Apr 172011
 

Microsoft Office is being used by hundreds of thousands and even millions of people per day. However, not everybody can afford it and i’ve always wondered if there was another type of software, maybe a little less expensive or even free.

Well there is and it is called OpenOffice. OpenOffice.org is a free and open source cross-platform office suite, which can read and write MS Office .doc, .xls, and .ppt files. It actually has more to it than that, there is a drawing program, a database, a math equation editor and more. OpenOffice has been in development since 1999 when Sun Microsystems bought the code from a company called Star Division. (StarOffice.) This application was designed as an alternative to MS Office and can do practically everything the same for FREE.

But, then came along LibreOffice after Oracle bought Sun. After Oracle shut down the OpenSolaris project, people got worried that OpenOffice.org was going to be discontinued in the same fashion. Therefore, an organization called “Document Foundation” forked the code from the 3.3 release of OpenOffice and named it LibreOffice. (Ah, the beauty of open source software.) Many of the large Linux distributors are going to include LibreOffice, and even some as the default office application. A few friends of mine have been using LibreOffice and seem to want to stick with it.

So, which one do you prefer and what opinions do you have on it?? Let us know and comment!

Apr 152011
 

I love Ubuntu and yes, MWD runs on multiple Ubuntu Web Servers too . To be exact 90% of my application and web servers at home and MWD cloud space are on Ubuntu distribution, and now that Ubuntu 11.04 Beta 2 is out, I can’t wait until my download finishes so I can start testing it with new features they added.

Ubuntu 11.04 Beta 2 Picture

 

I like Ubuntu updates like this one because I don’t have to spend money, I get to play with it before I even consider upgrading from lets say Ubuntu 10.10.Another thing I love about the whole Ubuntu is that I don’t even have to install that operating system in order to test it, all I do is download image file, and run it via CD or if you are bit lazy to burn CD then you can use software like Daemon Tools. Now I do admit that I have to use Windows from time to time  but the only reason is because most applications that I really like are not Linux friendly.  Anyway, back to the topic, right?

So what are the changes with Ubuntu 11.04?

Since Firefox 4 was just released not too long ago, Ubuntu 11.04 Beta 2 snapped it and included Firefox 4 in this distro.

 LibreOffice 3.3.2 has also been included and is a default Office to manage your files like Docs, Spreadsheets etc. Yup just like current Microsoft Office.

Banshee 2.0 is now also a standard music player and Ubuntu integrated it into sound menu.

ShootWell 0.9.1 which helps you organize your photos and do stuff with them.

 

I mean there is lots of things that got changed for example new Linux Kernel 2.6.38 which is a stable version and brings few new functionalities and bug fixes.

So have you heard enough? Well now its time for you to download Ubuntu 11.04 so please visit this link.

Mar 292011
 

Over a year ago , I use to pay over $200 per month to run oclue.com but now I don’t pay more than $70 per month which is great saving thanks to Rackspace and XAMPP.

When you want more control over your web and application server I always suggest to go with Rackspace because its one of the cheapest and best cloud computing hosting there is. Comparing RackspaceCloud vs Amazon is a big difference in pricing, what I currently run with Rackspace (1GB Ram, 40GB storage and over 70GB of bandwidth) would cost me over $150 with Amazon ES3 Cloud Computing

Building Ubuntu (Linux) Web Server with Rackspace and XAMPP is quite easy especially if you want to just run php code or CMS (Content Management System) like WordPress.

So here is what I did just recently did when I was switching from one server to another.

First login to Rackspace and create new ubuntu 10.10 instance with whatever RAM you need, for start chose 256MB with 10GB storage, it will cost you just 1c per hour or 24c per day!

Once the server is created (usually within 2-5 minutes) SSH into the server.

First what you want to do is download XAMPP so type in

cd /opt (should go to opt folder)

then type sudo wget http://www.apachefriends.org/download.php?xampp-linux-X.X.X.tar.gz (Remember that those 3 XXX’s are version number, since I am not sure when you are going to read it, just go to Apache Friends and copy the link for Linux installation.

By now I am assuming that you have the tar.gz file downloaded. Untar it by typing

tar xvfz xampp-linux-X.X.X.tar.gz -C /opt (you should see folder called lampp in /opt directory)

Before you begin doing anything etc, most Rackspace Ubuntu installations are 64Bit so first go ahead and install the 32bit library’s by typing:

sudo apt-get install ia32-libs

Now you should be ready to run the XAMPP on Ubuntu 64Bit

So let’s test it with this command:

/opt/lampp/lampp start

You should not be getting any errors, if you do, leave comment below: I might be able to help you answer your question otherwise Google the error :)

To install wordpress on ubuntu with xampp  it’s relatively easy, there are some instructions online on how to install it but if you need some advice, do let me know.

Well, I hope this quick tutorial will save you some money, because I don’t see a reason for somebody to waist money on dedicated managed server if you are familiar enough with wordpress, ubuntu and some php coding. Last year alone I saved over $1500 thanks to Rackspace.

Dec 132010
 

When I first read about Gawker Media being hacked it was a bit weird to be honest, just because its a network of blogs that bring in thousands of dollars in a month, yet security of theirs was lacking.  You can have best network infrastructure and firewalls all over the place but if you do some stupid common things , you are wasting your money.

I am not saying that MWD is secured, nothing that contains WAN IP address is secured enough for somebody to breach, but there are things you can do to protect your sensitive data or prevent attacker to get any further.

 

1. When it comes to web server I will always argue to have Linux server over Windows just because it’s more secured, harder to hack and you can update things without restarting server.

2. Never use accounts that password is password (duh)

3. Keep your personal information at home not on WWW especially on server that is available to public, if files do need to be shared, make sure they are encrypted and password protected.

3. Change all login passwords at least once every two months but once a month is even better. Use special characters and numbers, never use full words for password like: technology, tarantula etc…

4. If you run WordPress, make sure its updated to the latest version, if you see that update is available, backup your files and database and upgrade it that same day. Don’t wait for more convenient time, do it right away, it takes only 10 minutes to do that all. Use plugins like WordPress Firewall, WP-Secure to prevent script kiddies to hack your WP. If you want to get bit advanced, run database and files backup every day, ftp files to your local hard drive, encrypt the whole file on local hard drive and delete it from the web server.

5. Don’t ever leave password in clear text on your server, this was one of the biggest mistakes by Gawker, they had file on server that contained personal account info and more with clear text passwords.

6. If you run Linux server, never use Root user to run things, create new users with enough permissions to run your web server, apache-tomcat-wordpress-php-mysql. Make sure that sensitive folders can be accessed only from your IP range most likely your ISP (internet service provider) IP will never change the first two octets for example 92.11.x.x  and if they do, they don’t change it very often.

7. All password you create on various websites should be different, get  creative. For example if your usual password is what3v3r use that password and add first letter of website at the beginning or end. So if I go to Gawker.com my password would be Gwhat3v3r or what3verG

8. Never use your email password on other websites, because if your password is same, and that “other” website get’s hacked, hacker most likely is going to try to compromise your email as well with the password you provided.

9. If you have money, use an RSA key for your webserver: RSA key is like addition to your password that changes every 60 seconds.

10. File permission is very crucial , don’t let everyone view your sub folders and files not even Google :)

 

Well those are just 10 things that will keep you safe out of 100+. I could go on and on but for now I think it’s enough. If you have questions, let me know in the comment section below.

Oct 202010
 

Yo! Mac users, now you can connect with your iPhone 4 friends via Facetime, because Facetime is now available on Mac. It is beta version but as simple app as Facetime there really should be no bugs.

We knew that this is going to come out but we were not sure when exactly. Most Mac’s nowadays have webcam so, as I said it was just matter of time when it will launch.

facetime mac vs iphone

Anyway, here is the link where you can download Facetime on your Mac. So tell me folks, do you see the need for Facetime app on your Mac? I personally wish it would be available for PC and Linux too, but I can just dream about that.

