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ssh & cvs
by Paul 23 Sep '04

23 Sep '04

Hi Folks After discussing a small problem about ssh and cvs with Brett last night, it was suggested I post the problem here... I am attempting to set up a cvs server behind a firewall using ssh for security. The port forwarding works and has been tested from the outside, as does cvs access. At the moment, I have set up a usr account for each person requiring write access to the cvs repository.. However, I do not want to allow remote users to have shell access on the cvs server. Is there a simple way I can disable shell accounts for selected users and still have ssh & cvs working with some degree of security ? Regards, Paul. -- Pieces of seven, pieces of seven - A parroty error. "To err is human...to really f*** things up requires the root password."

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Software Patents
by Ted.Harding＠nessie.mcc.ac.uk 22 Sep '04

22 Sep '04

Hi Folks, This morning's "You and Yours" on Radio 4 had quite an interesting item on the US "patent piracy" scam, and the considerations which the EU are applying to the issue. Though not primarily about software patenting, this topic did come up. What was interesting was the indication that the EU is considering applying more of a "real technological invention needed" criterion as compared with the US practice whereby a firm can apparently slap a patent on anything provided only that no-one has thought of doing that before. While US lawyers do seem to regard this as a joke, none the less the lack of proper investigation by the Patent Authorities means that it happens, with the result that it's simply not possible in the US for people without million-dollar funding to fight a patent and it's more in their interests to accept a costly but affordable licensing agreement with the "patent" holder. The program is not yet up for "Listen Again", but should be by tomorrow. Visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/youandyours/ Best wishes tgo all, Ted. -------------------------------------------------------------------- E-Mail: (Ted Harding) <Ted.Harding(a)nessie.mcc.ac.uk> Fax-to-email: +44 (0)870 094 0861 [NB: New number!] Date: 22-Sep-04 Time: 13:17:57 ------------------------------ XFMail ------------------------------

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Security, what does one need in reality?
by Chris Green 21 Sep '04

21 Sep '04

Since we are soon to get an 'always on' broadband connection with a fixed IP address (it's not ADSL, it's wireless but that doesn't affect things really) I'm looking into what new things I will be able to do and the security thereof. I have already resurrected an old machine and have installed ipCop on it, that's fine and will block most external access. However I do want to allow *some* access, in particular I want:- ssh access to the ipcop box, this will allow some administration and will also allow access (via another ssh connection) to my Linux server machine on the GREEN side. Access to an IMAP server on the Linux server on the GREEN side by port mapping through the ipCop box. (I know a separate ORANGE subnet is really the way to go but that means yet another machine I have to administer etc. which I want to avoid) In the real world how vulnerable will these two be? Will I get incessant hacking at the open SSH port on the ipCop box trying to guess the password or will it just be the occasional port scan? Assuming the password is secure enough (i.e. unguessable enough and not published on the internet somewhere) will I be basically OK? I may be able to limit the SSH access in particular to only certain client IP addresses but I want the IMAP to be accessible from anywhere. The IMAP server will probably only have two or three accounts on it and I will have control over passwords (though not where they're kept maybe). Does anyone here have any experience of how vulnerable in reality such systems are? I'm not after Fort Knox, I just want things to be reasonably safe. -- Chris Green (chris(a)areti.co.uk) "Never ascribe to malice, that which can be explained by incompetence."

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Graphical 'diff' with proper X cut and paste
by Chris Green 21 Sep '04

21 Sep '04

I'm looking for a graphical (GUI/X) diff command which allows proper X cut and paste. I've found xdiff (well, one of them, there are a couple) and mgdiff but neither allows one to select lines from the display and to paste them elsewhere. They both expect you're trying to merge the diff'ed files into an output file so the select actions only decide whether what you have selected goes into the output file or not. What I need to do is to be able to see differences between two files and paste them into a third file which is (probably) open in a different window. I can't find a diff utility which allows me to do this. Does anyone have any recommendations? It needs to be fairly 'generic unix' as I want it to run on a Solaris box. I'm quite happy to compile stuff but I'm not happy if the program needs lots of specialist libraries. -- Chris Green (chris(a)areti.co.uk)

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FIPS and Windows
by Ted.Harding＠nessie.mcc.ac.uk 21 Sep '04

21 Sep '04

Hi Folks (andapologies for cross-posting) I've always had a good experience with 'fips' when using it to back Windows into a suitably restricted space prior to installing Linux. However, on these occasions it has been effectively a virgin preinstalled Windows with which I have done little or nothing. I'm now wondering about using 'fips' to resize some Windows partitions amongst themselves, this being a Win installation which has been actively used for years, and has a lot of user files and extra installed software, so this situation is beyond my experience. The situation is possibly complicated by the fact that the Windows partitions are not all distinct primary partitions: some are "logical" partitions within an "extended" partition. (In effect the aim of the exercise is to increase the size of C: at the expense of "E:", "F:" and "G:" and to re-allocate space amongst the latter, in the presence of a partition "D:" which is on a different drive and would have comwe out as "G:" were it not for a re-assignment of drive letters under software control ... If anyone has experience of going down this road I'd value hearing about it! (Sorry, too, for being somewhat off-topic!) Best wishes to all, Ted. -------------------------------------------------------------------- E-Mail: (Ted Harding) <Ted.Harding(a)nessie.mcc.ac.uk> Fax-to-email: +44 (0)870 094 0861 [NB: New number!] Date: 20-Sep-04 Time: 18:14:51 ------------------------------ XFMail ------------------------------

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Eye Candy
by Wayne Stallwood 20 Sep '04

20 Sep '04

Adam's last post got me thinking about the use of Eye Candy in software. What do the group think are good and bad examples of effects or eye candy. For example ( this is going to be a popular one I feel ) I absolutely hate the dog that appears when searching for a file in Windows XP (Spot I think it's called), it adds nothing to the search functionality and just wastes some screen estate. On the same OS I quite like the transparent mail notification that appears when Outlook 2003 receives a new mail (if you haven't seen it, it pops up above the system tray with a brief summary of the incoming mail over the active windows but transparent enough to still see the active window through it) It's pretty handy as it usually catches my eye and appears for long enough and with enough information for me to make a judgement as to whether it's a mail I need to deal with now or leave for later.

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[Fwd: Re: [ALUG] Eye Candy]
by Stechjo 20 Sep '04

20 Sep '04

>> I was going to say gvim, but "apt-cache search" digs up vim-gnome, >> vim-gtk. vim-lesstif, and vim-tcl instead. >> >> Hmmm .... > Welcome to the confusing world of vim! :D Nah, it's easy: # USE="-gnome gtk" emerge vim ;)

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Weekly IRC reminder
by Neill Newman 20 Sep '04

20 Sep '04

This is the automated ALUG IRC meeting reminder sent to remind you that there is an IRC meeting tonight (Monday) at 8.00pm. The meeting takes place on the irc server irc.alug.org.uk in the #alug channel. Most IRC clients should allow you to get there with the commands "/server irc.alug.org.uk" and "/join #alug". Popular IRC clients include tkirc, bitchx, xchat and EPIC on Unix, and Mirc under windows. Here are some links to help you get started with irc. Unix http://www.xchat.org/ http://freshmeat.net/ http://www.epicsol.org/ Windows http://www.mirc.com (loads of help with irc for newbies!)

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Drawing program for plans, layouts, etc. wanted
by Chris Green 18 Sep '04

18 Sep '04

I've been looking for a simple program to draw plans and maybe flowcharts and other similar layout type things for ages (like years!). However I've never really found anything that fills the bill. Has anyone got any suggestions? I'm currently playing with Qcad which is OKish but it's not as intuitive as I would like for the basic operations of drawing rectangles and moving them around. If I can't find anything better I may persevere with Qcad but it's really both more and less than what I actually want. -- Chris Green (chris(a)areti.co.uk) "Never ascribe to malice, that which can be explained by incompetence."

