Common Mistakes in Web Hosting
By Kalen Albert

When the competition is high, the need to stay on top is higher. Therefore it is very common to see some web host providers try to get customers by using any means necessary. Sometime the marketing tactics used can be illegal. This however is true for some of the provider but there are many good providers out there who always play by the rules.

One of the most famous tactics used is lower down the service charge. This is to get the attention of general public. People tend to look for cheaper service. This may seem brilliant at first but over time as their number of subscribers increase they might not cope with the load. As a result, their service quality will surely drop. So always be cautious of cheap service though it is good.

Think ahead and plan for the future. You website is likely to grow in nearest future. Therefore find a service which can support your website for all its lifetime. In future as the number of visitor keep increasing you will have to upload more files and better software. You have to consider all these factors before deciding on a web hosting plan. Imagine using the specific provider for a few months or years, will the service provided by them is sufficient for your needs? A limited web space or bandwidth plan would not be able to sustain your business.

There are no prior rules what to look for when you are searching for web hosting services. Do not judge the service provided by the web host based on the website. A website with state of the flash and graphic design might not necessarily provide the best service. Do not be surprised if a normal website with no special effect be the company that you are looking for. What you must have your eye on is their professionalism. You should be able to get the basic information regarding their service easily through their website. They should have user friendly web design that could help you find the information you seek easily. Besides that, the company should be transparent enough and have a frequently asked questions (FAQ) section and their contact info.

Be extremely careful with what the website promises to offer especially the promises which seems too good to be true. This is because it is very easy to promise but very hard to deliver what you promise. Most of the website will promise a ninety-nine percent uptime but this might not be true at all time. A reliable web host will go as far as to give money back guarantee if they cannot deliver what they promised. At least you will have some ideas on what to do if your site is down for days without any response from the web host.

There are many cheap hosting in market today but not without any hidden trap. Most of this host will offer you the cheap rate only if you sign up on a long term contract with them. All you know you might be paying $3.99 per month which is considered very cheap but then you will be stuck with them for 3 long years. So be aware of extremely cheap deals out there.

Last but not least the customer support provided by the provider is also very important criteria when you are selecting a prospective company for no company is complete without superior customer support. For this reason a good provider should provider twenty four hours a day and seven days a week of technical support.

Are you looking for a reliable web host? 2 millions have hosted their websites with Host Gator and that really provides a strong proof on how good they are. Perhaps you need to read this review for more evidence on their quality.

Kalen is a full time webmaster and writer since her college days. For years she has accumulated valuable experiences in picking a great host. She has somehow come out with a set of theory where you can read more at her website.

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Is There Anything Better Than the Dog Linux Download For PS3?
By Jimmy A Jones

If you think a Dog Linux download for PS3 is the best that you can do then think again. The latest release of Linux for PS3 is a super-charged powerhouse of a program. Installation is exceedingly simple, the program is bug free, and installing it will not void your PS3’s warranty… yeah, you heard me right. Want to know what else is cool about this? It turns your PS3 gaming system into a Linux based, multi-tasking computer. You can even have it run the Microsoft Windows OS on it and turn it also into a PC! Is that sweet or what? Can a Dog Linux download for PS3 do all that?

More than all that, you’ll still be able to play all of your PS3 games and watch movies, but now you can go online with it and download, play and run everything – movies, PC applications of all types, PS3 games, games made for other platforms (including those killer-cool old classics from the good old SNES!), and none of it will interfere with the normal functioning of your PS3!

What’s more, if you ever wanted to upgrade your PS3 in the future, this software will never interfere with it. So too, Sony’s upgrades to the PS3 gaming system won’t interfere at all with your new Linux installation either. Can the same be said of a Dog Linux download for PS3? Well, with this new Linux release, you can even have the more advanced Yellow Dog Linux installed as well!

Now, picture it… you now have a Linux powered machine, a PC computer, a storehouse of movies on a slick movie/DVD player, and a PS3 gaming system which downloads and plays games from other platforms as well (including those made for PC), all in one little system. You got room for all of those things in your gaming space? Is your dorm room the size of a stick of gum? Now you can have it all in the tiny space of your PS3 gaming system!

