In Depth: How to get a career in open source

<P align=center><img src="http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/415/lxf143dreamladder200200.jpg"></P><br /><P>Many people are absolutely enthralled by Linux and open source, and what could be better than taking your hobby and making it your career? Is it really possible that you could be paid to do something that you love? </P><br /><P>In this article, I'm going to share some tips and advice on how to get your dream open source job. I'm going to discuss the kinds of opportunities that are available, how you can set yourself apart from the pack and ways of making your CV stand out. </P><br /><P>I'm also going to throw in some personal experiences and anecdotes that may help you move towards being gainfully employed in the open source industry. </P><br /><P>The good news is that the open source world is brimming with opportunities for many different kinds of roles. While you might worry that companies are only looking for programmers who can code C with one hand tied behind their back, this isn't actually the case. </P><br /><P>Programmers, artists, designers, documentation writers, testers, business development and sales, plus many more, are all options available to you. The challenge isn't finding the right job; it's putting yourself in a position in which you have everything the employer could possibly want in a candidate. </P><br /><P>Part of the reason that I was keen to write this article is that I'm lucky enough to have my dream open source job: I work as Ubuntu's community manager. Not only this, but I've also had two other dream jobs too, as both a full-time journalist and professional open source consultant. It really is possible to get the gig you want - it's all down to hard work and effort. </P><br /><P><STRONG>Finding the jobs </STRONG></P><br /><P>The first thing you should do is get a firm idea of what kinds of roles are available and what they involve, as well as whether they interest you and match your skills. While I'd always encourage you to expand your horizons, when you go for a job the employer wants to know that you have a strong foundation in the role they're looking to fill.</P><br /><P>If you're expecting to be able to find a job and learn what's needed to do it as you go along, you're going to struggle unless you soak up knowledge and skills like a sponge. To prevent this, always look for jobs that play to your primary skills. </P><br /><P>To find out what jobs are available, you should first take a look at the websites of organisations that you'd love to work for. Would you want to work for a Linux distributor, for instance? If so, check the careers pages of Canonical, Red Hat, Novell, Mandriva and others. Note down the jobs that interest you and read their requirements carefully. </P><br /><P>Here's my first tip: really, really read the job requirements. There's nothing more infuriating than reading an application from a candidate who clearly didn't read the job description. Also, listen to those requirements and honestly assess whether you fit them - if the employer's looking for five years of Python programming experience and you only have a year's worth, don't apply anyway thinking you can change the company's mind. You want to avoid getting a black mark against your name for future job opportunities. </P><br /><P>Employment websites are another place to look for jobs. Bear in mind, though, that many hiring managers only ever post roles to employment websites if posting them publicly on the company website and spreading the word themselves yields few decent candidates. In such situations, you might find that the hiring manager is a little more anxious to get the role filled, but will arguably have a lot more candidates. </P><br /><P>This is why I always recommend you keep a keen eye on company websites for new positions as they open up. </P><br /><P><STRONG>Experience </STRONG></P><br /><P>Many of us face the same question at one point or another in our careers: all jobs seem to require lots of experience, but if you can't get a job because you don't have enough experience, how do you get the experience in the first place?</P><br /><P>Fortunately, this is the area in which you have quite possibly the biggest opportunity open to you. The very nature of the open source community is that it's one in which anyone is welcome to participate. If you're new, there's always someone who's keen to help you learn the ropes. If you don't have the necessary experience for the jobs you want, now is the time to get some - and the open source community is a wonderful place to do this. </P><br /><P>Let's look at an example - imagine you want to be a programmer. There are thousands of projects out there that are crying out for help. Get involved, and get some code included. When you have more experience with the project, work on a new feature and get it included. All of this experience of writing code that hits the mark is great for your CV. </P><br /><P>This reminds me of a story I heard some years back of a smart young kid who was desperately trying to get his break and find a job. He had no commercial programming experience, left school when he was 16 and had a pretty thin CV. Unfortunately, the guy that interviewed him was an arrogant, disrespectful idiot who immediately started dragging this kid over the coals and accusing him of wasting his time. </P><br /><P>When the interviewer rather pointedly asked what experience he had and why he should get the job, the kid pointed to the Firefox window running on the interviewer's computer and proceeded to tell him which features he had contributed to. </P><br /><P>He got the job for two reasons. Firstly, he'd demonstrated his capabilities by using open source and community development as a place to both improve these skills and to help a project. He had real code included in a product used by millions of people, and he had worked with people and processes in order to achieve this. </P><br /><P>That was only half of what impressed the interviewer, though: the other reason is that he'd shown the foresight to get out there and get experience for himself. This kid wasn't just seen as a talented programmer, but also as having the golden ticket that all hiring managers are looking for: a combination of personal and professional motivation. </P><br /><P>This is one of the most wonderful opportunities offered by free and open source software. We have a global network of projects that not only provides a stunning place to learn new technologies and collaborate with leaders in those fields, but also provides a means of demonstrating your personal sense of motivation. You have the chance to further your life, while all the time helping to make free and open source software better for other users. </P><br /><P>As such, the strongest piece of advice I can provide in this entire article is for you to get out there and contribute to some open source projects. Get stuck into projects, participate in public discussions (these show how good you are at working with other people), handle conflict and disagreements professionally and politely, and build up a growing list of projects that you can cite as using your contributions. </P><br /><P>Being able to walk into an interview and tell someone that millions of people are using your code already gets you into the category of applicants to be taken seriously. </P><br /><P>This piece of advice does have one caveat, though: if you're going to participate, make sure that your contributions are significant and sustained. Providing 100 examples of projects you've worked on where each only represents a few minor contributions before you got bored and moved on doesn't send the desired message. You want to prove that you have an eye for detail and a commitment to solving real problems in a long-term way, and being a drive-by contributor doesn't show that. </P><br /><P>If I were interviewing someone, I'd much rather see two or three examples of solid sets of contributions, in which they'd delivered significant value and had the respect of their peers in the community. This sends out a much stronger and more positive message. </P><br /><P>There's one final positive to note about carrying out significant, sustained work for a project - it will build your reputation. So many people get their dream jobs because they have a positive reputation for great work in a community. </P><br /><P>Many people I know started out by hanging around on IRC channels and mailing lists, contributing to open source projects. They were then often offered jobs as a result of their community credentials and achievements. </P><br /><P><STRONG>Show professionalism</STRONG></P><br /><P>In this modern world of social media, where a constant flurry of information surrounds us, the traditional approach of separating our professional and personal lives has been thrown out of the window. Back in the old days, you were in professional mode when you put the suit on, and when the suit came off, it was time for five rounds of <EM>Sonic The Hedgehog</EM> and a box of wine. There was a clear distinction between work and play. </P><br /><P>Today, things are different. Most of us use Facebook, Twitter, Identica, Linked In and other sites, and many of these can easily intermingle the two. Facebook is a great example of how it can get complicated. </P><br /><P>I know many people who have started on Facebook with a policy of adding only friends and family. If only it were that simple. What about colleagues that you're friends with? If a colleague adds you as a friend on Facebook, it's going to feel awkward when you deny the request and tell them that you don't accept colleagues.</P><br /><P>As such, what typically happens is that a fairly locked-down profile page ultimately gets filled with work colleagues, blurring the dividing line between the two. I've always been of the view that you should be who you are, both at work and at home. </P><br /><P>I've always been happy to share my personal life professionally, and vice versa. I still have much to learn in the world, but I'm happy for my professional peers and the community at large to know that I listen to metal, that I love my wife and that I enjoy playing gigs with my band. Those characteristics are not things that I can switch off - they're defining ingredients in what makes me who I am.</P><br /><P>The trick isn't segregating the people in your life into different groups, it's being sensible and conscious of how you communicate to the group as a whole and in different places. </P><br /><P>This is even more important in the open source world. The open source community is exactly that - a community. It's a set of professional relationships, but also a set of relationships that were forged and furthered in bars, at social events and in other casual environments. Our social nature is what makes our community so much fun to be a part of - don't hide that too much under a professional veneer. </P><br /><P><STRONG>Your CV: a foot in the door</STRONG></P><br /><P>Ever since I became a manager and started hiring people, I've felt privileged to know what it's like to be on the other side of the interview desk. I almost wish that everyone had the opportunity to know what it's like to hire people, because it helps you to understand and fix deficiencies in your own approach when applying for a job. </P><br /><P>Not everyone has an opportunity to learn these things, so I'll share some of the most important things to focus on when hunting out your dream job. </P><br /><P>The first area of focus absolutely has to be your CV. With the open source industry being so popular and so many people wanting their dream job, positions often get many people applying for them. Each and every position I've ever hired for has had a queue of people who want to get the job (Canonical is a place that a lot of people want to work at) - and the CV is their first point of contact with me, and what I use to decide whether I want to interview them or not. </P><br /><P>CVs come in many different forms. Some are a single piece of paper, some are a short novel. Some are boring and flat, and some are vibrant and colourful. The trick lies in getting the balance right. A flashy, colourful CV with little or no content is not impressive. Neither is a boring CV with reams and reams of content. Some CVs are littered with spelling mistakes and other rookie errors. </P><br /><P>My recommendation is to stick to the following guidelines: Keep it short and sharp. Cover all of the key bits of information that you want the employer to know, but don't overload someone with too much detail. Present your best attributes and do so honestly and clearly, without jargon. Ensure the important points stand out. </P><br /><P>While I read every CV I receive in full, I know many managers who don't, and who merely skim-read them. To counteract this, make sure the key pieces of information - such as your skills, educational achievements and employment history - are highlighted in a bold font to make them stand out. </P><br /><P>Cover the major bases. A CV is a document with the purpose of presenting you and the skills that you can offer to a prospective employer. Make sure that you give them all the information they need. There is plenty of reference material online on how to build an awesome CV.</P><br /><P>Remove all traces of ego. I've read some CVs in the past that have been filled with self-congratulatory fluff. This doesn't send a positive message. Sure, your CV is there to sell you, but let your skills and experience speak for themselves - rather turning it into a long, corny advert. </P><br /><P>Don't lie. This seems obvious, but it bears repeating: don't lie. While you may get away with it on your CV, the interview will usually uncover any untruths. Getting caught telling fibs puts your future opportunities at risk. </P><br /><P>Once you've got a rocking CV, it's on to the interview! The advice for this stage of the hiring process is simple: be modest, honest, and answer the questions as best as you can. Also, when the interviewer asks if you have any questions for them, use it as an opportunity to learn more about the role. Always have at least two or three questions ready in your mind. </P><br /><P>Getting your dream job is a large topic, and there isn't room to cover it all here, but I hope that some of these tips will help you progress along the road. Good luck!</P>

In Depth: How to get a career in open source

Many people are absolutely enthralled by Linux and open source, and what could be better than taking your hobby and making it your career? I...

