Choose The Right Linux Distribution For Smart Computing

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Linux is one of the most popular operating systems out there after the Windows family. What sets Linux distinctly apart from others is the fact that you can download it for free. Unlike Windows operating systems which come with a hefty price tag, Linux does not cost absolutely anything and Linux setup is quite easy. Even you dont need to use any virus remover as there is very little or no chance of virus infection.

For beginners, it can be quite daunting to decide which distribution would be best for them. This is because there is a plethora of Linux distributions out there from which you can choose from – Ubuntu, Red Hat, Fedora, Mandriva, Opensuse, and so on. Each distribution, or distro, has its own strengths and features unique to it.

The first and foremost concern that you should consider is your hardware. All Linux distros are not built the same. Although most Linux distros try to be as hardware friendly as possible, you might discover that some work better with your hardware than others. So the best way to decide which distro would be right for you is to try out a handful of the most popular distros and see for yourself as to which of them work the best on your hardware. You will discover that some distros will detect all your hardware and work flawlessly, while others may not even boot on your PC or laptop.

The next thing you should consider is codec availability. Some popular distros like Ubuntu and Fedora do not ship with any kind of codecs to play common files like your mp3s or high-definition videos. There are distros based on these very distros that are more usable and ship with support for all of your audio and video files. Linux Mint, based on Ubuntu, is one such distro.

Ubuntu is probably the most popular and widely used Linux operating system that there is. It is based on Debian, another huge distribution with a very loyal fan following. Ubuntu also has one of the largest communities out there and you are more likely to find help on anything related to Ubuntu than any other distro. This is one of the great advantages of using Ubuntu or anything based on it, such as Linux mint. You will find it easy to look for help online should you get stuck with anything.

Fedora, sponsored by the Linux giant red hat, is also quite popular among Linux users. Like Ubuntu, it cannot come with any codecs pre-installed due to patent issues. Not all software companies allow Linux distributions to pre-install their proprietary software. For example, Microsoft license does not allow Linux distributions to contain programs like internet explorer or windows media player codecs. Similarly, popular Linux distros like Fedora, Opensuse and Ubuntu cannot ship flash, java, and other such proprietary software. If this is a concern for you, then download distros like Linux mint or PcLinuxOS, which come with all these necessary programs pre-installed.

So if you have really decided to move on to Linux, just take the plunge and set up Linux on your PC. You will not regret the freedom and liberty that Linux comes with.

Linux An Introduction

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Linux is a free, UNIX work-alike designed for Intel processors on PC architecture machines. Linux is not UNIX, as UNIX is a copyrighted piece of Aware that demands license fees when any part of its source code is used. Linux was written from scratch to avoid license fees entirely, although the operation of the Linux operating system is based entirely on UNIX. It shares UNIX’s command set and look-and-feel, so if you know either UNIX or Linux, you know the other, too.

Linux supports a wide range of software, from TeX (a text formatting language) to X (a graphical user interface) to the GNU C/C++ compilers to TCP/IP networking. Linux is also compliant with the POSIX.1 standard, so porting applications between Linux and UNIX systems is a snap.

New users of UNIX and Linux may be a bit intimidated by the size and apparent complexity of the system before them. There are many good books on using UNIX out there, for all levels of expertise ranging from novice to expert.

However, few (if any) of these books cover, specifically, the topic of using Linux. Although 95 percent of using Linux is exactly like using other UNIX systems, the most straightforward way to get going on your new system is with a book tailored for Linux.

Types of Linux:

Following are the main types of Linux which are available:

The various distribution types in Linux.

The types of disk sets for each distribution.

Which distribution sets are important for you

How to look for files on the CD-ROM.

How to get Linux from FTP sites.

How to get Linux from BBS sites.

How to find FTP sites where you can get Linux updates

Linux Distribution:

Several versions of Linux are available, depending on which CD-ROM or FTP site you visit. You can change kernel versions by obtaining the source code for a new release, compiling it, and replacing your existing kernel. You may find several CD-ROM distributions available at your local reseller. Info Magic’s Slack ware release, for example, comes on Your CD-ROMs and bears the name Linux Developer’s Resource. In addition to the complete Linux system, it includes source code, FTP archives, full documentation, several extension products, and demonstration software of commercial applications (including WordPerfect)

Starting Linux:

Starting the Linux system can be as simple as turning on the power switch of your PC. If Linux is configured to auto load, Linux will be up and running after a few seconds. Few systems are set up to run only Linux, though, and even fewer have it boot automatically when the power is turned on. Although automatic startup is convenient, many Linux users prefer to be able to choose which operating system to boot into (if other operating systems are loaded on the system) or to change the . level of access to Linux. You can start a Linux system by using a boot floppy disk or using LILO in one of several configurations.

Linux Hosting India – Past, Present And Future Of Web Hosting In India

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Healthy competition in a business is always an advantage for both the customer and the seller. The customer gets the best deal and the seller is always on the lookout for technological advancement which ranks their company at the top. There are innumerable web hosting companies in India which is giving healthy competition to one another. This is especially good for business organizations that are on the lookout for the same. Linux server is very popular among business community. Linux Hosting India offers affordable, reliable and superior support in this field.

Linux

Linux is an open source operating system based on the model of UNIX operating system. Linux is a leading server operating system. It can be installed in a wide range of computer hardware’s, mobile phones, video game consoles to mainframe and super computers. Linux is very cheap when compared to windows. In the case of web hosting servers Linux is an obvious preference due to its stability and durable approach.

Linux Server Hosting

Before hiring a company for hosting service, there is an important thing that you need to consider. The scripting language used in your website is the first thing that you need to consider. If your website is using languages like PHP, MySQL or Pearl, you must go for Linux server hosting. Linux Hosting India offers web hosting on Linux platform. Linux is basically an open source software product and thus is not bound by any high licensing fees. Thus it can be freely downloaded from the website.