Installing Linux on your PS3 can sometimes void your warranty and/or be damaging to your system! To find out how to install Linux safely and easily without voiding your warranty head over to http://www.linuxforps3.com

5 Advantages Of Using Linux Over Windows
By Adam Kane

So, you’re a new, or fairly moderate Linux user, who wants to know what the true advantages of Linux over Windows are? There are several advantages of Linux, and of course, some disadvantages to using the Linux operating system. This article covers 5 advantages of using Linux over Windows, and lists a few disadvantages as well.

Advantages of Linux:

• Cost – The most obvious advantage of using Linux is the fact that it is free to obtain, while Microsoft products are available for a hefty and sometimes recurring fee. Microsoft licenses typically are only allowed to be installed on a single computer, whereas a Linux distribution can be installed on any number of computers, without paying a single dime.
• Security – In line with the costs, the security aspect of Linux is much stronger than that of Windows. Why should you have to spend extra money for virus protection software? The Linux operating system has been around since the early nineties and has managed to stay secure in the realm of widespread viruses, spyware and adware for all these years. Sure, the argument of the Linux desktop not being as widely used is a factor as to why there are no viruses. My rebuttal is that the Linux operating system is open source and if there were a widespread Linux virus released today, there would be hundreds of patches released tomorrow, either by ordinary people that use the operating system or by the distribution maintainers. We wouldn’t need to wait for a patch from a single company like we do with Windows.
• Choice (Freedom) – The power of choice is a great Linux advantage. With Linux, you have the power to control just about every aspect of the operating system. Two major features you have control of are your desktops look and feel by way of numerous Window Managers, and the kernel. In Windows, your either stuck using the boring default desktop theme, or risking corruption or failure by installing a third-party shell.
• Software - There are so many software choices when it comes to doing any specific task. You could search for a text editor on Freshmeat and yield hundreds, if not thousands of results. My article on 5 Linux text editors you should know about explains how there are so many options just for editing text on the command-line due to the open source nature of Linux. Regular users and programmers contribute applications all the time. Sometimes its a simple modification or feature enhancement of a already existing piece of software, sometimes its a brand new application. In addition, software on Linux tends to be packed with more features and greater usability than software on Windows. Best of all, the vast majority of Linux software is free and open source. Not only are you getting the software for no charge, but you have the option to modify the source code and add more features if you understand the programming language. What more could you ask for?
• Hardware- Linux is perfect for those old computers with barely any processing power or memory you have sitting in your garage or basement collecting dust. Install Linux and use it as a firewall, a file server, or a backup server. There are endless possibilities. Old 386 or 486 computers with barely any RAM run Linux without any issue. Good luck running Windows on these machines and actually finding a use for them.

Disadvantages of Linux:

• Understanding – Becoming familiar with the Linux operating system requires patience as well as a strong learning curve. You must have the desire to read and figure things out on your own, rather than having everything done for you.
• Compatibility – Because of its free nature, Linux is sometimes behind the curve when it comes to brand new hardware compatibility. Though the kernel contributors and maintainers work hard at keeping the kernel up to date, Linux does not have as much of a corporate backing as alternative operating systems. Sometimes you can find third party applications, sometimes you can’t.
• Alternative Programs – Though Linux developers have done a great job at creating alternatives to popular Windows applications, there are still some applications that exist on Windows that have no equivalent Linux application.

Now that you have an understanding of some of the advantages of Linux, its time get out there and experiment. Windows can be a great tool for the lazy and incompetent, but it takes a true scholar and one who wants to learn to run a robust operating system like Linux.

This article was written by Adam Kane, author of http://www.foogazi.com a blog specializing in Linux tips, tricks, and howto’s.

Things to Check While Installing Linux on PS3
By Ashish K Arora

The PS3 gaming console has transformed the gaming scene forever. Although almost everyone knows about the superior quality of games that can be played with a PS3, not many know that it can be actually made to work as your PC too. With a little bit of tweaking in the software, you can actually make it a media center cum PC. This can be done by installing Linux on PS3. The entire process is rather simple, if you were to make sure that you check certain things.

1: Before you transform your gaming monster into a PC, you will need to make sure that you have a USB keyboard and mouse, apart from a DVD ready with you. The good thing about this inventory is that most of these things would usually be already there with us.

2: You must make sure that you have fully backed up all the data that you need before you begin installing Linux on PS3. You can save the data using an external hard disk if the files are large or in a USB pen drive. You can download Linux on to a blank DVD and keep it ready for the installation. You can always reinstall the back up data after installing Linux on PS3.

