Stephan's blog posts
"I may not have gone where I intended to go but I have ended up where I needed to be." — Douglas Adams
Linux and unhelpful GRUB error
stplanken | April 1, 2009 | 4 years ago
I have been using Ubuntu since version 6 on an external hard drive. Not because I really have a need for it, but because I have it and want to keep it up to date.
Great high-resolution wallpapers on InterfaceLIFT
stplanken | March 27, 2009 | 4 years ago
If you head over to InterfaceLIFT you can see some great photography. Many of these great pictures make excellent wallpapers in a variety of sizes. You can narrow your search by artist or tag.
It is humbling to see that many great photographs.
New UPS for Home Server
stplanken | March 27, 2009 | 4 years ago
Office 2007: customize Quick Access Toolbar
stplanken | March 23, 2009 | 4 years ago
Prior to Office 2007 I enjoyed the familiar menu structure like a good pair of shoes you grow into. It has been a while since the ribbon was introduced with Office 2007 but I still sometimes feel lost accomplishing even the most basic task.
Excel 2000: easy switching between open workbooks
HP MediaSmart hardware upgrade
stplanken | March 22, 2009 | 4 years ago
I recently installed a new hard drive: Western Digital Caviar Green WD10EADS, 1TB. Purchased from NewEgg. At the same time, I replaced the memory with a 2GB stick from Crucial, also ordered from NewEgg.
Very detailed instructions on how to replace the server's RAM can be found at homeserverhacks.com or Tom's hardware. Anyone who has ever replaced computer hardware before will have no problem performing this upgrade. Just make sure that you mark the system drive and place it back where it came from or you will be in trouble.
If you intend to upgrade more than one component, it may be wise to perform the upgrades in steps. This way, should something go wrong, you can more easily trace back your steps.
I installed the new memory first, made sure the server was error-free, and then installed the new drive.
The memory upgrade is immediately noticeable: the server will respond much snappier.
Drupal: hide "(not verified)" for anonymous users
stplanken | March 14, 2009 | 4 years ago
Drupal tags (not verified) to the user name on a comment if the comment was entered by an anonymous user. Although this is technically correct — the name is not from a verified user on your site — I think this looks silly so I wanted to remove it.
There are several ways to accomplish the same. Since hacking the Drupal core should be avoided at all times, one way is to copy the theme_username() function from theme.inc, the theming system, and paste it into your template.php, renaming it to phptemplate_username().
You can then modify it to suit your need. Take a look at the function in Drupal 5.16:
Adobe Reader 9.1 fixes vulnerability
stplanken | March 10, 2009 | 4 years ago
Adobe has fixed a vulnerability in Reader 9 (and earlier) that could potentially allow an attacker to take control, so you might want to update to the latest version.
Adobe Reader 9.1 includes Air and is a hefty 41MB download.
If you prefer a download without Air, you will need to download it from the Adobe FTP server:
AdbeRdr910_en_US.exe (25.5MB)
Versamail 4.0.1 is worth installing
stplanken | February 28, 2009 | 4 years ago
Recently, I upgraded the standard Palm mail application Versamail on my Treo to version 4.0.1 build 77. It contains improvements with Gmail IMAP and Exchange Activesync.
Vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player
stplanken | February 27, 2009 | 4 years ago
Adobe announced that a vulnerability exists in its Flash Player 10.0.12.36 (and earlier). The exploit requires you to load a malicious Shockwave Flash file (this could also be embedded in a malicious website) that can then execute code with full user privileges.
You should update to version 10.0.22.87 for all browsers that you have installed.
Adobe has the bad habit of trying to get you to use the Google Toolbar. If you don't want this be sure to clear the check box for that on the download page. Also, in Internet Explorer you should close all other windows and tabs other than the download window or the installation may silently fail. (In that case you would not see the new version number after the installation.)
After the update, read this blog post on how to verify/change your Flash Player privacy settings.
If you don't know what version you have, you can simply go to this Adobe page to check.
Russian coast guard sinks cargo ship, eight sailors drown
stplanken | February 22, 2009 | 4 years ago
In another example of a different Russia increasingly showing its teeth, a Russian coast guard ship sank The New Star, a Sierra Leone-flagged cargo ship that just left Nakhodka (far east Russia). Eight of the crew from China and Indonesia died when their open raft sank in stormy waters.
The vessel intended to deliver a shipment of rice at the end of January but the purchaser refused due to poor quality. The ship's owner — Hong Kong-based J-Rui Lucky Shipping — said the ship left harbor February 12 without permission because authorities were dragging their feet.
