The Geek “Must Do Before You Die” Checklist

Vijay (Scanman) tweeted ‘The Geek “Must Do Before You Die” Checklist‘ this morning.

Done	#	Item	Web Reference
	1.	Add a Third Monitor	http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/17960-13-adding-monitor
	2.	Build a Linux Firewall	http://www.ocmodshop.com/ocmodshop.aspx?a=1524
	3.	Build a Network File Server	http://dailycupoftech.com/howto-install-freenas/
x	4.	Build a PC	http://www.pcmech.com/byopc/
	5.	Build a Robot	http://www.hiskey.us/PhysicalComputing/Week10.aspx
x	6.	Build an HTML based Website using Notepad	http://www.w3schools.com/htmL/
	7.	Bypass a Computer Password on All Major Operating Systems	http://www.joetech.com/2009/01/29/how-to-crack-the-account-password-on-any-operating-system/
	8.	Bypass School or Work Website Blocks	http://laptoplogic.com/resources/64-things-every-geek-should-know
x	9.	Carry a Computer Cleaning Arsenal on Your USB Drive	http://laptoplogic.com/resources/64-things-every-geek-should-know
x	10.	Compile a Linux Kernel	http://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/compiling-linux-kernel-26.html
	11.	Control Your House Lights with a Computer	http://www.instructables.com/id/Control-lights-in-your-house-with-your-computer/
x	12.	Convert Cassette Tapes to Digital Audio Files	http://lifehacker.com/software/mp3/alpha-geek-how-to-digitize-cassette-tapes-222394.php
	13.	Crack a Wi-Fi Password	http://docs.lucidinteractive.ca/index.php/Cracking_WEP_and_WPA_Wireless_Networks
	14.	Create ‘Hello, World’ in at Least Five Different Programming languages	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alphabetical_list_of_programming_languages
	15.	Create a Disposable E-Mail Account	http://dailycupoftech.com/2009/03/14/create-a-temporary-e-mail-account-on-your-domain/
	16.	Create a Recovery Drive Image of Your Computer	http://dailycupoftech.com/2008/05/06/free-or-open-source-imaging-solutions/
	17.	Create a WordPress Plugin	http://net.tutsplus.com/tutorials/wordpress/creating-a-custom-wordpress-plugin-from-scratch/
	18.	Create a WordPress Theme from Scratch	http://www.wpdesigner.com/2007/02/19/so-you-want-to-create-wordpress-themes-huh/
	19.	Create an Add-On for Firefox	http://lifehacker.com/software/programming/how-to-build-a-firefox-extension-264490.php
	20.	Create an SSH Tunnel	http://www.ehow.com/how_2036605_create-ssh-putty.html
	21.	Create Music with Keyboard	http://thebatman.net/keybored/
x	22.	Design and Build a Circuit Board	http://www.olimex.com/pcb/dtools.html
	23.	Do Cool Things to Altoids Tins	http://www.squidoo.com/altoids-tins
	24.	Download a Video from YouTube	http://keepvid.com/
	25.	Download Wikipedia	http://download.wikimedia.org/
x	26.	Execute a Shell Script	http://www.mcsr.olemiss.edu/unixhelp/scrpt/scrpt1.2.html
	27.	Find a Users IP Address on AIM	http://www.elitehackers.info/forums/archive/index.php/t-2827.html
	28.	Find a Website IP Address Without Web/CommandPrompt Access	http://laptoplogic.com/resources/64-things-every-geek-should-know
x	29.	Flash System BIOS	http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfmarticleID=1605
	30.	Hack a Pop Machine	http://skattertech.com/soda-machine-hack/
	31.	Hack a USB Drive Startup File	http://dailycupoftech.com/usb-drive-autoruninf-tweaking/
	32.	Hide a File Behind a JPEG	http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/hide-file-in-picture/
