February 20, 2008
Hey Guys! Don’t raise your eyebrows or fear by hearing the word Linux. It is as user friendly as windows. Just take a look at the articles below and all myths about Linux in your mind will disappear.
Introduction to Linux:
It’s a free operating system available to download but you have to pay a tiny bit to mail order it or buy it from a company. Linux came into being about 11 years ago- it was developed by Linux Tornados of Finland along with a group of programmers from the open source software movement.
Linux is growing steadily year after year. With a passionate community backing it, with big companies Like IBM and HP pledging their support for it, it’s no wonder Linux- the wonder operating system for servers of the past, has also made it to the desktops of today.
Linux is based on the commercial OS, UNIX. All the operating systems try to pack in command line management of systems. System administrators of companies use command lines all the times as their lifeline, but it’s not really meant for regulars users.
Tips for Home Users:
- If you want to get comfortable with Linux, you don’t have to let go of windows. Get Linux installed on a separate partition and you can switch between Windows and Linux. For new users who don’t have any computer background learning windows or Linux both takes same time and sitting.
- It is suggested that new PC buyers should get both operating systems installed and should use them equally. If you’re getting Linux for more than 2-3 PCs, you can also get training and support at a small free, if you choose to have it. Else it’s the Linux community on the Net to your rescue.
- You don’t have to be a great computer user to work with Linux. There are Desktop environments that let you work in Linux as you work in Windows. As you work with windows, same is the case with Linux.
Linux hands in decreasing PC prices.
PC prices are already on their way down. And you get more choice with operating systems and applications. From being an OS only computer professionals had heard about, Linux, in a short time, has made a transition into the lucrative and high profile home PC segment.
The PCs bundle the operating system. Linux being a free open source operating system means that the code that runs is open for everyone to see, work with, modify and develop their own innovative applications for it. But this is nothing compared to the money people spend on Operating Systems like windows. And a company bundles Linux and applications based on it with a computer, quite a bit of the PC cost comes down. Presently some branded PC’s coming with Linux are available for Rs: 25000/- onwards.
Linux is better than other OS
Linux users won’t even bat an eyelid before they say an emphasis comes from a deep dislike of Microsoft’s practice of changing the earth for software. But a lot of it comes from the fact they are ready to swear upon-that Linux is more stable. According to a latest survey Web Hosts are using Linux Based Servers for hosting purposes.
One note here though: the free in Linux stands for freedom of choice, to redistribute, to install a feature, freedom to modify the source code. That’s the spirit of Linux being free.
Security:
Linux has a better security support for multi-users, lets you set up a stable server, internet gateways etc, and still lets it-self to be used as a desktop workstation. There are no blue screens and no viruses to speak of. It is rarely attacked by any viruses and there are very less number of viruses written for Linux. It can be given 10+ points on a 10 point scale for security.
Myths about Linux
Installation:
Linux is hard to install, isn’t it? Not really. Most people haven’t ever installed Windows on their computers either-since it comes preloaded. Linux is as easy-some say easier-to install compared to Windows. You can install it through a graphical user interface like Windows. These days Linux Versions are easier to install than Windows. But what really stumps most people in installing Linux on a second partition on their hard disk, when they want to be able to use both operating systems.
A partition is a way of organizing space on your hard disk by creating virtual sections that are separate from each other. Most computers that are running Windows or MS DOS have one large chunk of space holding the OS. This space is the C drive. If you have a large hard disk, it’s likely that it has been divided up into smaller bits called partitions to help you organize your data better. These partitions are usually called D:, E: etc. you could have Linux on any of these.
Windows 98 creates a file system called FAT32 on the entire hard disk, DOS and Win95 use FAT16. Linux has many file systems-on the most popular is ext3. But you could have Linux installed on Fat32 partitions also.
Linux is very difficult and based on text command
Linux has come a long way from being the system of brilliant computer users. It has extremely advanced X Windows systems that have a complete graphical user interface-you know, like Windows. It also has a large number of window manager that let you work with different levels of customization of your desktop.
Linux has a robust character-cell interface where commands need to be typed in. x Windows is a free program that runs with Linux to provide a GUI where the mouse and keyboard can be used extensively. But the X system itself is quite primitive and needs a window manager, or a desktop environment- like GNOME or KDE- to be really usable. Window managers are programs that let you interact with the underlying X system and Linux OS by relaying commands. The popular window managers are Sawfish, Enlightenment, Black box, after step and Window maker.
As for desktop managers, they have their own window manager and other tools that make you feel that you are working in Window! GNOME and KDE are the most popular of these. GNOME stands for GNU Network Model Environment and KDE for K desktop Environment. They have tools that allow drag and drop, have panels and taskbar- almost like clones of windows.
Hardware compatibility problem and few applications that run on Linux
Well, most new distributions will detect and configure your hardware in a jiffy, unless you have some really old or exotic piece of hardware. All hardware are properly detected and their drivers installed. Only Win modems (internal modems driven by Window drivers) face problems.
As for software, there’s plenty. And most of it comes free-free for you to use, modify and configure according to your needs. Almost all excellent software for Linux is free and you don’t lose anything by giving it a try. You get free support on the Net quickly on any query you may have. And you don’t even have to wipe out your Windows. Just get Linux on a different hard disk partition and free to switch between them as you please.
Other packages are commercial and you have to buy the software-but this is mostly for the software and training you need, and not for the software itself. Sometimes, if you have the Windows version (as a doom) you can download a small program that will allow you to play the game in Linux. The games in Linux are of very high quality and features. You’ll enjoy them. Here what’s available?
Office suites: Star Office, Open Office, Applixware, Corel WordPerfect
Graphics: GIMP, Corel Photo paint
Music: XMMS, Free amp, Real Player
Video: MTV, Xine
Games: FreeCiv, Tux racer, Doom, Quake, Heretic, Unreal And the list is growing.
Linux varieties for Home Users:
If there are so many people working on it. There’s likely to be many Linux versions too. Many companies working on Linux have come up with what are called Linux distributions. There are Linux versions that are compiled and packaged and released with additional software.
RedHat: Probably the most popular and in many ways the leading version. It’s currently in version 9. The installation and configuration is easy. A blue curve file manager and the default GNOME desktop make it look simply stunning. It comes with a host of tools that allow usage as a server and as a workstation. The Red Hat Package Manger(RPM) format developed by Red Hat has almost become the defector for software distribution in Linux world. Installing new software is a breeze. It also has an advanced and easy font management system that makes fonts in X Windows look cool.
Mandrake: Mandrake Linux is now in its 10 version. It can be installed on a native Windows Partition using the Lin4Win tool, but this may slow the machine down. It also lets you do a traditional Linux install into its own dedicated partition. Mandrake’s configuration and software installation is painless. It follows a slightly modified RPM architecture called mdk.rpm but most Red Hat software can also be used for Mandrake. The outstanding feature in this version is the collection of window managers-eye-candy freaks will have a great time.
SUSE: From Germany comes the Chameleon, SUSE. Now in its 8.x avatar, it has one of the most extensive software packages compiled, and getting them installed is easy with yast (Yet another Software Tool) which gives a centralized interface from where you can pick and choose the software to be installed. Among other things, SUSE comes with some stunning 3D games that showcase Linux gamming prowess
Corel/Xandross: Corel entered the Linux market with Corel Linux a few years ago. Now it has merged into Xandross OS, which is based on Corel Linux. This is a Debian-type version, and can be installed without much fuss after resizing the Windows partition. Xandross contains Crossover office, which is a refined retail version of WINE that lets you install and run many Microsoft apps.
Windows applications in Linux
Some applications have been ported over to Linux, other run with a program called WINE (Wine is Not an Emulator). Crossover, commercially available software also lets you use your Windows programs on Linux. VMWare is another program that lets you run Windows under Linux. Now many software companies have started developing high end software for Linux.
Bottom Line:
The cool thing about Linux is that most software is free, and you can legitimately use them without worrying about piracy. If you’re worried that Linux won’t look as pretty as windows can, all you have to do is check out some of the cool Linux interfaces and Window managers. But you don’t find a lot of multimedia titles for Linux. And if you’re into a lot of these, Windows is in the way to go. So if you have a PC that runs both, you can easily switch between the two, and get the best of both worlds.
