Linux Basement Presents: Chad’s Blog

Diversion from the Norm

I’ve been working on Cisco equipment for about 3 weeks now. It’s been nice to get away from the normal workload and concentrate on configurations from scratch. I like configuring routers and switches because it takes you back to the basics. It keeps you sharp on tcp/ip and how packets transverse on a network. If there is one thing I would suggest to someone who wants to get into IT, it would be to learn how packets travel on a tcp/ip network. Not necessarily on a Cisco network, but the basics, on any network. This helps in all aspects of technology, even when you are trying to figure out why your port 8080 traffic will not go through a firewall. And really, I doubt it is a coincidence that hack it and packet rhyme. Right?

Laptops and Geeks

My wife is a geek. No doubt about it. We met ten years ago on the web, playing MUDs. I’m sure you have no idea what I’m talking about when I say MUD, but it was actually a game where you used your imagination. You know how when you watch a movie, that is based on a book? It’s not quite as good is it? Well, that’s what modern day MORPGs are to me now. Give me graphics, and I remove the illusion that my brain created with text based games. Also, the element of intimate customization is gone. I had literally hundreds of macros when I used to play MUDs. That quickly dwindled when I moved to everquest, DAOC, WOW.

I digress. My wife is a geek. Yesterday, I scored a 100 dollar laptop. The thing had been in repair, and the person who had it in repair got impatient, and bought a new laptop, and then got this one back. It seems to be working perfectly with linux. It was not working perfectly with Vista. In fact, I could not even get the control panel to come up. I had to run dxdiag just to find the system specs. So I bought the sucker and put Linux Mint 5.1 on it immediatly. Last night, I explained to the wife, I can put XP or vista back on it, but I don’t have time until the weekend. So for now, try out Mint. Also last night, I saw her install scriptmonkey on FireFox3. Nice. Like I said, she’s a geek to. I just have to reel her in.

Sure enough, today, she was playing Kingdom Of Loathing on that sucker happy as can be. Then, the big question. “Does it have FreeCell?” Oh cripes. Well let me show you the beauty of Linux my love, my dearest, my inquisitor. And thus I showed her the wonderful power of apt. At first, I could not find free-cell, but we left gnome-games package running to install lots of game goodness.

Tomorrow, providing free-cell is really there, I expect the person I last expected to move to linux so easily, moved to linux, so easily.

Hmm, I guess I’ll give some of her geek cred back. After all, I did marry a wood elf.

Security Finale

I’m back home. The training last week was just awesome. I did get to do an interview with a friend of mine who administers the super computer at Virginia Tech. I will release the interview for LB episode 15.
The malware dissection on day 5 and 6 was quite enlightening. I not only learned about how malware works fundamentally, but also learned quite a bit about the inner workings of IRC and Bots, due to the fact that a lot of malware uses IRC to infect and control systems. Interesting. I also am inspired to set up a honey pot on the inside of my network just to see what I can come up with. I hope to do so next week.
I’m home now, work is chaos, and I have a sick kid. Hopefully things will settle down soon.

Tags: life, malware, training

A new year is approaching…

Do something!

Doing something is always better then doing nothing. (unless that something is robbing a bank)

The point is, forward momentum is created by you doing something. Whether or not your are wrong is irrelevant. But like all things, you get better with practice. So if you are constantly striving towards your next goals, you will get better at achieving your goals. Period.

Don’t believe that you have to follow the norm. Inventions are created out of necessity. If you think you have to follow in the pack, you are wrong. You need to find out what makes you happy and run with it. Some of the most creative and successful people in the world were told over and over that they were wrong, and they would not succeed. Those of us that can push beyond those words are leaders, the and if you push yourself to do something, to move forward, eventually, the pack will begin to follow you.

Knowledge and practice are your key to success. Look upon those who have been successful. Read about them, listen to them, learn from the mistakes of others and make mistakes. I learn more from my mistakes then I do my productivity, which, in turn, makes me more productive.

Are you efficient? Can you be more efficient? Look inside yourself and get ready for 2008. It may change your life.

I just hit 30

So tonight I hit 30. Well, the funny thing is, as much as I tried to deny myself, 30 is an interesting paradigm. I fell young, I feel ready for the world. I feel on top of my game. I have a good wife, smart children, and a fulfilling job. The world is doing its best to keep me in the game and so, the dude abides. Anyway, I think I drank too much and should edit this tomorrow.