Getting OpenVAS running on Ubuntu 11.10

A couple of quick hints, basically an unofficial update to the official installation instructions located here.

The correct add-apt-repository command is:

add-apt-repository "deb http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/security:/OpenVAS:/STABLE:/v4/xUbuntu_11.10/ ./"

I didn't bother to find the correct GPG key, though; I skipped the key import and used the "force" option with apt-get update.

You will need to go into the "Manage Repositories" screen an uncheck the "Source" repository that was automagically added.  I'm sure there's a fancy command for this, but again, going with what works, here.  You must do this prior to the apt-get update command.

3d laser scanning

So, have you ever looked at a trinket on your desk and said, "hey, that would be cool to have in Second Life?"

Well, with a little persistence, you can pretty much do it for free.  Assuming you already have a decent webcam, a laser pointer, and a wine glass, you're ready to roll.  The rest of this post is extremely unorganized, and I have no pictures to share (yet).

First, snatch the software.  You'll need Blender and DAVID-Laserscanner 3, both of which are free downloads.  DAVID will operate just fine in free mode in a resolution that is far superior to anything you'll be able to put into a sculptie.  Read the DAVID instructions carefully, but, truthfully, it's not hard at all.

I'm just getting past the proof-of-concept phase, so not much to report.  My first scans were with the guts of an old Black & Decker Bullseye, but I've graduated to this 532nm green laser I picked up off Amazon for about $8.  The wine stem method works great - just shine the pointer through a clean, thin glass or crystal wine stem to get a nice, thin lased line.

Depending on my success, I'm going to upgrade to a dedicated laser line generator, which I'll probably be grabbing from Aixiz.  If you're curious how lasers compare to each other, I found a neat tool here.

Looking for a good alarm tone?

Looking for a nice, loud alarm clock sound for your phone?  I've been using one of these ringtones from 808 State for several months, now.  Bonus - they have loads of free tunes on this page.