We dig deep into the LibreBoot project, how the Intel ME problem impacts open source & limits badass free laptops. Then we spend Wes’ money and shop for his next perfect Linux rig.

Plus we discuss the big changeup at FreeNAS & more!

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Show Notes:

Follow Up / Catch Up

Zero Terminal: A Tiny Linux PC That You Can Build Using Raspberry Pi And Smartphone Keyboard

_The DIY tech inventor NODE has created a handheld all-in-one computer that runs __Linux. It’s made using the new Raspberry Pi Zero W, some 3D printed parts, and an iPhone 5 slider keyboard. He has also posted the details of the project on his website to help you make your own computer._

Security Update for the LastPass Extension

Over the weekend, Google security researcher Tavis Ormandy reported a new client-side vulnerability in the LastPass browser extension.

Announcing Rockstor 3.9.0

We’ve just wrapped up a fun release cycle, and it’s my pleasure to announce Rockstor 3.9.0. Our community has been really active and we’ve prioritized nicely to improve on a few different areas. 6 contributors have come together for this release and besides working on new features and bug fixes, we made significant improvements to code quality.

FreeNAS Adopts Docker

FreeNAS Corral is 100% free and Open Source, building on the success of the FreeNAS Open Source project. FreeNAS Corral is fully committed to the Open Source development model, being based exclusively on Open Source technologies, and its storage services are designed to be fully compatible with FreeNAS 9.10.

Features include a rewritten middleware architecture, a modern graphical user interface, support for Docker containers, its own built-in hypervisor that supports virtualization with full ZFS integration, and a powerful command line interface.

FreeNAS Corral now supports Docker containers for doing all of its “application hosting” and existing jails/plugins data will simply continue to live in the jails/dataset in the ZFS volume but will be inactive, since jails are no longer used in Corral.

I’m going into the nanotech / biomedical field, for a complete career change of pace and hopefully the opportunity to do things that will substantially improve quality of life for a lot of people

One week from today I’ll be concluding my time at iXsystems. It’s been a very enjoyable 7 years and I have really enjoyed working on FreeNAS since iXsystems sponsored the rewrite of FreeNAS with the 8.0 version (released in early May 2011, five and a half years ago!)
+ You can Still download and Use FreeNAS 9.10

Download the current stable release of FreeNAS (9.10)

Linux Academy

This handheld Linux PC is actually a Raspberry Pi with iPhone keyboard

Designed and prototyped by DIY tech inventor and YouTuber N-O-D-E, the Zero Terminal is an all-in-one computer that is offers remarkable portability and functionality in an impressively compact body.

Hackers Exploit Ubuntu Linux, Microsoft Edge, Safari at Pwn2Own

While Pwn2Own has always taken aim at web browsers, the 2017 event is the first that provided Linux, and specifically the Ubuntu 16.10 Linux distribution, as a target. Researchers did not shy away from Linux’s first time at Pwn2Own, taking direct aim at the open-source operating system.

Dishwasher has directory traversal bug

The utterly predictable _vulnerability advisory_on the Full Disclosure mailing list details CVE-2017-7240 — aka “Miele Professional PG 8528 – Web Server Directory Traversal.” This is the builtin web server that’s used to remotely control the glassware-cleaning machine from a browser.

TING

Let’s Spend Wes’ Money

  • beefy but reasonably sized laptop?
  • ultrabook/netbook with a new desktop at home?
  • What are the most important stickers to get for a new machine?

DigitalOcean

Should Wes Build a Rig?

Yes, that’s right, I paid $500 for an external Thunderbolt 3 enclosure to fit a $600 video card, all to enable a plug-in upgrade of a GPU on a Skull Canyon NUC that itself cost around $1000 fully built. I know, it sounds crazy, and … OK fine, I won’t argue with you. It’s crazy.

To summarize, using only…

…you can assemble a painless, hack-less eGPU build and use it with your late-2013 15″ dGPU MacBook as a relatively inexpensive graphics upgrade compared to building a PC from scratch or buying a console. (Cheaper still if you wait for rebates or use an older/weaker X50 card.)
Caveat emptor: the same build might not work so well — or at all! — on other MacBook models or even with a different driver version. In other words, what worked for me might not work for you! Remember that eGPU on TB2 is not officially supported and mostly works by accident, though clearly it can work very well.

[coreboot] Experiments with disabling the ME on Sandybridge x230

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