I just read a very good (and short) article on working with rootkit checker utilities.  A rootkit is a set of tools that crackers (the evil doers) use to break into your system.  Linux is just as vulnerable to this sort of thing as any other OS if the system […]

Linux Security: checking for rootkits and other evil doers

I recently saw some discussion on the Griffin PowerMate, a USB connected volume knob, and it’s use with GIMP.   I’ve been trying to understand exactly why this would be useful.  While it’s possible to map the features of the knob to various functions in the GIMP, it would require yet […]

Interesting device for use with GIMP

I’d forgotten about this until I saw a post about it on a local Linux user group mailing list.  The gist is to run: zdump -v America/Denver | grep 2007 for whatever timezone you are using. You should see Mar 11 in the output, not April something.  Most recent Linux […]

Helpful tip: making sure your timezone is updated for ...

I have a tool I wrote called MuseSig that appends random quotes to my email signature.  I saw one today that I particularly like: Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty or safety. Nor, are they likely to end up with […]

A favorite quote from Benjamin Franklin

I read a Slashdot post today that pointed to an AP article on Michael Dell returning as CEO at Dell, replacing his previously hand-picked crony Kevin Rollins due to lots of downside to the Dell business.  The article had this interesting quip: …in recent years Dell has been stung by […]

Dell and Linux (or Unix): Microsoft still pulls the strings

This year’s Libre Graphics Meeting is taking shape, with a temporary website posted.  The official domain is being readied and the web site will be transferred there later.  The LGM is a conference for artists and developers who work with open source graphics tools such as the GIMP, Inkscape and […]

LGM 2007: Libre Graphics Meeting, Montreal

I just installed the official FlashPlayer9 from Macromedia on my FC5 box at work.  I then went to the Lost and Battestar Galactica sites, two sites that previously would not work correctly with the FlashPlayer9 beta releases.  Well, they work flawlessly now.  Kudos to the Adobe team for getting it […]

Flash Player 9: Official release (and it really works ...

I’ve been playing around with Wink to create Flash-based tutorials on the GIMP.  My goal is to put some of these tutorials on my upcoming book’s companion web site.  I created my first tutorial, mostly as a proof of concept for myself.  It shows how you can make basic shapes.  […]

Experimenting with Wink: Flash tutorials for GIMP

I’m taking some of those self-study courses at MIT, including the Introduction to Copyright Law and Computer Graphics.  I was going to take the Circuits and Electronics course but a recent Slashdot inquiry got me pointed to some other useful material I may read through first.  I have the links […]

Learning circuit design

I just did an update on my FC5 boxes and found that FC5 Extras will update Xine in a way that removes functionality that was there previously.  This includes the ability to play DVDs.  I’m not sure the reasoning, though I think it has something to do with removing "non-free" […]

FC5 extras/ FC6: update to Xine removes support for ...

This is pretty cool.  I just saw on Slashdot about MIT’s Introduction to Copyright Law course, which is free and part of the Open CourseWare Consortium.  This is an interesting idea, offering college level courses for free over the Internet.  What’s even more inviting is that universities like MIT, Notre […]

Open CourseWare Consortium: diverse education, FOSS-style