Ebrius Disputatio

I have been known to run several websites simultaneously sometimes on a single server and pulling it off, using Nginx as the webserver. I've always preferred Nginx over Apache, since my perception is that Nginx is lighter by comparison, using fewer resources and memory. So it was a real disappointment, when I installed, a certain web, content management system, alongside my other server platforms, but it just wouldn't play nice with Nginx for some odd reason, no matter which PHP version I tried.

However, it would work fine, once I shut Nginx off and started Apache. Which was encouraging, since, I did get it working and running, but it meant that my five other websites, had to be shut down, albeit temporarily, so that this one could run. I knew that I could use Apache with the vhost, virtual hosts, configuration, but even though I knew this possibility existed, I wasn't familiar enough with Apache, to set it up and I had no friends who knew how to do it either. I asked around but nobody was especially helpful, therefore, I used my favorite search engines for information, to learn and understand.

As stated earlier, at least I hope I stated it earlier, I was more comfortable using Nginx and configuring it. I kept wondering how daunting a task shifting from Nginx to Apache would be especially running all my web applications simultaneously. It took a few weeks of failure, until I finally got the hang of it and I eventually got all six websites, running harmoniously. I had to do some extra configuration, to tune Apache, but knock on wood, it's running smoothly. Indeed, it seems almost, if not, exactly, as perky as Nginx was, really, so I'm very grateful for the experience and the knowledge. It's always a little scary, learning to do new things, however, when they work as desired, it's always a wholesome, learning, experience.

View image of Linksys Wrt54G here.

That was the first router I had ever flashed, Op3nWrt to. I remember how small the image had to be because the WRT54G had limitations. Op3nWRT, at the time, if I remember correctly, would name their versions after alcoholic cocktails. While many people were using DD-WRT and Tomato, I always loved the way Op3nWRT just ran as a regular Linux distro would.

Today there are many more routers and devices that can be used as routers, for which Op3nWRT, may be installed, including X86 type boxes and single board computers. Even though some single board computers have only one ethernet port, that's not necessary a drawback, since with the right switches and some experimentation, one could achieve speeds up to 990 MB/s using a Raspberry Pi 4B. I'm not sure what the specs of the new Raspberry Pi 5 are, as of yet, but the picture is clear. Also, there are some new species of SBC's which have dual ethernet ports but I haven't experimented with them all as of yet.

Here is an image of one of my Pi-routers, running neofetch. While neofetch isn't in the package repo of Op3nWRT, it's a bash script so it'll run on anything with a Bash interpreter. Oh, and this router has 8GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. I think some people will cry, overkill. What's in your Router?

View neofetch image here.

I hope I don't jinx anything, I am a tad bit, superstitious. However, those of you who have ever followed me, or read my first PinePhone entry, may probably want to know how things have turned out, over these last three years.

As far as the PinePhone is concerned, the manufacturers have created, a relatively new, improved, slightly costier, phone, dubbed the PinePhone Pro. I still haven't gotten one of those yet, but I hear good things about them. I like my original and while it wasn't initially perfect like my Iphone or any of my Android devices, it did give me, a linux computer, that I could take around in my pocket, complete with a screen. Anyway, that's all in the past. Ever since I decided to stick with the Arch Linux Build, operating system, which, as long as one pays attention, during the updates, works great, as a stable, daily driver. At least it does for me now. There were a few hiccups, even about a year ago, however, for the most part, these days, the phone works just like my iPhone does, as far as texting and calls go, which is all I really require from a phone, anyway. Web browsing and stuff like that works great too.

