June 5th, 2012 by Garry Conn
My IPCop Linux firewall has been online for 29 days without any issues or problems. Personally, I think that’s amazing since the computer I use and depend on is over 12 years old. I wrote a post about that computer, IPCop and how to build a Linux router out of an old computer a few weeks ago. If you’re interested in learning more about IPCop or building your own Linux router or firewall, you should check out that post.
IPCop is much more than an Linux distribution firewall. For me, it’s a proxy server, router and portal into my network via remote access. It’s a pretty cool operating system, and it comes packed with tons of community-based support. Anyway, here’s to 29 days of being online. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Computers, Internet Security, IPCop, IPCop Linux Firewall and Router, Linux, Linux Distributions, Linux Firewall, Linux Operating Systems, Linux Router, Operating Systems
Posted in Linux | No Comments »
June 3rd, 2012 by Garry Conn
I want to setup a few Debian webcam servers on my property for surveillance. I just dug out an older Gateway E-4200 500 Pentium III desktop tower from my attic. It’s been up there baking in the heat and freezing in the cold for 477 days. I discovered this after pulling the computer down from the attic and powering it up. Debian noted during startup that it had been 477 days since the hard drives were checked. After the scan, Debian 5 Lenny loaded right up. Amazing! Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Aveo Technology Corp USB2.0 Camera, Debian, Debian distro-update, Debian Lenny, Debian motion Package, Debian Squeeze, Debian Webcam Server, Debian webcam-server Package, Gateway, Gateway E-4200, Intel Pentium III 500 MHz Processor, Linux, Linux Webcam, Linux Webcam Server, Pentium III
Posted in Computers | 3 Comments »
May 29th, 2012 by Garry Conn
I have a self-hosted WordPress blog post that got popular and has over 100 comments. I decided to purchase a domain name and use the content from the post to build a single manually coded php page. This is something I do often, but always branch off using a separate WordPress install. Exporting / Importing the comments from the old post into the new one is simple. However, in this case, I decided to just manually code a simple index.php page.
For the comments, I decided to use GentleSource Comments. Comment data is stored in a MySQL database and it’s very lightweight compared to using WordPress. My goal was to then simply export the existing WordPress post comment data into the GentleSource Comments database. That process was easy. Basically, I snagged a copy of the wp_comments table and simply changed the field names to match the appropriate field names of what’s required in the GentleSource Comments database and removed unnecessary fields that were not native to the GentleSource Comments database structure. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: comment_date, Convert MySQL DATETIME, DATETIME, GentleSource, GentleSource Comments, How To, Linux How To, MySQL, MySQL Comment Scripts, MySQL DATETIME to UNIX TIMESTAMP Conversion, MySQL How To, MySQL TIMESTAMP Conversion, PHP Comment Scripts, phpMyAdmin, phpMyAdmin How To, Stack Overflow, TIMESTAMP, UNIX TIMESTAMP, WordPress, WordPress Database, WordPress How To, WordPress Post Comment Export, wp_comments, wp_comments export
Posted in Internet | No Comments »
May 23rd, 2012 by Garry Conn
In my home office, I have an older Compaq Proliant ML-350 running Debian Squeeze 6.0.5 32bit headless. It has two Pentium III 1.0Ghz processors and 1536 Mb of memory. I have a fiber optic line which gives me approximately a 10Mbps connection up and down. Here’s my latest speed test results:
Download Speed: 8105 kbps (1013.1 KB/sec transfer rate) Upload Speed: 10559kbps (1319.9 KB/sec transfer rate)
This server is what’s hosting my website. Now before you go ragging on me, I know I can go and order $4.95/month web hosting from HostGator. I’ve used some of the best web hosting companies in the past and still do for many other sites of mine. However, what’s the fun in that? I am doing this for the learning experience. And believe me, running your own web server out of your house practically FORCES you to learn and learn quickly. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Compaq Proliant ML-350, Debian Apache Optimization, Debian MySQL Optimization, Debian Web Server, Dual Pentium III Lamp Server, LAMP Server, Optimizing Debian Web Server, Pentium III Web Server, Personal Debian Web Server, Personal LAMP Server, Personal Web Server
Posted in Linux | No Comments »
May 23rd, 2012 by Garry Conn
After designing websites for nearly 15 years, there’s one thing that I learned very quickly and 15 years later I am still reminded about it every day — web browser compatibility. Today it’s much worse than many years ago. I remember like it was yesterday when all I really had to worry about was Netscape and IE. There were others, Opera was popular then too. But majority used IE and Netscape. Also, good old 800×600 screen resolution too!
Anyway, I had a random thought and decided to research what the very first web browser was and to check if that browser was still current. Amazingly it is! And I even guessed which one it was! — Lynx. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Internet Explorer, Lynx, Netscape, Oldest Web Browser, Web Browsers
Posted in Internet | No Comments »
May 21st, 2012 by Garry Conn
It’s been awhile since I jumped back into the blogging seat and things are a little different than they were when I was blogging mainstream a few years ago. Of course, if you go a few days you’re bound to miss a lot too.
