Tom's Tips

If, like me, you've got a scrappy Linux host lying around to run a few websites you're probably interested in taking its security up a notch from the standard install. Assuming you're running the highly common apache2 and iptables, see the links below for some surprisingly straightforward configuration tweaks to improve the security of your webserver. Add HTTPS with Let's Encrypt If it's been a while since you've looked into certificates, you may be surprised to learn you can get them for free from Let's Encrypt. There are many guides around, but it is well and truly time to join the HTTPS-only movement: https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-secure-apache-with-let-s-encrypt-on-ubuntu-18-04 SSH Cipher gardening You're probably already using SSH keys, have disabled password login and are using denyhosts or failtoban. However, have you ever considered reducing the number of ciphers your server accepts to just the most secure? Te...

The release of Monster Hunter: World on PC has broken records. Powered by the unfamiliar MT Engine, Linux users were worried that they might miss out on the experience. Luckily, some got it working on day 1 (hat tip Vahron and all the users on the reddit thread). Here's a way to get it working :) Upgrade to Ubuntu 18.04 Bionic Beaver. The previous release, 17.10 Artful Aardvark didn't work for me. Install lutris . Lutris is a launcher for games on Linux. There are so many different wine versions and configuration options. Lutris manages them all for you and has installers with 'known good' configurations. Open lutris and install the 'Wine Steam' runner. (Lutris -> Manage Runners -> Wine Steam -> Install). This will let Lutris run games via a wine-installed version of steam Manage the wine version of lutris to install esync-3.13 . (Lutris-> Manage Runners -> Wine -> Manager versions -> Tick esync 3.13). This will make the latest high...

Skype for Business is the new name for Office 365 Lync. The Desktop Client does not work under Linux. Luckily, there's a pidgin plugin (pidgin-sipe) that works just fine for attending Skype for Business audio meetings. It involves a couple of advanced configuration tweaks. The guide below works find under 17.04 to set it up: https://garywoodfine.com/pidgin-office-365-lync/ There are also some notes on the desktop sharing client here: https://forums.mauilinux.org/showthread.php?tid=24347 Once setup, to join the meeting, copy the URL from the email invite and paste it in the box under Accounts > Your Account > Join Scheduled Conference.