@cas Sure. I wasn't suggesting that you use it.

i meant 'no need for me to even know about luxsci'

So, I don't quite know what I'm after here, but my problem is: I am trying to set up a VPN on an Ubuntu server, and I would like to learn how routing, filtering, etc. work on a modern Linux system, but I don't really know what to search for.

For context, I'm a programmer, and I can set up simple network stuff, but when I look at the output of eg. route or iptables I find it utterly baffling. When I look for docs on this stuff it tends to be really advanced (ie. for admins who are used to other systems) or kind of tautological (eg. "genmask is a mask!")

Does anyone know of any overview of this stuff that's kind of like, "so you know how individual computers work inside out, here's how they talk to each other"

there are some good ones at the netfilter site...

@detly - netfilter.org/documentation

I'll take a look, thanks

they

they're really good, and kind of exactly what you asked for. i think the networking concepts one starts out just as you phrased it.

ooh, they are good

@mikeserv downvote

hahaha!

why?

@Braiam - oh, you're talking about the close reason thing, not Rusty's docs.

well, yeah, i downvote, too.

there ought to be a 'stream of consciousness is for beat poets, not Q&A sites' close reason too.

@mikeserv Thanks for that link, it was really useful. Do you know of similar docs for eg. the output of ip (or ifconfig)?

whoa I just realised I could do ip route show and it gives me substantially more intelligible output

I think I've got it now

am I right in thinking that a destination of 0.0.0.0/1 means literally any destination except the special broadcast address?

@mikeserv Well, dupes are helpful for other people too. Of course, you should find a good dupe. Meaning, one with a correct/useful answer.

@mikeserv I don't know if you read my random comments yesterday, but I found Borg Backup, which looks promising. It's a fork of Attic. A couple of days ago I had not heard of either project, but fortunately backup software has a new generation.

First to test on my external USB drive...

Funny, the Debian package for Borg arrived literally 2 weeks ago.

@detly - generally searching for ip won't get you far, obviously, but the package's name is iproute2 and searches along that line might be a little more targeted. anyway, I once found this useful: lartc.org/howto/lartc.iproute2.html

@FaheemMitha - no. I've never heard of either one either. And yeah, I imagine they can be useful, but some of them are just blatantly obvious questions, and it hurts my pride to stoop to looking for it.

hi @Ramesh.

@mikeserv Ok. I see you are mixing your replies together. Linking helps with context.

grr.

Howdy mikeserv?

i will quit chat again.

Unless you're on mobile.

howdy @faheem?

@Ramesh - i didn't know you were still around.

@mikeserv Did I somehow offend you? If so, apologies.

no.

@Ramesh Hey. How's Amazon?

@mikeserv, I'm always around. Not just active as I tend to be :(

not really. i just remember you always telling me to do the <-- arrow thing.

@FaheemMitha It's great.

Good as always :)

@Ramesh That's nice. So they treating you well? Having a good time at work?

@Ramesh - did they base you in Seattle?

@FaheemMitha yeah. It's good. I like the job and so don't have any complaints :)

Where are you living now?

No, I'm at Dallas.

that's lucky.

They opened up in Dallas as well.

Seattle is miserable. ask Nirvana.

@Ramesh Oh. That's good. And fairly unusual.

Either you're easily satisfied, or they really are treating you well. :-)

May be the former :)

I imagine that Dallas beats India, anyway. You should get out and go dancing. Get away from the computer. I hear Texas is good for dancing.

@mikeserv I hear the weather is not that great.

@FaheemMitha - its pretty good for dancing. grab your cowboy hat, put your thumbs in your pockets, and step side-to-side all night long and you're bound to get laid.

@mikeserv Well, you can do better than that. That's country dancing. It's lame.

Fun, but lame.

And cowboy hats are strictly optional, I believe.

no.

the hat is mandatory.

it's how you mark your lady.

@Ramesh Seriously, you should check out the dance scene. Assuming you are not too busy.

you put your hat on her, and she's yours while she wears it.

@mikeserv I defer to obviously superior knowledge and experience.

@mikeserv I get the feeling you might have watched the Footloose remake.

my ex-wife was from Dallas.

@mikeserv Oh, I see. So that sort of thing really happens?

yes.

Wow.

@Ramesh Are you taking notes? Grab your hat and get moving.

I watched the Footloose remake. Hats featured heavily in it.

ha ha. Most def @FaheemMitha :)

@FaheemMitha - but you're right.it's lame. and the music is awful.

chicks dig it, though.

Supposedly set in Georgia.

@Ramesh I get the feeling you're humoring me... :-)

@mikeserv I see. Interesting.

This is all useful information for Ramesh.

Dallas also has a pretty cool punk/rockabilly scene. those girls are dangerous. though.

I was thinking West Coast Swing. That's what I generally recommend to people. Though I have yet to get any takers.

like in Swingers?

@FaheemMitha, no. It's just that I'm an introvert and couldn't see myself dancing :)

@Ramesh - drink

@Ramesh A really, really good reason to get out there.

@mikeserv I don't believe I know that. Is it a movie?

wow. don't google that.

@mikeserv of course. It's what keeps me socially less awkward. :)

@Ramesh People are generally friendly. Give it a try. If you can dance reasonably well and like it, it's a good way to meet people. And it's generally relaxed.

Less drinking, more dancing. You can't drink and dance. You'll fall over. Or tread on your partners feet. Neither of which is good.

ha ha.

@mikeserv I wasn't planning to. But thanks for the tip. :-)

I'm stepping out for lunch. Will catch you guys later.

See you @FaheemMitha, @mikeserv.

@Ramesh Have a good one.

@Ramesh Take care. Don't be a stranger.

@mikeserv I see you still have that ghost thing going on.

once a ghost, always a ghost.

@mikeserv You could try a spot of resurrection.

@FaheemMitha - but its easy being dead.

@mikeserv If you say so.

can you think of anything easier?

I hear watching TV is quite easy too.

@Faheem Mitha - its easier dead. no bathroom breaks, no munchies.

@mikeserv What's wrong with munchies?

you'd know if you were dead.

@mikeserv I'll take your word for it.

Here is the Footloose scene I was thinking of:

Note the hat motif.