[FSF]: Stand up for your freedom to install free software

Stand up for your freedom to install free software — Free Software Foundation — working together for free software.

When done correctly, “Secure Boot” is designed to protect against malware by preventing computers from loading unauthorized binary programs when booting. In practice, this means that computers implementing it won’t boot unauthorized operating systems — including initially authorized systems that have been modified without being re-approved.

The biggest issue with the “Secure Boot” system, is that it’ll create a vendor-lockin. This has been seen with the android system as well, but it’ll be Microsft pulling the strings on this one.

Some other interesting reads on Secure Boot:

http://arstechnica.com/business/news/2011/09/windows-8-secure-boot-will-complicate-linux-installs.ars

http://www.osnews.com/story/25180

Wrong time in Windows on Dual Boot system.

When you have a dual boot with Windows and Ubuntu you might experience some time travelling when rebooting to windows.
To solve this, simply boot into Ubuntu and edit the /etc/default/rcS file as sudo and change the UTC value from yes to no.
It should look like this

TMPTIME=0
SULOGIN=no
DELAYLOGIN=no
UTC=no #Set according to your system (BIOS) clock.
VERBOSE=no
EDITMOTD=yes
FSCKFIX=no

These values are being used by the scripts at /etc/rcS.d/ that get invoked during boot (even in single user mode)

To be clear, this is not an Ubuntu error. It is simply the Windows that never assumes the system-clock to be in UTC.

If you wish to adjust this in the Windows installation execute regedit and navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\TimeZoneInformation

Change the RealTimeIsUniversal value to 1.

If you’re simply looking for a wach to change your hardwareclock on linux you can check my other article on Changing date and/or time on Linux.

ASP.net GridView to display DetailsView on other page

So, I’m still working on that immo website.
On some GridView.aspx page, users see a GridView  with all items in my database.
I added a select button in front of each row.
I want the to redirect the user to some other page DetailsView.aspx when he/she clicked the button.
The problem, there is no redirect option in the GUI.
Again, Microsoft… loose the markup options in the Properties window and add some more functionality.

The solution for the people out there with the same frustration:

Double click the GridView item in your GUI.
You’ll get something as:

Protected Sub GridView1_SelectedIndexChanged(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles GridView1.SelectedIndexChanged

End Sub

Now add the following code (note that this is in vb, so if you use C#, adjust the syntax)

Protected Sub GridView1_SelectedIndexChanged(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles GridView1.SelectedIndexChanged
           Response.Redirect("DetailsView.aspx?ID=" & GridView1.SelectedValue)
End Sub

You might also want to add or modify some lines in your sqlDatasource (of the destination page) to match these lines.
This way you’ll see the DetailView of the item you clicked in the GridView.

<asp:SqlDataSource ID="SqlDataSource1" runat="server"
 SelectCommand="SELECT * FROM [Tablename]where [ID] = @ID"
<SelectParameters>
 <asp:QueryStringParameter QueryStringField="ID" name="ID" />
 </SelectParameters>
 </asp:SqlDataSource>

ASP.net mess

I’m currently working on some basic Immo website, in ASP.net 4.0.
(Part of the Exams)
I have to admit, programming is not my cup of tea… but I’m getting frustrated over all those (minor) flaws in Vistual Studio 2010.

If you’re setting up a registration page using the CreateUserWizard form the Toolbox, you’ll find some lack of properties-fields in the GUI.
In my case, I had to assign a default role to each new registerd user.
Nowhere in the Gui there is such thing to be found… sure… changing colors etc… but some REAL functionality… forget it!
The way to go is like this:
Just add some chunk of code.

Protected Sub CreateUserWizard1_CreatedUser(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles CreateUserWizard1.CreatedUser
            Roles.AddUserToRole(CreateUserWizard1.UserName, "Member")
End Sub

I’m some kind of disappointed.
If you create some Wizard, why not do a good job, and add all possible options to the GUI?
Should you find yourself having too many options… perhaps, get rid of the image and color options?
There is such a thing as CSS for that!

Grmbl….

Linus Torvalds trolling in front of Windows 7 booth

This is a way too funny picture, if you know that guy in the picture. Not the Japanese guy!
The man kneeling in front of the Windows 7 booth is no one less than Linus Torvalds, the godfather of the Linux kernel.

The picture was taken at the Linux Symposium in Japan yesterday.
At the same day as the Linux Symposium took place, some funny guy (from
Yodobashi Camera)  had no better idea to start a Windows 7 release booth just at the other side of the street.
I can imagine how much impression he made on the FOSS minded people.
There was little planning going on before starting the booth. According to me, they thought: Hmm conference, lots of people, lots of sales…
Would be nice to know his actual sales-numbers.

The guy fro the store clearly doesn’t know what’s going on 🙂
Mark my words, this picture will be around for a long time.

Nice trolling there Linus!

[source]

Microsoft’s Bing.com is running on Linux servers

Ok, Windows Server 2003 was great, and Windows Server 2008 is even greater, as told by Microsoft @ the It-pro days in Ghent (Belgium) 2 years ago.
So, we’re going flat on the assumption that they’re using their own ‘great’ server technology for their own good.
After all, according to their website, Windows Server is cheaper, safer and better than any other technology around.

But wait, what’s this?

Bing_hosted_on_linux

As a search page should be quick, secure and efficient I agree you should use Linux, but I never saw this one coming!
Other searches for microsoft results in different linux hosted services beneath the microsoft.com domain.

wb.dlservice.microsoft.com
search.microsoft.com
vista.gallery.microsoft.com
social.microsoft.com
fullproduct.download.microsoft.com
silverlight.dlservice.microsoft.com (This one is even hosted on Ubuntu)

I know the saying: “Keep your friends close, but your enemy’s closer” (not sure who came up with this slogan), but this is way too funny!

How many times did you pay for an unused OS?

When you buy a computer from a know merchant, it comes with a pre-loaded OS (mostly Microsoft’s Windows).
And yes, you pay for it. But “‘what if” you don’t use it? Is it possible to buy a OS-free system? Continue reading How many times did you pay for an unused OS?