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Sometimes Linux sets an ext2 (or ext3) partition’s large_file flag that makes it unmountable in NetBSD. (On an attempted mount, NetBSD 2.0.2 reports that the partition is read-only, but doesn’t mount it.) Here’s what I learned about how to fix.

Here’s how I fixed my NetBSD router box’s ongoing failing build of pkg_install (in NetBSD 2.0.2).

Back in June, bbum mentioned a tantalizing computing technique I didn’t yet comprehend —

If you don’t trust the web proxy on your LAN (I wouldn’t in either a hotel or a corporate environment), turn on Apache’s caching proxy server or install squid, then use port forwarding to forward a port on your local machine to the proxy port on the remote proxy server. Then, point your browser (or OS) to use the local port as the proxy server. This allows for secure, non-monitor-able, transparent, surfing from any location.

This intrigued me because I do a lot of surfing from work (for news, technical research) in the process of doing my work. I consider this warranted because I’m a full-time tech writer/web publisher, and I’m constantly keeping current and on the lookout for more efficient publishing and troubleshooting techniques. But I still don’t like leaving my employer’s domain strewn in server logs all over the ‘net.

Following Bill’s hint, I built/installed squid on my always-on NetBSD box at home — squid is in NetBSD’s pkgsrc — and for security, configured squid to allow access only from my home internal network.

Now from work I open a ssh tunnel to squid running on my home NetBSD box with

ssh -2 -C -L 3128:home_box_int_name:3128 -N home_box_ext_name

where home_box_ext_name is kept current courtesy DynDNS and home_box_int_name need only be known to home_box_ext_name.

Then I set my at-work web proxy to http://localhost:3128/ and start browsing.

Result: All my at-work surfing is now actually being initiated by squid from my home box, with the results cached there, then encrypted and compressed through the ssh tunnel to my machine at work.

That this is happening is easily verifiable by visiting WhatsmyIP.org before and after setting the at-work browser’s web proxy — before, what visited servers see is my at-work proxy’s IP; after, what they see is my home IP.

Of course — as usual for me — now that it’s working, what once was mysterious is now old hat, and I therefore feel as though not only have I always known how to do this but that everyone else does, too. I have to remind myself that as recently as June I had no clue, so I mention this proxying option (granted, without much specific detail) in case it’s useful news to anyone. :-)

Thanks, Bill.

Note: Privoxy is a lighter-weight alternative to squid that I haven’t looked into yet.

Once again we’re seeing a security panic and much hustle-bustle over the latest round of Internet worms and viruses. The way you hear TV and corporate IT people talk, the problem is inescapable for Internet users everywhere, part of the human (computing) condition.

In fact, worms and viruses are quite easily escapable, as is supporting the neverending antivirus software racket. Just step outside the Microsoft box. Computing — to say nothing of thinking — outside the box is fine advice indeed.

I’m a big fan of Mac OS X, GNU/Linux, and NetBSD. In part it’s because I’m lazy — if I can opt out of unnecessary security headaches, I do. If I can fix things and have them stay fixed, I’m there. No Microsoft software, no major security or reliability problems. Works for me, makes me happy. YMMV.

John Gruber at Daring Fireball has some pointed and well-considered observations himself on corporate IT, email, viruses/worms, computers and reliability — in general, on the shortcomings of an “all Microsoft all the time” computing policy.

Basic theme: CIOs can and should expect their computing infrastructure to be as reliable as their facilities’ plumbing. Implied recommendation: Don’t put up with crap.

• Good Times
• Dynomite! (a hilariously titled follow-up)

In the follow-up, John mentions —

It’s my experience that your typical IT [person] knows next to nothing about Linux.

I wouldn’t have thought this possible if I hadn’t seen an example of it with my own eyes — an IT support guy at work told me with pride that he knows “nothing about Linux and never will. All I know is Windows!”

Especially in these days of tight corporate budgets and shrinking support staffs, shouldn’t a working knowledge of free, reliable, secure open-source software be a requirement for computing professionals? I certainly think so.

Good thing the support guy doesn’t report to me — I’d have fired his butt. :-)

2003-09-18 update: See also today’s related articles —

• NY Times: How susceptible is your operating system to viruses?

