I have a problem with facebook, myspace, and other social networking websites out there.  The problem is when I upload my data to their webservers….I don’t own it anymore.  They do.  And they can do whatever they want with it once it is there.

With this in mind, I’d rather setup my own twitter using Status.net or my own digg using Pligg.  But I’d do it on MY OWN SERVER.  That way, any content I upload is MINE.  It doesn’t reside on some server in California or DC and get recycled to advertisements.

I like to control my own stuff.  I don’t like to be cut out of the loop.  If you’re like me, then you’ll want to host your own domain, website and webserver so that your friends/family/shrink can quickly and easily connect up to see new photos, find out the latest family developments, and understand why you wear tinfoil hats every Thursday after 4pm.

Normally, to host your own webpage you would need to spend around 7 bucks to purchase a domain.  Next you would need a hosting plan that usually runs around 3-15 dollars per month to serve up your web pages.

What most don’t realize is that you can skip these steps all together…you don’t need to get dedicated hosting (this blog is hosted on dedicated hosting…but started out in my apartment!) to serve pages up to your friends and family.  You absolutely do not need to get domain name services through a provider.  You can even host your own webserver using a dialup connection (that’s right…I said dialup) although. I don’t recommend it (but I’ve done it using 56.6kbps).

Why would you want to do this?  The answer might be to stay connected to friends and family…perhaps install a gallery so that your grandparents can see pics of your new dog/car/tinfoil hat.  Sure, you could waste my time with MyWaste..er..space and facebook and be barraged daily by advertisers and solicitors and be inundated with the minutiae of what all your friends had to eat for the day …or you could roll your own web host, install a gallery or website, and provide media to your friends and family without costing yourself a dime.  That’s right, NO COST (except time spent getting it running).  Just remember, your website might not survive a digging or slashdotting if you run it yourself.  Keep that in mind So without more chatter, let’s get to the meat and potatoes of things:

Meat and Potatoes

If you have Cable or DSL at home (not a business account) you have something called a dynamic connection.  Dynamic connection means that it can change every once in a while.  DSL and cable ISP’s purchase blocks of IP Addresses in the dynamic range so that they can keep consumers separate from businesses.  It’s also easier for them to manage dynamic pools of people than to have to remember static connections that don’t change for everyone.

Because of this problem…an ever changing connection for you at home…web servers and websites do not do very well.  The reason for this is because when you visit a website on a dynamic connection one day, it might be different the next day.  In order for visitors of a website to find you each and every single time, you need a “domain” or web name that points back to the address (IP Address) your internet service provider changes on a whim.  You’ll also need an update service to update your website each time your ISP decides to change things on you.

Believe it or not, there are free services out there to do that for you.  You just have to be willing to do a little extra work in the beginning to set things up.  You can also do this without spending 20-40 bucks a month on DNS service.

I’ll divide this up into 2 sections.  The first will deal with Linux hosting.  The second, Windows hosting.  This is only something that I’ve found easy to do and the price is just right (it’s free).  The only thing that I recommend is a dedicated internet connection (cable, DSL) but even this is not necessary as dialup can be used.  I recommend that you use the Linux way of doing things since it is more secure and doesn’t require a restart every time you patch it.

*note: I’m assuming that you aren’t behind a firewall/proxy of any kind and that your ISP doesn’t block port 80 traffic.  If your ISP blocks port 80, see the appendix at the end of this article.

LINUX

No matter what version of Linux you run, chances are that you’ll be able to install the apache webserver.  This is good news as over half the websites of the world are run by apache. I’m not going to address the specifics of how to set up your apache…only how to get it a fixed address without buying a domain.  So, you have your html or php pages located into your webservers public directory…good…whatever application you have is installed on your server.  Now, how to resolve your IP…lets say it is…25.24.4.166 (for our example) and you want it to have a host.name.com to bind to.  Easy to resolve.  Go to http://www.no-ip.com/index.php and sign up.  You can get a site from noip that is like yourname.theirdomain.com/.net/.info.  They have cool names like sytes.net and servebeer.org…even workisboring.com.  Other services like dyndns.org also exist and provide the free service as well.

You’ll be able to choose your own top level name…for instance, Ithink.dnsiskinky.com could be your new domain name.  Next download a client from the download tab: https://www.no-ip.com/downloads.php

The linux client is a tar.gz source and is simple to install. Follow the instructions when installing.  You may have to install compilation tools (devel packages like GCC) to install the client.  You now are the proud owner of yoursite.theirsite.com and your IP will ALWAYS update (as long as noip.com is up) each time you log on/sign on/beam up or whatever it is you do.

How does this help you?  Well, if you’re like me, you have a dynamic IP address.  If you connect to the internet via cable, dialup, or dsl…you also have a dynamic IP address.  Dynamic means that it will change from time to time without warning.  So by binding yoursite.theirsite.com to your IP address…you don’t ever have to worry about what IP address you have anymore.  Instead, you’ll always be able to connect using yoursite.theirsite.com.  You can host a webserver using Apache and a virtual host in this style as well (look for another how-to on this subject later) so that everyone can visit a shiny website at yoursite.theirsite.com.

Now you can give your friends/family/dog walker/mailman the address to your new webserver…maybe it’s Ithink.dnsiskinky.com like we used in the example above.  Now when they visit that address in their web browser, your application or web page displays for them.  You also get bragging rights at being the most technical friend/relative/dog walker client/household that everyone knows.  Now let’s cover Windows.

