The Linux File System

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The Linux File System

By Stephen Bucaro

Linux uses a whole different file system philosophy than
Windows. Windows automatically assigns a drive letter to
every partition and drive it finds. But Linux makes every
partition and drive a subdirectory of the root (/)
partition. If you are a Windows user, you may get confused
when you try to use Linux.

No matter how many partitions, hard drives, or floppy
drives your computer has, the Linux File Manager displays
everything in a single directory tree under the root
directory indicated by a slash (/). Every partition or
drive is "mounted" onto the directory tree, and appears in
File Manager as a subdirectory.

Linux needs at least three partitions to work, the root
partition, the /boot partition, and the swap partition.
The root partition is mounted at startup. The root
directory itself doesn't contain any files, just
subdirectories. The /boot partition contains files used to
boot the system. The swap partition is used as "virtual
memory".

When the operating system needs more memory than there is
available in the system's RAM, it can use disk space to
emulate memory. As the system operates, data is swapped
back and forth between RAM and the swap partition. The
swap partition doesn't have a mount point because it's a
system file and is never accessed directly by the user.

Note: Linux, the Internet, and the rest of the computing
world use forward slashes to form directory paths. Only
Windows uses back-slashes to form directory paths. The
back-slash also represents an ASCII escape character,
resulting in all kinds of bugs in Windows programs.

In Windows you just insert a floppy disk into the drive and
it's accessible. With Linux, before you can access devices
such as a CD ROM or a floppy drive, you have to "mount"
the drive. For example, to mount the floppy drive, insert
the disk into the drive and then select Main Menu |
Programs | System | Disk Manager. The "User Mount Tool"
utility will appear. In the "User Mount Tool" click on the
"Mount" button to the right of /dev/fd0.

Note: Linux abstracts every device attached your computer,
including the hard drive and floppy drive as a file. Files
in the /dev/ folder are equivalent to device driver files
in Windows. Linux provides device files for most common
devices, but if you install an uncommon device, you may
need a special device file.

After mounting the drive, you can access the floppy disk.
Before removing the disk, you have to "unmount" the drive.
If you find yourself frequently mounting and unmounting
drives, you can right-click on "Disk Manager" in the menu
and select "Add this launcher to panel".

When you installed Linux, information about devices on
computer was stored in the file /etc/fstab. If the device
that you want to mount was not configured during
installation, use the LinuxConf utility to configure the
device before you mount it.

For example, if you wanted to configure a floppy drive to
access DOS floppy disks, insert a DOS floppy disk into the
drive, then log in as root and open LinuxConf - Main Menu
| Programs | System | LinuxConf. In the LinuxConf window
Config tab, click on "+" next to "File systems" to open
that branch. Under "File systems" click on "Access local
drive". The "Local volume" windows appears.

In the "Local volume" window, click on the Add button. The
"Volume specification" window appears. In the "Partition"
text box type /dev/fd0. Then click on the drop down button
for the "Type" text box and select msdos. In the "Mount
point" text box type /mnt/floppy. Click on the "Accept"
button. Then click on the "Mount" button.

Note: To mount a partition or drive you have to use an
existing subdirectory as the mount point. By convention,
drives use the /mnt/ subdirectory as the mount point.

To copy files to and from the mounted floppy disk, drag
and drop them to and from the directory /mnt/dosfloppy
just as you would any other directory.

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Making Sense of ISP Provider Choices

Choosing an ISP provider can be an overwhelming and confusing task. How do you make sense of all the thousands of plans that are available to ensure that you make the right choice for you and your family? What do you need to look for in an ISP provider that will guarantee that you get the maximum value for your money and a smooth connection?

When choosing an ISP provider you need to look for one that has a long track record with customers and provides software upgrades periodically. This will show you that they are concerned with increasing the ease and quickness of your connection and internet surfing. The long track record will give you that feeling of stability and consistency of using an established ISP provider that you can trust, rather than some cheap fly-by-night provider that will only offer you disconnections or no connection when you need it.

You also need to read the fine print of the contract. Can you stay online for periods of time or will it automatically cut you off of the internet after a specific time period? How many email addresses are allowed for each account? If there are not enough for everyone in your family that needs to have one, then this may not be the plan for you. Do you have to stay with this ISP provider for a specific period of time or can you terminate the provider at any time without a penalty?

Customer service can be a very important tool for you if you have any internet problems. Is their customer service line toll-free? Is it open 24/7? Check on their quality and response by calling to ask questions about their internet service.

You need to check access numbers if it is a dial-up service to ensure that there is a local number you can use for your service. If you travel, you want to make sure there is a wide variety of area codes available or, even better, a toll free number for you to use when traveling.

The most important thing is to research different companies and compare them side by side to see which company is right for you and your family. The cheapest provider will not necessarily give you the best internet experience. Don't base your choice solely on price or you may experience more internet disruptions and disconnections than smooth service. Whether you choose AOL, Juno, Earthlink, or one of the other thousands of ISP providers available, make the best choice for your intended internet experience to get the best deal for you money!

