9 Most Useful Compiz Plugins

Last time we wrote about all the useless plugins in Compiz. This time, we won't be bashing your favorite compositing window manager. Today, we'll be listing the most useful plugins Compiz can boast of.

So, without much ado, here's a list of the most useful and popular Compiz plugins out there (in no particular order):

Expo Plugin

This plugin activates the expo mode, which allows you to zoom out and see all workspaces at once. You can then rearrange windows between different workspaces to simplify workflow. If you're a seasoned multitasker and happen to use virtual desktops a lot, then this plugin is an essential companion. Ubuntu includes the plugin enabled by default. Press Super+S to get a bird's eye view of all your desktops.

The 5 Worst Videos on YouTube

If at all you are au courant with the latest of everything that goes around on the Internet, you must definitely know about YouTube's sixth anniversary, which happened to be a few months ago. Marking the special event, was a great announcement from the Google-owned video sharing site -- YouTube now has more than 48 hours worth of video being uploaded every minute; yes folks, every minute.

For the past six years, the amazing site has gone through a lot of changes. It became more social, started accepting longer videos, and even started showcasing some cool movies. On the content front, YouTube has enthralled, entertained, informed and educated its viewers in every way possible. Be it the resilience of protesters in Egypt, inspiring advice from valedictorians or beautiful music from our favorite bands, YouTube has almost replaced the time-honored idiot box.

Today, you'll be expecting us to cover the best videos that are out there on YouTube. But instead, we'll be focusing on the worst that this site has managed to make popular. Without much ado, here's the big list:

Best Linux Software Applications for Guitarists and Guitar Enthusiasts

Whether you're casually strumming the chords to your first song, or enthralling a head-bobbing crowd with your 20-minute solos, there are a few applications that a guitar lover like you must have on your Linux box. Even though there are countless guitar apps for Windows and Mac, it doesn't mean that musicians on Linux should be left behind. Remember that the Linux platform has given birth to some of the most prolific songwriters of the century like Maestro Richard Stallman. His masterpiece, the Free Software Song, is still crooned by millions of Linux geeks, getting them through those atrocious weeklong coding marathons. So, there's no doubt that Linux does have some excellent applications that every guitar player would love to have on his or her computer.

Without much ado, here's the crème de la crème of Linux software applications for guitarists and guitar enthusiasts:

8 of the Best Android Apps for Geeks

So, you're slightly on the geekier side of life? And, you're an Android user? Well, thanks to the relative openness of the popular mobile platform, you won't be missing out on all the geeky fun you have on Linux. Unlike the Apple app store, the Android Market is laden with apps that folks from every walk of life can relish.

Here are some Android apps that our geeky friends would love to tinker with, without bricking their phones… Well, hopefully.

ConnectBot

ConnectBot is an open-source SSH client for your Android mobile. With this nifty little app, you can connect to any SSH server located on this planet (and beyond). Features include simultaneous SSH connections, tunneling, and copy/pasting between different applications. There are plenty of other SSH apps, but according to user ratings, this is by far, the best one out there. It has a 5 star rating from about 21,397 users, so go ahead and start connecting.

Installing and Running Ubuntu Natty Narwhal on Mac OS X Lion Using VirtualBox

I just upgraded my Mac OS X Snow Leopard desktop machine to Lion, and one of the very first things that I did after upgrading was install the latest version of VirtualBox (virtualization software). Using VirtualBox, I successfully installed Ubuntu 11.04 'Natty Narwhal' as guest OS inside Mac OS X 10.7 'Lion'. So far, it's been running really well when using the classic GNOME desktop and quite good when using the dreaded Unity.

For those of you who would also like to install Ubuntu 11.04 'Natty Narwhal' on Mac OS X 10.7 'Lion' using VirtualBox, here is a step-by-step process on how I did it:

1. Download the latest version of VirtualBox (VirtualBox 4.1 for OS X hosts) from HERE. Install it.

2. Download the Ubuntu 11.04 (32-bit) installer (ISO image) from HERE.

3. Run VirtualBox and click on the 'New' icon to start creating a new virtual machine. A wizard will guide you through the process.

Humble Indie Bundle 3 for Linux is Here!

The immensely popular Humble Indie Bundle is back. In its third incarnation, the cross-platform games pack brings five amazing indie games without any DRM restrictions whatsoever. As with the previous bundles, you can pay any amount you want, be it $1 or $1000. The money you pay will go to charity and support the development of more indie games like these.

Humble Indie Bundle 3 comes loaded with five popular indie games, four of which will be available on Linux for the first time. The previous two bundles, which became insanely popular, have managed to raise around a million dollars, with most of the money going to charity.

Here's a quick overview of the games included in the bundle:

Affordable But Capable Ubuntu-powered Laptop Computers

Ubuntu, slowly but steadily, is gaining prominence in the Microsoft-dominated world of desktop, laptop and netbook computers. While this gradual rise may not be enough for your next-door Joe to switch to Ubuntu, it does however give the devoted Linux user some decent choice while buying his or her new laptop.

Recently, laptops and netbooks have started showing up in the market and are pre-loaded with Ubuntu. Though this may not be any different than buying a Windows-based laptop and replacing the OS with Ubuntu, it does offer a few advantages. Buying an Ubuntu-powered PC allows you to overcome the initial hiccups many new Linux users face, which are mainly related to hardware incompatibilities.

So, if you are planning to purchase an affordable but capable Ubuntu-powered laptop, here are some nice ones you can add to your wish list:

5 Tiniest Linux Distributions For Your Ancient Computers

Not so long ago, IBM, in its ads, made a bold claim that read “Linux is everywhere”. While a Windows-crazy fanboy would be quick to repudiate that claim, any levelheaded IT guy would tell you how true that is. Linux can run on almost any kind of device, be it a gigantic supercomputer or a tiny mobile gadget.

When it comes to normal desktop computers, every user is not privileged enough to use a Quad core beast for their daily computing needs. This is where lightweight and tiny Linux distributions come in. They are distros that use very few resources as opposed to traditional Linux-based operating systems like Ubuntu and Fedora. Such distributions are useful if you are stuck with a low-spec'ed computer or are planning to blow the dust off that Pentium-II rotting in your attic.

So, without further ado, here's a list of tiniest Linux distributions that will help you resuscitate your dying PC:

TechSource's Ultimate Guide to Using Google+ (Part 2)

In the last post, we covered all the basics of Google Plus, comparing it head-to-head with its rival -- Facebook. Today, we'll be looking at some tips and tricks that will help you more efficiently manage your Google Plus account. We'll touch upon privacy settings, keyboard shortcuts, Facebook to G+ migration and many other cool things.

So, without much ado, here is the second part of our 'Ultimate Guide to Using Google+':

Profile Privacy

In Google Plus, you have complete control over your profile. By clicking the edit button on the top right, you can select which parts of your profile are visible to whom. This is an indispensable feature for users who are concerned or are paranoid about their privacy.

TechSource's Ultimate Guide to Using Google+ (Part 1)

The whole world is talking about it right now and it's getting more awesome every day. It's Google's new social network Google Plus (Google+). The Facebook-killer is getting rave reviews from social neophytes and experts alike. Lauded for its simplified privacy settings, Google Plus now has more than 20 million users worldwide and the number is growing rapidly. If you just received an invite and have been perplexed by the user interface, don't worry; this guide will make you a Google+ expert in no time.

Introduction

If you've been using Facebook for a long time, you'll find minor similarities between the user interfaces of G+ and FB. But since we've already explained some of the basic Google+ concepts in an earlier article, we won't go over them again. However, let's compare G+ and Facebook head to head just to get to know those features better: