Colors do more than make your business or product look pretty. They actually have a real impact on consumers’ perceptions of your business, which can in turn have an impact on your sales and revenue. I [...]]]> Importance of Color in Business

Posted by Megan Dorn under Random thoughts, Small Business

Colors do more than make your business or product look pretty. They actually have a real impact on consumers’ perceptions of your business, which can in turn have an impact on your sales and revenue. I read in a post on the Toilet Paper Entrepreneur recently that “research reveals people make a subconscious judgment about a person, environment or product within 90 seconds of initial viewing, and between 62% and 90% of that assessment is based on color.”

Basically what it comes down to is that color is probably much more important to your business than you think, and it pays to know what you’re doing in that department. You don’t have to be a color strategist (yeah, that’s an actual job) to be effective in your use of color, but you should probably know the basics regarding what different colors convey. So here they are:

• Red=Love and Passion
• Orange=Enthusiasm and Creativity
• Yellow=Cheerfulness and Optimism
• Green=Natural and Refreshing
• Blue=Peace and Tranquility
• Purple=Luxury and Sophistication
• Pink=Romance and Femininity
• White=Innocence and Purity
• Black=Authority and Power
• Brown=Reliability and Masculinity

Color should be taken into consideration in all sorts of aspects of business. Look at your logo, marketing collateral, office paint colors, and even what you wear to meetings. It all conveys a certain message. So is your color scheme conveying the image you’re trying to project?

Best Source for Meaning of Colors:

http://www.color-wheel-pro.com/color-meaning.html
http://www.color-wheel-pro.com/color-schemes.html
http://www.color-wheel-pro.com/color-theory-basics.html

If you have chosen a certain color it would be useful to know all of the complementary colors as you rarely will use just one color. Check out the following sites to get an idea of colors.

http://www.colorschemer.com/online.html

I also found this site that gives an example of what a blog may look like using the main color you have chosen.
http://colorschemedesigner.com/

I have tried a few and the one that seems the simplest to use and has collaborative abilities and excellent exporting formats is  Mind42.com.  Manage all your ideas, whether alone, twosome or working together with the whole world – collaborative, browser-based and for free.

Using a [...]]]> There are many solutions on the net for mind mapping software.

I have tried a few and the one that seems the simplest to use and has collaborative abilities and excellent exporting formats is  Mind42.com.  Manage all your ideas, whether alone, twosome or working together with the whole world – collaborative, browser-based and for free.

Using a mind map is a great way to build an org chart or brain storm an idea.  It can even help create something as simple as a to-do list.

Mindmap Example

Check the BNET Article.

Go straight to the Easy Projects Web Page.

I assume that you already have [...]]]> Apache Tomcat SSL keys created with keytool are, by default, in der format. These keys cannot be used in Apache httpd since httpd, be default, expects the keys in pem(X509) format. Using the below steps you can export the tomcat’s keys to Apache httpd format and use it for Apache.

I assume that you already have a working copy of tomcat with SSL.

If Not follow Verisign’s instructions on requesting an SSL certificate, then:

• Create a keystore:   $JAVA_HOME/bin/keytool -genkey -alias tomcat -keyalg RSA
• Import the Intermediate CA Certificate:   keytool -import -alias root -keystore <your_keystore_filename> -trustcacerts -file <filename_of_the_chain_certificate>
• Import your SSL Certificate:  keytool -import -alias <your_alias> -keystore <your_keystore_filename> -trustcacerts -file <your_certificate_filename>

You will need a copy of the tomcat’s keystore file and the keystore password.

Let us start….

First copy the existing tomcat’s keystore file to a new directory so that we don’t break anything that is working.

List the key and verify you know the passphrase.
# keytool -list -keystore your.key

Now we will export the key in DER format
# keytool -export -alias tomcat -keystore tomcat.keystore -file exported-der.crt
Enter keystore password:
Output will be: Certificate stored in file

The certificate will be stored in the file called exported-der.crt

Verify the certificate with this command:
# openssl x509 -noout -text -in exported-der.crt -inform der
Output will be: The whole certificate saying – who issued it  and other info like your company name etc.

Now Convert the key to PEM format so that apache can understand it:
# openssl x509 -out exported-pem.crt -outform pem -in exported-der.crt -inform der

The exported key will be in the file exported-pem.crt.

We have exported the public key and now are going to export the private key.

Download a  file called (ExportPrivateKey.zip) from Anandsekar.com

Extract the key
# java -jar ExportPrivateKey.zip {keystore_path} JKS {keystore_password} {alias} exported-pkcs8.key

The key is in PKCS #8 PEM format. Now run openssl to convert it to the format apache modssl expects the file.
Use a cygwin shell to get a good version of OpenSSL without having to install another application.
# openssl pkcs8 -inform PEM -nocrypt -in exported-pkcs8.key -out exported.key

The Private key is now exported to the file exported.key.

Edit the httpd.conf/httpd-ssl.conf file
SSLCertificateFile /root/SSL_export/exported-pem.crt  -> I used the cert from Verisign instead.
SSLCertificateKeyFile /root/SSL_export/exported.key
SSLCertificateChainFile /root/SSL_export/<intermediate>

Example:
#Verisign Certificate
SSLCertificateFile “C:/Program Files/Apache Software Foundation/Apache2.2/conf/cmmssl/cert/cert.crt”
# Our new key
SSLCertificateKeyFile “C:/Program Files/Apache Software Foundation/Apache2.2/conf/cmmssl/private/exported.key”
# The Verisign Intermediary cert file.
SSLCertificateChainFile “C:/Program Files/Apache Software Foundation/Apache2.2/conf/cmmssl/intermediate/intermediate.crt”

Restart Apache, with fingers crossed, pixie dust in the air, while the rooster crows, on a full moon, and a live sacrificial chicken waiting on standby.

1. Change Tomcat’s server.xml. (<application>/tomcat/conf/server.xml) Edit the non-SSL <Connector> entry listening on port 80 and add or edit the redirectPort atribute to point to the port on which the SSL <Connector> is listening. By default, the redirectPort was pointing to port [...]]]> Need to have http redirect to https within Tomcat.
Here is a good page on setting up SSL for Tomcat tomcat-6.0-doc/ssl-howto.html

1. Change Tomcat’s server.xml.
(<application>/tomcat/conf/server.xml)
Edit the non-SSL <Connector> entry listening on port 80 and add or
edit the redirectPort atribute to point to the port on which the SSL
<Connector> is listening. By default, the redirectPort was pointing
to port 443.  Note: if you have an internal system running SSL on port 21101, for example, and your site uses a global load balancer, then you need to redirect to port 443.  Otherwise, the URL would be rewritten as https://your.site.com:21101 which would fail at the loadbalancer.

Was:
Connector port=”80″
enableLookups=”false”
redirectPort=”8443″
maxThreads=”100″
minSpareThreads=”100″
maxSpareThreads=”100″

Changed to:
Connector port=”80″
enableLookups=”false”
redirectPort=”443″
maxThreads=”100″
minSpareThreads=”100″
maxSpareThreads=”100″

2. Setup a security constraint in the Tomcat web.xml file.
In the Tomcat web.xml file the following <security> has
to be added within the <web> element. This new element must be
added after the <servlet> element: Note: The Tomcat documentation states that https will only be redirected to the Port listed if there is a <security> listed for some path.  I found the best location to add the info is just prior to the last line in the web.xml

Place the following code just above the last line (</web>) in the web.xml file
(<application>/tomcat/conf/web.xml)

<pre><security>
<web>
<web>Application Name</web>
<url>/*</url>
</web>
<user>
<transport>CONFIDENTIAL</transport>
</user>
</security>

 
<security>
    <web>
        <web>Application Name</web>
        <url>/*</url>
    </web>
    <user>
        <transport>CONFIDENTIAL</transport>
    </user>
</security>

In Apache 2, shared modules must be compiled with the directive: –enable-mods-shared=’rewrite’

Multiple modules can be configured that way like so: –enable-mods-shared=’rewrite dav dav-fs’

A simple config string would look like this: ./configure –prefix=/usr/local/apache –enable-mods-shared=’rewrite’

# EVEN if you screwed up and failed [...]]]> I seem to need this information often enough so I thought I would post it here for safe keeping.

