How to access web page without Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox or Safari

In networking, sometime while performing network trouble shooting, you may like to quickly test if the connection to a website is available. Without using a web browser, you also can use the telnet command that is available in most of the login terminal like Command prompt, unix login shell or Cisco login terminal.

To test a connection to a website like www.abc.com just key in

How to solve GoDaddy Joomla .htaccess problem

Recently we migrate one of our sites into GoDaddy hosting server. The site used Joomla. However, when uploading all files and creating database in GoDaddy, we faced the .htaccess problem.

Following are summary of solution to Joomla .htaccess problem in GoDaddy hosting plan:

1. Delete .htaccess file if already created. Use the original htaccess.txt file from Joomla distribution and rename it to .htaccess

2. Add the following lines at the top of the .htaccess file

Remove unnecessary services on your PC or server

Whether it is a Windows PC, Cisco router, switches, Linux machine or network enable device, it is recommended to stop unnecessary services that are run by default. Every running, but unused, service on your system maybe a possible means of attack. Users may not even be aware that many of these services are running.

It is important to know the security implication of any network service before enabling it in. For example, a telnet client running on another device on the network can easily establish a telnet session to a system where telnet service is enabled; it needs only the IP address of the system and the port or socket number of the network service running on the system. The rule of thumb for TCP and UDP ports is: Turn off any services or listeners that you do not need for your application to function. One way to check the list of ports running on your system is to go to one of the many web sites that can run a remote scan of your system and tell you how secure the system.

FlvPlayer4Free - play FLV file downloaded from Youtube

One of the way to download video from Youtube to your computer is to use the following web site:

http://clipnabber.com/

Just paste the Youtube web page address (URL) for the video into the Paste URL and then click FLV download link to download the video in FLV format.

The FLV file downloaded can then be view using FlvPlayer4Free. FlvPlayer4Free is a freeware that allows users to easily play their favourite FLV files in the hard disk or from internet.

How to set default printer in Linux or Unix

If you are using terminal setup in Unix systems like Linux, you can configure your default printer by:

1. csh shell version (by editing ~/.cshrc or ~/.tcshrc configuration files%2y

setenv PRINTER your-printer-name

2. bash shell version (by editing ~/.bashrc configuration file)

export PRINTER=your-printer-name

How to generate PS file in Windows environment

In order to create a Postscript (PS) file from Windows applications: simply print from the application, selecting a postscript printer and using the printing option "print to file".

A dialog box will open, allowing you to choose the folder in which you wish to create the PostScript file. Choose a name for the file (a .prn extension will be appended to the filename). When you select Save, the printer driver will save the Postscript file in the location you select instead of actually sending the postscript file to the printer. You may need to change the file extension to .ps after file is generated.

However, very likely, using the printer driver for your own printer will result in files that are targeted at that printer, and hence not completely portable. To achieve portability, you will need to install and use another printer driver. Also you may not have any postscript printer with you at the moment. The solution to this is to install a virtual postscript printer, i.e. install printer drivers without actually having the corresponding printer.

Ctrl-Shift-Eject lock Mac screen

The Ctrl-Shift-Eject shortcut key is useful for Mac users to put the Mac to sleep mode and password protected. This is something like the Ctrl-Alt-Delete feature in Windows which locks the Mac screen. Users will need to key in password in order to access the Mac again.