A few Linux tips

[n0cmonkey]

This is with Ubuntu, feisty whatever.

1. When you install software, Ubuntu likes to make it run automatically.
   

   root 4896 0.0 0.3 2836 1508 ? Ss 20:47 0:00 /usr/bin/pads -D -c /etc/pads/pads.conf

2. These daemons might be run poorly.
   

   root 4896 0.0 0.3 2836 1508 ? Ss 20:47 0:00 /usr/bin/pads -D -c /etc/pads/pads.conf

3. The X.org configuration doesn't necessarily work if you're not using ATI or nVidia.
   

   Section "Device"
   Identifier "Generic Video Card"
   Driver "vesa"
   BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
   EndSection

4. Basic tools aren't always there.
   

   ddp@midnight:~$ which xorgconfig
   ddp@midnight:~$

 

[n0cmonkey]

5. Files aren't always there...

ddp@midnight:/etc$ more /etc/inittab
/etc/inittab: No such file or directory

 

[drag]

That's what you get with Ubuntu's development version. Ubuntu releases aren't as stable as Debian unstable, I can't imagine how nasty their development branch is.

I don't know if the missing /etc/inittab is a bug though.

Ubuntu now uses a totally different Init system from other Linux distributions.
http://www.netsplit.com/blog/articles/2006/08/26/upstart-in-universe

It's purpose is similar to OS X's Launchd, but should be superior. Right now they are using it in a sort of 'sysinit' emulation mode, just to make sure that it's as least as good as what it's replacing before doing anything wild for it. Or something like that.

I haven't looked at Ubuntu in a while so I don't know much about it, but you can probably find more information in:
/usr/share/doc/upstart/NEWS.gz
/usr/share/doc/upstart/changelog.gz

Again I don't know if the missing inittab is a bug or not because I've haven't realy looked at it yet.

 

[n0cmonkey]

It's probably not. I googled and found out the default level is 2. With X11. I fixed Xorg manually in the "recovery console" thingy, so it doesn't matter.

6. The files to configure ethernet on boot hide very well...

 

[xSauronx]

Originally posted by: drag
That's what you get with Ubuntu's development version. Ubuntu releases aren't as stable as Debian unstable, I can't imagine how nasty their development branch is.

I don't know if the missing /etc/inittab is a bug though.

its not in 6.10, either, fwiw

interesting article

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
It's probably not. I googled and found out the default level is 2. With X11. I fixed Xorg manually in the "recovery console" thingy, so it doesn't matter.

6. The files to configure ethernet on boot hide very well...

EDIT: /etc/network/interfaces holds network configuration, but ifdown eth0; ifup eth0 does not use it...

 

[IEC]

Ubuntu can be a real pain to configure and install stuff sometimes... I never could get advanced power management working.

 

[drag]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
It's probably not. I googled and found out the default level is 2. With X11. I fixed Xorg manually in the "recovery console" thingy, so it doesn't matter.

6. The files to configure ethernet on boot hide very well...

that's a Debian-ism.

They figure all the runlevels except the shutdown/reboot, single user mode, and such should be left up to the administrator to configure how they want it and that it's not Debian's place to enforce this sort of policy.


The /etc/network/interfaces is also a Debian-ism. I quite like it actually. Much better then the Redhat-style stuff.

I am guessing that the network stuff is now controlled by network-manager in Ubuntu, which doesn't play well with others (it ignores your configuration). It's worthless for server or advanced network configurations and doesn't even have the ability to set static configurations and such. It's a bit bizzare, it's from Novell.

It's designed for mobile users were you need the ability to display and connect to abritrary networks. It works out very good for that. Plug in a wired card, it connects automaticly. Displays a list of Wireless networks it detects on your desktop using nm-applet and you pick one and connect.

It works on a 'best effort' policy were it tries to always keep you connected to a network one way or another.

I don't paticularly like it. But it's usefull for users who don't know how to do network configuration and it has the 'hey it's sexy' OS X-jealousy/envy factor.
I wouldn't be suprised if Ubuntu choose to enable something like that by default. I am just guessing though.

In Debian, at least, it's designed to ignore interfaces that have a explicit configuration in /etc/network/interfaces. (if you choose to install it) I don't know how it works in other distributions though.

 

[Alone]

Feisty (and possibly Edgy) have a mistake in the hosts file which drastically reduces performance. There's a bug report filed, so hopefully it'll be fixed by the final release. In the mean time, make these changes:

Ubuntu:

gksudo gedit /etc/hosts

Kubuntu:

kdesu kate /etc/hosts

And change the first line from this:

127.0.0.1 localhost

To:

127.0.0.1 localhost <hostname>

Mine would look like this:

127.0.0.1 localhost alone

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: drag

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
It's probably not. I googled and found out the default level is 2. With X11. I fixed Xorg manually in the "recovery console" thingy, so it doesn't matter.

6. The files to configure ethernet on boot hide very well...

that's a Debian-ism.

They figure all the runlevels except the shutdown/reboot, single user mode, and such should be left up to the administrator to configure how they want it and that it's not Debian's place to enforce this sort of policy.


The /etc/network/interfaces is also a Debian-ism. I quite like it actually. Much better then the Redhat-style stuff.

I am guessing that the network stuff is now controlled by network-manager in Ubuntu, which doesn't play well with others (it ignores your configuration). It's worthless for server or advanced network configurations and doesn't even have the ability to set static configurations and such. It's a bit bizzare, it's from Novell.

It's designed for mobile users were you need the ability to display and connect to abritrary networks. It works out very good for that. Plug in a wired card, it connects automaticly. Displays a list of Wireless networks it detects on your desktop using nm-applet and you pick one and connect.

