[HowtoForge] Newsletter 07/21/2011

HowtoForge Newsletter 07/21/2011
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*** Version 1.2 of the ISPConfig 3 Manual ***
=============================================

The next update of the ISPConfig 3 Manual is available in PDF format (version 1.2 for ISPConfig >= 3.0.3.3; Date: 05/04/2011).

Version 1.2 for ISPConfig >= 3.0.3.3 (Date: 05/04/2011)
Author: Falko Timme
308 pages

The manual can be downloaded from these two links:

http://www.ispconfig.org/ispconfig-3/ispconfig-3-manual/
http://www.howtoforge.com/download-the-ispconfig-3-manual

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ISPConfig Monitor App for Android Phones
========================================

With the ISPConfig Monitor App, you can check your server status and find out if all services are running as expected. You can check TCP and UDP ports and ping your servers. In addition to that you can use this app to request details from servers that have ISPConfig installed; these details include everything you know from the Monitor module in the ISPConfig Control Panel (e.g. services, mail and system logs, mail queue, CPU and memory info, disk usage, quota, OS details, RKHunter log, etc.).

Download/Usage
==============

For download and usage instructions, please visit http://www.ispconfig.org/ispconfig-3/ispconfig-monitor-app-for-android/ .

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*** HowtoForge Now Has Its own Facebook Page ***
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We at HowtoForge are proud to announce that our new Facebook page is now available under http://www.facebook.com/howtoforge. As most of you probably have a Facebook account, we want to use this additional channel to post updates and get feedback from you. Therefore we would like you to "Like" our page, share it with your friends, post comments, etc. :-)

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New HOWTOs:
===========

* How To Run Your Own DNS Servers (Primary And Secondary) With ISPConfig 3 (Debian Squeeze)
* How To Install And Configure Mailman (With Postfix) On Debian Squeeze
* Installing Apache2 With PHP5 And MySQL Support On CentOS 6.0 (LAMP)
* How To Do A CentOS 6.0 Network Installation (Over HTTP)
* How To Install OpenERP 6 On Ubuntu 10.04 LTS Server
* VBoxHeadless - Running Virtual Machines With VirtualBox 4.0 On A Headless CentOS 5.6 Server

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How To Run Your Own DNS Servers (Primary And Secondary) With ISPConfig 3 (Debian Squeeze)
=========================================================================================

This tutorial shows how you can run your own DNS servers (primary and secondary) with ISPConfig 3. To do this, you need two servers with two different public IP addresses and with ISPConfig 3 installed. I will use Debian Squeeze for both DNS servers here to demonstrate the base system setup process and ISPConfig 3 installation, but once you have ISPConfig 3 installed on your servers, the configuration inside ISPConfig 3 is identical, no matter what distribution you use.

You can find the document here:
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http://www.howtoforge.com/how-to-run-your-own-dns-servers-primary-and-secondary-with-ispconfig-3-debian-squeeze

How To Install And Configure Mailman (With Postfix) On Debian Squeeze
=====================================================================

Mailman is an open-source mailing list manager, i.e., it can be used to manage email discussions and newsletter lists. It is probably the most popular and widely used mailing list manager on the Internet. This tutorial explains how to install and configure Mailman on a Debian Squeeze server with a Postfix mail server.

You can find the document here:
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http://www.howtoforge.com/how-to-install-and-configure-mailman-with-postfix-on-debian-squeeze

Installing Apache2 With PHP5 And MySQL Support On CentOS 6.0 (LAMP)
===================================================================

LAMP is short for Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP. This tutorial shows how you can install an Apache2 webserver on a CentOS 6.0 server with PHP5 support (mod_php) and MySQL support.

You can find the document here:
-------------------------------
http://www.howtoforge.com/installing-apache2-with-php5-and-mysql-support-on-centos-6.0-lamp

How To Do A CentOS 6.0 Network Installation (Over HTTP)
=======================================================

This tutorial shows the process of installing CentOS 6.0 using the HTTP NetInstall method. This method is much faster for basic systems since you don't have to download ISO files or one huge DVD based ISO just to get started. If you are installing many systems you may want to look into the stand-alone DVD as it will save time in the end.

You can find the document here:
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http://www.howtoforge.com/how-to-do-a-centos-6.0-network-installation-over-http

How To Install OpenERP 6 On Ubuntu 10.04 LTS Server
===================================================

Recently at, we've been setting up several new instances of OpenERP for customers. Our server operating system of choice is Ubuntu 10.04 LTS. Installing OpenERP isn't really that hard, but having seen several other "How Tos" online describing various methods where none seemed to do the whole thing in what I consider to be "the right way", I thought I'd explain how we do it. There are a few forum posts that I've come across where the advice is just plain wrong too, so do be careful.

