Thought that I would write a very quick and dirty write up of an issue that I had when I upgraded Kubuntu 9.10 to 10.04. Normally my upgrades within the Ubuntu family fall into two categories, dead laptops and working desktops.

This fall into the dead laptops group, for most parts the upgrade worked fine apart from when it loaded up to KDM (Login Screen), an error was thrown about some theme not being there. Instead of doing something remotely useful it just crashed out and did nothing. I didn’t have any virtual terminals either (due to some pain in the arse Via graphics card hack i’ve had to do). I have also noticed that GRUB is pretty buggered too, but that’s another story when I have time and have got to the bottom of it.

Net result was, boot the system up on a independent media, mount the file-system. Look for the KDM config file, and edit it to point to a theme that was there. Not too much hard work if i’m honest.

Question I was left asking, if your going to remove a theme during an upgrade maybe a warning would have been nice, and why isn’t there a fall back in case something gets corrupted.

All in all nice upgrade, apart from some daft little things. Does seem to boot a lot faster, and a couple of little glitches fixed. As upgrades have gone, I have survived, each upgrade makes me a little wiser.

Hi Guys,

Thought i would post my submission to the he BruCON Security Conference.  As anyone that follows either of the Podcasts i’m involved in you’ll know that i have great affinity with the conference.  Tickets are available, if you book them now you’ll benefit from the early bird prices, their available from here.

Abstract Bellow

Free software and security – Defending on a budget

Talk submission BruCON

Arron “finux” Finnon

Talk is proposed and has not been given to any conference or user group before.  It will be in English.

I have given a number of talks on both security related topics and free and open source software.

http://finux.co.uk ||  http://tracsec.com ||  http://hackerpublicradio.org

From Personal Computers to Corporate infrastructure, times have required an attitude of evolution and change to defend against the many threats and challenges faced by users.  All though no one really likes to admit it, all users have to become defenders.  From “Harry Home Owner” to System Admins, educated informed decisions should always take precedence.

Free Software has the ability to stand at least ’shoulder-to-shoulder’ with its commercial counterparts, yet it faces attacks from groups that have a vested interested in seeing ‘commercial licensing’ prevail over ‘free and open licensing’ model, not all of these groups are in the ’security software’ sphere.

Legions of defenders work relentlessly on writing code that  not only competes in the real world, but enables its users freedom.  Its this very freedom that these relentless developers use to produce code, applications, and software used in defending against many threats, and attacks.

The talks aim is to look at some commonly used software that all users share and how Free Software can fit into that space.  It will cover some aspects of software used in commercial/corporate environment and how free software can liberate those users to evolve their software to fit their needs in defending against constantly changing threats and demands they face.

All though Free Software doesn’t mean that it comes without cost, in most cases it doesn’t have a price tag attached.  Its about freedom.  The talk will look at some of the Free Software that has little or no cost.  Security, defence, protection on a budget with Free Software.

The speaker hopes this talk will act as an ‘Anti-FUD’ (Fear Uncertainty Doubt) talk on free software and security.

Someone listening to talk can expect to leave knowing;

An understanding of what free software is, and how it differs from other types of software.  Some examples of flagship free software used in security, that has little or no cost.  How the ‘Free Software’ ethos can benefit those trying to defend themselves or assets against threats.  How people who wish to help and support free software projects can.  How people can promote and encourage free software within their organisations, and what ‘to do’ and ‘not to do’ when it comes to selling the concept of free software in the workplace.

Speakers Bio

Arron M Finnon (aka finux), has been involved in Free and Open Source software for over four years.  Whilst studying a hacking degree in Scotland’s technology hub Dundee, he was one of the founding officers of ‘The University of Abertay Dundee Linux Society’ and president for over three years, later  receiving the SCISA (Scottish Informatics and Computer Science Alliance) Open Source Award for exemplary Advocacy for his activities in promoting Free and Open Source Software.

Working with Local User Groups and communities members throughout United Kingdom to promote, encourage, and facilitate ‘Free and Open Source Software’ at a grass roots level has given Arron a unique and passionate view of ‘how’ and ‘where’ Free Software fits in the demanding real world.

As the ‘Team Leader’ and main organiser for the successful ‘Software Freedom Day Dundee’ events, in 2009 and 2010 he was able to engage with a large number of people who may never have experienced or engaged with Free Software ideals, and promote debate, discussion, and adoption with these people.

Gaining experience at public speaking about free software has enabled Arron to talk to people about many threats faced by users in the computing world, and he has spoken at a number of User Groups in the UK, as well as guest lecturing back at his old university on security related topics.

