New Version of LAVA CD Version will be uploaded today based on Ubuntu 9.10
Features:
* Custom sysctl.conf for increased bandwidth and security as well as filesystem and memory tweaks
* Enabled hdparm.conf for dms, hard disk cache, etc
* Installed , configured preload
* a suite load of addtional software to make it easier to use: gnochm, ntfs-config, eggscups, etc.
* removed usual gnome menu and replaced with gnome-main menu
* added custom templates like NEW Excel Spreadsheet, New Word Docuemnt, New Python Script into right click -> New
* added a bunch of nauitlus context menus - convert ot BMP, convert to PSD, convert to GIF, merge images into a PDF, extract images from PDF, burn Xbox game
* added firefox addons - text to link, dns cache, adblock, etc. and reconfigured firefox for safer browsing.
* added network utils like traceroute, aircrack
* added cd converting utils like nrg2iso, binchunck
* added mediubuntu repos to software lists so you can download media codecs or apps
* changed all media to play thru smplayer - avi, mpg, mpeg, mov, wmv, wma, mp4, flv, etc
etc, etc , etc.
Let me know what you think.
should have it uploaded by this afternoon.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Not Ubuntu related
But it is open source related.
I built a backup utility for our datacenter based on rsync. It used rsync in the background but gives our non unix technicians the ability to backup shares, folders with rsync on windows without needing us unix gurus to setup the backups.
It has all the rsync features, plus scheduler and can build the UI options into a script so you can have a nice icon to just double click on to do the backups whenever and/or throw them into your own schedules uses the scheduler for windows.
here's a video of it I posted on youtube.
I built a backup utility for our datacenter based on rsync. It used rsync in the background but gives our non unix technicians the ability to backup shares, folders with rsync on windows without needing us unix gurus to setup the backups.
It has all the rsync features, plus scheduler and can build the UI options into a script so you can have a nice icon to just double click on to do the backups whenever and/or throw them into your own schedules uses the scheduler for windows.
here's a video of it I posted on youtube.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Ubuntu 9.10
Yeah! Been pretty busy the last two months with work, web development, drupal, server management - I have not had time to jump on and blog about the cool things I have been doing. But since the new release of ubuntu is out in the wild, I decided to download it and begin working with it in a VM and start retooling it for a new LAVA and LAVALite release.
Lately I have been working on some projects for clients with RAILO, drupal and cakephp. All web based applications but it's been amazing to build some apps that look and run just like desktop apps all built on opensource software. I have been using LAVA based on Ubuntu 8.04 with apache, tomcat, cakephp, drupal and RAILO depending on the project. I have grown to really enjoy coding this way. I started about 8 years ago as a COLDFUSION programmer and started to write smaller apps with RAILO when it became opensource. Now with a UBUNTU stack and I throw in either RAILO, drupal or cakephp and volia instant backend for some really robust apps. Having ubuntu as a solid test environment really makes development so much faster cause I can make a custom cd for the client which has all the software and runtimes necessary to completely install a new instance of the application within their environment without the need for an apache guru or a mysql guru, etc.
Throw in some Yahoo UI, EXTJS or Jquery and your apps look awesome.
I am really excited about this new version of ubuntu - supposed to be alot faster. I played with the betas but now to see the true release.
Will post something once I have tested out a couple builds.
Lately I have been working on some projects for clients with RAILO, drupal and cakephp. All web based applications but it's been amazing to build some apps that look and run just like desktop apps all built on opensource software. I have been using LAVA based on Ubuntu 8.04 with apache, tomcat, cakephp, drupal and RAILO depending on the project. I have grown to really enjoy coding this way. I started about 8 years ago as a COLDFUSION programmer and started to write smaller apps with RAILO when it became opensource. Now with a UBUNTU stack and I throw in either RAILO, drupal or cakephp and volia instant backend for some really robust apps. Having ubuntu as a solid test environment really makes development so much faster cause I can make a custom cd for the client which has all the software and runtimes necessary to completely install a new instance of the application within their environment without the need for an apache guru or a mysql guru, etc.
