Remove services (mpd) from system startup in Linux
I'm using MPD on Ubuntu and Debian and get annoyed by mpd starting at boot time under root.
Your startup services lie in the /etc/rc.d folder. You will observe that ls -l /etc/rc4.d for instance, will show you these files are weighted to run in order and symlink to their corresponding startup scripts in /etc/init.d.
To disable mpd, for instance, update-rc.d can help:
sudo update-rc.d -f mpd remove
Now you will be able to add mpd to a local user script on startup without having to sudo mpd --kill or sudo killall mpd.
Troubleshooting locales in the cloud on debian and ubuntu
If you use Amazon EC2 or Rackspace Cloud Servers, you may end up running into this after your create your instance. I often get these on Debian and Ubuntu (since it's debian based also).
lennycloud:~# perl
perl: warning: Setting locale failed.
perl: warning: Please check that your locale settings:
LANGUAGE = (unset),
LC_ALL = (unset),
LANG = "en_US.UTF-8"
are supported and installed on your system.
perl: warning: Falling back to the standard locale ("C").
You're missing locales.
Update your apt database. sudo apt-get update
Download locales. sudo apt-get install locales
Now configure it, and download what locales you need. dpkg-reconfigure locales
I pick en_US ISO-8859-1, en_US.ISO-8859-15 ISO-8859-15 and en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8.
And that solves it.
Use s3sync.rb + screen to move your files to the cloud
Move to your s3sync dir.
screen ./s3sync.rb -r /home/tony/backups/ backup:backups -v
screen means you will be able to run the command as a screen process. ctrl-d to detach screen, screen -r to resume.
-r means recursive copy.
/home/tony/backups is where cron stores you backupps. You can replace this with whatever dir you want to sync.
backups is the name of the bucket. Do ./s3cmd createbucket
: is a seperator
backups is a prefix for the bucket.
-v means verbose, so you can see the progress in your screen.
If screen quits too fast, the command may not have worked.
If you detached and screen doesn't resume, your job may done, check your s3 to see if files transferred.
Also, make sure you have your s3config.yml file ready, you need to copy your key from your Amazon AWS account.
Troubleshooting s3sync
Amazon S3 is a superb, cost-effective, scalable storage solution. It's been around for a few years. s3sync.rb is a well-maintained ruby script to backup your important files.
[07:02 AM][root@local ~/.s3conf]# ./s3cmd.rb
/usr/bin/env: ruby: No such file or directory
You don't have ruby installed. Easy.
sudo apt-get install rubyor
yum install ruby
[07:02 AM][root@local ~/.s3conf]# ./s3cmd.rb
./S3.rb:14:in `require': no such file to load -- openssl (LoadError)
from ./S3.rb:14
from ./s3try.rb:26:in `require'
from ./s3try.rb:26
from ./s3cmd.rb:16:in `require'
from ./s3cmd.rb:16
Missing openssl libraries.
sudo apt-get install libopenssl-ruby
3 hilarious british comedies: IT Crowd, Snuff Box, Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace
If you heard of the Office or Monty Python's Flying Circus, you'd know that the British have a variable penchant for comedy, burlesque and satire.
Fun fact: Matt Berry and Richard Ayoade star cameo in all three of these shows.
These videos are not safe for work as they have a fair amount of vulgarity.
IT Crowd
2 IT guys and a ditzy female supervisor in this hilarious tech sitcom.
Indeed, similar to the UK Office, IT Crowd was at one time slated to be ported to the US (even taking along Richard Ayoade!). However, due to screen writer's guild strikes and the economy, it was called off. Sometimes the UK versions are the best.
Youtube links (Unfortunately Channel4 blocks embedding these):
- Best of IT Crowd 1
- The IT Crowd clips
- Boss jumps out of window
- 118 999 881 999 119 7253
- If you "type google into google" you can break the internet
Snuff Box
Hilarious, surreal. UK meets US.
Garth Marenghi's Darkplace
Feels like ER in the 80's mixed with a horror twist.
FLOSS on gaming handhelds: The GP2X Wiz and Dingoo A320
Dingoo A320
The Dingoo a320 is comparable to a Nintendo DS in price. It's bundled with a proprietary OS with an SDK (Software development kit). Hardware is nice. It even has an FM Player and a mic. It charges via a normal USB connector (the one you may already use with your cell phone or G1). Screen is backlit.
