IT Professionals

Hadoop: The Definitive Guide

Lockergnome — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 18:00:34 +0000

Hadoop: The Definitive Guide helps you harness the power of your data. Ideal for processing large datasets, the Apache Hadoop framework is an open source implementation of the MapReduce algorithm on which Google built its empire. This comprehensive resource demonstrates how to use Hadoop to build reliable, scalable, distributed systems: programmers will find details for analyzing large datasets, and administrators will learn how to set up and run Hadoop clusters.

Complete with case studies that illustrate how Hadoop solves specific problems, this book helps you:

Use the Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS) for storing large datasets, and run distributed computations over those datasets using MapReduce
Become familiar with Hadoop’s data and I/O building blocks for compression, data integrity, serialization, and persistence
Discover common pitfalls and advanced features for writing real-world MapReduce programs
Design, build, and administer a dedicated Hadoop cluster, or run Hadoop in the cloud
Use Pig, a high-level query language for large-scale data processing
Take advantage of HBase, Hadoop’s database for structured and semi-structured data
Learn ZooKeeper, a toolkit of coordination primitives for building distributed systems

If you have lots of data — whether it’s gigabytes or petabytes — Hadoop is the perfect solution. Hadoop: The Definitive Guide is the most thorough book available on the subject.

Windows 7’s Resource Monitor

Diana Huggins — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 17:00:50 +0000

Monitoring system performance and identifying potential bottlenecks in Windows 7 is fairly simple. If your computer seems to be under the weather, you can use Windows 7’s Resource Monitor tool to diagnose the illness.

Resource Monitor monitors real-time information about all of the processes running on your computer. It displays real-time information about your computer’s CPU, Disk, Network and Memory. Furthermore, it has several enhancements over Windows Vista such as a greater level of information and monitoring. You will also notice that the layout has changed with the graphs now being on the right hand side of the window.

To open Resource Monitor click Start, type RESMON and press Enter. Alternatively, click Start, Control Panel, Performance Information and Tools, Advanced Tools, open Resource Monitor.

Resource Monitor automatically opens to the Overview tab, which provides you with an overview of resource usage. In addition, you will see four graphs along the right hand side. Depending on what you want to monitor, click the CPU, Memory, Disk or Network tab for more detailed information and statistics for each of these components.

Aloaha PDF Suite v3.9.177

Lockergnome — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:30:09 +0000

Your PDF files are just one click away! Aloaha PDF Suite is the perfect, free tool to create/edit your PDF documents. One click is enough! Just print your document to any of your printers and Aloaha will convert the print job to a PDF document, which you can save, email, fax, or publish to an exchange public folder.

Aloaha PDF Suite creates and edits vector-based PDF files, and no special printer driver is required.

[8M] [Win2k/XP/Vista/7] [FREE]

Phone System Providers Chart 2009

Lockergnome — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:00:40 +0000

Buying a phone system? Compare the top 27 business phone systems.

Quickly see differences between brands like Nortel, Mitel, Cisco, Avaya, 8×8, Toshiba, etc. For small to big businesses, this free chart also compares PBX and Business VoIP systems side by side so you can make an educated comparison of your options. This analysis is prepared in an easy to use Excel spreadsheet so you can edit and add information to suit your analysis and presentation needs.

Get your free comparison guide, Phone System Providers Chart 2009, today!

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Netbook Doorbusters - Are They Worth It?

Matt Hartley — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 06:53:24 +0000

I am not, nor will I ever be, among those who get up at the crack of dawn to go “shopping.” Nothing against those who do; it’s just not my bag personally. This being said, I will point out that there are deals to be had should you know where to look.

Take this HP netbook, which is priced normally at $550. On Black Friday (U.S. only), early birds will be able to feast their little beaks at Best Buy with this netbook priced at $197 while supplies last. As you can see from above, that is quite the price difference. Considering that — plus the specs, which aren’t too bad at all for a netbook — this might actually be a deal worth getting excited about.

So would you do it? Are you the type to participate in Black Friday deals? I am willing to bet that while many of you might not normally be, you live with folks that are. And I am also willing to bet if the deals were significant enough, you might very well get up early just to stand in line. But hey, feel free to hit the comments and set me straight.

Opera 10.10

Matt Hartley — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 05:29:23 +0000

Today after eating, I came home to see what the latest was within the tech world and discovered this. Opera 10.10! Yes, the very latest is out and I have to admit, Opera is so fast that I may once again give it a spin as my default browser.

After testing it out on sites that have been a problem in the past, despite a security warning from one site, I was shocked to see that, finally, Opera was able to render some of those more tricky sites without any issues at all. And keep in mind, I blame the sites, not the browser here.

At this point, I am still getting used to many of the features. But I will be the first to admit that in many respects, I am liking this more than Firefox and Chrome. Actually, I was never that impressed with Chrome in the first place. More of a layout sort of thing, but it was just not a match.

