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Wednesday, February 1, 2012

10 Things to do After Installing WordPress

http://www.problogdesign.com/wordpress/10-things-to-do-after-installing-wordpress/

| Pro Blog Design

The WordPress 5-minute install is great, nothing complicated about getting your blog up and running (most of the time). But once you install WordPress there are a number of other steps that you need to take in order to get the most from your blog.

Use the following as a to-do checklist for your future installations and you'll keep yourself right.

1. Change the Admin Password and Manage Your Authors

WordPress gives you some random concoction of a password that you're *never* going to remember so the first thing you need to do is change this to something memorable.

Manage your user settings via the Users panel, and you can add any additional blog authors here.

2. Edit Permalinks

By default your articles' urls will look something like www.leemunroe.com/?p=396. This url structure is poor for SEO and poor for usability (makes no sense to your users).

By changing your url structure to something like www.leemunroe.com/25-hot-female-web-designers you can include the post's keywords in the url and it makes more sense to your users.

Go to Settings > Permalinks
Under 'Common settings' choose 'Custom Structure'
Enter %postname%/ in the field
Or if you prefer to have the category in the url as well, enter %category%/%postname%/

3. Upload Your Theme and Activate It

Download a theme or design your own
Unzip and upload it to wp-content > themes
Activate it via Appearance > Themes (then just click on your theme)

4. Add Your Categories and Change the Default

When you install WordPress the default category is 'Uncategorized' and this just looks ugly. Assume at some point you're going to post an article and forget to select a category – what would you want that post to come under by default? I tend to use News or something general like that.

Go to Posts > Categories
Click on 'Uncategorized' to edit it – change it to 'News' or similar
Add your other blog categories

5. Activate Akismet

Akismet is a plugin that blocks comment spam and if your blog allows comments then trust me, you're going to get spammed.

Fortunately Akismet comes with WordPress, you just need to activate it.

Go to the Plugins page in the admin area and activate Akismet
To complete Akismet activation, WordPress requires an API key. You can get this by registering onWordPress.com then viewing your profile.
Now go to Plugins > Akismet Configuration, and paste in your key.

6. Install Google XML Sitemaps

Google XML Sitemaps generates a compliant XML-Sitemap for your site, allowing the major search engines (Google, Yahoo, Ask, MSN) to easily index your site. Every time you edit or add a post, the sitemap will modify itself.

Click here for Google XML Sitemaps plugin.

Now go to Google Webmaster Central and log in with your Google Account. On the first page, there will be a link to "Verify" your site. Follow the instructions there.

Once that's done, you can then click the "Add Sitemap" link from the first page and put in the URL to your sitemap, which will be http://www.yoursite.com/sitemap.xml

7. Install WordPress Database Backup

Always good to have a backup in place. Things may go wrong with your server, or you could even make a mistake yourself.

WordPress Database Backup will backup your WordPress blog, and you can even set it so it will email you a backup on a weekly basis, so you don't have to do anything yourself but activate it.

Click here for WordPress Database Backup plugin, or read a complete guide to automatic backups on Pro Blog Design.

8. Test Your Blog With Dummy Content

You'll not know what your blog will truly look like until you have thoroughly tested it with multiple posts and all types of formatting applied.

Save yourself some time by using this sample post collection from WP Candy.

Import the sample post collection (Tools > Import > WordPress) and your blog will compile with sample posts including comments, parent/child categories and formatting, allowing you to thoroughly test it and make any theme alterations.

9. Add your RSS feed to Feedburner

First edit your RSS settings. Settings > Reading and you can edit how many posts you want to show in your RSS feed and whether they should show the full post or not.

Now you want to burn your feed with Feedburner. Feedburner will provide you with stats on your feeds and automatically ping services so your new content is updated immediately along with a whole host of other services.

Once you have signed up to Feedburner, change your feed subscription link in your theme. Place the following code between the head tags.

1	<link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="Feed Title" href="YOUR FEEDBURNER URL" />

10. Activate your Analytics

Keep track of your users and traffic. I recommend Google Analytics. Other good analytic services available include Mint and StatCounter.

Optional

Here's a few optional to-dos. Not as major as the above but you still might need to check them.

Change your Media image sizes

Change your image sizes depending on the size of your content area.

Settings > Media

Change your blog tagline

Your tagline may or may not be included in your theme but it's most likely included in your RSS feed.

Settings > General

What else?

Is there anything else you do after a fresh WordPress install? Please share.