About The Author
Presently working in the capacity of the Technical Director of Birbals, an e-consulting firm based in India dedicated in providing innovative and effective web, Hospitality and consultancy services to public, private and non-profit organizations. Successfully founded Birbals and other IT companies like Ebirbals and SeoBirbals. Responsible for strategy, positioning and branding, designing, planning, organizing and executing various business plans. Have set up various systems and procedures for the smooth functioning of Birbals. pawan@ebirbals.com
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It is natural to despise small beginnings. It is hard to see how a few cents here and a few dollars there could ever amount to a million dollars. In a microwave generation, we want it, and we want it now. When you are in a hurry, it is hard to see how small beginnings on the road to financial freedom can ever take you to El Dorado.
You have a big dream. If you are in the high-income bracket, it is very tempting to attempt to start big. A lot of folks are caught in this trap. They want to start their journey to financial freedom, they want to start a business, but they are frozen at ground zero. You ask them why they have not started, the answer; they need capital to start. You ask why they haven’t hit the road with what they have. It is not enough. That is a very soothing excuse to hide under.
You can raise the cash you need to start, if you are willing to stoop low to conquer, and start small. It might be painfully slow at the start, far away from your grandiose dreams. You have to remember that a journey of a thousand miles starts with a step, consistent steps: one step at a time, one day at a time. In the accounting and banking world, compound interest is regarded as one of the wonders of the modern world. It is mind blowing what a few dollars saved each day and invested will amount to in a couple of decades. We are talking millions here. Doing the same thing over and over, consistently.
In starting a business, you gather momentum and speed as you go along the way. Your rise to the top is faster. You need to start small.
There are many advantages of starting small. By starting small, the start up cost is much reduced, and it is easier to raise the money yourself through your savings, or liquidating some of your investments. You get to learn gradually without making very expensive mistakes, which may be harder to recover from. Since your operation is small, you get to learn the different aspects of the business, from administration, personnel and operations etc which puts you in a good position to have a proper overview of you whole business when you start taking on employees to man the different facets of the business.
When you are venturing into a terrain you have never been before, it is best to proceed slow and steady. Most companies do not move their employees around. You get to specialize or become knowledgeable about a few aspects of the business. An admin person is virtually clueless as to what goes on in operations or production. He can only function in admin. An accountant may not have any idea how the human resources department is run. Everyone holds on dearly unto his turf, knowing so much about so little. At the end of the day, if they venture out into starting a business, they lack the basic skills in so many areas. In this scenario, starting big is a disaster waiting to happen, unless you team up with people with strengths in your areas of weakness. A good entrepreneur needs to know a bit about everything.
It’s sad to see a lot of folks starting a business upon retirement, with their gratuity. They have no experience in the business terrain, and with their reward for many years of hard labor, they venture into a business they are ill prepared for. Sad stories abound. Some never recover.
If you ever have plans of starting a business, waiting until retirement is a bit too late. Everybody cannot be Colonel Sanders who made it at 66. It is easier to absorb shocks when you are younger. It is much better to start small, and when the golden handshake from your employer comes, having learned the turf, and graduated from the school of hard knocks, you know where and how and when to apply your funds.
Quit procrastinating. If you plan to start a business sometime, it might be a good idea to scale down your plans, and start now. Most of today’s success stories started small, right where you are now. You have no excuse for further delay. Your ego may take some bashing for stooping so low. If you are ready to pay the price, you may have to step out of your comfort zone. Few will remember how you started, after you have made it. Despise not the days of small beginnings.
Usiere Uko is the webmaster of the Financial Freedom Inspiration website and editor of the monthly Financial Freedom Inspiration Newsletter, a free ezine to inspire you to exit the rat race and fulfill your God given dreams. To subscribe or visit the site, please click on the URL below. http://www.financial-freedom-inspiration.com. He is also webmaster of http://www.newdawninspiration.com
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Impact printers, as the very name implies means that the printing mechanism touches the paper for creating an image. Impact printers were used in early 70s and 80s. In Dot Matrix printers a series of small pins is used to strike on a ribbon coated with ink to transfer the image on the paper.
Other Impact Printers like Character printers are basically computerized typewriters. They have a series of bars or a ball with actual characters on them, which strike on the ink ribbon to transfer the characters on the paper. At a time only one character can be printed. Daisy Wheel printers use a plastic or metal wheel. These types of printers have limited usage though because they are limited to printing only characters or one type of font and not the graphics.
