Ubuntu: .bash_profile does not get run at startup in Graphical Mode Login

I installed the Sun JDK on my computer and, set up the JAVA_HOME environment in .bash_profile file. Then, I sourced the file:
source .bash_profile
Fine, the JAVA_HOME variable was there I could do my work. However, once I rebooted my computer I could not get my env variable again when I opned gnome terminal. However, if I turn to console mode (Alt+Crtl+F2, for instance) I could get the variable.
This happens because Ubuntu does not "source" the file ~/.bash_profile during Graphical login. The script /etc/gdm/Xsession is in charge of initializing variables for use by all sessions. However, this script does not "source" the ~/.bash_profile file as an interactive Bash login would do. The solution therefore is to edit the /etc/gdm/Xsession file and add source .bash_profile. Here is a snipet:

sudo vi /etc/gdm/Xsession

# First read /etc/profile and .profile
test -f /etc/profile && . /etc/profile
test -f "$HOME/.bash_profile" && . "$HOME/.bash_profile"
# Second read /etc/xprofile and .xprofile for X specific setup
test -f /etc/xprofile && . /etc/xprofile
test -f "$HOME/.xprofile" && . "$HOME/.xprofile"

The page http://www.linuks.mine.nu/debian-faq-wiki/DotFiles gives an interesting explanation of the way your Debian/Ubuntu systems behave with respect to the reading of "dot files" at login time, setting up aliases, setting up environment variables, and so on is all highly dependent on how you actually log in. It's worth reading.

glibc manpages in Ubuntu 6.06

After a long search finally I have found glibc documentation in Ubuntu 6.06 and, as expected it was not in glibc-doc package rather in manpages-dev. I have been searching for it already for a couple of weeks and, the "enlightment" came from https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-devel

Hopefully, glibc documentation will come back into glibc-doc package where it belongs.

Thus, don't forget for now:

sudo aptitude install manpages-dev

Itzhak

Installing essential development tools

Ubuntu, by default, does not install the tools necessary to compile and debug software. If you're a programmer working on Ubuntu you have to install the necessary tools (gcc, gdb) by yourself. To do this follow the few steps below:

1) Open a terminal
2) type sudo aptitude install build-essential bin86

You're done.

If you need additional things, for example, a graphical debugger (ddd) type: sudo aptitude install ddd. Or, search the repository other tools, aptitude search electric-fence.

Have a look also at http://www.ubuntuguide.org

Linux on iPaq rx3715

Yesterday night, I started migrating my iPaq to Linux. It is not stable yet. That's the reason I still have a dual boot iPaq. Hopefully, by this weekend I will finish the migration completely, then Linux will be the only operating system running on my iPaq. I'm planning also to contribute to the project at Handhelds.org in order to bring Linux the iPaq to a stable state. Please, visit the following link for a how-to boot Linux on your rx3715.
Booting Linux - on iPaq rx3715

As soon as I finish my migration I will also write a how-to in this blog.

cheers

Last week, my friend Moshe and I went out to our usual mountain biking in the weekend. We planned to a 31.5 Km trail in a very technical area on Mount Sodom. Unfortunately, we map and instruction we got for this specific trail was not so clear. Therefore, we missed the right trail and, got lost in the canyons. We realized that we were not in the right direction. Then, we decided to turn around and return to the beginning of the trail in order to restart from the right point. So, we did. We restart in the right track. We advance some 10Km, but as it was getting late an, we didn't want to spend the night in the mountains. We had to give up the trail and try it again another time.

This weekend we cannot ride because my son is ill. Therefore, next week we will be trying again this beautiful trail. I'm attaching some pictures, so you can see a beautiful desert landscape.

PM Sharon to remain under sedation for 48 hours

PM Sharon to remain under sedation for 48 hours

When travelling to work this morning, I heard in shock the news that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had just been hospitalized for an emergency surgery. I pray for his quick and full recovery.

He is the only Israeli politician capable of leading Israel into a peaceful existence. I'm very sad as my whole country is in this moment.