	33.	Homebrew Hack Game Systems	http://www.3stepads.com/2009/03/05/learn-unlock-wii-system/
	34.	Increase Wi-Fi Range	http://www.mavromatic.com/archives/000451
	35.	Install a Content Management System for a Website	http://dailycupoftech.com/2009/04/24/cms-roundup/
x	36.	Irrecoverably Protect Data	http://www.truecrypt.org/
	37.	Jailbreak an iPhone	http://lifehacker.com/398906/jailbreak-iphone-20-with-pwnagetool
x	38.	Know the Meaning of Technical Acronyms	http://www.techterms.com/acronyms.php
x	39.	Know Who Mulder and Scully Are	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulder_and_Scully_(song)
	40.	Learn and Write Javascript	http://www.yourhtmlsource.com/javascript/basicjavascript.html
x	41.	Learn At Least One Fictional Language	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_constructed_languages
x	42.	Learn Hexadecimal and Binary Number Systems	http://www.wisc-online.com/objects/index_tj.aspobjID=DIG1102
	43.	Learn How to Convert a DVD to x264 (or XviD or DivX)	http://howto.diveintomark.org/ipod-dvd-ripping-guide/
	44.	Learn How to Hot Wire a Car	http://howto.wired.com/wiki/Hot_Wire_Your_Car
	45.	Learn How to Install Mac OS X on a PC	http://dailyapps.net/2007/10/hack-attack-install-leopard-on-your-pc-in-3-easy-steps/
	46.	Learn How to Reset RAM	http://www.yousaytoo.com/sudjarwo/how-to-reset-ram-in-a-computer/29133
x	47.	Learn Important Keyboard Shortcuts	http://ow.ly/548w
	48.	Learn the Fastest way to Kill a Computer	http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfmarticleID=1720
x	49.	Learn to Identify Keyloggers	http://www.ghacks.net/2007/06/28/how-to-defeat-most-keyloggers-on-public-computers/
	50.	Learn to Identify Major Constellations	http://www.sky-watch.com/astronomy-guide/major-constellations.html
	51.	Load Rockbox onto an MP3 Player	http://rockbox.org
	52.	Lock Your Computer with a USB Drive	http://lionjkt.wordpress.com/2008/12/31/how-to-lock-your-computer-with-usb-drive/
x	53.	Make a Cat5 Patch and Crossover Cable	http://geeksaresexy.blogspot.com/2006/01/save-money-how-to-make-your-own.html
	54.	Make a Laptop Cooling Pad	http://www.instructables.com/id/Lazy-mans-laptop-cooler/
	55.	Make Your Office Ergonomic	http://www.ergotron.com/tabid/305/language/en-US/default.aspx
	56.	Mod a Flash Drive Case	http://www.instructables.com/id/Metal-USBâ€”Flash-drive-case-mod/
x	57.	Monitor Network Traffic	http://www.slac.stanford.edu/xorg/nmtf/nmtf-tools.html
x	58.	Mount and ISO in a Virtual DVD Drive	http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/mount-an-iso-image-in-windows-vista/
	59.	Move Completely To Open Source	http://www.osalt.com/
x	60.	Permanently Delete Data on a Hard Drive	http://www.dban.org/
	61.	Permanently Delete Your Facebook Account	http://www.facebook.com/group.phpgid=16929680703
	62.	Pick a Lock	http://www.gregmiller.net/locks/mitguide/
	63.	Play a Geek Practical Joke	http://www.wired.com/entertainment/theweb/news/2008/03/pranks08currentPage=all
	64.	Play Retro Games without Retro Consoles	http://www.ladyada.net/make/fuzebox/index.html
	65.	Put LEDs Inside a Light Bulb	http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2006/06/make_a_led_bulb.html
x	66.	Put Open Source Firmware on a Router	http://kamikaze.openwrt.org/docs/openwrt.html#x1-40001.1.1
	67.	Read 1337 At Normal Speed	http://www.wikihow.com/Read-and-Write-in-1337
	68.	Recover Deleted Files	http://lifehacker.com/393084/how-to-recover-deleted-files-with-free-software
