Linux By Bruce Fairley

1. Introduction
For enthusiasts and sceptics alike, there can be no doubt that Linux is now an
established part of the computing landscape. From its beginnings in the early
90s, Linux has been rapidly gaining popularity. For many years though, it was
merely seen as a hobby for PC-owning Unix enthusiasts, with no real business
applications and showing no real use to the average home computer user.
No longer is this the case. Linux is now one of the most widely-used operating
systems in a number of important sectors; web servers, corporate servers and
high-end supercomputing clusters to name a few. There is also a small but
enthusiastic base of home desktop Linux users.
What is more, in recent years a number of the corporate IT giants, such as IBM
and Novell, have thrown their weight behind Linux, promoting its adoption in the
business world. The Open Source Development Lab (OSDL), founded in 2000, is
dedicated to accelerating the growth and adoption of Linux in the enterprise. Its
list of member organizations reads a bit like a who’s who of many of the major
global IT companies.
So Linux is no longer an irrelevant past time, but an operating system worthy of
serious consideration. But what are the reasons for and against taking up, or
switching to Linux, both for business and home use? Before considering this, it
is worth looking at what Linux is and what it provides.
2. What is Linux?
Linux is a Unix-like operating system (OS). However, unlike most other
common operating systems, Linux is ‘open source’. This means that the Linux
source code is freely available to everyone, and anyone is able to customize the
code for personal use (Linux is developed under the GNU general public
licence). While you can download Linux for free, some companies do charge for
providing easier-to-use installations of Linux and accompanying software; they
are allowed to as long as the source code is also made available. Usually
though, these Linux installations are made available at a low price (often enough
to only cover the media expense), and companies rely on making most of their
money via related areas, such as technical support and automated upgrades.
The open source model does not mean that there are a myriad of different
versions of Linux in existence. To have changes accepted into the official Linux
kernel (the core part of the operating system), they must be peer reviewed and
approved. This Linux standard serves to prevent the fragmentation of the OS that
was observed in Unix, while ensuring a level of quality and consistency in the
core source. Although many companies distribute different Linux packages, they
all have in essence the same Linux ‘core’; a strong advantage of Linux over the
multitude of Unix-based operating systems. Instead, the effect of having an open
source code is that a large number of programmers can simultaneously improve
the OS, and this results in rapid solutions to most problems that are
encountered with the system. It also gives it a very broad base of testers and
scrutinizers.
Unlike a number of Unix operating systems, Linux is well suited to running on
standard PCs, and as such has become a popular alternative to other
commercial operating systems, such as Microsoft’s Windows series. As will be
discussed later, Linux retains a lot of the advantages of the Unix OS whilst
having significant improvements in other areas. Oh, and it also has Tux - the
cutest logo of all operating systems.
3. A Brief History
Linux began life as a hobby of a young student named Linus Torvalds. Whilst
studying at the University of Helsinki he acquired a new Intel 386 PC and found
both the DOS and Unix operating systems too expensive. A free, reduced
version of Unix called Minix was available and often used in academic circles,
though Torvalds found this inadequate and decided to attempt to develop a
system to improve upon this. The public release of version 0.0.2 of Linux in 1991
was made in order to enlist help from other programmers with different areas of
expertise. In 1992 there were about one hundred users, by the next year, around
one thousand. The system has rapidly evolved, with new releases still occurring
at regular intervals. Tens of millions of users are now thought to use the OS
worldwide. Linux is especially popular in the academic world and in multi-user
environments.
To become widely used, Linux had to shed the Unix image of being a powerful,
yet complicated system to use. Associated with this came the need to provide a
wide range of software to run on the system. The major conversion of Linux from
a hobby of the open source community to a truly viable commercial OS has
gone hand in hand with the acceptance of some major hardware and software
companies to support the system. Along with this has come the development
and subsequent improvement of front end GUIs to allow point-and-click operation
instead of the more powerful, yet less intuitive, command line control.
4. Advantages and Features
So why has Linux become so popular? One of the most obvious advantages of
Linux is that it is free, or at least very cheap, thus running Linux instead of
another commercial OS has the potential to produce major savings. While it’s
true that switching to Linux is not always the cheapest option in the long run, for
some systems – particularly running multiple servers or a high-performance
computing cluster – the savings from Linux can be very significant indeed.
What other advantages does it have over other operating systems? Firstly Linux
can be run on a whole host of machines. It is happy running on lower spec,
older PCs, as well as the latest high-speed AMD or Intel processors. It is
supported on processors as varied as the Motorola 68k series (Amiga/Atari),
DEC Alpha, Sun Sparc or Motorola PowerPC. The modular nature of the
operating system means that slimmed down versions can be run on palmtops or
as dedicated mail servers, for example.
Linux has retained the Unix true multi-tasking, multi-user functionality. This
means that several users can simultaneously run programs on a single machine
without those programs interfering with each other. Linux has the concept of
unique users, with each user having their own workspace, which they can
control access to. This allows each user to protect sensitive information from
other users and is one of the reasons that Linux is often the OS of choice for
Internet service providers. The multi-tasking nature of Linux means that it can,
for example, run multiple PPP connections, a firewall and FTP servers, as well
as acting as a file, name and print server all at the same time.
Linux is a very reliable and stable operating system, able to run continuously for
months at a time without failure. The only time a reboot of the computer is likely
to be required would be during a hardware installation or kernel change. New
software, for instance, can be added without the need to shut down the
machine. This stability, along with Linux’s multi-tasking capabilities and a large
collection of software allowing it to communicate with other operating systems,
make it ideal as a network or web server. Software such as SAMBA, a Windows
file server for Linux, and VMware, which allows other operating system programs
to be run on Linux, add to the versatility of the OS.
Linux uses the X-Windows graphical interface, which is decoupled from the
underlying operating system. This allows a user on one machine to run a CPU-
intensive program on another, more powerful machine, and view the results on
their own. Linux now supports a number of excellent graphical desktops (e.g.
GNOME or KDE), which can be configured to match the style and functionality
of, for instance, Windows.
The amount of software available for Linux is rapidly growing. Much of this
software is free. Some of the packages available include Sun’s StarOffice or the
open source OpenOffice, which give most of the functionality of (and are
compatible with files produced by) Microsoft Office. The arts and graphics
package GIMP is one of the best available, while the myriad of other software
supported by companies such as Sun, IBM (DB2, Lotus Notes), Corel, HP,
WordPerfect, Oracle and Netscape and all the GNU-based software packages
mean that Linux can no longer be described as lacking in software. In general, a
free or low-cost application to perform most common tasks is likely to be
available for Linux, as well as many high-quality commercial products. In
addition, the availability of C/C++ and Java compilers (all free, and often
packaged with the installation), makes Linux an excellent platform for the
programmer. The availability of more specialized applications is, however, more
patchy – some vendors provide a Linux version, but others do not.
Another advantage Linux has over some of its rivals is excellent memory
management. Each process runs in its own private memory space, preventing it
from affecting others programs, or the kernel itself. Applications trying to access
memory they don’t own are halted, without affecting the rest of the system.
Security is an area of importance within the IT community, especially with
regard to hacking and viruses. Linux is not immune to either of these, however
there are a number of reasons why it is often safer than other commercial
operating systems. Firstly, it must be admitted that Linux is much less
frequently targeted by hackers when compared, for example, to Windows. When
Linux is targeted, however, the open source nature of the development can be of
benefit. This is seen both in posting kernel patches to security holes, normally
within hours of them being discovered, and providing extra scrutiny of the source
before it is released. The memory management system of Linux also helps to
provide added security, as it is not possible for a virus to affect another
application running in memory. Additionally, the file permission structure on
