Ok, so i had been playing around with linux for a few years, however it had been a long time since i reverted to base. I had just changed my test pc (AMD64 CPU 3200+, 512meg Ram, 40 Gb HDU, Nvidia FX5200) to run Fedora Core 5, The OS was nice and pretty, it was easy to use and configure and i felt RC5 was basically like playing with Microsoft XP (Like SuSE 10.1 OSS), i thought... TOO BORING.
I trashed the install and and decided to try and get 'geeky', i switched to gentoo, the install was CLI based you had to perform every install task yourself. However i had complete freedom to choose the software profile and get to compile the kernel and software myself (although compiling via the gentoo emerge tool is not really manually compilation), to be frank it was a challenge that i enjoyed.
I had never actually installed, for example GRUB, manually, normally i just install SuSE or Redhat and gleefully click my mouse or move the focus in an NCURSEs gui to get the GRUB software automagically installed.
I now have a fluxbox window manager with a manually configured Xorg X windows setup, everything configured with some CLI tools and the faithfull nano text editor.
I am now a happier person, the install task involved a real sense of learning and re learning aspects of Linux, by installing the 'gentoo' way, its great way of getting back to basics and i would say to anyone starting in Linux to take this route as if you can live with Gentoo, other distros will be easier to understand as you have a behind the scenes view with your gentoo experience.
A good way of thinking about this is if linux was a comedy experience, then Gentoo is a bill hicks video rather than SuSE/Redhat being a box set of friends episodes - a dose of reality!
Monday, May 29, 2006
Sunday, May 14, 2006
Protect your Kids from Net Nasties
I was asked by some friends to help them with a problem relating to the internet. I had previously setup their home for wireless networking, allowing shared internet access for 3 computers via a nice Buffalo access point and an ADSL connection from the ISP Eclipse. The home network was locked down by both encryption and MAC addressing filtering which kept their network private from casual hackers.
Their problem lies in the fact that having multiple accesses to an internet connection allows their young children of 7 & 5 to have their own PC, running Windows XP and Internet explorer. Already their child had searched for 'crazy frog' (the ringtone cartoon character) on google and had been presented with a picture of a naked Frenchman thru one of the links!
Both their kids wanted to research homework, their own interests and of course games and toys, while not being victim to unpleasant content. Could I help?
Although you can set levels in Google to limit the search content and use the content settings in Internet explorer, the parents wanted something that provided rock solid content control that they could administer and have a log of what the children had searched for or tried to access.
I found them a great solution at www.surfsafe.co.uk . The guys at surfsafe keep a ‘black list’ of unsuitable content and thus have a database of all ‘net nasties’.
To use the service you sign up via the website (£3 a month) and download and install the ‘surfsafe’ software. To setup access levels you login to the ‘surfsafe’ web site, select each Windows XP account and setup the access level based on a system similar to rating cinematic films IE U/PG/18. Also, the user, via the website can set individual users access permissions based on categories of content, so for example your child could access the category ‘Search Engines’ but not have access to sexual content they found in a search from the site. It is all very simple to configure and designed for a non technical person.
In practice, the surfsafe software automatically loads and displays an icon in the system tray when a user logs into the computer. The user can browse the net as per usual, however when unsuitable content is requested thru the browser a ‘blocked’ message is displayed, then an entry is written to the online log so the ‘parent’ knows that ‘little jimmy’ tried to access a net nasty….
Surfsafe works very well and as a package is very good value, a hidden benefit is that it seems to block adverts and is a valuable tool in avoiding spyware as most ‘net nasty’ content is riddled with such software. The user can granulise the access rights so children can get suitable access no matter what their age and adult users can still access the content they desire. It’s a cool service and at £3 a month it’s a snap for all parents.
Hope this helps!
Their problem lies in the fact that having multiple accesses to an internet connection allows their young children of 7 & 5 to have their own PC, running Windows XP and Internet explorer. Already their child had searched for 'crazy frog' (the ringtone cartoon character) on google and had been presented with a picture of a naked Frenchman thru one of the links!
Both their kids wanted to research homework, their own interests and of course games and toys, while not being victim to unpleasant content. Could I help?
Although you can set levels in Google to limit the search content and use the content settings in Internet explorer, the parents wanted something that provided rock solid content control that they could administer and have a log of what the children had searched for or tried to access.
I found them a great solution at www.surfsafe.co.uk . The guys at surfsafe keep a ‘black list’ of unsuitable content and thus have a database of all ‘net nasties’.
To use the service you sign up via the website (£3 a month) and download and install the ‘surfsafe’ software. To setup access levels you login to the ‘surfsafe’ web site, select each Windows XP account and setup the access level based on a system similar to rating cinematic films IE U/PG/18. Also, the user, via the website can set individual users access permissions based on categories of content, so for example your child could access the category ‘Search Engines’ but not have access to sexual content they found in a search from the site. It is all very simple to configure and designed for a non technical person.
In practice, the surfsafe software automatically loads and displays an icon in the system tray when a user logs into the computer. The user can browse the net as per usual, however when unsuitable content is requested thru the browser a ‘blocked’ message is displayed, then an entry is written to the online log so the ‘parent’ knows that ‘little jimmy’ tried to access a net nasty….
Surfsafe works very well and as a package is very good value, a hidden benefit is that it seems to block adverts and is a valuable tool in avoiding spyware as most ‘net nasty’ content is riddled with such software. The user can granulise the access rights so children can get suitable access no matter what their age and adult users can still access the content they desire. It’s a cool service and at £3 a month it’s a snap for all parents.
Hope this helps!
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Coral Reef
I like to point other web users towards web sites that i find that really hit the spot in terms of being excellent in delivering the service they were designed to provide. A point in case being the online betting site provided by coral. The website is easy to use and really makes placing a bet a trivial task. The site also has online poker, with a JAVA application which works on my mac (!), an online casino, virtual sports (which is like a championship manager game for cash prizes), online slots and many many other cash games. Check it out for some low cost betting fun, i must admit that i do love my trips to vegas and this site keeps me going until my (now) annual vegas blowout.
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