7 Reasons Why Linux Will Rule The Server Market

We’ve ranted a lot about Linux not being able to catch up on Windows and Mac in the desktop arena. However, we can never complain about the position Linux enjoys in the server market. Of course 20-22 % is too small a figure to put the penguin in a dominant position, but the growth Linux has seen over the years has been astounding. From big companies like Google to small technology blogs that are read by a handful, Linux -- as IBM prophesied in an advert long ago -- is everywhere.

Here are some of the reasons why we think Linux is the future ruler of the server market:

1. Price

The first thing that matters to any businessman is cost. Of course, Linux web servers running Red Hat Enterprise Linux are not free, but they are much cheaper than their Windows counterparts. Also, if you’re running a small business and have a talented bunch of sys admins at your disposal, then you could opt for the absolutely free Red Hat clone called Cent OS and other free Linux distros for web servers. Windows on the other hand, costs a lot more while providing no pocket-friendly alternatives for small businesses.

Why Choose Android Smartphones Over iPhone

Right now, Android and iPhone are battling it out for the top spot on the smartphone market. Android has marginally overtaken iPhone’s market share and is standing tall with its head held high. However, this doesn't mean that Apple is going to back down.

With the upcoming release of iOS5, they are attacking the droid from all angles possible. Nevertheless, one shouldn't believe the Apple fanboys when they say that iPhone is the better device.

Android beats iPhone hands down in as many as 10 areas. Here's a look on why you should choose Android smartphones over iPhone.

Android is open source, sort of

Android smartphones are based on an operating system that is both open source and freely available. Even though, there was a controversy about Google holding back Android's code, Android is not as restrictive as iOS. Apple can put any feature, and we mean absolutely any feature in the iPhone and the user won't even know about it.

5 Best Linux/BSD Firewall Distributions

If you’re having a small computer network at home or a huge office with hundreds of desktops, cyber security is something you can never compromise on. One thing that is a quintessential part of security is something we call a firewall.

A firewall is like the security guard at your door who keeps a watch on everyone who goes in and out. By allowing only legitimate connections to pass through and blocking connections based on a certain set of rules, the firewall secures the network from most kinds of threats that lurk around on the Internet.

In case you are planning to install one on your network -- it’s never too late you know. We have here a list of some of the best Linux and BSD-based firewall distributions that you may use for free.

7 Essential Google Docs Tips You Should Know

Google Docs, after LibreOffice is one of the most viable alternatives to the overrated MS Office. Unlike other major Office Suites, Google Docs creates, edits and stores the documents in the cloud. Of course, it has some pitfalls but for someone who isn't a hardcore office user, Google Docs can be more than sufficient. However, that doesn't imply that Google Docs is a mere stripped down version of an Office Suite. There are a few tips and tricks you can use to get the most out of it. Here are 7 of them:

1. Use Document Templates

Need to make a Family Budget Planner, an invoice or how about a recipe book? Google Docs helps you create all those and more using its huge crowd-sourced templates library. Here you'll find templates for creating almost anything including greeting cards, yearbooks, legal letters and plenty more.

To get started with templates, go to Google Docs and click on the button to the top left which says 'Create New'. Now, choose the option that says 'From Template'. Here, a new window opens allowing you to choose from a variety of templates including the ones mentioned above. Choose the one that suits your need and have fun.

Essential Mac OS X Lion Features Ubuntu Linux Should Have

As always, Mac OS’s new version was released to a huge hypnotized crowd that applauded and cheered as each slide was revealed. Apple claims that OS X Lion has over 250 new features; however, only a handful of them are truly Wow!-worthy. If you’ve been a long-time Ubuntu-user, you must have noticed how inspired it is from Mac OS X. Well, if we’ve got a similar UI, then why not have some common features? After all, Unity derives heavily from Windows 7 and Mac, so it won’t be a big deal if some of the cool Lion features were added to Ubuntu. Here are some essential Mac OS Lion features that deserve to be added to Ubuntu.

Better File Sharing:

Lion made file sharing a lot easier when they announced their Dropbox-style feature that allows hassle-free sharing of files between 2 computers in the same network. File sharing on Linux isn’t something that new users will get accustomed to right away. Ubuntu can take cue from Mac OS Lion or even Windows 7 and start making networking as easy as possible for neophytes. If Ubuntu wants to go for originality over inspiration, it can create a Unity launcher or lens wherein you could drag and drop your files and share them with your friends. Alternatively, an indicator applet for the same can also be a good idea.

3 Cloud-based Linux Distributions Worth Trying

Cloud is the next big thing when it comes to desktop computing. There are many big software companies who are busy readying themselves for the cloud in one way or the other. With more and more cloud tools available, it is becoming a necessary tool for all businesses. First it was cloud-based or online backup services, and then cloud-based music, and now cloud-based operating systems are here.