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In Depth: Google: 'We want to strip out operating system frustration'

<P align=center><img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//classifications/computing/software/operating-systems/images/Chrome_OS/chromestore-200-200.jpg"></P><br /><P>We popped along to Google's London HQ this week to talk Chrome OS, Google's new low-resource Linux-based operating system for netbooks and notebooks. </P><br /><P>Chrome OS product marketing manager, Eli Lassman, took us through the features of the CR-48 prototype portable which TechRadar saw last week and gave us some background on the imminent launch of notebooks featuring Chrome OS. </P><br /><P><br /><P>It's fair to say that the version of Chrome OS <a href="">we've seen on the CR-48</A> is not finished. The browser itself is slow, but the real problem is the apps – Chrome OS needs Google to make several of its apps support offline use in HTML5 and replace the functionality lost with the end of Google Gears – especially Google Docs. </P><br /><P>We had expected Google Docs to have launched its new offline capability by now, and Lassman confirmed the web giant is still working on this. </P><br /><P>As Chrome OS is ostensibly just a browser interface, Lassman was asked if the OS was too limited in terms of its interaction with the hardware. "The whole focus is on the cloud and the experience [is] better there," he explained. "There will be storage and you can download files onto the solid state drive itself, but the real focus is the cloud, that's where it really comes alive."</P><br /><P>The OS will also have its own media player – which doesn't currently work – as well as full USB storage support. </P><br /><P>Chrome OS apps will be available via the Chrome Web Store which is also used in the Google Chrome browser. So far there are 3,700 available.</P><br /><P><STRONG>Chrome OS UK release date</STRONG></P><br /><P>As for a Google Chrome OS release date, the first notebooks are due to hit during the summer months, though exactly when remains unclear. </P><br /><P>Precise Chrome OS launch dates would appear to be up to the launch partners. Initial units will come from Acer and Samsung, with 3G and Wi-Fi variants from each. As for pricing, ballpark figures point at between $250 and $600.</P><br /><P>If that means £199 Chrome OS machines, Google will be onto a winner, if it ends up being £299, that's dangerously into Windows netbook (and cheap notebook) territory. </P><br /><P>The CR-48 Chrome OS notebook we've had in the TechRadar office isn't a shipping unit, nor is it GSM-enabled – it's actually the same Verizon CDMA unit that has been previewed in the US since December. The unit will be supplied unlocked. </P><br /><P align=center><img alt="Google chrome os" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/notebooks-and-tablet-pcs/images/chrome-cr48/cr-4823-420-100.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>In terms of actual retail outlets, we believe Google will aim high and the clout of Samsung and Acer should ensure we'll see Chrome OS laptops in standard retail outlets such as Currys and PC World. </P><br /><P>Chrome OS's real boon is speed. As Lassman explains. "From the time you enter your username and password from the time you get into Chrome OS you can be in your email in 10 to 15 seconds.</P><br /><P>"We've really focused on making sure everything is taken out of the way so you can get online as quickly as possible. That shows you who the target audience is, people who are already living in the cloud. We want to strip out what frustrates people about operating systems.</P><br /><P>"You can take your friend's computer and if you have a Google Account you can login, but you don't need to have a Google Account. </P><br /><P>"It takes seven seconds from switching on to get to the browser," continues Lassman. "The original goal was two or three seconds… they're working towards it, they've halved it in a relatively short space of time and it will only get better.</P><br /><P align=center><img alt="Google chrome os" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/computing/mobile-computing/notebooks-and-tablet-pcs/images/chrome-cr48/cr-481-420-100.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>As with Android, Google aims to ensure a consistent experience across all Chrome OS netbooks with a hardware spec for manufacturers. "There is a guideline that we have for the OEMs. It's a reference for what we want to have, including the keyboard [layout], the trackpad and screen resolution."</P><br /><P>But is Chrome OS too restricted by the lack of availability of apps and is Chrome OS, the browser and the Chrome Web Store yet another closed ecosystem?</P><br /><P>"We're really trying to avoid the idea of a walled garden," counters Lassman. "We're trying to keep people on the web. The whole idea is that we're giving access to the web. The whole operating system is just based on bringing people online."</P><br /><P>"I think what this comes down to is that there's so much you can do on the web itself. When I'm on my computer I'm using a web browser 95 per cent of the time. So I wouldn't think of it as a closed system as we have the whole web. The apps are optimised… ultimately you get to use the whole web. "</P><br /><P><STRONG>Apps on Android and Chrome OS</STRONG></P><br /><P>Lassman also said it would be relatively simple to port apps between Chrome OS and Android due to the HTML5 standards used – and there's additional benefit from the Chrome Web Store's payment system. For developers using the Chrome Web Store in this way, Google charges developers a processing fee of 30 cents plus five per cent of the transaction amount. </P><br /><P>"For developers, having the payment built in gives them the incentive to design apps. Since you are basically building an advanced website, it's not the situation where you would have to rebuild."</P><br /><P>Chrome OS is a totally open source project unlike Android. Google is not releasing the source code for Android 3.0 Honeycomb in an attempt to attain a unified experience with all Honeycomb tablet devices. </P><br /><P>We'll be bringing you a full review of Chrome OS on TechRadar when we have a final unit. </P>

In Depth: Google: 'We want to strip out operating system frustration'

We popped along to Google's London HQ this week to talk Chrome OS, Google's new low-resource Linux-based operating system for netboo...

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In Depth: Google: NFC will bridge gap between online and offline shopping

<P align=center><img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//classifications/people/Osama%20Bedier%20Google-200-200.jpg"></P><br /><P>If you thought the NFC chips that Google has started putting into Nexus phones are just there to turn your Android phone into a Google credit card, think again; Google's plans for real-world shopping are much more ambitious than that, according to Google's Osama Bedier, vice president of platforms for mobile and new ventures. </P><br /><P><br /><P>It's not just about avoiding the ads for things we already own that 75% of us see online, although Bedier would clearly like to make that more efficient. And when he says that 20% of people are more likely to buy something that a friend or family member has recommended it sounds like the FTC's privacy penalties for Buzz haven't discouraged Google from considering the opportunities in social networking. </P><br /><P>What Bedier wants to do is use the smartphone - which he calls "the iconic device of this decade" - to bridge the gap between online and offline shopping. </P><br /><P>"We're about to see some major changes. It has the promise to bring best of both worlds. Online you get unlimited inventory and the best prices; offline you get to touch and feel the product and you get to take it home with you immediately." </P><br /><P>Some UK stores are already combining the two, he points out, "Dominoes in the UK already gets a third of their delivery orders online. Tesco has the fifth most downloaded app on iTunes that allows you to scan grocery items in the store and put then on your online grocery cart for online checkout."</P><br /><P><STRONG>The Google vision</STRONG></P><br /><P>Bedier's vision of the future of commerce "begins to look like shopping did fifty years ago, when everyone shopped at the local store". But instead of the shopkeeper knowing you because you've shopped there for years, remembering your favourites and offering you credit if you've left your wallet at home, Bedier says technology can give shopping the personal and convenient touch. </P><br /><P>"I should be able to walk in the store and that store greets me. I decide to share my identity, I decide to share my location and when I walk in the store it greets me by name, it tells me the cheese I like is available. The fridge may have already looked at what I'm out of and created a shopping list - and it also included ingredients from recipes I liked on Epicurious.</P><br /><P>"And that shopping list turns into an in-store map where I navigate the most efficient way. If I get to an item that's out, I scan the barcode and it tells me where else I can buy it or have it delivered to my house. And when I go to check out I walk with that shopping cart directly out of the door. NFC stickers on all the items can actually tell whether the item is paid for or not and the sensor lets it go through."</P><br /><P><STRONG>Already possible</STRONG></P><br /><P>All the technology is there today, Bedier claims - the problem is making it interoperable. </P><br /><P>"First, payments need to go digital." Today shops make the choice of what payment methods to accept based on things like how much it costs them to process the payments; he wants to see the choice go to the customer. </P><br /><P>"All my cards - whether they're credit cards, debit cards, gift cards, private label cards - they need to move into the platform, they all need to be digital and they need to be available to me at any store I want to use them. I need to be able to use my choice of cards, not what the merchant wants to accept."</P><br /><P>And like web sites, stores should tell you what's in stock (think of a Google search that covers physical shops): "Consumers should be able to find an item in real time at any store online or off and to be able to pick it up and buy it right there. Inventory needs to live in the cloud. A merchant used to sell in a physical store and the web came along and they made a copy of that storefront. Now mobile is coming along and that model wont scale any more. Inventory needs to move and live in the cloud."</P><br /><P>None of that is going to work if you have to create an account to tell every shop you go into who you are. "Identity needs to be interoperable," says Bedier. "The whole idea of going to store by store by store and signing up for gift cards and credit cards, all this signing up - no. Identity needs to work seamlessly across merchants across devices, across use cases." </P><br /><P>It's a grand vision that needs shops and stores to reveal a lot more information - like inventory levels - than they usually make public; and we're not sure how well banks will take to making all your different cards work on the same payment system or how much we'd like shops that remember us a la <EM>Minority Report</EM>. </P>

In Depth: Google: NFC will bridge gap between online and offline shopping

If you thought the NFC chips that Google has started putting into Nexus phones are just there to turn your Android phone into a Google credi...

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The best Linux distros you've never heard of

