Request: Caching DNS for Android

Dear Android Developers:

Can we get some sort of caching DNS server for devices that use Android? The T-Mobile G1 specifically. It would make things so much faster. Waiting for T-Mobile's proxied DNS servers is a snoozefest, even on the 3G network.

If someone could create a caching DNS server that is fully configurable via the touch interface, or somehow port pdnsd to Android for rooted devices, I'd be an extremely happy camper. Thank you.

Son of Frankenserver - The Parts

Today, I am building a mini server for the downstairs level of the house I live in. I have already run the CAT6e cable[1] from the router[2] upstairs through the floor there and made a small hole in the ceiling downstairs for it to come through. In the corner of the room, there's a desk[3] where I have a 8 port switch[4] with a wireless access point[5] connected to it.

The system I'm putting together now is made of the following items:
Antec Aria case[6], FIC P4MA Pro 533 motherboard[7], Intel Celeron 1.8GHz S-478 CPU[8], 2x Infineon 512MB DDR RAM[9], Seagate 160GB UATA hard drive[10].


[1]: Belkin CAT6e Snagless Patch Cable
[2]: Linksys WRT54GS v2.1
[3]: An IKEA ripoff - Similar to mine
[4]: Linksys EZXS88W
[5]: Linksys WAP54G

[6]: CASE: Antec Aria
[7]: MOBO: FIC P4MA Pro 533
[8]: CPU: Intel Celeron 1.8GHz Socket-478
[9]: RAM: Infineon HYS64D64230HU-5-C 512MB DDR
[10]: HDD: Seagate ST3160023A-RK 160GB UATA

Flash Player 10

Yes, it's true. Adobe has snuck another one by me.

Adobe has released an ALPHA version of their new Flash Player 10. This version supports Linux and even has specific support for Ubuntu added.

Now just because it supports Ubuntu, that doesn't mean you can go running to #ubuntu on Freenode IRC for help. 99 chances out of 100, you will be made fun of, ridiculed and/or possibly banned for attempting to get help with this version of the player.

With that said, I've come up with a short list to follow so that things work semi-well.

1. Visit Flash Player 10 Page - All information pertaining to this alpha/beta release can be found at this page.


2. Read RELEASE NOTES! - Make sure to read about UNINSTALLing your current Flash plugin before installing this version.


3. DOWNLOAD Flash Player 10 - Get the .tar.gz file for Ubuntu and Debian distributions.


4. Provide FEEDBACK - This will help Adobe find/fix bugs in the Flash Player 10 and help improve following versions.


5. Visit FORUMS - Get help with Flash Player 10


6. View LICENSE - For you Linux zealots, Flash Player 10 is still non-free.

The obligatory "works for me" is implied here by following the instructions in the release notes. Your mileage may vary. Good luck.

Let me know how things went for you with this. Leave me a comment here or send BaD_CrC a message on Freenode IRC.

sources.list for Ubuntu Hardy Heron 8.04

# /etc/apt/sources.list file for Ubuntu Hardy Heron 8.04.
# Put together and tested by John Pyper, BaD_CrC on Freenode IRC.
# Everything here works for me. Your success may vary.
# This is a work in progress.

### [UBUNTU]
# url: http://ubuntu.com/
# use a mirror that is close to you for better download speeds
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-updates main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-backports main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-proposed main restricted universe multiverse
# get security updates from ubuntu security directly only
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ hardy-security main restricted universe multiverse

### [CANONICAL]
# url: http://canonical.com/
deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ hardy partner
deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ hardy-updates partner
deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ hardy-backports partner
deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ hardy-proposed partner
deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ hardy-security partner

### [MEDIBUNTU]
# url: http://medibuntu.org/
deb http://packages.medibuntu.org/ hardy free non-free
deb http://packages.medibuntu.org/ hardy-staging free non-free

### [SWIFTFOX]
# url: http://getswiftfox.com/
deb http://getswiftfox.com/builds/debian/ unstable non-free

### [WINE]
# url: http://winehq.org/
deb http://wine.budgetdedicated.com/apt/ hardy main

### [PLAYONLINUX]
# url: http://playonlinux.com/
deb http://playonlinux.botux.net/ hardy main

### [VIRTUALBOX]
# url: http://virtualbox.org/
# VirtualBox repo has been abolished since Sun bought them.

### [MOBLOCK]
# url: http://moblock-deb.sourceforge.net
deb http://moblock-deb.sourceforge.net/debian/ hardy main

### [GOOGLE]
# url: http://google.com/linuxrepositories/
deb http://dl.google.com/linux/deb/ stable non-free

### [VIDEOLAN]
# url: http://videolan.org/
deb http://nightlies.videolan.org/build/hardy-i386/arch ./

#######################################
### [LAUNCHPAD NON-SUPPORTED REPOS] ###
#######################################

### [PPA LXDE]
# url: https://edge.launchpad.net/~lxde/+archive
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/lxde/ubuntu hardy main restricted universe multiverse