OpenShot Video Editor

http://www.ubuntugeek.com/openshot-1-4-1-released-and-ubuntu-ppa-installation-instructions-included.html

OpenShot Video Editor is a free, open-source video editor for Linux. OpenShot can take your videos, photos, and music files and help you create the film you have always dreamed of. Easily add sub-titles, transitions, and effects, and then export your film to DVD, YouTube, Vimeo, Xbox 360, and many other common formats. Check out the full feature list, view screenshots, or watch videos of OpenShot in action!

What is new in OpenShot 1.4.1

Highlights include:

* New 3D animation (wireframe text)
* New Titles (gold)
* New Effects (fish eye)
* New Animation Presets
* Support for Blender 2.6.X
* Localization fixes (seg faults, audio volume, rotation effect)
* UI bugs (disappearing icons using some GTK themes)
* Improved Help Manual
* Improved Title UI (interactive font list)

Install OpenShot 1.4.1 in ubuntu

Open the terminal and run the following commands

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:openshot.developers/ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install openshot frei0r-plugins

If you want to use 3d titles you have to install blender using the following command

sudo apt-get install blender

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Kazam Screencaster 1.0 Released

http://www.webupd8.org/2012/01/kazam-screencaster-10-released.html

~ Web Upd8: Ubuntu / Linux blog

Kazam Screencaster 1.0, a cool screencasting application for Linux, has been released today.

The Kazam Screencaster development has stopped a while back, but luckily a new developer has taken over the project and Kazam is updated frequently again. With the new 1.0 version, Kazam is finally GTK3 ready, but that's not all. Here are the changes since the previous Kazam version we wrote about (a long time ago, I know):

It's finally possible to record arbitrary screen regions
Support for two audio channels, with volume settings
Output can be saved in WebM or Matroska
Uses gstreamer instead of ffmpeg
Countdown timer is now customizable
Countdown window has now variable width
Adjustable framerate
Ability to turn off recording of mouse cursor
Audio device selection is now done directly from PulseAudio. To record application sounds instead of microphone input you will have to select one of the monitor devices.

Even though it uses an Ubuntu AppIndicator, Kazam works in other desktop environments too, like GNOME Shell for instance (GNOME Shell has a built-in recording tool which works great, but it doesn't let you select an arbitrary screen region), where it falls back to a regular tray icon.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

10 Apache Security and Hardening Tips

http://www.kyplex.com/docs/apache-security.html

| Kyplex cloud security

The Apache web server is a crucial part of the website infrastructure. It has a number of built in features that can improve your website resistance to attacks. The following document covers a number of steps that will help you to achieve this goal. This document is largely based on the knowledge gathered by our security team and by statistics information revealed by our security scanner.

Tip No. 1: Disable Apache Signature and/or Apache Banner

Apache Signature or Apache Banner is basically the same thing. It is an application name together with version name that is printed when performing a web request. Nobody actually needs this information at all, but it is enabled by default. You need to alter the Apache configuration file to disable it.

In Ubuntu, you need to change the following file: /etc/apache2/apache2.conf

Double check that ServerSignature and ServerTokens configuration settings are not enabled in some other parts of the configuration file.

Tip No. 2: The Trace HTTP Request

HTTP TRACE request is used to echo back all received information. It can be tricked to print HTTP cookies and as a result steal HTTP session. Basically this request can be used as part of the Cross Site Scripting attack, or XSS. It is recommended to disable it as a security precaution.

Add the following to the web-server's configuration file. For example alter the following file in Ubuntu: /etc/apache2/apache2.conf .

Tip 3: Remove PHP scripts that print debug info using phpinfo()

The built-in PHP function phpinfo() prints a lot of interesting internal information about the PHP environment. It can include list of which PHP modules are enabled, and the location of various files on the web-server and other sensitive information. Our web security scanner finds a lot of such files. It is recommended to remove these test files from a production website.

Here is a tip hpw to find such files. Look for the files with the following name: test.php,info.php, i.php and phpinfo.php in your website directory and remove them.

Tip 4: Disable directory indexing

Directory indexing is a features found in every web-server by default. When directory indexing is enabled, the web-site prints a list of files found in the website directories when the default page does not exists (for example index.php). Directories reported can be viewed by any visitor. It is vulnerable in the sense that these directories can contain configuration, private and backup files which can be used by the attackers to take your server under control.

