- Talk - lists.gtalug.org

Fwd: Living in Virtual Machines
by Giles Orr 02 Jul '15

02 Jul '15

Forwarded from Jamon, with a similar idea to Daniel's. I looked at containers and haven't totally ruled it out, but I think I prefer full OS installs. Obviously containers would use a lot less hard drive space, but full virtualization offers more isolation. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Jamon Camisso Date: 2 July 2015 at 15:14 Subject: Re: [GTALUG] Living in Virtual Machines Hey top posting from an email that isn't able to post to tlug ... feel free to forward this link to the list if you like: https://blog.jessfraz.com/post/docker-containers-on-the-desktop/ Using docker's volumes feature to bind mount directories and files into a container allows things like running Xorg, with persistent writes to shared files. No NFS needed even. Jamon On 07/02/2015 12:09 PM, Giles Orr wrote: > I have this idea that's been slowly forming in my head. I wanted to > run it by TLUG for opinions to find out if I'm totally crazy or if it > might work. > > I hope to set up my desktop (and probably my laptop as well) to have a > Debian stable base OS - about as stripped as I can manage, just X with > a lightweight window manager (probably OpenBox). On top of that would > be VirtualBox, the idea being to run all my applications from virtual > machines. > > Since I'd have multiple machines accessing the same /home/, I'd want > NFS. That could be run by the host OS, but I was thinking about using > OpenWRT as the NFS server. But that immediately runs into a > difficulty: it appears that getting the VirtualBox Guest Additions > running in OpenWRT is (very?) difficult, so I'd probably have to use > raw partition access. The problem with that is that if the partition > is accessed simultaneously by any application on the host OS, you can > munge the partition. > > I'm also planning on running another OpenWRT instance: this would be > used for routing, with all the other virtual machines going through it > to access the outside world. Among other things, that would mean I > only have to administer a firewall in one place. One idea I'm still > considering is giving full control of the network card to the OpenWRT > instance and making the host OS go through OpenWRT to get to the > outside world ... > > This could all probably be done with KVM rather than VirtualBox, but I > prefer VB not only because I'm more familiar with it, but also because > .VDI disc images can vary in size (Qemu's .qcow2 image format are > fixed size) and because VirtualBox handles full screen display of OSes > better (at least once Guest Additions is installed). I'm happy to > listen to reasons in favour of KVM. > > Other virtual machines would include TinyCore, SliTaz, and Debian > Stretch. The latter would probably be my primary OS. The thought was > to ssh from the host OS to the guest with X forwarding, and then run a > launcher from the guest on the host so any applications run from the > launcher were from the guest. > > Advantages: > - I get to tinker with multiple OSes (something I enjoy) > - if I'm about to go to a dubious website, I can clone a virtual > machine, use it for the dubious visit, then destroy it > > Disadvantages that I've thought of so far: > - memory usage > - speed reduction > - hard drive usage for disk images > - complexity > - mounting USB sticks on guests is extremely problematic > - playing sound/video from guests through the host is imperfect > - hard to determine where an application is running from > > I'm sure there are many, many other problems with this idea. Go to > town, that's why I'm here. -- Giles http://www.gilesorr.com/ gilesorr(a)gmail.com

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Living in Virtual Machines
by Giles Orr 02 Jul '15

02 Jul '15

I have this idea that's been slowly forming in my head. I wanted to run it by TLUG for opinions to find out if I'm totally crazy or if it might work. I hope to set up my desktop (and probably my laptop as well) to have a Debian stable base OS - about as stripped as I can manage, just X with a lightweight window manager (probably OpenBox). On top of that would be VirtualBox, the idea being to run all my applications from virtual machines. Since I'd have multiple machines accessing the same /home/, I'd want NFS. That could be run by the host OS, but I was thinking about using OpenWRT as the NFS server. But that immediately runs into a difficulty: it appears that getting the VirtualBox Guest Additions running in OpenWRT is (very?) difficult, so I'd probably have to use raw partition access. The problem with that is that if the partition is accessed simultaneously by any application on the host OS, you can munge the partition. I'm also planning on running another OpenWRT instance: this would be used for routing, with all the other virtual machines going through it to access the outside world. Among other things, that would mean I only have to administer a firewall in one place. One idea I'm still considering is giving full control of the network card to the OpenWRT instance and making the host OS go through OpenWRT to get to the outside world ... This could all probably be done with KVM rather than VirtualBox, but I prefer VB not only because I'm more familiar with it, but also because .VDI disc images can vary in size (Qemu's .qcow2 image format are fixed size) and because VirtualBox handles full screen display of OSes better (at least once Guest Additions is installed). I'm happy to listen to reasons in favour of KVM. Other virtual machines would include TinyCore, SliTaz, and Debian Stretch. The latter would probably be my primary OS. The thought was to ssh from the host OS to the guest with X forwarding, and then run a launcher from the guest on the host so any applications run from the launcher were from the guest. Advantages: - I get to tinker with multiple OSes (something I enjoy) - if I'm about to go to a dubious website, I can clone a virtual machine, use it for the dubious visit, then destroy it Disadvantages that I've thought of so far: - memory usage - speed reduction - hard drive usage for disk images - complexity - mounting USB sticks on guests is extremely problematic - playing sound/video from guests through the host is imperfect - hard to determine where an application is running from I'm sure there are many, many other problems with this idea. Go to town, that's why I'm here. -- Giles http://www.gilesorr.com/ gilesorr(a)gmail.com

