The Linux Convenience: Safety

May 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Tux, the Linux penguin 

Image via Wikipedia

The online world is plagued by viruses — they come sweeping through systems, attaching themselves to codes and applications. They burrow deep within hard-drives, nesting within the wires until it’s time to suddenly pounce. And their aftermaths are shaped to complete destruction: with computers stripped of their software and programs unable to perform. This is the worry that follows all users… except for those who prefer Linux.

There is — it must be explained — no guarantees within the Internet. Malware, Trojan codes and more can appear on any system. There are no certainties of safety. There are, however, ways to drastically reduce the chances of an attack: and having a Linux system is the easiest of these.

The reason is simple: hackers favor the most popular platforms. Their desire is to cripple as many users as possible — and statistics show that Windows (despite its many faults) has remained the most sought after system of the decade. This leaves other operations, like Linux, free from the typical threats. They are rarely targeted by viruses due to their small numbers… as well as the connections formed between users.

Those who prefer Linux are often more accomplished with computers (this is because the system requires a deeper understanding of software and its potential). They can detect the arrival of spyware and its kin, quickly spreading the word to forums and social networks. The intimacy found within this platform is not shared by its competitors, and this makes it unappealing to hackers.

There is no such thing as an impenetrable computer. There is, however, such a thing as security and Linux provides it.

 

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A Look at the Linux Based Operating System Debian

March 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

One of the reasons some computer users have not made the switch to open source software is because of the fear or not being about to know exactly which program or software to download to get what they want. Many open source operating systems come as a blank slate and users have to pick and choose what applications they use and that can be scary to some people. Luckily, through the use of an open source operating system known as Debian computer uses can switch to Linux operating systems without the fear of not being able to download the right type of programs and applications.

The Debian operating system is an operating system that uses the GNU/Linux based distribution protocols. Across the technology world Debian has been praised for being one of the only open source software programs that stick strictly to the Linux philosophies. The main goal of the Debian operating system is to create an operating system that focuses on stability and security for computer usage.

The Debian operating system comes with thousands of pre-made software packages that allow computer users to choose which one will best help their computer needs. All that is required is a simple download and there are tons of open source software programs downloaded directly onto your computer.

Another great benefit of the Debian operating system is that it is available for both server use and personal computer use. This means that governments and institutions can use this type of operating system as well as the personal computer user.

Debian has regular updates and releases available throughout the year. The most recent update to the Debian operating system was done on February 2011. All updates fixed stability issues and security issues that were present in the previous versions.

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Features of the Red Hat Enterprise Linux Program

January 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The Red Hat Enterprise Linux program is an operating system that allows open source computing. Unlike the Ubunta Linux-based operating system, this system does require an annual subscription. However, this program offers several excellent benefits for the cost of the subscription. Users are able to obtain support for new and current applications as well as middleware products. The prices range from $179.00 to $2,499.00 per year based on the type of Red Hat Enterprise Linux system purchased.

The Red Hat Enterprise Linux for servers allows a large amount of data to be processed. The system comes with updates for seven years and an additional three years can be added as an option. It works very well with most virtualization platforms and can improve performance for most systems. Businesses using the Red Hot Enterprise Linux system are able to use all of the features of the product to make it work better for them.

The Red Hot Enterpirse Linux for desktop and laptop computers was designed for the computer administrator and the user of the computer. One of the most important features is its security. The security of this program provides full protection against hackers and viruses. In additional to security, the desktop edition also provides programs such as Open Office, Network Manager,  Thunderbird, and other popular programs. The program has been enhanced to reduce rebooting time and updating.

There are several enhancements that can added to the Red Hat Enterprise Linux program as add-ons. Some of those add-ons are  the High Availability Add-On, the Load Balancer Add-On, and the High Performance Network Add-on. The High Availability Add-On makes applications and programs able to switch over automatically. The Load Balancer Add-On allows users to add or remove servers very quickly using a virtual address. The High Performance Network Add-on allows users to access high speed data applications using less CPU usage.

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The History of Linux

January 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The history of Linux actually begins in 1969 with the conception and implementation of the Unix operating system. Unix was actually released in 1971 and was written in assembly language. Assembly language is a computer programming language that is rather low-level and was commonly used during the time period when Unix was conceived. 

Just two years later, in 1973, Unix was rewritten in a much more advanced language, called programming language C which had a huge effect on the way Unix could be used. The more advanced language allowed it to be used on many different computer platforms. This allowed Unix to be used by many businesses, which quickly expanded its influence.   

A decade later, in 1983, the GNU Project was started which sought to create a computer software system that was compatible with Unix. What made this project so unique was it sought to compose this software and make it free. This lofty goal was finally attained in 1992.

In 1992, Linux stepped in with the release of it Linux kernel. A kernel is basically the most important part of a computer’s operating system. A kernel manages the relationship between the software and hardware components of an operating system. The Linux kernel is a good example of open-source, free software. While the kernel was initially created by one person, it has since been the recipient of contributions from thousands of computer programmers. 