Linux limits the damage any virus can do.
5. Disadvantages and Drawbacks
Given the array of advantages listed above, why doesn’t everybody use Linux? In
part the answer is that it takes time for something ‘new’ to gain in popularity.
Commercial operating systems, such as Windows, Mac OS and other Unix
variants have a strong, established user-base on their respective hardware.
Existing users are not likely to all change to an alternative immediately when it
becomes available. But Linux has its drawbacks too.
While Linux is normally cheap or free to obtain, additional costs can slip in
afterwards. For both users and system administrators, a switch from another
OS to Linux can mean a change from something familiar to something new. It
takes time to become as productive as before and training is often required.
Technical support for Linux is also an issue. While Linux comes with plenty of
documentation, either with a distribution or on the web, it is not always the most
user-friendly. Technical support is available from some Linux distributors or other
consultants, but has to be paid for.
These factors are most significant for the average desktop PC user. For
corporate servers, run by system administrators, the time required for training
and familiarization should to be set against reduced license costs and the ability
Linux often provides to use cheaper, more generic hardware. Also, when moving
from other Unix systems to Linux, the learning curve is much lower. This all
helps to explain the greater uptake of Linux for servers compared to desktop
PCs, and the larger percentage of systems that have moved from commercial
Unix operating systems in favour of Linux.
Installing Linux can require a certain amount of expertise. Most Linux
distributions come pre-packaged with software designed for quick installation,
but these can be more difficult to configure than Microsoft Windows, for
example. While this is continually being worked on and improved in the open
source community, Linux is still less beginner-friendly than some other
platforms. Then, as security patches and upgrades are developed, a Linux
administrator will need to spend time tracking and installing the updates from
the internet. Alternatively they can pay someone else to do most of this for
them.
A final problem is that not all hardware is supported for Linux. While this is less
of an issue than it was, say, 5 years ago, it’s still worth checking that the
hardware you have will all run under Linux. While many hardware vendors
provide Linux drivers, others do not, and they do not always release the
communication and configuration protocols to allow the open source community
to develop their own. If your existing hardware is not supported, then it may not
be financially worth the switch over.
6. Switching to Linux
If you want to switch to Linux, you should first consider the hardware that is to
be used. A minimalist command-line only version of Linux will run on as low a
specification as a 386/486 with 4 MB of RAM and 10 MB of hard disk capacity.
Installing a standard Linux distribution, with a graphical desktop and common
applications will require much more in terms of processor, memory and disk
space.
Many different organizations and companies provide or sell a range of
‘distributions’ of Linux. These all provide a version of the core Linux operating
system, along with different applications and libraries, installation packages and
documentation. Distributions can usually be downloaded from the internet, or
bought on CD (often for merely the cost of media and postage). Some vendors
sell pre-packaged distributions including printed manuals and some level of
support. Each distribution provides different options in terms of the applications
provided, ease of installation, and quality of documentation. Which is ‘best’
depends on the intended end use, and is often a matter of personal preference.
Popular suppliers include RedHat, Debian, Mandriva, Slackware and SuSE/
Novell.
If you wish to use Linux in addition to another OS, then a dual-boot solution can
be used, installing Linux alongside the other OS with options to boot to both.
Alternatively you can buy a distribution like Knoppix, which can boot and run
purely from CD.
7. Linux – the Future
So where is Linux heading and how popular will it become? Linux seems set to
grow in use for corporate and web servers, and remain the OS of choice for large
computational clusters. It is also growing in popularity in developing countries,
where licence costs are generally harder to afford.
Whether it can obtain a greater uptake in the desktop PC market is another
question. To do so it may need to become more user-friendly and easier to
administrate. A more widespread support for hardware, and further software
applications won’t harm its cause either.
Linux has already made quite an impact and everything suggests that it will
continue to do so. But only the years to come will reveal just how great that
influence is to be.

