Linux Shell Programming: Converting hex to binary

What about:

• You have to convert a hex value into a binary value
• Your only tool is a linux shell
• You have to start in 30s
• You have to do it for >10000 hex values

Write a small program in c or java or whatever you would prefer?

What about this:

schroff@hades:$ echo "ibase=16;obase=2; 10 "|bc
10000
schroff@hades:$ echo "ibase=16;obase=2; 1F "|bc
11111

ibase: base of input value
obase: base of output value
The following bases can be used:

• 16 -> hex
• 10 -> decimal
•  8 -> octal
•  2 -> binary
  

Debian 6: IPSec-VPN?! -> Network-Manager

After changing to Debian 6 i had to recompile the Cisco IPSec kernel module (cisco_ipsec.ko). But i ended up with:

hades:/packages/vpnclient# ./vpn_install
Cisco Systems VPN Client Version 4.8.02 (0030) Linux Installer
Copyright (C) 1998-2006 Cisco Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
....
Making module
make -C /lib/modules/2.6.37.3/build SUBDIRS=/packages/vpnclient modules
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-2.6.37.3'
CC [M] /packages/vpnclient/linuxcniapi.o
/packages/vpnclient/linuxcniapi.c:14:28: error: linux/autoconf.h: Datei oder Verzeichnis nicht gefunden
make[2]: *** [/packages/vpnclient/linuxcniapi.o] Fehler 1
make[1]: *** [_module_/packages/vpnclient] Fehler 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-2.6.37.3'
make: *** [default] Fehler 2
Failed to make module "cisco_ipsec.ko".

Ok... this does not work anymore.
But the network-manager has one tab labelled vpn... What about using this one?

The first try was not successful, because the "add"-button was disabled. After some googling around there was a hint to install the following package:

apt-get install network-manager-pptp-gnome

The button was enabled but only Point-to-Point-Tunneling-Protocol could be chosen. A lookup on http://packages.debian.org showed the following packages in addition:

apt-get install network-manager-openvpn-gnome
apt-get install network-manager-vpnc-gnome

After installing these packages the following vpn-types were selectable:

And with choosing vpnc the following dialog was shown

and after filling in all parameters, the vpn connection was established without any problem...

How to enable the firefox-button on linux

Have you tried firefox 4 on your linux box?
Then you expected something like this:

But on linux the menu bar is enabled as default and no firefox button is present at the window decoration...

grrrr....

But there is an easy way to get the firefox button enabled:

Just disable the menu bar and firefox button will appear

If you want to replace the text with a button try this posting at glandium.org.
If you are using the extension tree style tab, the button looks this way:

SQLDeveloper Data Modeler 3.0 released

Two weeks ago SQLDeveloper 3.0 was released:

The list of new features can be found here. Some nice tutorials can be found on this page:

Documentation can be found at download.oracle.com/docs and it's free: