Category: Update

The next distro tried was Zorin (Ubuntu-based). Seems it will not allow the use of CryptKeeper, which (or something like it) is required for the particular application.

Next attempt will be with Linux Mint (also Ubuntu based).

Upon further experimentation, Tails is apparently out for the security solution. It does not seem to be able to save subsequently installed applications to the persistent file. Saves network configuration, as well as some other settings, but just no applications. That is not adequate for my client’s purposes.

Now investigating Zorin boot thumb drive option.

Epiphany

Got an introduction, through many searches, and much banging of head against the wall, to the use of “combinators” in CSS. A combinator is something that explains the relationship between the selectors.

The four types are:

• descendant selector (space)
• child selector (>)
• adjacent sibling selector (+)
• general sibling selector (~)

I can see I’ve got some work to do on the CSS for this WordPress theme, too — the text in the bulleted items, above, is a larger font-size than the rest of the post. I also do not care for the way the bullets are outdented.

Was poring over the vast selection of Google fonts, today, and got to thinking about how best to display my best picks for Edge Of Null use. Wondering if I could set up HTML pages with PNG images overlayed by divs containing text entirely controlled by CSS, and with a combination of Javascript and PHP, have buttons that substituted a different stylesheet, displaying the alternate choices.

Will have to do some serious PHP review, and reasonably serious Javascript/jQuery review, methinks.

 

For those wondering why it’s so bloody difficult to boot from a thumb drive with Windows 8 or Windows 10.

One reason: Microsoft is trying to protect you from yourself.

That said, a caveat is in order. The following procedures are documented from testing with an ASUS Model X200M (laptop) running Windows 8.1. Your BIOS screen may differ as may the keys required to access the BIOS and the boot menu.

Park the USB

Since the procedures involve restarting the computer and pressing keys to intercept the automagic boot from the hard drive, it is best to prepare by inserting your bootable thumb drive in an available USB port ahead of time, rather than scrambling to plug it in during the boot process.

As Needed

The following procedure is conditional, based on the current settings for the two specified options. Once these changes are made in the bios, they will be retained until such time as they are again changed, whether deliberately, by accident, or through failure of the battery supplying charge to the CMOS. If you have already made these changes, move to the next section, “Every Time”.

1. From powered down state, turn on the power OR, if already in Windows, choose Shut Down, Restart.
2. Then immediately press and hold the F2 key or Del(ete) key (to enter the BIOS settings).
3. When the BIOS settings page appears, go to the “Boot” tab (press right-arrow key twice).
4. From the “Boot” tab, under “Boot Configuration”, check the setting for “Launch CSM”. If it is set to “Disabled”, press the Enter key, to change it. If it is already set to “Enabled”, skip to step 7.
5. Choose the setting “Enabled” (up- or down-arrow key).
6. Press the Enter key.
7. Go to the “Security” tab (press right-arrow key once).
8. On the “Security” tab, at the bottom, choose “Secure Boot Menu” (press up-arrow key once).
9. Press the Enter key.
10. If it is set to “Enabled”, press the Enter key, otherwise skip to step 13.
11. Change the setting for “Secure Boot” to “Disabled” (up- or down-arrow key).
12. Press the Enter key.
13. If you changed either setting, press the F10 key, and then the Enter key, to save changes and exit. Otherwise, just press the Esc key twice, and then the Enter key, to exit without saving changes.
14. Press and hold the Esc key, as the computer restarts, to access the Boot menu. However, see the “NOTE”, below.

Every Time

The second part is performed each time booting from USB drive.

Presuming that you have performed the one-time procedure above, and Launch CSM has already been set to Enabled, and Secure Boot has already been set to Disabled, and that your bootable USB flash drive is already inserted in an available USB port, on power up or restart, press and hold the Esc key to access the Boot menu.

NOTE: Sometimes, on a restart, particularly from the BIOS settings, the computer will ignore the pressed Esc key and boot into Windows anyway, in which case, release the Esc key, choose shut-down, restart, and try it again, pressing the Esc key as soon as the blue “Restarting” screen appears and hold it down until the boot menu appears.

When presented with the Boot menu (“Please select boot device:”), you will typically see two entries indicating your USB bootable drive, one prefaced with “UEFI:”. Choose the other one, and press the Enter key.

And Bob’s your uncle.

Kinda liking this blog post thing; it appeals to a literary longing. I perused my posts here, and was particularly amused at the first, where I bemoaned having lost all my data.

I have a folder, probably on one of the older computers in here (only four of them, at the moment — three with dual-monitor display configurations — but also one in the next room and two upstairs, not counting the two smart-phones and two tablets) that contains a journal from some time ago. Stopped entries at some point; lost interest, I guess. Feels like it might be time to pursue that a bit. May take a while to find the computer with that folder.

