Kiran Upadhyay

If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably got at least one old desktop PC or antiquated laptop lying dormant in the attic, cupboard or still under your desk. I’d even hazard a guess you’ve got a CRT monitor and a serial mouse to boot. Now, you’re never going to use that old machine for anything particularly demanding, but if a simple web browser and word processor is the order of the day then there’s plenty of lightweight solutions that can come to your rescue. Linux  is perfect for this task as it can be so easily stripped down, rebuilt and released as a new distribution. Here are six of the best lightweight Linux flavours for sub-par machines. Xubuntu The first on the list and the first to be based on the immensely popular Ubuntu distribution. Xubuntu uses Ubuntu as a base, which provides great compatibility and full access to Canonical’s repositories. Instead of the usual  GNOME  desktop environment found in Ubuntu (or  KDE  in Kubuntu) this release u...

Everyone dreads being the recipient of a computer virus, but not everyone minds studying them. There are researchers who spend a lot of time looking into different types of computer viruses and related security threats in order to determine how they’re programmed, how they do damage, and how they spread. Personally, I find this field interesting, and I enjoy reading about the different types of viruses in existence. But even if you don’t know much care, basic knowledge about security threats can be useful. It’s sometimes hard to know how a risk must be dealt with before you know its consequences. With a computer virus, however, the consequence is sometimes complete loss of your data or identity theft – so it’s best to learn sooner rather than later! 1. Boot Sector Virus The term “boot sector” is a generic name that seems to originally come from MS-DOS but is now applied generally to the boot information used by any operating system. In modern computers this is usually called the “m...

Even the best free software is useless without hardware, yet how many of us actually know how their computer works? Teach yourself by reading the latest free guide form MakeUseOf: “Your PC, Inside and Out.” This amazing free guide covers the computer’s chassis, power supply and motherboard, and is only the first half of a two-part volume. In this guide Lachlan Roy breaks the computer down into its different components. For each component he describes its function, explains the different specifications to look out for and provides a bit of history, too. You will learn to identify the various parts in your computer, and possibly even how to upgrade it yourself. DOWNLOAD Your PC: Inside and Out Part 1 or Read online on Scribd Expect to learn: The difference sizes of chassis on the market How cooling works, including the varying models of airflow What to look for in a power supply Why to avoid cheap power supplies What a motherboard does The components of a motherboard As with...

Whilst writing my  recent article about XBMC , I came across a few quality Linux distributions aimed solely at providing media center capabilities. Many people have used Microsoft’s Windows Media Center at some point, either on their PC or Xbox 360. Personally I found it a frustrating experience, with my Xbox 360 not recognising my Windows 7 laptop, not to mention limited streaming and playback options. If you really want a powerful media center and are fed up doing it Microsoft-style then one of these Linux solutions might just do the job. XBMC Live I’ve already mentioned it once – and for good reason. If you read my XBMC article then you’ll know that I personally think it’s the bees knees. Once a hacked media solution for the first generation Xbox console, XBMC now packs a punch and comes with its own stripped-down Linux distro. You can use a blank CD or USB stick to create a Live version of XBMC which boots straight into its media interface. Once you’re satisfied you’...

WiFi is a catch-all term. In a sense, it is very precise as it explains a specific method used to connect to the Internet. Upon closer inspection however, it becomes clear that the term isn’t helpful if you’re trying to troubleshoot WiFi problems. There are a lot of different types of WiFi standards used by routers and laptops, and to make matters worse, devices don’t typically complain when a sub-optimal WiFi connection is made because of mis-matched WiFi standards. You’ll only notice an issue when the speed and reliability of the connection isn’t as solid as you’d expected. You’ll need to investigate the problem yourself to fix it – and that means knowing a thing or two about WiFi standards. The Cast & Crew – WiFi Standards First things first – let’s take a gander at the WiFi standards that exist. These standards were created by an organization known as the WiFI Alliance, a trade association consisting of companies interested in promoting a common standard for wireless Intern...

After receiving a portable hard drive as a gift this Christmas, I became very excited to make full use of that hard drive as a way to back up and protect all of the important family photos, videos and research documents that I wouldn’t want to lose if my laptop hard drive ever failed on me. The problem I have with most of the synchronization applications out there is that they are either too simple or too complicated. For example, in the case of  Synctoy , which Shankar covered, it is about as easy to use as you would want – but it’s a little bit limited in terms of functionality.  Pure Sync , which Stefan covered, is another great tool for taking backups of entire drives or large folders, but for targeted, select file syncing or multiple sources to one target, it isn’t quite so easy. I finally came across  Synkron  at SourceForge and realized that it’s exactly what I was looking for. Synchronize Individual Folders When it comes to synchronizing folders individua...

With 2011 just around the corner, this is a great time to think about all the different things you could commit to doing for the next 365 days. We’re probably all working on our New Year’s resolutions but how about committing to something that will last the entire year? There’s no limit to the kinds of things you could commit to doing on a daily basis throughout the year – and possibly beyond that. To get you started, here’s a list of 6 year long project ideas that you might want to try – from creative projects to good deeds. Get started with these guidelines, ideas and places where you can keep your project going for 365 days. Write a Novel If you’ve been itching to finish your novel, giving yourself a specific time frame may be the trick to finally getting it done. Set aside a certain amount of time per day and write a set number of pages. Getting organised could be a good way to motivate yourself – setting goals and achieving them can often lead to great momentum. Louise Dought...