At work I recently moved our hosting to a GoDaddy Linux Virtual Server utilizing Simple Control Panel/TurboPanel.  Everything worked fantastic with the exception of .htaccess/password protection for the Webalizer statistics located at /usage for each respective site.  GoDaddy support was clueless and couldn’t help.

I would place an .htaccess file in each site’s respective directory in /var/www/stats/sitename.com and it would still be accessible to the public.  The reason for this was that TurboPanel/Simple Control Panel was not placing the “AllowOverride All” option for the “usage” path in the /etc/httpd/conf.d/turbopanel.conf file. If you edit this file manually, TurboPanel will overwrite it next time you make a change to your configuration so that’s not a good solution.

After some Googling, I found an answer here which was slightly flawed, but saved me a ton of time figuring it out myself.  Utilizing the fix below you can permanently fix the TurboPanel configuration template to automatically add the “AllowOverride All” option when it generates the /etc/httpd/conf.d/turbopanel.conf file. This will enable the .htaccess file to work for /usage.

Using Nano/VI/Pico or any text editor (nano is used in my example):

nano /usr/share/turbopanel/webapp/WEB-INF/classes/     (continued on next line)
    com/godaddy/turbopanel/framework/systems/apache/apache-config.xsl

Find the following lines under "<!-- Webalizer -->":

<xsl:text>Allow from all</xsl:text>
<xsl:value-of select="$newline"/>
<xsl:value-of select="$tab"/>
<xsl:value-of select="$lbracket"/>
<xsl:text>/Directory</xsl:text>
<xsl:value-of select="$rbracket"/>
<xsl:value-of select="$newline"/>
<xsl:value-of select="$newline"/>
</xsl:when> 

Change the above to:

<xsl:text>Allow from all</xsl:text>
<xsl:value-of select="$newline"/>
<xsl:value-of select="$tab"/>
<xsl:value-of select="$tab"/>
<xsl:text>AllowOverride All</xsl:text>
<xsl:value-of select="$newline"/>
<xsl:value-of select="$tab"/>
<xsl:value-of select="$lbracket"/>
<xsl:text>/Directory</xsl:text>
<xsl:value-of select="$rbracket"/>
<xsl:value-of select="$newline"/>
<xsl:value-of select="$newline"/>
</xsl:when>

After editing, restart TurboPanel and Apache:

/etc/init.d/turbopanel restart
/sbin/service httpd restart 
 

For good measure, after you’ve completed the above, go into “Simple Control Panel” and edit one of your sites.  Make sure Webalizer/statistics are enabled and click save.

Now when you place an .htaccess file in one of your statistic folders it will actually work!  Hooray!

Leave a comment if this helped you or if you have anything to add.

A Shitty Poem for a Shitty Company:
Damn you to hell Symantec. 
I used to love you, but now I’m jilted. 
Your SAV had me going for years,
Reliable, a workhorse you were.
Now you are a beheamoth,
and your products suck ass.
Endpoint Security is a joke,
and so is your virus protection.
If I continue to be yours,
I will have a full head of gray.

About a year ago I migrated our firm to Symantec Endpoint Security (the first release, RTM) from SAV 10.  It has been nothing but a complete fiasco.  I’m pretty good at this stuff and had deployed many, many SAV systems previously.  When I initially installed SEP (initial release) I had high hopes.  These hopes were immediately dashed with countless problems that took weeks to get fully straightened out.  Although I “know” the product much better now and have less problems with it, I still hate it with a passion for the following reasons:

• beta-level software billed as “production” - buggy as hell
• bloated administration interface (good concept, terrible execution)
• anti-virus that DOESN’T WORK half the time (ask me about infections that WHIZZED right by SEP - like the CNN spam sourced Windows XP Antivirus virus/malware)
• constant maintenance releases/bug fixes.  99% of the time these upgrades cause major issues.. and there’s one every couple of months.  RTM-MR1-MR2-MR3–blah
• 50-80 minutes on hold to get to tech support
• recurring issues with LiveUpdate, random definition distrubition
• huge footprint, slows endpoints down considerably compared to SAV
• firewall is completely problematic - I don’t even use it
• 15 GB server disk footprint.  I have 50 workstations and a 10 GB SEP embedded management database - that’s 200 mb per workstation!  WTF?! 
• i could go on…

With that said, all our SEP products (including Symantec Mail Security which I have less of a problem with) will be expiring in March of 2009.  I’m probably moving to AVG.  Can’t say I’d recommend any of Symantec’s products, maybe with the exception of Backup Exec.