Here’s a quick look at some of the most popular cloud-based Linux distributions that you should give a try:

Joli OS

Launched by Netvibes founder Tariq Karim in 2008, Joli OS is an Ubuntu-based operating system developed by the company Jolicloud. Joli OS is completely open source and since its release, it has received about 4.2 million USD funding from venture capital firms. Jolicloud sports an interface that is both simple and very easy on the eyes. Shortcuts to popular web services appear as icons on top of a desktop background. More applications can be added by clicking on the ‘plus’ sign on the top left. Once added, one can search them by using the search box at the top. Moreover, a completely minimalist design makes it difficult for new applications to clutter the interface.

9 Possible Features of Firefox 5 that may Kill your Chrome Cravings

Firefox 4 was another milestone for the Mozilla team. Of course, with the growing popularity of Chrome, Firefox’s admiration seems to have taken a downward trend. However, the record-holding browser isn’t going to back down. In its next version, that is Firefox 5, the veteran browser promises to bring along features that will put Firefox at par with Google Chrome.

Here are 9 such features that will make you reconsider if you’re planning to switch to Chrome. Or, if you’re a Chrome user already, who knows, you might as well go turn back to the fox.

1. Site-specific menus

If you love the little menu that sits on the top left corner of your Firefox 4 window, then, you have even more reasons to be excited. Firefox is planning to implement a new feature that will make a website behave more like an app. What this means is, when you create an app tab for a website -- let’s say Twitter -- the site, now an app, will have its very own dedicated menu. So, on the top left corner of your window you’ll be able to see not one but two drop down menus -- one for Twitter and other for Firefox. The Twitter menu will include quick shortcuts to the website like New Tweet, Replies and so on. Similar mock-ups have surfaced demonstrating the feature on various web sites like IMDB, CNN and others. For a quick sneak peek on how it looks like, visit this site.

Alternate and Harmless Ways of Trying out Linux

Whether you are a fanatic Windows user or another Apple fan boy hypnotized by Uncle Steve's charm, there is no excuse for you to not try Linux. Contrary to what you may believe, you don't have to go through all those complex command-line acrobatics in order to get a glimpse of the penguin. In fact, you don't even have to install that blasted thing on your computer. In this article, we'll show you how you can get a taste of the most-talked about operating system in town (yeah, we fanboys do tend to exaggerate sometimes), without the fear of crashing your computer.

Here are two alternate and harmless ways of using Linux:

Live CD

Live CDs have been around for quite a long time. Also, the functionality that they provide has been incorporated in many popular Linux distributions including Ubuntu. Basically, a Live CD allows the user to use a particular Linux distro without making any changes to the operating system. This means that no data is written on the hard drive. In fact, a Live CD can even run on a computer that doesn't have a hard drive. In non-technical terms, a Live CD is very much like the clothes you can try on before actually buying them.

So, what do you have to do to get a live CD? Well nothing adventurous honestly, all you have to do is download the ISO image and burn it using any CD/DVD writing software. If you consider CDs a bit too old-fashioned, you can burn the image onto a USB drive and trust me, the computer won't know a thing!

After burning the image, insert the CD in the CD drive and reboot the computer. While booting up, the BIOS sometimes needs to be configured in order to make the computer boot from the CD or USB drive. The task is not as daunting as it sounds. All you have to do is go to the BIOS settings screen by pressing the BIOS menu button of your computer. The key is usually F2, ESC or Del; whichever it is, it will be printed while the computer boots up. Then, find the option that says 'Change boot device priority' and give your CD drive or USB drive, the first priority. Finally, save the changes and reboot.

Follow the instructions and you'll have a completely functional desktop within minutes. Any changes you make there are temporary and will not be stored on your hard drive. Hence, after you finish trying out the distribution of your choice, your computer will be back to the state it was before you tried the Live CD. If you want to try Linux now, you could go to distrowatch.com, pick a distro and download the ISO image. Just follow the aforementioned instructions and embrace the freedom.

Virtualization

If you've been abreast with the latest in technology, you must have heard of the term virtualization. It was a buzzword when it was new and has now become one of the most promising technologies around.

Virtualization allows users to run an operating system on top of their main operating system. So, say you're running Windows XP now, and let's suppose you wanted to try out Ubuntu. In that case, you won't have to even reboot to do that. You can run Ubuntu, with some minor performance compromises, on top of Windows XP or any other operating system.

Virtualization basically creates a virtual machine which, in a way, mimics a real computer. Thus, any operating system can be installed using virtualization software, just like you can on a real computer.

Virtualization may seem a bit of geeky domain to venture into. However, thanks to the progress we've had in consumer-oriented software, it is ludicrously easy to use. If your hands are itching to try the magic out, all you have to do is install a free program called VirtualBox. It is available for Windows, Linux, as well as Mac OS X.

The following are a few tutorials on using VirtualBox that we have covered so far:

* How to Install VirtualBox on Ubuntu

* Installing Ubuntu on Mac OS X Using VirtualBox

* Where to Download Free VirtualBox Images (.vdi) and How to Use Them

There you have it. I hope you have learned something today :-)

Written by: Abhishek, a regular TechSource contributor and a long-time FOSS advocate.

Kogan Agora Chromium Laptop Preview

Google’s Chrome OS has been highly anticipated by people all over since its announcement. Manufacturers such as Samsung and Acer are trying their best to be the one company that gets the honor to first release a laptop or a netbook to the market that runs Chrome operating system.