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accessing smtp server with weak dh encryption?
by Matt Price 01 Jul '15

01 Jul '15

Hi, I use the u of t smtp servers for outgoing mail from my laptop, including some automated mails that I send out. Postfix's sendmail will no longer complete the TLS handshake with the server, because the U of T server hasn't been updated to fix the logjam attack (still using a 512kb temporary key). Current thunderbird breaks, too, though if I use an old version I can still get mail out. Does anyone know if there's any way to instruct postfix (or is it maybe openssl) to violate protocol and permit me to interact with this server? I know there are security risks but I'm kind of screwed if I can't send out mail. Thanks, matt

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war story: irq 19: nobody cared (try booting with the "irqpoll" option)
by D. Hugh Redelmeier 30 Jun '15

30 Jun '15

I moved my CentOS 6.6 system to new hardware (just moved the disk and booted). Things mostly worked but I'd get told of a kernel oops at roughly each boot. Reason: irq 19: nobody cared (try booting with the "irqpoll" option) There was not enough diagnostic informtion to report a bug using ABRT (so it told me). >From googling, I picked up a suggestion to tell the BIOS to set the SATA controller to AHCI mode rather than IDE. My BIOS only gave me a choice of IDE or RAID. With trepidation, I set it to RAID and all has been well. Even with only one disk. <http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showpost.php?p=1103298> The hardware is an old Dell Inspiron 530s desktop.

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Re: [GTALUG] [offtopic] Global telenetworking
by Brent Kimberley 26 Jun '15

26 Jun '15

‎Hi Evan. ‎Why not get more camp involvement? I think the telenetworking initiative may be more successful if the camp is involved, drives, and buys-into the entire life cycle especially the front-end (e.g. positioning, marketing, sales, presentations, music, speeches, videos, etc.) Ie Raw camp led initiatives may reach people in a way that polished initiatives can not reach people . If timed properly (following housing, food, water, sewage, medical, internal governance, mail) such initiatives might reduce internal crime, vandalism, ‎conflict, etc and provide the entire camp with opportunities and hope. Brent ‎ From: Evan Leibovitch Sent: Tuesday, June 23, 2015 21:58 To: GTALUG Talk Reply To: GTALUG Talk Subject: [GTALUG] [offtopic] Global telenetworking Greetings from the GTALUG Geneva bureau. (The "G" does stand for "greater", doesn't it?) I have a question deriving from my current task at hand, and I'm wondering if anyone here can help. Does anyone have any information, lists, research, etc on what companies hire or contract teleworkers (ie, people not required to be physically present at the office to do the work)? This is different from telecommuting, where you have a local job but can work from home. I mean companies that are into hiring software developers, customer service reps, etc from other countries. (in my context, I'm specifically looking for those willing to hire talented people working out of refugee camps who are, for various reasons, bound to their current locations.) Any help at all, directly or to pointers, is appreciated. Apologies to those who realize this isn't Linux specific. Thanks! -- Evan Leibovitch Geneva, CH Em: evan at telly dot org or leibovit at unhcr dot org Sk: evanleibovitch Tw: el56 THIS MESSAGE IS FOR THE USE OF THE INTENDED RECIPIENT(S) ONLY AND MAY CONTAIN INFORMATION THAT IS PRIVILEGED, PROPRIETARY, CONFIDENTIAL, AND/OR EXEMPT FROM DISCLOSURE UNDER ANY RELEVANT PRIVACY LEGISLATION. No rights to any privilege have been waived. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any review, retransmission, dissemination, distribution, copying, conversion to hard copy, taking of action in reliance on or other use of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient and have received this message in error, please notify me by return e-mail and delete or destroy all copies of this message.

