cool Linux tricks needed

[ph34r]

Hi all.... I'm teaching a Linux class this semester, and we've just come off of spring break. We've covered a lot of teh basics - getting around, commands, networking, shell scripting, etc. and we are about to start services. However, I'm giving them a test to take home and do, so I don't want any new "real" materials to teach tonite. So I'd like to do cool Linux tricks - things that will make the MS Fanboys drool with envy, and the Mac users wonder why that feature isn't in OS X yet.

So, what do I show 'em? Already planning on remote desktop logins via xdmcp and/or GDM query, as well as runneling an X application over ssh back to your local machine, and of course the ever popular screensaver as desktop background. But what else?

Oh, and before I get flamed, this isn't a "do my homework for me" post - this is a "what homework should I demonstrate and then assign" post :)

[dr_te_z]

Build one of those http://www.linuxtoys.org/multiseat/multiseat.html

[goon12]

It's not a trick, but something cool is to let them play around with different window managers. I think this on of the best ways to demonstrate the choices available, when using Linux, to new and non Linux users. It's immediate and in their face.

[DrChuck]

How about mounting an .iso disk image to the filesystem using "mount -o loop". And conversely, creating a disk image from a cd using only dd.

[cybertron]

Beryl of course, if that's an option. All of the little tricks you can do with that make Aqua and Aero look boring. If you do this make sure to have a video to play to demonstrate that it's actually displaying in 3d and not just capturing a screenshot. I'm not sure if the other OS's do that or not, but it's damn cool.

I like starting multiple X servers and then running a game on one and adminning the server from another. Not sure how impressed other people would be with that.:)

Some neat shell tricks like sed or even just a mass rename that would be impossibly tedious in a GUI file manager.

I know there are many others, I just can't think of them off the top of my head.:(

Edit: If you have a compatible wireless router, run Linux firmware and some of the advanced software you can use with it.

[blackbelt_jones]

I don't think so.

People are always impressed when I tell them about how my hard drives failed (luckily, it was just a bad cable) just when i had paid for a month of premium content from a website. (No, it wasn't porn. Yes, I am lying.) I was able to download data and burn CDs with no working hard drive, thanks to a live Kanotix cd, and extra cd burner, and a gig of RAM.

So I'd say run your computer without a hard drive using a live CD. It doesn't get much more like a magic trick than that.

Also, for something simpler but still impressive could just be a live demonstration of apt-get for Debian or Ubuntu. It still iimpresses me to think of that massive collection of software, everything from games to scientific applications, readily available at no cost for a simple command.

Also, using Linux to get some real use out of an old, slow, low-end computer can be interesting for some.

[Calipso]

how about setting up Xinerama to work with all the machines in the lab. Basically make all the screens in the lab work as one massive monitor.

I have to admit though, you sure got my attention with "running a screensaver as a wallpaper". Im picturing a Matrix screensaver :D


OFFTOPIC: anyone else notice how people call the wallpaper the screensaver these days?

[cybertron]

So I'd say run your computer without a hard drive using a live CD. It doesn't get much more like a magic trick than that.
Yeah, that thought had crossed my mind too, although I was thinking that if the students bring laptops to class run a Live CD on one of those.

I also thought something like ClusterKnoppix would be fun, but I've never gotten it to work myself so I'm not sure if I can recommend it.

[ph34r]

OK, well, this class has been going on for 8 weeks already, so we've done the live cds, one reboot installs, etc. I'm really looking for the ultra cool stuff that only *nix (and X, etc. all with it) can do.

Calipso - depending on what distro you are running, you may just have to specify the root window. In Ubuntu, I had to go into gconf-editor and in the apps section tell nautilus to not display my desktop - which kills whatever icons, etc. you had there. But once that is done, you just call the screensaver and specify the root window - /usr/lib/xscreensaver/glmatrix -root

[Calipso]

I know what Im trying when I get home!!
Thanks!

[retsaw]

mass rename that would be impossibly tedious in a GUI file manager.Why's that? Rox has had the ability to do mass renames using regex's for ages. Shame Konqueror doesn't have that ability, but there is KRename if you want a GUI app to do it, which is quicker for me since I don't have to try and work out what the correct syntax is do it from the command line.

I quite like nested X sessions, that is starting a new X session in a window in your current one using Xnest.

[Calipso]

pretty!
now if only I could get the matrix screensaver as the skydome in beryl :D

[irlandes]

bring up dc, and have it print a square root to 1,000 digits. I know of nothing outside Linux that can do it.

[wheelnut]

How about booting a diskless machine from a disk machine using NFS Server - Windows cannot do this AFAIK (not sure about Mac though). Also, start up linux on a machine with 500 MB HDD, 32 MB RAM in Text mode, just prove that it can be done and that it is usable (again, do not know about Mac, but Windows XP would not be very usable under those conditions).
How about sending an EMail from the command line in linux - dead easy, but damned difficult (if not impossible without extra tools) in XP...

[KingJorge]

How about SSH-ing into another user's machine. Killing that users X session (if it is running) and piping text onto that user's display al la The Matrix.

Wake up Neo...

Stupid little trick, but provides at least 5 minutes of fun.

[cybertron]

Why's that? Rox has had the ability to do mass renames using regex's for ages. Shame Konqueror doesn't have that ability, but there is KRename if you want a GUI app to do it, which is quicker for me since I don't have to try and work out what the correct syntax is do it from the command line.
Hmm, I'll have to look into that, although I do most of my file management from the command-line so I don't know how much I would use it. In any case I don't know of any way to do it in the Windows file manager, and I'd bet the Mac finder doesn't have regex renaming either.

[crow2icedearth]

how about setting up a ssh --- vncserver

tunnel vncserver using ssh...... and it will only connect to the vncserver if you first ssh then run the vncviewer .

[dr_te_z]

How about SSH-ing into another user's machine. Killing that users X session (if it is running) and piping text onto that user's display al la The Matrix.
No, don't kill the other X session, just launch a (naughty)picture to the other screen, preferably when someone is looking over his/her shoulder.

You can have a lot of fun when X is not secured.

[je_fro]

Or make a generic live distro on a memory stick....that's cool to have.