You can find the document here:
-------------------------------
http://www.howtoforge.com/how-to-install-openerp-6-on-ubuntu-10.04-lts-server

VBoxHeadless - Running Virtual Machines With VirtualBox 4.0 On A Headless CentOS 5.6 Server
===========================================================================================

This guide explains how you can run virtual machines with VirtualBox 4.0 on a headless CentOS 5.6 server. Normally you use the VirtualBox GUI to manage your virtual machines, but a server does not have a desktop environment. Fortunately, VirtualBox comes with a tool called VBoxHeadless that allows you to connect to the virtual machines over a remote desktop connection, so there's no need for the VirtualBox GUI.

You can find the document here:
-------------------------------
http://www.howtoforge.com/vboxheadless-running-virtual-machines-with-virtualbox-4.0-on-a-headless-centos-5.6-server

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You can now support HowtoForge by becoming a subscriber:

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*** New! We now accept RBS WorldPay payments in addition to PayPal. ***

For a monthly fee of 5 EUR or 25 EUR for half a year, you can become a HowtoForge supporter and help us cover our costs (servers, bandwidth, etc.) and support ISPConfig development. In return, you receive the following benefits:

1. Download the ISPConfig 3 Manual (from http://www.howtoforge.com/download-the-ispconfig-3-manual).
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More details can be found on http://www.howtoforge.com/subscription.

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5 Absolutely Useless Compiz Plugins Posted: 19 Jul 2011 05:36 AM PDT Compiz is no doubt the best compositing manager for Linux. It has been a part of Ubuntu for a long time and is actively maintained as well. Since the addition of the contentious Unity plugin, Compiz has become the most popular and reliable compositing manager easily surpassing GNOME 3's Mutter. Being a part of a big project like Ubuntu, developers are coming up with amazing new plugins like Modal dialogs. This, of course, doesn't mean that there aren't any useless plugins for Compiz. Here are 5 such plugins that find no practical applications whatsoever: 1. Desktop Cube The desktop cube was and is one of the most enviable features of Linux. Managing multiple desktops in a visually intuitive way has made the cube quite popular amongst Linux enthusiasts. Having said that, switching desktops using the cube plugin is, if not clumsy, distracting for many. Imagine you have a browser window in one desktop and LibreOffice Spreadsheet in the other. Now say, you have to quickly switch between the two, would you want a huge cube to take you from window to another? The cube, as fancy as it may look, is bereft of any practical application. Of course, many won't agree with me on that one, but some of the extra plugins that come with the Cube plugin are so ridiculous that you might eventually acquiesce. Here are two other useless Compiz plugins related to Desktop Cube: * Cube Gears The Cube Gears plugin that is an extra plugin that places the gears from glxgears – which is basically a standard animation showing just rotating gears – inside the cube. Now why would anybody want to do that, I don't know, but all I know is that whenever you make the cube transparent, u can see some gears in action. I seriously would love to understand the motive behind making this plugin, is it some sort of mechanical voyeurism or just a joke? * Cube Atlantis Cube Atlantis is a similar extra plugin, which shows the fishes from the Atlantis screensaver on the Cube's walls. Having a fish tank while switching from one Window to another might be a great way to distract you a little, but on a practical level, it doesn't make sense. 2. Negative plugin A negative image is what you see on a camera film, which is then developed in low-lit labs to give you the nice family photos that adorn your walls. Nobody in his or her right mind hangs, prints or even likes to look at negatives of a real image. So tell me folks, why would you want a plugin that turns your desktop into its negative image? 3. Water Effect Another one of those eye candy plugins for the Linux desktop. It looks fancy but has no practical use. The plugin basically allows you to create water ripple effects on the screen. You can set a combination using which, you can draw trails of ripples on your screen, just to entertain and relax yourself. Alternatively, you can enable the rain effect, which makes your desktop behave like the surface of a pond. The effect emulates the feeling of rain falling on your desktop screen. Do let me know if you find this useful in some way. 4. Wobbly Windows This has been one of the most used useless Compiz plugins. Enabled in Ubuntu (pre-natty) by default, wobbly windows is a plugin that does what it says – it makes the windows wobble. Whenever you grab a window by the title bar, and try to drag it around, the window will stretch and wobble in different ways depending on which region is grabbed. Despite, the sheer uselessness of this plugin, it has been used and loved by quite a lot of Linux users. Even some Windows users are envying this nifty little feature the reason for which, I don't quite understand. 5. Firepaint Firepaint is an eye candy plugin developed specially for arsonists and pyromaniacs. The plugin allows you to set fire to any part of your screen, with no practical utility whatsoever. I don't know if Firepaint works with Unity, but considering how buggy Unity is in Ubuntu 11.04 'Natty Narwhal', you might sometimes feel like setting fire to parts of your desktop. A great way to give vent to your anger, but not something you should be enabling on your kid's desktop. Written by: Abhishek, a regular TechSource contributor and a long-time FOSS advocate.