I keep backups of my working kernels just in case though, since sometimes upgrades may break things on the PinePhone but not on the PinePhone Pro, so much. For instance, on the last major upgrade when my 6.5.7-1 kernel was upgraded to the latest, 6.6.6, I lost my networking functions, which included, ethernet, WiFi, and cellular. Luckily, I had saved my previous kernel and just downgraded back to it and that set everything right. I'm still not sure what or why things were broken, but that's what I mean, when I say, one has to pay attention, when doing upgrades. Anyway, as far as I'm concerned, I don't always need the latest greatest kernel anyway. I just want my phone working so I can keep getting calls and text messages. When the next latest, greatest kernel shows up, I'll upgrade again and if it works, fine, if not I'll revert until things become even.

So that's my latest update on my adventures with the PinePhone, it's not a rugged piece of technology so I'm always being careful how I handle it. However, for the price I paid for it, $199, three years ago, that's to be expected, I think. I had initially bought the hard case and protective glass for it and they worked fine until they broke so, I've found some substitutes, from the Apple Iphone brand, no less. I've gotten new protective glass and a protective case using the same kit for the Iphone 13 Pro Max and if I'm not mistaken the protective glass for the Iphone 11 Pro Max, if that phone is still a thing, works for that purpose too.

I'm planning on getting some more accessories for the phone and a few more goodies for the Pine Store, I think that I'll just wait and make a significant purchase and then the shipping and handling, will be worth it. I hope this article was found useful and all things being equal, the development of the PinePhone, by a far flung group of hackers, have come a long way and seem to be bearing fruit. Take care of yourselves, happy, productive, hacking and never stop learning. Oh, also, if there are any comments, they can be geared to techriot@hub.netzgemeinde.eu, for starters.

It's quite an odd name for a DDOS, however, I'll allow it. I've been hit a few times, however, I never realized that whenever my servers failed to show up to work, with the 502 & 504 errors, that I was under attack. Whomever it is, obviously has something to prove, about what and to whom, I have no idea. He, or she, is quite the little idiot though, since I don't care if anyone else, do see or read my content, since they're only for my benefit anyhow and I can still access most of them with or without him or her, bogging down Nginx. The fact that other people took note of my efforts, was just a bonus point.

The first point of attack, occurred to my Streams server, which I hardly found any use for anyway, but before I tore it apart, I did back it and the database up, just in case I ever had the need to set it up again. I always thought, that the Hubzilla and Streams project, were wholesome projects, until I started getting to know the elitist scum, that favored using them and developing for it. I used to actually like those clowns, until many of them took offense, because my domain name, initially, was natehiggers.online. Fuck them, if they couldn't take a joke. I had planned on a more respectable domain name, however, after the reception I got from them and from others, I doubled down and renewed it, to natehiggers.org. I wouldn't be surprised if all my DDOS attacks, were coming from that part of town. No worries, whereas other people are prevented from viewing my content, I can, which was the point and furthermore, I am still shit posting on other instances, at will. So, I'm not sure what their plan is.

I do love learning new things, especially in regard to how we use computers, including, computer networks and these attacks on my servers, have me thinking that, this is a good opportunity, to learn how things are done. Therefore, I see this as a learning opportunity and I don't plan on surrendering anytime soon. I must say, that our little script kiddie and his/her pals, have been winning all the rounds thus far, but I think there is much I can learn, to set things aright and perhaps, even hand out a few cold dishes in return. These are strange times and one never can be too complacent. I oftentimes wonder, what does, indeed, motivate some people and why they act in the manners which they do. Indeed, all one can do is speculate on the matter. The fact of the matter is, there doesn't seem to be any quick fixes, if any, to combat DDOS attacks currently, so I guess that I'll just have to rely on some lucky bolts of lightning and perhaps a few more acts of god, before things start going in my favor. I do have my Gemini server, however, I'm waiting to see if the shit bird, script kiddies, eventually throw wrenches there as well. We'll just have to see what happens.

Anyway, for now, I think I'll get some sleep. I've been battling the bots in vain and it seems that they'll be winning the battles for now, until I learn the landscape. I won't be backing down just because there are people out there, who think that they can shutdown views, opinions, speech and thoughts, which they find offensive. I've not, at any point growing up, ever succumb to bullies and I'm no stranger to adversity. All that will happen is that, I'll continue to get smarter, stronger, tougher and in my book, that's a good thing. Because, in the end, a man is not much, if he doesn't keep on, improving himself and never stop learning lessons. So for that, I am grateful.

