EV-DO on ubuntu 9.04

Using an EV-DO internet connection on your ubuntu was never that hard, but then again, its boring repeating the same steps on every new installation of ubuntu(unless you have a script to automate it; i.e.). Usually you have to mount the USB modem(type usbfs, just in case you`r wondering) and manually create a symbolic link /dev/modem which points to /dev/USBtty0 so that wvdialconf recognizes your usb device as the modem to be used.
However, In Ubuntu 9.04 i was surprised that mounting and creation of the symbolic link had taken place automatically.
So, all i had to do was run :-
$ wvdialconf
This resulted in the creation of a wvdial.conf file in the /etc directory which could be edited and used for saving the username and password.
However connecting using ‘wvdial’ still caused a problem; it just would`nt connect. Figuring out the solution was`nt hard though – There was a line which read :-
Modem – /dev/USBSL0
All i had to do was change it to
Modem – /dev/USBttyS0

and whoallah! Connected to cyberspace!

But the speed sucks! And i have no clue WHY!
Wanna know how bad the speed was…?

I was on a brand new Vista using IE…. i had better browsing speeds there. No kidding!

Innovation Room

Events which happen around me, though seemingly distinct at first glance, tend to create a lasting impression in my mind which form the basis for further thinking.

Two events which recently took place were:-
i) joining the social ubuntu forum at www.myubuntu.ning.com(which rightly claims to be “the social side of ubuntu”).
ii) reading a comment at the ubuntu forums. The comment was posted by a linux user; who had doubts desciding to move over to ubuntu. However, he found coding something he found uninteresting. He wanted nothing to do with a CLI interface and was asking the forum members`s opinion on whether or not he should move over into ubuntu.

This got me thinking.

Consider the case of a businessman, or maybe a housewife who blogs regularly on her favorite recipies; anyone who considers coding as the last thing they wish want to try out(I don`t blame them). Linux variants, in most cases, have their settings easily configurable via the CLI. Now, does a businessman need to learn bash scripting for setting the desktop environment for his basic needs?

Now, suppose a user posts his view on any popular forum as www.ubuntuforums.org ; ive lost count of the number of times i`ve seen them go unanswered. True, some questions may seem “lame” but experienced linux users seem to disregard that fact that a person might be using linux; not because he`s interested in the code(or is a wannabe-coder), but because its free. Not helping newbies and choosing not to answer their queries is not a good practice.

And this, i feel, is one main reason for the increase in popularity of ubuntu taking place at an incremental rate; rather than the exponential growth we would like to see. This is one major way in which the requirement of the end-users is not being met with.

And as usual, this is my attempt to bring about a small change in the way people perceive things.

I`ve created a room in the social network at ning. try out the Innovation Room at http://myubuntu.ning.com/group/innovationroom

.

The idea behind this group is to provide a platform for :-

1. Tending to the needs of new linux users.
2. Bridge the gap between End-Users and Developers so that the former get to tell the latter, what THEY feel is required to be done.
3. I`ll explain this point using a simple example. Consider the case wherein, a task needs to be automated. In most of the cases, people opt for shell scripts which can help them in their tasks. But now, Users can put forward their requests and have them replied to.
4. Most importantly, the results produced by #1, #2, #3 mentioned above can be used to understand end-user needs in a more effective way; thereby improving the overall quality of the next distribution release.

Cheers!!!

whoa… dint see this coming!!

today`s one of those hot `n humid evening`s when you can think of  nothing to while away your time; its one of those days when the idea of watching a flick gets you headaches, and even your favorite song sounds like a blaring horn.

i generally get tired of things a bit too quickly; however, i finally decide play CounterStrike over the internet. however, the game keeps on crashing for some reason when i try to connect to online servers. i finally give up and switch back to ubuntu(i feel internet browsing`s faster on ubuntu) and read up stuff on the internet for similar-crash-cases.

the only crash cases i`d encountered before this were the packet-errors we used to have(and still occasionally have) while playing CS over a WLAN at our hostel. could a slower(on comparison with ubuntu) internet connection be the reason i`m having these errors? would these errors still persist if i could  game in ubuntu?

games in ubuntu bought into my mind the recent discussion i had with Abhishek….

if  i could only play CS on ubuntu.. `n then it hit me. could`nt believe it took me so long!!! i ran the game using the wine on ubuntu and whoallah!! it finds online servers, connects seamlessly and there is`nt even a hint of a lag while gaming!!

gotta go!!! lemme go and give `em a few headshots(and get a lot in return, i bet!)….

something i`ve never quite understood

I`ve been to various FOSS conferences and i find few aspects of open source software interesting. However, what i fail to understand is why 90% of linux users i`ve met, seem to hate windows even while :-

1. Theming their linux distro to look like windows.
2. Sub-consciously admitting to the fact that Gates HAS done a good job.
3. Realizing that the linux environment is HOPELESS for gaming(comparison with windows).

Common conversations(sometimes heated discussions) regarding the matter, which take place every now and then(some i`ve been a part of, others i`ve quietly watched), can be summarized into a small conversation as follows…

me:- why do you hate windows so much?
them:- windows is closed. they need money for what they`ve done.

me:- well, have`nt they done a pretty neat job?
them:- no, they haven`t. linux is more user-friendly.

me:- WHAT?
them:- yes, i do find linux VERY user friendly.

me:- oh, fine. And is this “user-friendliness” the reason why you love linux so much…?
them:- no. i love it because it`s open source.

me:- oh, and have you ever considered contributing\contributed in any manner?
them:- not really… i mean, not yet.

