Verbosity 2.0 ~ Talking about life on Drupal

I have now implemented SSL a couple of times and each time I attempt an install it feels like I am starting over from scratch with my SSL knowledge.  It can be complicating for a newbie but it is entirely possible for someone with a technical aptitude to achieve.  In this article I describe things to look out for when you are doing work with SSL.

This article assumes that you are working on a Debian Linux installation, but would probably work on Ubuntu and other modern Linux distributions as well.

Generate the Keys

In every article you read you are going to see that same heading.  Keys are the things that keep your privacy, and you must generate them on your own.   In this example my certificate signing authority wanted an AES-256 type of key (that's the type of encryption) so I ran the following command in Debian:

I have a lot of friends who run small business.  Some run very small businesses.  That means their web options can be limiting.  Yes, they could go all out and do some social media advertising (which is always a good suggestion) but I think a friend of mine nailed it on the head - he needs what amounts to be a "business card" that is posted online.

Initially I thought this was kind of absurd but after some time I am starting to think that he is on to something.  Social media is limited by the form fields big companies place on their sites.  As of yet, none have done a good job of tying information together across services like a custom site can.  But what happens when you are ready to step up to a custom website but you are not quite ready for a full-fledged multi-page CMS site?

The business case for a really small site

Todays post is a quick review of the upgrade process to get your existing Debian system up-to-date with version 5.  For those who are unfamiliar with Linux, Debian is a variation of the free computer operating system that is well suited for server usage.  It also happens to strip out most of the branding you would find in other Linux distributions which is one of the reasons I like it.

The Upgrade Process

Moving up to the new version of Debian was as simple as running the distribution update command:

apt-get install dist-upgrade

... except for the fact that my OS partition is now getting quite full.  So eventually it would stop, complain about disk space and ask me to resume later.  Apparently Lenny, the codename for Debian 5, requires more space.  Go figure.

apt-get clean

I am a Rogers Wireless customer and I have been for some time.  Until recently I have not had the need to use their online service to deal with my account details because calling 611 solves most issues I have come across.  Eventually convenience got the better of me so I signed up for the online administration service.

The Snails in the Mails

About a week after signing up for the online management interface I received a letter - by snail mail - to confirm that I have setup the account.  Though this seems strange, I suppose it would be nice to know if someone else had logged in without me knowing it.  Snail mail can be pretty reliable with that, and I hate when Rogers phones me so on that front I was pleased.

What was strange about the letter though was the list of features:

"Now with your online account, you can