There are Line printers where a chain of characters or pins, print an entire line, which makes them pretty fast, but the print quality is not so good. Thermal printers are nothing but printers used in calculators and fax machines. They are inexpensive to use. Thermal printers work by pushing heated pins against special heat sensitive paper.
More efficient and advanced printers have come out now which use new Non-impact Technology.
Non-impact printers are those where the printing mechanism does not come into the contact of paper at all. This makes them quieter in operation in comparison to the impact printers.
In mid 1980s Inkjet printers were introduced. These have been the most widely used and popular printers so far. Colour printing got revolutionized after inkjet printers were invented. An Inkjet printer’s head has tiny nozzles, which place extremely tiny droplets of ink on the paper to create an image. These dots are so small that even the diameter of human hair is bigger. These dots are placed precisely and can be up to the resolution of 1440 x 720 per inch. Different combinations of ink cartridges can be used for these printers.
How an Inkjet printer works
The print head in this printer scans the page horizontally back and forth and another motor assembly rolls the paper vertically in strips and thus a strip is printed at a time. Only half a second is taken to print a strip. Inkjet printers were very popular because of their ability to colour print. Most inkjets use Thermal Technology. Plain copier paper can be used in these printers unlike thermal paper used for fax machines. Heat is used to fire ink onto the paper through the print head. Some print heads can have up to 300 nozzles. Heat resistant and water based ink is used for these printers.
The latest and fastest printers are Laser Printers. They use the principal of static electricity for printing it as in photocopiers. The principle of static electricity is that it can be built on an insulated object. Oppositely charged atoms of objects (positive and negative) are attracted to each other and cling together. For example, pieces of nylon material clinging to your body, or the static you get after brushing hair. A laser printer uses this same principle to glue ink on the paper.
How Laser Printer works:
Unlike the printers before, Laser printers use toner, static electricity and heat to create an image on the paper. Toner is dry ink. It contains colour and plastic particles. The toner passes through the fuser in the computer and the resulting heat binds it to any type of paper. Printing with laser printers is fast and non-smudge and the quality is excellent because of the high resolution that it can achieve with 300 dots per inch to almost 1200 dpi at the higher end.
Basic components of a laser printer are fuser, photoreceptor drum assembly, developer roller, laser scanning unit, toner hopper, corona wire and a discharge lamp. The laser beam creates an image on the drum and wherever it hits, it changes the electrical charge like positive or negative. The drum then is rolled on the toner. Toner is picked up by charged portion of the drum and gets transferred to the paper after passing through the fuser. Fuser heats up the paper to amalgamate ink and plastic in toner to create an image. Laser printers are called “page printers” because entire page is transferred to the drum before printing. Any type of paper can be used in these printers. Laser printers popularized DTP or Desk Top Publishing for it can print any number of fonts and any graphics..
This is how the computer and printer operate to print
When we want to print something we simply press the command “Print”. This information is sent to either RAM of the printer or the RAM of the computer depending upon the type of printer we have. The process of printing then starts. While the printing is going on, our computer can still perform a variety of operations. Jobs are put in a buffer or a special area in RAM or Random Access Memory and the printer pulls them off at its own pace. We can also line up our printing jobs this way. This way of simultaneously performing functions is called spooling. Our computer and the printer are thus in constant communication.
John Sollars is the managing director of Solar Electronics, which are both ink and pc peripheral suppliers based in Shropshire, UK. To access a comprehensive online shop of original and re-manufactured printer ink cartridges please visit http://www.stinkyinkshop.co.uk
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Drug Rehab - 12 Steps or Less?
The 12 step rehab program is infamous. It was originally formed
by Alcoholics Anonymous, but has since been successfully adapted
and applied to many drug rehab programs. Narcotics Anonymous was
the first drug ’support group’ to adopt the 12 step program.
Essential to the 12 step programs, both Alcoholic’s Anonymous
and Narcotic’s Anonymous is spirituality. This doesn’t mean one
is required to believe in Allah, Jesus or be of any pre-existing
faith. Instead, each member is encouraged to simply put their
faith in a ‘higher power’, and this can be of any design they
choose.
Both the AA and NA consist entirely of addicts and ex-addicts,
or recovering addicts, as they refer to themselves. They are a
self-sustaining group. They are both non-profit organisations
and don’t employ professional therapists or counsellors. Nor do
they operate any residential alcohol or drug rehab centers.