<div align="center"><img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/Linux%20Format/LXF%20140/LXF140.cover.illo-200-200.jpg" /></div>Just because we can do something doesn't mean we should. Before this wisdom dawned on the Linux community, Red Hat, Debian and Slackware had spawned several dozen distros. Some died a single-release death, but a lot survived and a vibrant community grew around them. <br /> That, along with all the distros designed to meet specific needs, means there's a lot of variety in the Linux world. While community is key to a good desktop distro, it also needs thorough documentation on wikis and blogs, and ample support. <br /> In addition to community-based channels, such as mailing lists, user forums and IRC, some distros also offer more traditional paid-for support packages. <br /> What's more, the most talked-about distros – including Ubuntu, Fedora and OpenSUSE – aren't necessarily the most friendly for new users. They make installing non-free codecs simple, but there are others that – at the expense of some flaming from the free software community – ship with non-free packages, enabling you to play all sorts of online and offline media, and even games designed for Windows. <br /> Which distro you should use depends on what you need. Moreover, despite their thriving communities, most distros – aside from the popular ones – are developed by a one-man team. These limited staffing levels explain why they don't make releases at fixed intervals. This might be a turn-off for some, but it does make for stable releases. <br /> In any case, everything you need is included in the repository. The choice of distros available doesn't shrink as you move away from the desktop towards netbooks, either – you'll find spin-offs of the most popular desktop distributions. But there are also a bunch of other good options. <br /> The best thing about netbook distros is their approach to helping you get the most out of the vastly decreased amount of screen space you have to work with. We can't ignore lightweight distros that don't tax old hardware incapable of running Windows 7, either. Their tiny size doesn't mean that they compromise on eye candy. So if you're tired of the brown or blue, perhaps it's time to give something new a try. Here's our pick of the best. <br /> <b>Using Linux needn't be tricky, as these distros prove. <br /> </b><br /> <b>PCLinuxOS </b><br /> <div align="center"><img alt="PCLinuxOS" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Linux%20Format/LXF%20140/LXF140.distros2010.pclinuxos-420-90.jpg" width="420" /></div><br /> This one-man distro, developed by an army of contributors, is available in several varieties depending on your choice of desktop. <br /> The hardware detection prowess of the distro leaves no room for complaint; PCLinuxOS supports a wealth of video cards, including Nvidia, ATI, Intel, SiS, Matrox and VIA, and there are tools for working with HP, Epson and Lexmark printers. <br /> You can configure these and other hardware from the easy-to-use administration centre. There's no dearth of apps in the distro, although AbiWord is supplied instead of OpenOffice.org. <br /> For your convenience, however, there is a GetOpenOffice menu entry that will fetch and install the OpenOffice.org suite. Firefox is equipped with plugins to play files in formats such as DivX, RealPlayer, QuickTime, Flash and Java. <br /> To enhance your multimedia experience even further, there's Gsopcast for watching P2P TV, Me TV for viewing DVB broadcasts, Imagination for creating DVD slideshows and the Floola iPod manager as well. <br /> If you want to share files, there's the Dropbox client and Tucan Manager. For running a clean ship there's Bleachbit to remove junk, the Nixory anti-spyware client, and Dupeclean to remove older versions of apps. To give you easy access to your online accounts, there's the Pino Twitter and Identi.ca client. Synaptic does package management, plus there's an app for selecting the fastest repository. <br /> PCLinuxOS has tons of documentation as well as active forums, IRC channels and several mailing lists, so it's easy to get some help if you need it. <br /> <b>SimplyMepis </b><br /> <div align="center"><img alt="SimplyMepis" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Linux%20Format/LXF%20140/LXF140.distros2010.mepis-420-90.jpg" width="420" /></div><br /> If you think Ubuntu is the easiest desktop distro around, you've obviously not used this one. It has loads of custom tools and is stuffed with proprietary drivers, codecs and software to give you the smoothest Linux desktop experience possible. <br /> SimplyMepis's polished interface is based on KDE. In the Linux world, stability comes at the expense of outdated packages, but this provides a good balance of the two, since it's built using the latest stable version of Debian (Lenny) and updates selected packages. <br /> Depending on the timing of Debian, the next version will be synced with the final release of the current Debian unstable release (Squeeze). This is a quick distro off the blocks. When you boot the live CD, you get passwords for both the demo and root users. <br /> With the Mepis Welcome Centre, you can quickly query the user manual (which is distributed in the image), plus the online wiki and forums. You can also install popular apps such as Gimp, Thunderbird and Wine. <br /> Besides the official repository, the distro also has community-supported repos that can be activated from the Welcome Centre. <br /> Another great addition to the distro is the Mepis Network Assistant for setting up wired and wireless interfaces, which has NdisWrapper – and about a dozen widely used proprietary Windows drivers – pre-installed. <br /> The Mepis System Assistant is useful for system maintenance, enabling you to free up disk space by clearing logs and package caches. From here, you can also create bootable USB keys from ISO images. The User Assistant also enables you to copy and sync caches and directories between users, as well as restore configurations to default values. <br /> Besides the usual stash of apps, there's also OpenJDK, and all sorts of multimedia content. <br /> <b>Pardus </b><br /> <div align="center"><img alt="Pardus" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Linux%20Format/LXF%20140/LXF140.distros2010.pardus-420-90.jpg" width="420" /></div><br /> Pardus, developed by the Turkish National Research Institute of Electronics and Cryptology, is proof that good things can come out of government offices. It's only available as an installable image, but what an installer it is. <br /> The partitioner can try to find partitions with suitable free space or, failing that, looks for resizeable partitions (ext3 and NTFS) and alters them to create room. Partitions are formatted as ext4, and graphics and sound cards are automatically detected at the end of the installation. <br /> Kaptan helps you tune your Pardus installation. It'll cover the basics, including mouse setup, themes, and altering the number of virtual desktops. It also enables you to choose from three menu styles: Kickoff, Lancelot or simple. <br /> Pardus includes the Strigi desktop search engine, and the hardware profiler, which can also upload and share your profile. On the software front, there's the usual suspects, plus Knazar, a virtual amulet to repel evil looks; SuperKaramba for eye candy; and Kleopatra to encrypt docs. <br /> Besides the officially supported repositories, you can also enable the contributor software repos, and easily set the software update frequency. Pardus's package manager, Pisi, is newbie-proof. <br /> Finally, Pardus can play all sorts of media files out of the box, including MP3s, AVIs and DVDs. <br /> <b>Sabayon </b><br /> <div align="center"><img alt="Sabayon" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Linux%20Format/LXF%20140/LXF140.distros2010.sabayon-420-90.jpg" width="420" /></div><br /> When your distro boots to Pornophonique's Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, you know a great user experience will follow. As well as booting into the KDE desktop environment, Sabayon gives you the option to run it as a media centre with XBMC, or use a special environment for an ultramobile PC (UMPC). <br /> It's got the Clementine music player with presets to online radio stations such as SomaFM and Last.fm. There's VLC Media Player for MP3s, AVIs and so on, and Dragon Player too. <br /> Meanwhile, Firefox is equipped with plugins to play Flash and Java, and there's also a PackageKit plugin for installing apps. The distro is adept at detecting and configuring hardware. There are tools that will automatically configure various system components, such as OpenGL, wireless cards and printers. <br /> Sabayon also includes proprietary video drivers for both Nvidia and ATI hardware. Sabayon uses its own in-house developed Entropy package manager to install additional apps. You'll find loads of proprietary software on the repos. <br /> The distro has an unusual development model. It releases images daily to testers, and to the general public weekly. Official stable releases are daily versions that have been tested thoroughly by testers and the community. <br /> <b>Brush the cobwebs off that old box and press it back into service. </b><br /> <b>Slitaz </b><br /> <div align="center"><img alt="Slitaz" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Linux%20Format/LXF%20140/LXF140.distros2010.slitaz-420-90.jpg" width="420" /></div><br /> Short for Simple Light Incredible Temporary Autonomous Zone, you'd expect something stellar from Slitaz, and it delivers. <br /> For starters, it's just 30MB. Thanks to its minuscule size, you can boot the distro straight off the web into RAM. This is a wonderful way to regularly check out the current development version. <br /> Due to its size, Slitaz takes an unconventional approach to apps. Traditional apps are replaced with lightweight equivalents, such as the Midori web browser. Slitaz also assumes you have a decent connection to the internet, which it relies on to fetch apps as you need them. For example, there's a basic text editor, but click Write Documents and the distro fetches and installs AbiWord. <br /> You'll find lots of custom tools and apps here. There's BurnBox for writing DVDs, NetBox and WifiBox to set up wired and wireless connections, and Tazlito to remaster the Slitaz live CD. Slitaz can be installed to a hard disk or USB mass storage device. To generate a live USB system, you can use the Tazusb tool. You can install new packages via the mirrors, a DVD, or from a USB storage device. <br /> Package management from the command line is handled via custom manager TazPkg. There's also Tazwok to configure and compile a package from source. <br /> <b>Zenwalk </b><br /> <div align="center"><img alt="Zenwalk" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Linux%20Format/LXF%20140/LXF140.distros2010.zenwalk-420-90.jpg" width="420" /></div><br /> Care for a blast from the past? Then carve out a partition for Zenwalk. This distro is optimised for performance on older hardware and is available in various flavours. <br /> The standard edition has Xfce, although there are versions that offer Gnome and Openbox desktops as well. Zenwalk used to be based on Slackware and is still compatible with its binary packages. Now, however, the distro uses its own Netpkg package manager, which adds dependency resolution capabilities to TGZ packages. <br /> Instead of running the vanilla version of the Firefox browser, the distro uses GNU IceCat with plugins for Flash, QuickTime, DivX and more. There's no Java Runtime Environment, but it can be easily installed via Netpkg. <br /> Zenwalk plays media files of all kinds out of the box and, for a wholesome desktop experience, there's Brasero, OOo, Gimp, Pidgin, Gftp, Thunar File Manager, Firestarter, NdisWrapper, the WiCD network manager, Grsync for backup, and lots more. <br /> Zenwalk's installer brings back fond memories of the Ncurses-based Slackware installer. It uses cfdisk for partitioning, and includes an auto-install option that creates a dedicated partition and installs packages. <br /> Zenwalk is also one of the few mainstream distros to still use the Lilo bootloader, and displays the GNU GPL before booting the desktop. Classic! <br /> When you first boot into the distro, you're required to set up a password for root, after which you can add or view users and groups. There's good news if you like to be in command of your installations, too: Zenwalk gives you control over the groups a user belongs to. <br /> More advanced users will also appreciate the convenience of the included kernel module configurator, kernelconfig, which enables you to select which kernel modules to load. <br /> <b>CrunchBang Linux </b><br /> <div align="center"><img alt="CrunchBang" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Linux%20Format/LXF%20140/LXF140.distros2010.crunchbang-420-90.jpg" width="420" /></div><br /> Plenty of distros that attempt to cater for older hardware just switch Gnome or KDE for a lightweight desktop environment and call the job done, which is why they aren't as actively developed as CrunchBang Linux. <br /> CrunchBang developers go the extra mile to ensure you don't just have a distro for older hardware, but a nippy one at that. The live CD boots quickly to a minimal desktop with a right-click menu, and application launch shortcut keys are displayed on the desktop. <br /> The latest stable release is based on Ubuntu, but subsequent versions will be based on Debian Squeeze sources.