How to install ns-3 on Ubuntu


When I first started ns-3 (Network Simulator 3), I was in an ocean of bafflements. It took me several days to install ns-3 on Ubuntu for the first time, although I am an Ubuntu user. There is nothing wrong with Ubuntu, it is user friendly and cool as always. The main problem is the installation process of ns-3, which is, in true sense is not user friendly (at all). From my experience, I understand that it can be overwhelming for people using either ns-3 or Ubuntu or both for the first time. So this is a newbie guide to install and configure ns-3 on Ubuntu for the first time.

Step 1: Prepare the prerequisites

  • First, I assume that you are running Ubuntu 16.04 operating system the latest LTS version of Ubuntu. But the process should work on other Ubuntu distributions as well.
  • Second, I assume that you are using Ubuntu either Natively or using a Virtual Machine (VM) (a VM is strongly recommended if you don’t know what you are doing).
  • Third, I assume that you have a working Internet connection on Ubuntu at the time of installation.

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How to add IEEEtran to the LyX setup in Ubuntu

Since you are here, particularly in this page, I believe that you already know what is LyX. And you must also know that when you install LyX, you get a nice template for IEEEtran. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work. Because it does not have the IEEEtrans.cls class. Well … this article is aimed at helping you overcome this major headache. Put your aspirin away now! Things are about to get better. Thanks to this link for getting me out of this pain.
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Take part in The LibreOffice User Survey

No matter whether you are an occasional or a die-hard LibreOffice user, you are cordially invited to take part in The LibreOffice User Survey. The survey aims to gather user feedback so that future goals and development decisions are shaped towards users ‘needs and wishes’. As OMG!Ubuntu stated, in the LibreOffice mailing list Scott Pledger said:

With your opinion you are helping to improve future versions of LibreOffice and design them according to your preferences. Your answers help us to improve future versions of LibreOffice

The survey takes a few minutes and can be filled in online.

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Google+ : The new Social Network

Well… it seems that right now Google+ is the hottest web address on the planet! Those who have it can’t stop using, those who haven’t are eagerly waiting for an invitation. Yeah … you read it right! You need an invitation to use it, just like the early days of Gmail.

Google asked a few number of people to use the Google+, the new social network from Google. On June 29, Google enabled an invitation option for them so that they can invite other people to join the Google+ network. But the invitation process went like a hell. It became so frenzy that Google disabled the option just after a few hours of enabling it. Vic Gundotra, a senior vice president at Google mentioned the invitation as – “Insane demand”. So he said that, “We need to do this carefully, and in a controlled way”.

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Can’t we get an easier & handy software installation process in Ubuntu?

After eying the title of this post, you must be astonished –  why on earth I am saying that Ubuntu needs an ‘easier‘ and ‘handy‘ software installation process! Software Installation in Ubuntu is already a breeze. All one have to do is just heading to the Ubuntu Software Center, find/choose what software one needs and then hit the install button. Or one can download the .deb package and double click it to install the program. The installed program is ready for one in no time. Anyone have to admit that it is really pretty easy, even easier than Windows (where you have to click lots of ‘Next’ buttons during the installation process).

This whole procedure is easy if the computer is connected to the internet. What if the computer is in offline? You’re probably wondering who doesn’t have internet now a days! Actually there are a lots of them. Such as in my country Bangladesh, internet is not available to the majority of the computer users. Even though the minority gets the benefit of internet, they don’t have blazing fast speed. An average home user gets 10 kbps to 15 kbps download speed. Which is quite a low speed for downloading. And obviously majority users are using Windows. As there is a scarcity of internet and proper download speed, people download  necessary software installer from some online computers and then use that downloaded installer to several other offline computers to install the program.

Now compare the scenario with an Ubuntu installed offline PC. Probably the easiest way to install a software in an offline Ubuntu computer is using the Keryx. It can keep track of the source ppa and dependencies, which is quite awesome. But still not easy enough to handle for a newbie. How? Well… firstly, using a third party software to install programs is a bit ‘scary‘. Secondly, if any one wants to share the downloaded file with others then it will be a problem. Suppose I have an offline Ubuntu computer and I want to install some program. So I take my flash drive (which have Keryx inside it) and connect it to a computer which has the internet connection. Then I download the desired program with the Keryx, and install it in my offline computer. It is easy. But what if I want to install that same downloaded program to another offline Ubuntu PC? There are sure chances that the dependencies in the second PC will be conflicted. Because it downloads the dependencies according to the first PC, so the second PC will suffer from dependency issues. And that is a nightmare for an average computer user. So as a result, previously mentioned “download with one computer and install in several different computers” theory does not work here smoothly.

To be frankly, the average users don’t give a damn about the dependencies. They don’t want to search the web to find out which libraries (and which versions) are required to install a specific program. They need the system to be ‘just worked’. I’ve seen many users who are very much afraid to use Ubuntu as they don’t have internet connection in there home. And they don’t want to jumble themselves with the dependency hell.

