Linux Operating System - Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, Gentoo, Arch blogs

MiniVDS - Small and affordable Virtual Dedicated Servers

ggarron — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 11:57:30 +0000

The guys of MiniVDS ordered a review of their service, first lets explain a little what a VDS/VPS is, It is a Server with some virtualization software installed, like VMWare, XEN, or any other, where there are installed some virtual servers, and you may rent one of them. So it is like having your own private server, but given the fact that you are sharing the resources of a server with others, it is affordable.

Now lets go to MiniVDS review.

Introduction

MiniVDS offers small Virtual Servers, at a really affordable prices, starting at 5.95 $us per month.

And what to get from a VDS?

Root Access

You get full root access to the server, in fact you own the server, where you can install all the software you may need or you want to try.

Dedicated resources

Even though you are sharing the server with other owners of VPS, your virtual server will not be affected by not working scripts or software or even digg effect in one of the other virtual servers.
Servers like Apache, MySQL or any other are only running your applications.

Security

You are running in a virtual disk, so no one have access to your server, well it depends on how secure you make your server, but it all depends on you, nobody can exploit your neighbor security hole to kill you application, or a DOS attack to your neighbor will not affect you, only this reason is good enough to go for a VDS instead of share hosting plans.

Installed software options

MiniVDS offers you with Linux servers but they are most focused on FreeBSD, You may choose between

FreeBSD 6.x and among others Apache 1.3.x, MySQL 4.1, PHP 4.x, Perl 5.8.7, great for stability
FreeBSD 6.x and among others Apache 2.x, MySQL 5.x, PHP 5.x, Perl 5.8.7, good if you are running applications needing contemporary software, like modern PHP applications
FreeBSD 6.x with no added software, so you may install them your own, if you may want to run nginx+fastcgi instead of apache+mod_php

If you opt for Linux, you may choose between:

centos-5-i386-minimal-5.3-20090330
centos-5.1-i386-ispmanager
debian-4.0-i386-ispmanager
debian-5.0-i386-minimal
fedora-10-i386-default-20090318
ubuntu-8.04-i386-minimal

As you may see it is a lot more flexible if you choose FreeBSD, which is anyway the choice of some of the biggest online companies, you will find a list here

Packages

The packages offered by the time of this writing are:

package	VDS-Raccoon	VDS-Coyote	VDS-Mustang	VDS-Buffalo
disk space	1000 Mb	2000 Mb	3000 Mb	4000 Mb
traffic	30 Gb	50 Gb	75 Gb	100 Gb
memory	64 Mb	96 Mb	128 Mb	160 Mb
CPU	300 MHz	400 MHz	500 MHz	600 MHz

As you see, there is an option for everyone's needs, this configurations may seem small compared to what other providers offer, but sometimes, you only need that, in fact the most of sites out there, may only dream about being in its own server, because it is too expensive for the small traffic they get, now here is the answer for those sites, and those webmasters wishing to be free.

Special applications

There are also special applications not offered by normal web hosting companies, like IRC servers, IRC bots, perl scripting, log analysis, or any other special need you could have, which may not need big CPU resources, so it will be covered by MiniVDS packages offered.

ISPManager / VDSManager

Each server comes with ISPManager and VDSManager

ISPManager

ISPmanager 4 control panel is a web-interface that provides everything you need to control the server through a browser without any significant knowledge of system administration.

You can easily add or change new site parameters, records in DNS, users with FTP access, and mail boxes.

This tool will let you control your account, and manage it easily using your favorite web browser.

VDSManager

The VDSmanager control panel is a web-interface which allows to make all necessary operations concerning virtual dedicated servers management through a browser without any significant knowledge of the system administration. The work with virtual dedicated servers, the IP-addresses management, monitoring of the traffic usage statistics will make your work simple and pleasant.

The VDSmanager administrator can manage all server parameters, including creation, removing and changing of virtual dedicated servers, distribution of access to VDSmanager and management of IP-addresses which are assigned to virtual dedicated servers. Also he can log in with the administrator permissions to any virtual dedicated server.

So as you can see, once your account is created it is really easy to manage your server, just like if you were behind it.

And with the root access to it once created and installed, you are in full control of it.

Conclusion

If you are a experienced or middle experienced UNIX administrator, and want to administer your own server, at an affordable price, this could be your choice, if you are a newbie Linux/FreeBSD administrator, this is your chance to have an online server to start learning.

The real USB Key from La Cie

ggarron — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 02:49:40 +0000

Linux is a very versatile Operating System, one of its applications I like the most, is that it may run from a USB key, first there were only a few distros able to do that, Puppy Linux or DSL were some of them, now a days, a lot can, Mandriva, Ubuntu, and more, and more each day.

You can find how to do install and run Linux from a USB key at PendriveLinux, but if you really want to let your friends amazed, get one of this amazing usb keys from La Cie.

I really like how this usb keys looks, they look like any other key in your key ring.

