September 2011 - wlug - list.wlug.org.nz

Bit coin links and Greg's presentation notes.
by Chris O'Halloran 27 Jan '13

27 Jan '13

Hello All, Here is some more information from Greg's note at last Friday's presentation. I'd also like to thank Greg for volunteering to talk and for such a well presented and technical topic. Seeing the data miner in action was also a bonus. Attached is the email that Greg sent to Bruce and myself earlier this week. It seems as though there is plenty more reading on the topic. I've also loaded Greg's presentation to google docs so that those that weren't at the meeting can appreciate the presentation. <quote> Hi Chris, Bruce, as discussed here's the slideshow and talk-notes from last night I promised I'd send to you to forward on to relevant people, (group-wide bounced me on the email size limit). Also here's a list of relevant links as requested; Project home page http://www.bitcoin.org/ Wiki Main_Page https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Main_Page Network status live feed http://www.bitcoinwatch.com/ Forum https://forum.bitcoin.org/ Layman promo video site http://www.weusecoins.com/ Instawallet (web wallet) https://www.instawallet.org API -reference pages https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/API_reference_(JSON-RPC) https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Original_Bitcoin_client/API_Calls_list Monetary theory - Austrian economics http://www.libertariannews.org/2011/06/18/the-economics-of-bitcoin-how-bitc… http://austrianeconomists.typepad.com/weblog/2009/05/the-best-of-modern-aus… http://mises.org/journals/qjae/pdf/qjae9_4_5.pdf http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austrian_School http://mises.org/ Szabo bitgold post http://unenumerated.blogspot.com/2005/12/bit-gold.html Namecoin, distributed DNS Dot-bit project homepage http://dot-bit.org/Main_Page Feel free to email me for further links or information. Cheers, Greg B. Link to Greg's Bit Coin presentation<https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=1ggO7B5SX…> Link to Gregs' presentation notes<https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=1SqdoXYL8…> </quote>

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WLUG Fixit Meeting is today!
by Meeting Reminder bot 30 Sep '11

30 Sep '11

A reminder, the WLUG Fixit Meeting is today. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- WLUG Workshop day. Meet up at the university - usual meeting room for Monday meetings. Time: 10am to 4pm http://www.waikato.ac.nz/contacts/map?MS4 We'll have internet access (48Mbit/s) for you to update your Linux box or download various linux distros. Meet up with others - share ideas - trouble shoot hardware and software issues. Install the lastest Linux distro or whatever you'd like to try. If you are considering installing Linux on a MS Windows, please have all your data backed up prior attempting any partitioning of your hard drives. WLUG will not be liable for any loss of data. Entry is free for visitors and club members. However, if you, as a visitor, wish to connect your computer to the internet for more than a few minutes, a fee of $4 dollars to cover internet costs would be appreciated. We will accept membership applications on the day ($20). There are no kitchen facilities within the room. Cafe's and toilets will be available around the campus.

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Saturday Workshop Day Oct 1st in ON
by Chris O'Halloran 30 Sep '11

30 Sep '11

With sufficient numbers, the workshop day is ON!. See the link for details. SaturdayWorkshop.2011-10-01 <http://wlug.org.nz/SaturdayWorkshop.2011-10-01> Cheers, Chris WLUG president

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Re: [wlug] Show of hands for Saturday workshop October 1
by Rene Bartosh 29 Sep '11

29 Sep '11

(sorry for breaking the thread, I think my mailserver ate some of the list e-mails) I am keen to come along to the Saturday workshop this month. Cheers, Rene -- >From Rene Bartosh (Gmail account) <kirjava(a)gmail.com> Personal: http://kirjava.net.nz/

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Show of Hands for this Saturday <---(Ian Stewart)
by Ian Stewart 29 Sep '11

29 Sep '11

Hi, I'll be there this Saturday. cheers, Ian. > From: wlug-request(a)list.waikato.ac.nz > Subject: wlug Digest, Vol 243, Issue 14 > To: wlug(a)list.waikato.ac.nz > Date: Sat, 24 Sep 2011 12:00:03 +1200 > > Send wlug mailing list submissions to > wlug(a)list.waikato.ac.nz > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://list.waikato.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/wlug > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > wlug-request(a)list.waikato.ac.nz > > You can reach the person managing the list at > wlug-owner(a)list.waikato.ac.nz > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of wlug digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Show of hands for Saturday workshop October 1 (Chris O'Halloran) > 2. Re: Show of hands for Saturday workshop October 1 (Ewen Cumming) > 3. Re: How Microsoft Can Lock Linux Off Windows 8 PCs > (Ronnie Collinson) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Fri, 23 Sep 2011 13:23:42 +1200 > From: "Chris O'Halloran" <cmoman(a)gmail.com> > To: Waikato Linux Users Group <wlug(a)list.waikato.ac.nz> > Subject: [wlug] Show of hands for Saturday workshop October 1 > Message-ID: > <CAAXZQmOJW54ZP=0HBJtRMW3NeWNwB1JJCwY_bsN04rFnuu4RBw(a)mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > Hello everyone, > > The WLUG committee are considering organising a Saturday Workshop at the Uni > for October 1. > > Can we have a 'show of hands' on who is likely to turn up, please? We had a > few problems with last month's workshop and it would be good to avoid that > scenario again. > > On behalf of club, I would like to apologise to those members of this list > who had travelled some distance for last month's particular workshop and > found it not happening. As club president, I had made some assumptions > about the attendance of others that often organise and champion the workshop > day. Recognising that they could be a problem on the Saturday morning of > the event, I made what I believed were sufficient arrangements with > Univerisity security stafff and communicated this to the club member that > believed would be attending. Unfortunately the communication was only one > way and I had to leave Hamilton for a prior arrangment. > > Sorry for the mix up. > > So, please reply to this list if you wish to be part of Saturday workshop on > October 1 > > Cheers, > > Chris O'Halloran > WLUG president. >