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OT: Retro ThinkPad
by Giles Orr 26 Jun '15

26 Jun '15

I know a lot of people here like ThinkPads, so I thought I would point this out: http://blog.lenovo.com/en/blog/retro-thinkpad-time-machine/ -- Giles http://www.gilesorr.com/ gilesorr(a)gmail.com

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Daily max parking at Ryerson?
by William Park 25 Jun '15

25 Jun '15

Anyone know the daily max for parking at Ryerson? I usually park at the multi-story garage on Victoria St, but can't remember their daily rate. Yes, I called Ryerson Parking, and all I get is afterhour voice mail. -- William

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Re: [GTALUG] [offtopic] Global telenetworking
by Brent Kimberley 24 Jun '15

24 Jun '15

Evan You said that you were looking for people to hire teleworkers situated in refugee camps who were bound to their locations. For starters, how does this scheme prevent refoulment?‎ (ie The return of a refugee to their persecutors.) Brent From: Evan Leibovitch Sent: Wednesday, June 24, 2015 09:49 To: GTALUG Talk Reply To: GTALUG Talk Subject: Re: [GTALUG] [offtopic] Global telenetworking On 24 June 2015 at 13:59, Brent Kimberley <Brent.Kimberley(a)durham.ca<mailto:Brent.Kimberley@durham.ca>> wrote: ‎Refugees are at risk of being "the face of modern slavery". Hi Brent, Please explain what you mean, and how at all it relates to my question. Meanwhile, I include my day-job .sig below, so you might better understand the context. I am looking for livelihoods, not exploitation -- and certainly not sloganeering. ---- Evan Leibovitch, Computer Technology Access (CTA) Coordinator United Nations High Commissioner for Refugeees • Rue Montbrilliant 94, 1202 Geneva • leibovit(a)unhcr.org<mailto:leibovit@unhcr.org> evanleibovitch @el56 • +41 22 739 7651 THIS MESSAGE IS FOR THE USE OF THE INTENDED RECIPIENT(S) ONLY AND MAY CONTAIN INFORMATION THAT IS PRIVILEGED, PROPRIETARY, CONFIDENTIAL, AND/OR EXEMPT FROM DISCLOSURE UNDER ANY RELEVANT PRIVACY LEGISLATION. No rights to any privilege have been waived. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any review, retransmission, dissemination, distribution, copying, conversion to hard copy, taking of action in reliance on or other use of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient and have received this message in error, please notify me by return e-mail and delete or destroy all copies of this message.

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[offtopic] Global telenetworking
by Evan Leibovitch 24 Jun '15

24 Jun '15

Greetings from the GTALUG Geneva bureau. (The "G" does stand for "greater", doesn't it?) I have a question deriving from my current task at hand, and I'm wondering if anyone here can help. Does anyone have any information, lists, research, etc on what companies hire or contract teleworkers (ie, people not required to be physically present at the office to do the work)? This is different from telecommuting, where you have a local job but can work from home. I mean companies that are into hiring software developers, customer service reps, etc from other countries. (in my context, I'm specifically looking for those willing to hire talented people working out of refugee camps who are, for various reasons, bound to their current locations.) Any help at all, directly or to pointers, is appreciated. Apologies to those who realize this isn't Linux specific. Thanks! -- Evan Leibovitch Geneva, CH Em: evan at telly dot org or leibovit at unhcr dot org Sk: evanleibovitch Tw: el56

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Re: [GTALUG] Global telenetworking
by Brent Kimberley 23 Jun '15

23 Jun '15

Nowadays slavery doesn't only come in the obvious form in which one person owns another person (which is traditionally called 'chattel slavery'). Other practices that amount to slavery are: Bonded labour or debt bondage - This is when a person's work is the security for a debt - effectively the person has not been sold, but they are on 'a long lease' which they cannot bring to an end, and so cannot leave their 'employer' - The conditions of employment can be such that the labourer can't pay off their debt and is stuck for life, because of low wages, deductions for food and lodging, and high interest rates - The debt may be inherited by other family members who are then themselves forced into bonded labour - Many children become bonded labour because of family poverty - one estimate put the number of children in bonded labour in India alone at 15 million at the end of the 20th century - Migrant workers often become bonded labour to pay off those who smuggled them to the new country - they dare not break free for fear of being deported - The UN Working Group on Contemporary Forms of Slavery put the total number of people in debt bondage around the world at about 20 million in 1998 BBC - Ethics - Slavery: Modern slavery | | | | | | | | | | | BBC - Ethics - Slavery: Modern slaveryAlthough slavery has been outlawed, it still exists; even on the narrowest definition of slavery it's likely that there are far more slaves now than there were vict... | | | | View on www.bbc.co.uk | Preview by Yahoo | | | | |

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