There are some of its characteristics

Sturdy metal key design; fits on a keyring
Fast transfer rates (Read mode: up to 30 MB/s; write mode: up to 10MB/s)
Ultra-mobile and lightweight
Hot-pluggable; cross-platform compatibility

And here is how some of the models looks like:

There is also a model to use your microSD memories as USB storage devices.

Its specifications are:

Item Number :   	130828
Interface :  	USB 2.0 (backward compatible with USB 1.1)
Supported Formats :  	micro Secure Digital (including SDHC)
Transfer rate :  	up to 40Mbits/s
Dimensions :  	62 x 30 x 11 mm / 2.4 x 1.2 x 0.4 in.
System Requirements :  	Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Vista™
Mac OS X v10.3.5 or higher
Box Content :  	LaCie PassKey
USB extension cable
Keyring

You may buy them from amazon.

Human Spam part II

ggarron — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 21:33:04 +0000

Some time ago, I have written this post about human spam, since then I have moved Go2linux to Drupal 6, and have installed mollom on the site.

Mollom is really taking care of the spam, specially spam bots, I have also installed another module, which do not permit to post links in the comments, this two tools, have stopped the spam in Go2Linux.
If you still want to put a link in the comment, put it as simple text, people interested in reading your link will copy and paste it, but bots like google bot, will not follow them, and also we will have only good comments.

Yes the comment posts have decreased since I have installed those tools, but now it worth to read them.

Hope you may find the site better now, enjoy it.

Linux + Compiz - The beauty of Linux -

ggarron — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 11:05:09 +0000

I have found this video while stumble upon, It has a beautiful acquarium as "wall paper", and the Compiz cube turned on.

Credits go to: http://www.youtube.com/user/sausagenmuff

And here is a small description of him about how to do this.

1. install linux
2. install compiz
3. enable 3d cube, wobbly windows..ect
4. set cube opacity slider BOTH to 25.
5. use a skydome and check off "animate" (panorama's from google images work well)
6. Install atlantis "fish" plugin
you can get it here:
http://gitweb.compiz-fusion.org/?p=fu...
(extract to your home dir, go into that directory inside a terminal, type "make" then "sudo make install"

Well you better see it:

Bolivia defeat Argentina 6-1

ggarron — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 01:24:27 +0000

This post has nothing to do with Linux or technology, but being a Football fan, and as I am from Bolivia, I feel I should write about this historic victory of Bolivia against one of the best teams in the world, nothing more, nothing less than Diego Armando Maradona's Argentina.

Today in La Paz, Bolivia Argentina was defeated by Bolivia 6 to 1, here in Santa Cruz, even the traffic in the city in the mid-afternoon appears to be calm, as most of the people were in the cafes, or going to house, and to any place with a TV, to watch the match.

Maybe this will not change the luck of Bolivia in the football this year, but gave us a little of joy, and happiness.

Arch Linux Search Engine

ggarron — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:20:31 +0000

I have found some Ubuntu Google Search Engines, which are Customized Google search to look only in sites that are related to Ubuntu, well I think that for the Arch Linux Community it could be good to also have a tool like that, because of that, this is my first try to do this for Arch Linux.

The sites where this tool will search are this ones:

If you know of some other Arch Linux site or blog that should be included please let me know.

To insert links in the comments, use this form

www[dot]go2linux[dot]org, this way the spam checker will let you enter the link.

You can find the customized google at: Arch Linux Serch Engine

Some good and funny videos about how to start with Crunchbang Linux

ggarron — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 01:57:21 +0000

A forum partner at Crunchbang Linux forums Mr. RigoSanta3 has created this two videos about how to start with crunchbang Linux,

Check both of them, and help spreading the word about using Crunchbang Linux

Here is the second video, this one is kind of funny :)

And do not forget to help spreading the word.

openoffice text is nothing but rectangles

ggarron — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 01:47:45 +0000

This seems to be a common problem when installing Arch Linux, so I recommend you to read this thread if you are going to install Arch and then OpenOffice, be sure to install also the right fonts.

This command may be useful

pacman -S artwiz-fonts ttf-ms-fonts

openoffice text is nothing but rectangles - Forum: Workstation User
Author: russianwizard
Posted: Sun, 22 Mar 2009 19:32:26 -0400
Last post: Sun, 22 Mar 2009 19:32:26 -0400 [ArchLinux Forums]

2000 rss readers

ggarron — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 22:04:07 +0000

I want to thank, all the go2Linux community, and want to share with all of you, that we are now 2000+ people, we are continously growing, and hope you all may find interesting posts and content at this blog.
Keep reading and commenting.
cheers to all of you.

Go2Linux redesigned and upgraded

ggarron — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 20:50:57 +0000

You may have noticed that Go2Linux have changed its appearance, I have also upgraded to drupal 6, I have used this method of migrating the drupal databases instead of upgrading the site.

Well I hope you like the new view of Go2Linux, I am thinking about not putting adsense in the site and no other advertising form, but as I still need the income, you may consider donating to the site.

Another approach is to add a subscription mode, where for 2 dollars a month, you may register and turn off the advertising, and let the advertising for the non regular visitors.

I want to make your visits to the site a better experience, if you have any suggestions please let me know in the comments.