Notes from Linux Magazine - May 2009

• Graphics design book using FLOSS tools available from http://en.flossmanuals.net
• Hyperic HQ looks an interesting tool for enterprise monitoring.
• 'Beginning Portable Shell Scripting' from Apress looks like a good book.
• WebHTB is a tool to manage network bandwidth allocation, although it does seem to need kernel modules compiled in first.
• agedu is a handy tool for finding old files in a file system
• Here's a list of fuzzing tools:<
  • mangleme
  • browser fuzzer 2
  • fzem
  • fsfuzzer
  • FileP
  • ProxyFuzz
  • Peach Fuzzing Platform
  • GPF
  • SPIKE
  • QueFuzz
• Fsniper processes new and updated files for you
• Chandler is interesting again. Might be the way to put the calendar, email and contact lists for the family together. Might need to run a Chandler Hub.
• Security web sites to take a look at
  • InvisibleThings
  • Matasano
  • The Fake Name Generator
  • The Milw0rm exploit database
• Take a look at the digital subscription options at http://www.linux-magazine.com/DigiSub
• Linux Magazine is published from Manchester. Add that to the list of reasons for civic pride.

How did the man at the Termini Station in Rome con us by typing in a number into the ticket machine?

The wife and I recently went to Rome for our tenth wedding anniversary. As is typical of our travels without children, we didn't really leave enough time to get from the hotel to the airport to get back home. We were doing battle with the automated ticket machine at the Termini station when a man approached us and offered to help. Now the con-artist alarm bell should have been going off at this point, but we were really late and so we ignored it. He pressed the buttons and got the ticket that we wanted for the correct price. Only one thing was odd: as part of the booking process he typed some number into the automatic ticket machine. Neither the wife nor I were quick enough to see what the number was for. It was about 6-10 digits and he had memorized it. We can't see how we've been conned here but it must have happened. My wife thinks it was a loyalty card scheme. I'm not convinced. Anyone with any ideas please leave a comment?