Running a free software project can be a rewarding experience if you begin with your eyes open. In my personal experience, starting a free software project with only a head-on view of a few existing free software projects is not really enough. Some basic background information can really help get you started in the right direction.
Hacker's code
Running a free software project
Starting with your eyes open can really help!
Hacker's code | IntermediateBy John Calcote
Online on: recently published
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How to completely ditch GUI internet applications for the command line
The short ‘n’ sweet guide to liberating yourself from the evil graphical user interface
Hacker's code | EasyBy Andrew Min
Online on: recently published
Today, terminal-based programs have almost disappeared. GUIs are taking over, whether we like it or not. However, there is still a place for the old command line. Take the internet as an example: everyone’s using Firefox, Thunderbird, and Pidgin for their internet activities. Even though these are great, quality, free software apps, they tend to be bloated. That’s where the terminal comes in.
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Run any GNU/Linux app on Windows without any virtualization
Using SSH to access programs from an Ubuntu box
Hacker's code | EasyOnline on: recently published
SSH tools, long used by UNIX gurus to perform complicated administrative tasks over the internet on machines miles away, are a very simple and user-friendly solution for more conventional purposes. Ubuntu users, read on to learn how to use SSH to run your favorite GNU/Linux software on Microsoft Windows—without installing any software on the Windows box.
Beginners guide to database administration tools
MySQL, Ubuntu and a drop of PHP and Perl
Hacker's code | EasyBy Alan Berg
Online on: recently published
Welcome to an introduction for the beginner to the basic manipulation of the MySQL database with free software. The purpose of this article is to show how universally straightforward it is to get started with installing and applying a high-grade enterprise ready database like MySQL, and to learn how to manipulate it via numerous free software approaches.
Create a simple application with Hecl
Introducing Hecl, a mobile phone scripting language
Hacker's code | EasyBy David Welton
Online on: recently published
These days, almost everyone has a cell phone; cell phones keep getting faster, smarter, and more capable, yet relatively few applications exist for them. The Hecl programming language makes it easy to script applications for your cell phone—with just a few lines of code, you can create applications that you can carry with you, everywhere.
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Virtualization in OpenSolaris
Virtualization techniques in OpenSolaris
Hacker's code | AdvancedBy Rami Rosen
Online on: recently published
Recently there’s been a lot of news about OpenSolaris, more specifically in reference to the great progress made by virtualization technologies in it. In this article, I will exam some of these technologies, and compare them with the state of the art on other platforms.
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Gaia Ajax Widgets: no-JavaScript Ajax
Tutorial about how to use Gaia Ajax Widgets with ASP.NET - Mono
Hacker's code | EasyOnline on: recently published
Imagine you need to create an Ajax application, and you’re scratching your head in frustration since you don’t understand prototype.js
, you think using ASP.NET Ajax feels like building a car with scissors and paperclips and you don’t know enough Java to use GWT. If this is your problem, Gaia Ajax Widgets could solve your problem: Gaia abstracts away JavaScript, feels like normal ASP.NET, works on both ASP.NET and Mono—and it’s free software.
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UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) installation and configuration
Preventing unscheduled power related downtime
Hacker's code | EasyBy Ken Leyba
Online on: recently published
An inexpensive way to prevent unscheduled downtime or data loss due to power problems is with a UPS or Uninterruptible Power Supply. However, a UPS by itself is not enough for proper operation. Hardware, software, and configuration together make up a UPS system that will recover from unexpected power loss or power fluctuations that can damage systems and peripherals.
SSH beyond the command line
File servers made easy with SSH
Hacker's code | EasyOnline on: 2007-09-26
If you’re an experienced administrator, you’ve probably used SSH to remotely access a troublesome box or your personal computer. For those who don’t know: SSH it’s a great way to fiddle with a computer from miles away as if you were sitting at its keyboard, but it’s also just about the simplest and most secure way to configure your computer to let you access its files from anywhere. You can use SSH on nearly every operating system to transfer files to and from your computer over the internet or a LAN.
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The "alias" command
Alias: Speed Dial for your Shell
Hacker's code | EasyOnline on: 2007-09-24
You almost certainly have speed dial set up on your home, office and mobile phone. It saves time, ensures against a failing memory and allows you to work smarter.
Devotees of the command line don’t have to be left out in the cold. One of the crown jewels of GNU/Linux is that every user, be he ne’er so base, has at his or her fingertips the kind of power of which even Caligula could not dream. Alright, I’m exaggerating—a little.
