Saturday, December 11, 2010

5 Easy Steps to Become an Ubuntu Power User For Newbies

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By Luqman Saeed

Ubuntu Unleashed 2011 Edition: Covering 10.10 and 11.04 (6th Edition)More and more people are migrating to Ubuntu Linux on an unprecedented scale. However, most if not all, of these new users are people who have no prior knowledge of Linux whatsoever. The road to being a power Ubuntu Linux user can be summed up in five simple steps that every new user in whatever category will find easy and fun to implement. Using Ubuntu is more than just running an OS, it is about joining an ideological movement of freedom that in my view is symbolized by the Statue of Liberty in the US. Read on to become the next Mark Shuttleworth.

Step 1- Join the Ubuntu Forums.

The first thing you should do as a new user of Ubuntu is to join the Ubuntu Forums. It is a very helpful place where you can get to introduce yourself, make friends with newbies like you and more experienced geeks, ask any question you have about Ubuntu or Open Source in general, join any ongoing conversation and more. I also advice that you take time everyday to visit. Be an active participant. If you like, you can even subscribe to the feeds of the Forums. But whatever the case, please make it a note to join the Ubuntu Forums and you will be amazed at how much you get to learn for free..

Step 2- Get your own personal reference manuals.

It is highly recommended to get your own reference manuals about Ubuntu and Linux in general. Linux is more of a subject to be learned than something to just use. With Ubuntu Linux, you always have something to learn and it is very much worth the effort given the fact that Linux is poised to be the future of computing. You also improve your computing skills when you get to learn as much as you can about Linux. You will also be surprised at the kind of exhilaration that you experience when you successfully troubleshoot your own system the very frist time without the help of anybody. Two of my personal favorite reference manuals on Ubuntu Linux are Ubuntu 9.04 and Kubuntu 9.04, 4-disks DVD Set Includes Linux Training Library, "Introduction to Linux" video-DVD, also includes printed Quick Reference Card of Linux commands, 32-bit Set and Ubuntu Linux Toolbox: 1000+ Commands for Ubuntu and Debian Power Users. They are very powerful reference guides you must have at home or the office.

Step 3- Ask, ask, ask.

Whatever problem you might be facing in using Ubuntu Linux, be sure to know that someone out there has encountered that problem before and all you need to do to get it solved will be to ask. This brings us to the first step of joining the forums. You should also be using Google a lot. Just Google your question and get millions of suggested results in seconds. Do not shut your mouth when you have a problem and run back to Windows simply because you had a problem with Ubuntu Linux. You must ask to get help. To even get more specific suggestions on the forums, you should make it clear that you are a newbie. Most people are willing to help more newbies than others. Don't let your Windows friends tease you with the age old phrase of " that's Linux for you" just because you did not ask. The solution to every single Ubuntu Linux problem is as simple as asking at the right place.

Step 4- Experiment with your system.

The only sure fire way to be a Linux geek is to practice, and what better practice is there than to experiment with your own system. Always have a backup of your system and experiment with other ways of using Ubuntu. Do not just settle for the default setup of your installation. Apply the skills and tips you learn in the above books as much as you can, read about other methods of getting things done and apply them. Read wide and apply more. Be sure to always backup your system though. Try using other utilities like Compiz and a host of others. Experiment with how to make your system unique and you will be surprised at how much you get to learn by doing.

Step 5- Help others out

This is the most important step of all the five. Ubuntu Linux users are a worldwide community of people that believe in "humanity to others" and as such, you should endeavor to help others out as much as you can. If all you know is how to run a LiveCD, share that knowledge with someone. Anytime you visit the Ubuntu Forums, be sure to seek out new users like you and share your little experience with them. Help as much as you can. Go out of your way to be very helpful to new users with every single bit of knowledge you have. Over ten million people are using and benefiting from a very powerful, reliable and secure OS because one man believed in giving back to others. The least you can also do is to share your experience with those in need. You will be amazed at the level of knowledge you gain sharing yours with others.

Practice these simple but powerful points and in no time you will be on your way to being a geek that others will look up to for help and support.

The author is the owner of Ghabuntu, a popular Open Source blog from Africa. Please stop by to join the effort in making Open Source Software the preferred choice of computer users. You can also reach me here at sinaisix@gmail.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Luqman_Saeed

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Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Registry Repair Tools Can Fix Your Computer Device Drivers

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By Genevive Foreman

RegDoctor (CD+Download): safely cleans, repairs and optimizes the Windows Registry with one-click; cleans the registry to fix Windows errors and crashes; keeps Your PC working faster, smoother and trouble free. Works with Windows 7/Vista/XP/2000/98.Registry repair tools are the utility software facilitating computer users by a great deal getting them with solutions to a lot of system wide problems. Invalid drivers are one of the problems that computer users confront. You might confront a virtual device driver error that is relevant to the registry directly or the normal device drivers that have their keys in the registry of Windows.

