To make a web site icon file that shows up in the URL bar in a browser, usually 16×16 pixels in size named favicon.ico, all you need is ImageMagick’s convert.

Proxies are the devil. If you pick a random software application and try to do anything network related behind a proxy, it’s a coin toss as to whether the developer gave proxy support a second thought. In the case of git, it didn’t work right out of the box for me. But it didn’t take more than a minute to figure out a working solution either.

Here’s a short step-by-step how to unpack files to any custom location you wish. If you used this for some automated purpose, you could easily create and destroy the temporary structures on the fly by looking at the tarball contents first.

There are quite a few online companies that offer to monitor your website and alert you when it becomes inaccessible from different places around the globe. They send you email and SMS messages along with reporting features. And there are a few good ones that offer this service in a limited function for free.

First off, the long twisty path you create doesn’t have to start out by turning 90 degrees, zigzagging back and forth as tightly as possible. In this case you’re taking advantage of the fact that even the cheapest turrets will hit planes while still allowing you to wind a path back and forth later. Guns are so cheap, just think of it as the zerg rush of tower defense.

If your host system uses Time Stamp Counter and Virtual Machine guests use kvm-clock, then you should not use ntp on the guest. But what if you sync the physical host to a good Internet time source and just sync the virtualized guest to itself?

There are many reasons why forcing people to play their games through services like steam is wrong. But let’s save that for another day and get you playing The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim without connecting to steam.

Many sites are blacked out today in support of banishing SOPA and ProtectIP. Here are some front page examples of sites participating in the protest

SOPA and PIPA would censor the web and harm American businesses. Senate voting begins Jan 24th. Sign the petition urging Congress to vote no on SOPA and PIPA.

I love a good rant, especially when it’s well justified. The carriers want to rip you off. When it comes to paying for tethering on top of your data plan, Mike Elgan hits the nail on the head telling you how it is.