I'm pretty sure that I'm perhaps, the only one who reads my entries in this journal, however, if by chance, there are some others, well welcome and a brand new happy new year to you all. As is often the case, each new year adds another year to one's life, causing one to age just a little more, becoming older and eventually just, plain old, old.

When one contemplates that particular fact, one cannot but think, about the many times, one has heard the phrase, about being lucky enough to reach an alleged, ripe old age. However, is it really so lucky, to grow old? Oftentimes, getting to old age means, going through pains, inflammation, cognitive dissonance, just to name a few and oftentimes, one is too set in ones ways, to even attempt to make life enhancing changes that may even prolong life. Then again, perhaps, that's the whole point, in the mind of one who is getting on in age, those people, probably think, like I do, that indeed, life is all vanity and eventually, everything that one works so hard to accumulate, will be lost in time, either to end up with strangers, landfills or in some sense, die themselves.

However, even knowing all of this, even with the realization, that everything, in the end, is all for nought, many people, despite the encroaching, eventual depreciation of their flesh and mind, seem for whatever reasons, to keep pushing forward, in an ever fervent manner, on self improvement. What keeps them driving on? Are they just stubbornly trying to maintain relevance or is it something more tangible, unseen, which sustains their drive? Indeed, no matter the fervor, life as we pettily know it, will go out quickly enough, like a candle in a windy storm.

Why else is, his name Taylor?

Happy, Boston Tea Party Day.

I've reached the point, where I think that the union, has served its purpose. I do not care if we remain contiguous, or not. I just prefer freedom and prefer its outline, within the framework, of the United States Constitution.

I wouldn't miss New England, California, New York or the whole East Coast for that matter, just so long as my state and perhaps, a few of the neighboring ones, or not, decide to continue with our own local agreements. I'm through with Washington DC and their centralization. They don't obey the law of the land, therefore, I see no reason why they should be treated, as being legitimate.

It would be nice if we could keep our republic together, however, I doubt, very much, that, that can ever be a valid option. The deep state never considers, the unintended consequences of their actions and I'm confident that their missteps, will force us into the freedom which they themselves have always, feared the most.

I used the tutorial below, at my own risk and with the exceptions of a few files missing from places, which I copied over, this unofficial upgrade, was a resounding success. I must say, that I did take precautions, however, to ensure that I didn't cock everything up. Indeed, I made a complete backup of my /home directory and /etc. Then I proceeded, fingers crossed, on my main Raspberry Pi, inst)allation, fingers crossed and palms sweaty.

However, before I plunged deep into the cold deep end, I at first, used a spare Raspberry Pi 4, and installed a fresh, clean install on a sd-card. Once that installation was confirmed as a success, I then proceeded to do the unofficial upgrade described further, below. As I said, the author knew his stuff, however, there were a few scripts and files that needed to be transferred over, from the clean install to make the unofficial upgrade, seem, seamless. I somehow, neglected to take any detailed notes, however one file that must be transferred is, wayfire-pi which is a bash script, located in /usr/bin/. There were a few other files that must be also, but my notes were sparse and sporadic and I apologize for that. I must do better in the future.

Getting Wayland up and running on the unofficial upgrade, did provide all the clues of which files were missing and so it was easy enough to copy those to their respective directories. I wasn't until just recently, familiar with Wayland so I was initially clueless. Anyway, it's all coming together and the system is running fine and I'm really becoming a fan of Wayland too. Here, I'm enclosing a screenshot, taken under Wayland as an illustration. I think that, I'll also use this post in one or two of my blogs, since I have been negligent there also. Thanks for reading.

How to Upgrade Raspberry Pi OS from Bullseye to Bookworm