Technology

Show Windows The Door!

Most of the computer-using world uses Windows while some use a Mac. But apart from these two, there is another Operating System (OS) that has gained acceptance and become popular with home and office users alike. Linux, christened after its original author Linus Torvalds, is an Open Source (meaning sources of information, code, pictures, maps, authors, and everything related is publicly viewable and openly modifiable). Linux was written when Torvalds was just a student at the University of Helsinki. In October, 1991 Torvalds posted the source code for the new kernel—the core component—version .02 on Usenet. Three years later, in 1994, version 1.0 was officially released.
So what are the major differences and advantages (or disadvantages) of Linux over Windows and other OSes? And why should you use Linux?

Here are a few reasons why Linux might be the perfect operating system to meet your requirements:
• A Linux Distribution has thousands of rupees worth of software for no cost (or maybe for just a few hundred if purchased on CD/DVD).
• Linux is a complete operating system that is stable—the crash of an application is much less likely to bring down the operating system under Linux.
• Excellent networking facilities: allowing you to share CPUs, modems and more with better performance, fewer restrictions and no fee for a licence.
• A wide variety of commercial software is available if your needs aren’t satisfied by the free software.
• An operating system that is easily upgradeable. After any length of time a typical installation of Windows and software gets into a complete mess. Often, the only way to clear out all the debris is to reformat the hard disk and start again. Linux, however, is much better for maintaining the system.
• True multi-tasking: the ability to run more than one program at the same time. This releases the power of the modern PC to sparkle by serving multiple users over a network.
• An excellent window system called X; the equivalent of Windows but much more flexible. You can even open a window on another computer with security and work or display remotely.

So, Where Do I Start?
Linux is an operating system, i.e., an environment to allow you to interact with your computer. It normally needs to be installed onto your computer’s hard drive—if your machine has Microsoft Windows then that was initially installed by your supplier and currently occupies your hard drive. To install and use Linux, you could either remove Windows or install another hard drive.
If you don’t know how to do this and want a new machine, try asking your vendor for Linux pre-installed rather than Windows—that should also reduce the cost of the computer! One other alternative is to use an old machine that you no longer use to play around with Linux first. Warning: Make sure you backup your data before installing Linux.

What Is The Best Linux Distribution?
For a beginner, the most important attribute of a Linux distribution is how easy it is to install, configure and maintain. Distributions that come with thousands of individual programs are often just bewildering to a newbie. The download edition of Mandriva (formerly known as Mandrake) comes on three CDs, and has an extremely polished installation. Another excellent distribution designed for beginners is Xandros, which is simplicity to install and use.
Other distributions that fit the bill include SuSE, Linspire, and Fedora. One relative newcomer that is gathering huge interest is Ubuntu, a Debian-based distribution, which has six monthly releases, and support.
There is an alternative to installing a Linux distribution to your hard disk. Many Linux distributions that can be run directly from a CD/DVD, these are known as Live CDs. Knoppix is the most famous of these live distributions. Due to on-the-fly decompression, the Knoppix CD can have up to 2 GB of executable software installed on it, so there’s no shortage of software for you to experiment with. Naturally, there’s a performance hit from running the distribution from a CD/DVD, as this can never be as fast as running from a hard disk.

How Much Does Linux Cost?
The price of a Linux distribution depends on a number of factors—is it supplied with commercial software, on media such as CD-ROM or DVD and is printed documentation provided? It is recommend that a Linux beginner pay some money to get Linux on a CD-ROM—in the long run the initial expense is easily covered by the time saved learning how to use this operating system.
Generally, most Linux distributions are:
• Downloaded over the Internet for free. These do not come supplied with commercial software;
• Purchased on a ‘free’ CD-ROM or DVD. These are extremely cheap and cost only a few rupees and save a long download, although with broadband, this no longer makes such a huge difference. Also available are PC-style office applications for free, such as the incredibly popular OpenOffice (www.openoffice.org).
• Provided as a box set with manuals and commercial software bundled in. For many beginners to Linux, this is the route to take; with Mandriva and SuSE you receive a quality manual that has specific information about the Linux distribution.

Is My Hardware Compatible?
This can often be a hurdle for the newbie to Linux. Linux currently supports less hardware than Windows. With most new purchases of accessories drivers for the Windows-based operating systems are included, yet Linux drivers are normally not provided. This situation is slowly changing, though. Accessories that aren’t supported in Linux are the latest 3D graphic cards (or at least only some of their functionality is supported), Winmodems (which only work with Microsoft Windows), windows printers and some soundcards.
If possible, make an agreement that hardware that does not work with Linux can be returned. That way, it is sufficient to check the often problematic parts beforehand.

How Do I Download Linux?
For the Linux beginner on a dial-up connection, it is recommended that you obtain Linux on CD/DVD rather than downloading it over the net as it will take forever to download. However, if you have a fast Internet connection, you can download Linux from the sites of the various variants mentioned above. Just do a Google search and you will find the download sites!

Can my Windows applications run under Linux?
There are a number of choices that are available. One popular commercial program is VMware, which lets you run multiple operating systems on an individual machine. A wide number of operating systems are supported including Windows 95, Windows 98, ME, 2000, XP, and FreeBSD. Their website is www.vmware.com.
If you want to use Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Internet Explorer (why?), Access, Photoshop, iTunes, FrontPage and others, you might be interested in CrossOver Office, a project that has built upon the success of Wine.
The downside of both VMWare and CrossOver Office is that both applications are commercial and quite expensive. However, there is a no-cost alternative. Wine is an Open Source implementation of the Windows API on top of X and Unix. Wine makes it possible to take advantage of all the Unix strong points (stability, flexibility, remote administration) while still using the Windows applications you depend on.
With Linux, there are no barriers, no price controls, and no proprietary knowledge. The limitations are your own.

Major Linux Features
• Pre-emptive multitasking (meaning that more than one task or application program can be running at the same time, pre-emptive meaning the operating system rather than the application has control of tasks and the allotment of clock cycles to applications)
• Multi-user (meaning that more than one user can be logged on at the same time without affecting each other);
• Has rudimentary security is built-in (login and password, file ownership and permissions);
• Was designed for connectivity (that is, to connect many computers and workstations together);
• Uses full 32-bit access to data in protected mode; up to 128 MB RAM, and up to 4 GB storage;
• Peacefully co-exists with DOS/Windows on separate partitions or hard disks the same machine;
• Supports 256-character, case sensitive file names; unification of file, directory, device, and interprocess input/output (all treated as files);
• A hierarchical file system (like the directory layers in DOS/Windows—directories inside directories).

Posted by Scribbler at 10:16 PM 1 comments

Let's Play

By Aditya Kuber

Gaming consoles are starting to make a mark in India as more and more gamers discover the fantastic world of gaming. Here are some of the best options you could opt for if you are one of those who refuses to grow up!

Users from New York to Tokyo to Mumbai say virtually the same thing when it comes to video game consoles: Microsoft’s Xbox, Nintendo’s GameCube and Sony’s PlayStation 2 are all great systems. Your choice between the three depends more on the games you want to play and the folks you want to play with online than any other factor, including price. The bottom line is this: Xbox is the best platform to buy in general. The PS2 is the best choice if you already have a library of PS2 games. The GameCube is the best choice for kids.
Among the new handheld systems, the Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) (approx cost Rs 11,000) tops the Nintendo DS (approx price Rs 7,000). Although the Nintendo has two screens, the Sony has a larger, higher resolution screen that delivers better graphics. Interestingly, it is said that the Nintendo DS was never meant to be competition for the Sony; rather, the DS is positioned as a placeholder until the next Game Boy unit (provisionally named the Game Boy Evolution) comes out around year-end 2005.

The Past
In 2004, video-console sales were flat compared with 2003, a slowdown that’s been long anticipated. Since current gaming systems are now in their third (Xbox and Game Cube) and fourth (PlayStation 2) years, sales are slowing in anticipation of new systems in late 2005 and early 2006. If you want a game system now, this is a trend that works in your favour, since Xbox and PlayStation 2 are selling for 50 per cent less than they were when they debuted, and anxious shoppers were standing in long lines to snatch up dwindling supplies.
In an effort to freshen the PlayStation 2 and boost sales, Sony released a slimmed-down version of the PlayStation, called simply PS2 (approx price Rs 18,000). Features-wise, the unit—which is about half the size and weight of the larger PlayStation 2—doubles as a DVD player, but has built-in networking. That means you’ll be able to play online games over broadband or dial-up without purchasing an adapter (as owners did with PlayStation).
It is missing a memory slot and hard drive. That means a few games, such as Final Fantasy XI, which need a hard drive, can’t be played on the smaller PS2. Sony insiders say that the upcoming PlayStation 3 (set for a late 2005 release) won’t have a hard drive either. Sony says that so few games have been designed to use the hard drive that they’ve decided not to equip PS3 with permanent memory. Performance of the PS2 is the same as the full-size PlayStation. Some say this is because the guts of the system are the same.

