I spoke about IDS (Intrusion Detection Systems) and IPS (Intrusion Prevention Systems) a few days ago in a question posted by a user. So I thought I would dive a little deeper into the subject with a specific application that I have personally used – Snort. Snort is a very powerful IDS that in later versions can act like an IPS. Snort is free to download and use in the personal environment as well as in the business environment. In fact Snort is used by many enterprises as a very effective option for their business because not only is it free, but it is one of the most powerful IDS’s out there if you know what you are doing when you configure it. Snort can be created as a program that you run when you want on a personal computer or it can be setup to run when your OS starts and protect all computers on your network from attacks.

If you want to use Snort to protect your entire network it will need to be placed in line with your Internet connection. So as an example lets say that you have a business Internet account with your local cable company and you want to protect it with a computer running Snort. The computer running Snort needs to be placed between the cable modem and the router, this way Snort is able to monitor every piece of traffic that comes into your network and is in the best place to discover possible attacks.

Installation:

We are going to be installing Snort on a computer running Ubuntu 9.04 which at the time of this article is the newest version of Ubuntu. Ubuntu is also a free OS that is available to download, making this IDS a totally free appliance for you, except the cost of the computer. There are two ways to install Snort onto a Ubuntu Distribution and the easiest is to do it through a command line. If your computer is up to date you can simply type:

sudo apt-get install snort

This will then download and install the newest version of snort on your computer through command line. As soon as it is done you will be ready to use snort. But if you run into an error or cannot install Snort through command line you can always go to the Snort website and download the newest version, but make sure that you are downloading the tar.gz file and follow their installation guide to completely setup Snort.

Once installed you can run snort as just a sniffer and have all packets captured and logged but that will create an enormous log file that you would then have to view. Snort works so well because of its use of rules to know which traffic to log and which traffic to ignore. Rules are going to be beyond the scope of this article but I plan on writing an article in the near future on creating rules for Snort.

How Snort runs depends on the flags that you specify when you launch Snort from command line.

Flag Function

-v View packet headers at the console.
-d View application data with IP headers.
-D Run Snort as a daemon.
-e Show data-link layer headers.
-l Run in packet logger mode.
-h Log information relative to the home network.
-b Log information to a single binary file in the logging directory.
-r Read packets contained in a log file.
N Disable packet logging.
-c Specifies which file will be used to provide a rule-set for intrusion detection.
-i Specifies which port you would like Snort to look at when running.

As you can see from above we have a few different options when it comes to flags used with Snort. Lets start with just viewing IP packet headers by using the command sudo snort -v. Be sure to use the sudo command before snort so that it runs in administrative mode, this is needed to open the appropriate port. Now since we did not specify a port for snort to look at it is going to use the eth0 port by default, well I am not using the eth0 port right now as I write this article I am using the wlan0 port which is my wireless card. We will need to us the -i flag to tell Snort to use my wireless card to check for traffic, sudo snort -v -i wlan0. Now Snort will run and display on the screen every packet header that comes across my wlan0 or wireless card, as you can see this is very useful if you want to monitor all traffic across your network but very impractical if you want to protect your network. To end the application once it has started you can simply hit CTRL+C to end the program and bring you back to a command prompt.

We have quickly discussed installing Snort and then running some basic Snort commands to get some output from the program onto our screen. Stay tuned for the next article on configuring Snort rules and running Snort as true IDS with alerting.

Author: Mike L Walton
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: PCB Prototype & Manufacturing

Regular Ubuntu Linux Users and the (Lack of Use of the) root User

When you install Ubuntu Linux, you create a user, which is the “first” user and you can also create more users if you need to. When you create the “first” user, you assign this user a password – and this one is very important!

It is required to log in to the desktop (at the Linux GUI login prompt) as the “regular” (non-root) user – and this password is also required to be able to do the equivalent of logging in as the root user – when you’re working at the Linux prompt a terminal emulation window on the desktop.

By default, the root use is not “enabled” (not available) in Ubuntu and so you can’t log in as this user – which is an innovative thing – as it stops anyone from logging in to the desktop as this user – which should never be done!

Example of Running the Linux sudo Command – To Start Working as the root User

You type in: sudo -i and then press Enter to change from working as a “regular” user to working as (the equivalent of) the root user in Ubuntu (and variations or derivatives, such as Kubuntu – see more on this further below).

And then you provide the password of the first user that was created on the system. After running the Linux sudo command, the prompt changes from a dollar sign to a number or hash sign (press Shift 3). To “go back” to working as a “regular”, run the exit command by entering the command name and pressing the Enter key.

This Linux version has its own “derivatives” (variations), and many of these end in “ubuntu”, such as Kubuntu.

Linux Commands Training Tips: The “K” in Kubuntu stands for “KDE” – it is the “K” in “KDE”, for the KDE desktop.

The Ubuntu distro uses the GNOME desktop by default and Kubuntu uses the KDE desktop by default.

Ubuntu Linux and it’s derivatives are some of the few distributions that require the use of the sudo command with the -i option as shown above – as opposed to using the su command with the – “dash” option and then typing in the password of the root user.

Author: Clyde E. Boom
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Electric Pressure Cooker

I ran across an online store today that sells top name brand merchandise with a pay-as-you-go plan.

I suppose stores like this serve a useful purpose, but I certainly cant endorse them and you’ll never find them on my web site.
Obviously they are legal, but they certainly aren’t ethical

Here’s their headline: No credit, Bad credit, No problem.

Their feature desktop computer is an entry level, top name brand computer. This computer or one exactly like it sells for $349.00 from the manufacturer, who will sell it for $11.00 per month. Of course I assume you have to have some level of credit to take advantage of that plan.

But heres the penalty you pay with this pay-as-you-go program: They require a $150.00 down payment, then $30.00 twice per month for 12 months. That figures out to $870.00, which calculates out to an interest payment of $521.00 for a $350.00 purchase.

And worse ,in effect what you are doing if you make a down payment of $150.00 for a $350.00 item you are borrowing $200.00. Therefore you are paying $520.00 in interest to borrow $200.00. This defies logic.

I haven’t bothered to calculate the APR but it sure appears to me to be usury in disguise, and its outrageous, another example of the poor being exploited.

This isnt a new scheme they’ve been using it for years with furniture and appliances and I suppose it s necessary for some unfortunates to have to employ such a scheme in order to buy something that’s vital.

I’m not out to punish businesses but some common sense needs to be instilled in some people. This is not a good deal In my opinion it’s fraud.

To buy a computer this way is utterly ridiculous. I just bought a used computer in mint condition, for a back up machine. I purchased it in an eBay auction for $93.00 including shipping.

This machine has a 1.03GB processor, 184MB RAM, 20GB Maxtor H/D, a 32X CD-RW and runs Windows XP Home. It will do anything the average person needs to do with a PC.

This is just one example. There are many perfectly good used computers available. There are used computer stores in most areas. If you attend computer shows they always have pre-owned Pc’s at affordable prices. Even the major online stores have PCs that almost anyone can afford.

Walmart sells a model with a Linux operating system for under $200.00 brand new. There’s no need to pay an exorbitant price for a computer.

So for someone in poor circumstances to get involved in such a deal is ridiculous. I believe in free enterprise, but not at the expense of the unfortunate.

Caveat Emptor- Let the buyer beware. Use my shopping Guide on: http://www.caveatemptorus.com
I’m sure you can find a Pc within your means.

Author: George W. Cannata
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Bumper guardian

What is a web application? A web application, also known as the ‘webapp’, is an application that can be easily accessible through a web browser over the internet. It is coded in languages such as PHP, ColdFusion, and Asp.net combined with in a markup language like HTML. What are the many benefits of a webapp? For one thing, web applications are cross platform compatible. Unlike certain software, which may only work on a Windows machine of a Mac machine, web applications have the ability to work across many different kinds of software such as internet explorer, Firefox, Safari as well as many different kinds of operating systems such as Windows, Linux, or Mac OS. Web applications are also extremely cost efficient. They have much lower maintenance and support costs than software as well.

Another benefit of the webapp is that you will never have to install an application on your computer to take up hard drive space. A webapp will always occupy a virtual cloud of space on the internet. Web Apps also allow you to constantly have the most up-to-date software. No more upgrade fees!

They are also available anywhere and anytime! This is huge – similar to the way you can access your email from any browser, any computer, etc., you can also access any web applications from anywhere.

With webapps you can also stress less about viruses. Webapps require no installation, which means no viruses (unless you were to just get a Mac then you would never have that problem). The biggest benefit of all (in my opinion) is that mobile has arrived- allowing us to take our web apps anywhere our cell phones go.

Some Applications:
1. Facebook (social networking site)
2. Google Wave (an email and collaboration tool)
3. Mint (a site to keep track of all your finances)
4. Kuler (a color application to find colors that match and work good together)
5. Google Maps (a map application)
6. YouTube (Video application)
7. Go To meeting (a virtual meeting application)
8. WordPress (blogging application)

Author: Alexa Dagostino
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Pressure cooker

If you are using Ubuntu, you can actually sync you data between multiple installations of the operating system. This is nice because you have the freedom to use this data and settings on as many machines as you like.

Generally speaking, to get everything to work this way, you need to buy multiple copies of an operating system. With Ubuntu since it’s free, the installation becomes a bit more flexible since you can do whatever you want with it.

The first way to sync are to use free programs like Ubuntu One or DropBox. Both of these have a free version that allow you to use about 2 gigabytes of data. This data can be changed on one computer and will upload itself to the server when the changes are made. When you boot up on the other computer, the changed data will be downloaded. This will make it seem that you are working on the same machine even if it’s multiple stations.

Another way of doing this is to backup your home folder. If you view hidden folders in your install, you will see that there are many folders that start with a period. What’s useful about these is that your user settings are there. You can sync these between computers if you want your Firefox settings to be the same on all of them for example.

Another way of doing this is using Ubuntu’s default USB disk creator tool. This will let you take your install and put it onto a USB device. You can boot from this USB on any computer and use your data that way. You can even install from this USB and your settings will come over with it.

