Digital or Electronic Signing of your documents

I don't know about you, but I don't like to print out a document, sign it, and then have to re-scan it back into the computer. This can happen a lot if you're also in the process of looking for a job.

For this example, I also wanted to pay a little homage to Neil Armstrong, as he just passed away.  Don Pablo Pereira, a reporter had a little story about a letter from Mr. Armstrong and I'll post a link to that at the end of the blog post.

You'll need to also have created a scanned image of your own signature, that you will be using.  If you need help with that, leave a comment, here or on G+ and I'll do a separate blog post about how to create your own digital signature with the GIMP.

If you want, you can grab the document that I made in LibreOffice and edit it too.  I imagine this will work in OpenOffice too, but I've not tested it with OpenOffice.

Once you have your document open,  you will want to import the image file.  Be sure to have your cursor near the spot you want it to be imported to, if you can.

Insert>Picture>From File...

Once you've done that,  you'll notice that it's not lined up the way that you'd want it to be on your document as a signature. 

It'll look all wonky like this:

This is certainly not the way you'd have a signature show up on a real document! It's got to be fixed!

It's an easy fix. Just go up to the top of the page and click on Wrap Trough.

Then move your signature to the spot that you want it on your page, and save. 

Once you save it, print it to paper, if you want, or Export it as a PDF or Print it as a PDF. 

The choice is yours. 

Pretty simple, eh? 

If you used my document,  you'll also have a fresh .PDF of the same letter that Neil Armstrong sent Don Pereira.

Don Pablo Pereira's real reply from Neil Armstrong.

If you have any suggestions or comments, please feel free to leave them!

How many others have struggled to get their documents signed, but didn't want to go through the hassle of print, sign, scan, save, etc?  Do you have some stories of how you'd go about this?

Until next time,
Hang Loose!

RandyNose

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Pimping: Motho ke motho ka botho

Install Neverwinter Nights in Ubuntu

I was checking out the above blog (Motho ke motho ka botho) this past weekend, and I find it to be a cool blog, much like my own, the owner writes about his experiences with Linux and his Computer. A Chronology of stuff that he's done and put on the blog so he can go back to and review it later. Being able to backtrack to what you do, is part of doing good documentation.  It's not something that I've done a good job at,  after all, it's just my computer, right?

True, it is just my computer, but also part of the geek element to Linux and other open source projects is to put down (via a blog, forum, or?)  how you did what you did not just for you, but because someone else might have the same problem and they might find your solution helpful.  You never know what you might blog about that will help some other person trying not to pull all their hair out.  

Currently in the Linux Desktop world, the distribution of Ubuntu is the most popular.  Even if I don't run or use a modified version of Ubuntu, it NEEDS to be there, and it NEEDS our support. Even if I don't agree with all of the modifications and changes that happen to it, I still need to be supportive of it.  Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu needs user support, and I don't mean just money, but support with their mission. I know I've not been the best example of this, and I'll make a conscious effort to be more supportive of the Ubuntu Team. 

Here's one definition of Ubuntu:

Ubuntu: "I am what I am because of who we all are." A translation offered by Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee. Similar to a saying: A single straw of a broom can be broken easily, but the straws together are not easily broken."

Open Source, and Linux need to be able to get along in a world where there are monetary Goliaths pounding away at the public with commercials.  Linux is not created by one person, one company or just one idea.  It's a compilation of many ideas, many desktops, and many ways to get the job done. 

I have to applaud anyone who hangs out in the Ubuntu forums and helps out. - I know they were there when I needed some help.  How about you? I guess now that I've been a Linux user for over 3 years,  and have had a few experiences I could help out a bit more.   The Ubuntu Forums are the most active, and probably where one could do the most good.  Linux Mint, also.  I'm currently using Linux Mint LTS, and plan on keeping it that way, as I don't like to change every 6 months.  I personally prefer to find my buttons and labels and widgets in the same place more or less.  But it doesn't mean that you or I couldn't help out. 

But back to the previously mentioned blog, and game.  It's just really cool that there's someone out there doing something like this, creating some well written blog posts that others can find and use for their personal enjoyment.  And he's helping his community out by giving away machines with Linux on them.

And for that, I'd like give a shout out, and...

Pimp His Penguin.... 

Blender Foundations: The Essential Guide to Learning Blender 2.6 By Roland Hess

Hey everyone, this is just going to be a really quick pimping of a friends product. His book.  I met Roland at OLF 2008, and he's a really great guy and he and I enjoyed picking on other people at our table. - That's the key to being a great guy in my book. Speaking of Books, he spoke about his then published book,  a guide on how to use Blender, and NOW he's got a new book out now, and I'd like to recommend it to any of my friends, and myself.

Amazon.com: Blender Foundations: The Essential Guide to Learning Blender 2.6 (9780240814308): Roland Hess: Books

You can also check out Pimping The Penguin's Amazon Store for other Blender books, too.. :)

Oh yea. One last thing.
Do You use blender?
Do you plan on it?

And if it was as easy to do as writing a bog post, would you???

Blender in the Classroom? YES!

harkyman.com � Blender in the Classroom

Check out the above link.  It's about Blender the 3D Animation program.
I see this as an area where Open Source can shine it's light. How many of us know of young people, maybe our own kids perhaps? Young minds that are vibrant with talent, but are snagging Non Open Source Tools in unsavory ways in order to learn how to manipulate graphics? Learning how to create with expensive proprietary tools? Learning the wrong way of doing things.

School Systems, that are strapped won't have to pay ANY licencing fees for the software.  They just need someone who can teach the programs...  Hmm.... 

- I like this idea.