chaslinux.com – Page 4 – Anyone can learn Linux

This is the initial startup screen of the Gamemaker game engine beta for Linux running under Xubuntu Linux.

August 3, 2023

Initial Gamemaker experience under Xubuntu Linux

Previous Gamemaker experience I bought version 1.4 of the Gamemaker game engine on a Humble Bundle many years ago. At the time Gamemaker ONLY ran under Microsoft Windows. It was possible to export games to Linux (Ubuntu/Debian-specifically), but you couldn’t run the game engine itself under Linux. Version 2.x came along, and I paid to upgrade to 2.x as well. Some time between when I bought 1.4 and 2.x I…

Programming a Flappy-bird-like game in Unity under Xubuntu 22.04 Linux

July 26, 2023

First experience trying to learn Unity on Xubuntu Linux

The king of game engines Unity is considered the big kahuna of game engines. It is often cited as the best engine to learn if your end goal is to work in the game industry. Unity is cross-platform, meaning it can run on different operating systems. It can also compile programs for more than a dozen other platforms the engine itself doesn’t run on. I have very little experience with…

Fasteroids is an Asteroids-like game for Linux (AppImage) and Windows

July 7, 2023

Fasteroids – An Asteroids-like game for Linux and Windows

Today I realized that, since redoing this web site, I still haven’t added any information about the game I made back in 2017-2020. Recently I revived Fasteroids, and made some changes to both simplify the game, but also with the idea that the game should be able to scale to 4k in the near future. Before I ramble on more, you can download Fasteroids for Linux or Windows from: https://chaslinux.itch.io/fasteroids…

findmonitor.sh BASH shell script to detect and price monitors

July 7, 2023

Findmonitor BASH script – identify and price monitors with one script

Note: This script is NOT compatible with systems running Wayland. We use Xubuntu Linux at our project. The idea for this BASH shell script was born out of the need to process a lot of monitors in one sitting at The Working Centre’s Computer Recycling Project. The findmonitor.sh shell script collects EDID and DDC information from monitors. The script then produces a single letter-size page PDF with a box around…

May 31, 2023

Anyone can learn Linux (it’s like using a pencil)

Over the years I’ve been fortunate enough to work with people at all computer skill levels. Regardless of what others say, my experience is that people at any skill level can learn Linux. Here’s a video why I feel this is so:

May 30, 2023

Xubuntu Linux – Interface Basics

Anyone can learn Linux I’ve been blessed/cursed to have used Linux in one form or another since 1997, starting with the Slackware ’96 Linux distribution. I’m doubly lucky in that I’ve been able to use Linux every day at work since 2005. Since 2005 I’ve been able to talk to thousands of computer users at every skill level. One thing I’ve learned over the many years I’ve been blessed to…

May 30, 2023

[FIX] Crashing after Kalypso startup screen – Vikings – Wolves of Midgard

Vikings – Wolves of Midgard (crashes after the Kalypso video) Vikings – Wolves of Midgard is a linear action role playing game (ARPG) that lets you go back and repeat quests several times until you’re overpowered. Recently I’ve tried a number of role playing games only to find they were lacking in graphics, the controls were too jank, or they just required obscene amounts of time to make any progress.…

May 18, 2023

Legend of Grimrock – a better Bard’s Tale III

Bards Tale III – my introduction to 3D like adventure Back in the late 1980’s I worked for Simcoe Computer Consultants at the 400 Market, outside of Barrie, Ontario. The 400 Market was a mixed market of many vendors, one of which was Simcoe Computer Consultants. I spent the weekends manning the company’s booth, selling the odd item, and spreading the word about the company’s computers and services. One weekend…

May 8, 2023

Why does Computer Recycling still use Xubuntu Linux?

There are so many other Linux distributions Xubuntu Linux looks very old fashioned when compared to DeepinOS, Linux Mint, Ubuntu, and other beefier Linux distributions. So why does the Working Centre’s Computer Recycling Project still use Xubuntu Linux when there are better-looking alternatives? Isn’t the idea to attract people to Linux? A collection of reasons There are a number of reasons Computer Recycling still uses Xubuntu Linux. The best place…

Exorcist set armour piece in Torchlight II

April 14, 2023

Torchlight II for SteamOS and Linux

Almost 11 years old, and still fun Torchlight II (opens to Steam page) was released in September of 2012, several months after the release of Diablo III. Max Schaefer and Matt Uelmen, both developers who worked on Diablo and Diablo II, helped form Runic Games, the company behind Torchlight II. While both Torchlight II and Diablo II are considered ARPGs (Action Role Playing Games), Torchlight II feels like it has…