backup-clamav.sh - backup ClamAV data files prior to upgrade

#!/bin/sh
#
# backup-clamav.sh - backup ClamAV data files
#
# History:
# 2007/12/23 rwsiv1@gmail.com
# Created this file based on the ClamAV documentation (http://wiki.clamav.net/Main/UpgradeInstructions).
#
# Notes:
# This file can also be downloaded from: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dgwx5z52_90ftmz92gg
#

BACKUPDIR="/tmp/clamav"
TIMESTAMP=`date '+%Y%m%d-%H%M%S'`
ETCDIR="/usr/local/etc/"
BACKUPETCFILE="${BACKUPDIR}/backup-etc-${TIMESTAMP}.tgz"
SIGDIR="/usr/local/share/clamav/"
BACKUPSIGFILE="${BACKUPDIR}/backup-sig-${TIMESTAMP}.tgz"

#
# Functions
#
# failed() - print an error message and exit.
# args: message [errno]
#
failed () {
EXITCODE="1"

if [ -n "$1" ]; then
echo "$0 - $1"
if [ "$2" -gt 0 ]; then
EXITCODE="$2"
fi
fi
exit ${EXITCODE}
}

#
# Make sure that the backup directory exists
#
[ -d ${BACKUPDIR} ] || mkdir ${BACKUPDIR} || failed "unable to access or create ${BACKUPDIR}"

#
# Backup the directories
#
# etc files
#
cd ${ETCDIR} || failed "unable to cd to ${ETCDIR}"
tar czvpf ${BACKUPETCFILE} /usr/local/etc/clam*.conf /usr/local/etc/freshclam.conf
#
# signature files
#
cd ${SIGDIR} || failed "unable to cd to ${SIGDIR}"
tar czvpf ${BACKUPSIGFILE} /usr/local/share/clamav/

Block adult sites with OpenDNS (for free!)

Do you want to block access to adult sites from your network?  Want to do it for free?

If so, just use OpenDNS.  Create yourself an account and configured your account to "Block Adult Sites".  What could be easier?

In additional to being able to block adult site, you can also block or whitelist any domain that you choose.  OpenDNS put the power in your hands.

Can you tell I like it?  I expect that you will too!

-Bob

VMware VMX-file parameters

Today I found this site: VMX-file parameters that documents most, if not virtually all, of the VMware .vmx file parameters.

-Bob

Using my XV6700 as a USB wireless modem

Tonight I was challenged with finding a way to get an Internet connection from my laptop when the DSL connection I am using (at my Dad's house) at the moment is down.

At the moment I am accessing the Internet from my laptop (Vista) using my XV6700 as a wireless modem (USB connection). It was a bit of a challenge, but, I was able to getting it working. It much easier to establish a bluetooth connection, but, the USB connection offers much better speed. If I were in 1X land BT would have been fine. But, given that I have a strong EVDO signal here in KC, MO, I wanted to see how well it could run.

After a bit a swapping back and forth from the BT to the USB configuration on the phone, I was able to download a couple web pages that offered up the information I needed. http://forum.brighthand.com/archive/index.php?t-222120.html got me the phone configuration information that I needed . I was able to download the USB driver I needed from http://www.myehud.com/xv6600/usbmodem.html. (I don't have the Verizon CD with me). I was able to get the driver installed by following the instructions at http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?threadid=1137398. From there I was able to use the standard Windows Vista "Connect to a Network" wizard using "Dial-up networking" via the "CMDA1X USB Modem" that was created in the earlier steps.

Here is the fruit of my labor:

That image shows a very reasonable 1702 x 119 Kbps connection. Overall, it's not nearly as responsive as the DSL connection (higher latency), but, it appears to work well enough!

-Bob

Apache and Subversion authentication with Microsoft Active Directory

Here is a good article on how to integrate Active Directory authentication with Apache:
http://www.jejik.com/articles/2007/06/apache_and_subversion_authentication_with_microsoft_active_directory/

Of course, the first thing that must be done is getting past the pain of dealing with Active Directory. It pays off in the end when you have a well integrated system that "just works".

-Bob

Please explain why the Jeopardy Style of e-mail composition is a "good thing"

I don't understand this, please help me out.  To me, the Jeopardy Style of e-mail composition, made popular by Microsoft, is a mess.  Imagine trying to tell a new user how to read an e-mail.  I envision it would go something like this:

1. Go to the bottom of the e-mail.
2. Find the beginning of the first e-mail.
3. Read the first e-mail.
4. Working your way back up, find the beginning of the first reply.
5. Read the reply.
6. Continue the process of moving up and down throughout the e-mail and it's replies until you have read everything in the order that it was originally written.

Replying to an e-mail would go something like this:

1. Try to remember everything you had read before (see previous steps).
2. Try to compose your reply in such a fashion that it might be understood without the context added by all of the previous content.
3. Of course, all of the previous content, including signatures and disclaimers from previous senders, is included below your message, in reverse chronological order.

Please, please help me understand why this is a "good thing"?  Or, is virtually everyone just a Lemming that is following the other Lemmings, not knowing why?

-Bob

MORE THAN I EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT CHROOT JAILS

"The idea is that the customers need to upload content to our content
server, but we want to do it in a secure and private way. Customer One
should not be able to see Customer Two, for example. And neither
customer should be able to do anything that might damage the server in
any way."

COMPLETE STORY:

http://nl.internet.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=1,37f1,1,4j30,gy0r,ct5s,55dr

-Bob

RT SCRATCHES A TROUBLE-TICKETING ITCH

"Much available help desk software is quite bland, with two exceptions:
open source RT and the more corporate Remedy Help Desk. The two have
quite different goals, but they both do one common thing: track trouble
tickets. The question is, which one will meet your needs?"

COMPLETE STORY:

http://nl.internet.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=1,37f1,1,6dr4,1ox6,ct5s,55dr

-Bob

HOW TO SECURE VNC REMOTE ACCESS WITH TWO-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION

"VNC is the most popular remote access solution today. However, it was
developed to provide remote access, not to provide secure remote access."

COMPLETE STORY:

http://nl.internet.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=1,37f1,1,4nw,34ga,ct5s,55dr

-Bob