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Use result of the last command
\$ which python /usr/bin/python \$ ll `!!` lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 9 2010-11-08 22:01 /usr/bin/python -> python2.6

scp file from hostb to hostc while logged into hosta
While at the command line of of hosta, scp a file from remote hostb to remote hostc. This saves the step of logging into hostb and then issuing the scp command to hostc.

Script executes itself on another host with one ssh command
Now put more interesting stuff on the script in replacement of hostname, even entire functions, etc, and stuff. hosta> cat myScript.sh #!/bin/sh [ $1 == "client" ] && hostname || cat $0 | ssh $1 /bin/sh -s client hosta> myScript.sh hostb hostb hosta>

Clean your broken terminal
When some console full-screen program (minicom, vi, some installers) breaks down your terminal, try this command to revert all options to "sane" settings (sane is a built-in combo of a lot of stty options)

prevent accidents while using wildcards
alternative for "echo rm *.txt". Just doubletab the command you are willing to use and it will show you the affected files.

get time in other timezones
On Ubuntu, if tzwatch is installed, then you can call up in terminal the output for every time zone configured in gWorldClock.

escape any command aliases
e.g. if rm is aliased for 'rm -i', you can escape the alias by prepending a backslash: rm [file] # WILL prompt for confirmation per the alias \rm [file] # will NOT prompt for confirmation per the default behavior of the command

Show the key code for keyboard events include the Fn keys
The keycodes are a result of pressing: Mute (Fn+F1) a

ping a host until it responds, then play a sound, then exit
After this, just type: $ beepwhenup You need to install "beep" before this would make the beep sound. Save it in your .profile if you want to use it later WARNING: this command won't exit until it is successful. You won't be able to CONTROL+C out of it.

Random numbers with Ruby
There's been a few times I've needed to create random numbers. Although I've done so in PERL, I've found Ruby is actually faster. This script generates 20 random "10" digit number NOT A RANDOM NUMBER. Replace 20 (1..20) with the amount of random numbers you need generated


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