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Radio player thingy
by John Seago 18 Sep '04

18 Sep '04

Is there a free software radio player available, which now I have broadband, I can install? -- John Seago Linux User #219566 (http://counter.li.org)

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Re: Radio player thingy
by John Seago 17 Sep '04

17 Sep '04

Thank you to all who replied, I've got it installed, now all I have to do is to get it to let noise/sounds out my puny loudspeakers. -- John Seago Linux User #219566 (http://counter.li.org)

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Weekly IRC reminder
by Neill Newman 13 Sep '04

13 Sep '04

This is the automated ALUG IRC meeting reminder sent to remind you that there is an IRC meeting tonight (Monday) at 8.00pm. The meeting takes place on the irc server irc.alug.org.uk in the #alug channel. Most IRC clients should allow you to get there with the commands "/server irc.alug.org.uk" and "/join #alug". Popular IRC clients include tkirc, bitchx, xchat and EPIC on Unix, and Mirc under windows. Here are some links to help you get started with irc. Unix http://www.xchat.org/ http://freshmeat.net/ http://www.epicsol.org/ Windows http://www.mirc.com (loads of help with irc for newbies!)

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Re: [ALUG] old Pentiums, was free printers etc.
by Tim Green 12 Sep '04

12 Sep '04

On Sat, 11 Sep 2004 22:15:15 +0100 (BST), Chris Walker <linux(a)wymondham.demon.co.uk> wrote: > Blimey. I didn't think anybody would want a Pentium of that speed so if > anybody else wants one, I have a P75 or thereabouts in my garage with > Smoothwall installed on it. I work on the outskirts of Norwich so if you > want it delivered I might be able to oblige. I was easily able to shift my old AMD-K5/75 earlier this summer in exchange for a couple of cans of beer. The only fault was the BIOS battery had gone so the date would reset back to 1-1-1996 on power up. It made a great firewall :-) Tim.

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Sound doesn't work
by Graham 11 Sep '04

11 Sep '04

I've reinstalled SuSE 9.1 after a hard drive upgrade and an audio problem previously encountered has reappeared. It was solved a few months ago with the help of this group but for some reason my ALUG mail folder was wiped during the backup/restore so I don't have the previous messages. Basically, the system has stopped emitting sound. Immediately post installation I heard a few noises but now I'm trying to play mp3s or videos, nada. I seem to remember the answer had to do with using alsaconf instead of YAST's audio settings. Running alsaconf to set up the VIA VT8233 sound system first throws three warnings about "modinfo: command not found" but then detects the sound system and claims to set it up. After that, XMMS complains about "Couldn't open audio - please check that..(etc)" and doesn't play the file. However, it may or may not be relevant that on boot, as KDE is setting up I get an "Error - KDesktop" with the rather ungrammatical message "Could not start process Unable to create io-slave: klauncher said Unknown protocol 'devices'". Presumably something I've screwed up; might it be related? Can anyone remember how they helped me last time, or can suggest what to do? -- GT

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Re: [ALUG] free printers, scanner, Norwich area
by Syd Hancock 11 Sep '04

11 Sep '04

[Apologies if this doesn't thread but I am reading main via the archives only so cannot reply directly.] Syd Hancock wrote: > Having a clear out. Going: [...] Both laserjets have gone. > 3. PB (badged Lexmark) Colourjet 9000 > Colour inkjet printer. May not be working. > > 4. Agfa Studioscan IIsi scanner > Old but serviceable. > SCSI interface - large 50-way D connector (SCSI-1 ?). Can give a > suitable scsi card and cable if needed (Adaptec AVA-2904). > Scanner was never used with linux but AFAIK it is supported. SCSI > card definitely supported. Inkjet, scanner and i/f still available. > 5. A couple of old pentium 60 (or similar) machines, Pentiums have gone. Syd

