Category: Ubuntu/Debian

Stuff about Ubuntu and Debian GNU/Linux

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Install Mozilla Firefox Ubuntu theme

Did you know Ubuntu provides Mozilla Firefox theme to make it look better integrated with default Ubuntu themes (Human, Tango, Industrial).

In order to take advantage of the integration, you need to install firefox-themes-ubuntu package. 

sudo aptitude install firefox-themes-ubuntu

After you are done, you can start customising Firefox theme to make it look better integrated with the corresponding Ubuntu themes that you use, whether its Human, Tango or Industrial theme.

I know first hand that some people do not prefer the default brownish Human theme, and prefered Industrial theme instead.

So why not install these Firefox theme to get rid all those traces of brownish look on your desktop?

[tags]ubuntu,firefox,mozilla,themes,debian,linux[/tags]

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Generate Ubuntu apt-get Source.lst automatically

Sources.lst is a file located in /etc/apt/ directory. It is used in Debian-based (which includes Ubuntu) Linux operating system as a configuration file for software management.

Sometimes it is necessary to alter your sources.lst to include the nearest apt-get mirrors from your location, this is to ensure faster downloads during software upgrades and installations.

Fortunately, the good people from Ubuntu-NL has made this task easier by creating an online tool (source-o-matic) which helps you generate sources.lst file based on the list of available mirrors

source-o-matic supports Ubuntu releases on all architectures from 4.10(Warty) to 7.04 (Feisty). It is an easy tool to use, you only need to choose which country you’re in, put on your Ubuntu release and architecture, tick few radio boxes and your sources.lst file will be generated automatically.


Source-o-matic also includes a list of unofficial apt-get mirrors for installing softwares that isnt included in the normal Ubuntu distributions.

[tags]ubuntu, linux, sources.lst,apt-get[/tags]

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5 Things I hate about Ubuntu

I believe some of you have already read my blog and will summarize that I’m an Ubuntu user and advocator.

However, having said that doesn’t mean that I dont have things that I hate about Ubuntu, and they are :

  1. Windows manager (GNOME) is damn too slow compared with other distro
  2. Eats a lot of memory in desktop mode
  3. It has defective or near unusable packages (ie ffmpeg, scribus)
  4. Depends too much on internet connection for package installations and management
  5. Default installation does not include applications and codecs that I use most. I had to rely to the *internet* to get those apps installed (read above) (a small issue but an issue nevertheless)

Those are the 5 things that crossed my mind when I switched on my computer and use Ubuntu everyday. What’s yours?

[tags]ubuntu,debian,linux,opensource,distro[/tags]

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How to secure your SSH server

I came across this interesting post about how to secure your SSH without changing the SSH listening port.

Things that the post author suggested are :

  1. Enforce the use of secure and hard to guess password
  2. Disable login by password, use Public Key Authentication for greater security.
  3. Allow SSH connection from trusted network only.
  4. Implement Port Knocking – http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/6811
  5. Use iptables RECENT match to filter SSH scanners

Personally I’ve enabled public-key authentication and SSH scanner filter to secure my server at the advice of my friend from a local security firm. Although, I haven’t tried the port knocking method yet, it seems interesting to know that ‘secret port knocking’ pattern also exists in computer security (remember ali baba?)

Hopefully this post will serve as a reminder to myself and those who read them, ah oh, most of this post content are lifted shamelessly from False sense of security

[tags]ssh,iptables,ubuntu,debian,security, port knocking,nmap, security scanners,exploit[/tags]

http://blog.drinsama.de/erich/en/linux/2007021502-false-sense-of-security

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Ubuntu apt-get easter egg trick

We may have been familiar with the usual apt-get operations for installing, updating and removing application packages on your Debian-base Linux operating system (Ubuntu is one of it).

But do you know that you can trigger it to show a hidden easter egg?

try typing “apt-get moo” and see it for yourself :)

apt-get moo super cow powers

[tags]apt-get,debian,deb,ubuntu,knoppix[/tags]