Throw in some Yahoo UI, EXTJS or Jquery and your apps look awesome.
I am really excited about this new version of ubuntu - supposed to be alot faster. I played with the betas but now to see the true release.
Will post something once I have tested out a couple builds.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Microsoft datacenter woes
Looks like Microsoft datacenter had a huge loss this week. Actually all the mobile sidekick data for all the USA.
This just in time for Microsoft's unveiling of their new Azure online cloud service and Microsoft's bid to get people to use Microsoft Office online.
I know it's not ubuntu news but it's interesting to see with everything going to the cloud. The new version of Ubuntu allows cloud service integration with Amazon. And although I think everyone who has been using cloud services have come accustomed to some lose of service whether that is disconnects to their data or some downtime, this is the first time I have ever heard of complete data loss.
having lost data on local hds, I understand hardware fails but come on. When someone like a Microsoft loses data - it's unforgivable and a real testament to their growing lack of technical skill. Reading the article, they do point out that Microsoft inherited it's sidekick infrastructure a year ago, but that does not help their case - if anything it makes it worse. They had a whole year to put in place a backup strategy. For me being a person who likes the idea of cloud computing and even uses Google Apps cloud service it puts the fear in me that Microsoft could be so complacent. Let them be an example to all in the cloud business - make backups.
Read the article here:
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/10/11/microsofts_danger_sidekick_data_loss_casts_dark_on_cloud_computing.html
This just in time for Microsoft's unveiling of their new Azure online cloud service and Microsoft's bid to get people to use Microsoft Office online.
I know it's not ubuntu news but it's interesting to see with everything going to the cloud. The new version of Ubuntu allows cloud service integration with Amazon. And although I think everyone who has been using cloud services have come accustomed to some lose of service whether that is disconnects to their data or some downtime, this is the first time I have ever heard of complete data loss.
having lost data on local hds, I understand hardware fails but come on. When someone like a Microsoft loses data - it's unforgivable and a real testament to their growing lack of technical skill. Reading the article, they do point out that Microsoft inherited it's sidekick infrastructure a year ago, but that does not help their case - if anything it makes it worse. They had a whole year to put in place a backup strategy. For me being a person who likes the idea of cloud computing and even uses Google Apps cloud service it puts the fear in me that Microsoft could be so complacent. Let them be an example to all in the cloud business - make backups.
Read the article here:
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/10/11/microsofts_danger_sidekick_data_loss_casts_dark_on_cloud_computing.html
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
New Ubuntu and apt-build fun
Looking forward to the new build of ubuntu coming out at the end of the month. I've been holding off on uploading my new builds as I thought early last month that i would just end up replacing them when the new build comes out anyways.
I have been playing with apt-build. For those who do not know - apt-build allows you to install apps like normal but during the install, downloads the source if it is available from the repos and builds a version of the intended app on your machine to take advantage of your specific hardware.
I've been playing with it and it really does speed up your system. I ran apt-build and built my entire system from the ground up - kernel, openoffice, gnome, etc. And everything just pops.
Unfortunately it took like 8 hours to do. :) But now - openoffice and gnome in general just is lightning fast. If you have the time I would highly suggest trying it out.
I have been playing with apt-build. For those who do not know - apt-build allows you to install apps like normal but during the install, downloads the source if it is available from the repos and builds a version of the intended app on your machine to take advantage of your specific hardware.
I've been playing with it and it really does speed up your system. I ran apt-build and built my entire system from the ground up - kernel, openoffice, gnome, etc. And everything just pops.