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Infamous Microsoft FUD Campaigns Against Linux Posted: 17 Jul 2011 09:42 PM PDT From the buggy-yet-popular Windows 95 to the god-knows-what-it-is and upcoming Windows 8, Microsoft has come a long way. Unlike the 90's, they aren't just making computers, today they manufacture almost anything your tech-savvy mind can dream of. But after all these years, what hasn't changed is the fact that Microsoft is still a company full of uptight nerds who think that attacking their competitors is what makes them no 1. Microsoft's long war against Linux, Android and all things related to Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) is something that can't be ignored anymore. Here is a look at the history of Microsoft's infamous FUD (Fear, uncertainty and doubt) campaigns against Linux and FOSS: Microsoft's first FUD Microsoft initially had no big competitors. Everything was peachy in the rapidly-growing Gatesland. From office desktops to giant servers, Windows was having a somewhat faddish influence on the computer-curios crowd. But soon, in the shadows of this giant monster's trail, a new rival was slowly taking shape. Linux, even though slowly, was getting the recognition it deserved, posing a direct threat to Microsoft's mega empire. Microsoft, as it does with every competitor it faces, was quick to deny Linux's existence. It was only when the tiny penguin started gaining prominence in the server market that Microsoft made its first attempt at thwarting Linux's growth. In 1999, Mindcraft, a company specializing in testing and benchmarking systems, published a thorough report stating that "Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 is 2.5 times faster than Linux as a file server and 3.7 times faster as a Web Server". One year prior, a similar whitepaper was published, attacking Novell Netware, claiming that "Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 is 25.5% faster than Novell Netware 5 as a File Server and has 2.7 times better price/performance". The reports were convincing enough for any consumer to opt for the 'better' product, which apparently was Microsoft NT Server. Although, the truth behind the report soon came out when it was revealed that Microsoft had paid Mindcraft to create the report. Well, to give Mindcraft some credit, the benchmarking was actually carried out on a Linux server. However, the Linux system used in the test was not setup in an optimal way. Mindcraft had used the best configuration for their NT models, yet they failed to setup a Linux system that was performing to its full capacity. Thus began, Microsoft's long and dirty campaign against Linux. Linux, the incurable cancer As Microsoft kept coming out with newer versions of its flagship Windows operating system, Linux, slowly but steadily, started growing bigger. At that time, when Windows NT and 2000 ruled the desktop world, Linux users were seen as hippies or communists by Microsoft's loyal minions. Steve Ballmer, even went as far as to say that "Linux is a cancer that attaches itself in an intellectual property sense to everything it touches". What the badmouth Ballmer didn't realize then was that this virtually-unknown operating system would be used in cancer research some day. Post-2000, Linux became a more palpable opponent to Microsoft's giant empire. Now, Linux was not only a server operating system but also a more usable desktop OS. Microsoft, as always, was never going to back down. They started using fear as a weapon in its fight against Free and Open Source Software. They claimed that Linux developers and users (yes you heard that right) violated almost 235 of its patents. Microsoft said that they only 'chose' not to sue Linux for this. Now, this claim by Microsoft may not come as a big surprise for any experienced Linux user, but for users who were planning on switching from Windows to Linux, this was a huge hurdle. Fears and doubts were instilled in the minds of many Tux-curious users and corporations, a fear that he or she might face a lawsuit for installing Linux on his or her computer. Flip-flop and PR This war took a strange, or rather shocking turn when Microsoft suddenly started supporting open source. They even began contributing code to Linux's kernel. What an altruistic move we must say. But this move was clearly a well-planned scheme by Microsoft's PR department to mend its broken image in the tech world. This is when Gatescorp started playing the game a little more carefully, by avoiding conspicuous maneuvers so that the company's brand image remained intact. Microsoft and Netbooks Well, that didn't by any means imply that Microsoft had given up its fight against the penguin. When Linux-based netbooks started taking the world by storm, Microsoft started its ugly game again by claiming that Linux had higher return rates than Windows. The fact was that many users actually chose Ubuntu over Windows XP when it came to netbooks. Well-engineered Linux-based netbooks offered almost everything Windows offered and more. Canonical even exposed Microsoft's netbook FUD in a post on their blog. Windows 7 is the best When Windows 7 came out, Microsoft started looking for new and innovative ways to continue its FUD campaign. By then, Linux was no longer a geek-only operating system. In fact, Ubuntu had become a popular name amongst developers and casual users alike. What Microsoft did here was not only evil but also something really stupid. In Microsoft's training material for Best Buy employees (called Microsoft ExpertZone), they included a module which taught how to convince customers that Linux was a bad choice when compared to Windows 7. The talking points mentioned in the course went from ludicrous to absolutely moronic at times. According to Microsoft, few of the issues with Linux were that one couldn't play World of WarCraft or download and install Windows Live Essentials. The most ridiculous part of the module was the claim it made that "Windows is safer than Linux". Of course, even an inexperienced Linux user would be quick to repudiate that 'claim', but no matter what the facts are, Microsoft keeps pushing its evil propaganda to consumers. Droid and the ghost of Microsoft Android is killing the iPhone. But in this battle of smartphones Microsoft is nowhere to be seen. Well, that's what many people believe. Here too, Microsoft is playing its evil game, however, this time, by staying behind the scenes. There has been a huge debate whether Android can be considered as Linux but for the sake of the argument let's consider it as a Linux-based OS. Now, Microsoft claims that Android OS, being a Linux-based one, is infringing many of their patents. They are demanding 15 USD in cash for every Android device Samsung makes. $15 looks like a small amount, but considering the huge number of sales the Google-made phones have achieved, it is enough to keep Microsoft happy for years. Samsung on the other hand is trying hard to negotiate a lower $10 fee in exchange for some kind of alliance with Microsoft. Appalling, absolutely appalling. The Chrome attack The latest threat to Microsoft's million-dollar empire is Google Chrome OS. Though Microsoft has never publicly acknowledged the browser-based Operating System as a threat to their company, but Google is a competitor they can't afford to be complacent with. I'm quite sure that if Chromebooks start performing well in the market, Microsoft will start some kind of FUD or patent war against Google. Any attack on Chrome OS will be more or less an attack on Linux as it is after all a Linux-based Operating System. The Future Linux is not the only threat to Microsoft's empire. Their old arch rival Apple has risen from the ashes to take them head on and it appears that Microsoft has run out of ways to tackle them. iPads and iPhones are selling like pancakes. Gatescorp, which once predicted that 'tablets are dead', are lamenting not being a part of this trend. Linux being open source and free was an easy target for Microsoft's FUD plot, but taking on Apple is not a child's play. Apple has a strong fan base and talking an Apple fanboy into buying something else is a huge task in itself. Microsoft, under no circumstances, is going to stop its war on Linux. In one-way or the other it is determined to crush the FOSS world to pieces. While this may scare the next-door Linux enthusiast, one must always remember this quote – "First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win" – Mahatma Gandhi

