Linux Is My Bitch

That's right. Linux is my bitch. Sort of.

I was down (went to Windows 2003 Server) for all of one day before Debian was back on my server humming away. A new coworker inspired me to try again. So I did. Thanks James!

This time configuration right up to the same point I was last time took all of 3 days where it took a few weeks before. A little better. ;)

This time I did things just slightly different though. First, I used KDE instead of GNOME for the GUI. James said there was lots more development for KDE so I went with it.

Also, on the Samba configuration, I decided to keep it simple. It's not as secure as I want, but I can always come back to that later. For now I have my ext3 partitions shared to my Windows desktops successfully and that's all I want for the time being.

Next up are several more things: Printer sharing, Apache2 config, PHP5 config, MySQL config... maybe check my dependencies a few more times. Ha!

A Guide To Cell Phones, Unlocking, And Technology

Talking with a coworker about cell phones, unlocking, contracts, etc, I realized this would make a good blog post for people who'd like to understand a little more about how all this works. Without further adieu, I give you the Guide to Cell Phones, Unlocking, and Technology:

Sim Card – stores your phone number, service provider, etc. This is what tells the phone which service to connect to, your phone number, and a unique SIM card identifier.

Locked vs. Unlocked - Some phones are service provider “Locked”. This means that the phone has been programmed to only work with Sim cards that connect to their service. You can download or buy inexpensive programs to “Unlock” the phone which will allow it to attempt to connect to any service that the Sim card directs it to.

ESN – Every phone manufactured comes preprogrammed with a unique ESN. It’s a serial number that no other phone manufactured by any manufacturer has. Most unlocking programs erase or overwrite the ESN. Because these unlocking programs are purchased or downloaded for free by MANY people, there are thousands if not millions of phones around with the same ESN. Originally the ESN was intended to be used by service providers as a way to refuse service to a phone that has been reported stolen. However because these unlocking programs have become so easy to obtain and use, the service providers have no choice but to continue providing service.

GSM vs. CDMA – CDMA is an older cellular technology. I don’t know all the details on it, but it’s older. GSM is what the world adopted several years ago as a standard. The problem is there are 4 distinct bands within GSM: 850Mhz, 900Mhz, 1800Mhz, 1900Mhz. Not all providers in the USA support all 4 bands. Some providers support 3 of the 4 bands in certain areas and then support a different set of 3 in different areas. It gets confusing real fast because when you throw in other things like shared networks, analog networks, service provider mergers, etc it becomes a jumbled mess. Getting a quad band phone (supports all four bands) is the only way to be sure the phone you are purchasing will work in your area. Otherwise, you would need to know the bands used by your service provider in your area. A good way to do this would be to go to one of your service provider’s local outlets and look at the specs on the phones in the shop.

So, tips on getting a new phone…

1. If you HAVE to extend your contract due to making a change to your plan, you might as well take advantage of the inexpensive prices available through the upgrade or contract extension plans with your service provider. This phone will be brand new and is usually locked to the service provider.

2. If you hate contracts, you can buy a cell phone from ebay or many other places as long as it is either locked to your service provider OR it is unlocked and the wireless technology is compatible with the wireless technology in your area. Be sure to look for or ask about functional condition, screen condition, original box, car chargers, wall chargers, cradles, headsets, etc. when buying the phone.

Linux vs. Tyler: Linux wins round 4

Well, I just couldn't get Samba to do what I wanted it to do. I know, I know, I suck. Seriously though, if anyone can tell me how to get secure directories without having to match the PC name to the user name to the samba user name, please let me know. Actually, even then, I couldn't get it to work.

In the mean time, it was very painful to format the hard drive and load Windows 2000 Server. It was like saying goodbye to a friend with whom you've been toiling through tribulations. That was countered by the fact that I would get my secure directories, normal file sharing, webserver, and printer sharing back.

Now those of you that have been following (all 2 or 3 of you), please don't think this is the end. It's not. I have commissioned another box to play around with and I will once again be plowing away on the command line on linux soon enough.

For now I hang my head in shame. I lose round 4.

More rounds to come.

Anybody There?

Wow, it's been a while since I posted. As you might have guessed, my big project gobbled up my time. Well... that's over now. Yippee. The project rolled out on Monday finally and is in use. So, you MIGHT be able to expect a few more updates from me.