Technology Tales

PowerShell: About Execution Policies

PowerShell execution policies govern how scripts and configuration files are run within the environment. These policies determine whether scripts are allowed to execute and under what conditions, such as requiring digital signatures or allowing unsigned scripts from trusted sources. The policies can be set at different scopes, including the local machine, current user, or a specific process, with each scope affecting how the policy is applied. Managing these policies involves using commands like Get-ExecutionPolicy and Set-ExecutionPolicy, which allow users to view or modify the current settings. Group Policy can also be used to enforce execution policies across an enterprise, overriding local settings when configured. On systems where the Windows Desktop Shell is unavailable, such as Windows Server Core or Nano Server, certain policies may fail unless bypassed or adjusted. Handling scripts downloaded from the internet often requires unblocking them through specific commands, as these files may be marked as originating from the internet zone. Understanding and configuring these policies is essential for maintaining security while ensuring necessary scripts can run without unnecessary restrictions.

Typora is a markdown editor designed to streamline the process of creating and viewing markdown documents by eliminating traditional interface elements such as preview windows and syntax indicators, offering instead a live preview that mirrors the final output. It supports a wide range of formatting options including images, headers, lists, tables, code blocks, mathematical expressions, diagrams and inline styling, while also providing tools for file organisation, export to multiple formats such as PDF, Word and LaTeX and features like word count, focus mode and customisable themes. The application is praised for its intuitive interface and ability to enhance productivity through minimalistic design and comprehensive functionality, with users highlighting its effectiveness in both writing and publishing markdown content.

Stencila is a tool designed for creating and working with programmable, executable documents. It is currently in the early stages of development, with alpha versions of its command-line interface and SDK's available for testing and feedback. The project leverages Rust for core functionality, alongside other technologies such as Python, TypeScript and Node.js, to enable cross-platform use. It emphasises collaboration, with features built on libraries like Automerge for real-time data synchronisation. The development process includes continuous integration and deployment workflows, ensuring regular testing and releases. Community contributions and support from open-source projects are integral to its progress, with acknowledgments given to key libraries and sponsors. Future plans include expanding documentation, conducting security and accessibility audits and refining the tool's capabilities for broader adoption.

How to Remove Menus From the WordPress Dashboard

WordPress administrators can control which menu items appear in the dashboard by using code or plugins to hide specific sections from users. The simplest method involves creating a custom plugin that uses the remove_menu_page function with the appropriate menu slug, allowing selective removal of items like posts or settings whilst maintaining access to the actual pages if users know their direct locations. For more comprehensive control based on user roles and capabilities, the Admin Menu Editor plugin offers a drag and drop interface to rearrange, hide or customise menu items without coding, though permissions rely on capability settings and top-level menus remain visible if any submenu items are accessible. Alternatively, the Branda plugin provides extensive customisation options for both front-end and back-end branding across WordPress installations, including menu modifications alongside login pages, dashboards and system emails. Whilst hiding menu items prevents visual clutter and protects clients from confusing settings, it does not actually restrict access to those pages if users navigate directly to them, making role-based plugins more suitable for genuine security requirements.

If you ever need to install Linux kernel headers on an openSUSE instance in order to install VirtualBox Guest Additions, the following command should be executed in order to do the needful:

sudo zypper in kernel-source

Using Docker macvlan networks

Using Docker's macvlan network type allows containers to connect directly to a local network by creating virtual interfaces, but this approach requires careful configuration to avoid IP address conflicts. To prevent conflicts, a reserved subnet range must be designated, ensuring Docker assigns addresses within that range while excluding them from standard DHCP allocation. Additionally, communication between the host and containers on a macvlan network is limited, necessitating the creation of a secondary macvlan interface on the host, which is then configured with a reserved IP address and linked to the network via routing rules. This setup enables the host to interact with containers but requires manual configuration that is not persistent across reboots, depending on the host's operating system.

RFC Editor serves as the central repository for the Request for Comments (RFC) series, a collection of technical documents that establish the foundational standards and protocols underpinning the internet. These documents, produced by organisations such as the Internet Engineering Task Force, the Internet Research Task Force and independent contributors, outline protocols, architectural principles, operational practices and experimental research, forming a sequential and permanent record of internet development that dates back to 1969. The RFC Editor organisation oversees the editing, publication and archiving of these documents, which cover a wide range of technologies including TCP, IP, HTTP, SMTP, DNS and TLS. The site provides access to browse, search and download RFCs, along with information on their standards status, errata and updates, ensuring their availability to the public and supporting the internet's open and interoperable nature. The term "Request for Comments" originated from the informal exchange of ideas among early researchers, which later evolved into the formal documentation process that continues to shape internet standards today.

Snapcraft

Developed by Canonical, this is a packaging and build tool that enables developers to create self-contained software packages for Linux distributions. The tool automates the transformation of source code into distributable packages by collecting application files and dependencies, compiling the application, bundling everything together and facilitating publication to a centralised store.

Developers define their build requirements through a configuration file that specifies application details, version information, dependencies, build instructions and runtime environment settings. When executed, the tool downloads necessary build dependencies, compiles the project, bundles required libraries and produces a final package that can be uploaded for distribution.

These packages run consistently across multiple Linux distributions because they include all necessary libraries rather than relying on system-installed components. The resulting packages operate within a confined environment with permission controls, update automatically and can be published through multiple release channels including stable, candidate, beta and edge versions. This approach to packaging differs from traditional methods by emphasising reproducible builds and dependency isolation, making it particularly useful for distributing command-line tools, developer utilities and desktop applications without maintaining separate packages for each distribution.

Show the slide number and total number of slides on every PowerPoint slide

The process of displaying slide numbers and total slide counts in PowerPoint presentations requires manual configuration through the Slide Master view, where a text box is inserted and formatted to include both the current slide number and a manually entered total. This method does not automatically update if additional slides are added later, necessitating manual adjustments. Users can provide feedback to suggest future enhancements that might automate this functionality, though current tools rely on user-initiated steps to achieve the desired presentation formatting.

Yawcam is webcam software for Windows that has been in use for over two decades, offering features such as video streaming, motion detection, image overlays and support for multiple cameras. The latest version, Yawcam Ai, focuses on video surveillance with enhanced object detection capabilities. The classic version remains widely used for its simplicity and inclusion of standard functions like built-in web servers, FTP uploads and time-lapse movies.