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iPad vs. Chromebooks vs. Windows-based Netbooks Posted: 15 Jul 2011 05:05 AM PDT Apple, with the launch of the universally coveted iPad, started a new trend in secondary computing devices. These gadgets, also known as post-PC devices, don't necessarily replace the desktop but they do a good job at complimenting it. Netbooks, both Windows-based and Linux-based ones were already major players in this market before being overtaken by iPad and Android tablet computers. Venturing late into this domain came Google's highly anticipated Chromebooks, making the secondary device market even more competitive. Today, let's compare three of the biggest players (excluding Android tablets) of this secondary computing device market --which are iPads, Windows-based netbooks and Chromebooks – and see how they stack up against each other: Features: The iPad comes with many features like video calling, full touch-screen interface, HD playback and more. These features are the USP of these little devices giving them an edge over standard desktops and laptops. This, however, doesn't mean that tablets outsmart the netbooks or even Chromebooks. Netbooks too have a lot of great features they can boast of. The presence of a physical keyboard is one big plus point. Furthermore, the ability to install any Operating System gives users a lot of choice. Let's take a look at a few features these three devices offer and compare them head-to-head: Based on the table above, we can see that netbooks, be it Windows-based or Linux-based easily outsmart the iPad when it comes to features. There are some areas where the iPad wins, but it still fails to meet the requirements of a regular desktop user. This is simply due to the locked-down approach Apple has been taking towards its product design. Usability: It cannot be argued that in terms of usability, having a physical keyboard is a huge advantage over a touch-screen UI. However, the iPad makes up for this deficiency thanks to its intuitive and easy-to-use UI. The icons and the applications are well laid-out as compared to the clunky interface Windows-based netbooks provide. Windows XP and Windows 7 are operating systems designed specially for the desktop and using them on the tiny netbook's screen makes many applications look out of place. On the iPad, applications are specially designed for the device. Hence, they look and behave as they should, giving a huge edge in terms of usability. Chromebooks on the other hand have the standard browser interface, which works great if you have a working connection, but as soon as you are offline, things kind of fall apart. Nevertheless, Chromebook's User interface is extremely simple especially for new users as it is devoid of any kind of unnecessary settings and options. It's hard to decide who's the winner in this domain, but I'll have to give this one to the iPad simply for a User Interface that fits like a glove. Applications: Apple's app store can boast of a huge number of quality applications, which users can download for a price or for free. Netbooks on the other hand don't have an app store, but are capable of running almost all of the 'essential' software applications that are out there. A Windows-based netbook or even a Linux-based one can help a user complete almost any task, that is, from creating a spreadsheet to finishing a quick drawing, without any compatibility issue whatsoever. Performance: iPad's battery life is around 10 hours, netbooks on the other hand have different battery lives ranging anywhere from 3 hours to 13 hours. Chromebooks give around 8 hour of battery life, which is quite good but not as good as what iPad offers. The winner here, however, are netbooks, as a high quality netbook can give mind-blowing performance especially when coupled with netbook-specific Operating System. Conclusion: To be honest, there is no real winner here. All the three devices satisfy the needs of different types of users. Even though it is a tie, netbooks slightly edge out both its competitors but their falling popularity may work against them in the future. So, we leave it for you to decide who wins this battle for the best secondary computing device. Written by: Abhishek, a regular TechSource contributor and a long-time FOSS advocate.