The stock emulators have poor performance. ThinkGeek's featured photo of Super Mario World on the dingoo is pristine, but the truth is mario's face may meet that rocket because of the choppiness of the emulation.
Linux support comes to the rescue on the Dingoo with Dingux. Implementing it however involves some clever hacks. Sadly, Dingux doesn't support the FM player or the mic yet.
Gamepark GP2X Wiz
The GP2X Wiz by Gamepark is in my opinion superior. The display is brilliant. It runs Linux natively. Think of it like a gameboy advance with a Lithium ion battery, backlight, OLED screen. It even has the specs and software to play MAME games.
GP2x also supports a bustling homebrew community featuring emulators. After all, that's what an open handled is all about: Giving developers the rights to create their own open source applications.
GP2x is a handheld done right. Unlike the DRM-imprisoned PSP, Gameboy and iPhones the wiz actually gives you freedom. It's an textbook instance of how FLOSS can make a seemingly ordinary piece of hardware into an enterprise-class super device . Look at DD-WRT and OpenWRT. Look at Cyanogenmod for Android. Look at Linux on the desktop.
If you paid your rent and have 200 bucks lying around, grab one of these things.
My opinion: Dingoo Digital in China needs to understand their overseas niche is in homebrew. They should make their operating system Linux-based. If you have moderate knowledge of computers (Can put files onto an attached storage device) and want a handheld, grab the GP2x. You won't regret it.
Success
To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived—this is to have succeeded.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
I wish my friends and colleagues a successful and prosperous 2010.
WP Theme: DarkBlue 2: Electric Boogaloo
DarkBlue 2 (Electric Boogaloo) is based off the GPLv2 theme DarkBlue.
Backstory: This theme was on Wordpress.org at http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/darkblue but removed because the original theme violated wp's guidelines. Original author was William Sutanto.
However, before hand I tried these theme for my blog. As of Dec 28, 2009 I'm using it on this very site. Because the theme is derived from DarkBlue and is different, I'm appending "2" to it.
Links:
- Github page - wp-darkblue
- Original DarkBlue 1.3 Theme
Changes since the original DarkBlue:
Dec 30, 2009
- Add fixes for wordpress.org acceptance (adding wp_page_links, wp_footer, rm'ing tags
- Add language_attributes to HTML tag
- Changed link in README and footer.php to link to this blog
Dec 29, 2009
- Fix h2, h3, h4, h5, h6 sizes
- Make sidelinks on sidebar 11px -> 12px
Dec 27, 2009
- 960px width for site
- 550px width for content
- Line height added to content for readability
- Menu list item font changed to Verdana
- Title and description redesigned.
- Widget titles now have CSS class
- Widget titles now is 16px
- Widgets are now seperated with a padding for readability
- Footer note changed to new author, spam/ad link rm'd to correspond with wp.org guidelines
10-plus essential applications for Windows 7
As a full-time Linux user, I'm not a very big Windows fan. However, I'd like to present some apps I zealously adhered to over my old days as a poweruser.
When a friend or colleague has a bogged-down system (be it by viruses, badware or general oldness), I often ask if they're willing to Backup their Documents/Music and reformat. This means installing applications over again, but the improvements are always substantial.
Updates
- March 20, 2010 - Dress up article with some screenshots / images.
- March 17, 2010 - Added Sumatra PDF, a free, open source PDF viewer.
A note
The install wizards on these programs may bait you into downloading Yahoo! or Ask.com software. If the Terms of Service/Privacy policy in the install wizard says "I agree to xxx and to Installing Yahoo!/Ask.com", Don't check it. Just click next/Install. If you accidentally do, go to Add/Remove apps and uninstall, you don't want them.
Here are some of the apps I download after a fresh OEM install:
Grab all your essentials in one sitting: Ninite
Type (License): Freeware (Proprietary)
Website: http://ninite.com/
This program is a deliverance from the almighty himself. Check the boxes for the programs you want to install and it will create a batch installer. You need internet access to do this. It includes everything from Java and Flash to Dropbox, to VLC, to steam, Open Office, Abiword, Skype, etc.
I could end this post right here, but I'll go on.
