Computing & Internet Books

By Suleman Thadha

Certification

CCENT is an acronym for ‘Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician’ and it is the first stage of the professional IT certification grade that leads up to Associate level. Other certification qualifications needed to attain Associate level are the CCNA together with the CCDA certifications. Studying for the CCENT brings you up to speed on basic networking skills such as network security and enabling you to install, configure and troubleshoot small branch networks and switched networks. During your CCNA study you will also learn how to implement and verify connections to remote sites via a WAN. Once you have got this certification under your belt there is the Cisco routing, switching and network design course to study for. To ensure you obtain your CCENT certification you will need to learn and understand a variety of protocols, such as:

•Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol [EIGRP]

•Serial Line Interface Protocol Frame Relay

•Routing Information Protocol Version 2 [RIPv2]

•IP

•Ethernet

•Access control lists [ACLs].

There is a good range of books on certification courses in our Computing and Internet category on our website. You might like to take a look at ‘Networking Fundamentals, CCNA Exploration Companion Guide’ by Mark Dye. This book is an accredited and accepted by the Cisco Networking Academy Program and is the official supplemental textbook for the Network Fundamentals Course in the CCNA Exploration Curriculum Version 4. You might also take a look at ‘CCENT/CCNA ICND1 Official Exam Certification Guide’ written by Wendell Odom. This book is invaluable in preparing you for the exam and certification that follows.

Computer Science

Computer science is another branch of the diversity found amongst the computing and internet-based courses of study. It actually involves the more theoretical aspects of computation and how to apply practical techniques into the necessary algorithms to be processed by a computer. Obviously, computer science involves far more than that, but that is what computer science is about when taken down to its most basic element. As with any other field in the world of computing and internet, there is a wide variety of associated fields such as computer graphics, programming language theory, and human-computer interaction to name just a few.

Taking a look at our computer science section amongst the computing and internet category you will find a good range of books on the subject, such as ‘Search Engine Optimization: an Hour a Day’ written by Jennifer Grappone. A book that you might enjoy, amongst the computer science books because that is loosely the subject it covers is ‘The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable’. It is written by Nassim Nicholas Taleb and has been described as ‘provocative’ by the Economist; ‘idiosyncratically brilliant’ by the Sunday Telegraph and ‘a fascinating study of how we are regularly taken for suckers by the unexpected’ by The Guardian newspaper. You will just have to read it to find out whether you agree with the critics or not!

Databases

Databases are records or files which are integral to the computer and which have been collected into a logically filed system, centrally filed where it can be easily located for one or more uses. Databases of this type are classified according to their content – i.e. full-text, numeric, image, bibliographic etc. There are different models that can be applied to how data are stored within a database. The model that is used most often is the relational model: others include the hierarchical model and the network model.

The structure of a database is what is described as a database model, described above. The database has to be used in conjunction with a database management system. The database model will be stored in a data dictionary. As mentioned above, the database model is used more often than any other model is the relational model. Key terminology that defines the relational model are:

•Relations – this is a table characterised by columns and rows. Each row is referred to as a tuples.

•Attributes – these are columns from the above table. Each column is named – and this is an attribute.

•Domains – each attribute is enabled to take a set of values. Each set of attributes is a domain.

In other words, a relational database refers to the table that is made up of columns and rows. Each column is named with an attribute [such as a phone number]. Each row is a specific instance of that entity [the name of a place that the phone number relates to]. Together, the whole forms a matrix and, within that matrix, is a series of information given about one single person or thing [the entity].

Computing and internet, as a subject, can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. However, within our computing and internet section you will find a wide range of books that relate to computing and internet from Larry Ullman’s ‘PHP6 and MySQL5 for Dynamic Web Sites: Visual QuickPro Guide’ to Paula Moreira’s ‘ACE the IT Resume: Resumes and Cover Letters to Get You Hired’. Within our computing and internet category you will find a range of sub-sections such as Digital Lifestyle; Digital Music; Digital Photography; Digital Video; Hardware; Mac OS; Microsoft Windows; Networking and Security; New to Computing; PC and Video Games; Professionals; Programming; Software and Graphics; UNIX and Linux; and Web Development. Each of these categories have an enormous range of books of their own, but the best way to see what we have in our web site pages is to delve in and spend an hour or so browsing – you never know, you could strike gold!

Snazal – Buy computer Books

Can I Turn My PS3 Into a PC Legally?