<br /> Besides the Openbox and Xfce desktops, the developers have painstakingly chosen lightweight alternatives to regular desktop apps, such as Claws Mail, gPodder podcast grabber, AbiWord, Gnumeric and their ilk. There are also lots of terminal-based apps, such as Rtorrent, Vim, Mutt for email and the Irssi IRC client. <br /> The distro also includes links to online tools such as Colour Hunter to create and find colour palettes from images, Vector Magic to convert bitmaps to vector art, and a tool to create favicons from pics. <br /> There's no lack of multimedia apps either, including VLC, Rythmbox and libraries to play all types of media files. Kino and Pitivi video editors are on board too, as are RecordMyDesktop for creating screencasts, WinFF video converter and more. <br /> You also get the option to enable compositing, set window transparency, choose wallpapers and select appearance settings. The developers have made smart use of the menu as well. Instead of having to hunt for config files for various components, they're all neatly placed inside it. There are links to lots of documentation too. <br /> <b>Puppy Linux </b><br /> <div align="center"><img alt="Puppy linux" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Linux%20Format/LXF%20140/LXF140.distros2010.puppylinux-420-90.jpg" width="420" /></div><br /> Puppy Linux is great. It isn't just featherweight in size, it's also packed with custom tools for tweaking almost anything about it you can think of. The minuscule live distro loads completely into the RAM and brings up a welcome screen on the lightweight JWM window manager. <br /> Puppy detects graphics cards and recommends the driver to download and use. In addition to ATI and Nvidia cards, Puppy is also aware of the VirtualBox graphics card. You can download and activate a driver in just a couple of clicks. It's also got NdisWrapper to work with wireless cards that have Windows-only binary drivers. <br /> Those custom tools we mentioned earlier can help with configuring the X server, sound, printers, firewall, backup, mirroring and file encryption. Most tools have a wizard to guide newer users through the setup before using the app too. <br /> Just because it's 130MB doesn't mean you're short of apps either. Besides the usual slew, there's an alarm clock, a unit converter and scientific calculator, plus tools to stream audio, grab podcasts and much more. <br /> While you're at it, make sure you check out the Quickpet utility, which gives you access to oft-used apps such as Wine, Google Earth, Pwidgets, Firefox and Java. This is in addition to the tons of apps in the fully fledged Puppy Package Manager. <br /> By default, the puppylucid repo is enabled, but you can enable and pull in packages from others too, such as ubuntu-luciduniverse and ubuntu-lucid. Puppy can be installed to a variety of removable media, as well as inside a Windows partition. There's detailed documentation on the website, and help is just a forum post away. <br /> <b>Want it your way? These distros are flexible. <br /> </b><br /> <b>Yoper Linux</b><br /> <div align="center"><img alt="Yoper linux" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Linux%20Format/LXF%20140/LXF140.distros2010.yoper-420-90.jpg" width="420" /></div><br /> If customisation is what you crave, then Yoper is the distro you should go for. The name is even a shortened form of Your Operating System. <br /> Spec-wise, the distro is optimised for PCs with i686 processor types or higher. Yoper isn't based on another Linux distribution. Instead, the binaries it includes have been built from scratch. What's more, its goal is to be the fastest out-of-the-box distro around. <br /> Yoper's package manager, Smart, is custom-written for inclusion here. You'll also find various copies of the same software, each optimised for a particular hardware setup. For starters, try one of the streamlined kernels to go with your hardware. <br /> Yoper is distributed as a live CD, which gives you the option of running the installer without booting into the distro. Inside, it's got a clean KDE install with no desktop icons. Yoper includes a pre-release of Firefox 3.6 called Namaroka that's equipped with plugins for Java, RealPlayer, QuickTime and Windows Media Player. <br /> You won't find tons of apps here, though – Yoper's clearly aimed at experts who wish to build their own distro. It's got the Kleopatra certificate manager – which can sign, encrypt and decrypt, and verify files – as well as development tools such as the Qt 4 interface designer, and the KDE Template Generator. <br /> <b>Crux </b><br /> <div align="center"><img alt="Crux" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Linux%20Format/LXF%20140/LXF140.distros2010.crux-420-90.jpg" width="420" /></div><br /> This one is for the old-timers out there. Crux is a minimal distro that's optimised for i686 machines, but it's got everything you'd want in modern Linux, including a dependency-resolving package manager. The overall philosophy here is "keep it simple", reflected in the package system choices, init scripts and the streamlined tool collection, but this isn't for newbies. <br /> The reason you'll need hardwon experience is that Crux puts you in charge. By that, we don't just mean partitioning your disks manually or creating users and groups, but also compiling your own kernel. As a result, Crux is all about being hands-on. <br /> It has an Ncurses-based setup, which you have to initiate manually after creating and mounting the installation and swap partitions. Once the packages have been transferred to your partition, you'll have to compile your own kernel and edit the boot loader to boot into your newly installed system. <br /> For package management, the distro relies on the dependency-resolving Prt-get package manager. But where's the fun in that? Build your own packages using the Pkgmk utility, which relies on the Crux ports system. <br /> If you get lost, don't sweat. The Crux project has extensive documentation on its wiki, including a detailed handbook, and lots of support options. <br /> <b>SYS Linux </b><br /> <div align="center"><img alt="SYS linux" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Linux%20Format/LXF%20140/LXF140.distros2010.sys-420-90.jpg" width="420" /></div><br /> Not to be confused with the popular bootloader, this is a distro that's stuffed fuller than a teddy bear at an eight-course meal. Sure, it's easy to red-flag SYS Linux as a flop, since its website is an FTP mirror and the only documentation to speak of is its Wikipedia page. Yet it's probably got the most comprehensive set of open source tools and utilities you'll ever find. <br /> That's because SYS uses the LZMA compression algorithm to cram about 18GB worth of apps onto a single DVD. <br /> SYS is targeted at the relatively inexperienced computer user. The installer searches for a partition with 18GB of space, automatically formats it, and installs the packages without any user intervention. You don't even get the option to create a user. <br /> Due to its size, SYS requires CPUs with the PAE extension. Since it doesn't let you choose a language, you'll have to use your best guesswork to navigate to the KDE Control Centre in Portuguese to switch to English. <br /> It's pointless to try to list SYS's many apps in the limited space here, but note that you'll really only need the package manager to uninstall apps you won't use. Package management is taken care of by a mix of Pkgtools, Gslapt and Kpackage.<br /> Despite its application wowfactor, this distro could use some polish. A good start would be cleaning up the plethora of icons spread across its desktop. A menu redesign to segregate popular apps from lesser-used ones would be welcome too, and we're not really sure we need multiple control panels either. <br /> <b>These distros know how to make the most of KDE 4. <br /> </b><br /> <b>Slax Linux </b><br /> <div align="center"><img alt="Slax" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Linux%20Format/LXF%20140/LXF140.distros2010.slax-420-90.jpg" width="420" /></div><br /> Slax looks like any other KDE distro based on Slackware, but looks are definitely deceiving. Don't get us wrong – you can run Slax as a normal distro. There are the regular apps for productivity, it's got multimedia players that play MP3s, AVIs and DVDs, and it includes Firefox with plugins for Flash. It's rock solid and quick off the blocks. <br /> However, the distro wanders off the beaten track with its package management. Indeed, there's no package manager as such. To install apps you need to head to the Slax website, search for and then grab compressed LZM modules. Once they're downloaded, just activate them via the Slax Module Manager and you're good to go. <br /> The Slax drive is worth a mention too. Similar to Ubuntu One and Dropbox, it's a network drive for online storage and synchronising files between various computers. In addition to Slax's drive client, there's one available for Windows as well. <br /> The real advantage of Slax, though, is its ability to create a custom distro. For that, head to the website, click on Build Slax, then review and choose the suggested modules, such as Slax Core, Slax KDE and Slax Apps. Next, click on Add More Modules to find anything else you need. <br /> When you're done compiling, simply download the collection as an ISO or a TAR archive. It's a fairly simple process, but if you manage to confuse yourself, drop by the Slax forum for some helpful advice. <br /> <b>Kanotix </b><br /> <div align="center"><img alt="Kanotix" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Linux%20Format/LXF%20140/LXF140.distros2010.kanotix-420-90.jpg" width="420" /></div><br /> Kanotix is a KDE-running lightweight Debian Sid-based distro with tools from Knoppix. It was pretty popular several years ago, but momentum slowed due to a lack of installer.<br /> Released just in time for LinuxTag (German for "Linux day", not a computerised variant of the childhood game), the latest version of Kanotix has its very own custom installer, AcritoxInstaller. The automatic installer option in AcritoxInstaller is useful for both new and experienced users alike. <br /> It analyses the partitions on your disk and enables you to choose between several partitioning schemes. Even if you pick an automated scheme, you get the option to alter the default values of the partitions. <br /> Once you're all set up, the distro has the regular set of apps on offer. There's IceWeasel instead of Firefox, with plugins for Java, QuickTime and DivX. There are also several proprietary apps here including Skype and Wine, and the distro plays MP3s, AVIs and DVDs. <br /> Two apps of note are the ScreenTube app for recording screencasts with audio, which you could then upload to YouTube, and the Umtsmon tool to control and monitor a wireless mobile network card. <br /> Any distro is about more than just installed apps, though. Here, the developer has written and maintains scripts that will install the proprietary drivers for Nvidia and ATI cards. There are also scripts for installing Flash, the latest version of MPlayer, XBMC, VLC and so on. <br /> Note that the Kanotix website is in German and English. Though most of the documentation is in German, Google Translate does a nice job of turning it into understandable English. Look out for the extensive hardware information on the wiki too.<br /> <b>Take Linux on the go with these optimised distros. </b><br /> <b>EasyPeasy </b><br /> <div align="center"><img alt="EasyPeasy" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Linux%20Format/LXF%20140/LXF140.distros2010.easypeasy-420-90.jpg" width="420" /></div><br /> The best thing about netbook distros is their approach to the user interface. EasyPeasy builds on top of the Ubuntu Netbook Remix interface to help you get the most out of the limited physical resources your tiny machine can provide.<br /> EasyPeasy is touted as a social operating system, so if you live to tweet, or want to keep up on the latest from Facebook and Flickr, this could be a handy addition to your arsenal. <br /> It's also designed to keep power consumption low, so you won't constantly be running out of juice and thus start missing the latest news from your friends or those you follow. <br /> To get hold of EasyPeasy, you'll need to transfer it on to a USB drive, which can easily be done using several tools, including Wubi, Unetbootin or MultiBoot. The distribution includes Picasa for organising images, Skype, and the Gwibber microblogging client. <br /> Despite being tailor-made for netbooks, EasyPeasy also includes OpenOffice.org, and Evolution too, although both of these programs have been tweaked to perform well on Intel's Atom processors. There's Ubuntu One for online storage, and the distribution can play a wide range of media, including MP3s, AVIs and DVDs. It comes with Firefox and the Flash plugin as well. You can also pull in more apps using the included Synaptic package manager. <br /> On a Lenovo Ideapad S10-3s, the distro worked flawlessly. Cheese worked with the built-in webcam, and the distro also detected the proprietary Broadcom wireless. <br /> EasyPeasy relies on the standard Ubuntu installer in order to transfer itself onto the your machine. Make sure you partition the disk carefully, since most netbooks actually have a dedicated partition for recovering the default OS. If you need any help, head towards the EasyPeasy forums. There's also a lot of information to be found on the distro's wiki, including tips on how to save power and thus get the most out of your battery. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend this one. <br /> <b>MeeGo </b><br /> <div align="center"><img alt="MeeGo" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Linux%20Format/LXF%20140/LXF140.distros2010.meego-420-90.jpg" width="420" /></div><br /> You'd think the limited physical resources of a netbook wouldn't leave enough room for developers to innovate, but you'd be wrong. The MeeGo user interface is a continuation of the Moblin platform. It's slick and the distro is quick to get going. <br /> App switching is pretty fast too, regardless of the number you have open. Apps in MeeGo are automatically minimised when you bring up the panel by dragging to the top of the screen or using the Windows key. You can customise the panel to add Gadgets and a Pasteboard. Except for a proprietary Broadcom wireless card, Meego found and set up all other hardware on our test netbook, including the Bluetooth radio and the built-in camera. <br /> Before you update packages, check for system updates. Once the required updates have been installed, head to the Garage to install popular apps, such as GCompris, Marble, AbiWord, Thunderbird, Gimp and more. For yet more apps, head on over to Manage Apps. <br /> Out of the box, MeeGo plays a host of media types, and includes the Flash plugin for Chromium. Besides the browser, there's Empathy for messaging, Gedit for text editing, a few games (including FrozenBubble), Evolution for email, and the Banshee media player. <br /> Then there's the Status panel, which enables you to quickly update multiple web service accounts. Note that these are currently limited to Twitter and Last.fm, but we hope more are to come. The distro also helps you sync your calendar, contacts, tasks and emails, either via Bluetooth or by using one of the supported web services: Funabol, Memotoo or Mobical. <br /> Support-wise, go online and you'll find a detailed, illustrated guide, as well as a wiki, forums, and mailing lists.<br /> <div align="left"><a href="http://www.techradar.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a></div>

The best Linux distros you've never heard of

Just because we can do something doesn't mean we should. Before this wisdom dawned on the Linux community, Red Hat, Debian and Slackware...

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In Depth: How to choose the best Linux distro for laptops

<P align=center><img src="http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/9397/pcp302feat1linuxlinuxla.jpg"></P> <br /><P>The smart mobile user shouldn't overlook Linux. The question is, which distro should you pick? </P><br /><P><br /><P>You'll get a different answer depending who you ask. You'll probably be pointed in the direction of Arch for performance, Debian for stability and Ubuntu if you want easy access to the biggest collection of apps. </P><br /><P>If that's not enough choice to make your head spin, Slackware has its fans too – particularly among people who use older laptops. </P><br /><P>As you read on, we'll look at a range of different scenarios that should be familiar to mobile users, and explore Linux distros that will help you survive and flourish in these situations. </P><br /><P>To make everybody's life easier, we'll limit ourselves to pre-packaged live Linux distros. We'll also stick to live CDs as much as possible throughout this tour. This is important if you're working on a corporate laptop and can't install software. </P><br /><P>With our advice, you'll be able to work in Windows, and when you're done, transform the machine into a bespoke system, laser-targeted for your needs and wants. </P><br /><P><STRONG>Linux for gaming </STRONG></P><br /><P>Linux is a wonderful platform for gaming, whatever your preferred genre. There's plenty to choose from, including real-time and turn-based strategy titles, puzzle games and first-person shooters. </P><br /><P>To get started in the world of Linux gaming, we recommend a trip to <a href="http://live.linux-gamers.net/">http://live.linux-gamers.net</A>. Here you'll find a huge collection of games. </P><br /><P>The concept behind the distribution is boot and play – just pop a USB drive, CD or DVD into your laptop, the distro will boot and you can start gaming. This approach is particularly useful if your laptop has been configured by an overzealous system administrator – the sort who robs you of the right to even adjust the time on your work machine.</P><br /><P>Usefully, http://live.linux-gamers.net segregates by genre, and offers them as two releases: a 'lite' edition that fits on a CD, and a 'big' edition with tons of games that fits on a DVD. </P><br /><P>The distro also goes some way to curing a major Linux bugbear: graphics drivers. Games rely on getting the very best from your graphics card, so to help in this endeavour, the bootable live DVD contains your collection of games and also both the Nvidia and ATI proprietary drivers. </P><br /><P>Moving on, you should also check out <a href="http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/SIGs/Games/GamesLive">Fedora Games Spin</A>, which has over 100 games built-in. If you can't find what you're looking for there, you should also try the <a href="http://www.tuxmachines.org/node/11930">SuperGamer2 distro</A>, which only fits on a 7.8GB dual-layer DVD. </P><br /><P>Finally, there's the Ubuntu-based <a href="http://ultimateedition.info/ultimate-edition/ultimate-edition-gamers/">Ultimate Edition for Gamers</A>, which includes Wine and the PlayOnLinux app for playing Windows games on Linux. If Windows games are what you're after, you'll also need to download <a href="http://transgaming.com/">Cedega</A> and <a href="http://www.codeweavers.com/products/cxgames">CrossOver Games</A>. </P><br /><P>These tools aren't included in any distribution, but for maximum compatibility it's best to download the latest releases from the developers' original websites anyway. </P><br /><P><STRONG>Making movies </STRONG></P><br /><P>When it comes to editing movies you've captured while on holiday, there's no time like the present. You'll find it easier to edit footage when things are fresh in your mind. </P><br /><P>To transform your hotel room into a movie-editing suite, you should grab a copy of <a href="http://ubuntustudio.org/">Ubuntu Studio</A> for audio, video and graphic enthusiasts. It's available as an installable DVD only, not as a live CD. </P><br /><P>It's also well worth checking out <a href="http://www.64studio.com/">64 Studio</A>. It's a cracking distro aimed squarely at anyone interested in creating multimedia content. Don't be put off by its name – it will work on 64- and 32-bit machines. </P><br /><P>If you're not keen on committing to a full install of Linux, you can explore moviemaking with live distros. Top of your list should be <a href="http://puredyne.org/">Puredyne</A>. It's got tools for streaming audio and video, along with information on its online wiki about how to use these tools. </P><br /><P>Alternatively, <a href="http://www.artistx.org/site2/">ArtistX</A> includes a huge range of video and audio editing tools. </P><br /><P><STRONG>Office work </STRONG></P><br /><P>Linux is ideal for working on the go, when you need a distro that's stable, secure and works well with the apps you need. </P><br /><P>With this in mind, there isn't much choice beyond Ubuntu, Fedora and OpenSUSE. Of these, the first two are fantastic desktop distros. </P><br /><P>OpenSUSE looks professional, and is well integrated with the OpenOffice.org suite and Evolution email client. It's available in two installable live CD flavours, depending on your choice of desktop environment, as well as a 4.7GB DVD image with lots of software. </P><br /><P>You also have access to a large collection of proprietary software on the mirrors or via the non-OSS add-on CD.</P>

In Depth: How to choose the best Linux distro for laptops

The smart mobile user shouldn't overlook Linux. The question is, which distro should you pick? You'll get a different answer depend...

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In Depth: Learn from the hackers: how to avoid website exploits

<div align="center"><img src="http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/7928/pcp302make8bodyimage320.jpg" /></div>When large data breaches are announced, the media can go overboard with its portrayal of hackers as uber-geeks with flashing fingers and skills that are almost supernatural in origin. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. <br /> By using basic tools and a logical approach, hackers turn websites into playgrounds full of interesting servers to explore, subvert and destroy. There are databases to plunder; there are pages to deface. <br /> But just what is their approach, and how can we learn to avoid it?<br /> <strong>Footprints on the web </strong><br /> Once a hacker finds a website that could be worth exploring, their first task is to create a detailed profile of the target, called a footprint. This identifies the basic building blocks of the site and enables the hacker to draw a map of how everything fits together. <br /> Unfortunately, the way websites work provides hackers with lots of useful information without them having to do much. If there's a login process, for example, they know there's a database containing usernames and passwords. If the site has an ecommerce element, they know there's a shopping cart product in use, or some handcrafted and potentially vulnerable code to try to subvert. <br /> Similarly, a catalogue of products indicates another database, which could link to a stock control server and possibly also a re-ordering application containing information about trade accounts. The hacker will also survey links to ad servers that feed content into the site. They will also consult the DNS records for the domain.<br /> DNS is the only way to keep track of what's on the internet and where it all is. But it also gives information about all the publicly accessible servers owned by a domain, regardless of whether their addresses and names are meant for public consumption. <br /> When I began working as a network security consultant, I found that it was easy to shock clients by showing them their DNS records, and then drawing a map of how I believed their servers were plumbed together. Some network admins had been naïve enough to think that all their important servers needed public IP addresses, making them easy to profile prior to an attack. <br /> <strong>DNS information </strong><br /> Windows and Linux have tools capable of interrogating DNS, but they're fiddly command line utilities. Luckily, plenty of websites provide easy access to DNS information, including <a href="http://www.kloth.net/services/dig.php">Kloth.net</a>. Enter the name of a domain you're interested in (such as pcplus.co.uk) and press [Enter]. In the answers section that appears, you'll see lines containing the domain name and associated IP addresses. <br /> <div align="center"><img alt="Kloth.net" src="http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/3756/pcp302make8bodyimage142.jpg" width="420" /></div>To search for a possible web server, add www. to the start of the domain and press [Enter]. This time you'll see the domain's web server. If you change the query type to 'MX' and click 'Look it up', the answers section will contain the name of the computer acting as the local mail server (technically called the mail exchanger). <br /> This name may be the same as the web server, but if it has a different name, enter it into the 'Domain' input box to see its details. <br /> Another important part of this process is the use of a port scanner such as nmap to discover what services are running on each internet-facing server. See nmap in action at <a href="http://nmap-online.com/">www.nmap-online.com</a>. The default IP address is your own computer. <br /> <div align="center"><img alt="Nmap" src="http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/3461/pcp302make8bodyimage242.jpg" width="420" /></div>To scan it for open ports, click the 'I agree with terms of service' and then click 'Scan now'. Enter an email address for the site to notify when the scan is complete, along with a password to access the results. <br /> Nmap sends carefully crafted packets to each potentially open port and analyses the information returned to discover not only what's running, but sometimes even detailed information about the running operating system and its TCP/IP stack. This can aid hackers in profiling a website and formulating a coming attack. <br /> If a mail server is also running port 80, there's a good chance that connecting to it via a web browser will reveal a web mail interface that may have exploitable bugs. However, if the hacker is met by a default Apache web server installation page, it may be that system administrator installed the web server but has forgotten about it. It's likely that the software has never been patched and is vulnerable to a range of exploits. <br /> By examining the verbiage returned with the web page, the hacker can determine the exact release of the software and any extra modules installed. Finding a NetBIOS service running (ports 137 and 139) indicates that the server runs Windows. An SQL service (port 1143) indicates that there's a database engine running, and so on. <br /> <div align="center"><img alt="detailed map" src="http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/8518/pcp302make8diagram24201.jpg" width="420" /></div>It's possible to build a detailed map of a domain's capabilities and vulnerabilities from this process. <br /> Once the hacker has constructed a detailed footprint of the website's hardware and basic software, their attention turns to the web applications. Computer science says that above a certain level of complexity, no program can ever be free of bugs. Luckily for the hacker, less skilled programmers keep making the same basic assumptions and mistakes in the logic of web applications. <br /> The first task is to map out how the apps work. The hacker begins with a simple click-through of the site to note the names of the pages and what they contain – which ones need authentication, for example. This tells them a great deal, but they can also delve deeper by mapping out the actual directory structure on the server. <br /> Directory mapping is a matter of noting down the paths in the URL bar of the browser during the click-through. This reveals a lot of detail about the structure of the site, and can give indications about the skill of the web designer. Some structures reveal the hand of a site-builder program at work, in which case a hacker can consult a list of known exploits for sites made with that program. <br /> <div align="center"><img alt="Hack this site" src="http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/3706/pcp302make8box1image142.jpg" width="420" /></div>The hacker notes the methods pages use to pass data from input boxes to PHP scripts. Do they use the GET or POST methods? Each implies the type of processing used by the site's scripts, and may provide ideas about testing for weaknesses in the way rogue input values are dealt with. <br /> The web is set up to serve the index file of any URL you enter, so the hacker will try adding likely directory names to the domain name to see what he can find. For example, for www.victimsite.com, they might try 'www.victimsite.com/admin' to see if they can access an administration page. <br /> Another great source of hidden directories is the 'robots.txt' file. This is a plain text file that sits in the root directory of websites and contains directives to search engines about which directories are OK to index and which aren't. The 'robots.txt' file has to contain a list of all the directories that the hacker shouldn't know about, which highlights the need to avoid putting anything on a site that you wouldn't want to find on Google. Where you can't avoid this, don't give files obvious names. <br /> So-called helper files are also a useful source of information for the hacker. Cascading style sheets, Java classes and embedded JavaScript all give an indication of the skill level of the person who coded the site. This gives an idea of the kinds of errors to expect. <br /> One of the biggest mistakes made in trying to secure a site is to have users validate themselves using JavaScript embedded in the login page. To the developer, the ease of use, compatibility across browsers and speed all seem like benefits, but the advantages are all on the side of the hacker. <br /> <strong>The attack begins </strong><br /> The hacker now has a footprint of your site, a list of hidden directories and a map of how the scripts fit together to make up the site's applications. What now? <br /> They have many options to choose from. The simplest is to point a password-cracker at the administrator account and leave it to gain entry for the purposes of stealing information that can be sold on, or to simply deface the site. This childish activity is normally associated with 'script kiddies' – teenagers who consider themselves hackers, but just run scripts developed by others. <br /> Real hackers will begin to explore weaknesses in the services identified as part of the footprint. On discovering an SQL service, for example, they can try connecting a telnet client to the port to gain command line access to the database management system (DBMS). Similarly, FTP and Telnet services are easily attacked using password crackers and by exploiting bugs in their software with buffer overflow attacks that can give command line access to the server. <br /> A more knowledgeable hacker still will try to break or bypass the validation code applied to an input field on a web page to see what happens. Validation code is supposed to take the values of input fields and sanitise them, rejecting data that's clearly wrong. <br /> If an input field is supposed to contain a number, for example, its validation should reject input if it contains anything other than the digits 0-9. If the hacker enters letters and doesn't get an error message, he can tell that the validation code is lacking. If the input field is for a part number, it may form the basis of a query to a back-end SQL database. <br /> That being the case, the hacker will ask what happens if they enter the SQL statement termination symbol (the ' symbol), followed by their own query. If this works, they could then ask the database for a list of tables. If they find ones that store customer details and credit card information, it's game over.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.techradar.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source.</a>

