Re: [SLUG] LAMP - researching setup for hosting on multiple servers
Why? Because cryptography is pretty hard, but implementing a good crypto-system that doesn't leak data, allow attackers to change fairly arbitrary bits, to run tests against your system to recover the secret key, or determine exactly what to change ... that stuff is hard for experts. If no confidential information will be stored in the cookie then you don't need to encrypt it, you just need a message authentication code, like HMAC [1], to ensure its integrity. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMAC Thanks, Nicholas -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Re: Advice Request for moving a Ubuntu installation to a larger disk and 4Gb RAM
I find it useful putting /home on a separate partition. Then if you totally hose your o/s, you can just reinstall and keep all your existing data and app preferences (though of course you'll need to reinstall any additional apps). FWIW, I mount the other partition at /var/local, where I have home directories (under /var/local/home) and the other data I'd rather not lose on reinstall: apt cache (/var/local/cache/apt), databases (/var/local/lib/postgresql), etc., and I put bind mounts in /etc/fstab for /home, /var/cache/apt, etc. Thanks, Nicholas -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] anyone know where the latex format files are stored
hi anyone know where the latex format files are stored I want to study the definition of newcommand etc In Debian you'll find newcommand in /usr/share/texmf-texlive/tex/latex/base/latex.ltx in texlive-latex-base. Thanks, Nicholas -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] Power Point Document
Is there any previewer under KDE for Microsoft Power Point documents? I know that I can reboot and run Windows, but would prefer not to. There is OpenOffice.org Impress, but you would prefer a KDE application? Thanks, Nicholas -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] django/rails
If I were looking at django based on rails I'd be looking at: [...] Hi Daniel, all good points, and I'd also consider javascript library integration, and support for version control and deployment tools. Thanks, Nicholas -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
Re: [SLUG] django/rails
I'm agnostic about ruby/python, although I have a faint feeling that python may be better. In either case I have to learn the language. Hi David, I use both python and ruby, but I prefer ruby. I find it easier to develop code incrementally in ruby because I can extract code into classes or modules with few modifications. I like the convenient syntax for passing and calling closures, and ruby's metaprogramming features are also often useful. Thanks, Nicholas -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
[SLUG] Re: Coding/Snakes/Rubies/Newbies
Anyone else who wants to mentor Ruby (or start up a competing scheme in a different language grin) is of course also welcome. Thanks for your initiative, Matt. I'm willing to teach Python and/or C. Nicholas -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
[SLUG] ACCC
Hello world! I have just sent this letter to Mike Kiley, Director, Enforcement and Coordination Branch, ACCC. Now, where did I leave my velvet gloves? }:-) Kind regards, Nicholas -- As you may remember, I sent a complaint to the ACCC six months ago concerning a software licensing contract between Microsoft Corporation and Twinhead Corporation. That contract constrained Twinhead to preloading Microsoft Windows XP on their efio branded laptops, which, at that time, was their entire range of laptops. Several months ago, after receiving your unsatisfactory response to my complaint, I sent you a mathematical analysis that showed that the existence of contract terms between Microsoft and manufacturers restricting the supply of goods may be inferred from the present market behaviour of manufacturers, and that this conclusion holds for as long as manufacturers do not offer for sale laptops without software at a reduction in price corresponding to the licensing cost of the software. You have not yet responded to that analysis. Recently Twinhead has been offering for sale efio branded laptops with Linux preloaded instead of Microsoft Windows XP. For instance, Twinhead advertises two laptops, the efio 12KTL [1] and the efio 12KT [2]. [1] http://www.twinhead.com.au/product_detail.asp?productid=153 [2] http://www.twinhead.com.au/product_detail.asp?productid=154 These laptops are identical except for the following differences: efio 12KTL - $A1299 256MB DDR RAM, 40GB HDD Internal DVD+CDRW Combo Drive Abec LINUX Suite inclusive of Open Office Suite: Spreadsheet, Word Processor, Presentation Programme efio 12KT - $A1599 512MB DDR RAM, 60GB HDD Internal DVDRW Dual Drive Microsoft(r) Windows(r) XP Home Edition I contacted Twinhead for the upgrade prices for the efio 12KTL: 256MB DDR RAM -- 512MB DDR RAM: ~$A69 40GB HDD -- 60GB HDD: $A99 Internal DVD+CDRW Combo Drive -- Internal DVDRW Dual Drive: $A179 Thus the price of the efio 12KTL with these upgrades is ~$A1646 (i.e. ~$A47 more than the efio 12KT). Since these upgrades may be effected at the time of assembly by substituting isomorphic components appropriately, the difference in labour cost for Twinhead between the efio 12KTL and the efio 12KTL with these upgrades is exactly zero. Hence the conclusion of my previous analysis still holds, viz. that this behaviour of Twinhead is not due to lawful economic considerations, and, further, that consumers (and the ACCC) are being led to believe that the price of the efio 12KTL does not include the Microsoft Tax, when in fact it does. If you are not prepared to answer my analyses then I would like you to tell me the name of the minister responsible for the ACCC. Please note that I shall post this correspondence online. Thank you, Nicholas -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
[SLUG] Re: ACCC
Nice. I can see your point and certainly agree. Be surprised if you get any reasonable response from the ACCC. 256MB DDR RAM -- 512MB DDR RAM: ~$A69 40GB HDD -- 60GB HDD: $A99 Internal DVD+CDRW Combo Drive -- Internal DVDRW Dual Drive: $A179 A reasonable response from the ACCC: priceless. ;-) Nicholas -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
[SLUG] Re: returning windows software
Plus, quite a few companies resell Apple hardware with non-Apple software. Do you still effectively pay for OS X or do these companies obtain hardware sans software from Apple? I'd like a PowerPC but I'd rather not pay for software I don't use - it's difficult enough getting a refund for XP, let alone OS X ;-) Kind regards, Nicholas -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
[SLUG] Re: debian
Well I finally got denian up and running and found it to be a great OS. My problem is that Kppp will not run, when I click on Kppp nothing happens. How can I fix this. Hi Paul, Read /usr/share/doc/kppp/README.Debian. To add your account to the dip group, try a command like this as root (with your non-root username in there): adduser username dip To fix the kppp-options file, give this command: echo noauth /etc/ppp/peers/kppp-options Kind regards, Nicholas -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
[SLUG] Re: returning windows software
Yes but can you return OSX? No, and the Trade Practices Act is no use because Apple Computer produces the software that is preloaded - i.e. Apple freely chooses to sell hardware + software systems, unconstrained by coercive contracts. If Apple was also the only hardware manufacturer in the world *then* the government might intervene, but short of that there isn't a hope of getting a refund for OS X. Kind regards, Nicholas -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
[SLUG] Re: returning windows software
Hi Russell, I have not received a refund yet... but let me tell you the story so far: A long time ago in a galaxy far far away... Oh, sorry - wrong story! A long time ago I bought a laptop from Twinhead Corporation [1] via a retailer in Sydney. I told the retailer that I did not want the preloaded software. The retailer said I should contact the manufacturer for a refund. So I did. The manufacturer refused to give me a refund for the software because of a contract they had with *ahem* the world's greatest software company that all of the manufacturer's Efio branded machines must be preloaded with the software in question. Since *all* of the manufacturer's machines were Efio branded this qualification is a distinction without a difference. [1] http://www.twinhead.com.au/ So I contacted the ACCC [2]. Y'see, I like a free market. I like it when manufacturers can choose what to sell and consumers can choose what to buy. But coercive contracts do not respect this freedom. The manufacturers have little choice but to accept these contracts when ninety-something percent of the consumers want software preloaded. The consumers have no choice when the manufacturers accept these contracts. [2] http://www.accc.gov.au/ The end result is that *all* consumers lose because without competition in this market the consumers will never see the better products at lower prices that might have been. Most consumers will never appreciate this loss. After all, how can one quantify the loss of a hypothetical choice? I answer that the market price for an operating system in a free market may be estimated by considering the profit margin that *ahem* the world's greatest software company derives from its products. I have read that this profit margin is in the order of 90% and so the market price for an operating system would be about $A30 in the absence of coercive contracts. Thus the current situation constitutes a theft of hundreds of dollars from *every* consumer. So coercive contracts are unjust. As it happens, coercive contracts are also unlawful. The Trade Practices Act 1974 [3] is the relevant legislation. [3] http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/tpa1974149/ Section 45 prohibits contracts, arrangements or understandings which contain exclusionary provisions - an agreement between persons any two or more of whom are competitive with