Showing headlines posted by tuxchick

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Linux thumbnail viewers

Thumbnail viewers are utilities that let you quickly view or manipulate images. For instance, many let you display, rotate, and zoom images. Some also offer built-in slide show features -- though not at the level of presentation programs such as OpenOffice.org Impress. Here's an introduction to several common Linux thumbnail viewer programs.

[Ed.- As usual, the Linux world offers many good choices.]

Cooking For Engineers

  • Cooking For Engineers (Posted by tuxchick on Nov 6, 2005 2:00 AM CST)
  • Story Type: Tutorial
Have an analytical mind? Like to cook? This is the site to read!

[Ed.- This is an excellent site that could teach traditional cookbook authors a few things. Bon appetit!]

SonyBMG and First4Internet Release Mysterious Software Update

SonyBMG and First4Internet, the companies caught installing rootkit-like software on the computers of people who bought certain CDs, have taken their first baby steps toward addressing the problem. But they still have a long way to go; and they might even have made the situation worse...The update is more than 3.5 megabytes in size, and it appears to contain new versions of almost all the files included in the initial installation of the entire DRM system, as well as creating some new files. In short, they’re not just taking away the rootkit-like function — they’re almost certainly adding things to the system as well.

[Ed.- Now why are folks so upset over this? Shoo, just have a little trust.]

Redundant Internet Connections Using Linux

  • SysAdmin Magazine; By Seann Herdejurgen (Posted by tuxchick on Nov 6, 2005 12:06 AM CST)
  • Story Type: Tutorial
With the advent of high-speed Internet links from Internet Service Providers (ISPs), it's easier for users to host services on their home computers. But what happens when your ISP connection goes down? An obvious solution is to have a redundant Internet connection from another ISP. To help set up a Linux host with redundant Internet connections, this article covers the following essentials:

1. Configuring the host to properly handle inbound network connections from multiple ISPs

2. Load-balancing outbound network connections

3. Configuring various services to enable redundancy

4. Configuring firewall protection using ipchains or iptables

[Ed.- Linux has all the tools to implement just about any kind of networking scenario- you don't need to spend megabucks on pricey commercial widgets.]

Toward Saner Version Control

  • Kuro5hin; By skyknight (Posted by tuxchick on Nov 5, 2005 11:08 PM CST)
  • Story Type: Editorial
All in all, Subversion is a fantastic tool, and one that I believe to represent the future of version control. However, this doesn't stop the snooty and recalcitrant proponents of commercial tools from claiming that Subversion is an inferior tool, and that everyone would be better off if only they would adopt a "real" tool. This claim, as far as I am concerned, is nonsense.

In dealing with said Philistines, it would seem that the most common complaint centers on Subversion's lack of deference to strict file locking. This is unfortunate, as said mechanism is in fact a crutch for a crippled process. If coordination of developers in your group depends on knowing who is editing what file, then, quite frankly, you are doing something very wrong.

[Ed.- Kuro5hin is the place for the finest in thought-provoking, elegant invective.]

Women in Open Source

  • Just A Summary: Piers Cawley Practices Punditry; By Piers Cawley (Posted by tuxchick on Nov 5, 2005 9:14 PM CST)
  • Story Type: Editorial; Groups: Community
... it’s about being friendly. As geeks, we tend to be terrible at it—I know I am. Don’t tolerate the bearpit. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been part of too many poisonous ‘communities’—places that were actively newbie hostile. No matter how often you have to do it, the right answer is almost never “Read The Fucking Manual”—even if the answer can be found there. Be polite. So what if the person asking you is clueless—they’re not the only one listening to you; maybe you just scared a listener who would be an asset to your community away.

Setting up your own APT repository with upload support

  • Debian Administration; By Steve Kemp (Posted by tuxchick on Nov 5, 2005 8:17 PM CST)
  • Story Type: Tutorial; Groups: Debian
We've previously covered setting up your own repository for the Debian's apt-get system, but we didn't cover managing automatic uploads. Thankfully this is a simple task with the reprepro, and dupload tools and a small amount of scripting.

