Terraform Website in a Box (of code)

Here’s a simple example of how to create a rock solid site in Terraform, this uses Terraform Cloud, which HashiCorp recommends. I tend to agree, although vendor lock-in and HCL is something that should concern people

All The Laws

Computing has certainly created a lot of “laws”. Unlike the laws of physics, remember they are up for debate. I find it annoying that very few people ask “why” regarding Moores Law for example. Just because Moores Law holds true for now, doesn’t mean in a million years it will be true.

Whether these things pass scientific scrutiny aside, most of them hold true and are pretty useful. Here t

My TinyURL

After talking with a friend about building a secure site to shorten links I came up with this thing I called “Bill Shorten”

It’s pretty simple if you use AWS command line, and it’s as secure as your AWS account, so all the best there 😅.

The basic parts, other than the script and associated files, is an S3 static hosting bucket and a static list of “random” numbers, words or whatever you

Big Iron

Love the name.

Screen Rotation for XFCE

One thing I haven’t been able to find a tool to do is set my convertible laptop (HP Dragonfly Elite) to rotate in XFCE. Gnome does it out of the box, but I’m not a fan of Gnome.

The script is deceptively small, but it takes a very long time to find all the required information. I hope it’s helpful for someone! I’ve included links in the comments so if you have a slightly different machine t

Vulcan Rocket Literally Named for Star Trek!

Well this is cool!

New article published on Medium

I’ve just finished something that turned out to be a lot harder to research and write than I expected.When I came up with the title “Top and Friends” I thought it would be an easy write, but as I found, there are a lot of alternatives out there and learning them all was non-trivial 🙂 Hope you like it!

https://medium.com/@mikelindner.com/top-and-friends-monitoring-linux-d343d834e009

Why can’t computers use registers as RAM?

I’ve always asked this, and still need to remind myself why every now and then, so I’m posting this link to save myself the hassle of looking it up again in ten years haha.

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/3798730/can-we-have-a-computer-with-just-registers-as-memory

Disable middle click on Synaptics touchpads

I’ve just moved back to a Linux laptop, specifically Arch Linux, using XFCE4 on an HP Dragonfly Elite, after a few years trying Mac. Totally love it, the full Linux experience without trying to be MacOS.

One thing that did annoy me was the touchpad was set to have three “buttons” or click areas along the bottom. This meant if I went to choose a browser tab, sometimes I’d miss the left edge b

Arcade Restoration

I’ve added a gallery of all the pictures taken when restoring an 80s arcade unit back in 2011. I tried to reuse as many items as I could, the controller unit was hacked out of an old keyboard, I used a CRT monitor to try and keep the original look of the machine (drove out to the country to find one!), the speaker literally came from the side of the road, the motherboard, disk and power supply w

Book Writing

Well I’m at it again, I’ve got a contract writing a cookbook on Linux Command Line and Shell Scripting.  
This time I’ve got the resources of a publishing company behind me, seems like the pain of self publishing a book paid off, not just in random pizzas (thanks to anyone here that bought it!) but also in exposure.  Proof that kind of effort is worth it (and thanks Guy for suggesting it!)

Shell Fun

I love the Linux shell – it’s one of the top reasons to use Linux.
This post lists some geeky additions to make your shell an absolute joy to live in.

zsh
When I first heard that MacOS was moving to zsh I rolled my eyes. Apple’s bash is truly appalling so it sounded like putting lipstick on a pig. Now that I’ve tried it for real (on Linux) I can see it’s really quite an awesome shel

Shell Fun II – The Geekening

Ok, now you have the best shell going, it’s time to add some bling.  None of these products really rely on zsh but while we’re tweaking the shell it’s a good time to cow things up 😉

cowsay

Everyone needs a message delivered via ascii art cow right?

sudo apt install cowsay

Hint: You can also use cowthink, just in case you want the cow to use it’s inside voice 😉

“normal” prompt for zsh

I’ve just started trying out zsh, so far so good.  The one thing that worried me was lack of uname@host on the prompt.  Adding the following line to .zshrc fixes that.

PROMPT=”$fg[cyan]%}$USER@%{$fg[blue]%}%m ${PROMPT}”

Short Version of Macbook Camera on Ubuntu

git clone https://github.com/patjak/bcwc_pcie.git
cd bcwc_pcie
make
sudo make install
sudo depmod
sudo modprobe -r bdc_pci
sudo modprobe facetimehd

“Night Mode” for Ubuntu

One of the things I liked with MacOS was night mode in the evenings. This is where it shifts the colour temperature of the display to a warmer (more red) colour temperature.

