Latest in Linux

So you have your Box, Google Drive or SkyDrive account, but how do you automatically add files to them? They are quite useful for manually adding files to, but what if you wanted to use the storage space to back up your computer files? Well, there aren’t too many options, especially free ones, that allow you to do this.
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Encryption is often considered the playground of geeks alone, but it doesn’t have to be. Encryption just means that information is scrambled and you can only access the real information with a special password or key. On an Internet where we don’t want our credit card numbers and other sensitive data exposed to prying eyes, encryption is an important tool.
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I wrote a round-up review last month for anyone interested in using their webcam as a home surveillance system, but since then we’ve had a few updates from developers so I thought it appropriate to revisit the topic and take a look at these services.
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Most of us lead extremely busy lives that we’re expected to keep track of at all times. Whether we have stressful jobs, school work, or plenty of social events, it’s crucial that we remember what we have to do and when we have to do it by. Therefore, to-do list applications can become one of our best friends because they are a reliable aid to keeping our lives in check.
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When it comes to distributing forms and other information over the Internet, the file type of choice tends to be PDF. This file type is popular because it has decent compression rates, can prevent editing, allows for interesting visual elements, and allows interactivity (especially when it comes to filling out forms on the computer). Thankfully, there are plenty of applications all over the web which can read these files.
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Try out ChromiumOS inside Ubuntu. Whether you want to start a separate Chromium session or run Google’s netbook operating system inside a window, a new third-party package makes the process simple. If you mostly use your computer to access the web, ChromeOS might be right for you. For the unfamiliar, ChromeOS is Google’s operating system [...]
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Whenever you're happily setting up your new Ubuntu system, one of the things you'll probably think about the least is getting the correct fonts installed. If you're a bit confused about why I mentioned fonts, it's because most distributions (or at least those who'd like to remain legal) only use free, or "libre", fonts. While there's absolutely nothing wrong with using these fonts, there will most likely be multiple cases where you'll be required to have certain fonts.
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How else can I say this? Actually, there is no other way more straightforward than this: you need to backup now. The risks involved with not doing so are simply not worth it. There’s no really no reason to not be backing up your computer. That said, you likely feel you do have a legitimate reason. And in some cases you might, but there is always a way.
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These days, Ubuntu and other modern Linux distributions usually install without a hitch (and without requiring any knowledge), but as you move forward using them, you will inevitably come across all sorts of terminology that isn’t always clearly explained. That’s why I’ve prepared a quick list of the most important terms you should know about Linux, each explained in the simplest possible way.
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With each day that passes, more and more people are giving Linux a try. It’s free and it can hold its ground against both Windows and Mac, so why not? And maybe you want to give it a try, too--but you keep hearing about how difficult Linux is, how it’s a “geek-only” operating system, etc. Thankfully, there are certain versions of Linux that will help ease you into the process. But before you decide to switch to Linux, you should think about why you want to switch.
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While desktop Linux may be a tempting platform, there's one thing stopping a lot of people from making the plunge: PC gaming. Like it or not, Windows is the de facto platform for PC gaming. You can't count on Linux supporting your favorite games, but you may be surprised: some Windows games work on Linux using the Wine compatability layer.
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Updating your Ubuntu operating system and its installed applications is a fairly simple process, but it works very differently from Windows. All the software you install from the Ubuntu Software Center comes from Ubuntu’s software repositories, so you can get updates in one place – think of it like an app store for your computer. When a new version of Ubuntu is released, you’ll be able to upgrade right from within Ubuntu.
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If I was asked to name my favorite Mac OS X application, CloudApp—or Cloud, for short—would definitely make the shortlist. It's a nifty menubar utility that makes it incredibly easy to upload and share small files. CloudApp developer team has also published an API for their service, meaning other developers can create third-party CloudApp clients. Below, we'll be looking at five different CloudApp clients to use the service on most popular operating systems, desktop and mobile.
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If the title made you think of Evernote, I don't blame you. It's a great tool which is capable of a lot, plus it syncs with whatever devices it can run on. However, Evernote is still a proprietary tool, and some Linux users may not wish to use it simply because of this reason. It's also possible that they don't want all of their notes stored on a different server, where they don't own their data.
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The days when working with digital cameras and other common consumer hardware on Linux was a chore that involved fiddling with terminal commands are over. Using a digital camera with modern Linux distributions like Ubuntu is an extremely simple process. In fact, the built-in software on Ubuntu and other Linux distributions is better than Windows for this, as it allows you to easily do basic photo-editing and upload your photos to web services.
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