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[HowtoForge] Newsletter 07/14/2011

HowtoForge Newsletter 07/14/2011
================================

*** Version 1.2 of the ISPConfig 3 Manual ***
=============================================

The next update of the ISPConfig 3 Manual is available in PDF format (version 1.2 for ISPConfig >= 3.0.3.3; Date: 05/04/2011).

Version 1.2 for ISPConfig >= 3.0.3.3 (Date: 05/04/2011)
Author: Falko Timme
308 pages

The manual can be downloaded from these two links:

http://www.ispconfig.org/ispconfig-3/ispconfig-3-manual/
http://www.howtoforge.com/download-the-ispconfig-3-manual

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ISPConfig Monitor App for Android Phones
========================================

With the ISPConfig Monitor App, you can check your server status and find out if all services are running as expected. You can check TCP and UDP ports and ping your servers. In addition to that you can use this app to request details from servers that have ISPConfig installed; these details include everything you know from the Monitor module in the ISPConfig Control Panel (e.g. services, mail and system logs, mail queue, CPU and memory info, disk usage, quota, OS details, RKHunter log, etc.).

Download/Usage
==============

For download and usage instructions, please visit http://www.ispconfig.org/ispconfig-3/ispconfig-monitor-app-for-android/ .

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*** HowtoForge Now Has Its own Facebook Page ***
================================================

We at HowtoForge are proud to announce that our new Facebook page is now available under http://www.facebook.com/howtoforge. As most of you probably have a Facebook account, we want to use this additional channel to post updates and get feedback from you. Therefore we would like you to "Like" our page, share it with your friends, post comments, etc. :-)

http://www.facebook.com/howtoforge
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New HOWTOs:
===========

* How To Make An Ubuntu 11.04 Classic Desktop Resemble A Mac (With Elementary, Docky & Gloobus-Preview)
* Securing OpenVPN With A One Time Password (OTP) On Ubuntu
* Enabling Compiz Fusion On An OpenSUSE GNOME 11.4 Desktop (NVIDIA GeForce 8100)
* Using Version Control For Your /etc Directory With etckeeper And Bazaar On Debian Squeeze
* CentOS 5.6 Samba Standalone Server With tdbsam Backend
* Installing Lighttpd With PHP5 And MySQL Support On CentOS 5.6

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How To Make An Ubuntu 11.04 Classic Desktop Resemble A Mac (With Elementary, Docky & Gloobus-Preview)
=====================================================================================================

This article shows how you can change the appearance of your Ubuntu 11.04 desktop (with the Ubuntu Classic interface, i.e., GNOME instead of Unity) so that it resembles a Mac. This can be achieved with the help of Elementary, Docky, and Gloobus-Preview. Elementary is a project that provides a popular icon set and GTK theme; Docky is an interactive dock (like the one you know from a Mac) that provides easy access to some of the files, folders, and applications on your computer, and more; and Gloobus-Preview is an extension for the Gnome Desktop Environment designed to enable a full screen preview of any kind of file or directory.

You can find the document here:
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http://www.howtoforge.com/how-to-make-an-ubuntu-11.04-classic-desktop-resemble-a-mac-with-elementary-docky-and-gloobus-preview

Securing OpenVPN With A One Time Password (OTP) On Ubuntu
=========================================================

So, you got yourself a nice OpenVPN box. People need to login with their certificates but... if their laptop is stolen anyone could login. Sure, you could add password login but that's a bit outdated. The solution for this is using an OTP (one time password).