Redshift is the package for Ubuntu that does this.

sudo apt install -y redshift-gtk
redshift-gtk &

Once you have that running click on the icon that appears and select Autostart

in ~/config/resdhift.conf add s

Facetime HD Camera with Ubuntu 19.04

Put the following script into /etc/kernel/postinst.d/99-install-facetime-camera.sh which will update each time the kernel gets updated, then run once “/etc/kernel/postinst.d/99-install-facetime-camera.sh $(uname -r)” to start it.  I needed to reboot before it worked.
#!/bin/bash
set -e

export CONFIG_MODULE_SIG=n
export CONFIG_MODULE_SIG_ALL=n
export KERNELRELEASE=${1}

echo “Installi

IBM Z

z14
The dual frame z14, launched in July 2017, and the single frame z14, launched in April 2018, are based on the z14 chip, a 10-core processor running at 5.2 GHz. A z14 system can have a maximum of 240 Processing Unit (PU) cores, 170 of which can be configured to the customer’s specification to run applications and operating systems, and up to 32 TB usable redundant array of independent memory (R

Check your domain or MX IP on spam blacklists

https://www.dnsbl.info/dnsbl-database-check.php

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Free Space Error – MacOS

Every now and then I’ll move some huge file, a 40GB VM or something and various programs don’t show the space it was in as free.  Confusingly some do.  df -h shows the wrong free space while “About This Mac” is right.

Apparently, this is a TimeMachine problem!

This command fixed it for me as per the article below.

sudo tmutil thinLocalSnapshots / 10000000000 4

Thanks ? Digit

Great Cheat Sheet add-on for any UNIX System!

Install the script with this line:
sudo curl https://cht.sh/:cht.sh > /usr/local/bin/cht.sh \
&& sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/cht.sh
Then try these for an example:
cht.sh tar
and
cht.sh perl/execute
and
curl cht.sh

It does what it says on the box!

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OpenStack Concept Diagram

I produced this a few years ago to simplify the explanation of how OpenStack does what it does.  This is for explaining it to semi technical “suits”, so it’s rather simplified.  I couldn’t find a simple diagram to show what is going on it a similar fashion

Cloud Book

I’ve written a book describing a system that replaces cloud services like Google with your own servers so your contacts, files, calendars and email etc can all be synced without letting them out of your private systems.  It was basically something I made for myself a few years ago that I’ve written up for anyone else to use.

It’s no best seller as the topics are pretty specialised but

Why are people so stubborn?

I’m sure I’m not the only security expert to say this but WHY do people simply ignore the most basic advice!?  I was just talking to a friend over SMS and he asked me a couple of personal questions and some deep security questions, when I suggested he went on to Signal (and yeah he does understand IT privacy) he acted like I was suggesting he crash his car into a tree.

That’s why

Windows server time sync fix for vSphere guests

Configure a Windows NTP Client for Network Clock Synchronization
The clocks of all servers on the vSphere network must be synchronized. You can configure a Windows NTP client as a source for clock synchronization on Windows servers.

Use the registry editor on the Windows server to make the configuration changes.

Procedure
1 Enable NTP mode.
a Go to the registry setting HKEY_LOCAL_MACH

MacBook Pro Camera on Fedora

The MacBook Pro 13″ (otherwise known by the codename MacbookPro12,1), has pretty good Linux support for a MacBook. The hardware is beautiful and everything works now that the camera is supported. Here are the steps needed to make it work.

The information for this article has primarily come from the FacetimeHD (Broadcom 1570) project instructions. This article focuses on Fedora, so if yo

Swap Nautilus to Nemo as Ubuntu 14.04 File Manager

Some people (like me) prefer the old school file manager look to the new Gnome/Ubuntu look. I like having a folder tree in the left pane rather than a bunch of Windows like “Libraries”
It’s a simple set of commands to achieve this.
First make sure you have nemo installed
sudo apt-get install nemo
Then change the defaults to nemo:
xdg-mime default nemo.desktop inode/directory application/x-gno

Missing Kernel Source?

apt-get install linux-headers-`uname -r`

Steps to install VMware Tools on Kali Linux

Just a quick post. You might have trouble installing VMware Tools on Kali but these steps should fix it all.
echo cups enabled >> /usr/sbin/update-rc.d
echo vmware-tools enabled >> /usr/sbin/update-rc.d
apt-get install gcc make linux-headers-$(uname -r)

ln -s /usr/src/linux-headers-$(uname -r)/include/generated/uapi/linux/version.h /usr/src/linux-headers-$(uname -r)/include/linux

Setting up Epson Printers on Ubuntu 14.04

It seems at the time of writing there is a problem with detecting some Epson printers on the new Ubuntu.