Author: Lance Esondi
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Duty on LCD/Plasma TV

Ubuntu has established a tradition of releasing a newer version of their software within every six months, which is usually during April and October. This brings about a pertinent question that you should ask yourself. Is it really necessary to upgrade your pieces of hardware every six months in order to receive more features? In order to take advantage of the upgrades without unnecessarily spending your hard-earned cash every now and then, you should be aware of the needed system requirements.

There are basically three versions of Ubuntu, namely, server edition, desktop edition, and netbook remix. As the name of this newest edition indicates, it is primarily intended for netbook users.

Although it is actually possible to install Ubuntu on an Intel 486 processor, there is hardly any use in doing this. This is because all you will get is a white blinking cursor without any graphical desktop. Even though you may be interested in using it as a local print server, I advice you against this, since it won’t be easy to get necessary components in case of a breakdown.

In such a case, it is better to use the server edition instead. You will require fairly low system requirements, with no graphical environment. My recommendation is a minimum of Pentium 3, with 256 MB RAM for optimum performance.

However, in order to make the most of Ubuntu, you will need more than your old PC. For instance, if you want such special effects as 3D cube that rotates across the screen, or wobbly windows among others, you need to have a 3D accelerator card. This calls for newer PCs and laptops.

Another thing to take into consideration apart from the graphics card is the RAM. In order to have an appealing desktop, you will require at least 1 GB RAM.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t much option for netbook users. In spite of upgrading hard drive and RAM, it is still not possible to have all the features of the desktop edition. This is where the netbook remix comes in handy.

Although I’m pretty sure that there are still other Ubuntu upgrades in the pipeline, the minimum system requirements will remain the same. This knowledge will save you from unnecessary upgrades.

Author: John William Hanson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Canada duty rate

Love XBMC? Need it and want it in Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic? But can’t get it installed because of a missing package that won’t install? Search no further, I have your solution here. Even though XBMC 9.11 Camelot has solved many user issues, fixed bugs, revamped it’s style and created whole new feature sets… it simply cannot function if your system does not support it.

The problem with Ubuntu might be that it does not have all the required libraries in place. This is easy to test. All you have to do is try to install “liblzo1″. If you are using a Debian based system, like Ubuntu/Kubuntu, then you can install it through the command like with the following command:

sudo apt-get install liblzo1

If you do not want to use the command line, you can install the library through your favorite GUI application such as KpackageIt (in Kubuntu) or Synaptic.

If you have not tried installing XBMC before or have an old version, simply run this command (via the command line) to add the XBMC officially unofficial PPA’s:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:team-xbmc/ppa sudo apt-get install xbmc-standalone xbmc liblzo1

If you have a problem install XBMC because of the missing “liblzo1″ package, you can download it from the following places. For x64 bit computers use the first link, the a regular 32 bit system use the second:

http://packages.ubuntu.com/jaunty/amd64/liblzo1/download

http://packages.ubuntu.com/jaunty/i386/liblzo1/download

Install that package first:

sudo dpkg -i liblzo1_1.08-3_amd64.deb or sudo dpkg -i liblzo1_1.08-3_i386.deb

If you are not comfortable with the command line, you can simply click on the file to install it through the built in GUI package installers (these usually come standard with most current Linux distributions).

then do:

sudo apt-get install xbmc xbmc-standalone

This will now finally install XBMC in Kubuntu Karmic 9.10 without issue at all. Enjoy XBMC goodness!

Author: Piotr Krzyzek
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Cellphone news

In our country, we have become so addicted to Microsoft that we cannot seem to do without it. It has become like morphine: we get off it, we feel pain so great, we writhe in sheer agony.

Don’t get me wrong. I am a BIG fan of Microsoft Word and Microsoft Encarta. But the OS’s? Oh, don’t ever get me started!

From the moment I saw Ubuntu Linux, I was… Stunned to say the least. I always thought that Linux OS’s were… Primitive. Turns out, it just got bad press.

Though I thoroughly enjoyed Ubuntu, I had to delete my Ubuntu drive after about a month or two of using it when I needed the space for my other files. And the parting wasn’t easy. Though I loved Ubuntu Edgy Eft like crazy, I wasn’t ready to be weaned off Windows yet. I thought I needed Windows. Yeah right. Like a hole in the head.

The decision to fully migrate my desktop to Ubuntu or any other reliable Linux distro came when my Windows XP melted down. I decided I was finally ready to move permanently… When I discovered Wine. But more on that later. This is an article on how to choose a different OS. :p

The mainstream Operating Systems for desktops for the everyday user come in two major branches. I know, I know, there are other OS’s out there, but for the moment, I’ll just talk about the most well-known, most user-friendly Windows alternatives.

How to choose the OS for you

Choosing is a universal function of needs, desires, and availability, among other factors. There is no one way to go about it, and sadly, it is not a science. but I have made a system for myself on how I can go about my own choices. I hope my system would help you. Below are the steps on how I go about making Operating System choices.

Know what you need.

Knowing what you need need not be a precursor to lobotomy. Just grab a notepad and the guidelines and questions below may help you:

What is it that you do?

Are you a graphic artist? A web designer? A writer? A student? A casual user?

Base your choices on what you do, because your needs will depend on this.

What software needs to be on your computer?

If you are a graphic artist or a web designer, you would definitely need tools like Adobe Photoshop. If you cannot afford the price, there are alternatives like the Gimp on Linux. However, I have a friend who says that he can never work on Linux, though he’s not a Microsoft loyalist. According to him, Adobe Photoshop doesn’t look as good on Linux as it does on Microsoft Windows. BUT, there is Adobe Photoshop for Mac, and it actually looks light years better than on Windows. Why? Mac screens are just rich, with the million-color support. If you have the money to burn, and you need apps like Adobe Photoshop and even Dreamweaver, then you better get OS X. Or else, get yourself a Macbook/Macbook Pro/iMac. Now. :p

As for the writer, since word processing is light, and doesn’t really require as much RAM as applications like Adobe Photoshop or Dreamweaver, which, in turn, require support for high resolution, I guess it would be safe for me to recommend that you use Linux. There are excellent applications to replace MS Office, like Open Office, Star Office, etc. AbiWord is an excellent MS Word replacement. It’s light, fast, and simple. And you can write in pure white space, if you’re allergic to distractions. These applications can save in the MS Word .doc format. But if you just have to have the MS Word formatting for your work, then by all means, go for Ubuntu Linux’s Feisty Fawn! It has Wine built into the system. Wine is the application that can run your MS programs, and it’s really an excellent tool to wean you off the Microsoft addiction. Though I have yet to try out Wine on Linux, as I am waiting for the official release of Feisty Fawn on April 19, I have tried Crossover, a non-free distro of Wine, on my OS X. It was able to run MS Office seamlessly so far. It’s not slow when it’s up and running, and though the fonts are just smaller, the main point is, it’s running the Microsoft program. Enough said. I’m planning to pay for my copy when the trial expires.

Students, on the other hand, have varied needs. I recommend Linux if you’re not into heavy photo editing anyway, as:

• It’s free.
• If you want games, Wine can run World of Warcraft for you. Yes it does. Games are the priority of the Wine community!
• Linux helps sharpen your skills, if you’re a Computer Science or Information Technology student.
• It’s free.

If you are a casual user with money to burn, then you could definitely work well with OS X! OS X, according to my friend, is better for the dummy user than Windows! Why, I am a very destructive dummy user. I actually install anything I fancy. I have installed some pretty serious stuff here in my Macbook, decided I didn’t want them anymore, couldn’t find the documentation for how to uninstall the stuff I did, and decided, What the hell, I’ll just toss all the programs in the trash. The only thing I noticed that was different right after was that the fonts in iTunes got messed up a little. But after installing an update on everything including the system, that problem was fixed. Oopsie.

But if you’re like me, a total cheapskate, I believe that you would do well on Ubuntu or PCLinuxOS. Both are very user friendly, and I was blown away by the two Operating Systems. As soon as I get a stack of CD’s, I’m trying out the other user-friendly Linux OS’s, and I’m going to feature them here. Meanwhile, why don’t you check out these OS’s themselves, and see for yourself that they really are nice. Go to http://www.distrowatch.org or http://www.ubuntuforums.org to see what people think about the different OS’s, and which are the popular favorites.

What are the primary features that you would want on your operating system?

You would do well to make a list of what you want as features on your OS. Below is my own list:

–User-friendliness

–Easy to install built-in applications

–Package manager/handler for easy installation

–Applications that are good equivalents for Windows applications

–Easy networking setup

–Compatibility with Wine or any other Windows emulator

–Can read Fat32 (hard drive format) for easy Windows sharing

–Customizable User Interface

–Installable Windows/Apple media codecs

–Easy install of Java and other media support

–Fast loading/non RAM hog

–The OS does not hang, restart randomly, or crashes. If it does, it should be rare, or like in Ubuntu, will only prompt that it has crashed, but will not affect the operation of the system or its applications.

–The OS should have a very helpful support community.

So far, Ubuntu Linux is my best choice. It is the best in application installation, has a really wide range of built-in apps, and with each release in its 6-month cycle, it gets increasingly user-friendly, and is getting more packed in features as the days go by. Ubuntu Feisty Fawn comes with a Windows networking setup manager, so it will be easier to manage your local network/s. It also comes with Wine, so you don’t need to really rack your brain with how to install this (non) emulator. The only thing that’s annoying with Ubuntu is that it takes long in starting up.

If you want a faster OS, you can try PCLinuxOS. I have yet to install it, so I don’t know about its application manager: if it’s easy to deal with or not. But it’s highly user-friendly according to forums, and as I’ve used it through its live CD. And it’s eye candy, too.

Ubuntu can also become eye candy if you install themes and change the desktop background. If you find the pre-installed brown theme yucky, change it! The options are shown when you right click on the desktop, the panels, and if you go to system>themes. Mine is delicious pink. Heehee.

Another thing that is great in Ubuntu is the kick-ass community. According to some people I read there, PCLinuxOS has a great community, too, as according to people I’ve read on Ubuntu’s forums. It’s actually better, according to them, as the programmers/developers themselves entertain questions on PCLinuxOS.

If your hardware cannot support heavy programs, there are thin clients out there, which can be run even on a decade-old machine. If your machine used to support Windows 95 and is still wired for 95, you can go for OS’s like Xubuntu or Puppy.

Research on your options.

If only I didn’t need to work, I would rather be on the forums all day and clicking away at Linux sites. So far, the best Linux distros as far as I’ve learned are Ubuntu, PCLinuxOS, Sabayon, Arch, Mint (Ubuntu based), Puppy Linux, Mepis, Xandro’s and Knoppix, to name a few. Knoppix and Puppy can be installed on removable media, and you can save your files there, especially if it’s a multisession/rewritable disk or flash drive.

Again, do try to frequent the forums, you will sure learn a lot there.

Test the top three to five on your option list.

I do not like to wade through the hundreds of Linux distros, only to find them to be lousy. I would rather know about the best few then test them. It’s a good thing that most Linux OS’s come in Live CD’s, so you can run them without having to install them. I suggest you try Ubuntu, PCLinuxOS, Xandro’s and Puppy. They are the most user-friendly around, according to most people. PCLinuxOS and Puppy are very fast. If you really like Ubuntu and just want it to run faster, as I’ve said, you can go for Xubuntu. Take heart, there is an OS out there for you. Or else, you can compile one from Linux’s source code. Hrhr. :p

As for OS X, I cannot say more. It is really an excellent Operating System. It has the stability of Linux, being also a Unix-based OS, and it is far more user-friendly than Windows. No, you do not need to have an Apple machine to run it. People have been able to run it on X86 machines successfully. Just read the how-to’s on the Internet.

OS X is really eye candy, and they have dumbed down the controls on a lot of the programs, to increase user-friendliness. Yes, there are moments when I feel that some Mac programs (especially the iLife programs) are too simple for my taste, but I really don’t want to complain, as they do the job, and they do it excellently. Where else can you install programs by just dragging the icon to the Applications folder? If that isn’t idiot-friendly, what is?!

As I said, choosing an OS need not be brain lobotomy. Just explore, research, and have a system in making choices. You need not suffer on a system that melts down with every trojan and spyware outbreak. You can be free. You can migrate. Screw Microsoft. Screw Vista. Go for Open Source (or Apple :p).

Author: Lorie Therese Locara
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Mobile device news

Computers started making their way into homes, en masse, 15 years ago. After 15 years, computer users should not be afraid of using their computer.

This case study tells the story about a customer of mine, Wanda, who happens to be in her 70s. Like most computer users she used a Windows based computer. In her case, it was a system put together by her grandson in 2002 or 2003 and has a 1.8ghz processor, 256mb of RAM and the XP Home version of Windows.

When I first met Wanda a few years ago, she had typical Windows user problems; slow computer, slow Internet, couldn’t open some attachments, virus and spyware problems. She used dialup Juno for Internet and Norton Antivirus on her system. I couldn’t talk her into getting a DSL or cable connection, but I did change her security from Norton to AVG and optimized the startup and running of the system. However, with dialup and Juno, she continued to have problems that cropped up every 3-4 months.

In April of 2008, I talked with her in detail about computer usage. She stated that she really only needed to do three or four things with her computer:

1. Email
2. Word Processing
3. Solitaire
4. Very light Internet browsing

We talked about the cost of a new computer and a high speed connection. And then we talked about taking Windows off her system, installing a different system (Ubuntu and Linux didn’t mean anything to her) that would be virtually trouble free and no cost to acquire besides my install and configuration time. She liked the sound of that, but I informed her that I could not install Ubuntu unless she was agreeable to getting a DSL connection for the Internet. She agreed.

I installed Ubuntu for her and configured her desktop with shortcuts to her email, the web, solitaire, and her word processor. Again, that was April of 2008. Prior to that I received at least one call from her every month, and visited her for cleanup and troubleshooting appointments at least 3-5 times per year.

Today, Wanda called me for the first time since I installed Ubuntu on her system 14 months ago. She asked two questions:

1. Why can’t I get email from my daughter?
2. My printer stopped printing, do I need a new one?

Knowing that it would be a quick visit, I stopped by her house in between two other appointments. To my delight, the computer desktop looked exactly the same as I left it the prior year except for a few saved PowerPoint slideshows she saved from email to it.

Since she was using Hotmail, I could almost guarantee that she had blocked her daughter’s email address (Microsoft places the spam / junk mail button dangerously close to the delete button). Sure enough, a trip to the blocked senders settings revealed what I suspected. Her daughter’s email address and a dear friend were blocked. I rectified that in a few clicks.

Next, her printer problem turned out to be a paper jam. After clearing it, the computer was happily printing again. I left her home in under 15 minutes after correcting the problems that had nothing to do with Ubuntu, and she was beaming like a kid in a candy shop.

MORAL OF THE STORY
Properly setup and customized for an individual’s computing needs, Ubuntu Linux can be used successfully and easily by anyone of any age and computing ability. AND, the problems associated with computing under the Windows environment disappear.

My only regret is that I did not start looking into and learning about Linux prior to 2006.

Author: Rick Castellini
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Latest trends in mobile phone

Given that I’ve been yapping about Windows and Apple for a few weeks now, I think that this should be the best time to do a few conversions. No, I don’t mean to convert anyone from PC to Mac or vise versa. I’m talking about taking the free route. Yes ladies and gentlemen, it’s time that you all know what Linux is all about. Some of you might have already heard about the Linux operating system but then again this might be your first time, so I’ll just lay it straight and simple. Linux is an operating system, much like Windows or Mac, but it is entirely free.

The most appropriate phrase to define this “free” state is open source. What this means is that the code that makes up the operating system is free to be copied and reconfigured to suit the programmers wishes. You don’t need to be a programmer to run the OS, but other people have the liberty to change it and make it their own. Now, that’s cleared up, let’s not get into it further. Now some of you who know the difference between windows and Mac probably know that there are features that feel the same and some that are completely different.

You will get the same feel from any Linux OS. The games that you run on Windows may almost certainly never run on any OS that it’s not supposed to, so don’t expect it to run. This goes for any other application that’s exclusive to a single operating system. Hardware that you buy can pretty much run on any OS, but there are other pieces that work with specific software. What’s the upside to all this? Other than using something that’s free, which is probably the best thing the about the OS, you also get to use free software. Linux has a community for it’s users where they can share their software and it’s all free.

You can do whatever you want with it, provided that you know what you’re doing, but then that’s another thing that’s great about it. You’re not stuck with something that other people built for you, you can rebuild your system the way you want it to feel like, and there are great learning opportunities ahead of you. There’s also Linux for beginners that targets people who want to get in to the community. There are distributions that cater to different kinds of users that range from beginners to moderately techie to the extremely techie user. Distributions are the different variations that were built by different people in the community to suit to their own needs and they share it with everyone so that they can improve upon the design, show it off or just to allow people to experience the same thing they’re experiencing.

So yeah, Linux might not be for everyone, but if you want to learn how to use it, it’s basically available on their main site. If you want to start, you can search for the Mint distribution. It’s one of the easier variations to get into and it primarily focuses on making your desktop look amazing.

Author: Jego Goldstein
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Digital Camera Information

Choosing the appropriate operating system is based on the server`s function. Linux is powerful and has a versatile operating system while Windows is well-known for its easy to use operating system and versatility. Deciding the right server was certainly a trial as a decade ago, Microsoft`s Windows NT and Novell`s NetWare4 were prominently in use, but today NetWare has totally disappeared and the Linux version is found to be a good choice. Both Windows and Linux come in server and desktop editions.

Maintenance and security are one of the significant areas to comprehend the actual differences between the operating systems. Linux are commonly referred to as distributions, also known as `distros`, and are released around the same time frame using the same kernel version (operating system). Linux needs careful consideration of hardware drivers as the hardware newly released should be appropriate and this includes the motherboard as well. Linux installation should be done by people who have proper knowledge to run the operating system and its applications. Linux is stable and more secure than Windows.

On the other hand, Windows offers easy installation and runs even in default modes, besides it includes a series of drivers regardless of the hardware type and has the extensive variety of software. However it suffers with frequent security problems demanding critical patches involving rebooting. Moreover it is expensive right from the purchase price to the applications, besides ongoing maintenance is a must to keep it updated and stable.

The comparison of Linux vs. Window includes other considerations such as the price, specialized options and support. Linux has server oriented versions available with vendors and some are offered with 24/7 paid support. There are less expensive distribution versions obtainable at Mepis, Centos and Xandros and others, which are offered at a very low cost to get started, while Debian, Slackware, Mint, Mandriva, Fedora of Red Hat and Ubuntu are all free versions.

On the other side Microsoft Windows server is regular with 32 and 64 bit versions with specialized options such that it is ideal for small as well as medium sized businesses. However, the biggest hit is that Windows is buoyed up by a multi billion dollar company and is compatible with the majority of software, besides it is very easy in using and understanding that even an average user can make the best of it. Windows pricing varies dramatically based on the numbers purchased and on the yearly maintenance agreement or the licensing plan.

The significant difference in Linux version does not speak about the software quality or the drivers` availability, but the support offered. Depending upon the Linux distribution package, the user may get a quick and 24/7 paid support, and this should well suit any corporate environment. Purchasing the operating system and hardware together ensures the support for installed hardware, else it may be required researching to ensure the motherboard, network adapter, chipset and others are supported by the Linux version. The other non-Linux options include OpenSolaris and many variants of Berkley Software Distribution.

Author: Roberto Sedycias
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: US Dollar credit card

When I first started to use the internet, the computer I bought had Microsoft Windows operating system pre-installed on it and like millions of other users I thought no more about it. That is until the viruses started to appear, scaring the pants off everybody, me included. I put up with this for some years, then one day someone mentioned the free Ubuntu operating system, which was the first free Linux distribution I used.

I soon discovered how well written and secure a platform it is. No virus or Trojan worries here. You log on as a user, not as administrator, who is enabled to do everything on the system without question, be it constructive or destructive. Unlike Windows, you don’t need to look for and install a firewall before you can use the computer on the internet, as with Ubuntu, and many other Linux distributions as well, the firewall is already installed and functioning every time you start the system from cold. I find this very reassuring.

My first flirtation with the Ubuntu operating system was Ubuntu Feisty Fawn and I was very impressed with it right from the start. I found it easy to install, and easy to use as well. These two qualities have stayed constant with the many revisions that have occurred since that distribution was first released.