You can find the document here:
-------------------------------
http://www.howtoforge.com/securing-openvpn-with-a-one-time-password-otp-on-ubuntu

Enabling Compiz Fusion On An OpenSUSE GNOME 11.4 Desktop (NVIDIA GeForce 8100)
==============================================================================

This tutorial shows how you can enable Compiz Fusion on an OpenSUSE 11.4 GNOME desktop (the system must have a 3D-capable graphics card - I'm using an NVIDIA GeForce 8100 here).. With Compiz Fusion you can use beautiful 3D effects like wobbly windows or a desktop cube on your desktop.

You can find the document here:
-------------------------------
http://www.howtoforge.com/enabling-compiz-fusion-on-an-opensuse-gnome-11.4-desktop-nvidia-geforce-8100

Using Version Control For Your /etc Directory With etckeeper And Bazaar On Debian Squeeze
=========================================================================================

This tutorial explains how you can store the contents of your /etc directory in a version control system (VCS) with the help of etckeeper on Debian Squeeze. etckeeper hooks into Debian's package manager apt so that whenever you install/remove a package with apt, etckeeper will commit all changes to the /etc directory to your VCS; it also tracks file metadata such as permissions which is important for files such as /etc/shadow. Using etckeeper, you can go back to a previous version of /etc if an update has overwritten valuable configuration files. Not only will etckeeper track apt's changes to /etc, it will also do a daily auto-commit so that your manual changes go to VCS as well; in addition to that, you can do commits at any time manually.

You can find the document here:
-------------------------------
http://www.howtoforge.com/using-version-control-for-your-etc-directory-with-etckeeper-and-bazaar-on-debian-squeeze

CentOS 5.6 Samba Standalone Server With tdbsam Backend
======================================================

This tutorial explains the installation of a Samba fileserver on CentOS 5.6 and how to configure it to share files over the SMB protocol as well as how to add users. Samba is configured as a standalone server, not as a domain controller. In the resulting setup, every user has his own home directory accessible via the SMB protocol and all users have a shared directory with read-/write access.

You can find the document here:
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http://www.howtoforge.com/centos-5.6-samba-standalone-server-with-tdbsam-backend

Installing Lighttpd With PHP5 And MySQL Support On CentOS 5.6
=============================================================

Lighttpd is a secure, fast, standards-compliant web server designed for speed-critical environments. This tutorial shows how you can install Lighttpd on a CentOS 5.6 server with PHP5 support (through FastCGI) and MySQL support.

You can find the document here:
-------------------------------
http://www.howtoforge.com/installing-lighttpd-with-php5-and-mysql-support-on-centos-5.6

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You can now support HowtoForge by becoming a subscriber:

HowtoForge Subscription
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*** New! We now accept RBS WorldPay payments in addition to PayPal. ***

For a monthly fee of 5 EUR or 25 EUR for half a year, you can become a HowtoForge supporter and help us cover our costs (servers, bandwidth, etc.) and support ISPConfig development. In return, you receive the following benefits:

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2. Access the whole HowtoForge web site without any ads.
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Top 5 Alternatives to Ubuntu Linux Posted: 13 Jul 2011 07:52 AM PDT Top 5 Alternatives to Ubuntu Linux: After the Unity debacle, if you're thinking about switching to Windows 7 or Mac OS X, there is no reason to lose hope that soon. The cute little penguin offers many good choices even for the new user. Although Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" provides GNOME 2.x as a fallback option, moving away from it isn't as scary as you think. Here are the top Linux distributions you can switch to, if you are planning to ditch Ubuntu: 1. Linux Mint We've already compared Linux Mint 11 and Ubuntu 11.04 on various grounds such as User Interface, Software Applications, Performance, Ease of Use etc. It comes as no surprise that it was a very close fight. However, Mint came out as a winner at the end. Linux Mint 11 "Katya", by sticking to the familiar GNOME 2.x interface, keeps things simple and sweet. The simplicity by no means bogs down Mint's performance or features. In fact, the simplicity compliments Mint's fresh look as well as the powerful set of default applications it comes with. If you absolutely hate Unity, this is the time to switch as Mint offers an easy-to-use familiar interface with features that make any "Ubuntuer" envious. 2. Kubuntu There is still a huge myth among Linux users that KDE 4 is unstable and hard-to-use. Well, that may be the belief of people who haven't used KDE before, but for the ones who have already used it, there's nothing like it. KDE4 is a stable desktop environment made purely for the masses with the average user in mind. What's more, it comes with all the fancy effects that will make a Windows or Mac user jealous. In fact, ZDNet Australia even did a survey demonstrating a KDE 4 PC and telling the users that it is the next version of Windows. Guess what, almost everyone loved it. The survey simply proves the point that KDE4 is a modern interface that is ready for the masses. Bringing KDE to the Ubuntu fanatics comes Kubuntu, the KDE version of the world's most popular Linux distribution. Kubuntu comes with a great set of applications like Amarok, Kopete and Gwenview. For the "newly switched" users, there are familiar applications like Libreoffice and Firefox. Kubuntu Natty includes the latest stable version of KDE 4 without much customization. 3. Google Chrome OS Ok, not exactly a Linux distribution, but a cool OS nonetheless. Chrome OS, which is the core of the new Chromebooks, is a Gentoo-based, browser-like operating system. It comes pre-installed on Chromebooks, which are already on sale in select countries. The operating system is not very different from Google's popular browser, Chrome, but it includes various desktop-like features like a video player, music player, image browser and more. Chrome OS is the proprietary version of the open-source Chromium OS which you can freely try out. Chromebooks, released on June 15th, have been received with mixed reviews with some sites deeming them a complete failure while others calling them a great product. Engadget, in its review of the Samsung-based Chromebook, gave it a 8/10 rating. Having said that, a Chromebook is not the only way to get a taste of the "browserish" OS. Laptops and netbooks based on the open-source Chromium OS are also coming out. Even though the Kogan Agora laptop, which we reviewed recently was a disappointment, you can still wait for more Chromium-based laptops to be released. 4. Fedora If you are a GNOME fan, you might have been slightly miffed at the placement of GNOME 3 below Chrome OS. But, considering the mixed reviews the interface is getting, the 4th position is probably justified. Anyways, let's take a quick look at what GNOME 3 offers: GNOME 3 provides a consistent, self-teaching user interface based around the user's day-to-day tasks. GNOME 2.x users will discover a completely new user interface with loads of unique features. GNOME 3.0 a.k.a GNOME Shell includes features like Activities overview, a new dash for applications, an Expose-style window picker and a messaging tray along with many others. Fedora is a hugely-popular distribution that brings GNOME 3 to the masses. Make sure you take a look at the review we did earlier comparing Fedora 15 and Ubuntu 11.04. If you aren't a big fan of Fedora, you can try GNOME 3 on openSUSE too. 5. Joli OS Joli OS is an Ubuntu-based operating system developed by the company JoliCloud. It has a UI that is built to suit older computers or netbooks but it looks and runs perfectly fine on newer desktops too. Despite being a cloud-centric Linux distro, Jolicloud includes almost all the features a modern operating system should have including a dedicated file manager. Jolicloud is social from the start, which means you can share your favorite apps with your friends and family. Using Jolicloud requires you to create an account that saves all your data on the cloud. The App store includes a collection of popular web apps that are updated each week. Users will be glad to find their favorite applications like LibreOffice Writer, Spotify, Skype, Vlc and Dropbox. The sheer collection of applications itself gives it an edge over Chrome OS. Apart from running smoothly on a normal desktop computer, Jolicloud works across a variety of platforms including Firefox, Chrome, Safari and even iOS (experimental for now). The company also plans on introducing support for Android devices. As far as installing JoliOS on desktop goes, you can easily dual boot / triple boot it along with your other operating systems / distributions. If you live in the UK, you can also buy Jolibooks, which like Chromebooks, are special lightweight laptops. The cloud-centric notebook comes with a great sturdy design and boasts of a battery that lasts more than 7 hours. If you are a little skeptical about installing Jolicloud on your computer, you can easily install it inside your Chrome browser and try it out. Of course, the app selection will be limited to web apps only, but it will give you a good idea about the general look and feel of the OS. Other non-mainstream options: The aforementioned options are for users who are looking for something other than Ubuntu and yet want to keep things mainstream. However, if you are a little more adventurous you can always try out other non-mainstream distros. Crunchbang Linux: For minimalism enthusiasts, there is Crunchbang Linux which is a Debian-based distribution featuring the lightweight Openbox Window manager and Xfce desktop environment. Users can get all the features of a fully functional yet minimal Linux desktop without sacrificing speed and performance. If you own an old yet working computer, it won't be bad idea to install Crunchbang on it. Mageia: Mageia is a community-driven fork of the popular French distribution Mandriva. It is quite a new project with its first stable release being on June 1st 2011. The distribution brings the best of GNOME and KDE to the users by integrating the essential features of the popular desktop environments. The term mageia means 'magic' in Greek and it remains to be seen whether Magiea will manage to enchant its users or not. Zorin OS: Zorin is an Ubuntu-based Linux distribution that is designed for newcomers. It features a Windows-like user interface to provide a seamless transition to Linux. It comes with an impressive set of default applications, which includes popular apps like Firefox, Rhythmbox and Totem. To make things further easier for Windows switchers, it comes pre-loaded with applications like Wine and PlayonLinux. There are two versions of this software, one is free and other is premium. The premium model comes in four versions -- Ultimate, Business, Multimedia and Gaming and is priced from 7 to 15 EUR that includes the shipped physical disk. Bodhi Linux: Bodhi Linux is one of the most talked-about Linux distributions these days. It has been heavily praised for its simplicity and ease of use. Bodhi Linux uses the Enlightenment window manager and is based on Ubuntu. It consumes very less resources and can run on a computer with a meager 128 MB of RAM. When pitted against the feature-laden Ubuntu, an independent test showed that GIMP started in 4.7 seconds on Bodhi when compared with the 11 seconds it took to load on Ubuntu. -A great distro to try if you're looking for something minimal yet functional.