WINDOWS

First you need a free and clear webserver since one is not included by default with windows. You can download Apache for this as well OR try the Abyss Webserver.

Interestingly enough, Abyss is also free!  I ran it while my linux machine was being worked on (bad hard disk…it was a Quantum 200MB drive from 1913…had to upgrade) and it worked just great off of Windows XP.  Download that puppy and install it.  Make sure you read all of the documentation and familiarize yourself with how Abyss does business.

The next step…getting a hostname… is even easier than the linux method because you don’t have to manually install the noip client…they have a windows installer.  Go to http://www.no-ip.com/index.php and sign up.  Choose the domain name you would like (see above examples in Linux section).  Next, download the noip client from the download tab: https://www.no-ip.com/downloads.php but this time choose the windows client.  From there, you’ll be able to install this with a simple double click.  Fill in all of your information (pretty self explanatory) and make sure that it will run with each time you sign on.  You’re set! Your IP will now resolve to the yourchoice.theirhostname.com

CONCLUSION

You don’t have to spend a dime to keep a domain bound to your IP.  This is perfect for the home user who just wants a gallery or homepage.  It’s even good for someone who has a weblog or enthusiast site.  It’s good for someone who wants to be able to find their files and music…setup Jinzora and stream all your music library to yourself anywhere you are!  Setup Amahi and have access to all the goodness it brings.

Please remember, this wouldn’t be good for a business to have.  You will probably violate your ISP’s terms and conditions for using their connection if you tried to run a business this way.

It’s always good form to put a link of the stuff you are using on your website to direct traffic back to your software provider.  When I used noip, I included a noip link on my main page and also an abyss webserver icon as well.  It’s just good form and some companies/software providers necessitate the use of their logo or a link on sites that use their software/code.  Just be a nice person and give a linkback to them.  Good luck! Have fun!

Also, please note that having hosted my own webserver for quite some time (circa 2001) I’ve found Linux and Apache as a combination to be more secure, faster, and more stable than any webserver I’ve hosted on the Windows Platform. I included information on Windows mainly to introduce you to the concept of free and open source software. If you thought getting a webserver for free was great, think about getting a whole operating system! Give it a try, you don’t even have to install it (use a Live CD).

APPENDIX

If your ISP blocks port 80 traffic, your webserver won’t work.  Before deciding that your ISP is blocking however, make sure your firewall has the appropriate rules to allow incoming traffic.  You can do a quick add to IPTABLES in the following manner:

iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 80 -j ACCEPT

iptables -A INPUT -j DROP

If you’ve opened up the appropriate ports and things still don’t work, it will be safe to say that you’ve determined the ISP is blocking port 80.  How you can get around this conundrum is to switch the listening port on the webserver to a different one and redirect traffic there.

1. See how to do this for IIS Webservers
2. See how to do this for Apache Webservers (normally in /etc/apache2/httpd.conf but your distro may vary.)
3. See how to do this for Abyss Webservers

If you still have problems, drop me a line in the comments section.  I may not be able to answer all questions but I can most likely get you to a person/place/thing that can.  Have fun and thanks for reading!

Host Your Own Domain, Website and Webserver originally appeared on Yet Another Linux Blog on February 13, 2010.

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CAN you run Adobe Photoshop on Linux?

Many Web designers, graphic artists and bloggers might consider the answer to this question crucial when considering a shift from Windows.

After all, while there are many excellent open-source alternatives to common office and multimedia applications, the defacto graphics program on Linux, the unfortunately-named Gimp, hobbles a generation or two behind the market-leading Photoshop, which is available only for Windows and Mac OS X.

Years of speculation and wishful thinking have not yielded a Linux version from Adobe, nor does one look likely to come anytime soon.

As they are often wont to do, users have taken matters into their own hands, using free and open-source software called Wine to run Windows programs – including Photoshop – in Linux.

A group of hackers began the Wine project in 1993 as a way to run Windows 3.1 programs on Linux. Over the years, Wine has been expanded to include programs running under later versions of Windows, including 95, 98, 2000 and XP.

Wine, short for “Wine Is Not an Emulator,” is software that translates Windows commands into their equivalent in Linux or Unix.

While the project is more than a decade old, Wine is still under testing, with the latest beta version being 0.9.18.

“Wine is still under development, and it is not yet suitable for general use,” the official Web site (http://www.winehq.com) says. “Nevertheless, many people find it useful in running a growing number of Windows programs.”

Intrigued by the possibilities, I did some research and found a 2003 article in eWeek about how Walt Disney’s animation unit and two other competing studios jointly funded a project with CodeWeavers, the leading corporate backer of Wine, to develop a solution that would allow them to run Photoshop on Linux.

The project cost Disney less than $15,000, but saved it more than $50,000 a year in Windows licenses, eWeek reported. At the same time, CodeWeavers was able to incorporate the technology into Wine and its commercial version, CrossOver Office.

A quick check with the Wine Web site showed that Photoshop was indeed among the 4,398 Windows applications that would run under Wine.

Setting up Wine and using it isn’t rocket science, but it’s probably complicated enough to intimidate the typical Windows user.

I downloaded Wine (using the Synaptic Package Manager in Ubuntu Linux) then configured it by using the winecfg utility (type “winecfg” in the Terminal command line). Doing this the first time creates a fake “Drive C” in the hidden .wine directory of your home folder. This is where Wine installs all Windows programs.

To install a Windows program, pop in the install CD and type this into the command line:

wine /media/cdrom0/setup.exe

The Windows installer will come up and install the program.
Theoretically, to run the program, you’d type the following:

wine “C:Program FilesAdobePhotoshop 7.0Photoshop.exe”

Sadly, this did not work. Further research showed I needed to tell Wine which dynamic link library or DLL file to use. This line from an Ubuntu forum does the job:

WINEDLLOVERRIDES=wintab32=n wine “C:Program FilesAdobePhotoshop 7.0Photoshop.exe”

To save myself some typing, I created a script that executes the command when I click on an icon.

So how does running Photoshop in Linux measure up?

In general, I was pleasantly surprised by the program’s responsiveness. There was none of the sluggishness that I expected and most of the features I use heavily work.

There are some major caveats, however.

1) Right-click menus do not work. In fact, they can lock up the program. This is a pain, because I’m used to right-clicking on items in the Layers palette to manipulate them. Fortunately, there is a work-around for this, using the menu bar at the top of the window.

2) Resizing the Layers palette will also crash the program.

3) Alt-clicking on an area does not work for the Clone tool. Instead, you must hold down the Shift key while doing the Alt-click.

4) The Tools and other palettes will remain on screen even when you minimize Photoshop.

These are pretty serious problems because you could lose a lot of work. On the other hand, if you’re careful to avoid these pitfalls and save your work periodically, you ought to be able to run Photoshop productively under Linux.

From Digital Life by Chin Wong

http://www.chinwong.com

Chin Wong has been covering the technology industry since the 1980s, starting as a reporter for Business Day, Southeast Asia’s first daily business newspaper. He is now a lecturer in journalism at the Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines and associate editor for the Manila Standard Today. Before that, he also served as technology editor of the Manila Times until October 2004.

Author: Chin Wong
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Some of the best ways to optimize Windows is to just flat out turn off some the useless or unneeded services that run by default on every Windows base install. One such service is the Indexing service included in every install of Windows. it is probably one of the most useless services found running in the background of Windows and that is saying quite a lot if you ask me.

What is does is it indexes files as they are saved to your hard drive so when you search your drives the search can be completed faster. I find that very few people actually use this feature and to top it off I have tried multiple searches with and without this enabled and the difference is none or so small you will never see it if you do use that function. This service will however slow your machine down as every single file will be indexed as you save it to the hard drive. Stopping this service is a very highly encouraged optimization.

On how to stop this service you will need to click the start menu button found in the lower left part of your screen. Once you do that then click computer. You should enter Windows Explorer and be able to see your hard drive(s), any floppy and/or CD/DVD ROM drive(s) among others. Right click your hard drive ( you may have more than one and this needs to be done to each ) and click the properties option at the bottom of the pop up. On this pop up you will see a check box that has “Index this drive for faster searching”. Uncheck this box and click apply. This can take a while, but is worth it. While you are on this page you can run disk cleanup to help with stuffed hard drives. This to can take a long time, but will help in long run.

Also while you have this pop up box open you may want to click the tab that says Tools at the top of it. On this new tab you have options to check your disks for errors, which can be helpful at times, and also to defragment your hard drive(s). Defragmenting your hard drive(s) is a common, very basic optimization that many people either forget about or never knew about. All Windows filesystems save files on the disk in clusters that are in sequential order. This is fine as long as you never delete a file, but that isn’t realistic. Easy way to explain this is to take four files, lets give them names of A, B, and C for simplicity sake. File A takes up 3 spaces on the disk, B is next to it at 2 spaces and C occupies 5 spaces. If you delete file B and then save a new file such as D that would take up 3 spaces, Windows will delete B and fill in its spot with the first 2 parts of D and place the third part after file C. This forces the computer to read the first 2 parts of D and then move over C to read the next part decreasing read times and hurting overall performance of any program using file D. This is called fragmentation and can become a huge problem over the course of years or even months. This is why defragmenting your hard drive(s) is so important to system performance. This process will move all pieces of a file and place them next one another so they can be read much more efficiently.

Troubleshooting Windows can be as easy as using the built in help and support feature in Windows or by using google to search the error message you got so you can find what others have done to correct the issue you are facing. Windows also has a recovery console if you have the original install disk, you just put it in and turn on the computer. Unless your BIOS has been altered it should either boot from the disk or ask you if want to. Each issue has its own way of being solved so a broad troubleshooting guide can not fit in this article.

There are many programs out there that offer a variety of services. Many are free and a few of those actually do what they say they will. Some of the best for some samples of each type are as follows:

SpyWare removal:

SpyBot search and destroy- includes passive protection built into browsers

Ad-Aware-can be used in tandem with Spybot to catch more spy/malware

Virus protectors and scanners:

Avira-usually rated as a close second on free virus protectors and the one I use most often.

AVG-is usually in 3rd place, but has made a strive forward and is closing the gap.

Avast-has been the best free virus protector for a while and is rated better than most and equal to the best paid virus protectors out there.

Office applications:

Openoffice- can save files in Microsoft Office format if that is your thing so less worries on that side, but Sun Microsystems, which produces this free open source software, has been recently bought out by Oracle. This may endanger this project, I advise getting this software while it is still widely available.

Messengers:

Of course the usual of msn, yahoo, etc. etc.

Pidgin-Can be used to connect to all the most popular messenger system around from one program.

Lastly to be discussed here is the operating systems besides Windows. Most Windows converts have went to Apple’s Operating System which is based off of the same unix kernal that bsd and linux are. I have seen many say Mac has more in common with the BSD OSs than with the linux ones as of late. If you haven’t tried these operating system I can offer you some guidance here. Make sure you read some literature on each before you attempt to use these as this will save you a lot of headaches, also look at each ones forums and read what problems new users of each one are having as an idea of what you may be facing. Apple has been closing the gap on being able to run the same programs offered to Windows users and much of their software database is actually superior to Windows. I can’t speak much on BSD as I have not had a lot of time to spend with it, but I can make a few suggestions on the linux side.

Linux has many different distros available, most even have a live CD you can download and burn for free with software like cdburnerxp and boot from. that way you can try out the software before you install to your hard drive. Ubuntu and Fedora are 2 that jump to the front of my mind when I think of linux. Ubuntu has made strides to be more convert friendly than Fedora, but that isn’t to say Fedora is hard to learn. Both distros have matured alot in last few years and are happy to live next to windows in a dual-boot environment of you so choose. Ubuntu is the more user friendly of the 2 while Fedora is more bleeding edge. I recommend trying both as live cds and making your mind up from there. If they are almost what you are looking for then take a look at www.distrowatch.com for links to other just as capable OSs.

http://www.rechelp.com

This is my website I have setup to help others help themselves when it comes enjoying your computers more fully, visit and leave feedback as this will help the site provide more of the content you want to see.

Author: Randall Carter
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For the past decade or more we have all become rather accustomed to the idea of operating systems that install directly to our hard drives, and of course it’s what we are all comfortable with. Google has chosen to challenge that with it’s new Chrome Operating system which is based upon it’s Chrome Browser. That is to say it IS the chrome browser. Is that a bad thing? Well that’s ultimately up for the end user to decide but we will do our best to fill you in.

First of all, the applications that are offered with the Chrome OS are completely web based. That’s right, there will be no installations to the hard drive, you will only be able to use the applications that are offered online. This can really be a pain, especially if there is something you need that just has not been created yet.

Of course at that point you will probably have a whole shelf of PC applications that you could be using, but of course the Chrome Netbook simply doesn’t have an optical drive or even a hard drive. So what’s the idea here? What even makes Google Chrome so desirable?

Well there is the fact that it will have that ‘instant on’ feature. People want their computers to ‘just work’, which means the Chrome netbooks will be great for those who need to check their e-mail on the go. It also begs the question though of whether or not the web browser will be a local application. What happens if the Google servers suddenly decide to go under the weather? You have all this data that you’ve saved online but you can’t access it! You have the latest in mobile computing, but it’s as good as a brick without the ability to do word processing or e-mail. You can’t even install a game to pass the time.

Having an operating system that is completely dependent on the internet is a bad idea at this point. This is for the reasons that were mentioned above, as well as a few others. Some of those other reasons include the fact that it is dependent on the internet! Really, what happens when someone suddenly cannot afford the internet, or maybe their internet goes out. They have a very expensive, and very attractive looking paperweight. This is not the computing of the future, this is lunacy.

Yes, there will come a point when computers can be web based. That will be the day when internet is given free to everyone and outages aren’t quite as common. That day is not here yet, and Google will find that it will be very difficult to force that day upon us.

For those who can afford the machine and can keep a constant internet connection wherever they go, the Google Chrome OS will be a great secondary device. But for right now that’s all it will be. A secondary device.

Kevin Hutto is an entrepreneur and internet business owner from Atlanta. He spent time in the investment banking world at Bear Stearns from 1992-1997. He has owned several online businesses and been doing search marketing services. You can also checkout his latest website on wheeled duffel bag which reviews and lists JanSport Wheeled Duffel from the finest manufacturers.

Author: Kevin Hutto
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By now you’ve probably heard: Google is on the warpath with the announcement of Chrome OS. Just a mere 12 hours after the information was posted on The Official Google Blog, everyone is buzzing about the new operating system, what it means for Microsoft and how the public will react.

Well, it seems they already are. Within 10 minutes of sitting down at my desk, when I was able to finally access my mail, sign on to Instant Messenger and open Chrome, I was bombarded with articles, tweets and IMs about Chrome OS. Maybe this is the reason why. According to the Google Blog, the Google team is “designing the OS to be fast and lightweight, to start up and get you onto the web in a few seconds.” The difference is that the Chrome OS will run on the web, versus cluttering up your computer’s performance. This concept of cloud computing isn’t brand new- both Good OS and Microsoft have tooled around with a cloud-based OS. Good OS’s Cloud was released last year and hasn’t caught the attention of the general public, but Cloud 1.0 has been “optimized for netbooks” and is coming soon. (Unfortunately, any chance of widespread popularity was just usurped.) Microsoft’s Azure is a services platform, which may be a terrific tool for developers, but for those of us who ‘don’t do code,’ Azure has very little value (at the moment anyway.) What’s interesting is this quote from Microsoft Chief Software Architect Ray Ozzie, regarding the future of applications and computer use:

“All of us are going to be standing on their shoulders” as the technology industry transitions from offering and using traditional software run in enterprise IT networks to running more applications on the Internet via cloud-computing environments hosted by large vendors…” — Elizabeth Montalbano, IDG News Service

However I think they anticipated Microsoft being the “large vendor.” The cloud, aka The Internet, the virtual highway- is it still virtual? With the concept of widespread cloud computing, and an entirely web-based operating system, the interactive space seems to become palpable. With all of our information, our manageable life existing entirely online, it seems we’re moving into virtual real estate. (I may be exploring the outer limbs here, but it’s a big tree.) One of my biggest concerns, and one I think the general Internet community will also harbor, is that of safety. Google claims that the Chrome OS “should just work.” No viruses, no malware… No identity theft? And although voicing different concerns, the recent announcements for all-in-one telephone application Google Voice also stirred questions of security. 1– I know a ton of my information is already on the web, but everything? My comfort level is questionable, even though I know myself and my love for Google’s simplicity. 2– What is Google doing with all this data? Google Voice will have the ability to record your phone calls for data purposes– don’t you think they’ll cache your spreadsheets, presentations, photos and SSN? Now, Google gets data when we use their web based apps and desktop products. With the Google Chrome OS, every action you take is on their system. What do you think about the issue of security, data sharing and the new Google OS? Drop me a line!

Find out more about Microsoft Azure and Cloud 1.0

Visit the USO Networks for more articles on search engine news. The USO Networks Blog focuses on internet marketing news and information, with an emphasis on the trends in online video, social media marketing and search engine optimization tips and techniques.

As an SEO Manager and Copywriter for USO Networks, Lauren N Bridges manages link building, directory submissions, blogs and onsite SEO for a number of clients, as well as writing video campaign voice overs and metadata while managing, writing and promoting the USO Networks Blog.

USO Networks Blog: http://www.USONetworks.com/blog/all
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Author: Lauren Bridges
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Many times when people are looking to switch over or try Linux, they question which version or distribution is the best. There are quite a few different choices so it seems obvious that one must be the best. The reality is that there isn’t really a best version of Linux. There are different versions that meet different purposes.

Before you can pick what you think is best, you need to understand some of the philosophies behind Linux. Some people want to only use free software. This doesn’t mean software that doesn’t cost money, but software that is entirely free. Just because a piece of software is on a Linux distribution doesn’t mean it’s entirely free. For those wanting this distributions like Fedora or GnuSense would be best because they try to stick by the philosophies of free software as best as possible.

Others don’t care so much for this. At this point it’s based on what features you get. Ubuntu is one of the most popular distribution because it’s so user friendly. Many in the last few years have been introduced to Linux through this distribution. The advantage that Ubuntu has is that it has a large user base so most bugs and issues are taken care of.

There is a version of Ubuntu called Linux Mint that is much like Ubuntu except that it has a different look and feel as well as comes with proprietary software like flash, java, music, and dvd playback. It also still has access to the very large body of software that Ubuntu and Debian support.

Regardless of the reasons you enjoy the distribution that you choose, there really is no best. Since it’s Linux, try them all and see what you like the best.

Author: Hoby Brennan
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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When it comes to security, versatility and stability, there is no better solution in information technology than open source. From operating systems to Web development to just about any common application, the open-source revolution finally has taken hold.

Businesses have started to truly understand the benefits of opting for open source, not only to save money, but also for the peace of mind it brings to their IT environment.

The term “open source” has a variety of meanings in the IT world. It is used to describe initiatives and collaborations ranging from software projects to enterprise environments with source code that is accessible to anyone. It stands as perhaps the ultimate example of the process of continuous improvement by encouraging everyone to make it better – and share how they did it.

Many open-source-based solutions like RedHat, Ubuntu and Suse are becoming down-right mainstream, drawing offers for proprietary partnerships from hardware giants like Dell, HP and IBM. So far, each has maintained its autonomy and reiterated its commitment to furthering “the movement” rather than its bottom line.

The issue of support no longer keeps businesses from buying in to open-source technology either. Most are fully supported, either through packages by their distributors, as in the case of RedHat and Suse, or via the well-rounded Internet network.

Open-source now is possible – and pragmatic – for every new Web development project. By using LAMP – that’s Linux, Apache, MySQL and PHP – an open-source solution can be created that is versatile and secure.

Author: Aaron Wittersheim
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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In these post 9/11 days, intrusion and lack of privacy are often justified by the glib phrase “If you have nothing to hide why worry?” Yet all of us at some time or other have something to hide without being a criminal. What if you’re planning a surprise party, buying presents or arranging a secret holiday? Or perhaps you are being very naughty – hiding photos of your girlfriend from your spouse, which if not exactly nice, is not usually a crime.

The best reason of all is for personal security – ID theft is at an all time high and keeping important information secure is not that easy these days. Even if you trust your firewall, anti- spy ware, etc, what if your pc or laptop was stolen? Could you be absolutely sure that no one could read your files, or access your passwords, business accounts, salary files, and new business ideas?

What if you could hide your most cherished information so securely that it couldn’t even be detected? Well now you can, thanks to open source and it won’t even cost you a cent. All you need is a PC running Windows or Linux and the Truecrypt application.

Truecrypt is a remarkable piece of free software that can be downloaded from http://Truecrypt.org It uses the best security methods- algorithms like ES-256, Blowfish, CAST5, Serpent, Triple DES, Twofish, AES-Serpent, and AES-Twofish-Serpent. Even the source code is available to examine or alter. Don’t worry if you don’t know what these names mean; they are all well established and verified means of encrypting data. You can find out more about them on the Truecrypt website or use Google.

There is a very dodgy practice in security- known as “security through obscurity” that works by not revealing how the secured data is stored. It relies on that secrecy to protect your data. This is snake oil. Many programmers think they can write their own encryption algorithms and sell them but it is actually pretty hard to develop robust and secure algorithms. It’s considered far better to use tried and tested methods and keep your passwords secret. That’s what Truecrypt does. There is nothing wrong with hiding the files as well but you should not rely on keeping files hidden as your only means of protection.

Truecrypt is excellent at disguising its encrypted files. It doesn’t use any special type of file so the presence of a Truecrypt file cannot be easily spotted. It is possible to detect that you have used Truecrypt on a Windows PC by looking in the registry but those registry keys can be found and removed if you are really security conscious and know how to use regedit.

In Windows Explorer if you see a file ending in .txt, it is usually a text file, just as .xls is an excel file, .doc is for word etc. With a file named kernel.sys, you might think it is part of Windows. But it could equally be a Truecrypt file. Examining the bytes in a Truecrypt file with a hex editor will not reveal what the file contains or even identify it as a Truecrypt file. You’ll just see random byte values. The whole file is encrypted and only your password can decrypt it. As your password isn’t stored anywhere that means if you forget it, the data is irretrievably lost. There is no back door or recovery utility that you can use.

Unusually for software of this complexity, Truecrypt is very easy to use. It can make use of a file, an entire disk or even a USB drive to hold encrypted files. My preference is to use a file, as it’s easy to make backup copies.

Each Truecrypt file or drive is actually a “volume”, similar to a root folder that holds other files and folders. Each ‘volume’ has to be prepared once- just enter a password and it is filled with random data in a few minutes. “Volume” files can be pretty small – a few hundred kilobytes or very large- up to gigabytes. The overall size obviously depends on what you want to hold in it but as a general rule, keep it as small as you can- certainly don’t make it very big “just in case”. Big files stick out like a sore thumb. Certainly avoid using file extensions that are easy to check. You might be tempted to hide a Truecrypt file in a folder full of large spreadsheets. But Excel would not be able to load your file and that might be a clue.

The Windows folder for instance is full of large files such as win32.fts, a 16 megabyte file that is part of the Windows XP help system. Do you know how to use an fts file? I certainly don’t. So creating a Truecrypt file with an fts extension in the Windows folder is one place to hide files.

Once a file has been prepared, it just needs mounting to make it usable. Select the file, choose the drive letter it will use and enter your password. One second later you’ll have a new drive show up in Windows Explorer. This drive can be reformatted, compressed and used just like a real disk. You can copy your files on to it or work directly on it- it’s as fast as a normal disk and just as safe. How do I know? I’ve used one for over a year and have never lost any data.

Certain countries have laws – the U.K. for instance, that can force you to reveal your passwords to authority if they demand it. If you don’t, you may go to jail. However Truecrypt can provide “plausible deniability”. You can store a secret volume within a Truecrypt volume using a second password. If the first password is used, only the files in the visible part are revealed and you can claim that you have complied with the law. Unless the secret volume takes up a large amount of space, like finding a hidden room in a house, it will be impossible to detect if a secret volume is present.

Using Truecrypt is of course no excuse to avoid the usual security processes like firewalls and anti-virus. Neglect those and you might end up with a key logger on your PC that would record everything you did including your passwords.

I’ve used Truecrypt to secure a large list of website usernames and passwords. It has proved to be extremely robust and reliable. If you’ve got personal data that must be kept private – Truecrypt is one of the best ways to do it. Just don’t forget your password!

Author: David Bolton
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Cellphone news

First impressions of Google Chrome web browser -”It’s simple to use; clean in appearance and really user-friendly”.

Look: When I first opened Google Chrome browser, I didn’t know what to expect; I found an internet browser that is very clean in appearance. Google has gone for a minimalistic approach which is perfect. The overall design of the web browser appears to be sleek and modern.

Functions: Google Chrome offers striking new features. When the browser is first opened, a gallery will appear – showing which sites you have visited most. This is a very handy feature if you don’t like continually typing in website addresses, or having to use a search engine to find what you need.

Tabs are also used in the web browser; however, the tabs are positioned at the very top of the browser, this is quite handy, as it reduces clutter between the website address and the main web page. The tab functions similarly to Internet Explorer 8.

In addition, Google has added a new Task Manager feature, which allows you to monitor individual websites’ CPU usage. This comes in handy when you find a website that uses a lot of resources and may crash your browser. This program is useful for avoiding web browser crashes.

Another feature is Incognito mode – aka “privacy mode”. Incognito mode allows you to browse the web anonymously because your web browsing activity won’t be recorded in your web history folder; however, it won’t stop websites from collecting information about your browsing activity. You will notice a dark grey window when Incognito mode is turned on.

Google Chrome also has a quick bookmarking function. To bookmark a website, just click the star button next to the website address bar; this couldn’t be simpler. Google Chrome also has a simple downloading interface. When downloading a file, the file downloading progress will show in the browser, once the download has finished, you can drag the file onto the desktop (within the browser window) to add to your desktop.

Verdict:

Google Chrome is such a useful web browser: its sleek design and ease of use, makes it very versatile browser. I prefer Google Chrome browser to Internet Explorer 8.0, because it is so simple to use and the minimalistic approach allows you to concentrate on what you are looking for, rather than a browser with loads of unnecessary gadgets (Internet Explorer).

What are you waiting for? Try it for yourself!