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free printers, scanner, Norwich area
by Syd Hancock 11 Sep '04

11 Sep '04

Hi all Hope everyone had a gret summer. Having a clear out. Going: 1. HP Laserjet 4si B/W laser printer. Big, heavy, noisy but will go for ever - built like a tank. Spare toner and rollers. Paper jams sometimes but prob. just needs the rollers cleaning/swapping. 2. HP laserjet 6L small quiet B/W laser printer. Not used for a while but should be working. 3. PB (badged Lexmark) Colourjet 9000 Colour inkjet printer. May not be working. 4. Agfa Studioscan IIsi scanner Old but serviceable. SCSI interface - large 50-way D connector (SCSI-1 ?). Can give a suitable scsi card and cable if needed (Adaptec AVA-2904). Scanner was never used with linux but AFAIK it is supported. SCSI card definitely supported. 5. A couple of old pentium 60 (or similar) machines, OK for firewall etc. I have some bits e.g memory, small hard-disks, CD-roms etc. knocking around but these machines have been canabilised so you'll probably need to add some bits. All this stuff is going free. Will deliver in Norwich area free or further for a bit of petrol money. Please email off-list if interested. Next weekend (Sept 18/19th) they go out of the house for good - somewhere, anywhere - so get on the case now if interested! Syd

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Uncr**ping HTML email
by Ted.Harding＠nessie.mcc.ac.uk 10 Sep '04

10 Sep '04

Hi Folks, We are all getting more and more email with the primary body in HTML, as well as the corresponding attachment. If your MUA allows message editing, it's easy to delete the HTML attachment. However, removing HTML tags from the body requires detailed editing. If I want to keep a copy of a message for future reference, I want to be able to edit it back to good old clean plain text. Manual editing can be very tedious for long messages. Is there some program one can "pipe" the message into so as to strip out all the HTML cr^H^Hstuff? I suppose a simple 'awk' script which struck out everything from "<" to the next ">" inclusive would at least achieve that, but it could also inadvertently achieve more than is wanted. The thought has occurred to me to open the HTML in a browser, and mark&paste to the editor window, but that also is more trouble than I'm happy to go to (though better than nothing). With thanks for ideas and suggestions, Best wishes to all, Ted. -------------------------------------------------------------------- E-Mail: (Ted Harding) <Ted.Harding(a)nessie.mcc.ac.uk> Fax-to-email: +44 (0)870 167 1972 Date: 09-Sep-04 Time: 12:19:13 ------------------------------ XFMail ------------------------------

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slight OT: problems with an old monitor
by Ashley T. Howes, Ph.D. 09 Sep '04

09 Sep '04

(apologies for being slight OT) Last night, my old Commodore monitor for my Amiga blew up. I'm using a spare at the moment, and wondered if someone could point me in the right direction to getting it fixed. I know there are a wide variety of people on this list, thus the post. The monitor in question is a 1084S (specifically 1084S-P VDE). Last night, in the middle of using it, it powered down and now emits a high pitch whistle when turned on. This whistle is constant and is still emitted for about two seconds after the monitor is switched off. Any help useful. -- Ashley T. Howes, Ph.D. http://www.ashleyhowes.com "I remember the very things I do not wish to; I cannot forget the things I wish to forget." - Cicero

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[Fwd: [ALUG] slight OT: problems with an old monitor]
by Stechjo 09 Sep '04

09 Sep '04

> Last night, my old Commodore monitor for my Amiga blew up. > The monitor in question is a 1084S (specifically 1084S-P VDE). Last > night, in the middle of using it, it powered down and now emits a high > pitch whistle when turned on. The exact same thing happened to mine a couple of weeks back and I'm now using a little TV which is just awful. Repairs, replacements, alternatives, whichever. I just want a decent monitor for my miggy. Poor thing. Cheers, Steve

