For whatever reasons I've decided to start backing up my gmail account. This is pretty straight forward even on Slackware.

1. In Gmail, go to Settings → Forwarding and POP/IMAP and Enable IMAP
2. Download OfflineIMAP and unpack it
3. create ~/.offlineimaprc and ~/.netrc as shown below
4. you're all set at this point
5. to run OfflineIMAP from cron use -q quiet parameter

File ~/.offlineimaprc:

[general]
accounts = Gmail

[Account Gmail]
localrepository = Local
remoterepository = Remote

[Repository Local]
type = Maildir
localfolders = PATH_WHERE_TO_BACKUP

[Repository Remote]
type = IMAP
ssl = yes
remotehost = imap.gmail.com
remoteuser = GMAIL_LOGIN
sslcacertfile = /etc/ssl/certs/ca-certificates.crt

File ~/.netrc if you don't want to enter password every time OfflineIMAP is run:

machine imap.gmail.com
login GMAIL_LOGIN
password SECRET_PASSWORD

File ~/.netrc is actually reason why I have written this article. I didn't like idea of having this file in my $HOME directory. In theory, every application executed under your UID can read this file. So I've created an extra user solely for purpose of backing up my Gmail account. I admit, this isn't a silver bullet. It's perhaps only a tiny bit more secure than before. And it still doesn't beat root user whom can read any file on the system. But no other applications, unless executed as a root, should be able to access these files.

Actually, I'd like to check whether SELinux, or its equivalent, could be used to restrict applications from accessing files like ~/.netrc despite application has proper UID to do so. But later.

— Zdenek Styblik 2013/06/15 11:35

I've replaced boxed AMD FX CPU cooler with Noctua NH-L12 just couple minutes ago and I must say I'm quite pleased so far. A bit of bragging at first.

CPU cooler which comes with AMD FX is, well, terrible. It does its job, keeps CPU cool that is, but I believe even people behind the wall are aware when I put some workload on my workstation. Temperatures were around 40 deg C idle and 65 deg C under load - that's when airplane took off. And when we had super hot tropic weather? Oh boy! I had enough. Now, with NH-L12 it seems I have 16 deg C idle and like 45 deg C under load(I haven't done thorough testing). But what's more important, silence!

Putting NH-L12 inside was quite easy and I've managed to change CPU coolers without taking the whole workstation apart. There is one issue I want to tell you about, though. Since it's a low profile cooler and since I'm putting it on AMD, there are only two ways you can put it on. The real fun begins when you have DDR modules in your way. At first, I thought I'll have to give up small 92mm fan. However, I've managed to put it really, really close to heat-pipes which freed just enough space between fan in question and DDR modules.

As a conclusion, of sorts, do your research and beware of low profile CPU coolers. They might be tricky. As I said earlier, I like Noctua NH-L12, but I guess I was lucky to fit it in. I can't wait to put it under load to see whether it manages to stay quiet, whether I'll have yet another jet taking off in my room, or whether my workstation just melts away. We'll see!

— Zdenek Styblik 2013/06/29 18:15