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Help Keep the Computers on Earth Clean and Healthy

“Aaaaaahhhhhh! I’ve been invaded by a virus!” Getting a virus means getting sick and no one in their right mind wants to be ill. Well, now that computers have become our close friends, it’s a shock to learn that foreign bodies too can invade them with malicious intent. No, your computer doesn’t get a runny nose or diarrhea. This is a sickness that stops your friend from functioning properly, sick in bed, incapacitated.

Well in Nature viruses occur from a power outside of our control. But, with computers it’s different, humans, mean or ignorant humans are creating these viruses. Why? Usually these are disgruntled people who want to wreak some havoc on others or companies that they feel have done wrong to them. In any case we have to be in the know and prepared to deal with these debilitating scourges.

There are many ways to approach the protection of your computer. First of all there’s the step of awareness. Be aware of how viruses are transmitted. You can catch them from a disc but in most cases it is through your email system. Check your email carefully. Be very wary of anything that has an attachment. Check whom it’s from and look at the title of the mail, is it something you were expecting? Even if it’s from someone you know, be careful as their computer could be infected and the virus being transmitted without their knowledge.

Next, read the cover message, you can’t catch the disease without actually opening the message. Look at the name of the attachment; remember viruses are written to entice you. Beware of free offers and generally anything from people you don’t know, as well as messages that sound irrelevant to your contact’s usual style. Delete them straight away. Delete, delete, delete. This will ensure you of a lower risk of infection. You can even send the message back to the sender without opening it to make sure it is valid.

Now for the heavy protection: Virus scanning and virus protection software, and rescue discs are all readily available and easily utilized. Some are free, and others are obtained for a very small charge. Most software manufacturers offer subscriptions for updating services, which automatically download protection to the latest viruses.

There are two main types of virus scanning software: one searches through your entire computer files looking for recognizable viral signatures, the other scans your incoming and outgoing emails. Alerts will show you when a file needs to be erased or repaired. If you do receive a virus that none of the software can repair you can send a copy of it to a company like Symantec who will be happy to develop a cure for it.

The main message here is not to get too worried about your good friend Mrs. PC getting ill or sick. The humans are on top of the case and they seem much better adapted at fixing their technology than they are at beating the viruses that attack our physical bodies. If only we could cure human virus and illness as easily as we solve the problem of computer sickness.

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The Trouble With Spam Is....

Each day we all face the same challenge. Spam. It doesn't matter if you're a home computer user or the head of IT for a multinational limiting or totally preventing the distribution of junk email to your computer(s) is now a daily chore.

The sheer frustration that spam causes combined with the number of lost man hours adds up to junk email being a very real problem for all involved. You have to filter through all the junk to find your own personal or work email. This on its own is annoying enough. When you consider the security risks from spyware, trojans, diallers and attempted identity theft spam becomes much more than just an annoyance - it becomes a minefield for any computer user.

So what can you do to block spam? The first step each user should take is to simply limit the number of people who know your personal email address. If you have a work email address then just use it for work. For home users only distribute your email address to people you know and trust. This simple move can cut your spam problems by 50%.

But what about all those online forms I need to fill in? No problem. Use a free email service like Hotmail or Gmail for this purpose. Treat it as a throwaway account that you can use as a buffer between your true personal email address and the rest of the world. Let it fill up with junk email and then just login once a week and delete everything you see.

Your password. It's amazing how many people set the password for their email account to abc123 or something similar. These passwords are incredibly easy for spammers to guess and would give them easy access to your mail account. The password for your email account should follow corporate standards of being 6 - 8 characters long and be alphanumeric (a mixture of numbers and letters). Make it longer if you can. Using a weak password is just asking for trouble.

If you're already receiving a ton of spam then you'll need to invest in a spam blocker. There are free spam blockers you can download and also also their paid equivalents. A great spam blocker can cost you as little as $30 and you'll see an immediate reduction in the amount of spam you're receiving.

Over and above installing software on your computer (especially for Mac users as your choices are limited) you could sign up for one of the web based challenge response spam blockers like Mailblocks or SpamArrest. Both of these services are ideal for somebody who's on the move a lot. Also because they're web based there's no software to install so they're perfect for Mac or PocketPC/Palm users.

Taking a pro-active anti spam stance is the next step. If you get junk email from people then check the mail headers and report any offensive email to the hosting company or ISP involved. Never, ever reply to spam directly. This simply confirms to the spammer that your email address is active. Also never click on any hyperlinks in any junk email - this again confirms your existence and can lead to a virus being downloaded directly onto your PC. Filter the spam, report the abusers, delete the remaining junk email.

Spam can be stopped. Not by some corporate giant or genius programmer. It can be stopped by each of you individually. Spammers rely on the widespread availability of email addresses and for people to reply to these emails or click on the links within the emails. The sooner people stop reacting emotionally to spam and simply filter, report and delete the offensive mail itself the sooner the lucrative market of bulk email will dry up for the spammers.

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How To Increase Your Auction’s Visibility On Ebay.

Once you’ve optimised your titles for search terms and your items have short durations to get them near the top of the results, there’s really only one sure-fire way to make your auction stand out from the crowd. Unfortunately, it involves paying eBay more money – but it can really pay off, especially for higher-priced items.

