A. LINUX VS WINDOWS:
Linux and Windows have a great deal in common, except for the way they each address storage devices and their partitions. One must remember that a single storage device can have multiple partitions.
Windows uses a single drive letter to reference a device and a single specific partition within the device. The C: drive is really the main system partition, (not the hard drive itself), on the resident hard drive as most everyone knows. A perceived problem is what happens when you run out of letters. But then that is probably an unwarranted fear. It is highly unlikely to see a single Windows system with more than 26 partitions.
Linux, on the other hand, makes a distinction between device type, device letter, and partition number. So a specific device is identified by the combination of device type, such as “sd” for a removable flash drive, and a letter for the device.
Example: sda the “a” meaning flash drive 1 or mcd the “d” meaning media card 4. But it does not end there because any one of these devices could have multiple partitions. Therefore, a partition number is appended to the device.
Example: sda2 or mcd1. So we can see that Linux is not concerned with running out of drive letter like Windows. But who really cares?
It would not be fair to under-estimate Microsoft’s effort in providing program support for a wide variety of devices. No matter, it would seem Linux is all caught up in that regard.
In my view there are a couple of really big differences between the two. First, Linux can host multiple Windows systems very easily. I don’t know this to be true of Windows. Secondly, a full system backup is extremely important for the health and safety of any digital device.
For those who don’t know what a full system backup is, it is a recording on a separate storage area or device of everything on the digital device including operating system and user data. Google’s Android Cell Phone “FACTORY RESET” and Chromebook “POWER WASH” are examples of full system backups taken before any user system changes or data is introduced. The unfortunate thing about these factory backups is they do not include any changes a user may have made to the system after using the device or his user data. But Google does attempt to offer help in that regard by offering cloud services to dynamically backup any changes made by the user. No matter, this can all be done if the user has a pc which he can use to do his own backing up.
Getting back to our comparison, Linux has a very simple and efficient full system backup program called RESCUEZILLA that resides on a bootable flash drive. It can backup Windows as well as Linux in a very friendly user manner. It is the ease in which a full system backup is taken that makes Linux my favorite. Windows 10 relies upon Windows 7 System Backup which is integrated into the Windows system and far more cumbersome to use.
Aside from these differences, both Linux and Windows have a Line Command program, aka, a keyboard only textual user interface, and a Desktop Command program, aka, a mouse and keyboard graphical user interface. And both have a software libraries full of useful application programs, aka, “apps”.
The most confusing thing about Linux are the number of different “distributions” out there. Because Linux was developed freely by the open source community, a wide number of Linux “types” exist, all having different names like Ubuntu, Debian, Red Hat, Mint, etc . But regardless, they are all “FREE” and well maintained.
So obviously my preference is Linux over Windows. Here are a couple of facts about Linux you might find interesting.
1. It was derived from a Univac mainframe operating system called UNIX and adapted to micro computers.
2. Google’s Android & Chromebook systems are Linux based.
B. WHAT IS A “PORT”?
At this point it seems appropriate to say what a “port” is. Specifically, it is the means by which a router connects to & invokes a specific program on a specific computer. The router is connected to a single line in accessing the internet. That one line has to be broken up into multiple “ports” in order to allow the connection to multiple programs. The ports are numerically assigned and each having a specific target program on a specific target computer.
Ports 80 & 443 are reserved for accessing a website using a browser. Why two ports if one port alone is enough to handle two way traffic? Port 80 is for local (non-internet) unsecured access & port 443 is for remote (internet) secured internet access.
Ports 25 (for local unsecured access) & 587 (for remote secured access) are reserved for accessing a MTA (defined later) email server program.
Port 993 is for remote secured access to an email MDA/MUA imap (defined later) program. Port 21 is used for accessing an FTP File Transfer Program.
No doubt you have heard the phrase “port forwarding”. This is how a router designates which port goes to which computer that is connected to the router & listening to the specific port on the computer end. The computer is usually connected to the router via wifi or ethernet cable & identified by the router with a local network ip address . Each computer connected to the router has a unique ip address beginning with 192.168.?.?. In port forwarding, the router is told which ports to assign to which network ip addresses by a human called the “network administrator”.
C. THE COMPLEX OF PROGRAMS TO PROCESS EMAILS:
It should be noted that the sending and receiving of email requires a complex of three different program types:
MTA = Mail Transfer Agent = sending and receiving of email.
MDA = Mail Delivery Agent = intermediate access of received
emails.
MUA = Mail User Agent = end user presentation of received
email messages.
This is only because there are so many different programs out there serving the same purpose that they need to be categorized. I will be focused upon only the ones I have determined to be best.
D. THE MTA POSTFIX EMAIL HYBRID SERVER:
POSTFIX is an email HYBRID server composed of two parts called “daemons”. One part is the smtp “client” daemon. The second part is the smtpd “server daemon”. A “daemon” is a computer program meant to run all the time. And for clarity, “smtp” means “simple mail transfer protocol”. It should be noted that the two terms, “client” and “server”, pertain strictly to the relationship between non-human programs, not human users.
That POSTFIX is a hybrid server can cause confusion. To distinguish between human users, we might say the email sender is the “initiator” & the email receiver is the “recipient”. But for the non-human program relationship, sender/client emails are initiated by a smtp “client” daemon &destined to be received by a recipient’s smtpd “server” daemon which should not be confused with the recipient’s smtp “client” daemon.
To simply recap:
The human email “initiator” sends email using smtp “client”.
The human email “recipient” receives email using the smtpd “server”.
E. THE MTD COURIER-IMAP “INTERMEDIARY” PROGRAM:
This is one of many “intermediary” programs called upon by an MUA to access an email server mailbox remotely and present it in “imap” format, as opposed to” pop” format. DOVECOT is another prominent such MDA program.
F. THE MUA THUNDERBIRD “CLIENT” PROGRAM:
This program is used to transfer received emails from the COURIER-IMAP program to the user’s deviice & format them for human readability.
G. THE PHP SCRIPTING PROGRAM:
This program provides the ability to create text scripts which allows the combining of multiple operating system text line commands into one executable file. It might be said that all client & server programs require the use of PHP.
H. THE APACHE2 WEBSITE HOSTER/”SERVER” PROGRAM:
This program allows the definition of websites and ability to run them in response to a remote browser.
I. MYSQL DATABASE “SERVER”:
This program allows the permanent storage of multiple data-bases, each database serving a specific interest. A mysql data-base is a file of files.
J1. WORDPRESS BLOGGER “SERVER” PROGRAM:
This program implements the ability of a website to do blogging, ie, make posts to display online. Among other things, It provides a dashboard that enables the user to:
1) Configure the website info in SETTINGS/GENERAL
2) Select and edit various template in APPEARANCE/THEMES
3) Present and install various PLUGINS
4) Upload various pictures, videos & other media into a MEDIA LIBRARY.
5) DETAIL OF WORDPRESS SETUP
WORDPRESS 6.7.2 RELEASED FEB 2025.
A. PREMINARY SETUP
Run the WP-RESET plug-in to make sure all defaults are active.
To do so, you must have the WP-RESet plug-in installed & active.
Bring up the dashboard & Cleanup the dashboard header crap
by clicking on SCREEN OPTIONS on the right in the top line
of the dashboard. Just uncheck all the garbage selctions.
GO TO SETTINGS/GENERAL TO ESTABLISH TOP WHITE LINE TO APPEAR ON EACH POST.
Run the TOOLS / IMPORT / WORDPRESS-Run Importer
to bring in all your old posts from your .xml backup.
SUBSEQUENT FINDINGS: THE SWEDIST MODERN ART THEME WAS NOT RESTORES.
Impliment the TWENTY-TWENTY theme, WELLCOME TO THE MUSEUM OF SWEEDISH MODERN ART.
a. Go to APPEARANCE- & SELLECT THEMES.
Press the ADD button & search for “TWENTY TWENTY” theme.
Ignore all the other crap themes.
Click on the TWENTY-TWENTY thrme,
then scroll to the bottom & ACTIVATE it.