Things are pretty much looking good for the two companies when out of nowhere, Kogan broke the news that they already released a laptop with Chromium OS as its operating system. Kogan is an Australian manufacturer that has been shipping the notebook in Australia and the United Kingdom since June 7 leaving Samsung and Acer to eat its dust.

What can we expect from the Agora Chromium laptop manufactured by Kogan? Will it become successful riding on the fact that it is the first? What does its spec sheet look like? Read on for the full details about the Kogan Agora Chromium laptop.

Sibling Rivalry: Linux Mint 11 vs. Ubuntu 11.04

Lately, we've been covering a lot about Ubuntu 11.04 Natty Narwhal, Fedora 15, and Linux in general. However, we haven't really talked about another popular distribution that has been around for quite a while. The distro is called Linux Mint and it currently holds the second spot on Distrowatch.

Though the popularity of Ubuntu amongst the Linux-curious crowd is immense, Mint has quietly found itself a spot in the hearts of many new users. This gradual rise in the popularity of Mint makes it a distro that simply cannot be ignored anymore. So, let's compare Linux Mint 11 ‘Katya’ with our very own Natty and see how it holds out.

The 10 Most Popular Desktop Applications for Linux

With the growing popularity of Linux, the number of quality applications that are available for this platform has also increased. Gone are the days when Firefox was the only non-geeky Linux application and everything shiny was on Windows. Linux can now boast of a variety of applications, games and utilities that can make the naysayers change their view about this rapidly growing platform. So, without further ado, here are 10 great desktop applications that have found their place in the hearts of almost every Linux user out there.

1. Firefox

Firefox undoubtedly is the most used application on Linux. Be it the shell-based Ubuntu or the pure and simple Debian, the open-source browser is used by millions across the world. Firefox's huge popularity can be attributed to the fact that it is the default browser on most of the Linux-based distributions. Moreover, thanks to the sheer amount of features it provides across every platform, it makes switching easy for users migrating from Windows or Macs. This award-winning browser is one of the few software that has managed to find its place in the Guinness book of world records.

3 Ways to Play Windows Games on Linux

We've already ranted a lot about the sorry state of gaming on Linux. However, we were also kind enough to tell you some of the best paid games for Linux. Many of the games were indie games, which are great for casual gamers expecting to kill some time. But, if you are a hardcore gamer who dual boots to Windows solely for the purpose of playing games, there are some nice ways in which you could stop yourself from hitting that dreaded reboot button.

Here are 3 ways to play those coveted Windows game right from your Linux desktop:

1. Wine

Wine is a free and open-source software that lets users run various kinds of Windows applications on Unix-like operating systems. Many users, including some developers often mistake Wine for an emulator. That however, is a longstanding myth within the software community. In fact, Wine stands for 'Wine is not an emulator', thus repudiating any such hollow accusations from the skeptics.

Who Should Lead Linux?

Oh yeah, we’ve been rambling a lot lately about the problems our beloved penguin Tux faces. We can’t really help it though, as there are a lot of issues Linux faces that need immediate attention. Well, we’re not talking about the elusive fat launcher in Unity nor are we complaining about the missing minimize buttons in GNOME 3. We’re just pissed about the fact that Linux, as of now, has no particular leader to take it through the tough times.

Let’s say, for a day, you are given the power to choose a person to lead Linux. Whom would you choose? Before you start racking that rusty bean of yours, let’s consider the options.

Google Chromebook: Is it worth your $500?

The desktop market is at the precipice of change as Google recently announced their brand new laptop computer named Chromebook. The browser-based notebook stacks up very well against most of the modern netbooks and tablets as well. However, is a simple web-based laptop worth your 500 bucks? Wouldn’t it be better if you buy an iPad instead?

Let’s look at why you should be buying the Chromebook and why you shouldn’t.

Reasons to buy Chromebook:

1. It’s superfast

Firefox 3 was pretty much ruling the web browser market until this little devil called Chrome came along. Initially, people were hesitant to try out a new browser. However, as news about its speed spread, Chrome quickly caught up with its competitors. There are 3 reasons people choose Google Chrome over Firefox, Safari, Opera and IE: speed, speed and speed. If you’ve tried out Google Chrome browser before and were awed by its remarkable speed, then Chromebook maybe worth your buck.

Installing and Using TeamViewer on Ubuntu

We live in a pretty networked world. Most of our computers are connected to the Internet all the time. One of the advantages of this is that you can set things up so that you can access your computer from anywhere. There are a number of options available for remotely connecting to your desktop at home or at work. The number of remote desktop options for Linux is a bit more limited than Windows and Macintosh. However, ever since TeamViewer launched its wonderful remote desktop software for Linux, I have stopped searching for options. Let's take a closer look at how to install and use TeamViewer on Ubuntu.

There are many uses to being able to connect to a computer remotely. The most practical one is when you want to provide assistance to someone at a remote location. Another use is when you want to access your home or work computer to perform some tasks while you are away. Another reason to use a remote desktop application is for lazy system administrators to assist users in their network without leaving their workspace. The TeamViewer application works both as a server as well as a client.