In this email, I’ll take you through the various ‘listing upgrades’ eBay offer, how much they cost, and whether they’re any good. Remember that if you want any of these, you can just tick their box while you’re going through the process of listing your item. The charges will be added to the other fees you’re charged for the listing.

Gallery. The most basic of upgrades, this will show your photo on the search results page as well as inside on the item’s description page. This is always worth having. Cost: 35c.

Subtitle. If you add a subtitle, you get a little more space to fit in any extra information that you couldn’t squeeze into the title. Use this if you’re selling a relatively technical item that just has too many good features to fit into that 55-letter title space. Cost: 50c.

Bold. This will put your auction’s title in bold on search results pages. Not especially noticeable, but might make your auction stand out a little. Cost: $1.

Border. Choose this option to put your listing inside a coloured box on results pages, making it look a bit special. Cost: $3.

Highlight. You can get your listing highlighted in purple on results pages. Cost: $5.

Featured Plus. This upgrade will show your item at the top of the page in the search results, with the ‘featured items’, for the duration of your listing. It will also be shown in the featured items list seen by people who browse by category. This is easily the best upgrade you can buy, and will easily pay for itself twice over with an item that’s worth more than about $100 and getting a decent number of bids. Cost: $19.95.

Gallery Featured. This will show your item first when someone chooses to view items using the ‘Picture Gallery’ view. Few people ever use this view, but it might be useful for some kinds of items. Cost: $19.95.

Home Page Featured. This is the ultimate in listing upgrades, but its value is questionable, especially given the small space featured items are actually given on the home page. If you think you could pull a lot of buyers into your auction with nothing but the first four or five words of your title, go for it. Really, you have to get yourself on the home page at least once in your eBay life, don’t you? Cost: $39.95.

Instead of going to expense to get new buyers through the listings, perhaps you should talk to your existing ones and create some new sales opportunities that way? If you’d like to know how, be sure to read the next email.

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Niche Software Steals Microsoft's Thunder

When you think of software and personal computers (PCs), you think Microsoft.

The global software giant dominates the PC market in both penetration and pocketbook.

It seems you can't go a single day without seeing at least one news story and several advertisements for Microsoft or a Microsoft product.

But that doesn't mean Microsoft dominates in every corner of the market; in fact, as the software behemoth gets bigger, numerous niche software offerings spring up to fill in the gaps left in Microsoft's wake.

As you'll see, a couple of these niche software programs have managed to either beat Microsoft to the punch, or even steal market share away from the seemingly invincible company.


** FeedDemon **

FeedDemon software ($29.95) enables you to subscribe to and read RSS Feeds (Real Simple Syndication).

RSS has emerged as the preferred way to share news and other content with subscribers across the Internet without the use of email.

The advantage to subscribers: as news, blogs, or other content updates somewhere online, subscribers receive virtually instant notification just by opening up their reader.

This represents a huge time savings since subscribers can receive updates without surfing individual sites to chase down stories or wading through piles of spam to find the content they actually want.

The advantage to publishers: no worrying about whether email notifications, news releases, or blog updates made it past the spam filters or unreliable mail servers.

Though many free RSS reader software packages exist (just do a search on Google.com for "free rss reader"), FeedDemon offers an unmatched suite of tools that enable serious RSS subscribers the power and flexibility to mix and match feeds, including the new "POD Casting" craze where content providers syndicate audio content (MP3) over the web.

Available from www.bradsoft.com/feeddemon/, FeedDemon sets the standard for RSS readers in a market that Microsoft has yet to even address with any of its software products.

I'll make a daring prediction here: watch for Microsoft or another large player to purchase FeedDemon rather than try to reinvent the wheel and build a product brand themselves.


** FireFox Web Browser **

Security problems always seem to plague the Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) Web browser.

In fact, last year the problem got so bad, it forced Microsoft to release one of the largest free software upgrades (Service Pack 2) in the history of computing.

According to both OneStat.com and Webside Story, two of the Web's leading Web analytics companies, Microsoft's IE market share has dipped below 90%.

See actual stats from WebSide Story Here:
http://www.websidestory.com/services-solutions/datainsights/spotlight.html

In response to serious security threats to Internet Explorer, an upstart browser named FireFox from Mozilla.org took off like a rocket ship in late 2004.

Available free from www.Mozilla.org, FireFox offers not only a full-featured Web browser without the security problems, but also a number of features not available on Internet Explorer.

Probably the most popular feature Firefox offers over IE is "Tabbed Browsing," which enables you to open multiple Web pages without opening multiple windows.

Firefox also limits harmful Active-X controls and pop-up windows.

Firefox tends towards a less forgiving attitude on HTML coding and may display some Web pages awkwardly, where IE displays most pages as the designer intended.

Despite this, Firefox makes an excellent browser and Microsoft should take heed that market dominance doesn't last forever once consumers see a viable alternative.

And the lesson in all of this for all you would-be entrepreneurs out there with the next great idea?

It doesn't matter how big or small your organization, it always comes back to a simple formula: Meet the needs and solve the problems of a specific niche audience better than the next guy and you'll be the winner!

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