In Apache 2, shared modules must be compiled with the directive:
–enable-mods-shared=’rewrite’

Multiple modules can be configured that way like so:
–enable-mods-shared=’rewrite dav dav-fs’

A simple config string would look like this:
./configure –prefix=/usr/local/apache –enable-mods-shared=’rewrite’

# EVEN if you screwed up and failed to compile it, by using the horribly broken and often incorrectly documented ‘–enable-rewrite’ switch (which DOES NOT WORK: even ./configure –help and the apache install docs includes this BS compile directive that DOES NOT WORK), ALL IS NOT LOST. You can still compile any modules by changing to the apache source dir and then the sub directories /modules/mappers (for example: /path/to/your/httpd-source/modules/mappers ) and executing the following command:

/usr/local/apache/bin/apxs -cia mod_rewrite.c

# This will compile the modules as a “so” or “shared object”, and add the proper enabling string to your httpd.conf file: LoadModule rewrite_module modules/mod_rewrite.so

The apxs method of compiling in a module should work for most of the modules you may need.  For instance mod_speling is very useful in dealing with mod_rewrite as it is used to ignore case.

I also just thought that I could download the latest XAMPP version from www.apachefriends.org and get the modules I need from there.  It may or may not work.

The script works by pulling the latest data and database backup from the production server.  The script can be placed in a cron. The DR server user should be [...]]]> Here is a script I wrote to keep 2 or more web sites in sync.  The data files can be anything under the data tree.
The database is MySQL.

The script works by pulling the latest data and database backup from the production server.  The script can be placed in a cron.
The DR server user should be able to ssh without a password to the production server.  This is accomplished using RSA keys under SSH.

Once both the web site and database are setup, this script pulls the newest files, and latest mysql database backup via rsync.

Change the First set of VARIABLES, and <usernames> and <pathing> where needed.

I should probably have more information on the script here, but I wanted to save a copy somewhere before I forgot about it.

Anyway, my thought is if I setup a primary web server somewhere and want n+1 backend systems I might be able to use this poor-man’s approach.  If the backed systems need to have database updates then you are looking at database replication.  But, the rsync file copy and all of the rest could be used to make web server production updates to a cluster of systems.  You just update the main instance and all of the slave servers pull the latest information, including a database update script if needed., unix, script

#!/bin/ksh -x

#######################################
#
# Script to sync Prod web with DR server.
# The script is designed to pull from the
# production server.
#
# 12/2008:  Initial setup.
#        :  Mike Byers
#######################################

PRIME_HOST=’prod.edmz.com’                  #Production host
DR_HOST=’dr-orprod2.edmz.com’              #DR server
DATABASES=”mysql DB1 DB2″                  #database to transfer space sepa
rated
#MYSQLUSER=backup                               #User for database backup
MYSQLUSER=restore                                  #User for database restore
#MYSQLPWD=’ABC123′                             #Backup user Password
MYSQLPWD=’ABC123′                               #Restore user Password (Restore user needs more DB permissions)
DB_PATH=’/opt/mysql5/backups’                 #Path to database backup files
#YESTERDAY=`date +%Y%m%d -d”1 day ago”`         #Linux Version
YESTERDAY=`TZ=GMT+24 date +%Y%m%d`              #Solaris Version
TODAY=`date +%Y%m%d`
PATH=$PATH:/opt/mysql5/bin/;export PATH  #Path to mysql binaries

