Linux Examples, tips, tricks and tutorials

Archive for December, 2009

Why Linux And Windows Will Never Do Your Laundry

If a store opened across the street from Target, same relative inventory, same service, only difference everything was free, would Target survive?
Unlikely.
Yet in software. . .
“Payware” = “Freeware” (open source)
————————————–
Windows = Linux
Oracle = MySQL
MS Office = OpenOffice
Ultra Edit = PSPad
. . . the current reality is that payware and freeware compete in the marketplace head to head.
In fact, the “for pay” software continues to thrive in the marketplace despite free software that is in many cases just as good (some might claim better).
Why is this?
When you buy a pair of jeans at the store the total cost is paid in full at the time of the purchase. There are no additional costs involved that directly pertain to the manufacturer. Of course there is the on-going cost of maintaining the pants through washing. This is a totally different market that is wholly agnostic to the brand of jeans. In other words, Tide washes Wrangler’s the same as Levi’s.
With software the game is different. Only a small percentage of the total cost of software can be attributed to its development. Support and maintenance make up a sizeable chunk of the cost. The larger one scales the software the higher these costs go. There is no singular solution like Tide to deal with both Windows or Linux. Sure you copy files in both, and make directories, but the means of doing so is very different and not interchangeable like your detergent. My trivial example has not even exposed the tip of the iceberg!
So this leaves us with the issue of market share. When you have a commodity that requires so much additional and continuing service/support, market share becomes a very important factor.
Support and service for free software is anything but free. Microsoft loves to tell us (and rightly so) that TCO (total cost of ownership) between Windows and Linux is in the same ballpark. They even claim that Linux costs more, all factors considered. But the geeks at Redmond can’t have it both ways. Open Source software that can be obtained for free does not represent communism (Remember Mr. Balmer declaring this?). Communism to my understanding was never a sustaining and growing multi-billion dollar business.
If we look back as to how Microsoft dominated the market we tend to forget some key points.
* The mainframe market viewed Microsoft as a passing fad.
[The CEO of DEC wondered why in the world anyone would every want to own a computer. ]
*Microsoft was the only real game in town when it came to PC operating systems.
[Any attempts by others (DR Dos, OS2) were summarily squashed. ]
*Microsoft gave away IE in order to squash then leader Netscape.
[Who?]
*Microsoft sold early versions of Office for $99. 00 to gain market share.
[Other players at the time were selling there office suites for 3+ times that amount. Microsoft bought market share by thinking long term. After all, changing your word processor and spreadsheet are a bit dicier than changing your undies. Also, think of all of us who make a living off these products. ]
While many software vendors have come and gone, it is the open source, “here it is for free” Cowboys and Cowgirls that are here to stay and threaten the very world of “for pay” software. But what the hey, we developers are typically more enthralled by creating things than making money. I know of no other profession on the planet where not taking and reusing other peoples work is considered the sane way of doing ones job. I believe in journalism they call it plagiarism?

Advantages of Cheap Linux Hosting Services

There are a lot of solutions for every site or business web hosting needs, and Linux website hosting may be the best hosting solutions of all of your queries you have ever had about the world of the web hosting solutions. Here we describe about Linux website hosting and the advantages of Linux website hosting over Windows hosting will give for the personal or business web user at Hosting24hour. com.

With Windows hosting, web sites can use e-commerce functions. The old thinking support, If someone has little or no experience webmaster, they should consider Windows hosting, but now the time and features changes and Linux provide efficient features for users to easily use the Linux hosting services. Linux hosting services can be a little harder to manage for someone who does not have much experience but good one in web hosting solutions. Sites that are created on the Windows servers can be difficult to convert, so that they can easily be used on a Linux server. This may be something that you want, when planning your web site or the choice between Windows and Linux hosting.

When you are at the start of your website or business, you don’t need a big website and a huge disk space on the server and probably look for companies offering affordable web hosting plans. Let’s say, you have got your Domain Name (www. hosting24hour. com). Its time to check for a good web hosting service provider to have your files uploaded in the domain.