In Depth: Learn from the hackers: how to avoid website exploits

When large data breaches are announced, the media can go overboard with its portrayal of hackers as uber-geeks with flashing fingers and sk...

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In Depth: The school that gives every student an iPad

<P align=center><img src="http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/5273/mac228showfeatipadclass.jpg"></P><br /><P>Fraser Speirs is talking about changes caused by his school's radical shift in technology deployment. </P><br /><P>Every pupil at Cedars School of Excellence, in Greenock, Scotland, is now armed with an iPad, creating an environment a world away from the typical 'computer room', and providing the potential for seamless integration of technology and traditional teaching. </P><br /><P>The iPad project arose from day-to-day demands within the school. As Head of Computing, a dozen iMacs were fixed in Fraser's classroom, and a dozen MacBooks were available for booking; but with teachers increasingly wanting to provide pupils with web access, pressure and demand grew. </P><br /><P>"In January 2010, we started looking for answers," recalls Fraser. The school couldn't afford enough laptops to make a meaningful difference, but the iPod touch was considered, since internet access was a big factor. "We realised the iPod touch was cheap enough to give one to everybody," says Fraser, "but teachers had issues with what it couldn't do." </P><br /><P>At the time, the iPod touch couldn't output to a projector nor connect to a mechanical keyboard, but the school nonetheless continued forming its plans. And then the iPad arrived. </P><br /><P>Fraser says Apple's tablet dealt with every problem the school had with the iPod touch: it boasted a decent software keyboard and projector connection, and Apple made office apps available for sale. On importing his own iPad from the US, Fraser was sold: </P><br /><P>"On the first day, it ran and ran. I couldn't make the battery die, and I realised this alone would transform the technology experience in the classroom." </P><br /><P>With many of the school's teachers being iPhone owners, few needed convincing. A leasing arrangement with the local Apple Store soon saw dozens of iPads winging their way to Greenock. (Fraser notes that leasing was done through the Glasgow Apple Store's business team, and isn't a special school lease.) </P><br /><P>Even teachers who weren't confident with technology and didn't see a place for their laptops in school started bringing their iPads with them every day, and everyone found different ways for Apple's tablet to enhance their classes. Ultimately, this is driven by the blank-slate aspect of the iPad. </P><br /><P>"This is a device we bought, but it's not just a textbook or an instrument, or a set of art tools – it's all of those things and more," says Fraser, adding that one teacher's putting together a band, purely comprising children playing iPad apps. </P><br /><P align=center><img alt="iPad 1" src="http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/5273/mac228showfeatipadclass.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>"The thing is, to do this we're not adding anything to the classroom – it's just more software on the devices." When the discussion turns to specific use-scenarios for the iPad, it's clear Apple's 'there's an app for that' approach could revolutionise the classroom. For infants, the school uses the likes of wood-puzzle-style apps to develop motor skills, abc PocketPhonics for tracing letters, and Math Bingo (which Fraser calls a "sensational hit") for basic maths. </P><br /><P>Elsewhere, older pupils are immersed in iBooks, which replaces the class's paper books with eBooks, and Keynote for presentations. And with any child aged 10 or older allowed to take their iPad home, homework is sent and received via email; this enables teachers to set more flexible tasks in sensible chunks, eliminates most excuses and has reduced the amount of incomplete homework.</P><br /><P>Interestingly, many apps are also being used in new and innovative ways. For example, Fraser says Numbers is employed in situations where people may not have reached for a spreadsheet before, such as to create formulae for testing expected output in programming classes, or for capturing live information about experiments as they progress. </P><br /><P>The nature of the App Store helps, providing countless specialised apps that can be used to teach a particular aspect of a course. In his computing class, Fraser has utilised the game Binary Madness HD, which has you convert random decimal numbers to binary as quickly as possible: "It's not something I use every day, but small apps like this reinforce specific parts of learning." </P><br /><P>He rightly adds this is something that you rarely find on other platforms: "No-one would write a Mac app like Binary Madness HD, but on iOS it seems to be the kind of thing developers find interesting – creating simple apps for only 59p." </P><br /><P><STRONG>iPad for all </STRONG></P><br /><P>The benefit of the school's 'iPad for all' philosophy is particularly evident in art. Brushes is popular, as are quirkier apps such as TypeDrawing (where you fingerpaint with letters); most importantly, though, instead of replacing traditional media, the iPad has given pupils newfound confidence in all areas of art. </P><br /><P>"The iPad is not a substitute for existing media, and it requires artistic skill to master, but in some ways it more effectively helps pupils develop confidence in their abilities and enthusiasm to try," asserts art teacher Jenny Oakley. She says a combination of immediacy, security (due to 'undo') and usability means pupils "do not have to overcome the hindrance of learning to manipulate another tool – rather, they use one they've developed dexterity in since birth". </P><br /><P>With this newfound confidence, pupils are more willing to try, which Oakley says is "half the battle". The iPad also provides assistance regarding experimentation – pupils can use filters and effects to visualise how something would look in a different medium and then use real-world tools to mimic what they see on the screen.</P><br /><P><STRONG>The move to digital </STRONG></P><br /><P>While it's clear Cedars School of Excellence has integrated iPads into the learning environment, critics remain concerned; they claim the school's pupils are being denied access to technology that would supposedly prepare them for the real world and that 'everything' is being replaced by electronic content. Such inaccurate statements annoy Fraser: </P><br /><P>"In reality, we're sometimes using the iPad exclusively and sometimes not. Truth be told, I'd like to move to the iPad more, but we're constrained by resources – some textbooks aren't available electronically, for example. Anyone against such iPad use should bear in mind that society itself is in the process of replacing everything with electronic content – it's happened with CDs, and Amazon and Apple are doing the same with books." </P><br /><P align=center><img alt="iPad 2" src="http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/5273/mac228showfeatipadclass.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>Fraser adds that a child starting school today won't leave until 2023, by which point, who knows what technology will be commonplace? His thoughts are the same regarding anyone who says children should solely work on Windows PCs – instead, he argues that they should use whatever tools enable them to best learn: "The iPad beats a PC because it removes that whole layer of 'we're doing computers now', and you end up with 'we're doing maths' or 'we're doing music'." </P><br /><P>The iPad also eliminates some of the menial aspects of schooling: "In traditional teaching, you spend time learning how to write a sum properly, how to lay out a jotter, how to lay out text on a page. You must do that before you can express thoughts and ideas. But with an iPad, open Pages and you can immediately start writing an essay or play." </P><br /><P>This is why even if a Mac OS X tablet arrived, Fraser wouldn't switch, and he thinks the same regarding the recent slew of iPad wannabes. "There's something about the iPad's size that's just right – make it a 7-inch widescreen and the keyboard would be tiny, but the iPad's screen enables you to have a good-sized keyboard and see your content. Also, the form factor enables you to have a long-lasting battery," he says. </P><br /><P>And while iPad competitors brag about hardware, Fraser says that's irrelevant: "As good as the iPad's hardware is, it's the software that makes the device interesting in education – and I'm not just referring to big brands, but to small apps as well." </P><br /><P><STRONG>User focus </STRONG></P><br /><P>The reality of using a platform that focuses on what you can do with it rather than what's under the hood has resulted in focused pupils. Fraser says teachers throughout the school are finding that pupils now just get on with tasks, "because they have some way of working that's not just 'write it down on a piece of paper' – schooling has become more flexible and therefore more engaging and interesting."</P><br /><P align=center><img alt="iPad 3" src="http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/5273/mac228showfeatipadclass.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>Fraser nonetheless admits that the speed of adoption and the 'invisible' nature of the technology has surprised him: "We didn't think the iPad would become embedded quite so quickly. Already, it's a problem if a child forgets their iPad – in fact, on the day of the interview, one pupil did just that and convinced his mother to drive his device to the school. </P><br /><P>"It's funny, because we'd had this idea about disciplining a child by taking away their iPad, but doing that would break someone's school day, because we now operate under the assumption that digital technology is as available as paper!" </P><br /><P>Fraser adds that it's also crucial to consider the technology 'everyday' and not 'special'. "For example, it's important to not use the iPad as a reward. Technology is the way we do business – it's how we teach. It's not a reward for doing traditional education well." </P><br /><P>Although using an iPad is simple, setting up the school's system was anything but for Fraser, and limitations in Apple's ecosystem soon became apparent. </P><br /><P>The school currently has an Xserve providing user-login services to iMacs and notebooks, and Fraser's "beloved" iMac suite was dismantled, to enable each classroom to house an iMac. Each morning, pupils log in to accounts to sync their iPads with their class's iMac. </P><br /><P>Secondary pupils each have their own library, enabling a certain amount of customisation (such as podcast subscriptions); in primary, every iPad is synchronised to the same account.</P><br /><P>In terms of app purchase and deployment, Fraser buys apps on his computer and copies them elsewhere via Home Sharing. "This doesn't do updates, so teachers have to press 'update all' on some iPads each day," says Fraser. And due to the lack of app volume purchasing in the UK, the system requires a certain amount of jumping through hoops, in order to ensure developers get their fair share.</P><br /><P>"No iTunes account can buy an app more than once, and it would take too long to create an account for each pupil. Also, no-one under 13 can have an account, unless it's set up by a parent or guardian," explains Fraser. </P><br /><P>His devised workaround is the use of 'gifts' apps to dummy email accounts at the school, which are not accessed, so the right number of apps is always purchased; nonetheless, it's clear Fraser is hopeful when he says "there are better times ahead" regarding this part of the project. </P><br /><P><STRONG>The downside </STRONG></P><br /><P>Elsewhere, problems exist. Due to leasing iPads from the Apple Store, faulty units are replaced with ease, and on-site spares ensure pupils end up with just 30 minutes of downtime while their content is synced to a replacement. (Fraser discloses the iPads have so far proven durable, and the only two major faults have been down to commonplace screen failures.) </P><br /><P>Even the thorny issue of funding never became a block. The school funds the iPads out of its general budget, and with it being an independent school, Fraser says the portion from fees that goes towards iPads is "a mathematically provable trivial fraction"; furthermore, savings made elsewhere (less printing, mostly sleeping iMacs, fewer book replacements) are already starting to offset the relatively small iPad leasing fees. </P><br /><P align=center><img alt="iPad 4" src="http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/5273/mac228showfeatipadclass.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>Whether there's a wider future for the iPad in the classroom remains to be seen. Fraser thinks many aspects of his project are scalable, to state schools as well as independents, but local authorities and a lack of administration tools are likely to be stumbling blocks. </P><br /><P>He notes that "magic money" (from election years or companies looking for favours from councils) often pays for school technology, but computers end up being mothballed when there's no funding for a refresh. Also, money disappears into systems that teachers don't ask for, such as interactive whiteboards. Therefore, it's "policy that usually dictates whether something is 'possible', rather than the benefits, drawbacks and limitations of a system". </P><br /><P>On administration tools, Fraser says Apple needs to devise something for schools with larger classes (Fraser's school has classes with as few as a dozen pupils, rather than the UK average of 25), particularly regarding remote inspection facilities: </P><br /><P>"With a small class, I can walk around and see what everyone's doing, but that would be hard with twice as many pupils." He'd like to see Apple-enabled iPad administration and access through Apple Remote Desktop, for pulling browser histories over the air, updating apps, locking devices and capturing screens, but without a system administrator having to pay for enterprise-grade infrastructure.</P><br /><P><STRONG>Time to relax </STRONG></P><br /><P>On the software side, at least, things are better; Fraser says he's having the quietest time he's ever experienced as the 'IT guy' at school, despite having multiplied by five the number of deployed devices he's responsible for. </P><br /><P>Next he's keen to assist teachers who are less confident about using iPads by figuring out how and why some teachers are speeding ahead and helping everyone get to the same level. "I'm trying to move on the pupils' minds too – in class, someone will ask if they can go online to find something. I'll say of course – as long as it's relevant, use whatever you want." </P><br /><P>Perhaps it will be a while before everyone's fully comfortable with iPads in the classroom, but then Fraser says that's hardly surprising, given that classrooms worldwide remain largely traditional, and technology is usually prescriptive: </P><br /><P>"We've done something that's not often tried – we brought in technology and didn't tell people how to use it". Instead of thinking of the iPad as a digital textbook, it's become a research and creativity tool across all subjects; because of this, minds are being expanded and experiences broadened, not restricted. Once, the school focused on iWork, iLife and Safari, but now pupils access dozens of varied apps. </P><br /><P>"Apple pundit John Gruber once described the iPad as an app console, and I think he's right. It's something for doing work on or playing games – but it's not a generalised platform," says Fraser as the interview concludes. </P><br /><P>"That's good for me, because I want kids to learn – I don't want them to work through the computer stuff just to get to the learning." We think that should be enough to silence his critics.</P>

