My conky config file [download]

I put together this conkyrc config file yesterday, pretty pleased with it so far. 

http://pastebin.com/grrzVP6q 👊

(Background image is scarlett johansson in the upcoming Ghost in the shell film 💗)

NETBEANS: Installing tmc plugin in existing netbeans installation (for mooc.fi java dev course)

Recently I discovered a gem of a website from a comment in reddit recommending a source for learning JAVA programming interactively. The exercises look really amazing, and free too! Massive open online course (MOOC) allows you to follow Java exercises, preform them in your own desktop IDE (NetBeans) and submit you code against the server to progress though the various exercises.

However, the directions how to get started only described a method which requires you to download a bundled version NetBeans with the TMC (test my code) plugin. The problem is i already have NetBeans installed and configured.

After doing some googling I found an easy method of installing TMC plugin onto my existing installation of NetBeans without having to download the bundle. So if you use this way of installing the plugin, on Ubuntu just go to the software center, download NetBeans, and follow the steps bellow. Simple.

The reason I am re-posting it here is because the GitHub page I used recently 404'd, and i want the infomation to be still available as I found it very usefull myself. If you interested in the original page, it is still in the google cache here. It was marked "DEPRECATED", however the part of the tutorial for the plugin method worked great for me. ¯\_ᵔ ͜ʖᵔ_/¯

Just keeping this info available to others who may need it.

Source address. (404)
User/credit: jamox

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INSTALLING TMC-PLUGIN TO EXSISTING NETBEANS INSTALLATION, do this in paja. 

Open NetBeans. Make sure that version you are using is at least 7.2.1. (7.3 or newer is recommendend)

Go to Tools -> Plugins

Select tab Settings click Add.

Set name to TMC

Url to http://update.testmycode.net/tmc-netbeans_hy/updates.xml

 Select tab Available Plugins, search for TMC It should show only one result. Check checkbox on its row and and select Install

Click Next

Check Accept the terms in all license agreements

Click continue, when instaler complains that these plugins are not signed.

When installation is complete restart NetBeans

When you start TMC/NetBeans for the first time, the below window should open. If it does not open, you can find it from the TMC-part of the NetBeans menu bar.

Give the Username and Password that you gave during registration.

Press the button "refresh list" and select from "Current course"

By pressing "ok" the assignment "projects" are downloaded to your computer.

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Note: for the mooc.fi course, the server address is "https://tmc.mooc.fi/mooc". You must register via their website for login details, see here.

My favourite Chrome privacy extensions

These are my favourite five chrome privacy extensions...

WOT: Web Of Trust
removed

• "The Web Of Trust (WOT) extension is a website reputation rating tool that helps you make informed decisions about whether to trust a website or not when you are searching, shopping or browsing online."

 uBlock Origin

• "An efficient blocker: easy on memory and CPU footprint, and yet can load and enforce thousands more filters than other popular blockers out there."

ScriptSafe

• "A Chrome extension that gives users control of the web and more secure browsing while emphasizing simplicity and intuitiveness."

HTTPS Everywhere

• "HTTPS Everywhere is an extension created by EFF and the Tor Project which automatically switches thousands of sites from insecure "http" to secure "https".  It will protect you against many forms of surveillance and account hijacking, and some forms of censorship

Flashcontrol

• "Have more control of flash content by preventing it from loading in webpages until you allow it."

WORKAROUND: HTTPS Everywhere is extension 'corrupted' fix

The HTTPS Everywhere extension doesn't seem to be working correctly in the latest Chrome and Chromium. The problem is, once it is installed or after the Chrome update, the extension is being disabled and labelled as 'corrupted, with the Repair not working and reinstalling also.. 

This is a workaround i found on the Chrome extension page which surfaced a few days ago...

Corruption bug appears to have a workaround. Posted by Anand Bhat:
For all those having issues with the latest version showing as corrupt, try these steps: 

1. Install extension.
2. Once it shows "This extension may have been corrupted", go back to the Chrome store and open up this extension's page (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/https-everywhere/gcbommkclmclpchllfjekcdonpmejbdp). 

3. The top of the page will have this text -- "This item has been disabled in Chrome. Enable this item". Click it.
4. Extension will get activated! 

The developers of this extension are aware of this and it is due to bug in Chrome. More details can be found at https://github.com/EFForg/https-everywhere/issues/5874#issuecomment-245493840

There should be a fix by the developers or on Chrome's site in the near future.

Enjoi this marvellous extension!

LINUX HOWTO: Limiting SSH access to specific IP addresses

Intro:

This is a simple way to permit a select few IP addresses to access your raspberry pi though SSH and deny any others. By white listing certain IP addresses from networks you know you are adding a layer of security helping prevent others from accessing your machine. This is handy if you only access your machine from a few set locations, such as on the LAN and at work.

There are a few methods you could go about doing this, but i find this the most easy to implement, allowing you do accomplish basic permit and deny without iptables.

The two files needed to be edited are /etc/hosts.allow and /etc/hosts.deny

Step 1) 

Enter:
sudo nano /etc/hosts.allow

The file should be empty. At this point just add the ip addresses or subnets which you want to permit, for example:

sshd: 10.0.0.0/255.255.255.0 

sshd: 192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0

TIP: For specific IP addresses, just enter the address without the subnet.

Step 2)

Enter:

sudo nano /etc/hosts.deny

By entering the following you will deny all other addresses which were not explicitly defined before (everyone else).

sshd: ALL

Conclusion:

Now only those ip addresses or subnets defined will be able to get ssh access to your ssh server, others will not be able to connect.

LINUX HOWTO: Adding SSH login messages

This will display a message to those who connect to you ssh server before logging on.

Steps:

sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config
- Open this file in terminal. Then find the line "#Banner /etc/issue.net" and remove comment so that it reads "Banner /etc/issue.net". Then save.

sudo nano /etc/issue.net
- Secondly open this file and enter your message in this file, then save. ASCII looks good here.


sudo service ssh restart
- Restart ssh, and then the message will be displayed to users.


                  _==|
             _==|   )__)  |
               )_)  )___) ))
              )___) )____))_)
         _    )____)_____))__)\
          \---__|____/|___|___-\\---
  ^^^^^^^^^\   oo oo oo oo     /~~^^^^^^^
    ~^^^^ ~~~~^^~~~~^^~~^^~~~~~
      ~~^^      ~^^~     ~^~ ~^ ~^
           ~^~~        ~~~^^~


For ascii art like this check out:

http://www.sunnyspot.org/asciiart/gallery/index.html

http://www.network-science.de/ascii/

LINUX FIX: Gigabyte 990X - USB 3.0, 2.0 and Ethernet disabled after Ubuntu install.

After installing Ubuntu on my new computer I realised that only two of my USB 2.0 ports were working an non of the USB 3.0 ports or Ethernet network card. This seems to be a problem with many similar Gigabyte boards to mine. However there is a quick easy (revealingly so) solution to this.

In terminal run the following command: sudo nano /etc/default/grub
Find the line GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="" and replace with GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="iommu=soft"
save the file
open up another terminal and run: sudo update-grub
exit and restart computer

After applying this, every port; both 3.0, 2.0 and ethernet should work perfectly.


SOURCE: Credits go to Willyweasel, ozcyto, oldfred, linux-hardware-guide