The reprepro package is tool for creating an APT repository with a pool structure, the same type of structure the official Debian mirrors use.

The repository may:

Contain packages for multiple distributions: Stable, Unstable, Testing, etc. Contain packages for multiple architectures: x86, sparc, all, etc. Be managed quickly and easily.

Nokia 770 Internet Tablet Now Shipping

  • RealTechNews; By Michael Santo (Posted by tuxchick on Nov 5, 2005 7:19 PM CST)
  • Story Type: News Story
Nokia is now shipping its Linux-based 770 Internet Tablet in Europe...It is available in twelve countries, and Nokia isn’t charging the same for it in all of them. The price ranges from 349 Euros to 369 Euros...According to the website Internet Tablet Talk, which is devoted to the 770, it will be released on November 10 in the U.S.

Windows Software CEO Opens Up To The Linux Community

Interviews are one thing. Lobby4Linux has done our share of them and we enjoy the work. However, what we present to you here is much more than an interview. It is the Chief Executive Officer of a Major software company talking to us. Talking to you from his heart. Nothing held back...no qualifiers, simply open dialog with the Linux Community. There are some suprises within the following text...things that will suprise you about how Xara has developed their code. It is worth the read for that alone.

Online stock trading warning issued

  • Security Focus; By Peter Laborge (Posted by tuxchick on Nov 5, 2005 4:29 PM CST)
  • Story Type: News Story
The Securities and Exchange Commission announced a warning yesterday for online stock traders to be careful in their online dealings.

This is the first warning of its kind from the SEC, and one prompted by an onslaught of complaints over the last few months. Just 6 months ago, this was not a concern for the SEC, Susan Wyderko told USA Today in an interview. A page has been created outlining how to protect yourself and what to do if you encounter a problem.

[Ed.- the article contains a number of excellent links, and the SEC's page is very good.]

Internet Explorer is dangerous

4 out of 5 Internet users use Microsoft Internet Explorer as their web browser. Internet Explorer presents a critical security risk to systems that use it, allowing malicious websites to hijack their computers, infect them with viruses, and conduct identity theft. It is in the best interest of all Internet users to stop using Internet Explorer as soon as possible! There are free alternatives that offer quality as good or better than Internet Explorer. The following article will explain in greater depth the problems with Internet Explorer and what the alternatives are.

[Ed.- This is an excellent comparison and analysis that compares aieee I mean Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Opera. It even has pretty graphs comparing the number and severity of vulnerabilities and time-to-patch. Very good even for non-technical users and decision-makers.]

Breathalyzer company refuses to turn over source code

  • Newsforge; By Stephen Feller (Posted by tuxchick on Nov 5, 2005 7:31 AM CST)
  • Story Type: News Story
The case has received a lot of attention in the open source and technology communities, in many ways because it is being seen as compelling evidence that devices with the potential to affect individuals' freedom or liberty - such as breathalyzers used in DUI cases and electronic voting machines in elections - should utilize open source software and be available for any citizen to review. And while open source software would prevent the need for a court order, the case is really about knowing that software is doing what it is designed to do.

..."If you're going to have a computer program that says somebody committed a crime, we get to know how its coming up with that answer."

Comment of the Day- November 5, 2005 at work I support NetWare, Windows, Solaris, and linux servers...

"... at work I support NetWare, Windows, Solaris, and linux servers, in order by count. In order by time to support per server, Windows, Windows, Windows, Windows, Windows, NetWare, linux, Solaris."

From the Why do people switch to Linux? thread.

Sony DRM is worse than you might think

  • The Inquirer; By Charlie Demerjian (Posted by tuxchick on Nov 3, 2005 10:38 AM CST)
  • Story Type: News Story
If you look at the Sony rootkit, it does several things. It strips you of your rights, it potentially causes your computer harm, it breaks your computer if you remove it, and eats your CPU time. All of these things are bad, no question there. It also does the end user no good in any way, shape or form, not even by the most demented stretch of the imagination. It only hurts those who spent money to buy it.