By Sandra Maria Stammberger

In answer to the above question can I turn my PS3 into a PC legally? It is a simple yes!

What is great about this is the fact that Sony, the makers of the PlayStation 3 say that not only is it legal, but if you are careful the modification will not affect any warranty that is still valid on your machine.

The big problem for you, the person wanting to make the conversion is how to do it. Sony are not exactly forthcoming with advice on how to make the conversion process simple or give you the answers on how to make the step up from console to dual console and PC.

The process is probably for the more technology savvy, but in relative terms it is a pretty simple conversion with the right hardware and tools.

How is it done?

You are going to have to get Linux savvy, as you will not be able to apply any other operating system (OS) other than Linux on PS3.

So here is how we can complete the procedure with as little fuss as possible, if you are not very tech knowledgeable and successfully introduce Linux on PS3 without any hindrance, then kudos to you!

• First of get yourself backed up – all that data, files, photos, films and game saves will need to be housed in a safe place. You are probably going to want to replace the hard drive to a higher spec to get maximum benefits, although the 60 – 80 GB storage of the PS3 should be good enough for a standard mod. Don’t worry too much about the PS OS as this is housed on a separate flash drive, but all other game data etc will be wiped which is why backups are important. To do this locate the ‘System Settings’ on your PS3 and backup your game data to a compatible external USB hard drive. Don’t forget any other data such as films and photos etc will need to be manually backed up.

• If you are going to upgrade to a bigger hard drive (which is advisable but not necessary) then a 2.5 inch laptop drive with 150 – 250 GB space will be great. Then locate the PS drive on the side of the console behind a removable panel. The PS3 drive is secured in place with one screw inside a cage, the drive simply pops out and you replace the old drive with the new one. Just switch you PS3 on and the drive will begin to format.

• Installing Linux on PS3 – This is where you will need your wits about you. Remember Mac and Window OS will not work, so probably the best Linux based operating system to use would be the open source ‘Ubuntu’ which also has a PS3 program mod called ‘kboot’. Download an installation kit of both Ubuntu and kboot which are ISO so can be burned to a separate disk (either CD or DVD) which will be your bootable disk.

• You will now need to create a separate partition on your PS3, go to system settings and ‘Format Utility’ then select ‘Custom’ and give 10 GB of space to the ‘Other Operating System’. You next selection should be ‘Quick Format’ then perform a restart of the PS3.

• Now that you have made the new partition you can install the Linux OS, just select ‘Install Other OS’ from ‘Settings’ on the PS3. Firstly kboot will install, which then allows the Ubuntu OS to install on to your PS3.

• This is where it may get slightly trickier – to dual boot firstly you will need to go back to your PS3 menu, under ‘Default System’ you will need to locate/designate the ‘Other OS’ so that the PS3 can install the Ubuntu OS fully. Plug a USB Mouse into the USB port so you can use the OS. Your PS3 should restart or be restarted in order for the Linux OS to be booted fully.

• To bring your PS3 back into ‘Game Mode’ simply restart the PS3 and at the prompt on boot simply type ‘boot-os-game’ and press enter.

You can obviously use any Linux system you are comfortable with, although the process may be slightly different. Ubuntu has been selected because of its simplicity and ease of installation along with the kboot program mod – enjoy!

Want to know how to install Linux on your PS3 system safely and easily without voiding your warranty? Go to Linux PS3

Hard Disk Data Recovery Solutions

By Sunil Punjabi

Data stored in a computer may be lost due to mechanical reasons like a head crash where the read-write head of the disk collides with its recording surface, a power surge, failure of the disk controller device, or due to a defective air filter. It may also be due to software-connected problems like virus problem, file corruption, problems in the operating system, or accidental erasure. In all these cases recovery and backup services are an absolute must.

Once any of these eventualities occur, access to data will be denied to the user in the normal way through the computer. In some cases data will be irretrievably lost as well. But in most cases, data is not lost. It is only access to it through the normal path that is denied and data can be retrieved through various other means. This process is known as hard disk data recovery.

One way of reducing the possibilities of disk failure and the resultant need for hard disk data recovery is using the technology of Redundant Array of Independent Disks, which is better known by its acronym RAID. In this process data is replicated and stored in different hard drives. The computer senses these small hard drives as a single storage unit. The arrangement provides more storage space and speeds up the computer, and gives the machine more fault tolerance.