Author: Martin Simmons
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Cellphone news

Novell, a leader in the infrastructure software for the Open Enterprise, earlier announced that the BMW Group is using SUSE Linux Enterprise Server from Novell with integrated Xen* virtualization software to implement virtualized workloads in its data center, thus reducing hardware costs and simplifying deployment.

After extensive testing by BMW IT Research Center staff in North America and Germany, the automaker is now ready to deploy virtualized data center solutions using SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLED) 10 and Xen hypervisor on Intel x86 dual-core servers with Intel Virtualization Technology. BMW joins a number of automakers like Audi, which is also running Novell’s SUSE Linux operating system. With the technology around, it wont be hard for the automaker to track the developments of BMW muffler and other auto parts as well as the updates in the day-to-day business.

According to BMW, Xen virtualization technology built into SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 will allow the company to increase flexibility in managing server life cycles. BMW will also gain operational and cost advantages in other areas, in addition to having a flatter support structure through the integrated operating system and virtualization layer. Hardware resources can be more efficiently used through server consolidation, and BMW is able to cluster virtual servers and migrate them live from one physical server to another as needed. The company is also currently evaluating Novell ZENworks Orchestrator as a way to manage the resulting virtual data center systems.

The BMW Group is taking advantage of what the market is just discovering, that Xen open source virtualization software fully integrated in SUSE Linux Enterprise Server is a viable alternative to proprietary virtualization solutions, providing high performance at a lower cost, said Roger Levy, vice president and general manager of Open Platform Solutions for Novell. Integration ensures all pieces of the solution work well together, and as is the case with open source software, it eliminates vendor lock-in and enhances customer choice. The automaker added the Xen virtualization technology will allow the company to increase flexibility in managing server life cycles.

According to consumers, SUSE Linux Enterprise, the next-generation platform for the open enterprise, is the best-engineered, lowest-cost and most interoperable platform for enterprise computing, from the desktop to the data center. As a fact, more and more businesses are using the technology to increase leverage. Capgemini, for one, has also entered into a partnership with Novell. The latter will deliver new solutions to enterprise customers using a combination of open source and proprietary software.

Under terms of the agreement, Capgemini will improve its open source consulting practice with Novell capabilities, specifically centered on the deployment of IT solutions using SUSE Linux Enterprise from Novell along with mixed-source applications and management tools. Whats more, customers can deploy a Linux platform across their entire desktop-to-data center infrastructures with extra confidence that only a global consulting leader could offer.

“We are pleased to enter into this partnership with Novell,” said Paul Hermelin, Capgemini CEO. “Every day we hear from more customers that open source is becoming a critical part of their IT strategy as they seek choice and value. Capgemini prides itself on its ability to help customers identify and deploy mission-critical technologies that will help them improve their IT infrastructure effectiveness, and this partnership with Novell is critical to fulfilling these needs. Novell, through its SUSE Linux Enterprise platform and ZENworks management suite, is a key vendor offering a complete solution.”

Author: Glady Reign
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Electric Pressure Cooker

When it comes to the environment do you want to be part of the solution and not part of the problem? If you don’t want to be part of the problem avoid tossing that supposedly outdated computer onto a landfill. Did you know that your outcast computer remains will take decades to biodegrade and leach scads of poisonous chemicals into the environment during the process?

Several years ago the Utah Department of Environmental Quality estimated that by 2004 more than 300 million computers would be considered obsolete, generating well over 1 billion pounds of lead, 2 million pounds of cadmium, 1 million pounds of chromium, and 400,000 pounds of mercury. Municipal incineration is the largest point source of dioxins into the US and Canadian environments and among the largest sources of heavy metal contamination of the atmosphere. Of course the year 2004 is long gone, and these horrible numbers have undoubtedly been far surpassed in spite of efforts such as corporate trade-in programs.

Why do people toss their computers? That’s simple; given the computer industry’s unending performance advances there is a widespread perception that you can no longer DO anything worthwhile with your old computers. This dangerous assumption is simply not true.

Do you really need Giga-everythings to get your work done and have your fun? Microsoft seems to think so. I remember when 128 Megabytes was a lot of memory. Of course I also remember when “Why would anyone ever need more than 640 Kilobytes of memory?” was the official party line expressed by none other than William Gates III himself.

I’m told that Damn Small Linux requires only 50 Megabytes of disk space, a 486 processor (do you remember what that is?) and 8 Megabytes of RAM. If you want to browse the Internet, you’ll have to move up to 16 Megabytes of RAM and use the Dillo browser. The popular Firefox browser requires additional memory. Frankly, I wouldn’t use such an underpowered computer for moderate or heavy Internet usage. But you can run Linux commands and learn how operating systems work on such computers. And you can play a multitude of games.

For every individual trying to resuscitate a 486 computer there are dozens trying to know what to do with an old Pentium such as my Pentium III 450 Megahertz computers with 128 Megabytes of memory purchased in 1999 or more powerful computers purchased several years later. Without extensive upgrades many of these computers won’t run Windows Vista and may not run Windows XP. But they will run Damn Small Linux or other Linux versions alongside a full range of today’s applications. Let’s put them to work, learn Linux, and do our bit saving the environment.

We next see how Linux lets you control the computer, “obsolete” or not.

Author: Levi Reiss
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Programmable Pressure Cooker

The jury is still out on whether Google will be successful marketing the Nexus One to the average consumer but when your product is endorsed by a giant in the Open Source community, you know you are on the right track.