Linux operating system for computers remains one of the most common examples of free software services available for users. Linux is also known as GNU / Linux. Linux was designed by individuals who proposed the system first for their individual needs that were not been met by a major commercial operating system such as Windows. Best of all is that all of Linux code and source coding is also available to the general public for free use, and for modification purposes as well. Linux has gained strong support from major computer base companies such as IBM and Novell among others. Many personal users and large firms started choosing Linux as well. Linux is quickly gaining steam in the corporate world. Why? Here are the four answers: cost, effectiveness, security, and reliability.

Many reliable Linux web hosting companies have been in business for some nice time and are considered fairly reliable. These Linux website hosting providers are known for their knowledge and the hosting services they can offer. Some sites boast of being in business for five years or more with several trained professional hosting provider on board to assist in offering their hosting services, in technical support, and other elements to an effective web hosting company.

A Linux web hosting company follows in line with a strict tradition of budget web hosting and turning heavy profit in little time and this signifies a lot to the consumer as many consumers react to profit in a positive way, you can see the same at Hosting24hour. com best Linux Hosting Solutions provider for your business hosting services.

Linux is a growing operating system and many consumers and business owners are interested in running their on line business using Linux web hosting.

Most Linux hosting servers are using highly reliable software in their applications and frequently update their programs and services as well. This is a useful feature, especially in dealing with newer web hosting technology and services available on Internet. Linux also uses innovative tools and features that help bring accessibility to new users and confidence to veteran users, by supplying every user with the basics to operate a successful web site.

Free Damn Small Linux Games – Part 1

Many people find that Damn Small Linux is an excellent tool for mastering Linux commands and running the Linux operating system. But what if you have no interest in becoming a computer nerd; can this software still be useful to regular people? The answer is a resounding yes. You can use this tiny operating system whether or not you want to learn the sometimes gruesome details of operating systems. This article presents several free games that are immediately available once you have downloaded and installed Damn Small Linux.
To access these games either click on the DSL button in the lower-left hand corner or on the Apps icon toward the top of the screen. Then open the Games: there are eleven; Canfield, Freecell, Golf, Mastermind, Minesweeper, Pegged, Slide_Puzzle, Solitaire, Taipei, Thornq, and Xtris and Taiedit which is not a game, but a game editor. This article looks at the first six games; a companion article examines the rest of them. As with any gaming systems, be careful not to get addicted.
Canfield is a relatively complicated single-deck solitaire card game. If you are not familiar with this game you’ll have to go to a source such as Google to find out how to play it. There is no help function. And sometimes the cards move fast, too fast to learn what is happening if you don’t know the game.
Freecell is a relatively complicated single-deck solitaire card game. I think that it’s easier to win than Canfield but maybe that’s because I am an ex-semi-Freecell-addict. It’s a lot easier to get addicted to the Window’s version of Freecell because it includes a seed number that lets you replay the same game. There is no such seed number in this version of Freecell.
In spite of its name, Golf is yet another card game one that is fairly well known. For more information about this game access http://www. delorie. com/store/ace/docs/golf. html.
Mastermind is a game in which you use a mouse to drag colors from the palette (on the left) to the empty cells in the guess row. When the four cells in the guess row are full, right-click on the right of the screen to see how you did. There will be one black peg for each cell that is the correct color, and one white for a color that is not in the correct sequence. Keep going and sooner or later you can figure out all the colors in the row. If that’s your thing.
Some people will remember Minesweeper from the days of Windows 3. 1. The goal is to clear a field of mines by clicking on a square that has no mines and right-clicking on a mined square to deactivate it. The screen indicates how many mines are adjacent to a square that has been deactivated or clicked on. One false move and you lose. When you start the game you can choose from four levels by enter 1 (the easiest), 2, 3, or 4. I vaguely recall that Windows 3. 1 gave me additional options, but still Damn Small Linux’s Minesweeper is a good time waster.
Pegged is a field of thirty penguins and thirty-one spaces. Initially one space is empty. A move consists of one Penguin jumping over another generating an additional empty space. You win if at the end of the game there is a single penguin. You really win if the solitary penguin is in the center square. Some would say that you really, really win if you close the Games menu and get back to work.

The Top Ten Concepts for Linux Beginners – Number 7, Runs on Obsolete Computers

Where Can I Find Comprehensive And Detailed Linux Video Lessons Or Tutorials That Include Code And Examples?

Where can i find comprehensive and detailed Linux Video Lessons or Tutorials that include code and examples? I want something that shows each step of the process, and give the textual commands along with the video, and includes any other resources that are necessary, and preferably allows me to ask questions if i still do not understand something

Latest Linux Books Auctions

Hey, check out these auctions:

Cool, arent they?

What is Linux?

Linux – the operating system for a GNU (pronounced Gnew) generation. It has been dubbed the alternative to Microsoft, the solution to all life’s problems and many other things that may or may not be true. But what is Linux, and should you care?To answer the first question, it’s a free operating system that looks and acts very much like Unix. You can download it off the Net for free, or you can copy it legally from a friend – although this might take all the fun out of using that CD-Writer you’ve got and never use for anything, except to brag about it to your friends. Alternatively, you can buy it nicely packaged from an Internet store and get it delivered with a book about Linux, (Linux Unleashed). Distributors charge not for the operating system itself, but for their time in packaging and presenting it. Two popular flavors of Linux are Free BSD and Ubuntu. These offer the same basic systems with a few slight differences that can lead to long and entertaining godly wars between supporters of each. If you’re getting into Linux for the first time, Ubuntu is a good bet. You can either go for Ubuntu Desktop which comes with a GUI, or you can opt for Ubuntu Server if you planning to host websites of your own. The server edition has no GUI, but you can install KDE or Gnome to make your life easier. Most of your configuration will be done via the Terminal and you will have to learn a lot of Linux commands. Linux is more complicated, and it depends on the kind of person you are. If you’re the type of computer user who wants every application to run straight out of the box and your system to just do what it’s told and run your games, then stick with Windows. But if you’re a pioneering soul who wants to find out more about your system and tweak it to perform to the max, then Linux is definitely worth a try. If you want rock-solid Internet access, if you want to support the development of free software and more efficient solutions, or if you’re just the type of person who needs control over every aspect of your life including how your machine performs, then you’re definitely a Linux candidate. Linux is perfectly suited to students, developers and just about anyone who wants to try something other than the norm. Newcomers will find support straight off the Internet from thousands of kindred spirits. It’s worth a try – maybe you’ll discover a Whole New World of fun and adventure. Or maybe you’ll just take it straight off your machine and go back to Windows. However, if you planning to try it out, then load it on that old machine that’s just lying around in the basement. You don’t need powerful processors and hardware – the most important component is memory. If you have 512mb and a 20gig hard drive then you should be OK. You should be able to run all your applications including your websites with ease. Remember, you will need a permanent connection to the Internet if you going to host your own websites. The best part is that you don’t need any antivirus and antispyware software if you’re running Linux. Every would-be-virus-writer out there has only one target in mind – Microsoft Windows. Whether you stick with Linux or not, you’ll have come out of your safety zone and taken a trip to the cutting edge of computer technology.

Linux Tips?

I’m trying a bit hard to learn the Linux OS, anyway I’m just starting to learn the bash shell commands, and moving on. I actually got NDISwrapper to work on my system (hehe, it took a while, BUT I did get it). Anyway I just wanted to know, since I am planning to switching to Linux as my main OS, or even my only. If I could get some tips from some gurus.
My Linux Distro is SuSe 10. 1.