The Future
If you’re not in a hurry to buy a game system, and you want the latest technology, you may want to wait until late 2005 or early 2006. The new Xbox, called Xbox 360, will hit the market by Christmas of 2005. Sony will follow on its heels with the PlayStation 3 in early 2006. Cyberworld is rife with rumours of their prices and are current estimates say that both will retail for around Rs 14,000, which is historically the debut price-point for game consoles. Sony has already announced that PS3 will be backwards compatible with games made for PS2 and the original PlayStation. Nintendo’s follow-up to the GameCube (code named Revolution) will likely debut mid-2006.
Microsoft says the next Xbox will be able to play current Xbox games, though some pundits say there could be some snags, since Microsoft is switching video-chip makers for the next-generation Xbox. Xbox 360 will feature an ATi graphics controller, while the current model uses circuitry from nVidia.

The Present:
Xbox vs PS2 vs GameCube

Three years ago, it was written, “If your biggest priority is the widest selection of quality games possible rather than hardware bells and whistles, the PlayStation 2 is your best choice. However, a year from now, the Xbox may very well have the upper hand.” That’s true today, and sales figures for Xbox and PlayStation 2 run neck and neck. Microsoft claims that Xbox has overtaken PlayStation 2.
With more than 400 games currently available, game writers have been busy ramping up the game library for Xbox, and its proprietary titles have been blowing users away. The 2004 season saw the release of the bestselling Halo 2.
Sony PlayStation 2 is still a strong contender due to its large library of games (over 2,000 compatible titles, including those for the earlier PlayStation), and some top-selling proprietary titles, including Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. GameCube (approx price Rs 5,500) is now featuring strong titles (like the new Metroid Prime 2 and Paper Mario) exclusive to Nintendo, and has over 450 games available.
Xbox leads the technological advances in online games, with around 100 games classified as “teen,” “everyone,” or “mature.” Some games also come with a free trial, after which, you can buy a subscription to Microsoft’s online gaming service, Xbox Live, on a monthly or annual basis (between Rs 300 and Rs 2,200, respectively). You need a broadband connection to play online games with Xbox. Now that the slimmer PS2 has integrated networking, you don’t need to buy a separate accessory. Sony doesn’t charge anything for online gameplay on PS2, but the games themselves sometimes charge a monthly fee. PS2 can use broadband or dial-up for online play.

Play Online
If you want to play a wide variety of online games, the Xbox is the better bet. Since Microsoft hosts the servers for all online game play, your monthly fee gets you access to all available games and the convenience of a single login account. Xbox Live is widely acknowledged as the more elegant solution to online gaming.
PS2 also has about 100 online games. If you don’t anticipate playing a huge variety of online games, PS2 is also fine—you need to register and create an account to play each game online, but other than buying the game itself, you won’t have ongoing subscription expenses.
If you have a bunch of older PlayStation games, you should go for PS2. You’ll be able to play your old games, and the PS2 doubles as a DVD player right out of the box (although some say it doesn’t compete with a dedicated DVD player).
Although PS3 will be coming out this year, it will cost at least twice as much. If you already own a full-size PlayStation 2, there’s little need to upgrade to the slimmer PS2. Features-wise, the two are nearly identical.
If you’re buying a game system for the first time, Xbox is the better pick (provided you don’t have any strong preference for PlayStation’s proprietary games). Xbox can also play DVDs, but only after you purchase the a DVD playback kit.

So Which One’s for me?
If kids under fifteen years of age will be the primary users of your new game console, you’re best off with the GameCube (approx price Rs 5,200), with its collection of proprietary games in the ever-popular Super Mario mould. The GameCube’s controller is smaller than the others, making it more appropriate for small hands, and costs about Rs 2,000 less than Xbox or PS2.
However, the GameCube can’t double as a DVD player, and some have criticised its relatively small hard drive. Some adult games are also featured for this system, though it’s a decidedly weird experience to play a blood ‘n guts shoot-’em-up on such a family-friendly console. Bottom line: If Doom-style games are your cup of tea, you’re better off with an Xbox or PS2.
The GameCube can connect to the Internet via dial-up modem or broadband and subscriptions are sold directly by game developers. So far, Sega’s Phatasy Star is the only game that can be played online with GameCube.
Starter kits for a game console include some accessories and games, and they may be worth considering when you choose what system to buy. An extra controller (for adding a player to the game) is bundled with a game or two into packs that cost less than all their components priced separately. Microsoft has a connectivity kit for the Xbox that includes a subscription to Xbox Live, and a headset (to talk to other online players).

