Tag: web

Using Squid as a centralised Proxy

Many programs do not use the built in XP proxy configuration. Firefox, Dropbox, Google Translate Client to name a few.
Moving between networks is a pain, and I had previously tried to automate the task of changing the proxy settings, with mixed results.
Enter Squid.
This article explains how to configure it to connect to an parent proxy that requires authentication.
Make sure you change the http_port parameter to only bind to 127.0.0.1, unless you’re doing something sneaky with your iPad, which cannot use the parent proxy….

Update: A few more usefull tidbits:

  • Install Squid as a service with the -i command line option
  • Start and Stop with the net start|stop commands
  • You should modify the ACLs from those in the article linked above. Here are mine:

acl localhost src 127.0.0.1/255.255.255.255
acl all src 0.0.0.0/0.0.0.0
acl INTERNAL src 172.28.0.0/255.255.252.0
acl NAUGHTY_STUFF dstdom_regex →
-i "etc/domain_blacklist"

http_access deny NAUGHTY_STUFF

http_access allow manager localhost
http_access deny manager

http_access allow localhost
# http_access allow all
http_access deny all

Update: I’m not using this setup anymore, since there is now a forced policy forcing me to use the work proxy. Which is not going so well….

The 2o7 cookie.

I started blocking cookies, just for fun, and was amazed how many sites try to give me a 207.net cookie!

This article was interesting, but not as interesting as one of the comments from the author:

Plus, if you think the ads are selling products, you’re sadly mistaken. The ads are selling you to the companies that make the products. You are the product. I find that offensive.

He did go on a bit of a rant however, about his electricity bill, which kind of ruined it.  But I like the idea of realising that your anonymity is long-gone, and your browsing habits are a product, and someone if profiting from them.

Maybe someone in the ad industry would like to comment?

WPtouch: Mobile Theme for WordPress

Installed this: WPtouch: Mobile Plugin + Theme for WordPress from BraveNewCode.

Tried to test it with testiphone.com but they are not sending the right agent string. This site however is cool – it will create iPhone-y icons.  Heh – iPhoney… someone should register that….

So, tested with Firefox and the about:config trick described here.  Be sure to blank out any other *.useragent.* strings you find in their as well, which definitely voids all warranties.

Anyone with a real iPhone care to tell me how it looks?