3: Installing Linux on PS3 will essentially mean that the hard disk of the gaming console will have to be split into two. In order to do this you will need to first of all erase all the data from the internal hard disk.

4: Installing Linux on PS3 will be a straightforward process, once you have checked all these aspects. Once you insert the DVD with Linux for beginning the installation process, what you will then need to do is to pretty much follow the prompts of what next to do.

If you are someone who wants more information on installing Linux on PS3, you can find it online. You can Check How my friend installed Linux, to know about the simple steps involved in the installation process and start having more fun with your gaming console. Check how to install Linux on PS3

Netbooks – Linux Or XP?
By John Kessler

For those wanting to buy netbooks, one of the main considerations is the built-in Operating System of the netbook. Out in the market you can buy either a Linux or Windows XP version of the same netbook model from the same manufacturer. This is especially true for Asus Eee netbooks, where there is always a Windows XP and a Linux version.

So, which netbook should you choose? If you’re going after price and stability of the system, you would much rather have Linux netbook. If you’re buying any model of Asus Eee netbook, you best bet for finding a really cheap one is to buy a Linux-based model.

Linux Netbooks

Linux is a free and open-source operating system that runs well on old PCs and less powerful computers like mini laptops. Linux users swear by the reliability of Linux netbooks? they boot quickly, usually don’t crash and are compatible with free and open source software.

Not surprisingly, since it is open source, many Linux operating systems come in different varieties and customizations. Many versions (also called distributions) of the Linux OS come bundled with their own set of applications. Many netbook manufacturers develop their own software on Linux-operated netbooks. If you want to buy a Linux netbook, check with your manufacturer what customizations were made on the user interface.

The Asus Eee 900, for example, operates on Xandros Linux. Features are categorized and made accessible through tabbed interface. You can access Open Office and PDF reader on the tab for Work, while games and media players can be accessed on the Play tab. Users can even access corporate emails through a Microsoft Outlook Web Access.

Windows XP

Windows XP netbooks have a standard user interface, and you can operate your Windows netbook as easily as you did your desktop PC. The issues with Windows XP is that it is prone to malware such as trojans and viruses although Microsoft has improved Windows XP since its debut and that it is a more resource intensive operating system than Linux. On the positive side, Windows XP, while older, uses significantly less resources than Vista and can still run fast on a mini laptop.

Windows XP, however, remains a popular OS among computer users. The main advantage of Windows XP over Linux is that a lot of the useful software like Adobe Photoshop are written for Windows and can only be used on a Windows-based computer.

For more information about mini laptops and netbooks, visit the website http://www.compareminilaptops.com/

Linux Certifications – How Valuable?
By J Reece

Computer certifications in general

Acquiring certification indicates that you have completed the steps and have the knowledge required to perform at a specified level as an IT professional. Certification also proves to your employer and clients that your expertise is confirmed by a recognized industry organization and can increase your salary, enhance your skills and make your job more satisfying. If nothing else, it can keep your resume from being rejected by the resume-scanning programs now used by every Human Resources department these days.

Why a Linux certification?

The number of job ads calling for some knowledge of Linux has risen by nearly 100% over the last year. On the other hand the number of applicants choosing Linux certification hasn’t risen proportionally. Part of the reason for this anomaly is that employers generally haven’t put much faith in Linux certifications and therefore there has been little demand for them. Also, many of the Linux jobs advertised are for more senior and technical roles such as programmers and developers – skills that far outweigh the level that are tested on some Linux certification tracks. All that appears to be changing however, with Linux becoming ever more mainstream and people with Linux skills becoming more in demand.

Will Linux certification really help?

While actual work experience with Linux or any computer technology will always count for so much more than any piece of paper, gaining Linux certification certainly won’t do your credentials any harm. The demand for credentials in every field, computer-related or not, is increasing and one has to keep up with the pack. Having that certification ticket punched may not make your resume stand out in a positive way, but not having it might make it stand out in a negative one. Large bureaucratic IT organizations take them more seriously than groovy startups if that’s the environment you’re looking to work for. There are several specific situations where I’ve found computer certification in general to be of benefit. First, certification courses offer better knowledge retention than the typical corporate training course since you do have to study to pass an exam, even if only a multiple-choice one. Another one is where you have related experience and are moving (or were moved) into a new environment. In my case I was re-orged from a Unix-centric to a Windows-centric IT environment. Getting a Microsoft System Administrator certainly helped come review time. Finally, if you have a discrimination issue, such as the common one that as an older tech worker you’re skills aren’t up to date. If push comes to legal shove human relations people, lawyers, and judges do take evidence of continuing education very seriously.

