SUSE Studio

SUSE Studio is a web platform which allows you to build your custom OS based on predefined SUSE configurations. Packs can be chosen from SUSE repository or others. It allows you to build an ISO of a Live CD/DVD or a .tar.gz disk image.
I think this is a great idea and it will become something common in the future.

Pidgin unable to connect Yahoo servers

If you are user of the Pidgin instant messenger, you would have noticed that you are unable to connect to Yahoo servers.

Yahoo has remove their older versions primarily the ones between Yahoo Messenger 6 and 7.5.

This is probably broken some functionality in Pidgin as well and a couple of users are no longer able to connect.

We searched for a solution and found one:

Adding this line in your host file seems to work for us

66.163.181.170 scs.msg.yahoo.com

For those who don't know, your host file is located on:

• Linux - /etc/hosts
• Macintosh X - /private/etc/hosts
• Novell NetWare - SYS:etc\hosts
• Symbian OS 6.1-9.0 - C:\system\data\hosts
• Symbian OS +9.1 - C:\private\10000882\hosts (AllFiles capable only)
• Win 95,98,ME - Windows
• Win NT, 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, 7 - Windows\system32\drivers\etc\

We are now waiting for Pidgin developers to release a quick update to fix the problem for all of their users.

Later edit:
This method is not working anymore. We recommend you to upgrade to Pidgin 2.5.7

Adobe Flex - Dynamically add LinkButtons from XML data to a Container

Script:

<mx:Script>
    <![CDATA[
  [Bindable] private var externalXML:XML;
  private function loadXML(XMLfilename:String,ParentObject:Container):void{
  var loader:URLLoader = new URLLoader();
  var request:URLRequest = new URLRequest(XMLfilename);
  loader.load(request);
  loader.addEventListener(Event.COMPLETE, onComplete);
      function onComplete(event:Event):void {
      var loader:URLLoader = URLLoader(event.target);
      externalXML = new XML(loader.data);
         for each (var link:XML in externalXML.children())
         {
          var lb:LinkButton=new LinkButton();
          lb.label=link.text;
          lb.data=link.value;
          lb.addEventListener(MouseEvent.CLICK,
          function (e:Event):void{navigateToURL(new URLRequest(e.target.data));});
          ParentObject.addChild(lb);
         }
      }
  }
    ]]>
</mx:Script>

Usage:

<mx:VBox id="myContainer" initialize="loadXML('data.xml',myContainer)">

data.xml file sample:

<links>
<link>
<text>Google</text>
<value>http://www.google.ro</value>
</link>
</links>

TrueCrypt

TrueCrypt is a disk encryption software which I find very useful.
"Free open-source disk encryption software for Windows Vista/XP, Mac OS X, and Linux
Main Features:
* Creates a virtual encrypted disk within a file and mounts it as a real disk.
* Encrypts an entire partition or storage device such as USB flash drive or hard drive.
* Encrypts a partition or drive where Windows is installed (pre-boot authentication).
* Encryption is automatic, real-time (on-the-fly) and transparent.
* Provides two levels of plausible deniability, in case an adversary forces you to reveal the password:
1) Hidden volume (steganography) and hidden operating system.
2) No TrueCrypt volume can be identified (volumes cannot be distinguished from random data).
* Encryption algorithms: AES-256, Serpent, and Twofish. Mode of operation: XTS."

VirtualBox

"VirtualBox is a general-purpose full virtualizer for x86 hardware. Targeted at server, desktop and embedded use, it is now the only professional-quality virtualization solution that is also Open Source Software."
You can easily manage virtual machines and thus use multiple operating systems.

BadVista campaign

"What's wrong with Microsoft Windows Vista?
Usually, new software enables you to do more with your computer. Vista, though, is designed to restrict what you can do.
Vista enforces new forms of “Digital Rights Management (DRM)”. DRM is more accurately called Digital Restrictions Management, because it is a technology that Big Media and computer companies try to impose on us all, in order to have control over how our computers are used."
What do you think? Do you trust Microsoft that much?

GeeXboX Linux

"GeeXboX is a full operating system, running under Linux and based on the excellent MPlayer. No need for a hard drive, you just have to put the GeeXboX bootable CD into the CD-Drive of any Pentium-class or Apple Macintosh computer to boot it. Moreover, GeeXboX is free software, created as open-source software. This means that everyone can modify it and build his own release of the GeeXboX."
With GeeXboX, you can turn your old computer into a media center.

GParted Live Linux

"GParted Live is a small bootable GNU/Linux distribution for x86 machine. GParted Live can be installed on CD, USB, PXE server, and Hard Disk then run on an x86 machine."
GParted is very helpful when you need to change the partitions without having to actually install a new OS. It has graphical interface and it's easy to use.

Ophcrack Linux

Ophcrack is a free Windows password cracker based on rainbow tables. It cracks LM and NTLM hashes.

Slax modules

Azureus 3.1.1.0 (+ JRE 1.6.0_07)
Azureus 4.0.0.2 (requires JRE)
Azureus 4.2.0.4 (requires JRE)
BeeDiff 1.9
Beep Media Player 0.9.7
e2undel 0.82
FileZilla 3.1.3.1
FileZilla 3.2.6.1
FileZilla 3.2.7.1 (requires libtasn1-3)
FileZilla 3.2.8.1 (requires libtasn1-3)
FileZilla 3.3.0.1 (requires libtasn1-3)
FileZilla 3.3.1 (requires libtasn1-3)
Firefox 3.0.11 (+Flash 10.0 r22)
Firefox 3.5.2 (+Flash 10.0 r32)
Firefox 3.5.5
Firefox 3.6
Flash Player 10r32 for Firefox
jEdit 4.2 (requires JRE)
JRE 1.6.0_07
KDiff3 0.9.92
Notepad++ 5.0.3 (requires wine)
Notepad++ 5.4.5 (requires wine)
Openbox 3.4.6 + obam (run it typing xconf;startx in Text mode)
Pidgin 2.5.8 (requires gnutls and gstreamer)
Pidgin 2.6.4 (requires gnutls and gstreamer)
Pidgin 2.6.5 (requires gnutls and gstreamer)
p7zip 4.58
SBC Archiver 0.97r3
ShowImg 0.9.5
VirtualBox 1.6.2
VirtualBox 3.0.0
VirtualBox 3.0.8
Vuze 4.2.0.4 (requires JRE)
XMMS 1.2.11
XVI32 2.51 (requires wine)
ZendStudio 5.5.1

You can check out modules (mine and others') at http://www.slax.org/modules.php?author=11489 or http://andrei.jurubita.ro/slax

These modules should also work for any Slax-based distribution like: Ophcrack, Backtrack(<=3), Wolvix, Davix, NimbleX ...

LZM repository from NimbleX: http://www.nimblex.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=5&Itemid=42