The creator of the Linux kernel, Finnish student Linus Torvalds, released it in such a way that it was free to its users by forbidding its exploitation by commercial interests. It was later licensed differently, allowing different versions to be sold but requiring that all copies be released under the same license with the course code included. 

Linux, along with Unix, has shaped the course of history. Without Linux, and the fact that versions were and remain available at no cost, current technology would probably be vastly different.

 

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Scientific computing with Linux

December 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The best platform for scientific computing is no doubt GNU/Linux. There are huge assortments of high-level languages, code development tools used for programming, debugging tools, numerical subroutines for resolving different equations, visualizing and plotting packages, word processing software for displaying equations and figures along with corresponding programming software for building a supercomputer with little hardware and PC parts from off the shelves.

This write-up goes on to show how GNU/Linux can be useful for handling scientific computing assignments. It has been done in the hope that many who are interested in this subject be able to accumulate details of free software for the particular subject. For example we have Linux for Biotechnology, Linux for Astronomy and Linux for Chemistry (These are available at The Random Factory). Yet another site with a huge assortment of links both commercial and free of scientific software is Scientific Applications on Linux. The place to find links of other links is at the “GNU Software Directory” and this site also provides many how-to-dos and topic specific software. The software links presented are divided into classifications such as:

Code Development Tools.

Mathematics Packages.

Numerical Subroutines and Libraries.

Graphics and Visualizations.

GNU/Linux Systems.

Publishing Tools.

Databases.

Linux in the Laboratory.

Install GNU/Linux on your personal computer to transform it into a strong workstation. There are different accepted distributions yet not all are equipped with the tools required to make it ideally the right scientific computing machine. The HOWTO aspires to fill the void by forming lists of free software which are essential for scientific computing. For all those who have a PC with GNU/Linux essentials installed, this write-up would be of interest, and for those who have not yet tapped the powerful resources of GNU/Linux, this is the time to get things started and unearthing the best performance out of your PC.

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What the Heck is Cloud Computing Anyway

December 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment
LOS ANGELES - OCTOBER 27: In this photograph ...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

You must have heard of the cloud computing by now. You cannot escape the term as it seems to be on the fast track to becoming a “phrase of the year” candidate. Television commercials tout the idea of working in the Cloud. Every other form of media seems to be mentioning why we all need to be in the Cloud. They tell us it will increase production. They show people working from anywhere they can get online. Wait, there is our first hint. It has something to do with being online. And yes, this is true. Cloud computing only exists virtually. You really are not up there in the clouds. Instead, you are performing your work duties in a virtual world. So what is a definition of this hugely popular term then?
We could sum cloud computing up simply by saying that it is resources and services accessed on the web. These things work in conjunction with each other and if you were to draw a diagram of the way they work together it would look like a cloud. So what actually powers this group of services and resources? There has to something there as it is not magic. Usually a group of cloud servers will be connected and share the information across the network.
The great thing about the whole concept of cloud storage and computing is that it is much more affordable than actually purchasing real equipment to do the same thing. You will not have to worry about upkeep and servicing your servicers. Instead of using all of their money to make sure the infrastructure is working correctly, these customers can use their capital to grow their business. So now that you know what “being in the cloud” actually means, you can see why it is such a popular concept.

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What is the hype about Linux and GNU?

April 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment
GNU Compiler Collection logo.
Image via Wikipedia

Though there are several executions with Linux, one can find many resemblances in various distributions because each Linux system acts like a package of jigsaw puzzles that one can assemble for their own requirements and observations. System installs are just the tip of the iceberg and when you feel that your system is doing justice to the configurations, you find that Linux makes you want to create more. When you try to use your creativity and imagination to embark on a new journey of discovery with Linux, you will find that there is more to it as you keep delving further.

Linux could appear to have too many different versions, and this depends on what distribution you are using, your personal opinion and the hardware. However, the basics of graphics and various interfaces which are built on Linux remain quite the same. Linux is built on GNU software [Gnu’s Not Unix] and gives an array of regulated ways to use and handle the system.

Every GNU tool is based on open source and can be implemented and installed on every system. Some of the distributions come with already compiled packages with the commonly used tools like RPM on Debian and RedHat packages (also known as dpkg and deb) scheduled with Debian, hence you need not be a wizard to install this package or make it work for you.

Any list containing names of Universal GNU software will have at least the Bash or the GNU’s background shell, the GCC or the C Compiler, the GDB or the Debugger, the coreutils, which are basically common utilities, such as cat, ls and chmod, and Findutils, which is used for searching for files. It will also contain things like Fontutils, used for converting fonts from format to format or for making new fonts, the Gimp, used as an Image editing software, and the Gnome, the desktop system for GNU.

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