Guerilla penguin

I did take on a biggy. Install a Linux OS and get it running on my p.c. wirelessly. Now accomplished. Sort of. For those of you who are not close to the penguin Linux is a multi-flavoured Open Source (the important bit is FREE here) operating system, a more secure, and apparently stable alternative to Windows. It's constantly in development so bugs and issues get fixed quickly and the way Linux works means you don't normally need a firewall or anti-virus program. The only problem is that hardware manufacturers don't do a lot to support Linux users in terms of drivers so there are all sorts of workarounds. I know this because I must have spent the equivalent of 20 hours pouring over forum threads about wireless networking to get my own (albeit obscure) wireless USB adapter working. It set up a wired LAN network automatically but wireless.....that's a bit different. And I still haven't been able to get it configured with security enabled. But I will, eventually.


So, if you're one of my neighbours and have attached yourself to my network (I know who you are)..... that wasn't me earlier looking at pictures of naked Australian women, but yes, they were tasteful. And that wasn't my bank account I was checking either. If I were you though I'd batten down the hatches because thanks to Linux I've just discovered two open source cracking utilities that'll mean I'll be able to unzip your WEP key post haste. You better hope you don't have any "artistic" pics of your wife on your hard drive.


Viva la penguin!

My book

When I get time, which might be around Christmas but could be two weeks, I'm going to write a book.

Advance copies of "Imploding with style but not necessarily dignity" can be purchased via credit card and Paypal.

'Til then....

Project Ubuntu

I can't help myself. There may be pain ahead. Here I go, head first.


Ubuntu

Muslims need to do more

The threat from Muslim extremists is not abating. Muslim leaders in the UK place themselves somewhere between denial and justification of suicide bombers and their ambiguity is both unhelpful and dangerous. They can protect both their own community and the wider secular community best by saying more, more often in public and without the "but...." tag that seems obligatory in their interviews and statements. They can encourage their fellow Muslims to report suspicions to the appropriate authorities or the special team the anti-terrorist police have created to handle these. When the next attack does succeed (as one inevitably will) I want them to feel that their conscience is clear. After all we keep hearing about "the religion of peace" it would be good to see some positive action from these leaders rather than news-bite lip-service.

The ball's in their court.

Fly boy

Who had to fly on Thursday morning?

Who still has to get home on Friday afternoon?


That's right.

¡No habla español!

Having a wee one who is only compatible with short flights to go on holiday means I have to learn a language over the next 12 months. I don't have to, I just feel more than a bit pathetic not being able to speak more than a few words when I'm in someone else's country.
So the question is which country, which language? Let's see. Countries close to hand are Belgium, Holland, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Greece, Albania, Turkey, Poland, Switzerland and Austria.
I'll drop the cold ones. And Germany and Austria. German sounds awful. The words are too big too. Polish, well, they're all coming over here so that can't be good. Portugal, they drink sherry and make bad wine. No, No, NO! Italy, full of Italians and thieving Albanians. Albania, see Italy x 10. Who am I left with?
France, Spain, Greece. Greece is history, no Roman alphabet. And.... you have to throw your dirty bog roll in a basket rather than flush because their toilets were built with exit pipes the size of beer bottle necks. Very clever!
So France or Spain.
France, full of French. Sorry, got to go. No work ethic, think everyone owes them a living and the lowest spenders on deodorant products in the EU. Best export is surrendering on hearing a loud noise and hoisting up anything white.
Spain it is then. And at least Spanish is phonetic.

More on this soon.

They're taking the piss

I saw this headline when catching up with the news this morning.

"Barry Manilow needs hip surgery"

Surely the most myopic journo ever?

Blographobia

That's what I have. In case you don't know it's a condition where the symptoms are ....

• not going to visit other blogs much
• when I go out I seldom speak to anyone
• I like to look through other peoples' windows though

I think I know what the cause is but I don't know of any treatment.

S T U P I D

Remember to backup a copy of your template, boys and girls, to your hard drive.......just in case you somehow tinker to the point where you completely fuck it up and have to start again.

Of course, I don't know anyone stupid enough to do that.