Handheld Game Systems
Two new handheld systems challenge the 2004 front-runner, Nintendo’s Game Boy Advance SP (approx price Rs 3,500). The Game Boy Advance SP has an enormous library of games (over 700, since it is backward compatible with the original Game Boy), and the Advance SP is still a bargain compared to the newer Nintendo DS (approx price Rs 6,800) and Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) (approx price Rs 18,000).
The Nintendo DS is a dual-screen handheld console capable of wireless gaming–both short-range gaming and Internet gaming via Wi-Fi hotspots. The multiplayer capabilities allow you to play with up to sixteen gamers. There are two slots for games: A new slot for DS games and a legacy slot for backwards compatibility with older Game Boy titles. The standout feature of the Nintendo DS is its two screens, one of which (the touchscreen) acts as a controller.
Sony’s PSP plays online and peer-to-peer games, but also doubles as a media player capable of playing MP3s (loaded on a Memory Stick media card) and video (either on proprietary discs or on a memory card). The controller is similar to that of PS2, and accessories include a camera and a keyboard. It has a single screen, but it is larger and has higher resolution than either of the screens on the Nintendo DS. A few of the drawbacks are its bulky size, its battery life (less than three hours of usage per charge) and the fact that this unit uses a propriety disc for movies (called the Universal Media Disc).
The PSP’s screen is bright, sharp and practically flawless, and performance is better than that of the Nintendo DS. The price of the PSP positions it as a toy for adults versus a typical portable device designed for a kid.
Although the PSP can play movies, movies on UMD disc work best. Playing movies on a Memory Stick card is a complicated process that involves downloading video in the correct format to the card (needs to be purchased additionally). Currently, only five movies are available on UMD discs, including Spiderman 2 and Hellboy! While the PSP does a good job with MP3 playback, it’s not much of a stand-in for a portable DVD player.
The PSP is the clear winner over the Nintendo DS. It has a better screen (which means better looking games), and its Memory Stick slot allows you to play MP3s, view photos and videos (to a limited extent). Built-in Wi-Fi works well for online gaming, and its analogue stick and directional-pad gaming controls are also good. The Nintendo DS touchscreen isn’t as easy to use as it could be, though. Of course, the PSP costs more than the DS. Right now, about twenty games are available for PSP.
Another competitor in the handheld game-console market is the N-Gage from Nokia(approx price Rs 9,000). This mobile phone/game-machine/MP3-player combo was an incredible failure with gamers. Less than a year later, it was re-envisioned as the N-Gage QD (costing even less at approx Rs 7,800), a new model with a new service plan. And while it is a big improvement over the original, this second-generation model has no MP3 player or FM radio.
The new model is better designed with backlit buttons and images are bright and sharp and the sound is very good. Ultimately, it is the game library that propels sales, and Nokia needs some exclusive and compelling titles to grab a share of the market.
The PSP is currently the top handheld unit, but it costs as much as a console system. For about Rs 3,600, the Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP is still a good choice for casual gamers. It costs far less than other models and has an extensive game library. As with full-size consoles, however, 2005 looks to be a defining year for handhelds as the PlayStation Portable and Nintendo DS compete, and Nintendo’s new Game Boy comes into play.

Posted by Scribbler at 10:25 PM 0 comments

Making Your Home A Wi-Fi Hotspot

By Aditya Kuber

Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) is the new buzzword and in the list of things that go to make a city the most wired one, the number of Wi-Fi hotspots is now playing a big part. Contradictory as that may sound, it’s true!

You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure this out. All you need is some more hardware and a few hours on a weekend and you can sit in your garden sending and receiving mails… that’s a pretty picture ain’t it?
Wi-Fi is the wireless way to handle networking. It is also known as 802.11 networking and wireless networking. The big advantage of Wi-Fi is its simplicity. You can connect computers anywhere in your home or office without the need for wires. The computers connect to the network using radio signals, and computers can be up to 100 feet or so apart.

Adding Wi-Fi to a Computer
One of the best things about Wi-Fi is how simple it is. Many new laptops already come with a Wi-Fi card built in—in many cases, you don't have to do anything to start using Wi-Fi. It is also easy to add a Wi-Fi card to an older laptop or a desktop PC. Here's what you do:
* Buy an 802.11a, 802.11b or 802.11g network card. 802.11g has the advantage of higher speeds and good interoperability on 802.11b equipment.
o For a laptop, this card will normally be a PCMCIA card that you slide into a PCMCIA slot on your laptop. Or you can buy a small external adapter and plug it into a USB port.
o For a desktop machine, you can buy a PCI card that you install inside the machine, or a small external adapter that you connect to the computer with a USB cable.
* Install the card
* Install the drivers for the card
* Find an 802.11 hotspot
* Access the hotspot.

