Cyberpunk Librarian

A podcast about video making? Why not? Join the Cyberpunk Librarian for a look out how to make training videos for your staff and public! Discover the tools and design that’ll make a memorable video, not something that desperately needs an MST3K treatment!

Software

Hardware

Logitech C510 – This is the webcam I use. Simple, easy, does the job well. Shoots in 720p HD.

Logitech C615 – This is the 1080p HD version of the above webcam. As I write this, it’s on sale and is actually cheaper than the one above. And it’s the better camera! Go fig.

Videos

The Other Side of the Browser: Multimedia Devices – An explanatory, vlog like video I did for the staff about Roku, Apple TV, and so on.

What’s New in Polaris v4.1R2 – Part of a series of videos I did about our ILS upgrade.

You Su

It’s a podcast about podcasts as Dan talks about the things he does to design, prepare for, and record the show! Find out just how simple, or complex, it can be to make a podcast and pick up some ideas from the Cyberpunk Librarian and others!

Check out these shows for ideas!

Some hardware and software and stuff!

Let’s take a break from long form, tech heavy shows with a shorter show and lighter commentary! An unabashed generalist, Dan takes you through how he maintains and learns a little about everything and why it’s important to specialize in generalization.

Solar Rush by Redmann

As always, the title track is Bellydance at Ebisu by Ryo Miyashita

Ever want a big, digital sign in your library but didn’t want to have to pay big money to get it? Well if you have a couple old computers and a monitor, the Cyberpunk Librarian has the answer to your digital signage needs!

Getting up and running with Xibo

What you will need

A computer running Linux that will act as your server

Another computer running Windows

A monitor or flat panel HDTV for your digital displays

The Server

For my server, I ran Kubuntu and installed a LAMP stack. (LAMP is short for Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP.) For Ubtuntu based flavours, you can easily install LAMP via:

sudo apt-get install tasksel

sudo tasksel install lamp-server

As it installs, it will ask for a password for MySQL. Give it one and write it down. Put that password someplace safe. You won’t need it all that often, but when you need it, you need it.

Download the Xibo server

Xibo client for Windows or Linux

Installing and running

Note: To make things easier to move around, rename, copy, and store; I opened up a superuser Dolphin window. You can easily do this from the terminal (called Konsole on KDE) by typing:

sudo dolphin

I installed the Xibo server on a Kubuntu server running 14.04 LTS. After installing the LAMP stack I extracted Xibo and then copied it to the directory Ubuntu uses for web service with Apache:

/var/www/html

Rename the directory with an easier name like, you know, xibo. For the rest of these notes, I’ll assume you called your xibo directory by that name.

You’ll need to give ownership and access of the xibo directory to the web user, or the Apache user. On Ubuntu flavours this user is called www-data. So:

sudo chown www-data.www-data -R xibo

That gives the web server the permissions it needs to access and run the system. Since this is an internal web service, I didn’t make any changes to the Apache configs.

Pop into /var and create a directory called xibo there too. This will hold your images and stuff for the screens and, for security reasons, it should be outside of the web directory. Give the web user owner ship with the same command as before:

sudo chown www-data.www-data -R xibo

PHP Dependencies

Chances are, some of these checkmarks will be red X’s if you run the install right away.

When you initially try to install Xibo you’ll get a screen like this and, chances are, you don’t have all the necessary PHP dependencies. May as well get them now

You’ll need the GD extension so:

sudo apt-get install php5-gd

Then go get the mcrypt ex

Join Daniel Messer as he goes cypherpunk and talks about keeping yourself secure and private online and in the digital world.

Use a VPN.

Secure Browsing

Mobile

As an aside, Facetime and iMessage on iOS are end-to-end encrypted.

Secure Email

Leave No Trace

Or use a live distro of Linux without any persistent storage. You can set up a live USB of Ubuntu or many other distros of Linux. For instance, I also carry Kubuntu around my neck as a live stick.

Use Good Passwords

This is one of the most important things of all. If you’re using weak passwords, then you’re not securing anything at all. It’s the equivalent of leaving a key under your doormat.

Things You Should Be Aware Of

If you’re using software to enhance or protect your privacy, chances are you’re going to be put on a watch list.