It’s 2:45, September 26th and I’m traveling North on the 405 near the Sunset Blvd. exit in my Porsche, doing my guaranteed-to-suck Friday commute home at a brisk 0-20 MPH in heavy traffic.  I’m in the #3 lane and there’s a newish Audi S8 in front of me, I’m a good car or two car distances from him.  All of a sudden I see this Audi shutter, but don’t think anything of it - god knows the 405 is littered with potholes.  Then I saw a lady in the passenger seat look behind the car at me and again I thought nothing of it.  This Audi then proceeded to start going very very slow, so I go to the #2 lane to pass him thinking “WTF is wrong with this guy?!”.  I’m blaring Metro Station in a total “commuting zone”.  I see that he’s pacing me on the right, so I look over and the dude in the Audi is making a hand gesture for me to pull over (again I’m like, “WTF?!”).  I turn down the music and hear him say, “you hit me, pull over.”  I replied, “I didn’t hit you!”  He then insists I hit him and tells me I need to pull over.  I proceed to exit at the Moraga exit following Sunset and pull into the gas station.  

My head was immediately clouded with negative thoughts like “how did I hit this guy and not even realize it?”, “how the fuck am I going to pay for this!” or the “I need to cut down on my drinking!”   We pull into the Chevron off the exit.  I grab my wallet and insurance info and proceed to exit my car and he is parked right behind me. I immediately go examine my front bumper for “damage”.  What do I find: nada, jack shit - I look at his bumper with him and find no damage, just a McCain 08 sticker. 

I should have told this old douchebag with his trophy Pinay mail-order bride that he was a complete ass.  Instead he thanked me for pulling over and I went about my commute in utter fucking astonishment.  God I hate the 405!

Evidence of the end times.

Read more at TheSuperficial.com

Nice eyebrows homo! 

You gotta be a serious Lord of the Rings fan to tattoo middle earth on your chest.

http://www.hotchickswithdouchebags.com

“Hello operator?  Get me Chelsea 602 please.”

• Project:
  Convert 1A2 system to Avaya Partner ACS, preserving existing cable/wire.
• Scope:
  3 CO Lines (2 Voice, 1 Fax), 1 Gate Line, 10 Extensions, Fax Machine, Answering Machine
• Parts Used:
  Avaya Partner ACS R6 Module, 308EC Module, 2-Slot Carrier, (2) 66-Blocks with preinstalled jacks, (1) Standard 66 Block, Amphenol to RJ11 Converters, APC Back UPS 650, RCA 5-Disc CD Player

This project was for my Grandmother’s house.  She’s had her 1A2 system for 40+ years and up until recently it has given great service.  Line 3 on the 1A2 was giving serious audible static to the point of not being usable.  Instead of troubleshooting and fixing the old system, I figured it was more cost-effective to put in a used, but more modern system.  I chose the Avaya Partner ACS as the replacement system as it’s cheap, full-featured and I have experience with it (I’ve owned a few). 

If you don’t know what an Electromechanical 1A2 system is, think of it as sort-of the OG of phone systems. It was the first prevalent multi-line phone system.  You can read more about the 1A2 at Wikipedia.  Here’s a picture of a 1A2 phone:

See that crazy connector hanging off the right of it?  That’s the amphenol connector which you may remember from a Parallel printer’s connection to a computer before USB became popular.  Each 1A2 phone required a 25-pair cable to operate and terminated with an amphenol connector at the phone end.  For our project we simply disconnected the old phones and snapped on an amphenol to RJ11 adapter.  In some circumstances we had to chop the amphenol off and use a biscuit, but the majority used adapters.  The good news is when you are replacing a 1A2 is you’ll have LOTS of existing cable to deal with.  