• Baltimore Sun: Government issue: Macs could help defend federal agencies from cyber attacks

After a week off, I’m back in the saddle.

A gallstone tried to get the better of Steph on Monday, but rapid medical intervention stopped any of its fellows from repeating the performance. Laparoscopic surgery is amazing: four small holes—then no more gall bladder!

I spent the hospital room time configuring an install of Gentoo Linux/PowerPC on a TiBook/667. Takes a lot of dickering to get it like I want it. Then with an emerge mol command—and more dickering—I’ve got Mac OS X (OSX) running alongside Gentoo in Mac-on-Linux (MOL). Ctrl-Opt-F1, I’m at Gentoo’s first text console; Ctrl-Opt-F7, I’m in Gentoo’s X11; Ctrl-Opt-F8, I’m in full-screen OSX. Woo-hoo! Amazingly, I’m not noticing much performance degradation in OSX; it remains completely usable (once I got X11 and MOL video settings correct, that is).

Why run Mac OS X and Linux? After all, OSX is a full-blown Unix system; install fink and you can build nearly any Unix software you need. Yet I persist in wanting to run Linux, too. Here’s my starting list of reasons:

• Linux is leaner and somewhat faster than OSX on any given hardware
• Familiarity: I already run Linux (Debian) on most of the PC boxes I tend to
• I’ve been reading Richard Stallman’s collected essays (Free Software, Free Society) and am freshly aware how much I value the societal benefits of truly free software. (GNU/Linux, of course, is completely free—free beer and free speech—whereas OSX is half free, half nonfree.)
• I like fiddling with cool tool combos more than I like assessing the practicality of doing so :-)
• Because—thanks to the efforts of some of my free software heroes—I can

This Gentoo Linux/Mac OS X combo is seriously cool. But drat, I’m too [tired|lazy] to write up my current settings. That’s okay because Christophe and Nicolai have already done an excellent job. Thanks, guys.

(Why Gentoo Linux? Because I already know Debian GNU/Linux runs like a champ on PowerBook hardware; I’m a huge Debian i386/ppc fan. I’m interested in Gentoo’s build-everything-from-source nature because it reminds me of NetBSD, which I also inexplicably love. Since NetBSD doesn’t yet have many laptop power-management niceties AFAICT, Gentoo strikes me as kind of a cool Debian/NetBSD hybrid. And more ready for prime time than the real Debian GNU/NetBSD project.)

I’m trying to figure out deep down where I stand philosophically on free software. Specifically, I want to identify which of the various free-software licenses aligns best with my values. (I’m a mad stickler for internal congruence.)

On the one hand, I’m a big proponent of GNU; Richard Stallman’s unwavering commitment to freedom as embodied in the GPL appeals to me. (I’m especially influenced at the moment as I’m reading Stallman’s essays in Free Software, Free Society, which came with my FSF associate membership.) Accordingly, I’m a long-time fan of Debian GNU/Linux and an emerging fan of Gentoo Linux. On the other hand …

I’m also a fan of the simplicity and, apparently, the altruism embodied in the modified BSD license (under General). BSD licensing suits my nature as a behind-the-scenes contributor who’s happiest when I light up people’s faces anonymously. Accordingly, I’m also a big fan of NetBSD and now, Mac OS X, which is a free BSD (Darwin)-plus-commercial software hybrid.

Today I see that Daring Fireball’s John Gruber interviews Brent Simmons, the mostly-Mac programmer and creator of NetNewsWire, a Mac OS X news aggregator. Excellent thoughts! Maybe Brent is hitting my philosophical bullseye with this:

I agree that open source and closed source can coexist within the same projects. NetNewsWire is an example of that. Mac OS X is sort of an example … there’s a lot of mix there, lots of open source, lots of commercial software. I think that’s a good thing, if for no other reason than diverse ecosystems tend to be healthier.

What I’d like to see is less zealotry from all corners. Open source is good, shareware is good, commercial software is good. It all comes down to good apps, using the right tool for the job. I prefer less ideology and more generosity. For me, Mac OS X is the only OS that seems to have in its DNA that spirit.

Less zealotry, less ideology, more generosity. Yes. That sounds like where I’m at, man.

Thanks, Brent and John.

Next up: BBEdit, GNU Emacs, or XEmacs? :-)