It does Sony no good either because the files are rippable on a whim by anything more intelligent than a half-drunk monkey. So, you have software that does you flat out harm, and no good for the producer. What isn't malware about this, and how can Sony claim this?

[Ed.- Boycott time. It won't happen, but at least they don't get my money.]

Sony's (Non-Existent) Corporate Conscience

WHAT ON EARTH are the "fine" folks at Sony thinking? Are they insane? Morally bankrupt? How can any reasonable, thinking, moral person think that installing this sort of invasive junk on a customer's computer is OK? Yes, I am questioning both their intelligence and morality. This is beyond outrageous, it should be criminal.

Hotrod Your Linksys WAP with Linux (Part 2)

  • Enteprise Networking Planet; By Carla Schroder (Posted by tuxchick on Nov 2, 2005 10:10 AM CST)
  • Story Type: Tutorial
Last week we rambled over the OpenWRT landscape, issued dire warnings and concluded with the easy, but risky, installation method. Today we'll learn the harder, but much safer, installation method. This one is fun, because it depends on an unpatched bug in the Linksys firmware.

No Respect for Windows Open Source

  • DotNetNukeBlogs; By Shaun Walker (Posted by tuxchick on Nov 1, 2005 7:58 PM CST)
  • Story Type: Editorial
It's hard being an open source project on the Microsoft platform. Because no matter how hard you try to exemplify true open source ideals, you will not get any respect from the non-Microsoft community.

[Ed.- Is it "free as in freedom" or "my way or the highway?"]

Replace Your NT4 Domain Controller with Samba 3

  • Enterprise Networking Planet; By Carla Schroder (Posted by tuxchick on Nov 1, 2005 7:33 AM CST)
  • Story Type: Tutorial
It's official: as of December 31, 2004, Windows NT4 is no longer supported by Microsoft... For all of you hardworking sysadmins of NT4 domain controllers who are now wondering what to do, here are some of your options:

1. Change nothing. So you lose vendor support — so what? Was it so hot in the first place?
2. Upgrade to Windows XP or 2003. This costs much money in licenses, and you may need to upgrade your hardware as well. Plus you'll have a whole new set of bugs and security holes to get acquainted with. However, this also gives you Active Directory, which may be something you want to move up to.
3. Replace your NT4 box with a Samba 3 domain controller.

This series is about option 3...

[Ed.- Yes, this is an older article, but it's still a goodie. Part 2 is here.]

AIM worm plays nasty new trick

A worm found spreading via America Online's Instant Messenger is carrying a nastier punch than usual, a security company has warned...In addition to the "lockx.exe" rootkit file, the new worm delivers a version of the Sdbot Trojan horse, said FaceTime, which sells products to protect instant-messaging traffic. Sdbot opens a backdoor on the infected PC. The worm also places several spyware and adware applications, including 180Solutions, Zango, the Freepod Toolbar, MaxSearch, Media Gateway and SearchMiracle, the company added.

[Ed.- Gee, if only there were an operating system that did not roll out the red carpet to this sort of thing. Oh wait, there is- in fact, there are several. Funny little old world, isn't it. - tuxchick]

Sony, Rootkits and Digital Rights Management Gone Too Far

  • Mark's Sysinternals Blog; By Mark Russinovich (Posted by tuxchick on Oct 31, 2005 5:32 PM CST)
  • Story Type: News Story
At that point I knew conclusively that the rootkit and its associated files were related to the First 4 Internet DRM software Sony ships on its CDs. Not happy having underhanded and sloppily written software on my system I looked for a way to uninstall it. However, I didn’t find any reference to it in the Control Panel’s Add or Remove Programs list, nor did I find any uninstall utility or directions on the CD or on First 4 Internet’s site. I checked the EULA and saw no mention of the fact that I was agreeing to have software put on my system that I couldn't uninstall. Now I was mad.

[Ed.- Amazing, isn't it? I cannot even begin to fathom the mentality that thinks planting this sort of crap on our computers is OK. Also see Bots in the A/C, spyware in the 'fridge for a naive, self-serving perspective on a similar subject.]

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