However, since I have no idea the extent to which this blog will remain private, there are certain things I will not express here, they being of a private nature and appropriate more for a posthumously released autobiography — after I’m dead, I really won’t care.

But that’s enough, for now.

Had this one on my todo list for a long time. Had not figured out the proper settings for iPhone and iPad to be able to have outgoing mail appear at the recipient’s end with the same domain as that on which it was ostensibly sent. It was a port and SSL issue that, lacking a resolution, necessitated using a Gmail outgoing mail server.

Dreamhost Accounts

• For Dreamhost hosted accounts, the outgoing mail server name is the same as the incoming server name, “mail.[domain].com”, and both the username and password are required for both incoming and outgoing, with the username being the full email address (including domain name). SSL must be turned on for outgoing, and the port, though 587 by default, needs to be set to 465.
• In Advanced settings, SSL should be turned on for incoming, Authentication should be set to “Password” (is, typically, by default), and the port should be 993.

Comcast (xFinity) Accounts

• Username, for both incoming and outgoing mail servers is only the first part of the email address, WITHOUT the @comcast.net.
• Password is required for both incoming and outgoing mail servers.

Incoming

• Mail server is: imap.comcast.net
• SSL should be set to On (Advanced settings).
• Server port should be 993 (Advanced settings).

Outgoing

• Mail server is: smtp.comcast.net
• SSL should be set to On
• Authentication: Password
• Server port: 465

iPage Accounts

Incoming

• Host Name: imap.ipage.com
• User Name: fully qualified email address
• Password required

Outgoing

• Host Name: smtp.ipage.com
• User Name (required): fully qualified email address
• Use SSL: On
• Authentication: Password
• Server Port: 587 (probably should be 465 — have yet to test this)

Gmail Accounts

Incoming

• Mail server: (figures it out automagically by choosing Gmail from the initial account setup screen)
• SSL should be On.
• Server port: 993

Outgoing

All settings are figured automagically and unchangeable by the user.

Concentric squares in muted range of colors
adjacent on the “plane” of a cylinder (for wrap around), with colors rippling through range of squares.

A random placement of contrast spots (0 or 1) at coordinates causes the nearest squares to display concentric rings of color range positive or inverse, depending on random contrast value.

Another map of contrast spots is generated and previous set is transitioned to the new set gradually.

0 0 1 0 0 0
0 1 0 0 0 1
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 1 0 1 0 0
0 0 1 0 1 0
0 1 0 0 1 0

0 0 0 0 0 0
0 1 0 1 0 1
1 0 0 0 1 0
0 0 0 1 0 0
0 0 0 0 1 1
0 1 0 0 0 0

Inner squares could randomly be circles, as well, as long as the containing path was square.

Also needs some occasional random bright pinholes.

Keychain Remedy

There was no repair to perform on Paula’s keychains — no problems encountered by the Verify option in the Keychain First Aid dialog.

Can’t find the option on my system, now, but on Paula’s, there was a setting for allowing all applications to use the credentials for her email address at paularichards.com. It was off, and so Outlook was constantly asking for access. Changing that setting to allow made the annoying requests cease.

Insomniac Mac

The other problem with Paula’s MacBook was that it wouldn’t stay in sleep mode. After the sequence completed and the indicator light dimmed once, it would come back on bright and the monitor would awake.

I considered the possibility that it was the internal Solid State Drive I installed a while back, but Paula couldn’t remember whether the problem occurred prior to that installation.

I suspected it was likelier to be a peripheral.

I started by unplugging the USB communicator dongle for Paula’s Fitbit. Made no difference. Plugged it back in.

Unplugged the USB feed to the USB hub on which are not only the keyboard and (daisy-chained) mouse, but an external hard drive, a scanner (off) and a printer (also off).

Now it sleeps. Must awaken with the built-in keyboard.

This last step ruled out the printer and scanner for lack of power, as well as the other peripherals — cat5 cable and thunderbolt connection to monitor. Decided to just add back in the keyboard and mouse, so unplugged the USB feed to the external hard drive, and then plugged the hub’s USB feed back into the MacBook.

It stays in sleep mode, ergo, it would appear to have been the drive.

That’s not to say it’s a permanent issue. Plugged the external drive’s USB feed back into the hub.

MacBook stays asleep.

So, the conclusion is that it was the auxiliary USB hard drive on which she keeps her photos and music, or the powered USB hub, itself, that, at some point, introduced a glitch that was remedied by one or more of the USB disconnections and subsequent reconnections.

Lesson learned: It’s not always a big problem.