You can fix this problem by disabling the Apache autoindex module. In some Apache installations it is called mod_autoindex.so. In Ubuntu, you just need to remove the following files:

So you can do it running the following commands:

Tip 5: Disable WebDAV

WebDAV is a file access protocol created over HTTP protocol. It allows you to upload and download files, and change file contents from the website. This service is required only in very rare cases. From our experience, this feature was only required to run SVN server (link). Make sure that WebDAV is disabled in production websites. When WebDAV is enabled, the following commands are supported by Apache: OPTIONS, PROPFIND, etc. These commands are sensitive from computer security point of view.

You can fix this problem by disabling Apache dav, dav_fs and dav_lock modules. In Ubuntu you just need to remove the following files:

So you can do it running the following commands:

Tip 6: Create a chroot'ed Apache environment

Chroot is a kind of virtual environment supported operating systems such as Linux and FreeBSD. When an application is executed in chrooted environment it has no access to the parent disk and to other recources.

This is a good solution if you want to protect your website from malicious users. The action steps required to create chroot Apache was already covered in a number of websites. For example: http://www.linux.com/archive/feed/36331

The main hidden issue with chrooted environment is that this environment protects the websites from accessing the operating system's files. It does not protect one site from another. In other words, if a malicious script located in one site it can access files located on other site because they are located on the same chrooted environment.

A solution to this problem is the following. Create a number of apache instances, each one hosting one website running each one if different chrooted directory. These apache instances will not be able to share IP addresses. You will have to configure different IP for each Apache instance you run.

Tip 7: Enable PHP basedir

PHP has built in a kind of chroot environment. It is called "basedir". You can configure PHP scripts to access files only in specific directory similar to chroot. Basically you can configure each site to access only files located in that site directory which is a very good idea from the security point of view.

You can add the following lines to the website configuration file or to .htaccess file to enable PHP basedir:

This will specify that your PHP scripts can access only specified directories.

Tip 8: Web Stats

Some webmasters install open source tools on their website that analyze web requests and create statistical reports. Access to these webstat scrips is almost never secured with a password. So any visitor can basically view such reports. For example some webmasters install in in the /stats directory accessible by http://www.my-site.com/stats .

Statistical reports contain a lot of sensitive information. For example it can contain hidden file names and directory names, full web requests, search engine keywords, etc... All this information can be used by the malicious users and/or your competitors.

Instead of running a statistics script on your website we recommend that you use Google Analytics. It is a free-of-charge and quality service.

Tip 9: Use Google

Most of the webmasters use common web scripts and CMS or blog software. We recommend you to frequently search for security updates using Google and register for security news at your blog/CMS website.

Tip 10: Additional Steps

If your webserver runs together with MySQL server it brings additional potential security problem. MySQL can read any files located on you server including the one located in different chrooted environments. It happens because of the FILE permission. By default only MySQL root has it. For more info about MySQL security take a look at this article ( link to GreenSQL) .

Install a Database Firewall

Download GreenSQL Express which is a free version of the GreenSQL database firewall.

Install a Web Firewall

Mod_security is a good open source product.

Additional links

Free Tools to Edit Product Shots for Your Online Store

http://www.ecommerce-guide.com//article.php/3939786

— eCommerce-Guide.com

By Vangie Beal

January 25, 2012

If you own an online store, it's a good practice to ensure you offer shoppers clear and professional-lookingproduct images. The images you use in your store will rouse consumer interest in your products. A plain or poor-quality digital photo of the item you sell is just not enough to inspire a purchase.
Online store owners and eBay sellers working with a limited budget can skip the cost of purchasing commercial image editing software and use free Web-based or open source tools to perk up product shots.

5 Free Image Tools for Online Store Owners

There are a number of basic functions that you will want to use to fix up product shots, so even if the editor is free, save time by making sure the basic options are available. Look for crop, rotate and brushes. And be sure it includes a text editor in case you need to add a copyright tag or caption directly on to the image. Remember that using too many special image effects will make your product shot look fake, so stick with the tools that enhance the natural look of the product in your online store.
Here are five free image editors to get you started.

1. GIMP: The GNU Image Manipulation Program

GIMP is one of the most well-known an open source image editors. It comes complete with layering, brushes, lighting and more features that let you add a cutting-edge look to your images. Online store owners will want to work with some of the tools for rotation, cropping and text.
If you need help using GIMP, a simple Google search will yield a number of articles on how to effectively use some of the tools in the program. More advanced users can download additional scripts and brushes.