Sep 052010
 
Ubuntu 10.10 Beta - Ubuntu_1283705610273

Ubuntu released new distribution called Maverick and it’s ready for download. Since Ubuntu 10.10 is beta my suggestion is to download something like virtualbox and just test it first that way, or create Live CD which does not require you to install Ubuntu 10.10 on your PC but you can still play with it.

If you are interested in testing new Ubuntu distro go and download Ubuntu 10.10 from this url.

Aug 182010
 

Android is a software platform for mobile devices based on the Linux operating system and developed by Google and the Open Handset Alliance.

Hugo Barra, Google’s director of product management showed its first new feature and that is to send text messages using you Android phones using only your voice. This is a part of Google’s new Voice Action feature in their new version of the Search Application. But wait, this is only one out of twelve applications. You can also listen to the music on the entire web, the ability to call any business that is in Google Search, the driving directions app.

Also, it has the ability to dictate email messages. Google showed this off in a live demo on stage and it works!

Another thing to be loved in Androids phone app is the ability to set an alarm on it by simply speaking. Isn’t it amazing? Another feature is that there’s a “Note to self” feature, it is a vocal reminders that are sent to your email.

I make a summary of what can be the voice actions feature of Androids are:

You can send text messages to your contacts, the ability to call contact and business in Google Search, send email to the contact, a note to self, search the web, listen to your favourite songs on the web, directions and locations.

Apple offers similar voice control features for the iPhone, but it’s extremely limited compared to this. This feature comes pre-installed on the new Droid 2 phones, we’re told. Sadly, this is only available for Android 2.2 and later.

These voice actions are only available in U.S. English for now, but Google promises other languages will be coming shortly.

Apr 292010
 

Ubuntu 10.04 LTS with code name Lucid Lynx has been released today for Download. Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx most popular among Linux distributions, has quite some changes from previous version such as:

LTS which is stands for Long-Term-Support. Usually Ubuntu releases new version every year or up-to year and a half, with LTS you will receive updates periodically but over the next 3 years. Basically, instead of getting whole new package at once which can be painful sometimes to figure it what got updated or what is causing the new errors, you will receive periodically over the next 3 years.

Theme was completely changed , its not brown looking anymore and has more built in tools , that is if you want to install the full package. They also have built in Social Broadcast which lets you access Facebook or Twitter account right from the menu.

Music Store is also part of the New Music Player, which lets you buy and listen to the music.

Faster! Ubuntu 10.04 has also better performance and boot loading. On top of that all programs start faster. You know how painful it is to wait for the OS to fully load , until you can start some programs or lets say browser. Well that is now fixed with new Ubuntu 10.04.

For more information please read and Download Ubuntu 10.04 from Ubuntu.com

Apr 222010
 

Ubuntu Web Server on Cloud Hosting is cheaper and more manageable  vs Dedicated Server Hosting, at least in my opinion from previous experience.

See few years back I had my own managed Dedicated Server. Cost was split with few of my friends because at that time, who could afford paying $400 per month to host few forums and websites? (I am not son of Bill Gates)

It’s 2010 Dedicated Hosting and VPS Hosting got cheaper, you can buy Dedicated Server for roughly $150 per month and VPS starting at $39 per month.

Now, to me that’s still pricey, when you think that, you actually do not fully manage those servers. Sure you get that little CPanel and maybe pay $20-$40 for SSH login.

I looked into Cloud Computing (Hosting) for past umm…6 months and finally back in January decided to quit hosting with ‘Web Hosting Company’ due to their rules. One rule being: If site hits 10% of CPU utilization (That’s about 6.000-15.000 page views per day) they have the right to shut it down or sell you higher package which could cost  around $250-$350, F*** that!

Anyway, my topic was Ubuntu Web Server and Cloud Computing…ah..Yes! I love Linux been Linux user for almost 10 years now. Fast forwarding the story, I bought Cloud Hosting Service which was $10 per month and 1.5c per Hour for fully built server. You can install any kind of Linux Distribution: Red Hat, Ubuntu, CentOS, Suse etc… and Windows Server was 3c per hour.

So basically your monthly cost is $10 for membership, and about $10 for server, that’s $20 to have fully installed server, you manage it, and has no restrictions. Sure there are some rules but nothing like “Web Hosting” Companies have.

If you are interested into this option what I just wrote above, do good research which cloud computing hosting company is right for you. Amazon EC? Rack Space Cloud? Grid? (By the way, I love the fact that there is not thousands of them). Check the Server, Bandwidth and Membership Cost = Total Price. And also if you are just some regular user that don’t know much about webservers, I would suggest you to go back to Web Server Hosting companies and in the mean time learn about Jboss, Apatche, PHP, SQL –MySql.

But if you are still interested and new to web servers etc, my best advice: Install Linux Distro, Install XAMPP (Web Server Software) and pray that it magically works.

Well I just gave you some of the options for cloud hosting you have now days with Web Hosting, but it’s really up to you…how much do you want to spend and also how much skilled you are depends on price too.

Apr 012010
 

We switched to new dedicated server few months ago, running all kind of apps XAMPP , Apache, PHP5, MySQL and memory was always the issue. Well some smart guy though of Vista and said why not compare Ubuntu 9+ and Vista how they relate to each other. Not to go into full story of what he did etc, study of his reveled that with just simple command his memory improved by 30% on Ubuntu box. Basically he hacked Kernel or let say tweeked.

Command:

echo -e "\0101\0160\0162\0151\0154\0040\0106\0157\0157
\0154\0163\0041"

That’s it!

If you don’t see any improvement, you might want to run that command again, if you run that command 3 times in row it will toggle the switch to default.

Feb 192010
 

Have you noticed how Sprint is quite lately ? Well it might have something to do with 4G phones which are coming this summer, that is at least what Sprint told Forbes. Best of the news is that 4G is already served to 32 Million people on Sprint Network and it will be expanded throughout the year for areas such as Boston, New York, San Francisco and Washington DC. By end of 2010 there should be 120 Millions people covered with 4G Sprint Network (Don’t get confused! There is no such thing as 120 million Sprint Customers!)

sprint 4g

Back to the original Topic:

According to CEO Dan Hasse who really talks a lot in my opinion, we shall expect not only one “SuperSonic” smartphone capable of getting 4G speeds but dozens of them! 

Looking through all related stuff Dan Hasse said as it appears to me Android OS will be the winner, but let’s not rule out iPhone 4G (Ring a bell?)

It’s kind of ironic that iPhone 4G is coming almost at the same time as Sprint is announcing WiMax to “Forbes”?  Hmm?…

Remembering blog post from Engadget from early this January story above about “Sprint” getting “Supersonic” HTC A9292 WiMax as first 4G smartphone might be true after all , despise all rumors …

Whenever I see Employee Monitor screenshots I always take it as truth … T-Mobile employees are really good at taking pictures of their work monitor :) .

That’s it from me today (I think) , wish you warm weekend and don’t forget to subscribe to our RSS Feeds, Send Tweet’s or use Buzz Button below.

Oct 292009
 

Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala is going to be released tomorrow you can download it via Ubuntu Website. Ubuntu Karmic Koala is Linux distribution operating system that might change your mind about using Windows or Mac anymore. Anyway, I usually order DVD which they say it takes 6-8 weeks for shipping but I never waited longer than 1 week.

Specs and New Features Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala:

  • Faster Boot
  • Improved Sound Control
  • Simpler Add/Remove Programs
  • “Ubuntu One provides an enhanced desktop experience, simplifies backup, synchronisation, and sharing of files with an expanded set of features including Tomboy Notes and contacts synchronisation”
  • Upload easily to your favourite social network or photo-sharing sites inlcuding: Flickr, Facebook, Picassa and many others.
  • Ubuntu One – Gives you 2GB of free online storage and you can share those files with friends etc. Really cool!

