Installing asf_tools (Alaska Satellite Facility Map Ready) on Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot

http://www.asf.alaska.edu/downloads/software_tools

I assume the build-essential package and other basic tools are installed.

apt-get install zlib1g-dev flex bison

Edit asf_tools/src/to_sr/Makefile and asf_tools/src/fill_holes/Makefile and changes the line similar to:
$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) -o to_sr $(OBJS) $(LIBS)
with this line
$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) -o to_sr $(OBJS) $(LIBS) -lm
(add -lm at the end)

then do a normal configure / make / make install installation

Mount SSH folder/directory in Ubuntu

sudo apt-get install sshfs
sshfs user@remote-server.example.com:/remote/path /local/path

Test Zabbix UserParameter

On local machine:
su -c "zabbix_agentd -t some_key" zabbix

On zabbix master:
zabbix_get -s slave.hostname.com -k some_key

Booting from a USB stick in VMware Player

http://theholyjava.wordpress.com/2010/06/10/booting-from-a-usb-stick-in-vmware-player/

Show or Display (some) Blu Ray drive capabilities in Ubuntu/Linux

1) Download and install Nero Linux 4 (trial available)
2) nerocmd --list-drives (lists drives .. see first and second columns for drive id)
3) nerocmd --drive=1,0 --info=drive (where drive ID here is 1,0)

Sample output:
Device name : MATSHITA BD-MLT UJ240AF
Device id : 0
Host adapter number: 1
Host adapter name : unknown
Firmware Revision : 1.00
Underrun protection: supported
Drive buffer size : 2048 bytes
Mandatory BUP speed: none
Device type : WORM

Writeable media : CD-R/RW, DVD R/RW, DVD DL, DVD-RAM, BD-R/RE, BD DL
CD write speeds : 8, 24
Base speed in KB/s : 150
Readable media : CD-R/RW, DVD R/RW, DVD DL, DVD-RAM, BD-R/RE, BD DL
CD read speeds : 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 24
Base speed in KB/s : 150

Capabilities:
- Can write in Disc-at-once
- Reads CD TEXT
- Writes variable pauses in Track-at-once
- Writes CD TEXT in Disc-at-once
- Has a buffer underrun protection feature
- Can write DVD+VR
- Supports Layer Jump for DVD-R DL
- Supports Overburn
- Can write in UltraRaw 96
Ok.

Things to do after Installing Linux Mint 12 Lisa

http://www.noobslab.com/2011/11/things-to-do-after-installing-linux.html

UNetbootin allows you to create bootable Live USB drives for Ubuntu, Fedora, and other Linux distributions without burning a CD.

http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/

Resume local file copy

curl -C - -O file:///path/to/file.txt

resumes copying file.txt to the current folder

How to reduce PDF file size from command line

gs -sDEVICE=pdfwrite -dCompatibilityLevel=1.4 -dPDFSETTINGS=/screen -dNOPAUSE -dQUIET -dBATCH -sOutputFile=output.pdf input.pdf

-dPDFSETTINGS=/screen (screen-view-only quality, 72 dpi images)
-dPDFSETTINGS=/ebook (low quality, 150 dpi images)
-dPDFSETTINGS=/printer (high quality, 300 dpi images)
-dPDFSETTINGS=/prepress (high quality, color preserving, 300 dpi imgs)
-dPDFSETTINGS=/default (almost identical to /screen)

Sources:
http://www.ubuntugeek.com/ubuntu-tiphowto-reduce-adobe-acrobat-file-size-from-command-line.html
http://milan.kupcevic.net/ghostscript-ps-pdf/