September 2013

If you have a rc.local looking like this:

/bin/run-parts /etc/rc.local.d

and files in /etc/rc.local.d looking like this

hostname.sh sshkeys.sh firstboot.sh

it’s not going to work.

Why, you ask, after cursing and shouting for the past hour?

because run-parts ignores files with dots (".") and/or .sh files.

Yes. True story.

rename all the files to:

hostname sshkeys firstboot

and your problem will be solved (and of course chmod +x them).

In /etc/fstab, be sure to add the option:

_netdev

As it will attempt to start the network mounted sshfs before networking has been started.

The entire line looks like this:

user@host:/some/dir /local/path fuse.sshfs defaults,idmap=user,_netdev  0 0

From the man pages:

_netdev

The filesystem resides on a device that requires network access (used to prevent the system from attempting to mount these filesystems until the network has been enabled on the system).

A classic.

While my 2010 Macbook Pro is at the Apple Repair shop for a (most likely) faulty GPU I borrowed a Macbook Air from Christophe. These are my random thoughts about it:

• It's light. Very light. My bag is now too big and I can barely feel it hanging at my shoulder.
• It's light. Very light. I used to, when moving around (for example when testing WiFi, changing desks, going to a meeting, etc), jungle my Macbook Pro on one hand, with the display open and everything, and it would stay on my three or four fingers very nicely. With the Air, I can't just move around like this as even the wind/air might knock it off my hand. Paper aeroplane comes into my mind.
• The CPU is somewhere near the letters 1-2-3-A-Z-E-Q-S (Azerty keyboard). I tend to let my fingers rest between the keys on the bare metal. This can get quite hot. I have never noticed this with the MBP.
• The keyboard of the Air is better. Smoother. More fun to hit. Nicer muffled sound. Hard to explain. Perhaps also because this keyboard hasn't been used as often.
• It stills seems ... breakable. Not as robust.
• I don't like the bezel. WHY APPLE WHY? It's metal instead of the nicer black glass that covers everything.

And moar and moar.

And thus, we can assume, they had (have?) access to a lot of European instances and personnel, both residing here in Belgium and roaming using BGC’s network.

And not a single fuck was giving. Not one. Please remain calm and keep on hypnotoad.

If GCHQ was indeed the agency concerned then this investigation is unlikely to go anywhere and the most that can be expected is some sort of diplomatic complaint from Belgium to the UK, its EU and Nato partner.