In Depth: The school that gives every student an iPad

Fraser Speirs is talking about changes caused by his school's radical shift in technology deployment. Every pupil at Cedars School of Ex...

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In Depth: AMD Fusion APU explained

<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/4851/pcf247wtechchip20020029.jpg" /></div>Zacate is a Spanish noun that means grasses, generally those used for grazing animals. It is used chiefly in Mexico. It's also the code name for AMD's new wunderkind. <br /> <br /> <br /> This Zacate is a little low-power number aimed at notebooks, and is more than a straight Intel Atom rival, it's a bit beefier than that. Zacate is the first of AMD's two new cores and reflects its new design philosophy; and shows the direction AMD is going, so take note. <br /> Zacate is a twin-core chip (well, one version is), and these cores are the completely new Bobcat design. Sitting next to these on the die are integrated graphics. Zacate is the first of what AMD has dubbed Fusion APUs. <br /> APU (Accelerated Processor Unit) is AMD's term for bunging graphics onto the die and Fusion is AMD's name for its new approach at doing this. Fusion is the coming together of processor and graphics in a single chip in co-operative manner, hence the name 'fusion' [I think everyone gets it now, move on – Ed].<br /> <b>Integrated and okay? </b><br /> The basic block diagram of a Fusion APU puts a graphics engine on one side, a processor, or processors, on the other and between them a bus and memory controller. Both sides share the system resources depending on the job in hand.<br /> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/8398/pcf247wtechtestrig24209.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="test rig 1" border="0" src="http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/8398/pcf247wtechtestrig24209.jpg" width="420" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /> </div>Instead of thinking of two discrete data processors doing two jobs, we have a single unit programmed as one, with operations piped down the most suitable route. GPUs are only specialised CPUs after all. <br /> It was the Fusion programme that drove AMD to buy ATI in 2006, as it needed the company's GPU expertise. PCs boasting integrated graphics have only really been tolerable in laptops out of necessity. Any desktop listing such a feature is rightly shunned by any right-thinking person. Fusion should bring us on-board graphics that we might actually be pleased about. <br /> Okay, that might be going a bit far, we may not run away in horror though. The concept is due to creep up the form factors, from netbooks and thin laptops through to mini-PCs and onwards. <br /> <b>Refreshing re-think </b><br /> The blurb from AMD talks big. Fusion is "a new approach to processor design", and is "ushering in a new era of visual computing experiences". It takes on an epic biblical air in places, but all cynicism aside, Fusion is a refreshing re-think, especially if the SDKs get a good airing and code is written with them in mind. <br /> The aim is a decent graphical punch in a small system – what's not to like? Along with the nice new Bobcat cores the new GPU is DX11 capable and has 80 stream processors. If this were a new desktop graphics card we might pause and cogitate here as that's not a lot of stream processors, but putting it into context of a tiny low-power chip that's not half bad. <br /> Do you want high definition video? Of course you do and there is a unified video decoder specifically for the job.<br /> <div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Test rig 2" src="http://img571.imageshack.us/img571/1894/pcf247wtechtestrig14209.jpg" width="420" /> </div>Zacate's processor cores and GPU are clocked differently, the later being a fair bit slower (current estimates reckon on 500MHz maximum). The whole package comes in with a TDP of 18W. Low, but not ultra low enough for really small packages where Atom has been pitching its tent. <br /> Zacate comes on a tiny 40nm die and is a BGA package (that means soldered directly on to boards). Memory consists of a single channel of DDR3-1333. <br /> There will be two initial flavours: the twin core E350 and the single core E240, which will be the same, but one core is zapped.<br /> To go with the new chip, we have a new hub chip, the Hudson DI. This connects to Zacate via a PCI-e 2.0 x4 bus (fast enough for now). Hudson will carry SATA 300 and USB 2.0, but no Ethernet (huh?). <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/8398/pcf247wtechtestrig24209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /> </a></div><b>First public run </b><br /> At the unveiling of Zacate (held at the same time as Intel's IDF – just for kicks) AMD pitted a Zacate development rig against a mainstream laptop running an Intel i5 520, which also boasted integrated graphics, of course. <br /> <div style="text-align: center;"></div>Running <i>City of Heroes</i> at 1,024 x 769 pixels, the Intel-powered notebook managed around 16 to 17fps. The Zacate board trotted along at a more acceptable 30fps. That's nearly twice as fast, folks. <br /> Some questions were raised about drivers and whether or not it was a level playing field, but honestly can't you lot be impressed for a change? No, suspect everyone, it's the only way to be sure. <br /> Some fiddling about with drivers and the use of other games and benchmarks followed. It transpires that while some results are only on a par with the 520 (the IE9 benchmark is as near as makes no odds), it is still a highly impressive games chip. <br /> Reportedly <i>Batman Arkham Asylum</i> ran at 16.5 fps as against 11.3fps and <i>City of Heroes</i> 39.6fps against 25.5fps. That's still half as fast again – tasty. <br /> The killer is that Zacate is doing this with a TDP of 18W, while the Intel i5 520 takes a more substantial 35W, which translates into mucho battery life. This means they won't be direct rivals as such, which is all the more impressive. <br /> All in all, Zacate looks to be a very good thing. Obviously AMD has spent a small fortune developing it and so it jolly well better had be. What we will get is faster portables with better gaming – no complaints there. <br /> Does this mean we can live in a world where real high-power gaming is properly portable and we can finally do what we always dreamed of? Playing proper butt-clenching 3D games while sat anywhere we like. No. Desktops will remain gaming kings and always will. There is just no getting around the fact that your desktop PC can put 300W through a graphics card. <br /> <b>Are we nearly there yet? </b><br /> We should see Zacate-powered hardware early next year. Initially, it'll be machines in the lower half of the portable market. Mini-ATX boards will follow, so we can expect other formats. There are Atom-powered servers around, so perhaps we will see Zacate or something very similar. <br /> Bang per watt is attractive in all form factors. What have we missed? Oh yeah, clock speeds. Nothing official on this at the time of writing, although 1.6GHz has been touted. The days when it was all about frequencies are over (unless it makes you look especially good, of course). <br /> Also, don't expect to see the names Zacate and Bobcat splashed about when the hardware arrives. These are just code names and branding will be under a different banner. <br /> AMD has the Vision brand all ready and waiting as well as the Fusion name. The world of netbooks and laptops is going to get a lot more competitive and capable. Zacate is just AMD's vanguard too, there's a lot more to come.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.techradar.com%20/">Source.</a>

In Depth: AMD Fusion APU explained

Zacate is a Spanish noun that means grasses, generally those used for grazing animals. It is used chiefly in Mexico. It's also the code ...

