Category Archives: Computer

ID.me Using Google Authenticator

I’ve been having to log in to the IRS tax transcript website a bunch recently. They started giving a notice they were moving to use ID.me as their identity platform (BTW, it appears Social Security and other Federal programs are … Continue reading

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Linux Mint 18 “Sarah” MATE Edition on Acer Aspire E5-575-33BM

Just completed the installation of Linux Mint 18 on a new Acer Aspire E5-575-33BM as a Christmas present for my wife. Her 2007 Intel Core Duo Macbook 2,1 running LM 17.2 was getting too cranky and the battery life was … Continue reading

Posted in Computer, Linux, Mint, Windows | 2 Comments

Creating OpenVPN .ovpn Files for Android (Any?) Clients

In another post I cover setting up and OpenVPN server on a Tomato powered router and making client connections to that server. In setting up a new phone, I see the OpenVPN for Android app will now import yourVPNclient.ovpn files … Continue reading

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QR Codes as a Password/Key Storage Mechanism

I was doing some recent volunteer work for the Concord Scout House, Inc., setting up a new network and telephony infrastructure for this non-profit enterprise. In setting up the various pieces of equipment, I was sure to create strong passwords … Continue reading

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OpenVPN on Tomato with Android and Linux Clients

I’ve been wanting to do this for a very long time. When away from home I sometimes need access to the systems (or data residing on those systems) back at home. I wanted to set up a secure means to … Continue reading

Posted in Computer, Debian, DIY, Linux, Mint, Windows | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

Spicing Up Your Dance Collection with Pepperplate

In this post I will lay out some history of how I have managed my dance collection and what I am currently exploring as a way to greatly simplify the work of building and maintaining that collection and making it … Continue reading

Posted in Computer, Contra, Dance, DIY, Frugal Living, Linux, Recipes, Windows | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

gLabels Avery 5167 Template Problem

Was having trouble printing some 5167 Return Address labels using gLabels. The alignment was significantly off in my set-up using the default predefined template installed with gLabels on my Linux Mint LMDE netbook. In comparing the template definition file with … Continue reading

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Google Voice Greeting Playback Problem with Firefox and Flashblock

Just debugged a problem which for which there seemed to be no solutions posted on the web already. So in case you (or I, should I forget 🙂 ) run into this, here it is: Was trying to play back … Continue reading

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Recovery of Files from a Unbootable VirtualBox VDI

I do most everything computer-wise with open source software, but the one hold out remaining that requires the use of a proprietary OS is TurboTax. As a result, TT ran in a Windows XP virtual machine under VirtualBox on my … Continue reading

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Unlimited Home Phone Service for Under $3/Month

UPDATE JUN 2015: We’re now two years in and the Anveo solution has been working great. We added an 888 toll-free number for emergency calls to home and to give out for other purposes. SPAM callers are routinely added to … Continue reading

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Train Firefox mailto: to use Google Apps – Take 2

In a prior post I’d detailed the method of using a javascript entry to add an external mail resource to allow clicking on mailto: links to use the Google Apps version of gmail. Unfortunately, when I tried to repeat that … Continue reading

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Arch Linux and 1-Wire on a Seagate DockStar

Outline for now. This is currently improcess, but I’ve made much more progress than shown below – I now have all but the data logging/graphing set up and everything autostarts with new systemd service files. Yay! Reinstall latest Arch following … Continue reading

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Windows Freedom Round 2: HomeBank and JStock

This is just a stub of a future post regarding more progress in ditching MS Windows altogether. In a prior Windows-freedom post I covered my list of remaining programs that keeps me booting a virtual machine installation of Windows XP … Continue reading

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Clearing out the Cruft with Linux Tools and Best Practices

As covered in an earlier post, I’ve got some serious work under way to sync and backup my computer files across several computing platforms and devices. I’m reinstalling some machines as part of that work. At that time, I’m cleaning … Continue reading

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Motley Fool: Immoral or Incompetent?

I have to say I feel quite let down. When I first started investing to save for my retirement (quite some time ago) I came across material from the Gardiner brothers, a.k.a. the “Motley Fools”. The information was funny and … Continue reading

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Password and Files Encryption/Sync/Backup: Gettin ‘er Done!

One of my to-do list items for quite some time now has been to get my computer files organized and to set up automated backup and synchronization across my computing devices. I’d kept putting this one off because I wanted … Continue reading

Posted in Computer, Debian, Frugal Living, Linux, Mint | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Tomato Router Update Triggers SSL Error

After updating my Asus WL-520gU router to the latest version of the Tomato firmware (with OpenVPN support), I ran into a strange error. While trying to access the admin interface via https:, I got the following error in my Firefox … Continue reading

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Palm GnuKeyring Conversion to KeepassX

I was a very early user of the original PalmPilot device. Way back when I actually had the PalmPersonal syncing with my ’90s era Sun Microsystems SPARCstation 4 work calendar and email, etc. I eventually moved on to a Treo90 … Continue reading

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Linphone: a VOIP Softphone for Linux (and others)

In an earlier blog post I mentioned I was using Twinkle as a softphone client for my VOIP service from Galaxyvoice (GV). As I also mentioned in this entry I’ve now switched my netbook over to a Debian Linux. I’d … Continue reading

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Linux Mint Debian Edition (LMDE) on an Asus EeePC 1000HA

I’m a long time user of UNIX-based computers and have been using Linux exclusively for my primary computing for close to 10 years now. For the past couple of years Linux Mint has become my favorite distribution for desktop and … Continue reading

Posted in Computer, Debian, Frugal Living, Linux, Mint | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Fix for Schwab Site Tossing Users Out When Accessing Certain “Offsite” Areas

After my most recent upgrade to Linux Mint 11 (and the resultant upgrade to latest Firefox), I started running into an issue on the Charles Schwab site. I could log in fine and see my account info, but as soon … Continue reading

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Using DeposZip Under Linux (Mint 11/Ubuntu 11.04)

Our new credit union provides the capability to do on-line check deposits using an application called DeposZip. Of course, their web site only mentions support/instructions for Windows and MacOS, not Linux. Well, the application is actually server-hosted and uses a … Continue reading

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Linux Mint 11 (was Debian/Xfce) on a HP Pavilion ze4600

My brother’s Win XP laptop died. He has limited computer needs, really just needs to use some web applications like Facebook, Yahoo mail, Hulu and Youtube. In the past he has had significant virus issues under Windows and I’ve been … Continue reading

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Monster Desktop Renewal with Linux Mint 11

I’ve been having a spot of trouble with my Mint 9 desktop machine recently, where something would lock up Gnome/X periodically. Somehow it seemed related to running OpenOffice and Firefox at the same time with something “video” happening. (Now, to … Continue reading

Posted in Computer, Firefox, Linux, Mint, Ubuntu | Tagged | 1 Comment

1-Wire/owfs on Seagate Dockstar under PlugApps Linux

This post is currently just a set of notes as I blaze the trail to get this working. Ignore for now, unless you like just reading random technical thoughts from someone puzzling their way through something they don’t know a … Continue reading

Posted in 1-Wire, Computer, Linux, PlugApps | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

pyRenamer Rules!

Just a quick shout out to the creator of pyRenamer — a supremely useful renaming tool written in Python, which installs with a quick sudo apt-get install pyrenamer on Ubuntu Linux (but is also available for OS X & Windows). … Continue reading

Posted in Computer, Linux | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Another rung on the Windows-freedom ladder: gLabels

As you might have gathered from other posts on this blog, I’m an open source fan with a liking for Linux. I’ve used UNIX, VAX, MS Windows of all flavors, OS X, etc. but have come to prefer Linux (currently … Continue reading

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Fun with 1-Wire Devices in Linux using Digitemp and owfs

I’m currently working on a Christmas present for my new in-laws. The goal is to be able to remotely monitor the temperature and humidity at another location over the internet. I want to do this at a reasonably low cost, … Continue reading

Posted in Computer, Linux, Unslung, Web Architecture | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

CSV File Import to Quicken 2007

Tonight I was spending some time catching up on many (more than I care to mention) months’ worth of finances. A couple of accounts had significant transactions which needed entry into Quicken. Due to Intuit having disabled direct connection with … Continue reading

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Adobe Acrobat Connect Pro with Firefox on Linux

I’m a PMI-certified Project Management Professional. As part of my PMI membership, I have access to Communities of Practice (CoP). Among these, I participate in the Innovation and New Product Development CoP. We had a webinar today on Design for … Continue reading

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Accessline TeleDesk/iControl on Linux

While I was a remote worker for Sun Microsystems, Accessline was the chosen solution for integrating us into the corporate telephone systems. This employer was a major UNIX supplier and user, so they ensured there was a version of AccessLine’s … Continue reading

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Linux Tweaks & Programs Selections

This is mostly a list for my own use, but I hope you may find utility in it as well. I’m currently running Linux Mint 9 on my desktop (with Windows in a VM) and Eeebuntu 3 plus Win XP, … Continue reading

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Disk Partition Cloning with Live Linux Tools

This post is currently more of an in-process note to myself to remember stuff I had to just rediscover. Last time I did this I was going from Ubuntu 6.06 x86 to 8.04 x64. Should it help you too, all … Continue reading

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Debut of the all new ConcordScoutHouse.org

Tonight I finished initial delivery of a large project I’ve had going with the Concord Scout House, Inc. (CSH). I was approached to do some web work with them as a result of what I’d previously done with MondayContras.com. This … Continue reading

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Train Firefox mailto: to use Google Apps

Update 5/10/13: With Firefox 20 the method below of using a javascript entry to add the external mail resource apparently did not work on Linux Mint LMDE. Instead, I found it necessary to manually edit the mimetypes.rdf file in the … Continue reading

Posted in Computer, Firefox, Linux | Tagged | 2 Comments

Gmail’s Undocumented Filters

I use gmail to host my domain’s mail accounts. Mostly this has been a pure joy, particularly as it means I don’t have to pay for the storage space on my hosting account any more. One thing, however, has been … Continue reading

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Wireless Woes Resolved

In an earlier post, I’d detailed how Tomato on the Asus WL-520gU brought the internet back to our home in a delightful way. However, there had been an ongoing wireless problem with my EEE PC running Eeebuntu linux 3.0. I’d … Continue reading

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Wireless Tomato

The other day the internet died. One moment all was good and the next, nothing. Gasp! Poked around and all the lights on the router were out. Of course, this happens right as we’re flying out the door. So out … Continue reading

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And Twinkle Takes the Call…

Finally found a reasonably up to date SIP client/VOIP softphone that will work directly under Ubuntu 9.04 on the EeePC: Twinkle!  Tried many, many alternatives without success (most commercial clients that are otherwise available for Windows or Mac have not … Continue reading

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