The use of RAID is no foolproof solution for data loss. The advantage of RAID from a data recovery and backup services requirement perspective is that the data will be pretty much intact even if one of the drives fails. However, more than one hard disk from the group may fail and in such cases the process of hard disk recovery will become a must.

The word RAID was originally expanded as Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks though later the word inexpensive was changed into independent. There are different RAID levels and some of the levels use striping, which is an interleaving process whereby multiple disks are reading and writing at the same time. This arrangement makes hard disk data recovery process from a RAID group a little more complicated than that from a single large disk. Data is retrieved in almost all cases even though RAID data recovery may turn out to be more expensive for the customer.

Where disk damage is limited, connecting the damaged disk to another hard disk as a slave can retrieve data. There is also data recovery software used by data recovery and backup services providers, which is highly effective in most cases of data recovery. There are slight differences in the recovery software used for different operating systems like Linux, Windows, UNIX, etc. Some of these software are available online.

When hard disk failure is due to mechanical reasons like a head crash,recovery using software may not always be possible. The damaged parts of the drive will have to be replaced in such instances and data will have to be retrieved from the reconstructed drive. This is a slightly complicated procedure but many recovery and backup services provide the necessary help, thereby saving most of the data.

PCSoft is a Sydney based hard disk data recovery expert. Providing computer repairs, maintenance and computer support same day onsite support anywhere in Sydney. We can send a computer technician to your home or office for onsite assistance and data recovery and backup services today.

Web Development – 10 Essential Keys

By Henrik Blunck

In webdesign there are certain key elements you need to employ in your web development to assure maximum visibility and best impact upon your niche. I have assembled these ten keys so you can have your own personal checklist next time you need to create a website, a sales letter online or when you need to edit a template for your own blog.

1. Make sure you are unique
2. Separate your HTML from your CSS
3. Make sure your site validates
4. Check your site in several browsers
5. Use proper code for headings, subheadings etc
6. Avoid bad color combinations
7. Implement presentations with care – avoid Flash
8. Implement banners and ads with care
9. Get others to proofread your texts
10. Use manual additions to indexes, and avoid automatic systems

I will elaborate on each of these to help you achieve the best results with your projects.

You might be surprised of how well your page will perform once you implement these keys in your webdesign, and I ask you to read very attentively so you can gain the full benefit from these ten keys.

1. Make sure you are unique

You need to make sure your design is unique. Nothing is as big a turn-off as arriving to a site that looks like a boring old template just revamped with a few keywords and some graphics from a public domain folder. People leave such sites before you know it. They won’t come back to you at any time, and first impressions stick with people.

I remember some names in Internet Marketing just because they market a product I didn’t like. When I reinstalled my system I quickly added new filters in my Thunderbird e-mail client to send it directly to the waste bin. If such people were decent, you could have unsubscribed, but with some of these people even that isn’t followed because spam penalty fines are too low. Don’t let the same bad impression come from bad design.

2. Separate your HTML from your CSS

Some people use web design programs very erroneously. They embed their styles into the same file as their separate webpages. That will make it far more difficult to change details and get them to match other pages at a later date. If you use proper etiquette and run external stylesheets, editing becomes far easier.

It was actually the entire idea behind webdesign, originally. But at a time when coding by hand became less popular many of these ideals were thrown out with the bathwater. If you want to be a decent webdesigner you will want your coding to be pure and the idea behind it to be easy to edit in the future. You’re actually helping yourself since you can edit details in design in one file and see the changes straight away.

3. Make sure your site validates

You need to check your HTML with a HTML validator since it will give you hints as to whether your coding obeys the rules set up by the World Wide Web Consortium. It will help you find errors that, if overlooked, could make your site look wrong in some browsers.

If you are running Windows, it can be quite difficult to know how a site appears in Konqueror under Linux or in Safari for Macs. You can test the Windows version of Safari but there might still be differences in appearance if you have an error in your coding. This brings me to the next point.

4. Check your site in several browsers

You need to have several different browsers. For Windows users Internet Explorer is usually available by standard, but you need Opera, Safari and Mozilla Firefox also to be sure your site is seen well in all browsers.

5. Use proper code for headings, subheadings etc

You need to use the right codes to separate headings from subheadings, and that is the main reason we operate with codes such as H1 (headings), H2 (subheadings), H3 (subheadings to subheadings) etc.

If you use that type of coding, you will put better emphasis on your content, and the strategy becomes readable by search engines also. When you define the appearance of your codes correctly in your external CSS file, everything becomes better styled.

