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bash shortcut: !$ !^ !* !:3 !:h and !:t
When expanding, bash output the command, so don't be affraid if you type the command. Here is the details: First examples: $echo foo bar foobar barfoo First argument: $echo !$ echo barfoo barfoo (Note that typing echo foo bar foobar barfoo && echo !$, bash substitute !$ with $:1) Last argument: $echo foo bar foobar barfoo && echo !^ echo foo bar foobar barfoo && echo barfoo foo bar foobar barfoo barfoo All the arguments: $echo !* echo foo bar foobar barfoo foo bar foobar barfoo The third argument: $echo foo bar foobar barfoo && echo !:3 echo foo bar foobar barfoo && echo foobar foo bar foobar barfoo foobar You may want to add {} for large numbers: echo !:{11} for example Now with path: $echo /usr/bin/foobar /usr/bin/foobar For the head: $echo !$:h echo /usr/bin /usr/bin And the tail: $echo !$:t echo foobar foobar You also may want to try !:h and !:t or !!3-4 for the third and the fourth (so !!:* == !!:1-$)

Sets shell timeout
Useful in root's .profile - will auto-logout after TMOUT seconds of inactivity. Close after `seconds` inactive. export TMOUT=seconds (unefunge)

Transfer a file to multiple hosts over ssh
You can push files to up to 32 servers at once assuming ssh keys are in place. Great tool, it is part of the pssh suite.

command shell generate random strong password
shell generate random strong password

Which processes are listening on a specific port (e.g. port 80)
swap out "80" for your port of interest. Can use port number or named ports e.g. "http"

Advanced python tracing
Trace python statement execution and syscalls invoked during that simultaneously

Launch a game, like Tetris, when apt-get installing an app larger than 50 Megabytes
Change the APP variable's value to whatever you want to install. Depending on how fast your machine is, you'll want to adjust the value 50 to something else. You might also want to play a different game than Gnometris - just make sure it's a GUI game.

currently mounted filesystems in nice layout
since fuse mounts do not appear in /etc/mtab (fuse can't write there, dunno if it would if it could) this is propably a better way.

IP addresses connected to port 80
IP addresses and number of connections connected to port 80.

Recursive chmod all *.sh files within the current directory
This command is useful to recursively make executable all "*.sh" files in a folder. This command is useful to apply chmod recursively in a determined kind of file.


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