Incursor

I must be really dense or something to have not noticed the Encryption option in the right click context menu. Anyways, 8.04’s new keyring manager made some things easier.

Key making

First, you should make a key. Go to Applications>Accessories> Passwords and Encryption keys.

In the menu, click Key> Create New Key. Since you’re using this one for encryption, keep the type as PGP and click continue.

The next two dialogs will be the information for the key and the password. Fill it in and you’ll have a key.

Encrypting/Decrypting

Right click the file or folder and click encrypt, then choose the key you’re going to use. After you click ok it should be encrypted. (If it’s a folder it’ll ask for packaging)

Decryption is a simple matter of double clicking the .pgp file and giving the password.

Ubuntu Hardy Heron was released today and I’ll be updating my laptop (Downloading right now) and getting back to blogging in a couple of days.

(From what I hear, this seems to be a really good release. I’m so excited!)

Mozilla Labs has made an extension for firefox that enables lightweight theming. This means that you can easily make and use custom themes without having to know the normal theme making process.

Here’s an example of the Groovy Blue theme:

<<<Clicky there

You can access the menu through the Tools menu or by clicking the little fox in the status bar.

To make your own, all you have to do is create a header image and footer image.

More information here:

http://labs.mozilla.com/featured-projects/#personas

And how to design one here:

http://people.mozilla.com/~cbeard/personas/designers/

(Load up your design by going to Preferences in the persona menu)

Here’s a small trick not worthy of being a recipe.

If you have Compiz Fusion enabled on Ubuntu, you can change the transparency of a window by holding the Alt key and scrolling with your mouse.

Just something neat I’d let people know

Here are the objectives for the robot before it’ll be considered finished:

• Able to mix a drink
• Can traverse around my house
• Will be able to move autonomously according to a premade map of the area
• Avoids collisions with people
• Can be called to go to the computer you are currently working from (Destination determined by transmitted signal)

Draft:

• Dwg can be found at: http://www.mediafire.com/?t0gnw22cbyn

Doing computer work for a long time can be bad for your health (ie wrist, neck, eye strain) so its good to take a break once in a while.

Too workaholic to take a break or know when to take one? Ubuntu’s Typing Break is a nifty little tool that locks up the screen so that you’ll be able to take a much needed break.

To turn it on, Go to System>Preferences>Keyboard in menu bar and go to the Typing Break tab.

Click the box next to “Lock screen to enforce typing break”

You can then adjust the times and allow break postponement if you are doing something time crucial.

Things have been boring lately, so what else to do but plan to make an asskickingly cool robot?

I don’t know exactly what it will be or exactly it will do, but I’ll keep updates on this blog and draft plans in either .kmz and/or .dwg format.

Feel free to give suggestions

It’s Ubuntu developer week, meaning you can join sessions to learn about how Ubuntu is developed.

To join, go in the #ubuntu-classroom channel at irc.freenode.net

Unfortunately, I can’t be in the sessions myself, but hopefully alot of other people will join instead.

More info at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuDeveloperWeek.

My laptop’s AC adapter has broken, so posts on this blog are delayed until I can get a new one, which will hopefully be by Wednesday or Thursday. (This is being typed from a friend’s computer)

Scratch that. I have an old computer up and running, so everything will be normal while I order the new adapter.

Bypassing the system is back after a several month interruption. *yay*
1. Using a proxy with firefox

To use a proxy that does not have a website, you can use Firefox’s tools to get through.

1. First, choose a proxy from a list such as http://www.proxy4free.com/page1.html
2. Then, in Firefox, click on Tools in the menu bar.
3. Go to Options…
4. In the Advanced tab, click on the Network tab
5. Click on Settings…
6. Click on the button next to Manual Proxy Configuration
7. Now, you’ll enter in the information from the list.
8. Put the ip address in the Http proxy field and the port number in the port field.
9. Click ok until the dialog is closed.
10. You are now using a proxy!

(To stop using the proxy, just click Direct connection to the internet after step 5)

2. Wayback machine

http://www.archive.org/web/web.php

Wayback machine lets you see versions of website in the past. Being in the past makes it really limited however, so it isn’t an optimal tool to view a website.

3. Direct ip

Some websites are blocked by their name, but not their ip address. (Don’t ask me why)

To connect directly to the ip, use a tool such as: http://www.selfseo.com/find_ip_address_of_a_website.php

Just enter in the domain name of the website, and it should find it.

Copy it down, and enter it in your browser.

If can’t connect, try to use a different method. If you can connect, congrats!