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1

Minty Fresh on a Meerkat: My Latest Linux Setup

September 15, 2025September 10, 2025
2

My start with BASIC programming

September 12, 2025September 8, 2025
3

Read long lines with getline

September 11, 2025September 8, 2025
4

Rhythmbox is a great music player for GNOME

September 10, 2025September 8, 2025
5

Reading the command line with getopt

September 9, 2025September 8, 2025
6

How do I choose a Linux distribution?

September 5, 2025September 5, 2025
7

Using QGIS and MerginMaps for Geospatial Data Work

September 4, 2025September 3, 2025
8

Exploring GNU Algol 68: Formatting numbers as strings for output

September 3, 2025September 2, 2025
9

What you need to know when you buy a new computer

September 2, 2025September 2, 2025
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jhall

Jim Hall is an open source software developer and advocate. His first contribution to open source was in 1993 with a patch to GNU Emacs, but he is probably best known for his work on FreeDOS, the open source version of the DOS operating system, and for his work on usability in open source software. In addition to writing open source software, Jim also writes about open source software, including Both.org and All Things Open, and about technical writing at Technically We Write.
Command Line Linux

Check spelling at the command line

Check spelling at the command line like old-school Unix with this cool script.

Jim Hall
August 24, 2024August 16, 2024
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Fun Programming

Guess the number in FORTRAN 77

Explore classic programming in FORTRAN 77 with this sample program.

Jim Hall
August 20, 2024August 13, 2024
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LibreOffice

Count magic bunnies in LibreOffice Calc

Use this tutorial to learn about AutoFill in LibreOffice Calc.

Jim Hall
August 19, 2024August 13, 2024
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LibreOffice

LibreOffice Calc functions to make your work easier

Here are the LibreOffice Calc functions that I use all the time to get my work done.

Jim Hall
August 12, 2024August 7, 2024
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History Programming

A look back: FORTRAN 77

Take a step back in time to a time when programs were punched on cards.

Jim Hall
August 10, 2024August 7, 2024
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File Management Programming

Converting WordStar files

Explore how this popular word processor stored data, so you can convert your old files.

Jim Hall
August 9, 2024August 6, 2024
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Terminal Xfce

5 things I love about Xfce Terminal

I use these Xfce Terminal features all the time to work at the command line.

Jim Hall
August 2, 2024July 30, 2024
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Design Desktop Graphics Linux

Visual brand and identity

A user interface has a visual identity. See how simple shapes can represent several common interfaces.

Jim Hall
July 19, 2024July 15, 2024
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Linux Raspberry Pi System Administration

Automate Raspberry Pi tasks with crontab

If you need to do a task on a regular schedule, explore how you can use crontab to do the repetitive work for you.

Jim Hall
July 15, 2024July 10, 2024
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Fun Vim

My favorite Vim color schemes

Customize Vim to use the color scheme that works best for you.

Jim Hall
July 12, 2024July 7, 2024
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FreeDOS History

Celebrating 30 years of FreeDOS

FreeDOS is a great example of the open source model: developers working together to create new programs

Jim Hall
June 29, 2024May 29, 2024
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Open Source 101

How many usability testers do you need?

It doesn’t take many testers to get results that are “good enough” to improve your design.

Jim Hall
June 28, 2024June 15, 2024
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Open Source 101

Screencasts for usability testing

With screencasts, you can extend your usability testing.

Jim Hall
June 26, 2024June 15, 2024
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Open Source 101

Usability testing in open source software

Through usability testing, we can make open source software projects easier for everyone to use.

Jim Hall
June 24, 2024June 15, 2024
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Documentation

Tips on writing open source documentation

Adjust your style when writing documentation to reach a wider audience.

Jim Hall
June 22, 2024June 15, 2024
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Leadership Open Source 101

Open source in organizations

Open source is a power multiplier for today’s IT organizations.

Jim Hall
June 21, 2024June 15, 2024
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Random Quote

Most of the good programmers do programming not because they expect to get paid or get adulation by the public, but because it is fun to program.

— Linus Torvalds

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Links: Open Source Software

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“systemd for SysAdmins” Now Available

May 13,2025

My latest book — a #1 New Release on Amazon — “systemd for Linux  SysAdmins” is now available from my publisher, Apress, and on Amazon.

2nd Edition now Available

All three volumes of this best-selling second edition of my Linux Self-Study course are now available from Apress and Amazon. See the details of this 3-volume self-study course.

Technically We Write — Our Partner Site

Our partner site, Technically We Write, has published a number of articles from several contributors to Both.org. Check them out.

Technically We Write is a community of technical writers, technical editors, copyeditors, web content writers, and all other roles in technical communication.

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