Although both the AA and NA have operated successfully for many,
many years, they nevertheless have their critics. Many of who
argue the 12 step system is outdated, and question its
effectiveness in modern times. Also by encouraging people to put
their faith in a ‘higher power’ which is the core train of
thought for the 12 step program followers, many critics feel
this takes away from the individuals own achievements and
efforts and hands their process-of-recovery into the hands of an
outward-power. Many believe the key to cracking addiction lies
in believing more in ones self than in a higher power.
The question is which is more effective? Encouraging the
individual to empower themselves and believe in themselves, or
encouraging them to believe in a higher power and put all
failure and achievement in that?
The answer is, perhaps, whoever you believe in most, a higher
power or yourself.
Visit our website for more information relating to Drug Rehab
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Hip hop clothes have become more and more popular, representing a fashion which is making a statement. As any other fashion trend, hip hop clothes have changed over the years and they have been adopted all over the world.
Hip hop clothes have been firstly worn by big hip hop stars like Run-DMC and LL Cool J in the 1980s. They were wearing big glasses, many rings, sneakers with ‘phat’ shoelaces. Big, gold necklaces and jewellery were also worn by other hip hop stars like Big Daddy Kane or Kurtis Blow. The haircut was another symbol of the hip hop trend: some singers were having Jheri curls; others had hi-top fade. But the Black Pride movement was the most powerful trend of the hip hop culture in the ’80s. It was symbolized by dreadlocks, Africa chains and black-green-and-red hip hop clothes.
In the 1990s the hip hop music changed, therefore the hip hop clothes suffered some changes too. Some singers (The Fresh Prince or Left Eye of TLC) were wearing bright coloured clothes and baseball caps. Other hip hop clothes were inspired from the dress code of street gangs and even prison uniforms. The prison inmates’ ‘fashion’ of not using a belt (the belt always being confiscated by the wardens whenever a new prisoner was brought in) has inspired the wearing of baggy pants with no belt. Some regions of the USA have contributed with some special symbols to the hip hop fashion. New York preferred hooded clothes and Timberland boots while the West Coast liked big flannel shirts and Converse sneakers. The South brought in gold teeth fashion.
The mid-90s brought in another trend, the mafioso fashion, represented by hats and alligator skin shoes worn mostly by hip hop stars like Jay-Z or the Notorious B.I.G.
The new rising stars at the end of the 1990s - Sean ‘Puffy’ Combs came with new symbols as shiny, flashy suits and platinum jewellery to replace the gold one. Combs saw the business opportunity of selling hip hop clothes; therefore he started his own clothing line. Other clothing companies as FUBU or Karl Kani earned millions of dollars from selling hip hop clothes.
But the hip hop fashion started to become distinctive for female singers. Lil Kim and Foxy Brown were famous for their shiny, couture appearances while other singers like Lauryn Hill or Eve were known for a more low-profile clothing style.
But jewellery remained the most distinctive symbol of the hip hop fashion. Hip hop singers wore platinum necklaces or rings with big embedded diamonds. Some of them even had platinum teeth.
Nowadays, hip hop clothes have turned into extremely famous clothing labels. Many hip hop singers have their own clothing lines like Jay-Z’s Roc-a-wear or Russell Simmons’ Phat Farm.
The hip hop clothes have changed from the street style to the more glamorous style of the stars.
Visit our hip hop clothes site for best hip hop clothes and hip hop resources.
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I have nothing. No dream chteaux with Ferraris parked in front.
No chauffeur driven May Bach, an office on wheels with a bar.
Neither do I dress to work in a ten thousand dollar Armani suit,
though I wish I could, looking like the men who model them in
fashion magazines, clean shaven, their features square.
All I have is a shirt.
I am not the owner of a fat Swiss bank account from which to buy
you as a treat a diamond studded brooch. Neither am I the lucky
winner of a lottery, with women that I am yet to meet writing me
for marriage. I am just me with nothing to purchase your
attention but an open hand.
All I have is a shirt.
(Excerpted from “Without a Name” a collection of poems by Val
.K., coming soon.)
Val .K. is a poet, and a nature lover. A collection of his poems
“Without a Name” will soon be published by AuthorHouse, U.S.A.
For personal contact, send mails to:
leviathandepthsreturns@yahoo.com
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