Categories
Bash Customization MAC Tutorial

Tmux with Native Scrollback on macOS

Tmux is a powerful terminal multiplexer that lets you run multiple terminal sessions within a single window. However, when using tmux with macOS Terminal.app, you’ll encounter two common frustrations: colors don’t display properly, and you can’t use your terminal’s native scroll functionality. Instead, tmux captures scrolling and requires you to enter “copy mode” just to view previous output.

The Problem

Categories
Bash Customization MAC Tutorial

Share Shell History Across Multiple Terminal Sessions

If you work with multiple terminal tabs or windows—especially in iTerm or Terminal.app—you've probably noticed that each session maintains its own isolated command history. This becomes frustrating when you run a command in one tab and want to recall it in another. By default, bash only saves history when a session closes, and each session can overwrite the others' history.

The Problem

Categories
Arduino Hardware Programming Tutorial

Accessing Virtual Hosts with Arduino Ethernet Shield

If you've worked with the Arduino Ethernet Shield, you've probably noticed a limitation: while you can connect to an IP address, you can only reach the default virtual host on that server. This becomes a problem when working with shared hosting or VPS servers that host multiple websites on a single IP address.

The Problem

Modern web servers commonly use virtual hosting to serve multiple websites from a single IP address. When you make a basic HTTP request to an IP, the server returns the default site—not necessarily the one you want. On commercial shared hosting, you typically can't make your site the default host.

Categories
Arduino Platform Projects

Arduino Ethernet Shield and Webclient

When you first get an Ethernet Shield for your Arduino (I'm using a Duemilanove), the natural thing to do is upload the example sketches to test it out. Everything was working perfectly until I hit the WebClient sketch—it just wouldn't connect.

The Problem

The WebClient example sketch that comes with the Arduino Ethernet library is designed to connect to a web server and fetch a page. The default example tries to connect to Google, but it kept failing on my setup. The frustrating part was that the WebServer sketch worked flawlessly, so I knew the shield itself was fine.

Categories
MAC Tutorial

Let the Mac Sleep

When you step away from your Mac, knowing the right keyboard shortcuts can save time, conserve energy, and extend your battery life. After spending considerable time researching, I discovered these essential shortcuts that every Mac user should know.

The Two Types of Sleep

Your Mac offers two different sleep options, each suited for different situations:

Put Mac to Sleep Immediately

Cmd + Opt + Eject

Categories
Command Line Development Tools Linux

tmux: A Better Alternative to GNU Screen

I've been a long-time user of GNU Screen, and I've always recommended it to anyone working with remote servers. Screen is an excellent tool that's saved me countless times when SSH connections drop or I need to run long-running processes. But it has one major problem: it's tough to configure and learn.

Recently I discovered tmux, and I'm making the switch. If you're not familiar with terminal multiplexers or you're struggling with Screen's complexity, tmux might be exactly what you need.

Categories
GPL Linux Software Windows

Firefox Sync: Take Your Browser Everywhere

Mozilla has just rebranded their Weave add-on as Firefox Sync, and I've been using it for the past few weeks. This is exactly what I've been waiting for: the ability to continue my Firefox session from one place to another without losing context.

The Browser Sync Problem

How many times have you left your computer at work running or hibernated because you had dozens of important tabs open and couldn't bear to lose them? Or needed to access a password you'd saved at home while you were traveling? Or wished you could see your work browsing history when you got home?

Categories
GNOME Linux Tutorial

How to Restore GNOME Default Panels

If you use GNOME on Ubuntu or other Linux distributions, you've probably encountered panel problems. Maybe you accidentally deleted a panel while right-clicking, removed an applet you can't figure out how to restore, or woke up to find your panels mysteriously scrambled. Don't worry—these issues are fixable.

What Are GNOME Panels?

GNOME panels are the bars at the top and bottom of your desktop (by default) that contain your application menu, system tray, window list, and various applets. They're central to the GNOME desktop experience, so when they break, your desktop becomes difficult to use.

Categories
Linux Review

Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx: The Free Man’s Mac

Yesterday, Canonical released Ubuntu 10.04 LTS (Long Term Support), codenamed Lucid Lynx, and I've spent the last 24 hours exploring it. This release represents something significant: Ubuntu has finally delivered a desktop experience that rivals Mac OS X in visual polish and usability, while maintaining everything that makes GNU/Linux powerful—freedom, flexibility, and zero cost.

I've always had mixed feelings about Apple. While I dislike their marketing strategies and closed ecosystem, I have to respect their focus on design consistency and user experience. But there's always been one massive factor: price. Mac OS X requires expensive Apple hardware with no flexibility in configuration or customization.

Categories
Games Linux Review Windows

Urban Terror: A Free FPS for Linux Gamers

Urban Terror is one great game that deserves more attention. As someone who recently tried it, I'm impressed by what the FrozenSand team has accomplished with this free, open-source first-person shooter.

What is Urban Terror?

Urban Terror is a free tactical shooter built on the Quake III Arena engine, released under the GPL license. It's a standalone game that doesn't require Quake III to play, and it runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux. Think of it as a middle ground between Counter-Strike's tactical gameplay and Quake's fast-paced action.