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Show of hands for Saturday workshop October 1
by Chris O'Halloran 24 Sep '11

24 Sep '11

Hello everyone, The WLUG committee are considering organising a Saturday Workshop at the Uni for October 1. Can we have a 'show of hands' on who is likely to turn up, please? We had a few problems with last month's workshop and it would be good to avoid that scenario again. On behalf of club, I would like to apologise to those members of this list who had travelled some distance for last month's particular workshop and found it not happening. As club president, I had made some assumptions about the attendance of others that often organise and champion the workshop day. Recognising that they could be a problem on the Saturday morning of the event, I made what I believed were sufficient arrangements with Univerisity security stafff and communicated this to the club member that believed would be attending. Unfortunately the communication was only one way and I had to leave Hamilton for a prior arrangment. Sorry for the mix up. So, please reply to this list if you wish to be part of Saturday workshop on October 1 Cheers, Chris O'Halloran WLUG president.

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Re: [wlug] How Microsoft Can Lock Linux Off Windows 8 PCs
by GJB 23 Sep '11

23 Sep '11

Any type of "locked" electronic devices have proven to be less valuable than their "unlocked" counterparts. It is not in the interest of commodity hardware manufacturers to allow MS to essentially lock their devices. A new industry in jail-breaking PC's is just around the corner probably. > -------- Original Message -------- > Subject: [wlug] How Microsoft Can Lock Linux Off Windows 8 PCs > From: Peter Reutemann <fracpete(a)waikato.ac.nz> > Date: Thu, September 22, 2011 9:51 am > To: wlug <wlug(a)list.waikato.ac.nz> > > > Just came across this gem here on slashdot: > "Windows 8 PCs will use the next-generation booting specification > known as Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI). In fact, > Windows 8 logo devices will be required to use the secure boot portion > of the new spec. Secure UEFI is intended to thwart rootkit infections > by using PKI authentication before allowing executables or drivers to > be loaded onto the device. Problem is, unless the device manufacturer > gives a key to the device owner, it can also be used to keep the PC's > owner from wiping out the current OS and installing another option, > such as Linux." > http://linux.slashdot.org/story/11/09/21/062231/How-Microsoft-Can-Lock-Linu… > > Network world has an article, too: > http://www.networkworld.com/community/blog/next-gen-boot-spec-could-forever… > > I wonder whether we'll have to start paying for "advanced features" > like being able to put other OSes on a computer when purchasing one in > the future... Does the EULA of Windows then still allow a refund if > you don't want the software? Will you be able to install something > else on the computer then? Or is this an opportunity to get lower > prices on computers if they come with Linux pre-installed (no key > necessary, no OEM fee)? > > Cheers, Peter > -- > Peter Reutemann, Dept. of Computer Science, University of Waikato, NZ > http://www.cs.waikato.ac.nz/~fracpete/ Ph. +64 (7) 858-5174 > _______________________________________________ > wlug mailing list | wlug(a)list.waikato.ac.nz > Unsubscribe: http://list.waikato.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/wlug

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Sept 26th - No Monday night meeting
by Chris O'Halloran 22 Sep '11

22 Sep '11

Hello all, There will be no Monday WLUG meeting on the Sept 26th. Given many were involved in attending and presenting at Software Freedom Day, the committee has decided no to arrange a Monday night meeting. We are presently looking to arrange at Saturday Workshop Day on Oct 1 and this will be confirmed shortly. Regards, Chris

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How Microsoft Can Lock Linux Off Windows 8 PCs
by Peter Reutemann 21 Sep '11

21 Sep '11

Just came across this gem here on slashdot: "Windows 8 PCs will use the next-generation booting specification known as Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI). In fact, Windows 8 logo devices will be required to use the secure boot portion of the new spec. Secure UEFI is intended to thwart rootkit infections by using PKI authentication before allowing executables or drivers to be loaded onto the device. Problem is, unless the device manufacturer gives a key to the device owner, it can also be used to keep the PC's owner from wiping out the current OS and installing another option, such as Linux." http://linux.slashdot.org/story/11/09/21/062231/How-Microsoft-Can-Lock-Linu… Network world has an article, too: http://www.networkworld.com/community/blog/next-gen-boot-spec-could-forever… I wonder whether we'll have to start paying for "advanced features" like being able to put other OSes on a computer when purchasing one in the future... Does the EULA of Windows then still allow a refund if you don't want the software? Will you be able to install something else on the computer then? Or is this an opportunity to get lower prices on computers if they come with Linux pre-installed (no key necessary, no OEM fee)? Cheers, Peter -- Peter Reutemann, Dept. of Computer Science, University of Waikato, NZ http://www.cs.waikato.ac.nz/~fracpete/ Ph. +64 (7) 858-5174

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GNOME Workspace issue
by Sandy 18 Sep '11

18 Sep '11

I've suddenly noticed that I'm unable to switch between workspaces. Neither clicking on the workspace applet nor Ctrl+Alt+Left/Right arrow work any more, and I'm at a loss as to why this might be. I can still send windows to another workspace, but I can no longer get to them. Would anyone have any ideas about why this is happening? This is 11.04 x64.

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