Easy ssh

Another note-to-self post. This time how to set up ssh in order to connect easily to many computers.

Instead of doing:

[user@localhost ~]$: ssh remotename@remote.subdomain.domain.tld
remotename@remote.subdomain.domain.tld's password: ************
[remoteusername@remote ~]$:

We can do just:

[user@localhost ~]$: ssh remote
[remoteusername@remote ~]$:

And still have all the security provided by ssh. This is how:

First, create an asymmetric key pair.

[user@localhost ~]$: ssh-keygen -b 4096

That's right, 4096 bit key. Just because we can. The we create a configuration file for the destination server (the one we want to log to):

[user@localhost ~]$: $EDITOR ~/.ssh/config
Host SHORT_NAME_FOR_REMOTE_HOST*
User USERNAME_ON_REMOTE_HOST
Hostname FULL_NAME_OF_REMOTE_HOST.DOMAIN.TLD

Then we copy the public portion of the key to the remote host.

[user@localhost ~]$: scp ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub SHORT_NAME:~/.ssh/authorized_keys

Of course, if the file already exists on the remote host we should copy our file to a temporal place, then log in the host and append it to the original with 'cat tempfile >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys'.

Last step: log in without effort!

Ok, seriously?

Something must be wrong: karma, a disturbance in the force, the economic crisis or something similar. There really is no distribution out there that would be easy and work out of the box without giving headaches?

Someone could say: Ubuntu! Is great! I love it! Ok, let's give it a try.

Download iso, start a VM, install, configure, reboot, update...


Wait... what? Well, at least it gives a solution. They COULD HAVE said that you need to run it as f*ckin' admin (it's for 'human beings", remember?), but let's add the 'sudo' for free. And...



O, rly? How am I supposed to recommend Ubuntu to my non-technical friends? Is this their concept of "user-friendly"?

Thanks for watching.

UPDATE:
Ok, I deleted the mentioned file in cache and updated again. It seemed to work. I installed Yakuake and virtualbox-guest-modules, rebooted, and...



No comments.

Plane Prank

This is a nice "how to" if you want to scare the crap out of that annoying person sitting next to you on a plane.

1. Take your laptop out of the bag

2. Open it veeery slowly

3. Turn it on

4. Make sure the person is looking at your screen

5. Start your favourite browser

6. Close your eyes and turn your head up

7. Take a deep breath and open this website:

www.thecleverest.com/countdown.swf

8. Look at the person's face.

I would add:
6.5: start mumbling something that sounds arabic.
9: LOL :D
10 (if you are flying to/in the states): get arrested by the TSA ;)


Source

Note to self: why I use Arch.

Long time no see! It's been a long time since I posted last time. Facebook and twitter usually are enough for the occasional rant, but this deserved a special mention.

So, I leave this here in case at some point in the future I doubt why, oh why, I use Arch when it takes so long to install. When you need to use the console for stuff. This is the reason:



Steps to reproduce: Install Fedora. Click System. Click Administration. Click Software update.

Well, it's just a bug, I should update... oh wait!

Thanks for watching.