Tweaking: TuneUp Utilities 2006-2010
Type (License): $49.00 / Demo (proprietary)
Website: http://www.tune-up.com/products/tuneup-utilities/
The king of all system control apps. Has full features for performance tweaking, removing junk files, optimizing network settings and even theming. The 2010 version even has a turbo mode that removes system services to make your computer zip. It has so many features I can't fit them.
Privacy / Performance: CCleaner
Alternative to: TuneUp Utilities
Type (License): Freeware (proprietary)
Website: http://www.ccleaner.com
This is a free registry/cache/junk file cleaner.
Tip: Make sure you go into settings and choose to "Secure delete". Choose the DoD 3-pass clean.
Tip 2: Consider checking the box to erase "Free space" too. Not all the time because it's time-consuming.
Privacy: Eraser
Type (License): Freeware (Open Source)
Site: http://eraser.heidi.ie/
Description: Delete means delete. Microsoft considers hard drive encryption to be a feature you pay for and its filesystems are extremely insecure (FAT32 has no security, anyone can view anything, NTFS has little). Microsoft is very deceptive that Windows doesn't notify you that you're not really permanently deleting your files until you overwrite them.
Read more about eraser at Stanford's SLAC: http://www.stanford.edu/services/encryption/desktop/windows/securedelete.html
Tip: Make sure to erase any free space on your hard drive as well.
Tip 2: You can also right click your Recycle bin and securely erase your bin.
Privacy: Truecrypt
Alternative to: Microsoft Bitlocker
Type (License): Freeware (Open Source)
Site: http://truecrypt.org
Even though you'll never need it. You never know when you'll get blindsided. You could lose your laptop, have it stolen, etc. Even having one layer of weak encryption will throw off thieves and give you great peace of mind.
Lite, Effective Antivirus: NOD32
Type (License): $40/yr Subscription (Proprietary)
Website: https://www.eset.de
ASM-based virus scanner. Very low memory footprint. Fast.
It also works great when using Windows 7 as a guest (a la VirtualBox)
Free Antivirus Alternatives
AVG Free
Type (License): Free (Proprietary)
Website: http://free.avg.com/de-en/homepage
ClamAV
Type (License): Free (Open Source)
Website: http://clamwin.com
Micro$oft Security Essentials
Type (License): Free (Proprietary)
Website: http://www.microsoft.com/Security_Essentials/
Audiophiles: Foobar
Type (License): Freeware (License)
Website: http://www.foobar2000.org/
Simple, playlist-based music player with a low memory footprint.
Torrenting: µtorrent
Website: http://www.utorrent.com
Type (License): Freeware (Proprietary)
Torrent client with tons of features, oddly small size and low-memory footprint. Very stable.
Office Essentials: Open Office
Alternative to: Microsoft Office
Website: http://www.openoffice.org
Type (License): Freeware (License here)
Get all your essentials with OpenOffice. Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint are too pricy.
PDF Viewer: Sumata
Alternative to: Adobe Reader
Website: http://blog.kowalczyk.info/software/sumatrapdf/index.html
Type (License): Freeware (Open source)
This is a very lite, stable PDF viewing solution.
Gaming: Steam
Alternative to: Greedy retailers like Best Buy and Gamestop
Type (License): Freeware (Proprietary)
DRM gaming. But steam takes the pain out of it. No limits on redownloading the software you purchase. Stable. Time-tested. (You can grab this with Ninite too.)
You have to pay for the games, of course. However the long-term benefits of using Steam make it worth it. It saves you from scratched CD's and managing all your cd-keys.
Steam store also offers generous software bundles of related games (Civilization, Valve, etc) and can save you tons of money.
Virtualization / Guest OS: Virtualbox
Alternative to: VMWare Workstation, VirtualPC
Type (License): Freeware (License details here)
Website: http://www.virtualbox.org
If you want to try out Linux or keep a sandbox'd operating system to do programming on, VirtualBox is will accept Windows, Linux and *BSD as guest OS's. It'll run on Linux too.
Howdy!
I'm Tony Narlock. I'm a web developer from Texas with a love of open source software. I'm a ubuntero, a bsd user, a rails scaffolder, a drupaller, and a new python programmer. I can currently be found reading VIM tips, python books, and spending a weekend by the fire cooking a new app.Find Me On
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