InfinityLimited » web

Using Squid as a centralised Proxy

Jake — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 13:57:28 +0000

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

The 2o7 cookie.

Jake — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 14:07:57 +0000

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?

Spam Blogs Republish Your RSS Feeds? Use this to your Advantage

Jake — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 20:55:08 +0000

Here is a tip: When you find your blog is being re-broadcast via your RSS feed, embed links in it back to your site. This will clearly show the content has been hijacked, and might even drive more page views.

WPtouch: Mobile Theme for WordPress

Jake — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 15:48:57 +0000

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?

CSS is awesome

Jake — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 04:43:07 +0000

PicoCool – CSS is awesome – mug.

Same drivel, different host….

Jake — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 15:58:41 +0000

Have had a good run with Livejournal, but it’s time to move on.

In the processes of moving the http://www.infinitylimited.net site to a GoDaddy hosting solution. The cost of maintaining a full dedicated server was just too much, when considering what it is was being used for.

I gave up managing my own email server a while ago – just too much work to keep on top of the spam. And now Gmail is fast becoming my main mail online anyway. It has IMAP and aliases, which means I can keep my @infinitylimited.net account, and others (like my @computer.org account, which I got through the IEEE computer society.)

I’ve managed to import all my livejournal posts into WordPress, but it wasn’t easy – even with all the scripts and so on out there ([1], [2], [3], [4]). I ended up having to edit both the LJ export scripts, and the WP import scripts, which included having to go through that particular kind of pain which is CPAN on cygwin. The pain was worth it though. When I get settled on the new server I’ll post relevant code.

Now all that’s left is to select a gallery program and migrate the photos without breaking any the 150 or so links….