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Linux-Based Education

Posted by putragaluh in Articles

FOSS stands for Free (Freedom) / Open Source Software, meaning that software or computer programs are available free or free to be used and duplicated. FOSS can also be learned and developed because the available source code (opened source) and distributed for anything. Examples of FOSS are the Linux, the computer operating system which has various programs to meet almost all needs of computer users, including for education starting from kindergarten, primary school / MI, SMP / MTs, SMA / MA / SMK, the courses, to university. Examples of Linux-made children of the nation: BlankOn and IGOS Nusantara.

Advantages of Using the Linux / FOSS
1.Meningkatkan local capabilities (peingkatan quality of human resources in the field of ICT).
2.Menghemat expenses for licenses (save foreign exchange.)
3.Meningkatkan national security and user organizations (education, government, business and personal), because the available source code to learn.
4.Mengurangi IPR violations in the field of software copyright.
5.Memudahkan localization (localization), such as language, programs, and display.
HR 6.Meningkatkan ability to compete globally.
7.Mengurangi total program cost of ownership (TCO: Total Cost of Ownership).
8.Mengurangi dependence on vendors or foreign countries in the field of ICT.
9.Meningkatkan access to information (FOSS very influential on the internet, etc..).

National Education Curriculum
Ministry of National Education Republic of Indonesia in 2006 threw out an Education Level Curriculum Unit (SBC) as enhancements to Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), which was issued in 2004. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is one of the new subjects in the early 2000s. Competency standards referred to in the curriculum that strongly supports the inclusion of computer science materials based on Linux and other Open Source programs.
ICT Curriculum 2006, to no longer mention the name of software products, such as in computer education curriculum in Indonesia a few years earlier. For example, the lesson did not mention the word processor Microsoft Word, so that the organizers of the school can use OpenOffice Writer, AbiWord, KWord, and others.
Even more interesting, in one of the subject matter of ICT learning materials for schools that have ethics in using information technology and copyright law. It would be very embarrassing, if at the time of the study of ethics and copyrights are the students using pirated software. On the other hand, would be very hard for schools and parents, if you have to pay the licensing of all software used in schools.
In accordance with the guidance of competency standards Curriculum 2004 (CBC) and 2006 (SBC), the eye palajaran ICT is one of the facility to produce students who are competent. That is, students are not only able to respond to the demands of the development of science, technology, art, decentralization, and human rights, but also able to explore, select, process and inform the study materials that have been obtained even after completing their education. Thus, students would get the form of the potential for lifelong learning and able to solve his problems. And for it all, the software based on Linux / FOSS is exactly used as teaching materials.

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Windows Movie Maker by Cary Barnes

in Computers (submitted 2010-03-04)

Many people, when they buy their first camcorder have visions dancing in their head of turning into the next YouTube sensation. They become frustrated after one or two days when they check their stats and see that they have received a total of something similar to 5 hits. Back goes the mpeg recorder in the box, as well as their dreams of online celebrity.

Come visit us right here for more info on Free Video Converter. http://free-video-editing-software.org/

One of the issues is video revising software. They see videos online with cool computer effects and they figure that they can't make the same quality of video because they can not afford the'good' software.

The point of this article is to bare the types and makes of free video software out there.


The 1st and most blatant video revising software to use is one that is potentially one that is already on your Windows PC. Most PC's already have it installed but if not it can be downloaded at the Microsoft internet site. This is probably the best route to go and it is extremely simple to use.
Tb

Tb can be downloaded at zs4.net and instructions can be discovered really easily on its website by checking the forums its users congregate.

Free Demos

You may get free demos of Vegas Video revising software for 30 days by heading off to the Sony site. This gives you time to fool around with the software and decide if you would like to purchase.
.

Come visit us right here for more info on Free Video Editing Software Download. We are the greatest source of info on Free Video Editing Software.
http://free-video-editing-software.org/

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How to speed up my computer for free by Andy Speed

How to speed up my computer for free by Andy Speed
in Computers (submitted 2010-03-04)

I have just upgraded my P.C a few months ago. My RAM is big, my graphics card monstrous, and my processor is the very best in the market. Now why is my PC running very slow? Do I really need to upgrade my hardware twice a year? And in order for me to have a really fast computer, do I actually need to spend tons of money? The answer is NO. Doing that will cost tons of money and junk pc parts that you are going to auction off at eBay. The next time you ask the query'how to hurry up my computer?' just follow the discussion below.
there are several steps to hurry up a P. without assistance from a tech bloke who will devour your wallet. If you like to have those awesome wallpapers set up on your desktop background, think again. These humongous files eat a lot of RAM when setup as wallpaper. Choose one that is straightforward. Next thing you ought to do is test your drivers, especially your directX. Always check if there are new updates that are downloadable on the internet and make it a routine to update your drivers.

And the very last thing that you need to do, and often this is the most efficient, is to reduce your startup programs. If there are pointless programs during startup, uninstall or disable them.

as far as my system goes, I don't do a large amount of shopping to hurry up my computer. I am doing a lot of troubleshooting instead.
There are plenty of different ways in speeding up your personal computer. And having a slow one does not mean you want to call a tech or go to the nearest pc store to buy new hardware. All that it takes is to learn your specs and read articles like these.
Then you will be ready and next time you will ask -'how to speed up my computer?' - you may already be writing a blog about it.
Want to find an honest review all about how to make your computer run faster, Well I have just finished a great ebook and learned some great stuff liek; learn how to speed up my computer for free then visit http://speedcomputerup.com

Use full Links:
DIY tech steps for a computer running extremely slow
4 Brilliant & Effective Tips To Speed computer Up and Make It Run Smoothly
how to outsource minisite graphics
The Easy Way to Learn Spanish - Know the Language by Heart

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slow computer by firefly

in Computers (submitted 2010-03-04)

The bases is that your OS is Windows.
What to do if your computer is slower than it used to be?

There are several things that you can do. In this article I'll try to present the most common problems, and the solutions for it.

* For a fresh copy of Window you should follow the next guideline:

Install Window on a clean formatted partition.

