/Standard/CustomerHeader.dtl and $OTRS/Kernel/Output/HTML/Standard/CustomerFooter.dtl. These template files control the customer portal's header and footer sections, and you should now customize them to reflect your site's own branding, colors and special attributes (more information here)

Once you're done, save your changes, and then navigate to the OTRS configuration screens, at Dashboard -> Admin -> Sysconfig. Search for the Core group and enter the name of your custom theme in the field named "DefaultTheme" (Figure 14). Save your changes, and go back to the customer portal, where you should see your new theme in all its glory (Figure 15).

Figure 14: Theme configuration

Figure 15: Customized OTRS customer self-service portal

At this point, you have set up an example OTRS installation. All that's left is to introduce some unhappy customers. Part 3 discusses the ticket resolution workflow in detail.

Copyright OTRS Group, 2010. All rights reserved.

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