Cisco VPN client

vpnc is Cisco VPN client for Linux. I always use it to connect to my company at home. However, I found that I couldn't connect on one day. After checking, it was because I have updated the Ubuntu vpnc package. The new config file need to add a "NAT Traversal Mode cisco-udp":

...
IPSec gateway
IPSec ID
IPSec secret
Xauth username
Xauth password

NAT Traversal Mode cisco-udp
...

After added the list line, everything is okay again :>

How to setup a Wiki in 5 seconds

Yes, it just takes 5 seconds to the following site, download the file and open it with your favorite browser, and then you will have your own wiki. The syntax is not complex but I have to admit that its function is not very cool. Nevertheless, it is good enough, especially you put it in a usb trumb drive and have a 'portable wiki'

Of course, if you are building a large wiki, some other power wikis such as MoinMoin and TWiki should be consider. Personally I like MoinMoin as its syntax is easy but powerful.

Ref: http://stickwiki.sourceforge.net/

AOL Active Virus Shield Save Me!

I used to think I am a 'careful' person. I don't install untrusted software, make my Windows as 'clean' as possible. However, my notebook still got infected.

Actually I have installed the F-Secure anti virus, but obviously that it failed to scan the virus. As a result, it always prompted out a "service.exe error 1073740972" and ask to restart in 60 seconds. I am so frustrated!. While I search the web for solution, a page mentions that try to use AOL Active Virus in safe mode. Okay, so I did have a try...

AOL Active Virus Shield use Kaspersky engine. It is totally free, and the most important thing is that it does help me. After a full scan, I found that my notebook was infected with 1 virus and 2 trojans(how come the F-Secure doesn't help?!). It was PECompact, Trojan.Win32.Dialer.qn and Trojan-Proxy.Win32.Agent.mx. I deleted the files without hesitation. Now my notebook runs smoothly and no more services.exe error comes out. Thanks AOL Anti Virus Shield!!

Finally, just let you know that apart from AOL Anti Virus Shield, there are still free anti virus software, such as AVG and ClamAV (Windows version). Just put the name and you should find the things.

Dealing with PDF with pdftk

pdftk is a tool that can help you to manipulate PDF files even though you don't have Acrobat installed. The most common usage is to merge/split PDF files.

General syntax:

pdftk <input PDF files> cat [ <input PDF pages> ] output <output PDF filename>


Example

• Extract page 1-3 from in1.pdf and save as out.pdf
  pdfhk A=in1.pdf cat A1-3 output out.pdf
• Extract page 1-3 from in1.pdf, page 4-6 from in2.pdf, merge it and save as out.pdf
  pdfhk A=in1.pdf B=in2.pdf cat A1-3 B4-6 output out.pdf
• Extract page1 from in2.pdf, and every even pages (2,4,6...) of in1.pdf, merge it and save as out.pdf
  pdftk A=in1.pdf B=in2.pdf cat B1 A1-endeven output out.pdf

Actually pdftk can also rotate, encrypt/decrypt and do more. Details usage can refer the link below.

Ref: http://www.pdfhacks.com/pdftk/

How many Email accounts do you have?

How many accounts do you have? For me, it's ... many. Apart from the company email, I am holding the following accounts:

Emails that provide capacity：

• The one provided by the ISP
  
• Hotmail free account
  
• GMail free acount
  
• Yahoo! free acount, with one alias
  
• FlashMail free account
  
• One personal mail server, setup with a friend
  

Email Forwarding Address(with Alias):

• University Alumni Email
• Account from e4ward, 2 aliases in total
• Account 4warding, 5 aliases in total

In terms of Email address, I have 15 address. Yet, what I am using actively are just GMail, Flash Mail and the personal mail server. For the others, besides Hotmail, all Emails will be redirected/forwarded to GMail, and GMail will keep a copy and forward to the personal mail server. Hotmail is just a 'sub-product' when creating MSN Messenger account, basically I don't use it at all. So for checking mail, I just need to check my personal mail server and FlashMail.

So why should we hold so many accounts? For me, this can help to separate the sender and control spam mail. I would give my alumni account to my University friends, for other friends I will give Yahoo! account instead. FlashMail is just for job hunting. And for other cases, especially when you need to leave an address when you subscribe something, I will simply use e4ward or 4warding. In case I was attacked by Spam Email, I can use delete or rename the alias address.

So which Email service are the best? Of course I vote for my own personal mail server (with QMail, with POP3 and IMAP4), very flexible. My second choice is GMail. If you can use the Label function wisely, that's a good service. Also it's my email backup repository. If my mail server are out of service, I can still get the mail from GMail.