each other where the provision has the purpose of preventing, restricting or limiting: (i) the supply of goods or services to, or the acquisition of goods or services from, particular persons or classes of persons; or (ii) the supply of goods or services to, or the acquisition of goods or services from, particular persons or classes of persons in particular circumstances or on particular conditions; by all or any of the parties to the contract, arrangement or understanding. Section 45 also prohibits contracts, arrangements or understandings which contain any provision that has the purpose, or would have or be likely to have the effect, of substantially lessening competition. Section 46 prohibits a corporation that has a substantial degree of power in a market from taking advantage of that power for the purpose of: (a) eliminating or substantially damaging a competitor of the corporation [...] in that or any other market; (b) preventing the entry of a person into that or any other market; or (c) deterring or preventing a person from engaging in competitive conduct in that or any other market. Section 46 also sets the standard of evidence required for that section: Without in any way limiting the manner in which the purpose of a person may be established for the purposes of any other provision of this Act, a corporation may be taken to have taken advantage of its power for a purpose referred to in subsection (1) notwithstanding that, after all the evidence has been considered, the existence of that purpose is ascertainable only by inference from the conduct of the corporation or of any other person or from other relevant circumstances. The ACCC sent me a response that was nine-tenths bullshit. I wrote back in contradiction - very politely! - with equations and diagrams that the behaviour of the manufacturers cannot be explained by volume licensing, that *all* Twinhead machines were Efio branded, and that Twinhead had *admitted* to having a contract limiting the supply of goods. Time passed. Several weeks ago I telephoned the ACCC and spoke with the contact officer for the case. She had since moved to another section and she said she would have the director call me. The director, Michael Kiley, has not yet contacted me. While writing this email I checked Twinhead's website. They now offer laptops with Linux preloaded, including Efio branded laptops. This is good news and bad news... The bad news first: compare the two most similar laptops on offer - the efio 12KTL [4] and the efio 12KT [5]. I have summarized below the differences between these systems. Could someone please
[SLUG] Re: returning windows software
Hi everyone, Yesterday I wrote about two systems [1] [2] - nearly identical - offered for sale by Twinhead Corporation. I have summarized again below the differences between these systems. [1] http://www.twinhead.com.au/product_detail.asp?productid=153 [2] http://www.twinhead.com.au/product_detail.asp?productid=154 efio 12KTL - $A1299 256MB DDR RAM, 40GB HDD Internal DVD+CDRW Combo Drive Abec LINUX Suite inclusive of Open Office Suite: Spreadsheet, Word Processor, Presentation Programme efio 12KT - $A1599 512MB DDR RAM, 60GB HDD Internal DVDRW Dual Drive Microsoft(r) Windows(r) XP Home Edition Today I contacted Twinhead for the upgrade prices on the efio 12KTL: 256MB DDR RAM - 512MB DDR RAM: ~$A69 40GB HDD - 60GB HDD: $A99 Internal DVD+CDRW Combo Drive - Internal DVDRW Dual Drive: $A179 Thus, to upgrade the efio 12KTL to *identical* hardware specs as the efio 12KT brings the price of the system to ~$A1646. As for the other upgrade: Microsoft(r) Windows(r) XP Home Edition: $A149 It is /possible/ that preloaded trialware covers the difference, but I doubt it. Could someone who has bought a laptop recently please tell me how much trialware was preloaded? I will send another letter to the ACCC soon; your input will be invaluable. By the way, the *OEM* End User License Agreement (EULA) is no help. From what I understand it provides for a refund only if you return the entire system. By itself, this is not a problem. Remember, you can't buy a Big Mac and get a refund on the cheese - but if ninety-something percent of consumers want cheese in their burgers and the dairy company (the only one) refuses to supply cheese unless the burger manufacturers put cheese in every burger (or charge for it anyway) then you have a complaint to take to the ACCC. Kind regards, Nicholas -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
[SLUG] Re: Ibdriver for iBurst modem
localhost kernel ib_pcmcia: Unknown symbol ib_net_deregister localhost kernel ib_pcmcia: Unknown symbol ib_net_register localhost kernel ib_pcmcia: Unknown symbol ib_net_fill localhost kernel ib_pcmcia: Unknown symbol ib_net_parse Any suggestions? Hi Mark, Did the depmod command (in the Makefile) succeed? grep ib- /lib/modules/`uname -r`/modules.dep should match some lines. At the moment I can only access the internet using another OS, and it is driving me mad! You repeat yourself ;-) Kind regards, Nicholas -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