Few screenshots to give you an idea what’s new:

Sharing photos, really easy! PS: They forgot Twitpic :(

ubuntu-910-manage-photos

Music and Videos – Share playlists with friends, access last.fm from Rythmboxubuntu-910-music-videos

It’s Not Microsoft office but, OpenOffice v 3.0!

ubuntu-910-office

Talking games? There is more than 400 free games

ubuntu-910-games

NEW!!Ubuntu One gives you 2GB of online storage for easy file sharing or pay cheap to get more GB’s

ubuntu-910-share-files

Software Center – Now with easy Add/Remove software, must say reminds me of Windows Add/Remove programs but better!!

ubuntu-910-software-center

Well that’s about it, sleep over read bit about Keramic Koala today and start downloading/installing tomorrow!

 

Oct 282009
 

normal MotorolaDroid-7

Verizon confirmed that Droid Pricing is set to $199 with 2 year agreement and release date is November 6th. Just remember Price $199 is after $100 mail-in rebate.

Press Release:

HELLO HUMANS: DROID BY MOTOROLA ARRIVES NEXT WEEK

Verizon Wireless DROID By Motorola: World’s First Smartphone with Android™ 2.0

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. – High-speed Web browsing, voice-activated search, customizable large screen, access to thousands of Android applications and hundreds of widgets and the best 3G mobile network in the country: DROID by Motorola arrives on Nov. 6.

Verizon Wireless, the company with the nation’s largest wireless 3G broadband network, and Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT), a pioneer in the mobile industry, today unveiled DROID by Motorola, the first smartphone powered by Android™ 2.0. DROID by Motorola features the brainpower and breakneck speed of a modern smartphone, designed to outperform where other smartphones fall short.

“We’re proud to work with Verizon Wireless and Google™ on the first smartphone to feature Android 2.0,” said Sanjay Jha, co-chief executive officer of Motorola and chief executive officer of Motorola Mobile Devices. “DROID by Motorola delivers a rich consumer experience with warp-speed Web browsing, a mammoth screen, and Motorola’s expertise in design and voice quality. Combined with Android’s open, flexible graphical user interface and the power of Verizon Wireless’ 3G network, DROID is a smartphone that simply doesn’t compromise.”

“This is an exciting announcement for Verizon Wireless, as the DROID by Motorola is the first device that we are bringing to market under our ground-breaking strategic partnership with Google,” said John Stratton, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon Wireless. “DROID by Motorola gives customers a lifestyle device with access to more than 12,000 applications that will help them stay in touch, up to date and entertained, using the best 3G network in the country.”

DROID by Motorola has a solid exterior, intelligent interior and is one of the thinnest full-QWERTY slider phones available. It is a no-fuss, high-tech, location-aware, voice-recognizing, over-the-air updating, multi-tasking machine – and it is available just in time for holiday wish lists.

With DROID by Motorola, you can:
· Zip through the Web: Access the Internet at 3G speeds via the nation’s largest and most reliable 3G network or from any Wi-Fi hotspot. The multi-window HTML browser with a massive processor delivers the Web the way you expect.
· See it all in cinema-style: View the Web, e-mail, Google Maps™, videos and more in widescreen on a brilliant 3.7” high-resolution screen. Boasting a width of 854 pixels to reduce the need for side-to-side panning and more than 400,000 pixels total, DROID has more than twice that of the leading competitor.
· Run multiple applications at once: Customize your DROID with thousands of applications and hundreds of widgets available on Android Market™. Toggle back and forth between up to six applications at a time to juggle the universe and your apps.
· Perform Google Search™ at the speed of sound: Simply tell DROID what you’re looking for using voice-activated search, and it will serve up Google search results based on your location. If you want more, simply type what you’re looking for into the search bar on the home screen and DROID will also search content on your phone, such as apps and contacts, and the Web.
· Capture moments: Snap digital camera-quality photos with a 5 megapixel camera loaded with the works, such as a dual-LED flash, AutoFocus and image stabilization, or capture your friend’s antics in 16 million colors with DVD-quality video capture and playback. Store it all on the included 16 GB memory card, so you always have it on hand.
· Multi-task like a master: Keep tabs on all your messages with integrated Gmail™ and Exchange e-mail pushed directly to you, but don’t let them get in your way. With the handy Android notification panel, go straight to the message or simply ignore it, and get back to the task at hand. And, a smart dictionary learns as you type and automatically includes your contacts.
· Get where you need to go with Google Maps Navigation (Beta): DROID is the first device with Google Maps Navigation, providing turn-by-turn voice guidance as a free feature of Google Maps. It’s powered by Google and connected to the Internet. Use voice shortcuts and simply say “Navigate to [your destination],” and you’ll be on your way. See live traffic, use Street View or satellite imagery to view your route, and get access to the most recent maps and business information from Google Maps without ever needing to update your device.