My point is to find out that whether it is possible to implement a more easier and handy software installation process for the offline computers (like MacOSX may be). All the dependencies will be packed in a single package for a certain program. (Please don’t be confused with the projects like portable linux apps. I am talking about a complete software installation.) The user just need to download that file and drag-n-drop that file (like MacOSX) to some places (may be in the Application lens) or double click the file (like the .deb files) for installation. Or may be we can figure out a smarter way to accomplish this. Thus it would be much more handy for the newbie users as well as the offline users.

I am not sure if I made my point clear. In recent days, Ubuntu emphasis on the looks-n-feels for the users. I think it is also important to simplify the software installation process for the newcomers as well as for all the offline users. To my view it is one of the important bottle neck. May be it is a dumb idea. Some of you may point your finger to the security issues. But I didn’t find any simpler idea than this for helping the offline users. Any thought on this? Any other idea?

It’s time for FireFoxFour!

Just installed the long awaited Firefox 4. Right now I am writing this post from FF4. I am a huge fan of FF for the last few years (from FF2 more precisely). With new look-n-feel and cool features, FF4 will sure rock your browsing experience.

FireFoxFour

To download Firefox go here. Ubuntu users can install FF4 via PPA. It has not been added to the Ubuntu official repository (yet), but why keep your Ubuntu awaiting! You can install FF4 in Lucid and Maverick following the process below:

  1. Go to Applications > Ubuntu Software Center from the top panel.
  2. Head to Edit > Software Sources and click the ‘Other Software’ tab.
  3. Press ‘Add’ button and then paste the following line into the relevant field to add the PPA. [code]ppa:mozillateam/firefox-stable[/code]
  4. After adding the PPA you will be prompted to update your sources.
  5. Once the update is done you can head to System > Administration > Update Manager to perform an upgrade.
  6. Thus FF4 will be installed in the system.

You can do the above processes via the Terminal easily and quickly. For this:

  1. From the top panel go to Applications > Terminal.
  2. In the terminal just enter the following command and give your password when asked. This will add the PPA to your Ubuntu repository. [code]sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mozillateam/firefox-stable[/code]
  3. Now run the following command in the terminal
    [code]sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade[/code]

So your Ubuntu is all set with FireFoxFour! To see what’s new in Firefox 4, check out the following video:

And there is a Firefox4 Twitter party going on HERE. You can  join there and celebrate the party with other Firefox users! Happy FFFing!!

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mozillateam/firefox-stable

Lucid Lynx: Mockup

Well… Everybody in the Ubuntu world is pretty much excited about the new design of upcoming Lucid Lynx. Lots of discussion is going on. Some says the new design is pretty Macish, some are in opposition of putting the maximize-minimize-close buttons in the left corner, some says the button chronology should be in a way so that the close button should be in the either corners, and so on. Lots of propositions are taking places. So why shouldn’t I propose something? Who knows, may be Canonical will find something important from my design! (If they dare to choose mine 😀 )

Here goes my (insane!) proposal. Look at the following window of  newly designed Lucid Lynx.

I’ve just put the maximize-minimize-close buttons at the bottom! Well, Mac has their button at the upper left and Windows has in the upper right. So by following on of the architecture implies that Ubuntu doesn’t have anything of its own! Here goes the identity of Ubuntu. Again in case of usability, when we scroll the window, it is always in the direction of top to bottom. So When we reach at the bottom, we move our cursor again to the top to close (or maximize or minimize) the window. Isn’t it be easier to perform those tasks by not moving the cursor to a 180 degree opposite direction? I think so. And it would be a pretty easy method to perform those tasks. Though it needs some practice.

At the upper left corner a logo of the program can be placed, and the title can be placed at the centre of  title bar. May be a click on the logo will show a text menu of maximize-minimize-close-move-etc.

So what do you think? Don’t hesitate to tell me, How insane is this design! 😉

Block Google Buzz updates from your Gmail inbox

Probably you already heard of Google Buzz. It’s the new twitter, actually it is more than twitter. Moreover it is integrated with Gmail inbox! That means you don’t need a separate signing up or signing in to access Google Buzz. Once you sign in to your Gmail inbox and voilà… it is there! The one irritating problem is that every time any one buzz you, that will be stored in your inbox (just like the facebook or other social site’s notifications). Though there is no direct option to disable the buzzes for avoiding your inbox to be flooded but… don’t worry… you can still block those buzzes from pouring your inbox. Or even you can turn off all the buzzes altogether from Inbox and from Buzz.

Block buzz from the Inbox

1. Open your Gmail and click on the Settings from the upper right corner.

2. Select Filters, then click on Create a new filter.

3. Now you’ll find a field named Has the words. In the text field write is:buzz.

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