CLEANUP sticky post.
a. Go to ALL POSTS & click on STICKY to edit it.
Remove “UNDER CONSTRUCTION” if its there.
Uncheck any categories.
In body of post, correct links to categories.
Scroll down again & CUSTOMIZE THE THEME.
Cick on CUSTOMIZE box that appears at bottom of theme image
A selection box will open.
1) Begin with SITE-IDENTITY:
a) The first thing to do is upload and select a SITE-ID LOGO image
which is the pirate parrot. Go ahead an crop the image.
b) Next is the SITE-TITLE which ONLY SHOWS IN THE BROWSER ADDRESS BAR,
NOT ON THE POSTS.
c) 3rd is the TAG-LINE which could be used to show the SITE-TITLE.
d) 4th is the SITE-ICON which is another image like the SITE-LOGO
& appears ONLY SHOWS IN THE BROWSER ADDRESS BAR, NOT ON THE POSTS.
2) Skip “COLORS”.
3) SELECT “theme OPTIONS”.
a) Uncheck “SEARCH IN HEADER” & “SUMMARY” .
4) Skip “COVER TEMPLATE”.
5) Skip “BACKGROUND IMAGE”.
6) SELECT “MENUS”.
a) SELECT “CREATE A NEW MENU” to get a new mini screen that shows two sections:
1) IN THE TOP SECTION.
Give the menu a name and press ENTER which adds an ‘ADD-ITEMS” button
to the top section.
DO NOT USE MOUSE TO JUMP DOWN TO THE BOTTOM SECTION.
You MUST PRESS ENTER to get the “ADD-ITEMS’ button.
[a TO CREATE A NAV-LABLE CALLED “HOME” WITH A URL LINK:
Press the ” ADD ITEMS” button to open a mini screen extension
called “CUSTOM LINKS”.
In the mini-screen extension, SELECT “PAGES”.
CHECK MARK the nav lable called home “HOME” by clicking on it to activate it.
[1 In doing this, a new entry box is added to section 1, now showing:
[a] The menu REFERENCE NAME that you previously entered.
The NAV LABLE “HOME”, awaiting the entry of the link url.
[b] At this point DO NOT PRESS THE “ADD ITEMS” button again,
because it just toggles the mini-screen extension of and on again.
INSTEAD CLICK THE WORDS “CUSTOM LINK” in the NAV LABLE “HOME” to
get a drop-downn menu where you can enter the url to be transferred
to when the NAV-LABLE is pressed by the reader.
For “HOME”, make the url = https://aaarrrg.com/wordpress/#site-header
[b TO CREATE ANOTHER NAV-LABLE WITH A DIFFERENT URL:
Press the “ADD ITEMS” button.
CLICK the ” ADD ITEMS” button to open a mini screen extension
called “CUSTOM LINKS”.
ONLY THIS TIME SELECT “CUSTOM” INSTEAD OF PAGES.
2) In the BOTTOM SECTION;
CHECK-MARK “DESKTOP HORIZONTAL MENU” & “MOBILE MENU”.
BUT FOR STACKED MULTIPLE LINKS VERTICALLY,
CHECK MARK “DESKTOP EXPANDED” INSTEAD OF “DESKTOP HORIZONTAL”.
b) TO DELETE A MENU,
click on its entry in the 1st mini-screen,
Scroll down to very bottom & press “DELETE”.
DO NOT BOTHER TRYING TO DELETE INDIVIDUAL ENTRYS WITHIN A MENU.
JUST DELETE THE WHOLE MENU AND START OVER.
c) MENU CONCLUSIONS:
The above works, BUT FOR MULTIPLE LINKS VERTICALLY,
THERE ARE TWO MENU NAMES.
POSTS vs PAGES.
I am inclined to think a PAGE can contain a POST,
but not the other way around.
That said, page reside in fixxed locations,
where posts get put on a page.
Pages are good for sticking SITE-ID post in the front.
MAJOR WORDPRESS BUG
In ADMIN, viewing a post does not present the same as NON-ADMIN.