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Create your online project site, start to finish, with Sakai
A flexible Collaboration Learning Environment
Hacker's code | EasyBy Alan Berg
Online on: 2007-09-14
Sakai is an online Collaboration Learning Environment, CLE for short. Indiana University has proactively deployed it for 100,000 students, and over 120 other Universities are involved with their own local deployments or test beds. Clearly, this well received application is worth checking out and taking for a vigorous and thorough test run.
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Fast programming with Rexx
Ease of use and power can co-exist
Hacker's code | IntermediateOnline on: 2007-09-12
Ever need to code quickly? You can code Rexx like water—yet it’s powerful. Here’s everything you need to start, by studying real-world programming examples.
Configure and use the Untangle Gateway
Facing the challenges with network administration, the right way
Hacker's code | IntermediateBy Dirk Morris
Online on: 2007-09-10
Connecting a network to the modern day internet can be challenging. Basic infrastructure, like routers, DHCP Servers, and DNS servers, are required to get the network online. The network must also be protected with a firewall and intrusion prevention, and the desktops need protection from viruses and spyware. Next will come a spam and phish filter to stop the continual flood of junk email. Most are then forced to implement some sort of internet usage control, like web filtering, to control what users are doing on the network. [...]
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SPIP: Content management for publishers and writers
A powerful tool to manage online publications
Hacker's code | EasyBy Dmitri Popov
Online on: 2007-08-29
Content Management System (CMS) software comes nowadays in all shapes and colours, so you can afford to be picky and choose the one that fits your needs. And if you happen to be a writer or an editor of an online magazine, SPIP might be what you are looking for. While SPIP is not as well-known as, say, Joomla, it has a huge following in France, its country of origin. Unlike other CMS applications which cater for a broad user base that needs to manage “content”, SPIP is designed for a more specific audience and purpose. [...]
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Introduction to Firestarter
Additonal security through a simple interface
Hacker's code | IntermediateBy Ken Leyba
Online on: 2007-08-24
Most modern GNU/Linux distributions are secure with their default minimal installs, whether desktop or server, while some distributions are designed specifically with security in mind. However, any GNU/Linux distribution that needs services available to other users or systems will need either enhanced or configurable security. There are other situations in which added security is beneficial; for example, a large environment, while secure to the outside world, would be enhanced with additional security measures in place.
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Generating cool fractals
A benchmark comparison of PDL, IDL, MATLAB, Octave, C and FORTRAN77 generating fractals
Hacker's code | IntermediateOnline on: 2007-07-25
Whether you are a professional or amateur scientist, engineer or mathematician, if you need to make numerical calculations and plots quickly and easily, then PDL (Perl Data Language) is certainly one of the best free software tools to use. PDL has everything that similar high-level, proprietary, numerical calculation languages (like IDL or MATLAB) have. And it certainly comes with all the features you would expect to have in a numerical calculation package.
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A revolutionary idea for tomorrow’s PCs
Can our PCs be re-organised for greater usability?
Hacker's code | EasyOnline on: 2007-07-18
PCs are complex due to underlying hardware organisation. Consequences of this include difficulty in modifying or upgrading a PC, bloated operating systems and software stability issues. Is there an alternative that wouldn’t involve scrapping everything and starting over? I will describe one possible solution with both its benefits and drawbacks.
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How to build squid authentication helpers
Build your own authentication helper using the language of your choice
Hacker's code | IntermediateOnline on: 2007-07-09
Have you ever tried to figure out how to make Squid authenticate users according to your own exotic rules? Users are in a DB? Are you using an ActiveDirectory? Users/passwords are authenticated by a java class? Everything is possible. Here I intend to explain how to make your own custom authentication helpers so you can develop your own routines for your own requirements.
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Comparing GNU/Linux and FreeBSD
The real winner is the community
Hacker's code | IntermediateOnline on: 2007-05-30
GNU/Linux is the most popular operating system built with free/open source software. However, it is not the only one: FreeBSD is also becoming popular for its stability, robustness and security. In this article, I’ll take a look at their similarities and differences.
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Backup your workstation with Backup Manager
Saving yourself one day at at time
Hacker's code | EasyBy Ken Leyba
Online on: 2007-05-23
Backing up is one of those tedious jobs that has to be done but is usually relegated to the end of the To Do list. Enter Backup Manager, which is a set of Bash and Perl scripts that alleviate the tediousness of performing backups. Taking away some of the complexity of backup tools and combining others, Backup Manager brings simplicity to backing up. Obtaining a higher level view of backups also allows easier management of archives including retention. What follows is a method of backing up a single workstation daily and managing those backups.
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