A hotspot is a connection point for a Wi-Fi network. It is a small box that is hardwired into the Internet. The box contains an 802.11 radio that can simultaneously talk to up to 100 or so 802.11 cards. There are not many Wi-Fi hotspots available as yet in public places like restaurants, hotels, libraries and airports, but this should change soon.
* If you already have several computers hooked together on an Ethernet network and want to add a wireless hotspot to the mix, you can purchase a Wireless Access Point and plug it into the Ethernet network.
* If you are setting up a network in your home for the first time, or if you are upgrading, you can buy a Wireless Access Point Router. This is a single box that contains: 1) a port to connect to your cable modem or DSL modem, 2) a router, 3) an Ethernet hub, 4) a firewall and 5) a wireless access point.

You can connect the computers in your home to this box either with traditional Ethernet cables or with wireless cards. Either way, once you turn your Wireless Access Point on, you will have a Wi-Fi hotspot in your house.
In a typical home, your new hotspot will provide coverage for about 100 feet (30.5 meters) in all directions, although walls and floors do cut down on the range. Even so, you should get good coverage throughout a typical home. For a large home, you can buy inexpensive signal boosters to increase the range of the Hotspot.
If you are setting up your 802.11 (wireless) network from scratch, you will have to choose between 802.11a, 802.11b and 802.11g. 802.11b is slightly less expensive, but it is the slowest of the three options. For home use, 802.11g costs just a little more, but is up to five times faster. If you will be doing a lot of file transfers between computers in your home, 802.11g is definitely the way to go.

Configuring Wi-Fi
On the newest machines, an 802.11 card will automatically connect with an 802.11 hotspot and a network connection will be established. As soon as you turn on your machine, it will connect and you will be able to browse the Web, send e-mail, etc. using Wi-Fi. On older machines, you often have to go through this simple three-step process to connect to a hotspot:
* Access the software for the 802.11 card—normally there is an icon for the card down in the system tray at the bottom right of the screen.
* Click the “Search” button in the software. The card will search for all of the available hotspots in the area and show you a list.
* Double-click on one of the hotspots to connect to it.

On ancient 802.11 equipment, there is no automatic search feature. You have to find what is known as the SSID of the hotspot (usually a short word of 10 characters or less) as well as the channel number (an integer between 1 and 11) and type these two pieces of information in manually. All the search feature is doing is grabbing these two pieces of information from the radio signals generated by the hotspot and displaying them for you.

Configuring a New Hotspot in your Home
Most wireless access points come with default values built-in. Once you plug them in, they start working with these default values in 90 per cent of the cases. However, you may want to change things. You normally get to set three things on your access point:
* The SSID: it will normally default to the manufacturer’s name (e.g. “Linksys”). You can set it to any word or phrase you like.
* The channel: normally it will default to channel 6. However, if a nearby neighbour is also using an access point and it is set to channel 6, there can be interference. Choose any other channel between 1 and 11. An easy way to see if your neighbours have access points is to use the search feature that comes with your wireless card.
* The WEP key: The default is to disable WEP. If you want to turn it on, you have to enter a WEP key and turn on 128-bit encryption.

Access points come with simple instructions for changing these three values. Normally you do it with a Web browser. Once it is configured properly, you can use your new hotspot to access the Internet from anywhere in your home.

Wi-Fi Security
Wi-Fi hotspots can be open or secure. If a hotspot is open, anyone with a Wi-Fi card can access the hotspot. If it is secure, the user needs to know a WEP key to connect.
WEP stands for Wired Equivalent Privacy, and it is an encryption system for the data that 802.11 sends through the air. WEP has two variations: 64-bit encryption (really 40-bit) and 128-bit encryption (really 104-bit). 40-bit encryption was the original standard but was found to be easily broken. 128-bit encryption is more secure and is what most people use if they enable WEP. For a casual user, any hotspot that is using WEP is inaccessible unless you know the WEP key.
If you are setting up a hotspot in your home, you may want to create and use a 128-bit WEP key to prevent the neighbours from casually eavesdropping on your network.
Whether at home or on the road, you need to know the WEP key, and then enter it into the Wi-Fi card’s software, to gain access to the network.

(c) The Herald

Posted by Scribbler at 10:37 PM 0 comments