I found the best way to do it is to download the .deb file from the link below and install the driver using any one of Ubuntu’s installers. Then when you try and detect the printer it won’t go online searching for the driver it will already have it and all will be good.

http://download.eb

HP Elitebook WWAN Gobi 1000 3G Modem with Ubuntu 12.04 Precise Pangolin

This is about the standard 3g modem card – un2400 – for an Elitebook.  I found setting this up surprisingly simple, after I found the right information on the blogosphere of course!

Install the package gobi-loader
mkdir /lib/firmware/gobi
copy these 2 files from the Windows 7 install of the modem software into the gobi directory above:
c:/QUALCOMM/QDLService/Packages/6/am

How to create a Windows install USB

This is very easy with the right commands, just use the diskpart tool to make a USB stick bootable, then copy the files right off the install DVD!  Later on I’ll post about imaging your own windows system with installed software to use as a OEM install.

1. Run the command “diskpart” from the command line (<windows key> + r)

2. Select the USB key you want
list disk
select disk <number o

Wii Remote as a bluetooth “mouse” for Ubuntu

This is fun, and worked for me on Ubuntu 11.10.  Used my laptops inbuilt bluetooth, the bluetooth discovery tool (next to the clock) confirmed that the wiimote was talking to it, but connection with this gui failed to work.

1. Install software
sudo apt-get install wminput wmgui lswm
2. add the following line to /etc/modules
uinput
3. Reboot

4. Get the address of the wiimote, pre

Crazy Panorama Software

Just tried Photaf on my Droid, awesome stuff, this was taken with absolutely no knowledge, you can see where they have been joined, but this is pretty much exactly what this part of the world looks like.  I’m sure some practice and tweaking, attention to the light etc would improve these heaps.  This shot was taken just before the sun went down, I’d say that sun overhead would help quite a bit w

New method for resetting root password in RHEL / Centos 6

They’ve changed it a little, still, press “a” at grub to get the append kernel parameters line, still add ” single” to the end of it.

BUT instead of using passwd (this really confused us) which just returns to the next line without asking for a password use:
passwd -d root
This blanks root’s password so when you reboot it doesn’t ask for a password!  Freaky stuff!

Aweseome Soviet Era Valve Display

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Google-Authenticator PAM on CENTOS 6

Probably my favourite new thing in tech this year has been Google’s Authenticator.

It provides a one time passcode for logging into stuff, you enter as well as your normal password. This is extremely secure because it means no one can copy it. Every 30 seconds of every day it’s replaced with a brand new one.  Interestingly if it only uses the same number once in the cycle, it will take abo

phpMyAdmin, Centos 6 and mcrypt

If you use phpMyAdmin You know that annoying message that comes up all the time about mcrypt?  mcrypt, I beleive, is used my phpMyAdmin to encrypt it’s cookies so it’s a really good idea to have it switched on.

After searching high and low I finally realised I needed the EPEL repo to get it,  this is a repo by the Fedora team of all kinds of goodies RH in their wisdom don’t provide.

This i

Verisign Two Factor – USE THIS!

Verisign now have a two factor tool for mobile phones.  Use the Market or App Store and search for Verisign.  The app is called VIP Access.

Two factor is often seen in corporate environments by means of a random number generating keyfob, token or card.

This will quite simply give two factor authentication to your PayPal and eBay accounts.  In my opinion if you’re not using this on your Pa

Why does my web browser think www is a spelling mistake?

Entering a web address in gmail or some other web form (and yes Firefox just flagged gmail too) Firefox (and most other browsers) tell me that the www in www.mikelindner.com is a spelling mistake.

I can understand that www isn’t really a word, but for a Web Browser to flag it as a non word is madness!

Humanity strikes again.

-edit-

blog also comes up as a spelling mistake.

-edit-

and firefox

Facial Recognition in Ubuntu

Just set this up on my laptop today, it works a treat, although I didn’t get GDM working.  In the end I decided that I’d rather enter a password than sway back and forth trying to get into the camera’s “zone” – you need your chin pretty much over your keyboard for it to see you.
It’s an awesome thing to set up and see running though.  I totally recommend it, it also works with su, sudo and scre

Make your RedHat and CentOS servers consoles look awesome.

Here’s a couple of quick tweaks to make your server’s console screen (run level 3 – text mode) look awesome.  We’re not talking about X terminals, just basic text mode.

First edit  /etc/sysconfig/i18n, change the SYSFONT line to: SYSFONT=”cybercafe”

Tip: Look in  /lib/kbd/consolefonts/ for more fonts.

Then edit /etc/grub.conf and add vga=788 to the kernel line (at the end)

To set c

Oh Yeah.

Windows admins and DBAs get you down?  Their disregard for open standards and elegant code constantly annoying you?

Get in their face with the truth, you don’t care what they think!

You know you want to!

Bill gates and Linux

Classic images, two entities that have done more for the advance of Information Technology than most others

Coder Limerick

An oldie but a goodie, if you can read code, otherwise it doesn’t rhyme – the ! reads as "not" and ++ is "plus plus" – meaning add one on to, one more sheep.A Programmer started to cussCoz getting to sleep was a fussAs he lay in his bedGoing round in his headWas while (!asleep) {sheep++}

ZTE MF626 3G Mobile Broadband Modem with Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid)

This is much easier than it used to be.firstly install the package usb-modeswitch then configure the settings for your ZTE modem in /etc/usb-modeswitch/19d2:2000:uPr=ZTE_CDMA and 19d2:2000:uPr=USB_ZTEJust change all values for TargetProduct to TargetProduct=   0x0064  and comment out the TargetProductList.In Network manager you’ll need to change "Edit Connections" and &quo

Reset an MD5 hashed password in a MySQL database

To reset a MD5 hashed password in a MySQL database use this SQL – either in phpMyAdmin or command line MySQL. This example works exactly for Joomla, but you can change it to match your application’s tables and fields of course.
 
UPDATE example_users SET password=MD5(‘new password’) WHERE usertype = "Super Administrator";
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Linux in Single User Mode and Setting Gnome Keyring

Linux Single User Mode – or init 1
Great for resetting root passwords and editing config files that break normal startup
push e when grub comes up
e again on the the 2nd line of grub configs
add a 1 to the end of that line
Press Enter then b to boot
Changing the Gnome Keyring Password
This tool securely reduces the number of passwords you need to remember.
Open a terminal
run “seahorse” f

Resizing Virtualbox Disk

Virtualbox does not have the function to resize virtual disks.  Strange as it may seem in a virtualised environment, but there we are.

It’s pretty simple to “trade up” to a new virtual disk however – just follow Mike’s simple steps!

1. Create a new virtual disk with the Virtual Media Manager (on the File menu) to the size you’d like.

2. Use the Settings dialog to add the virtual disk

Using a Windows Virtual Machine in Linux to proxy corporate VPNs

This is very handy for people that like to use Linux desktops, but are in a corporate environment with Windows-only VPN clients. It is perfectly secure, the VM can only talk to the Linux host – assuming the host has sane firewall rules of course.

Ingredients:
Laptop running Ubuntu 10.x
VirtualBox running WindowsXP
AnalogX Proxy
Corporate VPN Client
Bridging tools
SSH ProxyConnect utility

“It’s a way of life!”

Tribute to the great Frank Zappa by his son.
This is Dweezil Zappa holding a “Telefunken U47” Zappa fans know the reference, in my humble opinion accompanied with the finest blues solo ever recorded.  A song that to a lesser artist would be a defining piece of work, but to the juggernaut genius that was Frank Zappa, just another phenomenal piece of musical art.
“LARRY:
Looks just like a Te

Run Away Run About

Working on a rescue boat the other day for a yacht race in the bay we came across this.  It’s a tender for one of the massive Division Zero boats (meaning this is what they use to taxi people out to the sailboat!)  They had anchored it while they were racing, but the anchor was the size of something you’d put in your fish tank for decoration so it dragged.

The Water Police asked me to

Arcade Emulator

This is my arcade emulator. It’s an old case from the 80s, cleaned up, but with original finish, with a 64 bit Sempron running Ubuntu Linux.
The joystick is hacked into the electronics from inside an old keyboard, and the speaker is from an old hi fi dumped on the side of the road!

Lian Li 777

People love them or hate them. This is mine, it’s a bit rice-burner, and I like that!