Linux server can be easily converted into a windows server. But the same cannot be said about windows as it is very complicated. Linux is an operating system which is very much adaptive and flexible. Businesses run in a vibrant environment and many changes has to be made time and again. Linux is modifiable. You can make changes according to your requirements. The programmers and expert staff of Linux Hosting India provide state of the art service in web hosting.

One of the plus points of Linux server is that it is capable of handling large volumes of traffic to the website. It is also capable of hosting multiple sites. With Linux Hosting India customization can be done in real time. Linux works with some of the most popular scripting languages like PHP, MySQL and Pearl. Linux web hosting is the most economical form of hosting your website. The host or owner has to only bear the cost of distribution. Linux hosting is deemed to be the most secure form of web hosting. Linux gives us innumerable advantages when compared to other platforms used for web hosting. It provides compatibility, stability, security and very easy Linux conversion process.

The Significance Of Linux Web Hosting Plans

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There are a number of web hosting plans available for website owners to choose from today. While this extensive variety makes people feel spoilt for choice, it also makes it tough to choose the right plan to cater to their requirements. Choosing the web hosting plans is not as easy as ABC. Despite the extensive variety and various challenges involved, most of the people prefer the Linux web hosting plan and the PHP web hosting plan. Though Windows hosting plans were considered to be the favourite a few years ago, today the preference is given to Linux and PHP plans. So, what brought about this radical change in the mindset of people?

Over the last few years, technology has improved in leaps and bounds. Along with this, there have also been tremendous changes in the software industry. Unlike a couple of decades ago, today there are various types of software that are can be used on the internet. The development of these software programs became necessary to support the advent of the ecommerce industry. There were a number of website hosting plans that also came into existence during this period, however, only a handful of plans were compatible with the advanced software. Windows is definitely user friendly software, but it is not website friendly. There are a number of limitations and restrictions associated to Windows based web hosting plans. This is why these plans began to take the backseat. The ability of Linux web hosting plans and PHP web hosting plans to support the latest software gave it an upper hand over Windows based plans.

Cost is one of the things that most of the website owners consider while selecting web hosting plans. A few years ago, it was challenging to establish the perfect balance between the cost and the type of hosting plan. This is no longer a concern, thanks to the Linux web hosting plan and the PHP web hosting plan. Though these plans support the latest software, the cost of availing them is just a fraction of opting for the Windows based plans. One of the main reasons for the higher cost of the Windows based hosting plans is the license. Windows is a registered platform and one needs to pay money in order to use it. On the other hand, Linux is an operating system that is built using open source code. This implies that there is no need to buy a license in order to use it, thus resulting is huge cost savings and making the hosting plans highly affordable.

The ease of use and the performance are two other aspects that work in favour of the Linux web hosting plans and PHP web hosting plans. Most people nurture the wrong notion that the Linux interface is not as easy to use as the Windows interface. Though there is a world of difference between the two, Linux is user friendly too. In fact, making changes to your website is easier if you choose the Linux or PHP hosting plans. You can save all the changes online as you work on it and preview the changes. You can also restore the website to its previous state if you are not happy with the changes. This kind of flexibility is absent in Windows based plans which is the reason they got left behind.

The Concept of Limits in a Linux System

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Every UNIX based system like Linux has a certain set of limitations on the kind of feature sets and resources that can be used by a program or user. This can range from simplistic models like the complete length of file’s path, to the kind of arguments and calls that a program can have.

Since these limits effectively reduce the scope and abilities of a program, an application trying to be portable across different UNIX implementations needs to account for varying limit standards. The Single UNIX Specification’s third version (SuSv3, in short) defined three discrete functions that an application could call to determine the limits of the system it was working on – fpathconf(), pathconf() andsysconf(). It also defined a limit range that a UNIX implementation could enforce. The most crucial part of this set range was a minimum limit. This particular limit would be set as a constant in the limits header file, with a name that begun with the _posix_ string. If an application could stick to the specified minimum limits, it would manage to be portable across most implementations in all likelihood. However, that would result in a loss of functionality that higher limit values would bring in. This made determining the limits of a system using sysconf() etc. particularly invariable. This function was also a great tool to determine runtime invariant and increasable values.

A function like pathconf(), on the other hand, deals with the name of file paths. Limits on these pathnames could be determined using functions like fpathconf() and pathconf(). Limits can also be ascertained through shell commands. The getconfcommand can help you determine the limits in the UNIX implementation you are currently working on.

During runtime, sysconf() can tell you the limits you need when you specify the name of the limit in the function’s argument. If the limit cannot be determined, or there is an error of any sort, the function will return a value of –1′. SuSv3 dictates that the value returned by the function has to be constant all through the calling.

The difference between pathconf() and fpathconf() is the method of specifying the file/directory. In the case of the former, the pathname needs to be specified, while for the latter, a previously opened file descriptor is required. SuSv3 does not require these functions to return values than remain constant all through an entire process runtime. This lets a file system to be mounted and dismounted multiple times, all while the process is running.

Indeterminate limits are ones that are not defined by an implementation limit constant. The functions stated above would end up returning –1′ to indicate the indeterminacy of the limits required. These hindrances can be handled in a number of ways – the most practical of them being to avoid the checking of limits, and instead perform the corresponding library function calls. If those calls fail too, the errnomust be checked to judge whether some other system limit was violated, so that you can modify the program behavior accordingly.

You should avoid hardcoding system limit assumptions into your programs, as it may not be valid across every file system or UNIX implementation. Using the necessary functions, SuSv3 can guide you to make your program adapt even in real-time.