/usr/bin/rsync –exclude ‘configuration.*’ \
–exclude ‘**/logs’ \
–exclude ‘**/modules’ \
–exclude ‘**/conf’ \
–exclude ‘**/bin’ \
-vaue ’ssh -x -C -l <username>’ $PRIME_HOST:apache/htdocs/* /<path>/apache/htdocs/

for DB in $DATABASES
do
/usr/bin/rsync -vaue ’ssh -x -C -l <username>’ $PRIME_HOST:$DB_PATH/$DB-$TODAY.sql.
gz $DB_PATH
#Compare sizes of database backup files to see if anything changed
S1=`du -sk $DB_PATH/$DB-$YESTERDAY.sql.gz | awk ‘{ print $1 }’`
S2=`du -sk $DB_PATH/$DB-$TODAY.sql.gz | awk ‘{ print $1 }’`
if [[ S1 -eq S2 ]]; then
echo “No update for database $DB needed”
else
/bin/gunzip < $DB_PATH/$DB-$TODAY.sql.gz | mysql -u $MYSQLUSER -p$MYSQLPWD
$DB
fi
done

This is typically due to something being echo’d or sent back to your login attempt.

Usually, it’s something you have in your .profile or .bashrc login files.

Just add the following to the [...]]]> If you have ever used scp or sftp you may have encountered the dreaded ( ”Received message too long” or “Bad packet length” ”) errors.

This is typically due to something being echo’d or sent back to your login attempt.

Usually, it’s something you have in your .profile or .bashrc login files.

Just add the following to the very top of your login shell settings file.

if [ ${TERM} == "dumb" ]; then
return
fi

This will exit out of running the login shell commands if you login using a “dumb” terminal.

Use the following Google search, all on one line.

“Your Key Words” inanchor:”rapidshare|megaupload” -torrent -inurl:”rapid|rapidshare|megaupload”

Key: “Your Key Words” = What you are searching for inside quotes, ie “No Doubt”. “rapidshare|megaupload” = 2 heavily used downloading sites, replace as needed. -torrent = remove any [...]]]> Looking for a song, artist, movie or software that you want to check out before purchasing?

Use the following Google search, all on one line.

“Your Key Words” inanchor:”rapidshare|megaupload” -torrent -inurl:”rapid|rapidshare|megaupload”

Key:
“Your Key Words” = What you are searching for inside quotes, ie “No Doubt”.
“rapidshare|megaupload” = 2 heavily used downloading sites, replace as needed.
-torrent = remove any sites that have the word torrent in them, add any other word to remove if desired or if returned results need to be narrowed.
-inurl = Skip any sites that then the keywords that follow in the internet address (URL) themselves.

This search will find your Key Words that are linked to either rapidshare or megaupload downloading sites.
If you have other favorite downloading sites you can replace both download names in the search to be able to find links to another site.

This search is different than a site like Filesbot.  Filesbot searches for the keyword as a filename at Rapidshare.  Typically the file will be removed from the upload site if it’s copyrighted as per the upload sites rules.  The search I give above skips the upload site itself and only looks for links on the net that link back to the upload site.  So if a forum somewhere has a link to “The Beatles”, but the file is called TB1234.rar on rapidshare, my Google search will find it, but Filesbot won’t.

I have also added the “-torrent” so that you don’t get the Bizzillion web sites that index Bit Torrent files, but don’t really give you a link anywhere, as well as the -inurl sites.  Those types of sites are just traps for endless clicking and/or internet spyware and trojans.  I should have included a removal of the keywords “hack” and/or “warez” as those types of sites are typically useless, but there is a hard 10 word limit on Google searches.

I was looking for a list of the file sharing sites, but found a few sites that will also assist in searching for files.
* ShareMiners
* SharedFilesSearch
* OneClickFiles

There are many others, as well as many different downloading sites.  I couldn’t find a good list of downloading type sites.

Getting around the download timeouts is up to you to figure out.