In the four years or so I have been using the Ubuntu operating system, a noticeable characteristic is that with each revision comes a slicker and smarter operating system which remains easy to use and is secure. For those with a keen aesthetic eye, the desktop graphics can be quite stunning. But it doesn’t stop there. There is some excellent free and useful software which is included with the Ubuntu operating system.

If you fancy a change from the Windows operating system, the Ubuntu operating system comes with lots of free software included and in my opinion it is well worth a second look. You never know, you might become an Ubuntu convert.

Author: Philip Woodrow
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Excise Tax

With its dynamic scalablity, flexibility and virtualized resources are provided as a service, Cloud Computing is seen as the dawn of a new era for application services and has received its fair share of plaudits.  With Google Documents, Flickr, Buzzword and Zoho as examples of general purpose applications that use Cloud Computing Technology it is only a matter of time before Cloud Computing is seen as the most viable option for application development and deployment.

With IT Giants such as Microsoft, Google and Amazon all vying for a position within the Cloud Computing space you’d expect there to be a plethora of Cloud based Software Applications  currently available.  Even though this is sure to be the case in the near future, at present Software Testing appears to be the current favoured use of Cloud environments.

A recent survey by Evans Data, an independent research firm that conducts periodic surveys of developers , found that of those using cloud facilities to run applications, 49.8% said they were doing so experimentally or for prototyping; 28.6% for non-critical business applications and 21.6% for business critical applications.  They see Cloud environments as being “good for testing because they can be set and torn down quickly, sometimes at less expense than on-premise facilities”. 

The question to answer then is what Software testing tools are available to aid developers and Quality Assurance individuals in their application development and testing procedures.  Software Testing tools that are used for testing of conventional applications are of little use when applied to Cloud Testing as there is a need for tools to allow Software developers and Tester to analyse the network, desktop and implications of changes within the Cloud.

A growing variety of Cloud based Open Source Software Testing Tools are being published.

Cloud Tools for example is a set of tools for deploying, managing and testing Java EE applications on Amazon’s Elastic Computing Cloud (EC2). Containing three main parts, which includes machine images that can be configured to run on Tomcat and Maven & Grails plug-in this is an amazing tool to use for Open source cloud software testing.

PushToTest TestMaker is a distributed test environment that can run tests on test equipment, or in a Cloud Computing environment.  It introducing specific commands to support automatic Cloud Testing services.

Cloud Tools and PushToTest Test Maker represent examples of products that will help shape the future of robust Cloud based Software Testing Applications.  Though the technology is in its infancy, a number of testing tools are emerging that can provide assistance in cloud based software testing.

Visit Tester Tools for Open Source Software Testing Tools and scripts including a dedicated Cloud Computing Testing Tools section that showcases the latest Cloud Computing Software Testing  tools. If you want to try Cloud Computing Test tools for free Visit http://www.testertools.com

Tester Tools Site: me on Twitter: @Testertools

Could it be that the evil empire has surrendered? If you haven’t heard Microsoft announced on Tuesday that they will change to a higher level of openness and interoperability with many of its high volume products including an agreement not to sue open-source developers for products that connect to Microsoft software. My question is this: Who locked Bill Gates in a closet?

After all, this is by the company that brought you software bundling and the Trusted Computing Platform Alliance. They are like the spoiled kid down the street who won’t share his toys unless you pay him. The real question is why all of a sudden a change of heart?

Many will point to the fact that Bill Gates is retiring and there is a coup occurring within Microsoft’s corporate culture. If you think about it Microsoft is the most developer oriented company there is. Everyone who is anyone at Microsoft started out as a developer and many of them must have misgivings about the company’s history with regard to open-source software. Others will say, such as Microsoft General Counsel Brad Smith that this change in policy is a direct response to the European Union lawsuit that was decided in September which found Microsoft guilty of anticompetitive practices. All of these reasons may have had an effect on this decision but make no mistake this is about Google kicking their behinds in web software and online advertising.

I think Microsoft finally realizes that they have past the point of no return. They are no longer king of the block and if they don’t change the way they are perceived and utilized on the web they are going to be the ones monopolized. Google is everything that Microsoft is not. It is accessible and developer friendly. It’s kind of like Hillary Clinton arguing that she is a better administrator than the visionary Barack Obama. It may be factually correct but who are you going to follow? The company that revolves around developers needs to embrace the developer community. This appears to be a small step in that direction but I need to see more before I’m buying it.