6. Avoid bad color combinations

You want to have good contrast between backgrounds and content so your design is easy to read in browsers. When you use a dark grey text color with a light grey background things will be difficult to read. Just as yellow and black send signals of being somewhat “discount”. Red text color on a blue background will make text appear as though it’s jumping around.

You will no doubt appreciate checking out this site: http://www.colorschemer.com/online.html to get a better understanding of design colors.

7. Implement presentations with care – avoid Flash

I know some will be offended by this, but Flash requires a Flash player at the receiving end. You probably don’t want your customers to leave your site because they don’t want to install a plugin. You have other opportunities. If you need to show a video, upload it to YouTube, and link to it on your website. No need to use Flash, if you think creatively, and you avoid losing visitors who don’t want to install the Flash player plugin.

8. Implement banners and ads with care

Jumping banners all over the place will take away from your content. It will distract people, and you don’t want that to happen. Use banners with care and concern for your visitors. You will actually get more clicks by doing it in a professional way.

Furthermore, it’s very important that banners are relevant for the content on your page. When your site deals with dogs an ad for cat food is hardly the right thing – although some might have both a cat and a dog. It is something you should test to get your own best results. Niches are all different and what works well on one site might not work on another.

9. Get others to proofread your texts

When you write texts, make sure you remove spelling errors. It makes your site look less professional when it’s filled with lots of spelling errors. You might not see it yourself, but visitors get ticked off when they spot tons of mistakes.

Be professional and check your material. It makes it far more credible.

10. Use manual additions to indexes, and avoid automatic systems

When you have options to add your sites to search indexes, you should avoid automatic systems. It works far better when you add these places manually. Search engines can spot automatic additions due to timestamps, and it would be far more effective to write comments referring back to your site than ever relying upon automatic systems.

Concluding Words

If you use all 10 keys in your webdesign, you will see that you can create some very good sites using proper coding, and following all aspects of professional webdesign. If HTML and CSS is new to you, I would recommend you check out Sitepoint’s website because they have some very good books on this subject.

Good luck with your webdesign.

Henrik Blunck administers numerous blogs. He has lectured people about communication through distance learning, and enjoys social networks. “Mingling gives new ideas, and I like that. Even disagreements can teach us something new when we are willing to listen and learn from one another” he says.

Why Linux Remains to Be the Choice For Many Web Users Today

By Darren Thomas

Linux has definitely gained its popularity among the world-wide web-users recently mainly because of its high stability. Linux is probably one of the most stable operating systems in the world which had been highly sought. A huge numbers of web users have turned to Linux solution to take advantage of its great benefits which are worthy and crucial for the survival and expansion of their online business.

Linux is an open source operating system which is free of charge where its code is accessible to the public for any kind of usage or modification for their personal used. As a result, Linux had successfully received a lot of useful feedback from the public in terms of ideas for improvement, alternative methods of solution, possible defects or loop holes which Linux can be enhanced and developed in. Through the constructive feedback and extensive research, Linux software had been enhanced greatly over the recent years, incorporating some of the most important features which are highly preferred by their clients.

It is not surprising to know that Linux has dominantly championing the web hosting market today. Come and let us find out more about Linux software and understand what drives it to strategize its market position in this competitive industry today,

1. Linux web hosting appears to be more stable compared to windows web hosting probably because it is an open source operating system. With such an open programming environment, problems get to be identified almost immediately with continuous enhancements carried out on periodic basis so that any single change can be deployed soonest possible. It is not advisable to cum up these changes or bug fixes and have them deployed at the same time because this will increase the risk of Linux applications operating system and will require a longer trouble-shooting time because of the multiple changes.

2. Linux has been considered to be more universally compatible with many other operating systems in the market today. It helps to save time and resources because of its high compatibility, which would otherwise be needed to solve many of the incompatibility issues if they are not with Linux operating system.

3. It is imperatively cheap to own and host with Linux web hosting as Linux Operating system comes free or at a very low cost of distribution. Basically anyone and everyone would afford to host with Linux web hosting operating system, as long as they have the interest to learn. This enables Linux to get the necessary exposure to a wider level of audience whom may be the potential customers of Linux web hosting service subscribers in the near future.

4. Ease of switching between hosts is another benefit of Linux. Theoretically, any website which has been designed and configured to be hosted on a Linux-based web server can be hosted on a Windows web server easily at the same time. However the reversal does not work the same way. This is probably another key reason why many people tend to design and build their website based on a Linux-based web server instead of Windows or Mac-based web server now.

