Until now I worked exclusively with Linux, although I tried different distributions like SuSE Linux, Debian and Red Hat, I had no experience with other UNIX operating systems. At the weekend I had a bit of time and I decided to make a little experiment - install Open Solaris on my desktop computer. My desktop computer is no longer my main system. I use my laptop for this, that’s why I could format hard disc without any inhibitions.
The first view is deceptive:
The installation was very easy, as I would wish it from a modern operating systems. The appearance of the system is very similar to linux because of GNOME-Desktop. But if you look closer, you will find conceptual differences. This applies, for example, to the file structure. The home directory is situated not under /home/user, but at /export/home. The directory /home, is not writable. Why it is so, I don’t know. A positive fact is that all programs of a third-party will be installed in one directory /opt. Under Linux, it is not the case.
The administration of the system is fundamentally different. The main command for this are svcs and svcadm. These two commands in connection with a lot of parameters, allow a fine tuning. You can find even a graphical user interface that allows starting and stopping of certain services, but it has only a basic functionality.
The system is ready for the daily work immediately after installation. The ony a problem that I was not able to solve at this time is my sound card. Unfortunately, the system does not recognize it and I don’t know any solution yet. That is a pity, because Open SuSE or Debian, doesn’t habe those problems. Maybe I get this problem solved in future.
in the era of globalization and technological progress, it often happen that Linux computer will be selected as the target of an attack by black hackers. Although the Linux operating system (right configuration required) very safe, but if the system is not properly maintained by the installation of updates and/or incorrectly configured, it can happen that hackers misuse the system for their own mostly illegal aims.
Unfortunately, I could feel those attack on my own skin. It is very important to understand how the attacker got an acces to the system. For this reason, you will need to analyse the logs after the attack. But I must mention here that really good hackers will hide their tracks and it is damned difficult to detect them. Anyway, if you realize that you own system works somehow strange (high traffic externally and internally, hard drives are working constantly, resulting in the slowdown of the computer) it would be the best to isolate temporary your system and examine it.
The first focal points are the log files from /var/log and /root. But you should not forget that you need root privileges to see these log files. It is very important, to analyse the messages of Syslog. For example, you will find these by the iptables blocked connections or who and when logged in the system. The system logs such applications how Samba, Telnet or SSH.
With help of the /etc/passwd / file you can see all existing users in the system. You can verify that an attacker could create an additional user to log in the system later (backdoor). In the file /root/bash_history you will find all commands entered by root in the console. In addition, some hackers try to delete their tracks by deleting log files completely or by editing them and removing their actions from the log files. So you have to make sure whether the log files exist or whether they have large time gaps.
With help of commands such as “who” or “last” you are able to check who is logged into the system, or worked at the system at last.
As a small tip, I would recommend the programm “logwatch”. This software can combine logs and send them to your e-mail address
The title may sound bit misleading, because Ubuntu is based on Debian and that’s why it is a part of Linux-family, but I would like to draw the attention to the (degeneration) development of this popular operating system. In my opinion, it is going to the wrong direction.
Someone said that a Unix system was developed by programmers and for programmers. This thesis is still topical. The administration of a computer running on Unix-based operating system requires some expertise. It could be purchased by studying of the manuals and a time investment in practice.
Linux offers a stability and flexibility and cost advantages (most Linux systems are under GNU / GPL and are often free), it’s no wonder that the system is also used for private purposes.
Ubuntu is an attempt to make from a complex and powerful operating system an user-friendly environment that is free for all. The brilliant idea, I think, only the implementation is in my opinion gone too far. This problem is not confined to Ubuntu, but also depends directly with GNOME. The combination of Ubuntu and GNOME makes the use of the operating system simpler, but restricts the functionality significantly. Sometimes I think that the developers think about a potential users that they are stupid. Instead of integrating of new features into the system, they work on the integration of Compiz. I always thought that the only way to compete with Windows, is to develop a stable, flexible and functional system, but what I see is they are trying to copy a look and feel of Windows.
Some time ago I told my friend about my change to Linux. He gave me a link to video on YouTube about new 3D desktop for Ubuntu Edge.
Some related video I saw in internet many months ago. It was a Novell demonstration of the new technology.
Of course I was sold of it and I wanted to have it on my computer. But I needed a lot of time to configure it and correct all of the bugs.
Here are pages, where I found a good help:
http://wiki.beryl-project.org/wiki/Main_Page
http://en.gentoo-wiki.com/XGL
Ubuntu Edge has Gaim as standard messenger. My problem is, I don’t like Gaim, because of terrible design. The design of Gaim is so terrible that I could not find words to describe what I’m feeling while I see it. I’m not a designer, but I think that I could make it much better, that it is now.
The existence of Gaim on my computer was stopped with commad:
apt-get remove gaim
But there are not so many messengers for Linux that understand different code pages at the same time and looks like better than Gaim.
As alternative for Gaim I found Simple Instant Messenger (SIM).
SIM looks like as a normal messenger and has code pages choice so you can choose a code page while you are chatting.
Unfortunately the most of developers, who are developing software for Windows and for Linux, concentrate the main power on windows applications. For example Skype offers their software for different platforms, but only Windows based version has all new features.
The reason of this behaviour is a dimension of windows community.
The one of good exception is a Google Earth 4.0. Google released all versions of their software at the same time.
The main new feature of Google Earth is a new possibility to view famous buildings in 3D view.
Some time ago I choose Linux as my general operating system and that’s why I don’t have much experience with bash. I needed it not so often, because I’m simply a home user and not a developer. Yesterday, I updated the Emeranld Theme Manager and after that I could not load the GUI.
The reason of this problem was an update for Emerald Theme Manager, after that Beryl was unable to work properly.
To solve this problem I needed to edit the auto-start file.
But it was for me not so simply, because I’m a n00b
I could use gEdit or Kate, but now I needed to work with vim.
With help of lynx I found a lot of different HowTos. With help of them I learned some useful commands and now I use vim more often than Kate or gEdit.
Here are some of important and useful commands:
Create or edit a file:
vi Filename (if the file exist, it will be opened, otherwise it will be created)
Editor-Mode: Insert
Command-Mode: Esc
Quit:
:q (if file was not edited)
:wq (save changes and exit)
:q! (ignore changes and exit)
Save a file:
:w
Delete line:
yy
Insert line:
p
Search:
/search-word – the document will be searched from the cursor position until end of the document
Search and replace:
:%s/search-word/replace-word – search-word will be replaced to replace-word
Syntax highlighting
:syntax on – activating of syntax highlighting
:syntax off deactivating of syntax highlighting
Line numbers:
:set number – activating of line numbers
:no number – deactivating of line numbers
I think that many of Linux users know about live distribution called “Kanotix”.
I found Kanotix because I searched for the possibility to configure an internet connection with ADSL USB modem AT-AR215 (Allied Telesyn) and Kanotix was the singly distribution that supported this hardware without need to compile and install any software.
I found a board about how to configure AT-AR215 on Linux OS. Yes, there was a board about it! The moderator of this board told me about Kanotix and I tested it. The installation was very simply and I was very pleased with Kanotix.
The community and developers of Kanotix were very active.
Unfortunately the best time of Kanotix has gone. Some of developers lived the project, the last “stable” version is pretty old and the plans of Kano (Jörg Schirottke) are the developing of the distribution based on Debian stable.
If you like Kanotix, but you prefer to use SID-based version you can try Sidux.
Many of not very experienced Linux users have often problems with network configuration with Linux and windows clients.
In Spite of user-friendly interface of modern Linux it is needed to have some general theoretical and practical knowledge about Linux and internet protocols to be able to establish the network connection with samba.
The Unofficial Samba HowTo :
http://hr.uoregon.edu/davidrl/samba.html will be a big help for those users.