Tips For Ideal OS Web Hosting

Have you completed designing your website? Yes, so now you are on the lookout for a web hosting company is not it? Remember, choosing the web hosting company at random will only create problem and empty your pockets. What should be done? Before choosing the web hosting company you have to chalk out a plan about the operating system that you require from the company. What does operating system mean?
Meaning of Operating System:
The operating system means the server that provides all the necessary aids required for providing your website the best possible services as per the design of your website. Which are the available servers? The commonly available servers are Windows, Linux and UNIX.
These along with the software that they are equipped with gives the maximum benefit to you. What facilities do the Windows provide? The windows are easy to operate for people who use their personal pc which is installed with any version of Windows like ME, XP, NT or similar system. In the same manner there are two other servers Linux and UNIX which are equipped with PHP, BSD which is available in two types that is free and open.
How to decide which operating system should be chosen? It depends on your need but you should also keep in mind that the hosting companies use the servers that is most in demand so if you try to choose any company explicitly you may have to forgo many facilities that are provided by the reputed companies and will have to opt for a company which in the long run may prove to be a disastrous choice. Then what is the best way out where a hosting company can be chosen which will provide all the facilities that are required?
Tips for Ideal OS in a Dedicated Web Hosting
What is dedicated web hosting? It means that the server will not be shared with anybody but the hosting company will allot the server in totality for your website. You will have full control over the server which will contain hardware required for your operating system.
The hosting company may also give additional service which will be free of cost. This way you can get more returns than your investment in the long run. What is the Operating System support available on dedicated web hosting? The basic operating system available on dedicated web hosting is open source operating system, net BSD, open BSD and free BSD. The added benefit is that all these systems are free of cost.
For a beginner it is best to choose the Windows as he will not have to worry about any technical language nor face the headache of maintaining and updating the UNIX system. But this is best if the website is for personal use.
What about the newbie who will install the website for business purpose? In that case it is better to choose the LINUX or the UNIX system which contains enough space to incorporate the expansion of the business in the long run. The technical support is also more advanced and the main advantage is, it is free of cost. So always choose the OS which is the most suitable for your website.

The Top Ten Concepts for Linux Beginners – Number 8, Programming Language Support

Damn Small Linux can be an ideal platform for supporting a wide range of programming languages. You can even program directly from the command line via a programming shell such as Bash. Major programming languages used in this environment include C, C++, and Java. If you are developing for the Internet you may want to use PHP, a web programming language and MySQL, a language for database system development. All these programming languages are also available in the Windows environment. So the question arises, why would you want to program under Linux rather than under Windows?
Many web developers and Internet service providers feel that Linux provides a more stable web site environment than does Windows. The most widely used web server, Apache, is available under both these operating systems but its new features, security enhancements, and bug fixes always are made available first on the Open Source (LAMP) version. And then they filter down to the Windows version. At the time of this writing the Windows version of Apache has problems with its cryptographic functions.
While programming languages are essentially the same across these two operating systems, their libraries are quite different. Basically, when you write complicated programs you want to make use of as much prewritten software as possible to reduce your programming and debugging effort. One example is handling the graphical user interface. As programmers often say, why reinvent the wheel? Linux provides a wider choice of libraries and graphical user interface toolkits.
When you program in Linux it is often fairly easy to port your programs to the Windows environment. Unfortunately, the inverse is rarely true. Of course as Linux systems become more popular, you will find more and more Windows-based programming systems that enable you to convert your programs to run under Linux. To do so makes clear economic sense.
Program conversion tools may be fairly difficult to develop. For example, executing programs must access the actual computer hardware. As you may imagine Linux and Windows programs access hardware quite differently. The modules that manage hardware access are called drivers. Linux drivers tend to be of higher quality than Windows drivers.
These two operating systems differ substantially in the way they manage programs during their execution. In other articles we discussed Linux’s increased security compared to Windows. We conclude this article by repeating a point that we have often made; you can run Damn Small Linux and its associated applications on very reduced hardware. You can do Linux, PHP, and MySQL development on old computers, ones that may have seemed ready for the garbage heap. In contrast many Windows competitors such as SQL Server Developer Edition require substantially more powerful computers, the kind of computers that people purchase for one or a few thousand dollars. When your programs will be used by dozens of people simultaneously, you will need powerful hardware. Don’t forget the operating system; can you guess which one we recommend? Our next subject is the graphical user interface.