- #
BREAKING CONST = 1 50 3
CALL FOR ACTN 20 51 4
CHEATING 10 52 5
COMMON SENSE 6
CONSPIRACY 7
CORRUPTION 5 55 8
ECON 15 9
HAPPY 12 10
HISTORY 8
HYPOCRISY 14
INJUSTICE 6
NEGLIGENCE 7
PERSECUTION 3
PROPAGANDA 18
SCIENCE 19
SOLUTIONS 11
STUPIDITY 4 66
TECH
TRUTH 68
TREASON 16 69
VIOLENCE 2 70
6) Create new & view existing blogging POSTS.
To use any of these, you must begin by signing in with a user-id and password.
6) CREATING POSTS:
To start a new post, go to the top of the dash board and press the + button & select “post”. This will invoke the GUTENBERG VISUAL or CLASSIC EDITOR, which ever you choose to use. Prefer the GUTENBERG VISUAL EDITOR.
DEALING WITH LINE WRAP.
Line wrap is not a problem using the editor. just continue your typing and the line will go to the nest line without problem.
The editor will ask you to give a title to the post, done easily enough.
And now we get to the body of the post, in which I normally break it up into section headings, within which I itemize details & indent the details.The body can:
a) be just straight in line text like this with no indenting
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxl ine 1 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy line 2 yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
or
b) contain unindented major sections called “paragraphs”, the 1st line of which is the “heading” line, with the subsequent itemized detail lines being numbered or bulleted & indented or not called “lists”, looking like this:
xxxxxxxxxxx line 1 SECTION HEADING xxxxxxxxxxx
yyyyyyyyyyy line 2 DETAIL LIST yyyyyyyyyyyyyy
or number instead of dot depending on list type.
It should be noted that further indentation within a list is possible using the indent button to create nested lists.This is explained here:
https://themeskills.com/create-nested-lists-wordpress/#google_vignette
At issue during this writing was finding the INDENT BUTTON. The CLASSIC EDITOR clearly shows all the tools in one fixed tool bar, BUT DOES NOT SHOW THE SAVE BUTTON UNLESS you go to the very bottom where is is called the UPDATE BUTTON. On the other hand the VISUAL EDITOR has all the stuff of the CLASSIC EDITOR, but presents the buttons only where they are needed. Of the two editors, the GUTENBERG editor has been proven to work as desired. The trick was in finding how to first create a MAJOR heading by 1st pressing the ever present + button & selecting “paragragh” followed by creating a “header”.
To make a MAJOR SECTION HEADING click the + in the POP-UP BLUE LINE (that appears when the cursor is hovering over a spaced line between text lines) & select “paragraph”. This will give a line to type-in the major heading.
Knowing the keyboard operation is key to understanding the operation required in creating indentation.
Keyboard actions impact list detail, not paragraphs or header:
Enter-Shift = single line advance
with no new list bullet.
Is continuation line within the current list.
Enter = creates a list bullet double double line advanced.
INDENT BUTTONS APPEAR.
Line can be indented or out-dented.
BkSp Delete = creeps into previous list bullet.
As an alternative to create FURTHER INDENTATIONS to a detail paragraph, go into the HTML EDITOR by clicking on the far right 3 dots in the FLOATING MENU & selecting ‘html editor”. This allows you enter html commands like
& to provide further line feed/spacing & indenting. You can toggle back & forth between the visual & html editors.
This post you are reading is of the type expressed in b).
The paragraph “header” line in this paragraph of this post is
a major section headed called
J1. WORDPRESS BLOGGER “SERVER” PROGRAM:
Detail lines within this paragraph begin with an indented dot
& are identified as “lists”.
J2. HOW TO PRIVATIZE OR PASSWORD PROTECT A POST:
Using Visual Editor, before saving click SETTINGS ICON then click STATUS to get drop down selection window where you can choose private or publish/password protect.
J3. STICKY POST GOES TO THE TOP:
Only one post can be sticky. That one sticky post can include links to other posts within the system that may or may not be password protected. However if the linked to post is private, the post will not show.