### [PPA GOOGLE GADGETS]
# url: https://edge.launchpad.net/~googlegadgets/+archive
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/googlegadgets/ubuntu/ hardy main restricted universe multiverse

### [PPA CORENOMINAL]
# url: https://edge.launchpad.net/~corenominal/+archive/
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/corenominal/ubuntu/ hardy main restricted universe multiverse

### [PPA COMPIZ]
# url: https://edge.launchpad.net/~compiz/+archive
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/compiz/ubuntu/ hardy main restricted universe multiverse

### [PPA KDE4]
# url: https://edge.launchpad.net/~kubuntu-members-kde4/+archive
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/kubuntu-members-kde4/ubuntu/ hardy main restricted universe multiverse

### [PPA FREENUKEM]
# url: https://edge.launchpad.net/~freenukum/+archive
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/freenukum/ubuntu/ hardy main restricted universe multiverse

### [PPA GSTREAMER-TEAM]
# url: https://edge.launchpad.net/~gstreamer-team/+archive
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/gstreamer-team/ubuntu/ hardy main restricted universe multiverse

### [PPA OPENOFFICE-PKGS]
# url: https://edge.launchpad.net/~openoffice-pkgs/+archive
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/openoffice-pkgs/ubuntu/ hardy main restricted universe multiverse

### [PPA TEAMMIRO]
# url: https://edge.launchpad.net/~teammiro/+archive
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/teammiro/ubuntu/ hardy main restricted universe multiverse

### [PPA UBUNTU-HARDENED]
# url: https://edge.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-hardened/+archive
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/ubuntu-hardened/ubuntu/ hardy main restricted universe multiverse

### [PPA UBUNTU-JAVA]
# url: https://edge.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-java/+archive
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/ubuntu-java/ubuntu/ hardy main restricted universe multiverse

AOL Ends Support for Aging Netscape Browser

It is surely true. AOL has decided to pull the plug on the now ancient Netscape web browser. The Netscape Navigator, once king of the hill in the 90's, has seen little to no user usage over the past few years. So, instead of beating a dead horse, AOL has decided that to make things better by ending support for the Netscape browser and focus funding and developers to the Mozilla Project. Keep in mind, the Mozilla Project is where the Firefox browser comes from.

Unix Time Machine

So, Apple has released Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard. I can't knock it since I haven't played with it yet. I've used Mac OS X 10.5 Tiger on a few different machines and thought it was okay. There's this new feature in Leopard though that has the Macintosh community kissing Steve Jobs' feet. This feature, called "Time Machine," seems to be one of the greatest things added to the operating system in quite some time.

Let's take a small look back now. Windows XP has a feature called "System Restore" that is somewhat similar to Apple's Time Machine. Even before MacOS X was a gleam in Apple's eye, the UNIX community has had something even better for many many years. This is where the GNU tar command comes in handy. Originally, this command was made to archive files to tape drives, but now it has many other uses, such as mimicking the Time Machine.

I was talking to some of my friends in #ubuntu-offtopic on Freenode IRC. Below you will find a small transcript of how Apple's Time Machine feature works...

* aubade wonders if Ubuntu will ever see something like Time Machine.
* aubade waits for some jackard to ramble "ZOMG UNIX HAD SOMETHING LIK DAT A DECADE AGO LOL" or some such.
[mc44] aubade: tar -cf "/mnt/sdb1/$(date +%m%d%Y.%H%M).tar" ~, starry jpeg, done
[aubade] u leeked meh genius backup scripts, no GPL, zomg i sues
* aubade goes to #FSF for legal counsel.
[topyli] my GNU tar (TM) time machine only gives me two weeks of history

I'm going to toy around with this idea and possibly make a script to have crontab or at run it every 24, 12 or 6 hours. I plan on making it configurable. We'll see what I learn from my adventures in Linux Land.

Back to the BASICs

10 PRINT "There was this one time in band camp..... Pbbbtttt!!!!"
20 PRINT
30 PRINT "Helping people out in:"
40 PRINT "#ubuntu, #ubuntu-offtopic, #ubuntu+1, #debian"
50 PRINT "on Freenode IRC is a very gratifying feeling,"
60 PRINT "especially after the question hell I put them through."
70 PRINT