A Quick Screen HOWTO

Screen is a text window manager. It allows you to open several virtual windows from one text console. You can easily switch between windows using keyboard commands. One of the strongest feature of screen is decoupling the virtual windows from the console. In simple terms, you can leave a program running in a virtual window and log off and then re-attach to the same session later. Here is how you do it.

After logging into the machine, run type in command "screen". Screen will present the license, hit enter to continue. After this the first virtual window has been created and you can run your program. To navigate the session use the following key combinations:

1. To create a new virtual window and switch to it - ^ac
2. To switch to previous window - ^ap
3. To switch to next window - ^an
4. To see a list of windows - ^a"
5. To see a list of available commands - ^a?
6. To detach from windows - ^ad
7. To re-attach to previous session type "screen -r".

^ means hold down control key and then type the commands.

These are a few frequently used commands. A more detailed tutorial is here.

URIBL Blues

URIBL.com is a service that maintains a anti-spam black hole list.

According to "About us" on their site...
"URIBL lists domains that appear in spam, NOT where they were sent from. Our lists are intended to be used with antispam software to help TAG emails as spam. We do not BLOCK. If you are being blocked by someone because you are on our list, take it up with the person blocking you, not us!"

About black.uribl.com: "This lists contains domain names belonging to and used by spammers, including but not restricted to those that appear in URIs found in SPAM. This list has a goal of zero False Positives. This zone rebuilds frequently as new data is added."

On June 15th, 2007, microwiz.net, which belongs to me and is non-commercial as of today, was listed in black.uribl.com. URIBL was contacted requesting to provide evidence of spam but the request was denied by Mr. Alex Broens, indicating that the site (microwiz.net) being blank was in suspicious NS and no other information was given. After a few email transactions with Mr. Broens, it was deduced that that the URIBL service was using manual controls. Probably it induced human errors. Although the domain was de-listed because of incapacity of proving that the site microwiz.net did engage in emitting spam but no evidence was provided, why the site microwiz.net was listed in the RBL.

Listing innocent site microwiz.net indicates that the goal of zero false positives is not being adhered to. There maybe more innocent sites listed in black.uribl.com that I don't know about.

Conclusion:

• URIBL will list your site if it is parked or blank!!
• No evidence will be provided as they are "not in feedback loop"
• There will be human errors in listings as the submission controls are manual.
• Decisions whether to list the site or not *can* be biased as it is processed by human brain
  
• Inoscent sites can and may be listed
• Expect indescent phrases / remarks like "WTF?" when communicating with uribl staff
  

New (vintage) Radio

Kenwood TM-401A

There is a new (vintage) addition to my shack - Kenwood TM401B. TM-401B is a 440 MHz Amateur Radio rig. As soon as I got it, I soldered the power-pole connectors so that it can be powered up in my shack.

I gave it a 12V power and I got no display!! I thought that it is dead, but after connecting an external speaker and reducing the squelch, I got white noise. Audio finally!! I tried to reseat the display board connectors but no help!!

I Measured the backup battery voltage and it was 0.11V :-( concluded that the backup battery (BR2032) was dead! Fortunately I had a few with me. I soldered one in place, after removing the dead one. Still no display!! I opened the bottom cover and tried to reseat the display board connectors but still no display :-(

I opened the bottom cover and and found a reset switch. I depressed it and voila! there was the display 0.000 MHZ :-0. I tuned the rig to an ongoing QSO and the rig was receiving well!

Don't know whether it is transmitting or not but so far receiving well! Let's hope for good.

Ghirardelli Square @ Night

This picture was taken using my Sony DSC-V1

Snow @ Reno

This picture was taken by Nikon CoolPix 3700 Camera on a sunny day @ Reno, NV. I have been taking some pictures with the new CP3700 camera and the outdoor results are fantastic. I haven't done much indoor photography with the camera.

Recently added this Netgear WGR614NAV5 to my home network. Looks like that there is a lot of 2.4 interference in the neighborhood. 

My Latest Camera! Nikon Coolpix 3700

Yesterday (02/09/05) I received my new camera that I got for everyday use and that I can carry around. It is a 3.2 megapixel camera from an excellent manufacturer. Best part is that they are running a $100 mail in rebate. Despite of being sleek, it take really big pictures.

I took some sample pictures indoors and they came out really well. I'll keep the results posted.