5. Websites need to be as dynamic as possible to incorporate any potential changes at any one time. Normally a web site starts with a few pages of simple html but this expands and changes over a considerable period of time to meet and suit all kinds of different requirements from the customers. A good website needs to be designed with great scalability above everything else without the need to make huge site changes all the time.

When you are searching for web hosting, reverse researching is important where you should find out the complaints about the host. Which field they are weak in? What mistake they always do? This can give you a clear picture on their performance. For more information, check out webhosting reviews.

Darren is a full time web developer attached with a web hosting company.

Should I Use a Linux Or a Windows Server?

By Gary Klingsheim

Even some folks who are pretty computer savvy, and can make Microsoft Office jump through hoops, are less knowledgeable when it comes to the operating system (OS) and networking technology that drives the Internet. Most people who do not work in that end of the business need to do a little homework when confronted with the question, Should I use a Linux or Windows server?

There are some arcane hybrids and do-it-yourself OS schemes around, but the OS choice you have at most hosting companies today is between Linux and Windows. Hosting companies don’t always clarify exactly why one might be better than the other for a particular customer or situation, leading some folks to conclude that there is really no difference at all. This is not the case. It does matter what kind of server you use, and there are clear differences between Linux and Windows.

Licensing costs money

All the various flavors of Windows, from the multiple versions of the new Windows 7 to the “enterprise” (server) packages, belong wholly to Microsoft, also known as the “Evil Empire” to the hackers and open source fans that prefer Linux. Linux, being open source, is free. This is the first major difference with important repercussions, since the hosting company’s costs for licensing Windows will be passed on to the customer (that’s you). Free, open source Linux means lower hosting costs all around, if only by a few dollars per month.

Getting a Windows hosting package is going to be a bit more expensive, but not so much more that you should make the difference a deal-breaker. Other factors — the make and model of the servers, company location, package offer details — can affect pricing as much or more, so make sure to get the big picture and don’t bog yourself down in an “OS controversy.” That said, you should know the operational, stylistic and tech-related differences between the two server types in order to make an informed decision.

Slow down and consider

Now, simply because you use a PC with Microsoft (MS) Windows, or even built your own Web site with it, doesn’t mean you have to have a Windows server. You will access your site through such tools as Web-based control panels and FTP (File Transfer Protocol) software, and can do so from a Macintosh running Mac OS X, a PC running Windows 7 or a homemade computer running Mandrake or RedHat (distributions of Linux). Some commands will differ, perhaps, but all the tools do the same thing, in much the same way.

Slow down enough to consider what you actually need to do with your site and what you expect from the server (and hosting firm). E-mail protocols, both IMAP and POP, work fine in both environments, as do PHP, the standardized HTML and XML, JavaScript and “file helpers” like Adobe Flash and Reader. However, Frontpage extensions, ASP, the.Net environment, Access, Windows media and other MS technologies will require a Windows server. For these particular features, Linux support ranges from limited to non-existent, and trying to work around the restrictions will cost you a lot more than paying the difference between the hosting packages.

Security and management

There have been some contentious arguments about the relative stability and security records of Linux and Windows server environments. Some computer professionals are simply knee-jerk anti-MS partisans, and there are also any number of MS fans that are anti-Linux (as well as anti-Mac). The fact that Windows is the most common OS in the world has both advantages and drawbacks. Millions of people are working on making it better, and just as many are trying to shoot it down in flames.

On the other hand, Linux is now most common server OS in use and hackers have had greater than expected success subverting it, too. The fact is that the platform in use is not as important to security as systems administration, attentive technicians and company management. If security is high on your list, you need to examine the company as much or more than the company’s equipment. Don’t take their marketing materials as a promise — do some due diligence here. It matters.

A toss-up?

There is probably little difference in server performance because of the choice of OS. Again, it can come down to how the companies install their software and maintain their hardware — Linux just might be “faster” in some functions than Windows if, in fact, the Windows OS was installed in default mode and not “tweaked.” (This can be true of Linux installs, too, of course.) In the broadest terms, performance is comparable and you can have a fine, effective and efficient hosting experience with either kind of server.

The bottom line is that you should certainly consider the kind of server, particularly if you use MS technologies than need a Windows environment, but your search should be for a good host, not a good server. A company with the best equipment in the world will be no help to you if it is mismanaged, oblivious to security lapses and technologically out of its depth. With a rough equivalence in features, reliability, security and cost, a “winner” is impossible to choose beforehand. You can win — or lose — with any kind of server, so keep looking at the big picture and just make your decision.