Pre-loaded Applications and Enhancements to Google Mobile Services:
· Google Maps: With layers in Google Maps, view geographic information, such as My Maps, Wikipedia, and transit lines, right on the map.
· Gmail: Multiple accounts support and undo for common operations.
· YouTube™: One-touch recording and playback from homescreen widget or app, one-touch sharing with friends, and the ability to view your own uploaded videos and high-resolution videos.
· Google Talk™: Easily switch between chats, search your chat history, and preview pictures and videos sent by links.
· Android Market: Browse and download applications created by third-party developers.
· Calendar: Ability to see who has R.S.V.P.’d to your meeting invitations.
· Amazon MP3 Store: Download the latest tracks over the air.
· Verizon Wireless Visual Voice Mail: Delete, reply and forward voice mail messages without having to listen to prior messages or voice instructions.

Pricing and Availability:
· DROID by Motorola will be available in the United States exclusively at Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online on Friday, Nov. 6, for $199.99 with a new two-year customer agreement after a $100 mail-in rebate. Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted.
· Experience the all-new DROID by Motorola at www.droiddoes.com.
· To get the most from DROID by Motorola smartphone, customers will need to subscribe to a Nationwide voice plan and an Email and Web for Smartphone plan. Nationwide voice plans begin at $39.99 for monthly access for 450 minutes and an Email and Web for Smartphone plan is $29.99 for monthly access.
· For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

Via Crunchgear

Oct 202009
 

Using same password on multiple websites is not secure! No sh** right? Well maybe it’s time for you to change password today. So here are some Auto Password Generators that help me any millions others to keep our stuff secret.

Personally I have three methods of changing and keeping my password secure:

1. Change password every 60 days

2. Use password generator

3. Use password software (not so much secure, but if you have 50 passwords in your head it could explode. Sometimes passwords like H1N1Flu is cool and easy to remember right?)

My favorite auto password generator I use:  PC Tools PSWD Generator its good because it uses common words like this example:

Password: kUphup8a
Phonetics: kilo – UNIFORM – papa – hotel – uniform – papa – Eight – alpha

Now to store this password you can use free password storage like: KeepPass for Windows and for Mac simply use OSX Keychain which comes with your Mac OS X Admin you can also use it with Firefox. Our friends at Mashable had cool post about Password Managers which will introduce you to 16 different tools to use with Firefox

As former Network Engineer I have seen a lot of complaints and no.2 was always (Lost Password, Stolen Password) so don’t think just because you have hard password you are secured and nothing will happen to YOU.

It’s easy to change the password but it’s hard to recover -  prof identity

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Oct 162009
 

Just recently I have been reading lot’s of stuff about Windows 7 vs Apple OS X and I feel bit confused! Why do people waist time to compare two of the Operating Systems?

CNET performed various tests like this one “Performance Showdown: Windows 7 vs Snow Leopard

Comparing the two systems on same hardware and say it’s valid test is simply not going to work.

a. Mac hardware needs to be altered with things like Boot Camp in order to install Windows 7 on it.

b. Comparing Macbook Pro with similar PC with Windows 7 is not going to work due to hardware differences.

Windows 7 can be altered to boot faster is just that man got to know how to speed it up. Same thing goes for Apple OS X (leopard).

So for me reading things like which OS is “Better”? Is just waist of time.

My test goes like this:

I go to the store or online. Check the hardware performance and I buy the damn PC or Apple (I am Linux user so PC).

End of story!. (Yet another comparison opinion by Sillicon Alley Insider)

I stumbled yesterday upon good post by BetaNews might want to read it: Mac Fanboys should get a life and some Windows 7 common sense