It works on a 'best effort' policy were it tries to always keep you connected to a network one way or another.

I don't paticularly like it. But it's usefull for users who don't know how to do network configuration and it has the 'hey it's sexy' OS X-jealousy/envy factor.
I wouldn't be suprised if Ubuntu choose to enable something like that by default. I am just guessing though.

In Debian, at least, it's designed to ignore interfaces that have a explicit configuration in /etc/network/interfaces. (if you choose to install it) I don't know how it works in other distributions though.

The /etc/network/interfaces worked after a reboot. But their example configuration is a little sparse...

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: Alone
Feisty (and possibly Edgy) have a mistake in the hosts file which drastically reduces performance. There's a bug report filed, so hopefully it'll be fixed by the final release. In the mean time, make these changes:

Ubuntu:

gksudo gedit /etc/hosts

Kubuntu:

kdesu kate /etc/hosts

And change the first line from this:

127.0.0.1 localhost

To:

127.0.0.1 localhost <hostname>

Mine would look like this:

127.0.0.1 localhost alone

ew. vi4eva.

What does this change speed up? Which of my entries does this apply to?

 

[xSauronx]

Originally posted by: drag

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
It's probably not. I googled and found out the default level is 2. With X11. I fixed Xorg manually in the "recovery console" thingy, so it doesn't matter.

6. The files to configure ethernet on boot hide very well...

that's a Debian-ism.

They figure all the runlevels except the shutdown/reboot, single user mode, and such should be left up to the administrator to configure how they want it and that it's not Debian's place to enforce this sort of policy.


The /etc/network/interfaces is also a Debian-ism. I quite like it actually. Much better then the Redhat-style stuff.

I am guessing that the network stuff is now controlled by network-manager in Ubuntu, which doesn't play well with others (it ignores your configuration). It's worthless for server or advanced network configurations and doesn't even have the ability to set static configurations and such. It's a bit bizzare, it's from Novell.

It's designed for mobile users were you need the ability to display and connect to abritrary networks. It works out very good for that. Plug in a wired card, it connects automaticly. Displays a list of Wireless networks it detects on your desktop using nm-applet and you pick one and connect.

i noticed this when i tried the ubuntu live disc. its nice in that in resides in the systray and indicates whether or not you have a connection working.

it is not, however, in xubuntu. i change IPs alot from jobsite to jobsite, and use the network-admin tool which *does* save configs, and therefore, saves me a lot of time. clickity-click and im good to go.

 

[n0cmonkey]

7. Ruby applications don't like Ubuntu.

EDIT: Installing gems manually is easy...

 

[drag]

it is not, however, in xubuntu. i change IPs alot from jobsite to jobsite, and use the network-admin tool which *does* save configs, and therefore, saves me a lot of time. clickity-click and im good to go.

Personally I learned to like wpa_supplicant. Debian has some very cool ways it integrate it that I like.

To bad my Ibook crapped out on me.

 

[nweaver]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey

Originally posted by: drag

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
It's probably not. I googled and found out the default level is 2. With X11. I fixed Xorg manually in the "recovery console" thingy, so it doesn't matter.

6. The files to configure ethernet on boot hide very well...

that's a Debian-ism.

They figure all the runlevels except the shutdown/reboot, single user mode, and such should be left up to the administrator to configure how they want it and that it's not Debian's place to enforce this sort of policy.


The /etc/network/interfaces is also a Debian-ism. I quite like it actually. Much better then the Redhat-style stuff.

I am guessing that the network stuff is now controlled by network-manager in Ubuntu, which doesn't play well with others (it ignores your configuration). It's worthless for server or advanced network configurations and doesn't even have the ability to set static configurations and such. It's a bit bizzare, it's from Novell.

It's designed for mobile users were you need the ability to display and connect to abritrary networks. It works out very good for that. Plug in a wired card, it connects automaticly. Displays a list of Wireless networks it detects on your desktop using nm-applet and you pick one and connect.

It works on a 'best effort' policy were it tries to always keep you connected to a network one way or another.

I don't paticularly like it. But it's usefull for users who don't know how to do network configuration and it has the 'hey it's sexy' OS X-jealousy/envy factor.
I wouldn't be suprised if Ubuntu choose to enable something like that by default. I am just guessing though.

In Debian, at least, it's designed to ignore interfaces that have a explicit configuration in /etc/network/interfaces. (if you choose to install it) I don't know how it works in other distributions though.

The /etc/network/interfaces worked after a reboot. But their example configuration is a little sparse...

man interfaces, come on, you should have figured that out already

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: nweaver
man interfaces, come on, you should have figured that out already

It's working, why read the man page? Then again, it may explain why Linux needs 4+ tools to replace ifconfig...

 

[nweaver]

You read the man page if you need more info then the sparse sample config stuff...same with most anything. sshd_config may not show all you want, a quick man sshd_config shows much more detail. Decent man pages are a requirement for debian packages. That may or may not trickle down into all of Ubuntu.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: nweaver
You read the man page if you need more info then the sparse sample config stuff...same with most anything. sshd_config may not show all you want, a quick man sshd_config shows much more detail. Decent man pages are a requirement for debian packages. That may or may not trickle down into all of Ubuntu.

I'm not sure what the Debian sshd_config looks like, but the one from the OpenSSH guys is not sparse at all. Hell, it shows examples of just about all of the available configurations.

Of course, Ubuntu (and I'm guessing Debian) is retardedly behind the curve when it comes to OpenSSH. Which reminds me, it's just one more thing I have to update manually. 4.3 is just too old.

EDIT: Oh, and the documentation for the 3 major BSDs blows just about every linux project out of the water...