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6 GTD Applications for Linux to Improve Productivity Posted: 11 Jul 2011 07:12 AM PDT Getting things done (GTD), an organization method created by productivity guru David Allen, has gained a lot of reputation amongst many folks who are enthusiastic about managing their time. The essence of this method is to take the task-taking process out of the mind and onto an external medium like a paper or a text file. Since its detailed mention in Allen's bestselling book by the same name, Getting Things Done has been incorporated into many organization web apps and software. Here are some applications that let you get the best of GTD on your very own Linux system: Chandler Seriously, no FRIENDS references here -- Chandler is a Python-based, cross-platform calendaring application released under the Apache license. Although Chandler isn't a full-blown GTD application, it is based on the same principles that are mentioned in David Allen's book. Chandler is basically a PIM application that lets you add notes, todos, meetings and reminders. The interface is designed in such a way that you can triage anything you enter based on 3 statuses - Now, Later and Done. You can then set a status to any entry based on your workload. The best thing about Chandler is that it syncs easily with Google Calendar, iCal, Mozilla Sunbird/Lightning and Evolution. If you aren't a stickler for everything GTD and want something based on the similar principles then Chandler is something you should try. I won't go into much detail about its features, as there is a nice 3-minute video tour that guides you through everything Chandler has to offer. To download Chandler, go HERE. mGSD Tiddlywiki is a single-page wiki application that can be used for various purposes like jotting down notes, collaborating and even writing books. Tiddlywiki can be run locally as well as from a server. There are also web-based versions (Tiddlyspot) of the wiki that provide the same amount of features. However for the web based ones, you'll have to register, which is free. Based on Tiddlywiki is a powerful GTD system called mGSD. The application can be used offline as well as online (on Tiddlyspot). When you use mGSD offline, you create a file that can be accessed by opening in your favorite browser. We highly recommend that you keep that file backed up. To do that, you can use any of the backup tools we've mentioned in this article. To download mGSD go HERE: Thunderbird and Lightning The good old Thunderbird coupled with Lightning extension can be used as nifty PIM software. What's more, you can get all the GTD goodness on Mozilla's premier messaging application by following this simple tutorial. Evolution Evolution, the default mail client for Ubuntu and many other distros can also be used as a GTD client. 43 Folders site has written a nice tutorial on how to get the best of GTD on Evolution. Thinking Rock ThinkingRock is a cross-platform software program designed as a supplement to David Allen's book. It has been written in Java and therefore can be used across all major operating systems including Linux. It provides an interface to input 'stuff' or thoughts, and process them into actions, projects, reference items, someday/maybe items or goals. The site provides excellent documentation and demos on how to use the software. ThinkingRock is not free if you want to try the latest version. In other words, any version prior to version 3 is free. Version 3 and further costs $40 for a license, which includes support and software updates for one full year. After that, you'll have to renew the license by paying $10 per year. To download/buy ThinkingRock, go to their official website HERE. Emacs Org Mode Emacs is well-known for being difficult for new users to get used to. That said, Org, an Emacs mode is a system so simple that even non-programmers might be able to use it everyday without getting RSI. Org mode can be used for making notes, Todo lists, project planning and even writing and authoring books. The system is so easy and powerful to use that it can easily be tweaked to turn it into a full-fledged GTD application. To do that, you may refer to this tutorial that explains everything in detail. Also, as surprising as it may sound to you, Org mode even has an iPhone app that can sync -- via Dropbox and other methods -- with the Org setup on your desktop. If you want to learn/master Org mode first, then I highly recommend you read Sasha Chua's articles on the same topic. They are easy to follow and implement. And of course, don't forget to visit Org's official tutorials. The explanations there are clear and easy to understand, even for new users. The link to the tutorial can be found HERE. Written by: Abhishek, a regular TechSource contributor and a long-time FOSS advocate.

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