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Now listed on iCON Norfolk clubs directory
by MJ Ray 08 Sep '04

08 Sep '04

Just a short note to let you know a very mangled entry for us has appeared on Norfolk County Council's clubs directory: http://norlink.norfolk.gov.uk/cgi-bin/vps2-civ.web.sh?enqtype=SECOND&enqpar… At least the web link is correct. I'll link it to the web site RSN. If anyone gets similar listings, please let me know where they are. -- MJR/slef My Opinion Only and not of any group I know http://www.ttllp.co.uk/ for creative copyleft computing Visit the AFFS stand, .org village LinuxExpoUK, 6-7 Oct

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Reminder: Norwich City Gate meeting this Thursday night.
by Jonathan McDowell 07 Sep '04

07 Sep '04

As per usual, this Thursday (9th September) we'll be congregating in the City Gate from around 8pm. At least myself, Brett and Martijn will be there. Full details can be found at: http://www.alug.org.uk/meetings/2004/all-NorThu.html Directions at: http://www.alug.org.uk/venues/citygate.html Pictures from August of people so you know who to look out for: http://www.earth.li/~noodles/Photos/2004-08-ALUG/ J. -- /------------------------------------\ | noodles is perfect | | http://www.blackcatnetworks.co.uk/ | \------------------------------------/

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Re: [ALUG] I'm off...
by John Seago 07 Sep '04

07 Sep '04

On Tuesday 07 Sep 2004 06:25, Craig <c(a)macloco.net> wrote: > On 6 Sep 2004, at 07:58, John Seago wrote: > > Hang on, are you going to somerset just for a day break or something? I > mean if it was me in your condition, I wouldn't bother ;) I am assuming that the above reply was addressed to Rob Frusher and not myself, as I'm not going anywhere, well I am having a day out in Felixstowe today, but that's about the extent of my adventurous travels this week. -- John Seago Linux User #219566 (http://counter.li.org)

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Re: [ALUG] I'm off...
by John Seago 06 Sep '04

06 Sep '04

On Monday 06 Sep 2004 06:25, rob_frusher(a)tiscali.co.uk wrote: > Just a shorty to say that I am off on the 20th to sunny somerset, I will > see if they have a lug (slug... maybe) down there so that I can tax > their linux minds. Have a look here: http://www.lug.org.uk/lugs/sw.php -- John Seago Linux User #219566 (http://counter.li.org)

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Weekly IRC reminder
by Neill Newman 06 Sep '04

06 Sep '04

This is the automated ALUG IRC meeting reminder sent to remind you that there is an IRC meeting tonight (Monday) at 8.00pm. The meeting takes place on the irc server irc.alug.org.uk in the #alug channel. Most IRC clients should allow you to get there with the commands "/server irc.alug.org.uk" and "/join #alug". Popular IRC clients include tkirc, bitchx, xchat and EPIC on Unix, and Mirc under windows. Here are some links to help you get started with irc. Unix http://www.xchat.org/ http://freshmeat.net/ http://www.epicsol.org/ Windows http://www.mirc.com (loads of help with irc for newbies!)

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Weekly IRC reminder
by Neill Newman 06 Sep '04

06 Sep '04

This is the automated ALUG IRC meeting reminder sent to remind you that there is an IRC meeting tonight (Monday) at 8.00pm. The meeting takes place on the irc server irc.alug.org.uk in the #alug channel. Most IRC clients should allow you to get there with the commands "/server irc.alug.org.uk" and "/join #alug". Popular IRC clients include tkirc, bitchx, xchat and EPIC on Unix, and Mirc under windows. Here are some links to help you get started with irc. Unix http://www.xchat.org/ http://freshmeat.net/ http://www.epicsol.org/ Windows http://www.mirc.com (loads of help with irc for newbies!)

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