Moonrise Productions is a full services San Francisco web design company. They offer complete design services, social network web development, ecommerce development, social network hosting and more. With New York, San Diego, San Francisco and a Los Angeles presence no matter where you are, we’ve got people to serve you.

Windows 7 Libraries – One Step Closer to Linux

By John Dow

Many users who upgrade to Windows 7 will notice that the good old directories and file structure from Windows XP and back is missing in action. While frustrating to some, it is a giant step forward in better handling of data. The Mac OS and Linux (and Unix) operating systems have used this method of data storage for years.

Microsoft tried to implement this In Vista but it kept getting scaled back for whatever reason. But with Windows 7 it’s out of the box and here to stay. A library is a type of virtual location within Windows 7 that combines files and folders from different physical locations from all over your hard drive and even other locations.

A library is a type of virtual location within Windows 7 that combines files and folders from different physical locations from all over your hard drive and even other locations. Here’s a good example of how this works. Lets say you store an invoice or proposal under each client directory. But sometimes you want to look at all invoices so you can also create a library of invoices, or group any selection of files in any way you might want to view them regardless of physical location.

So if you want to update a document in the virtual view, it replicates to the physical file in whatever location it’s stored. When you create and save (or copy from another source) you can mark these files to be in any library. So for some users this is a huge advantage. Others might not even notice or be aware of this new Windows feature. But it is a big step in bringing Windows into a new file structure and maybe even a new type of operating system.

What’s interesting here is the fact that with a file structure like this is Windows 7 becoming less of an operating system and more of a front-end application? Linux users have long had many different front-end desktops to choose from like KDE or Gnome, which can be used with different flavors of Linux. So is Microsoft inching its way to making Windows a desktop environment that can be used with any Linux operating system too? Or even allowing KDE or Gnome to be used as a front end or desktop environment for future versions of the Windows operating system?

Its been long rumored that Microsoft has been working on a Linux type OS that operates on any hardware (like Mac or Unix hardware). Is this the first step in an attempt at going after new markets? Offering both a separate front-end environment and a backend OS would give Microsoft access to almost any market and could also make it compatible with any software designed to be used on these other platforms.

Never underestimate Microsoft. They have a huge graveyard with past competitors buried alive. Remember when the number one browser was Netscape? Or how about when Dbase3 ruled the land? And there are plenty of other examples too of the reigning software being overtaken and passed by Microsoft.

So this latest development of Libraries might be a hot tip that Microsoft is once again on the move. They already have the minds and soles of both consumer and business users. And with Google breathing down their neck with online alternatives to their flagship Office products and even bringing out their own OS for desktops, Microsoft is certainly looking for new ways to expand their presence.

Only time will tell if bringing Libraries into Windows 7 is this is the first step toward Linux variations of Windows front end environments and backend Linux like operating systems. But nothing would surprise me about Microsoft’s plans. Anyone who doesn’t think Microsoft is looking for new markets and business is making a mistake, history has demonstrated that more than once.

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Open Source Software Versus Proprietary Software – An Insight

By Venugopal C K

Introduction

Not long back, Microsoft ruled the roost in software industry. It is ironical that the software giant is now stretching itself to the limits to overcome the crisis it is facing largely from the open source software market. The software prices have plummeted due the leveling factor the proprietary software faces now in the form of free and open source software. It is good to see programmers and software professionals, world over uniting to share their know-how to produce good quality software. During the 1980’s pc’s were introduced which paved way for large scale computerization in all walks of life. There was a time when software prices were astronomical and Microsoft dictated terms. Now with the advent of internet and web based applications, FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) is available for download and customizing from individuals as well as organizations.

Before we examine the nuances of FOSS, it would be appropriate to discuss the various barriers that exist in Proprietary or Closed Source model. Under Closed Source model the source code is not revealed to the public. Examples of this kind of software include the popular Microsoft Office suite which is the most widely used office automation package world over. Microsoft is the chief proponent of this category of software right from the advent of Pc’s. Compared to this, FOSS model allows the user to download the software free of cost and also make modifications to the source code. This has resulted in large scale development of free and open source software and a number of Indians have joined this bandwagon. The advantages cited by proponents for having such a structure are mutual benefits such as sharing of knowledge, superior products and acceptability and not to say the cost savings.

