MPEG-2 Video Support missing in ffmpeg

Today I tried to encode a MPEG-2 video in Ubuntu 8.10 (intrepid) with the following instruction:

ffmpeg -i in.avi -vcodec mpeg2video -r 25 -s pal -vb 2048 out.mpg

ffmpeg blamed about not being able to encode to mpeg2video.

ffmpeg -formats | grep mpeg2video

gave

 D VSDT mpeg2video

as result, where the E is missing which would indicate the encoding support.
Don't know when exactly this support got lost (ffmpeg also disappeared from Medibuntu repository), but after some investigation I found the solution.
You have to install different packages which include this video codec.

Install instructions

You need to have the multiverse repository enabled (see this post about how to do this from the command line).

sudo -v
sudo aptitude install ~nlibav.+-unstripped.+

If you already have installed the stripped packages, you'll be asked to remove them as they are in conflict with the unstripped one.
Now, the previous instructions give this output

 DEVSDT mpeg2video

and encoding to MPEG-2 works fine.

KeePassX crash when auto-typing special characters

KeePassX 0.3.4 has been released which fixes a crash when auto-typing special characters.
Very frequent with the '@' when your user name is your email address.

Just download the corresponding package from the download section install it with GDebi or whatever and the problem is gone.

Read more about KeePass in a previous post about it.

Add missing network settings to Ubuntu Intrepid

If you remember the screen-shot on the right than you used to add host aliases, set your host name etc. from Ubuntu Hardys menu System --> Administration --> Network.

After upgrading to Ubuntu 8.10 (Intrepid) this menu was gone, and the options can't be found anywhere.

Install instructions

sudo aptitude install gnome-network-admin

After this instruction the menu entry returned and you can tweak your network as usual.

MS Project 2003 on Ubuntu

As I already mentioned about Gantt Charting, on Windows commonly used is MS Office Project. Not always you can avoid its use, especially if anyone else in your company uses it and you'll be asked to prepare a Gantt chart for them.

So what can you do if you don't want to abandon your great Ubuntu desktop?

The solution is to run in under the hood of Crossover (will only work with MS Project 2003 Pro).
But I ran into some trouble, so I'll explain the solution here.

It is still recommendable to use any of the
open source applications which I mention here!

Install instructions

1. Install Crossover of course. Do it with your normal user account, the recommended way.
2. Install MS Project 2003 Pro from Crossover's internal installer, inside a win2000 bottle.
   
   • After being installed you can already run Project, but it will complain all the time that you have to add gbui://mainpage.htm to your trusted sites inside of Internet Explorer.
3. So we have no other choice as to install IExplorer always.
   
   • Make sure you select the same win2000 bottle as the one of Project, otherwise your settings will not been seen by Project.
   • Crossover will tell you that it is a bad idea and that it will most likely fail, but nevertheless go on and ignore the warning at the end.

Configuration

Now we have to add the mentioned page to your trusted sites list.

1. Launch Crossovers Configuration application.
2. Manage Bottles tab.
3. Select the win2000 bottle and push Configure.
4. Enter the Control Panel tab.
5. Push the icon for Internet Options.
6. Go to Security --- Trusted sites -- Sites... and enter gbui://mainpage.htm
   
   • You'll have to disable Require server verification first.

That's it, leave and apply the settings and from now on, MS Project 2003 will work like a charm.