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In Depth: Linux in education: a genuine alternative

<P align=center><img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/Linux%20Format/LXF%20139/LXF139.schools.barnix_01-200-200.jpg"></P><br /><P>Using free software in education is not just about saving money. It's also about preserving choice, not locking a student's experience into a certain way of doing something. </P><br /><P><br /><P>With Linux, there's no vendor lock-in. Free software is more likely to be open-standards compliant, and it's going to be more open to different languages, localities and curricula. </P><br /><P>It also removes what can sometimes be a barrier to learning; using the same software on your own machine at home. And because there's usually more than one piece of open source software for a job, free software makes it easier to broaden your experience and look at a variety of methods for completing that job. </P><br /><P>All of which is essential in a world where technology is turned on its head every five years and where training needs are so unpredictable. It's also never too early to start training in IT skills, and in the UK at least, computer training starts for many at primary school level. </P><br /><P>For some, this will be their first experience of a computer. It's also likely to be the first time they've had any kind of formal training on how to use one, and these first impressions are going to last. So there's a strong argument that teaching should be as unbiased as possible. </P><br /><P>Yet for a variety of reasons most schools favour Microsoft. There's nothing wrong with this, as experience with Microsoft's ubiquitous products is never going to be wasted, but as Linux users, we all know there might be a better option. </P><br /><P>Linux and open source offers a genuine alternative, with many advantages over proprietary training that aren't costrelated, although there's no reason why this can't be part of the overall solution. </P><br /><P><STRONG>Early starter </STRONG></P><br /><P>The best thing about Linux training in education is that there are already people doing it. There are establishments up and down the UK that have decided to include Linux on their syllabus and make a concerted effort to provide their students with the choice. </P><br /><P>So if you're a parent frustrated with the lack of options for your child, or you're maybe a student who wants to learn Linux skills from the outset, there are places to go and people to speak to. They may be able to help you make the difference. But even if you can't influence the training regime at your local establishment, Linux can still play a part. </P><br /><P>Unlike in schools, Linux and open source software isn't badly served by professional training. It's this kind of training that pits Linux against Microsoft's certification, and it's the kind that prepares IT people for the real tasks they face while dealing with Linux systems. </P><br /><P>The Linux Professional Institute, for example, has been dishing out qualifications for over 10 years, and its LPI certification levels have become something of a standard for Linux system administrators. </P><br /><P>LPIC-1, for instance, covers all the basics of running and maintaining a simple Linux system, from dealing with the command line and helping new users to installing, configuring and connecting a workstation to the network. But more importantly, you don't need any prior experience before starting on the course, and this has made it a great entry point for some of the more adventurous schools in the UK. </P><br /><P><STRONG>Case study 1 </STRONG></P><br /><P>Barnfield College in Luton, Bedfordshire, is an establishment that offers plenty of further education opportunities for students to take on to a university or workplace. The college has a well-established computing curriculum, including all the common Microsoft applications, web design and data management. </P><br /><P align=center><img alt="Barnfield" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Linux%20Format/LXF%20139/LXF139.schools.barnfield_01-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>But more interestingly for us, it also offers a comprehensive range of Linux courses, including an Introduction to the desktop, and uses Linux as the basis for some of its web development programmes. </P><br /><P>John O'Neill, deputy head of Computing and IT at Barnfield, told us a little about how Linux training became part of the prospectus, </P><br /><P>"Barnfield College has been offering Linux training courses since 2004. Back then it was an in house-devised course running Red Hat 5.2. Over time we have evolved our provision to include a range of distributions including Damn Small Linux, SLAX, Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora and OpenSUSE. </P><br /><P>"Barnfield College has always prided itself on offering courses at the forefront of technologies. In the early part of the decade the college was an established Novell house using Netware 5. Students were given the opportunity to build and manage Netware servers as part of their coursework. Novell's acquisition of OpenSUSE inspired the teaching staff to investigate this new contender to Network Operating Systems," he told us. </P><br /><P>When we asked him what the biggest challenge had been in supporting Linux alongside more mainstream operating systems, his answer was a logistical one, rather than a philosophical one: </P><br /><P>"The biggest problem to the teaching team has been the need for maintaining adequate Network Security on our corporate network, while gaining access to Linux repositories. This has been resolved by the introduction of a dedicated teaching LAN with its own access to the internet." </P><br /><P>The breadth of Linux training offered at Barnfield is also significant, covering both user and administrator roles. </P><br /><P>"Linux is integrated into the majority of our course provision and is used to teach students ranging from Level 2 user qualifications through to foundation degree and, of course, the vendor qualifications," O'Neill explained. "Interest in these courses remains high due to the tutor's passion and the ability for students to create their own distributions. The Barnix live CD being one such incarnation. This was developed by two of our 18-year-old BTEC National Diploma students back in 2004," he added proudly. </P><br /><P>The Barnix distribution can still be found on Distrowatch, and despite being around six years old, still looks in good shape for a distribution built around a technology that's no longer available, in an attempt to ape an operating system that's no longer supported. </P><br /><P>But it's the potential to access new technology without having to jump through software acquisition hoops that also makes Linux a good choice. As O'Neill put it: </P><br /><P>"Linux gives our students unparalleled access to technologies ranging from VoIP through to in-depth security testing along with traditional desktop usage." This is why the college has extended its Linux courses to integrate LPI-based certification alongside the CompTIA accreditation the college has offered for sometime, as O'Neill explained: </P><br /><P>"Following the inclusion of LPI with CompTIA, Linux+, which the college has traditionally delivered, now simplifies vendor certification for students, and not only meets the requirements of industry partners, but also gives a clear pathway to certification." </P><br /><P>Which leaves the most important question. If you want your child to study Linux at their local institution, how should parents and interested parties make it happen? </P><br /><P>"Colleges can use Linux across the range of their curriculum. It gives learners access to both GUI and command line interfaces, and even Microsoft is revisiting the command line with their Power Shell interface," he states. </P><br /><P>"Tutors need to be aware that Awarding Bodies will accept evidence obtained from many different operating systems as part of their coursework. Students and parents can be assured that skills learnt through the use of open source operating systems and applications only serve to better demonstrate the breadth of knowledge they have of cutting-edge technologies used in all business sectors." </P><br /><P><STRONG>Case study 2 </STRONG></P><br /><P>Another college that's taken Linux to its heart, and one that's making it a vital part of its curriculum, is Forth Valley College in Falkirk, Scotland. Like Barnfield, Forth Valley is another further education college that positions itself for school leavers, adult learning and employers, and offers a similar range of subjects to the Bedfordshire establishment. </P><br /><P align=center><img alt="Forth valley" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/Linux%20Format/LXF%20139/LXF139.schools.forth_valley-420-90.jpg" width="420"></P></IMG><br /><P>We asked Tony Dyer, a lecturer at the college's Department of Applied Science and Computing, how Linux had made its way into the curriculum. </P><br /><P>"We have always had a version of Unix to allow students to enhance their skill set." he told us. "In the last 15 years we have used Linux, starting with Red Hat to SUSE to Ubuntu and Fedora. We continue to believe that our students benefit from being exposed to environments other than Microsoft, as the workplace tends to have a heterogeneous rather than a homogeneous setup. The opportunity to offer our students a vendor neutral, internationally recognised qualification on top of their HNC/HND and other vendor qualification was too good to ignore." </P><br /><P>Tony also believes that the current trend for cost-cutting could result in increased demand for Linux skills:</P><br /><P>"In the current climate of austerity, we also believe that Open Source in general could prove attractive to businesses, and we can contribute by having trained and certified people available to meet business needs and the requirements they have to retrain staff." </P><br /><P>Like Barnfield, Forth Valley has taken the decision to integrate the widely adopted LPI certification system into its training and qualification, and also cover a wide range of Linux skills and abilities. Dyer gave us an overview of what's on offer, </P><br /><P>"Within our existing full-time computing courses, we are covering a large percentage of the LPIC-1 syllabus. And for students who complete their year successfully, we offer the chance to do a one-week intensive add-on course to cover the additional material to meet LPIC-1 requirements. We also offer the option to take the exams at our on-site test centre. In addition, there is an ongoing project at the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) to map the LPIC-1 onto a Professional Development Award (PDA) that would be standalone and part of the HNC/HND framework. We are also currently running an 18-week evening programme to deliver the material for LPI-101 and LPI-102 exams that together gives the student LPIC-1 certification." </P><br /><P>Tony also had some strong ideas on whether there were any advantages that Linux might have over its competitors. </P><br /><P>"We don't feel that it's a contest between Linux and Microsoft or others," Dyer told us. "The broader and more detailed the knowledge and skills our students have, the better placed they are to gain a good job." </P><br /><P>It also appears that Linux training of the sort offered by Forth Valley will easily slot into existing established qualifications, such as an HND. This could be a definite advantage if your child is interested in pursuing a career in Linux, but can't find a course locally, or is worried that the eventual qualification might not be recognised by universities or employers.As Dyer told us:</P><br /><P>"The existing HNC/HND framework covers about 80 per cent of the content of LPIC-1. It is hoped in the emerging new framework that all of LPIC-1 will be covered and will have its own PDA." </P><br /><P>We then asked whether a student's Linux experience was more likely to be used for further study, or within the workplace. </P><br /><P>"Industry is using Linux extensively as a server platform, and Google and others are putting Linux into mobile devices and smartphones." he said. "This gives further opportunities for our students to access employment. Students can use their development skills to program Linuxbased devices and their administration skills to configure and run Linux servers." </P><br /><P>This means that Linux students are leaving college with a cutting-edge education that hasn't made any compromises. Or as Dyer puts it:</P><br /><P>"Our students will have more opportunities to gain meaningful employment through having a broader skill set and a more comprehensive understanding of computing. We are committed to enhancing all our students's employability." </P><br /><P>"So far, the students have been really enthusiastic and excited about what the training can offer them." </P><br /><P>If you can't find a college or school close to you that takes Linux seriously, it might be time to get in touch with the people who make the decisions. If other colleges are making a success of their Linux courses, and integrating them into wider IT qualifications, then there's no reason why the same can't be done elsewhere. </P><br /><P>You only have to prove there's enough demand, and without getting in touch and letting them know, many institutions won't be aware that there is. </P><br /><P><STRONG>Get proactive </STRONG></P><br /><P>Many of the colleges that we've spoken to are more than happy to help people who want the same level of coverage for their local college, and it's likely you'll find a great deal of support in local user groups and parent associations. </P><br /><P>Many schools, for example, are happy to use the experience and services of professional parents to help improve the provision of technology and training to pupils. </P><br /><P>And even if parents can't get directly involved with the education, there's still a great deal they can do to source, install and run PC hardware, and hopefully, Linux. </P><br /><P><a href="http://www.techradar.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</A></P>

In Depth: Linux in education: a genuine alternative

Using free software in education is not just about saving money. It's also about preserving choice, not locking a student's experien...

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