Which Linux certification?

There are several options to choose from and, given the amount of time and money that you’ll need to invest into gaining your Linux certification, you’ll want to be sure that you make the right certification track choice to begin with. For those new to Linux then the entry-level, vendor-neutral certifications offered by CompTIA and LPI an appropriate choice. However, these involve only multiple-choice tests and as a result have rather less credibility with technical managers. If you are already working with Linux then one of the proprietary, more difficult, and more expensive Linux certifications (Red Hat, Novell) would be better suited. Like the respected Cisco certifications these certs involve rigorous hands-on practical exercises under severe time constraints and have much more credibility with technical managers. The cost is significant, especially if you have to retake the test, as almost 50% of Red Hat wannabes fail the first time around. Given that there are numerous distributions of Linux available one problem of Linux certifications is that there is no central organization that can set the certification standards and ensure that the candidates meet those standards. What this means is that you have quite a degree of freedom to choose which certification track is right for you, but you equally need to be sure that the one you choose will meet your end needs. As with any other certification track that you take, Linux certifications can be taken by way of instructor led courses or you can undertake a regime of self-study on your own. Don’t get too bogged down on deciding which distribution is better or is more likely to result in a job at the end of the day. While there are obvious differences between the various Linux distributions a degree of competency in one flavour will set you up to transition to the others if need be at a later stage.

Created by J Reece of iSierra Consulting, at http://www.isierra.net/

Linux, Mac, *nix expertise in the Reno-Tahoe area.

Linux – Getting the Correct Time
By Richard N Williams

Ensuring a computer is not only displaying the correct time but that it is being maintained accurately is not as straight-forward as it first sounds.

Most Linux systems have two clocks. The hardware clock, also known as the CMOS of Bios clock, is usually a simple crystal oscillator with battery back-up that maintains time when your system is off or boots up. This clock is usually located on the motherboard and will run all the time, however these clock chips tend to lose time as the computer ages and the battery weakens.

The other clock, the system clock, is a software clock and it starts when you boot up your system often getting an initial time from the hardware clock. System clocks keep time by adding seconds on to a prime epoch, a base time that for Linux and Unix, began at midnight on January 1, 1970.

However, the hardware clock is a cheap electronic oscillator and cannot maintain time to any useful degree of accuracy. They often drift several seconds a day which for day-to-day process is probably adequate but with time sensitive applications it can cause serious problems.

A better way is to set the system clock using the time from a NTP (Network Time Protocol) time server. These dedicated time servers get a UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) time from an atomic clock which are the most accurate time keepers in the world, not losing a second in time in several millions of years.

Dedicated NTP servers use either a radio receiver to pick-up a radio time and frequency broadcast which are transmitted by several national laboratories or by using the timing signal broadcast from the GPS network.

Linux uses a NTP service called NTP Daemon (ntpd). This uses NTP to adjust the system clock for any drift in time as it frequently check the UTC time source.

To configure the NTP daemon the ntp.conf file in the /etc directory can be used. From here more than one time server can be used as a reference and also the frequency it is checked can also be altered.

Richard N Williams is a technical author and specialist in atomic clocks, telecommunications, NTP and network time synchronisation helping to develop dedicated NTP clocks. Please visit us for more information about a network time server or other ntp server solutions.

Linux Boot Process
By Erik Schweigert

As many people have often wondered, how does the Linux/Unix operating system boot? How could I put in a process to run during boot so that I do not have to start it every time manually? To do this one has to understand the basic

click for full-size

environment procedure that is currently in place to add anything to it.

On a typical Linux system, I prefer Debian, the bootloader points to the kernel which in turn points to a file under /etc known as inittab. The interaction between the bootloader and the kernel is complex enough for another article.