Main features: .gif animation capabilities, brushes, layering with blend modes, filtering and color effects, transformation tools, a text editor and photo creation capabilities.
Cost: GIMP is open source software (so it's free) and available for Windows, Mac, Linux and UNIX systems.

2. Pixlr: Web-Based Image Editing with Drop-Down Menus

Pixlr is a Web-based image editing program that can help online store owners make images and product shots look snazzy and appealing to your site viewers and customers. The image editor features movable (and scalable) windows for editing, drop-down menus to use effects, filters, brushes and other image editing tools. Pixlr offers an easy-to-use text editor, so you can add slogans and catchy phrases to your images and Web advertisements.
Since Pixlr is a Web-based image editing tool, you don't have to download or install anything. You simply load it into your Web browser.

Main features: easy drop-down menus, filters and effects, brushes, transformations, text editor and no downloading because it's Web-based.
Cost: Pixlr is free -- no credit cards, accounts, or trials. It's available on all operating systems with an up-to-date Web browser. It also works with Android and Apple iOS devices.

3. Splashup: Free Web Editing with Social Sharing

Splashup is another Web-based image editor that can be used in conjunction with popular photo sharing services like Facebook and Flickr. This social integration allows Web shop owners to access photos directly and not have to download them to a hard drive, edit, then upload them.
Splashup offers a number of features including layers with blending modes and numerous effects and filters to spice-up your product shots and other business images.

Main Features: integrated photo sharing, layering with blend modes, filters and effects, text editor, edit photos directly off of a webcam, and it's Web-based.
Cost: Splashup is completely free, and requires no credit cards or accounts; you just open the Web page and edit your photos. It works on any operating system with an up-to-date Web browser.

4. Picasa: Organize, Store and Edit Images

Picasa is a free program offered by Google that lets you host, organize and edit all images on your computer. It's pretty simple: after you install Picasa, it searches for all images on your hard drives. Once it has indexed them, it stores them in a library for easy access. Features include basic image fixes, such as color and contrast, and you can crop, rotate and add text. There are several effects and filters you can use to turn plain images in to showcase quality.
Picasa is a basic program, but it's user-friendly and meets the needs of most online store owners who need to liven up a few product images.

Main Features: create a photo library to index your images, includes all basic editing tools, filters and effects and a text editor.
Cost: Picasa is completely free to download and use. It works on Windows, Mac and Linux systems.

5. Fotoflexer: A Web-Based Tool with a Simple Interface

Fotoflexer is another Web-based image editor that offers a decent number of features and a simple interface that makes editing images a painless task. Fotoflexer integrates with images and photos on a number of popular social sites including Facebook, MySpace, Flickr and Photobucket. The Web tool offers most of the basic image editing tools such as crop, resize, rotate and text editing. Online store owners can also add image effects and filters to give product shots a unique look.

Main Features: integrated photo sharing, all basic photo editing tools, text editor, effects and filters, and it's Web-based.
Cost: Fotoflexer is completely free, and works with any operating system with an up-to-date browser, since it is Web-based.

More Online Store Product Page Tips

Looking to get a better handle on improving your online store? Try these tips and guides for small business ecommerce sites:

Based in Nova Scotia, Canada, Vangie Beal has spent the last decade contributing featured articles and reviews to more than 20 technology-focused publications, including Webopedia and Ecommerce-Guide. You can tweet with her online @AuroraGG

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Ramhost上建立OpenVPN

http://jolestar.com/move-blog-to-ramhost

| 午夜咖啡

Ramhost上只能搭建openvpn

(搭建教程在此:https://forum.ramhost.us/bbs/viewtopic.php?id=4)。

Android默认不支持openvpn,于是又在手机上折腾openvpn。需要有root权限，

先安装 BusyBox(有的改造版的ROM里会带着) ,
再安装OpenVPN Installer，OpenVPN Settings。
将openvpn client 的配置文件，证书以及key拷贝到手机的/sdcard/openvpn/文件夹里,运行OpenVPN Settings进行设置就可以了。

(详细安装教程在此http://vpnblog.info/android-openvpn-strongvpn.html).

需要注意的是要启用Open VPN Settings的 Fix DNS功能，否则被功夫网dns污染的网站(如 twitter,youtube)也是无法访问的。

linux下使用Openvpen很简单，将openvpn的client配置文件在NetworkManager中import一下就行了。
windows下openvpn配置说明在此(https://forum.ramhost.us/bbs/viewtopic.php?id=165)