Guide to faster Ubuntu

Posted on July 20th, 2008 in Ubuntu by admin

Ubuntu is already pretty speedy compared to some bloated OSes out there, but here’s a way to make it a bit faster.

Installing & Using TimeVault in Ubuntu/Debian

Posted on July 14th, 2008 in Applications, Debian, Ubuntu by admin

TimeVault is a simple front-end for making snapshots of a set of directories. Snapshots are a copy of a directory structure or file at a certain point in time. Restore functionality is integrated into Nautilus - previous versions of a file or directory that has a snapshot can be accessed by examining the properties and selecting the ‘Previous Versions’ tab.

Snapshots are protected from accidental deletion or modification since they are read-only by default. The super-user can delete intermediate snapshots to save space, but files and directories that existed before or after the deletion will still be accessible.

A snapshot is a copy of a directory at a certain point in time. Snapshots don’t use space for the files that haven’t changed but instead simply increment the link count for them. On Linux, when a file is deleted, the link count is decremented, but it isn’t actually removed until the link count hits zero.

Only files are hard-linked this way. Directories have to be recreated for technical reasons (since a hard-link is actually the file it points to, you would find yourself in a completely different path if directories were hard-linked).

How to use the Uncomplicated Firewall in Ubuntu

Posted on May 19th, 2008 in Hardware, Security, Ubuntu by admin

Don’t want to mess with iptables? (1, 2, 3) Well in Ubuntu there’s an easier way with the Uncomplicated Firewall. Originally posted at Ubuntu Unleashed and further covered at the Ubuntu Wiki.

Here is an overview on howto use ufw the Uncomplicated Firewall. Enjoy.

Encrypt Your Ubuntu During Install

Posted on May 13th, 2008 in Ubuntu by admin

Data encryption is one of the best methods to protect your sensitive files, especially if you own a laptop. Unfortunately, on the Ubuntu operating system, it’s only available in the text mode installer. But that’s why this guide is here, to help you install a fully encrypted Ubuntu OS on your computer. whole process is completely safe and it is recommended to be used by anyone out there who wants to protect his/her sensitive data. To break it down to you: No more living in fear! Your data will NOT be stolen anymore!

Also See: Encrypted Root File System during install in OpenSuse 10.3

Securing Your Server With AppArmor

Posted on April 7th, 2008 in Applications, OpenSuse, Security by admin

If you want to secure your server using AppArmor, you have to create and modify the profiles for all the applications you use. This can easily be done using the YaST AppArmor modules or the command-line tools.

The YaST modules are more or less self-explaining, but more for mouse users.

Therefore I’ll explain the command-line tools a bit. I’ll also explain some AppArmor basics when needed.

Of course these instructions are also valid if you use your computer as a workstation

Apturl: Install software by clicking a link in Ubuntu

Posted on April 7th, 2008 in Ubuntu by admin

Imagine the next time you are trying reading a great list of Ubuntu programs. One of them catches your eye, and you want to try it. Instead of either using Add/Remove or opening a terminal to install the program, you simply click a link. A message box pops up asking you if you want to install the program, and then you enter your password. Before you could have found the program in Add/Remove, the program is installed! With Apturl, this is now a reality.

How to find the UUID of a device in Ubuntu

Posted on March 6th, 2008 in Ubuntu by admin

This is useful if changes are made to the partition table or a new hard drive is added to the computer. When the UUID(s) change an error will be caused during boot. Pressing <Ctrl>-D will allow the boot to continue but to fix the problem you’ll need the UUID of the device.

Enable the root account in Ubuntu

Posted on March 6th, 2008 in Ubuntu by admin

Ubuntu is one of the few Linux distributions out there that does not enable the root account by default. If you want to do something with root permission on the console you have to type sudo before the command.  “sudo” means superuser do. “sudo” will prompt for you password.  Everytime you wish to perform a function with root privledges, you would issue the sudo command first.