Do not repair the old installation (unless you can not recover precious data...) because there would be tons of garbage left over. Instead, delete the old system by formatting its partition. By formatting the partition any bad sector would be discovered and mark as appropriate. This means that data would not be written in the bad sector, and so it would not be lost.
On a clean formatted partition the files would not be fragmented, and would be placed in the right order.
If you install windows XP, immediately after the installation, install the latest service pack.
When everything is ready first thing when connecting to the internet try to download a good anti-virus, and if you do not trust windows firewall download a basic firewall.
Do not use the computer without anti-virus and firewall online for more than 3 to 5 minutes because it can be infected very quickly.

Install only free/open source software, or licensed software. Do not install cracked software because in 95% of the cases it is infected with some kind of malware. And install only the programs that you need, no tons of them...

Keep it clean, and it will run like new for a long time.
* If your PC run Windows for some time, and its performace drops you can try the followinds:

Uninstall all unused software (try to use a dedicate program for uninstalling. Personally I use Revo Uninstaller). Delete all unwanted, and garbage data. Write all important media (like pictures, video-clips, documents) that you do not use frequently.
Did you know that if on the main partition (aka Windows partition) the space is low, the performance is definitely affected? I do not have time to explain here why, but you should trust me ;).

Use a free software to fix and defrag the Winndows registry. If Windows registry data base is huge, and has lots of unused entries it would has a great impact on your computer speed. Every time the system is turned on, the registry data base is loaded, and every file extension is searched for in it. Almost any action has something to do with registry database.

After you cleaned your system you should try a defragmentation program. Windows has utility that do that, but also there are plenty of free software online.
Personally I bookmarked some links to free software that I use at: http://www.102links.com/en/folderThumb-links_of_firefly.html&folder=speed-me-up&curentCategOut=1673
Defragmentation could speed up considerably your system, especially if you used allot and for a long time the system.

So, if you browse this steps and your computer is still slower than it used to be maybe that is time to reinstall a fresh new copy of the system.

malware

This article do not treat the malware problem, but if all the above steps fail, than it's very probable that you PC to be infected with some kind if malware.
If you scan your system for viruses with several anti-virus software, and find nothing, the it's time to consider a radical change (format and reinstall). From time to time this is inevitable if you want your PC to run smooth.

Well, good luck. :)

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PC Optimization by Dennett Woodland

in Computers (submitted 2010-03-04)

I'm sure, because you're reading this article, at one point your computer was brand new and running smoothly and fast. You would go to the internet, open a site and boom there it was or you called up that special document spelling out your future business plans and again right off the bat the document was ready for editing. Today it's different . You click on the Internet Explorer icon to go to the web and... nothing, well not nothing but just a taste of what's to come while the application takes 5 minutes to open.
What you're experiencing is what happens when certain elements of your computer are neglected. Below is a simple list of the elements that need a bit of care and attention from time to time:
1. The Registry. The registry contains extended information, settings, and various other values for the operating system. Be it Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7 the registry is at the heart and controls every task the your computer initiates.
2. Internet Security. Internet security can come in 2 forms or combined. Anti Virus catches nasty internet borne bugs that unscrupulous people let loose to wreak havoc with computers around the globe. Internet Security guards against unwanted access to your computer. Theft of personal banking information ranks at the top of unwanted computer access.
3. Drivers. Drivers, well, drive certain hardware and software associated with your computer. Your printer is controlled by a driver and so are various media players such as windows media player or real player.
Thankfully there are many online solutions that can help restore your computer to its original glory. All of them can be purchased, downloaded and controlled by you, there is no need to hire a computer specialist to do the work for you. He or she will be using the same software solutions to reach the same goals and charge you for it.
Here is a short list of solutions that can help you turn that clunker into Ferrarri:
1. ParetoLogic's Driver Cure. As with all ParetoLogic products, DriverCure is very user-friendly. The installation is fast and easy.
2. ParetoLogic's AntiVirus Plus. This software goes many steps beyond the norm to keep you protected. When you are using the Internet, it will block malware-related sites and warn you of their attempts to invade your PC.
3. PC Speed Maximizer. This product scans the registry and corrects registry problems which can slow down your PC and causes crashes.
For more helpful tools to help keep your computer clean and fast visit: http://pcoptimization.genesiswerx.com for company descriptions, product research and user comments.
A clean computer means a happy computer user. Written by Dennett Woodland

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