Linux signals — sending system-level commands to programs
A user and SysAdmin guide Let's say you've got a program running that you want to terminate. Or that you want to power off or...
Another reason I like Linux
I like and prefer Linux for may reasons. Today provides one example. I like to install updates on all my Linux systems ( I don't...
The Linux Philosophy for SysAdmins, Tenet 15 — Strive For Elegance
Author’s note: This article is excerpted in part from chapter 17 of my book, The Linux Philosophy for SysAdmins, with some changes to update the...
Creating photo collages with Linux
Open source software is amazing and it seems like there are always solutions that come in handy when I look hard enough. Today was one...
Securely erasing your data on Linux
Many people choose to encrypt their disk drives because it ensures that their data stays secure and safe from the prying eyes of others. I...
The Linux Philosophy for SysAdmins, Tenet 14 — Use Open Source software
Image by Opensource.com: CC-by-SA 4.0 Author’s note: This article is excerpted in part from chapter 16 of my book, The Linux Philosophy for SysAdmins, with...
Essential steps for creating a USB boot drive for Linux
I usually keep a bootable Linux USB drive with me because I never know when I will need to use one to rescue a crashed...
The Linux Philosophy for SysAdmins, Tenet 13 — Make programs portable
Image by Opensource.com: CC-by-SA 4.0 Author’s note: This article is excerpted in part from chapter 15 of my book, The Linux Philosophy for SysAdmins, with...
The Linux Philosophy for SysAdmins, Tenet 12 — Use separate filesystems for data
Author’s note: This article is excerpted in part from chapter 14 of my book, The Linux Philosophy for SysAdmins, with changes. There is a lot...
The Linux Philosophy for SysAdmins, Tenet 11 — Store data in open formats
Image by Opensource.com: CC-by-SA 4.0 Author’s note: This article is excerpted in part from chapter 13 of my book, The Linux Philosophy for SysAdmins, with...
Linux User Accounts and Security
Author’s note: This article is excerpted in part from Appendix 1 of my book, Linux for Small Business Owners, with some changes to update it...
The Linux Philosophy for SysAdmins, Tenet 10 — Use common sense naming
Typing is not my forte and the Lazy SysAdmin does everything possible to reduce typing. I take that seriously. This tenet expands on that but there is much more to it than just reducing the amount of typing I need to do. It is also about the readability of scripts and naming things so that they are more understandable.
Perfctl malware infects thousands of Linux hosts since 2021
ArsTechnica has an article about the thousands of Linux systems infected by this well-designed malware that's been dubbed Perfectl. The vulnerability, identified as CVE-2023-33246, is...
I found a new way to stress-test my Linux hosts
I just discovered an important little program that allows me to stress-test my Linux hosts. Its name is -- stress -- of course. Stress has...
The Linux Philosophy for SysAdmins, Tenet 09 — Test Early, Test Often
You know it’s as easy to forget to write about testing the programs I write as it is to overlook testing the programs themselves. Why is that?
I wish I had a definitive answer. In some ways it is like documentation. Once the program seems to work we just want to get on with doing whatever task caused us to write the program in the first place.
My oldest computer is 19 years old; Linux keeps it going
Longevity – an interesting word. I use it here to help clarify some of the statements that I hear many people make. These statements are usually along the lines of “Linux can extend the life of existing hardware,” or “Keep old hardware out of landfills or uncertified recycling facilities.” So let me introduce you to my oldest computer.