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Do You Do the Drupal?

The Drupal content management system is one of the most popular engines for dynamic websites — indeed, it powers the site you're visiting right now. All this powering doesn't happen by itself, though, and the developer community that does the dirty work behind the scenes is in need of a bit of Linux labor.

Ksplice Boots the Reboot

It's doubtful that very many users enjoy reboots. Although system uptime is often worn like a badge of honor — as though power-cycling were some form of humiliating defeat — the majority of us can probably agree that having to restart is a pain, if only for the lost time involved. It almost seems as though the annoyance grows exponentially the more frequent they come.

Tech Tip: Determining What's Been Changed on RPM Based Systems

As a consultant, I am often faced with an unfamiliar Linux system (usually RHEL). I always find it useful to understand which files that shipped with rpm packages have been modified, since it's usually a good indicator of what customizations have been performed on the system. To determine the modified files, I simply run:

Computer Logic Design with KTechLab

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote an article about a digital and analog circuit simulator called ksimus. One of my readers asked what the difference was between ksimus and ktechlab so I thought I'd take a look at ktechlab.

Tech Tip: Using the Synaptic Package Manager to Ease Installations

On Debian based systems, or any that use Synaptic for package management, you can use Synaptic to help you setup multiple systems with the same software. On the first system select all the packages you want and then under the File menu use Save Markings or Save Markings as to save your selections to a file.

T-Mobile Phones Home, Again

It was right about a year and a half ago that we first learned of Google's plans to enter the mobile phone market. While everyone expected it would be a full-fledged handset — the Googlephone — we quickly learned it would instead be a mobile operating system, the now well known Android. Just under a year ago, the first of the Googlephones, T-Mobile's Android-powered G1, was rolled out — literally — by Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, on rollerblades, no less. Now it's time for T-Mobile to add more to the fold: the recently announced myTouch.

OpenSource World Unlocks the Word on Keynote Speakers

The OpenSource World conference — previously known as LinuxWorld — is fast approaching — it convenes in San Francisco from August 12 - 13, showcasing everything Open Source and more. Conference organizers this week drew back the curtain on one of the conference's main attractions, its keynote speakers, and the lineup promises to be an interesting listen.

Teaching Math with the KDE Interactive Geometry Program

I've written quite a bit about using Linux to help educate people. In the past, I've discussed using Linux to teach astronomy, programming and computer logic design. So today, I'm writing about using the KDE Interactive Geometry (Kig) program to teach mathematics. Kig allows you to use various tools to diagram and demonstrate different mathematical concepts.