x	69.	Recover Master Boot Record	http://www.ntfs.com/mbr-damaged.htm
x	70.	Register Your Name as an Internet Domain	http://www.thesitewizard.com/archive/registerdomain.shtml
x	71.	Remotely Control a Computer	http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfmarticleID=1441
x	72.	Replace a Laptop Keyboard	http://www.refurbished-laptop-guide.com/how-to-remove-a-laptop-keyboard.html
x	73.	Replacing a Laptop LCD	http://www.fonerbooks.com/laptop_4.htm
x	74.	Retrieve Data off Hard Drive	http://laptoplogic.com/resources/5-ways-to-retrieve-data-off-a-crashed-hard-drive
	75.	Rip Streaming Videos	http://applian.com/download-videos/
	76.	Run an Operating System from a USB Thumb Drive	http://www.pendrivelinux.com/
x	77.	Run Multiple Computers with one Keyboard and Mouse	http://dailycupoftech.com/2007/02/19/multiple-computers-1-keyboardmouse-no-kvm/
x	78.	Run Operating System inside a Virtual Computer	http://linuxvirtualization.com/
x	79.	Run Your Own Ethernet Line	http://www.ertyu.org/steven_nikkel/ethernetcables.html
	80.	Screw with Wi-Fi Leeches	http://tech.nocr.at/hacking-security/baffle-wifi-leeches-with-an-upside-down-ternet-2/
	81.	Setup a Computer in the Cloud	http://howto.opml.org/dave/ec2/
	82.	Setup a Streaming Media Server	http://www.n00tz.net/2008/07/vlc-media-server-ubuntu-hardy/
	83.	Setup a VPN	http://www.computernetworkinghelp.com/content/view/41/1/
x	84.	Setup an Apache, MySQL, Mail, PHP server on Windows and Linux	http://www.apachefriends.org/en/xampp.html
x	85.	Shrink a Website URL	http://internet.suite101.com/article.cfm/shrink_a_link_with_free_url_shorteners
	86.	Soldering Glasses Together	http://www.ehow.com/how_1315_weld-glass.html
	87.	Strip Windows DRM	http://undrm.info/remove-DRM-protection/FairUse4WM-freeware-DRM-removal-Windows-software-Strip-copy-protection-from-WMV-ASF-WMA-Windows-Media-Player.htm
	88.	Surf the Web Anonymously	http://www.torproject.org/
	89.	Survive in a Linux Argument	http://www.linux.com/articles/feature/
	90.	Tethering a Smartphone	http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/2276/smartphones_bb_treo_tether_modem_usa_carriers/
	91.	Turn a Laptop into a Digital Picture Frame	http://repair4laptop.org/notebook_picture_frame.html
	92.	Turn Webcams into Security Cameras	http://www.simplehelp.net/2006/09/27/how-to-use-your-pc-and-webcam-as-a-motion-detecting-and-recording-security-camera/
	93.	Unbrick a Smartphone	http://www.howardforums.com/
x	94.	Understand What ‘There’s no Place Like 127.0.0.1’ Means	http://www.tech-faq.com/127.0.0.1.shtml
	95.	Unleash a Laser Pointer’s full potential	http://hacknmod.com/hack/6-fantastic-laser-pointer-projects/
	96.	Unlock an iPhone	http://www.pcworld.com/article/137223/how_to_unlock_an_iphone.html
	97.	Upload a Video to YouTube	http://www.youtube.com/watchv=qFyIT7rVZ0Q
x	98.	Use a Camera in Manual Mode	http://digital-photography-school.com/digital-camera-modes
	99.	Use Bittorrent Effectively	http://infinitium.blogspot.com/2005/03/js-essential-howto-guide-bittorrent.html
	100.	Wire a Home Theatre System	http://www.prillaman.net/ht_info_8-wiring.html

I seem to have done 33 on the list. Some of the items haven’t been relevant e.g. Build a network file server – I have a file server with RAID array already and so didn’t need to create my own. For others, my definition may vary from that listed – by the list I haven’t installed a content management system, but I would class WordPress as a CMS.