Virtual device drivers' errors are more common to computer users as these persist in situation where you get to have troubles with the registry architecture. The HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlVirtualDeviceDrivers key becomes corrupted in such a case and it needs to be repaired. The manual edit, however, is a risky job so you have to consider one of the registry repair tools to take up the job and sort the problems out automatically. These applications replace the corrupted file with a new entry that addresses the problem and you stop receiving error messages.

There are even situations where the drivers associated with the hardware of your computer become invalid due to a registry error. It is also possible that the update of drivers might have caused the issue. In either of the cases, you need to reverse the changes in registry to the safe state where it is the hardware runs smooth with the operating system.

Registry repair tools are perfect to help you with sorting out driver based issues. These tools check for registry keys associated with the hardware and validate them according to the safe standards. This helps increase the pace of your computer as well as addresses all the errors that might appear due to corruptions in the registry. All this process sets you with your machine completely safe providing you with optimized computing experience with no interruptions.

If your computer speakers, CD / DVD player, and/or display adapters stop working suddenly or they started acting weird, it could be due to a problem associated with the device drivers. Now you too can fix your computer drivers with the push of a button with the best registry repair tools in the market! Registry cleaners will not only keep your computer running at its max performance but they will also prolong your computer life. To learn more about the best registry repair tools in the market, visit our website at http://www.bestregistryrepairtools.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Genevive_Foreman

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Mobile Computing Essentials

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By Russel CP

Mobile ComputingMobile computing is the ability to do computing tasks in some or all possible locations. Here, I'll be listing (in my opinion are) the top 4 requirements for mobile computing and my suggestions/opinions on those requirements.

There are other requirements for mobile computing, and you can check them at Wikipedia.

Portability

It's common sense: if your computers or mobile devices are too heavy to carry around they are useless for mobile computing. Gone are the days of lugging around heavy laptops the size of attache cases. A good example of a very portable computing device is the Apple MacBook Air: It's small and thin enough to put in an envelope. Also good examples are the humble netbooks. These small, almost pocket sized computers are small and light enough that you can almost put them inside your coat pockets or purses. They offer relatively good processing power for the basic computing needs, up to 15 hours of battery life (depending on use) and are cheaper than most full size notebooks. Since Asus came out with the original Ultra Mobile Personal Computer (UMPC), the EEEPC, almost all computer companies have created their own netbook line.

Now, with the release of the Apple iPad tablet, Tablet Computing have been put in spotlight again. Major computer brands are following with Samsung releasing the Galaxy Tab and HP developing and hopefully finally releasing the Slate, and Asus announcing the EeePads, that more than out features and out powers the iPad.

Battery Life

Even if you have the fastest and lightest computing devices (laptops, mobile phones, tablets, etc.) but you don't have enough power to support them, they are practically useless for mobile computing. A couple of hours of power is the current standard for most laptops. If your laptop's battery last for three hours that's already above average.

With netbooks, three hours is just the average. Because of the development of low power consuming processors and LED displays, and also the development of higher capacity, compact lithium ion/ polymer battery packs, we have netbooks that can stay powered for more than 8 hours. Example of such laptops are the next generation Acer Aspire One 533, ASUS Eee PC 1015,MSI U160, HP Mini 210 Series. Imagine this scenario: You fully charge your netbook before you start the day and then use it unplugged for the whole day. Now that's you call "truly mobile computing". With smartphones, especially those that utilizes a lot of 3G connectivity, a full day of operation is adorable: anything less is just normal.

Internet Connectivity

Staying connected to the Internet is one of the basic requirements for mobile computing. Unless you don't have any use for the Internet, your mobile computing device should at least have a built-in wireless network adapter, also known as wi-fi card. Another essential device for staying connected with your netbook or laptops is a mobile broadband device like the 3G USB modems, pcmcia cards, and built-in 3G modems in several netbooks and laptops. The latest smartphones take full advantage of 3G networks: they can work outside wi-fi hotspots. The only downside to that is the rapid loss of battery life.

Durability

Mobile computing has the most demanding requirements for devices especially when it comes to durability. Because mobile computing is done anywhere and everywhere, the devices you use should be able to survive the most number of scenarios. And when we talk about durability in mobile computing, nothing beats the Panasonic ToughBook. This line of laptops from Panasonic were designed to handle the most demanding computing environments. Check out the videos in Youtube.

Tips

Before buying any mobile computing device, make sure you research well about the product. The best way to gauge if the device meets your needs and wants is to try the actual device. If you can try the device for a day, the better.

Always buy mobile computing devices with at least one year warranty. That gives you a small sense of security when your device fails within the first year.

When it comes to durability, most mobile computing devices like laptops, netbooks, smartphones, and tablets have operational guidelines that you should follow. If you use these devices outside their perscribe conditions, you risk voiding the warranty. Examples are using the device under the rain, vibrating platforms, sand-prone and water-prone places like the beach, and other uncommon locations.

Russel CP is a technical writer, photographer, and multimedia artist. He writes articles on Technology, Photography, and Life in general. You can read more of his articles at http://www.russelcp.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Russel_CP

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