1. The /etc/inittab is a file that contains a set of instructions to call a specific directory under the /etc directory. It is a Shell script that looks something like this:# /etc/inittab: init(8) configuration.
   # $Id: inittab,v 1.91 2002/01/25 13:35:21 miquels Exp $

   # The default runlevel.
   id:2:initdefault:

   # Boot-time system configuration/initialization script.
   # This is run first except when booting in emergency (-b) mode.
   si::sysinit:/etc/init.d/rcS

2. The system then calls the /etc/init.d/rcS shell script. This script then executes each shell script found in /etc/rcS.d/ directory. When an application is added to the system it will place its startup script in either the /etc/rcS.d/ or the /etc/rc2.d/ directory. This set of scripts are run initially and are system specific and should never be tampered with. After this set of scripts spawns off each process the /etc/init.d/rcS script then calls all files under /etc/rc2.d/ directory. The /etc/rc2.d/ directory is usually application software and not software required specifically for the system.Each file in these directories has a S(for start) and a number. For example: S43portmap. The number does not mean it will be the 43rd process started, but instead is used to stagger which process is started. Thus, if you wanted something to start before or after S43portmap you would set the prefix to be S40 for before the S43portmap and S50 for after the S43portmap.
3. If you wanted to add your own application to be run you should always add it into the /etc/rc2.d/ directory. The /etc/rc2.d/ is the default runlevel used on most Linux systems.
4. If you find yourself in the /etc/rc2.d/ directory you may notice that each file is actually symlinked back to the /etc/init.d/ directory. You are in fact correct. Its actually pretty neat if you think about it, as you could just create a symlink with a different number to start any of these scripts at a different time. This also gives the flexibility to the user to easily modify the boot process for his/her system.

Now show me how to do that in Windows!

For more information related to Linux and UNIX head over to linuxtechutopia.com

Erik is an avid Linux user and has experience with a wide variety of Linux/Unix based systems. In his spare time he likes writing software (C/C++/Perl/PHP/BASH/Python) and experimenting with different Linux distributions. He is starting to build a wide variety of articles Unix driven (what a surprise) that hope to inform those just getting into Linux on his website.

http://www.linuxtechutopia.com

Easy Linux Training – Linux Tips on Using Multiple Options with a Linux Command
By Clyde E. Boom

Linux distributions (versions), especially the major Linux distros, include several “point-and-click” Linux GUI utilities. These utilities can be used to do Linux administration task. However, you have to do an awful lot of pointing and clicking to get anything done in these Linux GUI utilities.

What takes several clicks (and way too much time) with a Linux GUI utility can be done almost instantly by running a Linux command. However, new Linux users usually find Linux commands tricky to learn – but they are well worth learning. Also, if you are working on some kind of Linux certification, you will get tested on Linux commands, not on Linux GUI utilities.

Another benefit of learning Linux commands is that they are virtually identical on all 130 + Linux distributions. So, the best way to learn how to use Linux, to do Linux system administration, is to learn how to use Linux commands.

Linux tips: When you get Linux training, including Linux certification training, be sure to learn how to use Linux commands. Don’t waste time learning Linux GUI utilities.

Linux Tips – How to Use Multiple Options with a Linux Command

1. Most Linux commands have several options.

Linux command options are used to control the output of a Linux command – and some Linux commands have over 50 options!

2. For almost all Linux commands, the options are prefixed with a – (dash).

For example, the following Linux command runs the ls command with the l (el) option. The l stands for “long” and it gives you a longer (and more detailed) listing of files and directories in the Linux file system.

]#   ls  -l

Linux Tips: In these examples, the ]# represents the Linux command line prompt. You don’t type in the prompt!

3. Linux command options can be combined.

The ls command is used to list the directories and files in the Linux file system. It has an l (for long) option and an a (for all) option. The a option shows “all” files, including hidden files.

The following command uses the l and a options to give you a long listing of all files.

]#   ls  -l -a

4. Linux command options can be combined without a space between them and with a single – (dash).

The following command is a faster way to use the l and a options and gives the same output as the Linux command shown above.

]#   ls  -la

5. The letter used for a Linux command option may be different from one command to another.

For example the -r option of one command may not provide the same output as the -r option for another command.

You can learn how to use Linux commands easily by watching Linux video tutorials.

When you watch a Linux video tutorial, you get to see, hear and do! You get to watch the command being typed in and hear an explanation of why you run the Linux command. Then you can pause the video tutorial and run the Linux command yourself!

Clyde Boom, Author and Expert Trainer with 20+ Years of Training
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