The need for graphics software is something that has grown exponentially along with the development of modern day computers, the internet, and of course, the digital camera. The exact use for it varies not only among the different users, but from the different tasks one single user want to finish – it being photo retouching of the private family album, creating elements for your blog or website, or making a brochure for your private business. And we expect to finish up all these tasks in one program – two at tops. It goes without saying that we expect a lot from the graphics software we choose to utilize. Now, for many users, both professional and the semi-professional home users, Adobe Photoshop is the obvious choice. Some love and swear to Paint Shop Pro, the cheaper alternative from Corel, while millions of pc users are satisfied with what Microsoft and Apple ship with their operating systems. Now, those who fall into the last category, may not find this article as useful as those who belong in the first two, as the simple photo retouching tools they already have installed with their OS serves their needs. For the rest of you however, read on to see what other free software options you have, and why you should, or should not, choose to utilize them instead. I am going to split the article into categories, to help you draw your own conclusion as to what software will do the job, hopefully without costing you a buck.1 Support
Many users of commercial software find this point very important when they’re deciding which package to use. Will the software support my printer/wacom tablet/camera import/scanner/OS – and if it doesn’t, will they offer me help to solve the problem? The answer with commercial packages is – yes and no. All major software developers offer support, usually over email, phone or chat, and as long as they have the answer to your question in their database, they’ll give it to you. For more complex problems however, the poor, underpaid technician may not be able to help you – and this is, contrary to popular belief, one of the big advantages of Open Source Software (OSS). OSS has the advantage of being followed by a strong community – not only with graphics artists that take use of the software, but also the programmers that actually helped develop the code itself. In other words, you may be able to get your answer directly from the source, and even have someone help you create a patch especially for you. That’s something Adobe, Corel and Microsoft would never offer you. On the other hand, getting those answers may be a bit more complicated than picking up the phone. It may take some forum browsing, a few emails, and some waiting before the problem is solved. Now, the last kind of software release, which is also free, is from professional software developers that release their software for free. They may have different reasons for doing this. Some release their older versions for free while the newer versions cost money – like a demo solution, only better (remember, that version was the newest just a year ago). Some do it just for the advertising – perhaps they have some other software that they’re selling at a higher price, and just want to get your attention. The backside of downloading these alternatives is that most of them offer none or very limited support – in other words, if you’re having problems, you’re on your own.
To sum it up, Open Source projects may actually offer the best support in the long run, even if it takes some research to find your answers, but professional software are tested for months before release, usually have support for most drivers and hardware built in, and may therefore remove the need for the support in the first place. If you need new software for a project quickly, to reach a deadline, you may be safer off going for a commercial package. If, on the other hand, you want to learn some graphics editing, perhaps do some retouching on your private photos, I would not let this stop me.2 What does the program actually offer?
This is another important point for many – how far can you stretch the programs technical abilities before it snaps? This is actually kind of a tricky question, because most major software packages – both free and commercial – give you the option to install third party plug-ins. (for those who do not know what this is, it is a piece of code that is loaded along with the software to serve one particular need – in most cases to use a filter on an image that the application did not offer in the first place). The number of plug-ins available for OSS is big – the number for Photoshop is vast. However, more does not necessarily mean better, and you should not let the number of plug-ins available guide you when purchasing software. Also, again in the commercial vs free packages, it is a question of price; most major Photoshop plug-ins are not free – all OSS plug-ins are.
Having mentioned the plug-ins, let’s see now what the programs offer themselves. Photoshop has set the standard for image manipulation software for 15 years, and it’s as far as the author can see, impossible to design a program in this genre without being inspired by it. That being said, it does not mean that freeware alternatives cannot stand up to its standards, but it does mean that you’ll rarely find something in a free package that Photoshop did not already offer. Having tested most of the major freeware pretty thoroughly, what I have discovered is that they offer pretty much the same abilities as Photoshop does – but with 85% the usability. In other words, it can get most of the work done, but not all, and what it can do, it won’t do as streamlined as Photoshop. It’s worth mentioning though, that I am talking about advanced editing here – not simple retouching and drawing. For the photo editor – the free ones will undoubtedly to the job for you. For the internet graphics editor – it will undoubtedly also get the job done. For the advanced graphics/photo editor, the last 15% can make you raise an eyebrow and wonder why you ever considered free software. The conclusion is that the major freeware packages will cover the needs for 90% of the users.3 Hardware Issues
Will the program work with my printer? How about my Wacom? My digital camera? Actually most of the hardware compability is dependent on your operating system. For example, some versions of Mac OSX did not support tablets, and a wacom would therefore be treated like a regular mouse – thus removing the pressure sensitivity. The same thing is true if you do not install the correct drivers in Windows.
As for the printer – most software that includes support for printing, relies on the drivers you installed when you first connected the printer. In other words, if printing works in other programs, there’s no reason it won’t work when you’re working on the graphics. There are some other printing issues that are worth thinking about though, I will cover these in the next section.4 More printing issues
Apart from driver support, there are some issues you should think about if you are going to print your artwork. Color management, for example, can be tricky, and not even Photoshop had a good enough printing dialogue until CS3 was released. Again, this depends on your use of the software – professional users may need total control of how their documents are rendered for print. If you’re using it to print your family photos on the other hand, you may not need these settings (and you probably won’t understand them either). Photoshop does give you better control over your printing profiles – but it’s only necessary for the advanced user.
Having read this article, I hope you are able to reach a conclusion. There is no doubt that free open-source projects have reached a point where they are nearly as advanced as expensive, commercial software, and can cover most of your needs. As much as I love photoshop, I also love the open-source community, and nothing would make me happier than if I could save you a few hundred bucks! My website www.freegraphicstools.com contains some links and reviews if you are ready to try out some of the Photoshop alternatives. You may be surprised that even Illustrator, 3D studio, Adobe Premiere, After Effects and Microsoft Office all have freeware alternatives that are rich in functionality!