- Talk - lists.gtalug.org

(off topic) unlocked phones
by Evan Leibovitch 24 Oct '15

24 Oct '15

Hi all. I have an informational favour to ask. I'm not in a position to go to local stores and the info isn't readily available online. I want to buy an unlocked phone as a gift. Two that I am looking at are the Moto G and the Alcatel Idol 3. Both have websites that sell unlocked phones mail order in the States, but if I indicate Canada they send me to a carrier (Bell or Telus). Would anyone here know if the Canadian versions of these phones are carrier locked, if the American ones are not? I'm happy to buy one off-contract if I know it can be taken to any carrier. Alternately, does anyone have a different recommendation in the $300-400 range? I know that Canada Computer sells the Asus Zenfone, but I know little about this Intel-powered phone. All help is appreciated. (obLinux: Android only). And don't even mention the Oneplus; nice phone, supremely flaky company. Thanks!

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BlackBerry Priv
by Clifford Ilkay 22 Oct '15

22 Oct '15

>From <http://www.engadget.com/2015/10/21/blackberry-android-security/>: "BlackBerry also "hardened" the Linux kernel with various top-secret patches" How can they have "top-secret patches" to the Linux kernel and comply with the terms of the GPL? -- Regards, Clifford Ilkay +1 647-778-8696

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Comparing Expert and Non-expert Security Practices
by Hector 19 Oct '15

19 Oct '15

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Re: [GTALUG] Comparing Expert and Non-expert Security Practices
by Hector 19 Oct '15

19 Oct '15

--- Talk Mailing List talk(a)gtalug.org http://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk

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Toronto Homebrew Hosting Club on Thursday at HackLab
by Myles Braithwaite 17 Oct '15

17 Oct '15

<https://homebrewhosting.club/> Are you building your own website? Setup and running your own calendar/contacts server? Developing your own publishing web app? Hosting a Gnu-based-social-network? Running your own Wiki? Hosting your own email server? Did you buy a $35 VPS and looking to start hosting your own email server? Or some other digital magic-cloud service? If so, we are a meetup of people in the Greater Toronto Area passionate about self hosting, in the same structure as the [Homebrew Computer Club][1] meetings in Silicon Valley (and the [Homebrew Website Club][2]). It will be a gathering of like-minded people to swap ideas, talk shop, and general awesomeness about hosting your own infrastructure. Our first meetup will be on Thursday 22nd October, 2015 at 7:30pm at the Toronto [HackLab][3] (near the corner of [Queen Street West and Dufferin Street][4]). [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homebrew_Computer_Club [2]: https://indiewebcamp.com/Homebrew_Website_Club [3]: https://hacklab.to/ [4]: http://www.openstreetmap.org/node/3522641496

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UEFI, it's an open standard
by Scott Sullivan 16 Oct '15

16 Oct '15

... understand it's not evil, just some of it's implementers are. The subject of UEFI carries a lot of FUD around it because of some nasty moves on Microsofts part in how it 'certifies' windows hardware, but not of that has to do with the Standards. That's just someone else policy on top of its mechanisms. https://www.happyassassin.net/2014/01/25/uefi-boot-how-does-that-actually-w… This came up as an after meeting discussion from Chris Tyler's talk this month. Please read the article before making snap reply to this (I did it over a few bus rides, it's not short. But a heck of a lot short then the actual standards docs). -- Scott Sullivan

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Re: [GTALUG] UEFI bios/firmware
by Abby 16 Oct '15

16 Oct '15

Hello LenThank you for your help.In at least 3 computers I have come across, that has this option grayed out. As shown in pic1 of that link you supplied. So it is not accessible. Every link I came across, basicly had the same solution you described. There for those three computers can not have a true format done. All three have corrupted hinden partions. Putting a new hard drive will not help either. New mother boards would help.Cheers Abby Sent from my Samsung device -------- Original message -------- From: Lennart Sorensen <lsorense(a)csclub.uwaterloo.ca> Date: 08-11-2015 10:25 (GMT-05:00) To: GTALUG Talk <talk(a)gtalug.org> Subject: Re: [GTALUG] UEFI bios/firmware On Tue, Aug 11, 2015 at 12:39:02AM +0200, Abby Bassie-Cripps wrote: > <html><head></head><body><div style="font-family: Verdana;font-size: 12.0px;"><div> > <div>Hello Len</div> > > <div> </div> > > <div>That was very informative, thank you.</div> > > <div> </div> > > <div>For an update, the main computer is question is a toshiba satellite with win 8.1. In this once case, I could not find any default to unlock the secure boot.</div> > > <div>In addition, all of the computers that have come my way with UEFI, are windows 8 & 8.1 and are all secure in some form or another. I know have three computers that where given to me because of the UEFI / secure boot issue. I have never come across a computer that used UEFI and was not secure booted. All other computers I have worked on, have been using bios.</div> > > <div>Seperately, I have what was a $1400 laptop that came with win. 7. It had UEFI, but was the only computer not using secure boot. I have since put 8.1 and now 10 on it and it works better than 7, using UEFI. Its secure boot was apart of the UEFI. Hense my mis-understanding.</div> > > <div> > <div>For the group, I perfer Ubuntu and now my iMac with OS X 10.10.4. There is so little issues with both, compared to windows OS.</div> > > <div> </div> > > <div>So Len, are you able to tell me what the steps should be to disable the secure boot in windows 8 & 8.1? Other than the simple out dated method that we all know about?</div> Well from what I can find the process is: When you see Toshiba logo, hit F2, then you should be in the UEFI (BIOS) settings. Under security tab there should be an option for 'secure boot' which you want to set to disabled. If you want to keep windows working, that should be all you change, and then you should be able to install linux as long as the distribution is new enough to support UEFI booting. If you don't want to keep windows and you want to use an older style distribution that does not do UEFI booting, then you have to also find the "CSM boot" setting (under advanced/system settings) and turn that on. That will break booting windows 8.1 on the machine though. I would personally stick with UEFI booting these days. https://aps2.toshiba-tro.de/kb0/TSB2B03F30002R01.htm -- Len Sorensen --- Talk Mailing List talk(a)gtalug.org http://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk

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Need to get rid of old computer parts
by Alex Volkov 16 Oct '15

16 Oct '15

Hello everyone, I had to upgrade my old computer, and I can report a success with everything except VIA VL805 USB 3.0 host controller that locks up the system whenever I attempt to use USB 3 in Linux. Oh well. So right now I have a bunch of older hardware circa 07-10 that will go into recycling unless someone wants it and I can bring it to the next GTALUG meeting on Oct 13 AMD Athlon XP 3800+ with heatsink but no fan Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 with heatsink and fan 6x 2GB memory sticks of various performance (667-800Mhz), last time I checked all of them worked IDE Pioneer DVR-108 -- DVD-RW drive circa 2004 And for the in the off chance there are morbidly curious among you, I have two motherboards that are mostly dead. ASUS M4A-VM and ASUS P5KPL-VM Any takers? Alex.

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Re: [GTALUG] 96boards
by Hector 15 Oct '15

15 Oct '15

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96boards
by Scott Sullivan 15 Oct '15

15 Oct '15

Following up from the great talk given by Chris on Tuesday. These are a standard form factor being organized by Linaro and manufacture by the industry community. https://www.96boards.org/ + two Lemaker 96boards that are not yet up on the main site. http://www.lemaker.org/article-57-1.html http://www.lemaker.org/article-47-1.html -- Scott Sullivan

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