Reflecting back on how things were a few years ago and comparing how things are today, there’s a significant difference. For starters, Google is now a social and localization engine. They grew with the times — inline with Facebook and Twitter, more so Facebook. But also, they are constantly trying to implement new ways to prevent their index from being gamed. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Backlinks, Blackhat SEO, Facebook, Geotargeting, Google, Google Algorithm, Google Localization, Google Places, Google Places Algorithm, Google Places SEO, Google SEO, Google Social, IP Address Localization, Keyword Targeting, PageRank, SEM, SEO, Twitter
Posted in Internet | No Comments »
May 21st, 2012 by Garry Conn
You might be surprised to discover how capable and functional older computers are — and when I say older, I mean very very old! The computer I use for my own Linux firewall and router is a Compaq Deskpro EN P667. It has a timestamp of 08/25/2000 printed on the 686P2 v2.04 bios information. That’s over 12 years old!
The key to giving older computers a second life is using Linux. Installing a more recent version of Windows is not the way to go. This will completely kill the system — well let’s just say the system will run so slow that you will want to kill it. Linux can be used to power older systems and deliver a wide range of functionality. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: 470003-260, 686P2 v2.04, BCM4712, Broadcom BCM4712, Compaq Deskpro, ENL/P667, Firewall, How To, Intel Pentium III Coppermine 800 MHz Processor, Internet Security, IPCop, IPCop How To, IPCop Linux Firewall and Router, Linksys, Linksys Router, Linksys WRT54G, Linux, Linux Firewall, Linux How To, Pentium III, WRT54G V3.0
Posted in Computers | 3 Comments »
January 22nd, 2012 by Garry Conn
I have used Google Chrome as my default web browser since the beta release on September 2008. Three features I like most about the web browser is the clean and simple look, the merged address and search bar, and the multi-process architecture. At the time, Firefox couldn’t match these features, or even come close. I have used Google Chrome ever since. After using Google Chrome since 2008, I never once tested memory usage and compared the results with Firefox.
Today I decided to download and install Firefox for the first time since 2008. Things have changed a lot. The web browser has a very clean, open and simple look –just like Google Chrome. In fact, I actually think it looks more streamlined. Unfortunately, the address bar does not also serve as a search bar. I would have enjoyed seeing that. And lastly, Firefox has not upgraded to a multi-process architecture. Aside from this, I really do like the new Firefox look and I am going to immediately start using it again as my default web browser to fully test it. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: FireFox, Firefox Memory Usage, Google Chrome, Google Chrome Memory Usage, Google Chrome vs Firefox, Web Browsers
Posted in Computers | 4 Comments »
January 14th, 2012 by Garry Conn
What do you think? Is Ubuntu becoming too commercialized? Now featured on Ubuntu’s website: Ubuntu TV. It looks pretty cool, but that’s not what this is about. I want opinions. I want to know what you think. For me, it was Ubuntu that pulled me away from depending on –and actively using– commercialized software. And now, I am questioning if Ubuntu has become a traitor.
Linux: the concept of using open source software. The vision of being able to use a computer efficiently and effectively without having a dependency on Microsoft software. After many years of having this ‘fatal attraction’ it was Ubuntu that enabled this fantasy become a reality. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Apple, Bill Gates, Debian, iPhone, Linux, Microsoft, Open Source Software, Operating Systems, Proprietary Software, Slackware, Steve Jobs, Ubuntu, Unity
Posted in Linux | 23 Comments »
December 31st, 2011 by Garry Conn
Over the last few years I have been hooked on Hostgator web hosting. Don’t get me wrong, I still like them a lot. But also too, I like to try new things. Prior to joining with Hostgator I was really into VPS web hosting. At the time, VPS hosting was expensive. Over the last few years prices have dropped quite a bit and quality has gone up.
VPS web hosting gives users more control over the server compared to shared web hosting. With most VPS web hosting accounts users are granted root access. VPS web hosting isn’t a simple user friendly type of web hosting. It’s much different than cPanel shared web hosting. With VPS hosting you’re literally given a blank web server to do what you want with it. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Affordable VPS Web Hosting, Cheap and Dependable VPS Web Hosting, Cheap VPS Web Hosting, Linode VPS Web Hosting, Linode.com
Posted in Internet | No Comments »
How To Convert DATETIME data in One Field to Unix Timestamp and Add Results To New Field in MySQL Command Line
May 29th, 2012 by Garry ConnI have a self-hosted WordPress blog post that got popular and has over 100 comments. I decided to purchase a domain name and use the content from the post to build a single manually coded php page. This is something I do often, but always branch off using a separate WordPress install. Exporting / Importing the comments from the old post into the new one is simple. However, in this case, I decided to just manually code a simple index.php page.
For the comments, I decided to use GentleSource Comments. Comment data is stored in a MySQL database and it’s very lightweight compared to using WordPress. My goal was to then simply export the existing WordPress post comment data into the GentleSource Comments database. That process was easy. Basically, I snagged a copy of the wp_comments table and simply changed the field names to match the appropriate field names of what’s required in the GentleSource Comments database and removed unnecessary fields that were not native to the GentleSource Comments database structure. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: comment_date, Convert MySQL DATETIME, DATETIME, GentleSource, GentleSource Comments, How To, Linux How To, MySQL, MySQL Comment Scripts, MySQL DATETIME to UNIX TIMESTAMP Conversion, MySQL How To, MySQL TIMESTAMP Conversion, PHP Comment Scripts, phpMyAdmin, phpMyAdmin How To, Stack Overflow, TIMESTAMP, UNIX TIMESTAMP, WordPress, WordPress Database, WordPress How To, WordPress Post Comment Export, wp_comments, wp_comments export
Posted in Internet | No Comments »