tom’s blog

OS: SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 SP1 (x86_64) [64 bit]

VMware Server [1.06] depends on some 32 bit software:
+ xorg-x11-libs-32bit-6.9.x (should automatically add the other packages, too)
  - expat-32bit-2.0.x
  - fontconfig-32bit-2.3.x
  - freetype2-32bit-2.1.x
  - glibc-32bit-2.x
  - ncurses-32bit-5.x
  - zlib-32bit-1.2.x

Additionally gcc, make, kernel headers, etc. should be installed to run vmware-config-tools.pl properly.

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Today, I bought a new scanner - of course without checking linux compatibility : /
hp - a well known brand. Description says “Works with Max OS X, Win Vista, XP, 2000″.
Linux wasn’t mentioned, but that’s not unusual at all.

The default xsane backend package (<- v.1.0.19 [delivered with Ubuntu Hardy])
didn’t find a device, so I tried installing the beta release of the hp3900 sane backends (drivers).
This version is still beta status, but got my new scanner up and running : )

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If you cannot connect to your samba server or share using the name BUT when using the ip address, this might help:

The netbios name has to be set manually.
For this purpose edit the global section in [/etc/samba/] smb.conf

netbios name = SERVERNAME
server string = Server Description

This one worked for me on a openSUSE 10.2 sytem with a samba 3.0.x release.

The latestet release of suPHP (v.0.6.3) has been published on Mar 30th, 2008.

It’s a security fix release eliminating two symlink race-conditions.
Users are strongly advised to update immediately.

.. the Dark Side of the Force are they ..
more to say?

RBLs - yes / no.. a big discussion always..
Right now, I can recommend zen.spamhaus.org & ix.dnsbl.manitu.net (<- especially for german MXs).
I’ve never seen a false positive on these lists ..

Nevertheless, use the lists for scoring (i.e. with spamassassin), not for instant blocking!

Nowadays, prosecuting “backscatter”, sender callouts, etc. seems to be a new trend - and it could be useful in future..
I’ve tested the only free list I know - backscatterer.org.
Don’t you use that one for immediate blocking!
Scoring can be ok, but even there - watch your logs!

Some “hits” (from a test run) to show what I found:
…
2008-03-04 17:17:42 H=lizzard.sbs.de [194.138.37.39] - possible backscatter
2008-03-04 17:21:59 H=mail.space.net [195.30.0.8] - possible backscatter
2008-03-04 17:25:33 H=relay4.ptmail.sapo.pt [212.55.154.24] - possible backscatter
2008-03-04 17:32:46 H=relay23.arbeitsagentur.de [212.204.77.151] - possible backscatter
2008-03-04 17:33:38 H=mout1.mail.vrmd.de [81.28.224.19] - possible backscatter
2008-03-04 17:48:33 H=dgate1.fujitsu-siemens.com [217.115.66.35] - possible backscatter
2008-03-04 17:50:05 H=mailout05.sul.t-online.de [194.25.134.82] - possible backscatter
2008-03-04 17:51:27 H=relay0-0.brigade.com [209.249.158.73] - possible backscatter
2008-03-04 18:04:42 H=mailout07.sul.t-online.de [194.25.134.83] - possible backscatter
2008-03-04 18:11:21 H=bay0-omc2-s24.bay0.hotmail.com [65.54.246.160] - possible backscatter
2008-03-04 18:13:37 H=mail.space.net [195.30.0.8] - possible backscatter
2008-03-04 18:13:42 H=smtp1.versatel.nl [62.58.50.88] - possible backscatter
2008-03-04 18:15:29 H=mailout09.sul.t-online.de [194.25.134.84] - possible backscatter
2008-03-04 18:16:33 H=ip17.be3a.com (be3a.com) [213.92.9.17] - possible backscatter
2008-03-04 18:18:12 H=gamwsm02.mwga.mailwatch.com [216.157.255.16] - possible backscatter
2008-03-04 18:20:15 H=aps67.muc.ec-messenger.com [195.140.186.67] - possible backscatter
2008-03-04 18:22:56 H=mout1.mail.vrmd.de [81.28.224.19] - possible backscatter
2008-03-04 18:25:46 H=mail.gmx.net [213.165.64.20] - possible backscatter
2008-03-04 18:27:56 H=mail004.thyssenkrupp.com [149.211.153.66] - possible backscatter
2008-03-04 18:30:43 H=mailout04.sul.t-online.de [194.25.134.18] - possible backscatter
2008-03-04 18:33:06 H=mailout03.sul.t-online.de [194.25.134.81] - possible backscatter
2008-03-04 18:39:33 H=mail.gmx.net [213.165.64.20] - possible backscatter
2008-03-04 18:45:20 H=mail.schule.bayern.de [194.95.207.92] - possible backscatter
2008-03-04 18:48:56 H=skibayf20.kirche-bayern.de [141.78.101.100] - possible backscatter
…

A lot of the BIG players (german companies in this example mainly) are found on the list ..
So don’t get yourself in trouble with users that complain all day long and think about what you’re blocking ..

Any suggestion/comment ist highly appreciated.

Edit wp-config.php and add
define('ENABLE_CACHE', true);

Create the directory cache in the folder wp-content/ (take care it’s writeable!)

If you want to take control about expiration time, you can do this including these lines in wp-config.php:
define('CACHE_EXPIRATION_TIME', 900);

That’s all : )
The next time, your blog is being visted, the pages will be cached..
B.t.w.: You can empty the cache directory every time you want (in case of trouble, etc..).

More infos:
http://www.mitternachtshacking.de/blog/356-wordpress-cache-aktiviert (de)
http://sw-guide.de/2007-07/bessere-blog-performance-dank-wordpress-internen-cache/ (de)

Update (!):
The file-based caching mechanism has been removed from the WordPress 2.5 code. Detailed infos at neosmart.net.

A little hack to remove mails for a specific recipient from the postfix mail queue:


mailq | tail +2 | awk 'BEGIN { RS = "" } \
/ user@example\.tld$/ { print $1 } \
' | tr -d '*!' | postsuper -d -


Tested on: openSUSE 10.2, Squid 2.6 <-> Windows Server 2003
Goal: User authentication should be possible without “extra login” on the squid proxy.



Here we go …
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Just found a plugin to monitor the status of software raid devices. Other raid devices like megaide, megaraid, etc. are supported, too. Thanks a lot to Steve Shipway for providing this great tool.



Supported devices:
Version 1.1: IPS; Solaris, AIX, Linux software RAID; megaide
Version 2.0: Added megaraid, mpt (serveraid), aacli (serveraid)

Download here or from the guys at NagiosExchange.