Free software means the user has the freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change and improve the software. More precisely, it means that the program’s users have the four essential freedoms:

1. The freedom to run the program, for any purpose (freedom 0).
2. The freedom to study how the program works, and change it to make it do what you wish (freedom 1). Access to the source code is a precondition for this.
3. The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor (freedom 2).
4. The freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements (and modified versions in general) to the public, so that the whole community benefits (freedom 3). Access to the source code is a precondition for this.

The GNU Project

(references: www.gnu.org )

From the above mentioned four freedoms given to the user regarding the use of free software, it is apparent that the user has a free hand in even deciding the using the software and customizing it. This is in stark contrast to the rules regarding proprietary software. The sense of service and trust is essential for FOSS to survive. Internet has opened doors for this acceptance by masses. With increased download speeds and reduction in usage costs, downloading a software is no longer a daunting task.

Proprietary software

It is evident that for the primary business model for closed source software, the manufacturer imposes certain constraints and restrictions about accessing the source code and also on what can be done with the software. It may be noted that it is very easy to copy and redistribute software. FOSS suppliers do this as part of their policy. Taking this as a threat to their profit making motive, proprietary software firms sometimes create an illusion of artificial scarcity of the product. This is like black marketers who create artificial scarcity of food products during a crisis. In this case of proprietary software the end-user is not actually purchasing the software, but is only granted the right to use the software. Hence it can be clearly evidenced that the source code of closed source software is considered a trade secret by the proprietor.

FOSS (Free and Open Source Software)

FOSS does not limit the use of software as done by closed source software. The suppliers of FOSS generate revenue through support services. An example for such a company is Canonical Ltd, which gives its software free of cost but charges for support services. The source code is given along with the pre-compiled binary software for convenience of the user. As a result, the source code can be freely modified. However, there can be some license-based restrictions on re-distributing the software. Generally, software can be modified and re-distributed for free, as long as credit is given to the original manufacturer of the software. FOSS may also be funded through donations. Linux community has effectively harnessed this model to provide a number of successful and popular packages. Software like OpenOffice and MySQL has been immensely in the open market and has forced Microsoft to reduce its prices and provide error-free operating systems and solutions.

Windows 7 was released in India at a lower price keeping in mind the competition from FOSS. Windows Vista was not a success, largely due to the fact that its memory hungry interfaces and applications were not popular among the users. To tide over the criticism faced by Windows Vista, Windows 7 was released at a lower price and with better features. The credit for this change can be attributed to the overwhelming popularity of FOSS.

On the whole it can be said that the in the coming years, FOSS will play a major role in shaping the software industry and by giving the user the final say. The positive side of this competition is that Proprietary software will improve in quality and will be forced to clamp restrictions on pricing. This is a positive signal for the software sector globally.

The Free Ubuntu Operating System

By Carl Broady

My Compaq Presario XP recently got infected with a particularly malicious virus. This is the second time that this PC had been infected. The first time I used the system restore disks and completely restored the PC to its original day one configuration. What a pain that was.

When I hooked the restored PC up to the Internet it seemed to take the best part of a week downloading and configuring updates. After the second infection I was unable to find the system restore disks which was almost a relief. I disconnected the computer and was even considering throwing it away.

I had heard about the free open source Linux operating system: Ubuntu, and so using another computer I Googled Ubuntu and went to their site.

I read the download and installation instructions on the page. It all seemed pretty straightforward so I went ahead and downloaded the latest version: Ubuntu 9.10 and then transferred the downloaded program to a CD-R as per the instructions.

My infected Compaq Presario would boot up to the desktop but none of the icons would load. I could access some of the programs using the control alt delete command but it gave stripped down versions of the programs with limited functionality.

I put the Ubuntu CD-R into my infected Compaq Presario’s CD drive and booted it as per the instructions on the Ubuntu website. The on-screen instructions asked if I wanted to have both operating systems on my machine or just Ubuntu. I decided to completely erase XP which of course was infected and replace it with Ubuntu. I clicked 100% Ubuntu. It warmed me one last time that windows XP would be completely erased from my computer. I click okay and the installation began.

The installation was pretty straightforward and it took just a few minutes before I had the fully functional Ubuntu operating system on my PC and within a very short space of time I had my PC up and running.

Ubuntu is different than Windows but has many of the same features and is pretty intuitive.

