January 2008 - KCLUG

Hybrid RAID in USB Drives- Mixing media as needed.
by Oren Beck 12 Jan '08

12 Jan '08

Ok- take a step out of the usual models. Here's something already seen but not exploited properly. Seven port USB hubs are now average $20 from some sources. Flash Drives are Ballpark $10/GB or less size and type variables taken into accoun So using a few cheap drives as sacrificials and expensive ones for semiperm storage we can tailor a composite Flash RAID to our needs. So far we've seen this at various places as a hack. What about a pocket drive case taped to a hub and radiating a few selected drives as needed? Boot from SDA into a Puppy or Damn Small Distro set as TORAM. Don't even mount the Spinning HD of your RAID unless a session needs it! The limits of using this base hybrid are rather awe inspiring. That 200 GB pocket Drive for example. Imagine a 7 port hub with 6 200 GB drives neatly arctic silvered down IN a laptop cooler plate.. A tiny bit pricey compared to other ways, But 1.TB IN a laptop cooler case seems way dare I say -COOL -- Oren Beck 816.729.3645

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Re: Kclug Digest, Vol 42, Issue 11
by gary hildebrand 12 Jan '08

12 Jan '08

I would say since those thumbdrives are solid state, theoretically they should last forever, barring fire, flood, act of God, or static discharge . . I'd like to do that myself, get an 8 GB thumb and install SuSE on it and run it on the St. Joe library machines, completely bypassing their native o/s. I don't think they'd like it unless I could prove to them it wouldn't muck up something in Windoze (version of the week). Gary Hildebrand St. Joe, MO > > > From: "Brian Kelsay" <ripcrd(a)gmail.com> > Subject: Re: Installing Linux to a 4gb usb microdrive > > There's info out there on how to prevent excessive writes. Google for > Linux > on a CF. > > http://pendrivelinux.com/ > In Linux disable the swap and use the no atime option in your fstab. > Turn off logging or log to a remote server. > Brian > >

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A new Zen of Drive type usage. Request for considerations and comments
by Oren Beck 12 Jan '08

12 Jan '08

Recent threads and comments by many of us here and some other places raised an issue. Are we overlooking another echo of .NIX wisdom that holds as Zen -"Everything's a File" Let me lay the thesis out.: Take at face value the extant Zen of Everything as a File. Add to that the reality that Files can and do exist on independent physical or logical media. >From the addition of those elements we derive a new more subtle wisdom. File usage dictates media type. Or some more elegant phrasing of the concept! But the edge of this wedge is the meme that file usage can and SHOULD dictate media type. Ok folks- run with this and see whhat we can make from it. -- Oren Beck 816.729.3645

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200 GB @ $1 per GB pocket size real HD- Review does NOT mention Linux
by Oren Beck 11 Jan '08

11 Jan '08

There are 2 reasons for this link being posted to KCLUG 1. The device is just the most elegant answer to several open projects on topics here. 2. We need to consider a concerted effort to flog the reviewer and the venue he's in about Linux. http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Storage/Is-That-200GB-of-Data-in-Your-Pocket/?sp=0… -- Oren Beck 816.729.3645

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Open Source Security Bugs Uncovered
by Julie 11 Jan '08

11 Jan '08

Read about it here: http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/141226/open_source_security_b… What do you all think about this? Julie @};- --------------------------------- Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.

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Preferred mail client?
by Kyle Sexton 10 Jan '08

10 Jan '08

What mail client are people using in Linux nowadays? Mutt, Gnus, Thunderbird, Pine, mail, kmail, evolution, sylpheed? Post what you're using and why you think it's the best! Me, I'm currently using Thunderbird, but I always make my way back to Gnus eventually. -- Thanks, Kyle Sexton

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Installing Linux to a 4gb usb microdrive
by Oren Beck 10 Jan '08

10 Jan '08

Last night I got an Excalibur EXC4:4 gb usb microdrive . At $19.99 it was a must buy of sorts. One intended assignment is a portable bootable Linux drive. Anyone want to show off their "Least Steps" methods to install Puppy or other small Linux onto this? Both for someone who does NOT have a linux box and /or from Kubuntu 7.04. Thanks in advance -- Oren Beck 816.729.3645

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Job Postings
by Adrian Griffis 10 Jan '08

10 Jan '08

Is there some process we have to go through to post jobs, here? Thanks Adrian

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Re: TOR and Linux -in the real world- on lower end hardware?
by Eric Johnson 10 Jan '08

10 Jan '08

Damn 'reply' button!! On Jan 9, 2008 11:29 AM, Eric Johnson <ericlj63(a)gmail.com> wrote: > On Jan 9, 2008 11:20 AM, Jonathan Hutchins <hutchins(a)tarcanfel.org> wrote: > > On Wed, January 9, 2008 11:03, Jonathan Hutchins wrote: > > > The only places I've seen reference to "TOR" has been on IRC, where the > > comments have been pretty universally negative, in that not only is it > > considered impolite, it's not very secure, and doesn't really do what you > > think it does. That's what I've heard anyway, so I didn't immediately > > assume that's what you meant. In light of that, I'm surprised to see it > > seriously discussed here. > > I've also read a few times lately that many of the gateway servers are > actually run by hackers and probably various intelligence agencies, so > the anonymity is primarily theoretical. > > http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/11/23/tor_abuse/ > -- Eric Johnson "Where your pleasure is, there is your treasure: where your treasure, there your heart; where your heart, there your happiness." Saint Augustine

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TOR and Linux -in the real world- on lower end hardware?
by Oren Beck 10 Jan '08

10 Jan '08

The short end of this is a question raised about traveling folks using TOR from Campgrounds on low end hardware. Seems a non-trivial query too as there are a growing number of "Full Timers" that live in mobile housing and are politically desiring to support TOR. The overview of the query comes down to this- NOT needing a "Read the FAQ" storm folks- does anyone here have real hands on experience with TOR at all? Then the next element is running TOR on lower end Linux boxes -under 1 ghz P4's under 1gig ram at all? And if TOR will not be a performance impact on that class of systems- what then of running on Wifi chains of 3 links average? Example of RV park network typical chain being- DSL>Firewall Router>1st air hop>USB "dongle">linux box as BEST case with often several additional "Repeaters" My stepdaughter reports seeing an average of 3 AP chains in typical parks as a real example. ALL this data to ask the question then if TOR is practical for RV based travellers to both use and participate in? -- Oren Beck 816.729.3645

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