Reconstructor

Once again another free (up to a point) web application for use for customizing a Linux distribution for whatever you want.

Reconstructor isn’t as pretty as some of the other Linux distro customization services I’ve seen but it gets the job done.  You still have the ability to customize the way it looks, operations, modules, addons, etc.

For the amount you can do it is certainly useful.  Not to mention it has been around since before 2007.

Reconstructor is a GNU/Linux distribution customization and creation toolkit. It allows for the customization of the Ubuntu andDebian GNU/Linux distributions. Customizations include boot logo image and text color, wallpaper, themes, icons, applications, and more.

To start using Reconstructor (it’s free) go to https://build.reconstructor.org and signup.

The reason I said it is free up to a point is that they do charge for the service but they give each account a $5 limit per month (for free).  Anything over that will have you paying up front for it.

Here is an overlook of their “Fees” page…

Fees

The following are the fees for using the Reconstructor services. Please note: each account balance will get up to a $5 credit each month (ending balance after credit will be no more than $5). Each transaction will deduct from your account credit. To add more funds, click the “Add Credit” button in your account details window (accessed by clicking your username in the upper right after you login).

• Upload and store a project file: $0.02 per MB per month
• Build a project: $0.30
• Download a built project: $0.45 per GB
• Priority build service: $5.00 (enabled for one month) Note: This charge is prorated based upon the remaining days in the month.

Project Hosting

• File storage: $0.45 per GB per month
• Download: $0.35

So yes for a one or two time use I would say the service isn’t that bad.  There’s still a lot of customization you can do and a lot you can get out of it.  However, the entire fee thing isn’t really the best but you have to understand the kind of loads you can put on servers when doing these kinds of operations.

Reconstructor

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Here are some good Photoshop brushes I have come across.  Some are from deviantArt while the rest can be found out on the blogosphere.

Ink and Paint

3D Halftone

Coffee Stains

Hi-Res Splatter

More brushes are available for download.  Just click the “Continue Reading” link below.

(continue reading…)

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DVL Distro

You must admit; one of the most popular activities among the IT world is downloading and trying new operating systems.  Why?  Because we are looking for one that meets all requirements of what we do.  This would include..

1. Easy to use..
2. Easy to configure and set up..
3. Easy to manage and above all..
4. AS SECURE AS POSSIBLE.

What if that isn’t your goal?  Maybe your goal is to have something as vulnerable as possible so that you can LEARN to secure nearly any Linux OS.  That is the goal of Damn Vulnerable Linux.

DVL is a linux distribution based off Backtrack 2.0.  It’s filled with all sorts of tools and exploits as well as all the services such as SSHD and Apache that are out-dated and vulnerable to attacks.  The main goal of this distro is to teach you how to secure, reverse engineer code, and most of all…LEARN.

This is by far one of the coolest things I have come across and I am recommending it highly.

Damn Vulnerable Linux (DVL) is everything a good Linux distribution isn’t. Its developers have spent hours stuffing it with broken, ill-configured, outdated, and exploitable software that makes it vulnerable to attacks. DVL isn’t built to run on your desktop – it’s a learning tool for security students.

The main idea behind DVL was to build up a training system that I could use for my university lectures. My goal was to design a Linux system that was as vulnerable as possible, to teach topics such as reverse code engineering, buffer overflows, shellcode development, Web exploitation, and SQL injection.

Of course one of the obvious warnings they give you is to not use it as an actual operating system and if you ask me that goes without saying.

Give it a shot and see what you can learn.  I’m having fun on it already!

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Alec Baldwin

Got another one for you, this time it’s real quick.  A few simple steps and less than two minutes later you can have this wonderful drawing outline you can use to cheat in your art class.  This tutorial can make it extremely easy to trace or just use as sort of a stencil to color in, paint, etc.

Give it a shot and let’s see your results!

P.S.  If you want the original of Alec Baldwin from 30 rock that I used, follow this link to Google Images.

Special Note : To get a better view of the video, watch it directly on YouTube so you can select HD (720p).

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No need to use 3D Editing programs to make perfect 3d spheres. You can use just photoshop. Also, no need to use that nasty bevel/emboss tool. =)

If you can’t distinguish what I am clicking on the video, watch it directly on YouTube.  You can set it in HD.

Download Original PSD Document Here

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