Linux Torvalds, best known for developing the Linux Kernel, acknowledged that “the Nexus One is a winner” and has replaced his rarely used G1 phone.

What is his view of cellphones in general?  His direct quote,  “I generally hate phones–they are irritating and disturb you as you work or read or whatever–and a cell phone to me is just an opportunity to be irritated wherever you are”.

What changed Torvalds’s mind about this horrid device called a cellphone, “I no longer feel like I’m dragging a phone with me ‘just in case’ I would need to get in touch with somebody – now I’m having a useful (and admittedly pretty good-looking) gadget instead. The fact that you can use it as a phone too is kind of secondary.  I’ve wanted to have a GPS unit for my car anyway, and I thought that google navigation might finally make a phone useful.”

The Android OS is an open source mobile platform that is fully customizable which allows developers total control and ease of application development.  There are currently 20,000 plus applications available and that number is expected to skyrocket.

Sources: http://torvalds-family.blogspot.com/2010/02/happy-camper.html

Web Site Promotion – Google Chrome Operating System

What will be the effect of Google’s new Chrome Operating system on web site promotion efforts ? The simple answer to this question is that it probably will have little or no effect. Google’s search engine rules and methods will not change appreciably under a new operating system. What will be the impact of a new Chrome Operating System on the computing world ? It may significantly affect the type of computer you buy in the future. It may also have a significant affect on Microsoft, and this is why.

We have yet to see really low-cost netbooks hit the market, but it is quite possible that we will see sub $ 200.00 netboooks in the very near future. We already see cell phones with multi-function capability, namely Internet and e-mail capability, and this trend will likely continue. We probably will also see hybrid types of devices that are not quite a computer, but more than a cell phone.

In order to keep the price of netbooks and hybrid devices as low as possible, it will necessary to eliminate the cost of software. The only practical way to do this is to use Open Source software with this type of appliance computer. It is quite impossible to bundle any of Microsoft’s operating systems, or Office Productivity software in at such a low price. Windows plus any other piece of software is already more than $ 200.00 retail, even in OEM versions.

Linux is an alternative, but it doesn’t quite measure up to Windows in terms of usability and user-friendliness. It has been around for quite a while, and although servers run Linux quite effectively, Linux has not really shown it’s strength as a personal computer operating system in the way it has as a network operating system. Google Chrome actually sits on top of a Linux kernel, but it is not Linux itself, but something new.

If you think for a moment about how many computers are used mainly to access the Internet, read e-mail, and for some kind of simple office-related task; that accounts for a very large number of computers, easily fifty percent, or more, of the PC’s in use right now. Microsoft products dominate this market today, but 5 or 10 years from now, there may be a much different looking landscape in the world of personal computers. There are computers in libraries, schools, second and third family computers at home, Internet cafes, and guest computers in offices, that really have no compelling reason to run Windows or other Microsoft software. (Sorry Microsoft, but that’s the way I see it).

It is these types of shared computers, that would benefit the most from a Google Chrome Operating System. Especially if this kind of computer could be made to access the Internet faster, start nearly immediately on boot-up, and run on-line applications faster than the equivalent software running under Windows, wouldn’t that be rather obvious choice to opt for the free, (and faster), alternative ?

The keys to the success of this new operating system are threefold.

1) It must run an Internet browser and Internet applications faster than Windows.

2) It must be more stable than Windows. This means it must have bullet-proof security. This is a tall order for any operating system, but it should have built-in protection against viruses, spyware, and other type of intrusions. This could easily be the key differentiation between Windows and Chrome. since Windows has had, (and continues to have), so many security vulnerabilities. It should be a top priority for Chrome.

3) It should run the widest possible array of software programs. Google has done a good job of providing internet applications up until now, but there needs to be a Chrome, (or online) application to match, or nearly match most of the software that currently runs on Windows. Chrome will not go head-to-head with Windows across the software spectrum, but the wider the choice of Internet-based software available, the more success Chrome will enjoy. It it not intended to be a network server operating system in the same way that Windows server is, but just the operating system of choice for computers connected to the Internet.

Google is probably the only company in the world today with the resources to be able to develop and maintain an operating system like Chrome. On the other hand, since it is open source, Google may be content to manage from the sidelines and eventually let the Open Source community take it over. Note: At least that way Google may not be tempted to have sponsored links pop up on your screen as you work. (lol – Sorry Google)

It is true that Google as a company cares little how you access the Internet. In other words, they are computer hardware and operating system neutral. Of course, I’m sure Google’s management and software engineers will be smiling ear to ear if they are able to compete head to head with Microsoft, (Google’s main search rival), on Microsoft’s home turf of the PC operating system. Nothing would be sweeter for Google than to have Google Chrome enjoy a resounding success in the marketplace. Google has everything to gain, the more computers there are on the Internet, and nothing to lose.

We will have to wait until the second half of 2010 to see Google Chrome, according the Official Google Blog. It is possible that the most significant beneficiaries of Google Chrome will be thirld world computer users. The dream of a $ 100.00 computer is not yet a reality, and remember that 75 % of the world’s population does not yet have e-mail.

The availability of free computer operating systems and software is essential to begin to close the gap between have’s and have not’s in this world. This author, for one, hopes that Google Chrome becomes the operating system of choice for many of the world’s PC’s, and helps to hasten the day when the vast majority of the word’s people have access to computers and the Internet.

Good Luck in all your web site promotion efforts.

Author: John Lombaerde
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Mobile device news