personal reminder: Secure Programming for Linux and Unix HOWTO

not brand-new but not completely outdated:

Secure Programming for Linux and Unix HOWTO

Online Tasks Service for Thunderbird/Lightning

Thunderbird/Lightning has been working with Google Calendar for a while now [cf. link]. however, Tasks are not supported as can be seen in this thread and also here.

now, is there another service for Tasks available?

for some time i have been using Chandler but with recent developments TB/Lightning+Chandler stopped working (and they haven't quite figured out who's to blame...).

ironically, Yahoo comes to the rescue: following this post and going further here Tasks with Yahoo actually work.

Reverse Tethering an Android Phone via USB

until recently i was stuck with a stock android 1.6 - and USB tethering was somewhat adventurous (Tetherbot was an option, connectbot another... both worked best, i.e. without restrictions, when there was a VPN tunneled 'over' either of them.) 

android 2.2 comes with USB tethering: in 'Wireless & network settings' - just need to turn it on... and a network interface will be 'exposed' via USB, network-manager (e.g. in ubuntu) will show the new device, and go.

now, this set-up can also be used the other way around (i.e. use the computer's internet connection the mobile is connected to). however, android's ConnectivityManager does not recognize this connection in such a way that services like Contacts Sync would get going.

startUsingNetworkFeature() in http://android.git.kernel.org/?p=platform/frameworks/base.git;a=blob;f=services/java/com/android/server/ConnectivityService.java will choke on android.net.NeworkInfo.isAvailable():
D/ConnectivityService( 166): getMobileDataEnabled returning true
D/ConnectivityService( 166): special network not available

...let's see.

aptitude or apt-get - only update security updates

two quick possibilities to update security updates only (via apt-get and/or aptitude in debian, ubuntu, ...):

1. uses a dedicated sources file: http://www.debian-administration.org/articles/241#comment_20
2. uses a search pattern: http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=9161314&postcount=3

Dell & Linux - Links to Remember

BIOS updates for Dell computers under linux:

The Dell Linux Wiki Page

Extracting the BIOS image from the Windows .EXE file

Dell's info on RAID & Storage (aka. PERC thingthings...)

Android Market on SDK/Emulator

wanted to use an android emulator to grab a screenshots of google goggles but had to realize - as many before - that the Android SDK comes without 'the Market.' a possible solution is described here: Android Tips for Developers: Android Market on Emulator; at least, for the 1.6 system it worked for me (however, i had to grab the ADP1 image as mentioned in this comment.)