In this particular project there were two blocks that cross-connect to the KSU, both requiring retermination.  One of the blocks was in a central spot near the system in the basement (Block A) which was connected to the KSU via another 25 pair cable.  This is where the majority of extensions terminated and where Block B cross connected as well.  There was another block (Block B) in the attic powering the upstairs 3 extensions (this was a surprise we found late in the job).  My task was to reterminate the cross-connect blocks so that every phone would have it’s own dedicated 2 pairs.  In a 1A2 system each phone “shares” a series of pairs with the other phones… it’s complex to explain and Wikipedia does a better job of it.

My friend Walter (thanks Walt!) and I completed the job in about 11 hours on a Saturday.  It worked out great and my Grandmother loves her new phone system.  Check out the pics below of the before and after.  You can also read more at this thread at Sundance Communication’s phone system tech support forum where I asked pre-install questions to the experts, having never done something quite like this before.

Before & After Shots:

All project photos:

I remember when I saw Rachel Maddow first substitute for Olbermann on COUNTDOWN.  I thought to myself Rachel should have her own show… when MSNBC signed her to take over Dan Abram’s spot I just had a feeling that she would be ratings gold.  I’ve watched her show every night since it premiered.  She’s already beating COUNTDOWN’s ratings, which is MSNBC’s signature, highest-rated show.

Check out these ratings for last night (courtesy TV By The Numbers):

8PM - P2+ (25-54) (35-64)
The O’Reilly Factor- 3,060,000 viewers (731,000) (1,253,000)
Election Center-1,166,000 viewers (431,000) (576,000)
Countdown w/Keith Olbermann- 1,635,000 viewers (509,000) (771,000)
On the Money–207,000 viewers (65,000) (106,000)
Nancy Grace -1,166,000 viewers (412,000) (618,000)

9 PM - P2+ (25-54) (35-64)
Hannity & Colmes-3,136,000 viewers (716,000) (1,375,000)
Larry King–1,710,000 viewers (496,000) (801,000)
Rachel Maddow Show-1,801,000 viewers (534,000) (872,000)
Business of Innovation–a scratch w/102,000 viewers (a scratch w/42,000) (59,000)
Glenn Beck- 656,000 viewers (211,000) (354,000)

10 PM P2+ (25-54) (35-64)
On the Record w/Greta–2,908,000 viewers (727,000) (1,367,000)
Anderson Cooper 360-1,828,000 viewers (647,000) (898,000)
Countdown w/ Keith Olbermann-1,127,000 viewers (412,000) (616,000)
Saving General Motors-187,000 viewers (93,000) (121,000)
Nancy Grace -717,000 viewers (373,000) (420,000)

Nerd Heaven

I recently setup the computer portion of this trading system at a residence for the manager of a fund.  It covers all the LCD TVs on the wall except the middle which is used for watching TV, and functions as one big Windows XP desktop.  The system is powered by a Dell Precision with dual-quad core processors and 2 PNY NVidia 4-Output Quadro cards.

Wow. See more at WWTDD. ]]> http://www.waldrondigital.com/2008/09/17/megan-fox-cant-get-any-hotter/feed/ http://www.waldrondigital.com/2008/09/16/downsizing-my-time-warner-bill-wtf/ http://www.waldrondigital.com/2008/09/16/downsizing-my-time-warner-bill-wtf/#comments Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:53:51 +0000 Mike Waldron http://www.waldrondigital.com/?p=27

In my recent effort to reduce expenses at the Waldron compound, I took it upon myself to call Time Warner to see if it was worth downgrading my services. I was contemplating changing my Road Runner service from Standard to Basic (-$10) and removing a secondary cable box in my bedroom (-$10).

What I have with TW Cable:

• Living Room HD DVR box
• Bedroom HD Cable box
• HBO, Cinemax and HD NET
• Road Runner Standard

After talking to the customer service rep, he took about 5 minutes dissecting my bill to see if I could save money with my current subscriptions. Turns out he was able to bundle the services for a year with a savings of $25/month. On top of that they gave me a free HD DVR to replace my bedroom box. Not bad for a 20 minute phone call.

Moral of the story: Call Time Warner at least every 6-12 months to make sure you aren’t getting screwed.