It`s almost as if claiming to use linux(AND hate windows), makes you seem like a geek with “over-developed” brains. This is a open remark against all those who support open source without actually understanding the underlying ideology or contributing to it in any manner. If your belief in FOSS is strong enough to blame windows of a bad ideology, then i wonder how the ratio (contributing to FOSS : blaming windows) gets to be so small.

my views…

I love linux.
FOSS… ? i find it interesting; just don`t think its “interesting” enough to accept as an ideology.

what do i believe in?

Making money on what you`r good at is no crime. Smart people have been doing it over the ages, and will continue to do so. Wasting your breath criticizing them is just not gonna help. Linux is a good effort which improves with every new release. But, it`s different from windows in almost ALL respects. Kindly, stop the damn comparison and for the love of God, stop trying to make one look like the other!!! Appreciate the differences.

Think about it. `n if you think its the truth, live with it.

RPC DCOM exploit….

i tried out the RPC DCOM exploit last day. my test environment was set up using two virtual machines; one running bt3 and the other running an XP with service pack 1. the two VM`s were put on a NAT configuration which meant that it both of them would behave as though connected via a LAN cable.

the test wasn`t much; all i had to do was compile and execute the source code indicating the target OS and the target IP and WHOALLAH!!!

my XP machine in VMware…

backtrack running on VMware…

i run the exploit; get myself a shell!!

check out more about RPC DCOM exploits on this article by Mati Aharoni HERE.

and at last ubuntu`s starting to look pretty darn good….!!!

i`ve never really liked the orange and brown combination which comes by default in an ubuntu machine. its unique, but dull and boring. even nvidia drivers can`t improve the looks very much as its just the desktop effects which get enhanced.

surfing the internet, checking out themes for ubuntu was interesting; there were LOADS of cool ones. the desktop i`m using right now is NOT my creation in its entirety; its got bits of different themes here and there. still its taken me a lot of surfing around to make up my current desktop – so i might as well brag about it and put up pictures of it on the internet .

so, wht do ya thnk?

hmm… linux variants i`ve used….

the very first linux variant i came across was the REALLY old red hat linux. it looked horrible; and i knew little bout operating systems back then. 4 years later, i come across another linux variant was pretty new at that time; Ubuntu. I install it only to find that Linux operating systems had come a long way since i last saw them. Still, i dint feel curious enough to check out the other variants. However, after THREE more years, here i am – having tried out most of the variants. Fedora, SuSe, Red Hat are the favs in my list; though for different reasons.

The last variant i came across topped my list; backtrack, an awesome distro, it is. i hope to make something similar; yet better, one day.

well…. Vista…

i mainly use a windows box with vista running on it; yes; i DO use a windows box; no use hating me for it.

i used to be more of a windows-hater once, too. But then i realized that if you really wish to analyze security and work on penetration testing, taking sides is`nt really a good practice. Also, Microsoft makes good software; and there are more than enough pros to balance out the cons. Yes, their policies, the EULA and their acts of suing Apple and Linux for their similarities with windows qualify as arrogant; but they really can`t be blamed for not supporting open source. After all, if you are good at something, you do deserve to get paid for it(quoting you-know-who ); whether or not you take the pay is entirely your choice.

Using Windows Vista right now, the data execution prevention(DEP) feature is quite cool. A bit annoying to new users, certainly; but definitely useful.

Very few pen-testing tools are available for windows boxes, esp. for wireless networks where most of the tools have trouble injecting packets. Also, ettercap on windows is said to have been experiencing problems(don`t know for sure; read that up somewhere).

I wonder how Windows 7 is gonna be; I`m pretty much sure that its going to be an improvement on the typical features of a Windows OS(user-friendliness and good looks).

And, Microsoft seems to have this uncanny ability to absorb popular technologies, modify, and bring out something equally powerful. An instance is C#. The absorbed technology in this case – java. Thankfully, Sun`s still working on Java(their most useful creation till date); and not all users seem to be keen on moving over to C#, mainly because it`s “cross-platform” limitations.

an intro to the coolest linux distro EVER….

one fine day i decide to take my work a little bit more seriously; and i google “security distro`s”. i come across a slackware variant known as “backtrack”. on further reading i get to know that it`s currently rated #1 among security distro`s and that it was created from two pre-existing distro`s named “WHAX” and “Auditor”.

i did something which any guy my age would do.

i downloaded the live CD image of the distro; burned a CD and booted it up. i had no idea what was in store for me. it offered various boot options and  i chose to use the KDE 3.5 interface which it offered. on further snooping around, i found that the number of tools in backtrack3 topped 150.

it was overwhelming.

then i did something not many guys my age would be crazy enough to attempt alone.

i started working on the tools one-by-one. being just 19 years old and having only the very basic idea of networking and OS architecture; i set off. it was`nt easy as my foundations were weak; in most of the cases i just did not have one. the first tool i came across was netcat. now, i`ve decided to release tutorials on the tools i`ve mastered. they`re no shortcut. but they`ll help you on what exactly to learn; thus helping you use these tools in a faster and more efficient manner than i did(hopefully ). these tutorials assume you have a basic idea on networking and OS`s like linux and its variants.

the tutorials`ll be put up soon enough…