Arron has always managed to blend his love for ‘Free and Open Source software’ and ‘Computer Security’, and this has been expressed in many formats such has podcasting and public speaking.

A sample of some of Arron’s recorded talks can be found at http://www.hackerpublicradio.org/correspondents.php?hostid=85

Arron is also co-host on http://www.tracsec.com –A monthly security podcast

Arron now is an independent security researcher, consultant, and blogger.  You can find him at www.finux.co.uk and www.twitter.com/f1nux

END of ABSTRACT SUBMISSION

Remember you can get a great rate on the tickets if you book early, so be a good sport and get your ticket brought.  They are available from here.

PS all please cross your fingers for my talk to be accepted

finux

Sorry guys for the long delay in posting anything. As some of you may know I’ve had a pretty hectic life at the moment with out sign of it calming down.

I split up with the mother of my youngest child Ava over two or so months ago. Since then I’ve had my contact with my daughter constantly threatened by my ex. It will seem once more I have to step into fray and fight for my rights as a father. Those that have known me for a couple of years know that I had to do a similar thing over three years ago. I have a great affinity with fathers rights, due to finding myself in this very position and I have seen many friends in similar situation, and not just in the United Kingdom.

I am lucky that my children where all born after 2006 and there for I have some legal cover under the guise of Family Scotland act 2006. However this act is not retrospective meaning for those poor fathers and children who where born before 2006 are not afforded the same rights.

So long story short, the situation is as follows;

I split from my ex, we previously had split up and got back together. It was agreed at the minimum that I would have 2 nights a week with my daughter. All though I asked and had been denied 2 nights one week and 3 nights the following week, which would account for 10 nights out of 28. I have for the past 8 weeks looked after my daughter every weekend. During this time I have started seeing a friend of mine who I have known for over 7 years, she has been of great support to me over the past couple of years through various ups and downs. She has a daughter of similar age to my eldest and they have play together. However long story short two old friends have moved on to something deeper.

It is this issue that my ex is sighting as a reason that I should no longer be allowed contact with my youngest daughter. It is also fair to point out here that my ex has new lad in her life and I have made no mention or commit about this.

She now demands that my new girlfriend and her daughter not be present at any time during Ava’s time with her father. This all arose from a chance meeting at a bus stop when I was looking after my girlfriends daughter whilst she sat an exam, Ava wasn’t in my care that day she was with her mum. My girlfriends daughter innocently asked the women pushing Ava’s pram if she was “Ava’s mummy?”. From this day forward my ex has made a number of assumptions. That my girlfriend and her daughter are with me always and that Ava in fact isn’t be looked after by me, but by my girlfriend. Which I have on numerous occasions said isn’t the case. Her additional premise is that I’m dragging someone into her life to drag them back out in a couple of months, well none of us have a crystal ball. Ava only spends her time with me.

Two days after the chance meeting at the bus stop, I got a text asking if I could pick Ava up early. Which I agreed then she started to send aggressive texts about me having a girlfriend. When she picked up Ava after her last visit she started arguing with me again which I just walked away from. On the 27^th of April she told me that I would no longer get my daughter for two days and that I would only get her for the one day. On the 30^th of April she told me that I could have my daughter for two days as long as I had her on my own and with no one else with her (which I do). I told her that she doesn’t have any superior rights over me, so she then said that I was unable to have my daughter at all if I have my girlfriend around, and if it was found out that I had she would stop me from seeing my daughter and take me to court.

I have been left with a tough decision, I could agree to a lot of unreasonable demands, however in the past eight weeks I have had my contact threatened at every opportunity by my ex. All though its tough for me, I think that I have to now stand strong and say no. I do have rights, if it goes to court I will get contact, however my poor little baby will spend the next two to three years with her life in a court room. She is just over 14 months old at the present. The question is if I agree to this now, what an earth to I agree for me and my daughter in the future.

My eldest daughter is missing her young sister and that hurts very much, and Ava is too young to express missing either her father or her sister.

Before we split my ex made numerous comments about how she would never stop the father of her child from seeing them, which to this date she has done three times. When ever she is angry she uses my contact with my daughter as a weapon. We see this commonly throughout the developed world.

All though nothing is guanteed in a court, the fact of it is that she no longer makes the self-appointed choices for Ava, and that a third party namely a Sheriff (yes they’re called that in Scotland) will. I have been a single father for quite bit, I have already been awarded joint custody of my eldest.

So in short this post is more about getting this off my chest then anything else. If you know anyone else going through a similar situation, do me a favour. Drop them an email, give them a call and just remind them to remain strong.