As a Linux user or administrator, you are probably familiar with the most popular Linux distribution: Ubuntu. However, have you considered trying out independent Linux distros? In this article, I will explain why independent Linux distros can be an excellent option for curious-minded users. What is an independent Linux distribution? An independent Linux distribution […]
Kali Linux non-root and no pen-test tools install w/ screenshots
Update: Thankfully, as of release 2020.1, Kali Linux has swapped to a privileged non-root user by default. You will now log in with the user you create during the install process and no longer as root. This means you can now accomplish my recommended setup (a stable non-root Debian-testing rolling release, managed by the Kali […]
Linux Commands frequently used by Linux Sysadmins – Part 4
We are now up to part 4 of this five-part series entitled: Linux Commands frequently used by Linux Sysadmins. By the end of this series, we will cover at least 50 commands. Thus far, we have touched on around 60 commands often used by Linux Sysadmins and power users. Refer also to part 1, part […]
Linux Commands frequently used by Linux Sysadmins – Part 3
Last week and the week before, I published part 1 and part 2 of this five-part series entitled: Linux Commands frequently used by Linux Sysadmins. Those two articles took us a bit deeper into what I believe are around 50 to 100 commands often used by Linux Sysadmins and power users. Also, see Part 4 and Part 5. […]
Linux Commands frequently used by Linux Sysadmins – Part 2
Last week, I published part 1 of this five-part series entitled: Linux Commands frequently used by Linux Sysadmins. That first article scratched the surface of what I believe are 50 to 100 commands used often by Linux Sysadmins and power users. Also, see Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5. Let’s jump into another set of commands and command-line […]
How to Enable Unattended Upgrades on Ubuntu/Debian
Linux server security is of critical importance to sysadmins. One central part of keeping Linux servers secure is by installing security updates promptly. Too often, there are compromised servers on the internet due to pending security updates waiting for a manual update. On both Ubuntu and Debian, the unattended-upgrades package can be configured to perform […]
Best Linux distro and Desktop Environment Combinations
Are you searching for the best Linux distro (distribution) and DE (Desktop Environment) combination? What better way to increase your familiarity with Linux servers than running Linux on your laptop or workstation? As mentioned previously, there’s the best Linux Distro for me and the best Linux Distro for you. What you choose today will often change […]
Pinebook Pro – My First Impressions and Setup Tips
The Pinebook Pro is a 14″ laptop built for developers and Linux end-users. It weighs less than 3lbs, which, in my case, replaces a two times heavier laptop. (See my work-laptop history). I’ve not been this excited about receiving a piece of Linux hardware since the Raspberry Pi launch. This very blog post is composed […]
Replacing getty with ngetty on Debian
This article was originally posted back in October 2013. As such, I’ve updated it, since the current Debian release, Debian 9, no longer uses init, but instead uses systemd. Systemd is a system and service manager for Linux. It is the default init system for Debian since Debian 8 (Jessie). ngetty or mingetty may be useful for […]
Temporary change #ArchLinux to #Debian
Update Jan 15th 2015: I’m back on Arch Linux. Debian was great, but Arch is better, for now. Between the front page news, Arch Wiki and the official forum, nothing is impossible to solve or find an existing solution to. I use Terminator (terminal windows can be split as many times as needed) for ssh access to servers […]