Category: General

Debunk: Xbox Live was down, but not due to DDoS attack

Paul

The obvious answer as to why Xbox Live has been up and down (but mostly down) over the last couple of weeks is, of course, that the service has undergone a massive distributed denial of service attack. (Feel free to blame the illusory Sony / Nintendo fanboys, if you must.) Naturally, we’re already starting to see some of those rumors catch hold, in no small part due to the fact that while GM of Xbox Live Marc Whitten did offer a free game for peoples’ trouble in his public memo a few hours ago, he didn’t speak to the cause of the outages. We did, however, get some conclusive inside information from a trusted source, and confidently relay to curious Live users that the issues were not at all related to a malicious attack. Yeah, we know, it tones down the drama quite a bit (and actually makes the Xbox team look a little worse than if they were attacked), but the speculation that the service was out due to a two week long internet assault? The stuff of myth.

[via Engadget]

I am a gamer, and I would love to know why it went down for the first place. I don’t care why I’d just want it to be explained a little more. I don’t think that is to much to hear. I am sure we will find out why sooner or later!!

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10 Sites Offering Free Linux Courses Online

Paul


10 Sites Offering Free Linux Courses Online.Whether you’re new to Linux or an advanced user, you’re bound to have questions. Read on to get a list of universities and other institutions offering free Linux courses, training and tutorials online.

read more | digg story

I thought people would like to learn more about this. I am sure to check this out. I feel Linux is becoming more and more popular each year and would like to ready myself for the time that I’ll have to work on a system with Linux only O/S. So go check it yourselves. It seems they have been slammed so I’m putting the links in here:

Novell – OpenCourseWare Project (novell.com)

http://ocw.novell.com/novell-linux-desktop/getting … – Novell Linux Desktop Starter Course

http://ocw.novell.com/suse-linux-enterprise/upgrad … – Certified Linux Professional 10 Course

http://ocw.novell.com/suse-linux-enterprise/migrat … – Linux Enterpise server 10 Course

——————————————-
VTC University (vtc.com)

http://www.vtc.com/modules/products/titleDetails.p … – Introduction to Linux Course
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IBM – Linux Professional Institute (LPI) Exam Prep (ibm.com)

http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/edu/l-dw-l … – Linux Kernel Tutorial

http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/edu/l-dw-l … – Linux System Startup Tutorial

http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/edu/l-dw-l … – Linux File Serving and Sharing Tutorial

——————————————-
University of Surrey – Department of Electronic Engineering (http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk)

http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/Teaching/Unix/unix1.htm … – Linux Tutorial One

http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/Teaching/Unix/unix2.htm … – Linux Tutorial Two

http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/Teaching/Unix/unix3.htm … – Linux Tutorial Three

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University of California at Davis – Professor Norm Matloff’s Unix and Linux Tutorial Center (ucdavis.edu)

http://heather.cs.ucdavis.edu/%7Ematloff/unix.html – Linux Tutorials

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Shuttleworth Foundation – Learn Linux Open Source Project (learnlinux.tsf.org)

http://learnlinux.tsf.org.za/courses/web-fundament … – Linux Fundamentals Course

http://learnlinux.tsf.org.za/courses/web-sys-admin … – System Administration Course

http://learnlinux.tsf.org.za/courses/web-net-admin … – Network Administration Course

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Linux Online (linux.org)

http://www.linux.org/lessons/beginner/index.html – Beginner’s Level Linux Course

http://www.linux.org/lessons/interm/index.html – Intermediate Level Linux Course

http://www.linux.org/lessons/advanced/index.html – Advanced Level Linux Course

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Begin Linux (beginlinux.org)

http://www.beginlinux.org/course/view.php?id=19 – PC LinuxOS 2007 Course

http://www.beginlinux.org/course/view.php?id=15 – Linux Commands Course

http://www.beginlinux.org/course/view.php?id=3 – Suse Desktop Course

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About.com Linux Courses (linux.about.com)

http://linux.about.com/c/ec/1.htm – Linux Desktop 101: 14 Weekly Lessons

http://linux.about.com/c/ec/16.htm – KDE: 6-Day Introduction Course

http://linux.about.com/c/ec/23.htm – OpenOffice.org: 4-Day Introduction Course

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The Linux Tutorial (linux-tutorial.info)

http://www.linux-tutorial.info/modules.php?name=MC … – Introduction to Operating Systems

http://www.linux-tutorial.info/modules.php?name=MC … – Linux Basics

http://www.linux-tutorial.info/modules.php?name=MC … – Installing and Upgrading Linux

Let me know what you think!!

Become a Gmail Jedi Master!

Paul


Weblog Ask the PC Guide’s video demonstration above delves into some of the finer points of what it takes to master Gmail. The demo illustrates usage of labels, filters, a few keyboard shortcuts, and vacation autoresponders. It’s not a bad intro to advanced Gmail usage, but if you really want to kick Gmail up a notch, grab Better Gmail 2 and supercharge your Gmail Lifehacker-style.

How to Become a Gmail Jedi Master [Ask the PC Guide]

[Via LifeHacker]

A nice little article on how you two can be one with the FORCE. I know Gmail is an awesome web email and also a great benefit to me with spam. Check out the full article at Ask the PC Guide. I am sure you’ll love it like I do!!

Keep Your Software Up-to-Date and Secure with Secunia

Paul

secunia.pngWindows only: Freeware application Secunia Personal Software Inspector is sort of like Windows Update for your installed software, monitoring your installed apps and notifying you of available security updates. When you run your first scan after installing Secunia, you’ll be presented with a list of insecure apps that have available updates, “end-of-life” apps that are no longer being supported by the developer, and patched apps that have the latest security updates. Keep in mind that Secunia is not an anti-virus software, but more of a preventative tool for ensuring that your software is secure as it can be. For a less security-focused angle, check out mass-update apps File Hippo Update Checker or UpdateStar. Secunia PSI is freeware, Windows only.

Secunia Personal Software Inspector [via Confessions of a freeware junkie]

[via LifeHacker]

Man I love finding out this stuff, new programs to try each weak. This is what I like to do is try out new programs and see how they compare to others. This is like appsnap. I am guessing, I’ll check this out later and see for sure but that is what I am think.

Did you apply for your TV converter box coupons yet?

Paul

If you’re anything like us, your only New Year’s resolution for this particular ride around the sun is to sign up for a converter box coupon in preparation for the 2009 digital TV transition — even if, also like us, your only remaining analog set is gathering dust next to your laserdisc player in the basement. Still, a bargain is a bargain, so $40 off a product or products that we don’t really need was more than enough motivation to race over to the official sign-up page only minutes after it went live. You, of course, still have a good 13 months to pick up one of these digital-to-analog converters from LG or friends, but since you’re probably not in very good shape to do much else today, why not make the most of your incapacitation and hit the Read link to fill out your application.

[Thanks for the reminder, Travis C.]
[Via Engadget]

Thought people would like to apply for that TV converter box from the US. We are supposed to go all digital next year and this is a great time to apply for tat TV converter. You don’t want to scrap your Analog tubes do you? I sure don’t so go check this out and apply!!