Ubuntu comes with a whole bundle of great preinstalled programs. The Open Office suite, which rivals Microsoft office. A web browser: Mozilla Firefox, which has most of the same controls as Explorer but in different places. It has a preinstalled games package with several popular card games: Blackjack, Solitaire etc. Ubuntu has it’s own media player for MP3s and videos etc which works very well.

Ubuntu also has a built-in software link where you can access approximately 2700 free Ubuntu programs.

My first impression of Ubuntu is that I like it, a lot. It seems very stable seems to be very user-friendly and easy-to-use.

The installation process for software and applications is slightly different from Windows, but not very difficult. I downloaded and easily installed Skype for Linux and made a few International phone calls. It worked just fine.

Ubuntu has a several advantages over Windows. One of the major advantages of Ubuntu is that it is almost immune from viruses. Ubuntu is free of charge. Ubuntu seems to take up far less room on the hard drive and because it is almost immune from viruses it does not require an antivirus program gobbling up resources. My PC now seems to run four times faster with Ubuntu than it did with Microsoft XP but admittedly when I installed Ubuntu it got rid of a lot of junk: old unused software, probably a few orphaned files and a lot of old e-mails.

Most popular Windows program seem to have an Ubuntu/Linux version or counterpart. Windows programs will not run on Ubuntu unless you install a program called wine to run them. I haven’t had the need to do this as of yet.

I have another Desktop PC running Vista. I bought a switch which allows me to use two computers with just one mouse, one keyboard and one monitor. This has worked out very well for me because now I don’t have Ubuntu instead of but as well as Microsoft Windows.

If you have just upgraded and have an old PC or laptop lying around then I strongly recommend before you get rid of your old machine that you install Ubuntu and give it a try. I think you will be very pleased and very impressed. I know I was.

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Linux Or Window System? Which One Works For You?

By Darren Thomas

Windows and Linux ( also being known as UNIX ) are two of the most popular platforms today, each has their own favorite followers and so-called fans because each of these platforms have their own advantages, so to speak.

Come on and let us study together what are the advantages of these two platforms,

i. Reliability – many specialists such as developers cited that UNIX is way more reliable than Windows. However many others who have been with Windows NT4.0 claimed that the reliability of Windows can be very close to UNIX, and this is especially true relying on the proficiency of the non-professionals whom are using Windows.

ii. Performance – well, I guess after some good debates, Windows and Linux are equally great in sustaining the quality of their hosting tasks and therefore had been performing well in their Hosting performance consistently.

iii. Cost – UNIX is definitely a lot cheaper than Windows, due to the fact that majority of the UNIX software products are distributed under a free of charge license while for Windows, this has never being the case. Comparatively UNIX hosting is more popular than Windows because for the same level of performance and flexibility among these two platforms but one is mostly free of charge or very likely to be a lot cheaper than the other platform, which one would you choose as a consumer?

iv. Accessibility and ease of use – today, there is really no significant differences between these two platforms in the perspective of user-friendliness. Both of them can be used with great ease. However, if you are a professional in the web hosting world, then UNIX would be your optimum choice, while for new-comers, you can choose any of these platforms as both of them are comes with a user friendly control panel with a user interface over the website.

v. Open source – one of the greatest advantages of UNIX is its open source based, with that, It is highly compatible to work with many different operating systems with ease. However as Windows is not of open source based, it is not as flexible as UNIX.

vi. Stability – although each of these platforms has their own fans as said before, however because UNIX or Linux are mostly servers, they tend to be more stable and it is the best choice for users who need a stable environment to deliver their tasks such as for a developer or even for a secretary.

vii. Linux work best for professional games – Games which are created for Linux work seamlessly, and in addition to that, some of the Windows games can be enabled to work in Linux. One good example is the: Play-station 3 is now being shipped with Linux pre-installed on the hard disk.

viii. Support and guidance – because of the significant number of users using Windows today, it is often found to get support and assistance easier should you have any issues with Windows platform. The turn-around time for fixing any issues for resolution is much faster for Windows, no doubt on that.

Despite whether you are an avid fans of Windows or Linux, you deserved to be complimented on the great work you have done in working on Windows or Linux to discover many of their benefits over the other in many different areas.

This is one great knowledge sharing among us as consumers because to be able to pick yourself a good hosting provider, paying to every little details are essential.

When you are searching for web hosting, reverse researching is important where you should find out the complaints about the host. Which field they are weak in? What mistake they always do? This can give you a clear picture on their performance. For more information, check out web hosting reviews.

Darren is a full time web developer attached with a web hosting company.