Unfortunately it took like 8 hours to do. :) But now - openoffice and gnome in general just is lightning fast. If you have the time I would highly suggest trying it out.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
New build on it's way
Been awhile since i built a new version of lavalite and lava. I've been playing with the new build of ubuntu and xubuntu. Each time there is a new version, I like to reformat my test pc and run my scripts and see if there is any way to improve upon the great work Canonical does with ubuntu and xubuntu. The process takes some time as I like to see if there are any new programs in synaptic I might want to include as well as all the tweaks I normally include that may or may not be necessary with the new builds.
I'm almost ready and will probably have a new version of the CD, Plus and dev out by early next week.
Please let me know if there is anything you have seen which you think might make for a better experience.
Along with the normal changes, I'm thinking of changing the default mediaplayer from vlc to mplayer. It seems to run wmv files better.
I'm almost ready and will probably have a new version of the CD, Plus and dev out by early next week.
Please let me know if there is anything you have seen which you think might make for a better experience.
Along with the normal changes, I'm thinking of changing the default mediaplayer from vlc to mplayer. It seems to run wmv files better.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
SSH Gateway Portal
Several people have asked about the portal application i wrote so I wanted to go into further details.
The application is a windows based single self contained exe designed so administrator can publish rdp, vnc, www, and x to Window users thru ssh without having to install ssh, explain to the users how to connect to the ssh internal servers, or setup ftp, vncview or manually configure rdp settings at the client level. The Portal has vncviewer embedded, filezilla embedded, knows the x86 and x64 paths for terminal service client and has an xclient embedded.
Basically the administrator logs into a web interface on the ssh server, adds published apps describing internal servers hidden behind the ssh server and assigns those published apps to Active Directory groups. The admin then adds users to those groups. The user can only see the published apps they have been assigned when they login to the portal.
They click on their published app and the app connects thru ssh to the internal resource. If it is an rdp server, the portal generates an rdp file based on what parameters the admin setup, and forwards the necessary ports and then launches the windows terminal client and connects it to the forwarded port - all without the user knowing ssh was used, what ports were used, etc.
The same is true with ftp, gets parameters from what admin setup, forwards port and then launches the embedded filezilla to the port. Again user did not need to setup or install filezilla, nor did they need to know ssh was involved or what internal ports or servers were used.
X same thing, and VNC same thing.
I basically made a ssh web version of metaframe web interface but instead of pushing out ica i am doing rdp, vnc, ftp, and x
The ssh gateway is built on ubuntu but can be any linux os, apache and php. But I am thinking of replacing the php portion with rails or django. The portal client piece is built with realbasic and i built a version with visual studio 2003.
The application is a windows based single self contained exe designed so administrator can publish rdp, vnc, www, and x to Window users thru ssh without having to install ssh, explain to the users how to connect to the ssh internal servers, or setup ftp, vncview or manually configure rdp settings at the client level. The Portal has vncviewer embedded, filezilla embedded, knows the x86 and x64 paths for terminal service client and has an xclient embedded.
Basically the administrator logs into a web interface on the ssh server, adds published apps describing internal servers hidden behind the ssh server and assigns those published apps to Active Directory groups. The admin then adds users to those groups. The user can only see the published apps they have been assigned when they login to the portal.
They click on their published app and the app connects thru ssh to the internal resource. If it is an rdp server, the portal generates an rdp file based on what parameters the admin setup, and forwards the necessary ports and then launches the windows terminal client and connects it to the forwarded port - all without the user knowing ssh was used, what ports were used, etc.
The same is true with ftp, gets parameters from what admin setup, forwards port and then launches the embedded filezilla to the port. Again user did not need to setup or install filezilla, nor did they need to know ssh was involved or what internal ports or servers were used.
X same thing, and VNC same thing.
I basically made a ssh web version of metaframe web interface but instead of pushing out ica i am doing rdp, vnc, ftp, and x
The ssh gateway is built on ubuntu but can be any linux os, apache and php. But I am thinking of replacing the php portion with rails or django. The portal client piece is built with realbasic and i built a version with visual studio 2003.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