Thus far I fear that the biggest thing I am seeing against Opera is the offering of too many features. Seriously, I can see casual users getting lost fast with it. But short of this, 10.10 is totally worth checking out.

Opera (web browser)

Programming Google App Engine

Lockergnome — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:00:19 +0000

As one of today’s cloud computing services, Google App Engine does more than provide access to a large system of servers. It also offers you a simple model for building applications that scale automatically to accommodate millions of users. With Programming Google App Engine, you’ll get expert practical guidance that will help you make the best use of this powerful platform. Google engineer Dan Sanderson shows you how to design your applications for scalability, including ways to perform common development tasks using App Engine’s APIs and scalable services.

You’ll learn about App Engine’s application server architecture, runtime environments, and scalable datastore for distributing data, as well as techniques for optimizing your application. App Engine offers nearly unlimited computing power, and this book provides clear and concise instructions for getting the most from it right from the source.

Discover the differences between traditional web development and development with App Engine
Learn the details of App Engine’s Python and Java runtime environments
Understand how App Engine handles web requests and executes application code
Learn how to use App Engine’s scalable datastore, including queries and indexes, transactions, and data modeling
Use task queues to parallelize and distribute work across the infrastructure
Deploy and manage applications with ease

Schedule Media Center Downloads In Windows 7

Diana Huggins — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 17:00:13 +0000

If you’ve ever use Windows Media Center, you know how much bandwidth can be consume when downloading data. Try using the Internet in the middle of a download and you may see a drop in performance as the download consumes the majority of your bandwidth.

In Windows 7, you can now configure Windows Media Center to download data at a specific time such as during the day while you’re at work or overnight. Doing so prevents media centre downloads from using all your bandwidth during your peak times.

To configure Windows Media Center download to occur at a specific time:

Click Start, type Media Center and press Enter.
The Windows Media Center window appears. Click Continue.
From the Tasks menu, click Settings.
Click General and then Automatic Download Options.
Set the start and stop times. This tells Windows Media Center during which times data can be automatically downloaded.
Click Save.

Web Proxy Checker v1.5.6

Lockergnome — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:30:27 +0000

Web Proxy Checker is a free and fast proxy checking software. Features:

Check SOCKS4/SOCKS5/HTTP/HTTPS proxies with New! and without authentication.
- Format of proxies with authentication: proxy_user:proxy_pass@proxy_host:proxy_port.
- Format of proxies without authentication: proxy_host:proxy_port
Check for connect to the specified host:port.
Check for URL.
Multithreaded.
Handle redirects.
Can download proxy list from the given URL.
Customizable User Agent.
Built-in proxy distribution Web server.
RBL (DNSBL) check.

[1M] [Win2k/XP/Vista/7] [FREE]

Fluorescent Bulb Recycling Options

Lockergnome — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:00:56 +0000

Fluorescent bulbs are one of those wastes that the government has allowed some specific reliefs based on the degree of the hazard and the volume that needs to be managed.

Because of these reliefs, the government has categorized them as a “universal waste.” Specifically, “universal waste” is a general descriptive term used to describe wastes that are generated by a large, diverse population. Classifying an item as a universal waste provides flexibility from having being managed under the restrictions of the hazardous waste classification while still ensuring that the item is prevented from entering the municipal trash.

Get your free white paper, Fluorescent Lamp Recycling Options, today!

Ustream Showing More On Android

Matt Hartley — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:00:23 +0000

The Ustream viewer on the iPhone is too limited. Not talking about the broadcaster mind you, for the 3G S that allows for you to broadcast to the world. No, I am talking about being spoon fed limited content only over Wi-Fi with the iPhone. It’s a joke.

Thankfully we are seeing what people have wanted all along with the Ustream Android app. Ustream viewers can finally choose which streams they wish to view, rather than being given a limited number of “featured/popular” streams instead.

Now all we need is to see Android finally get a Kindle App and I’d be able to switch my family to Verizon finally! No really, why is this even an issue? How long is it going to be before we see something as fantastic as Amazon Kindle on the Android platform? Sure feels like it is taking entirely too long for my taste.

What about Book Search for Google? Please, let’s compare some of the best sellers from the NY Times best seller list.

Rain Water - Kindle yes, Google no.
True Blue - Kindle yes, Google no.

It just keeps going as Google’s Book Search has nothing modern from what I can see going for it. And that is cool for its own niche, but it makes articles like this seem rather foolish.

A Gnomie Discount For SUPERAntiSpyware

Lockergnome — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:00:40 +0000

Online advertising is so pervasive that most people barely glance at it. Advertising has become part of the Internet landscape. One way that advertisers are hoping to stir interest is to put their advertising on social network sites like Facebook and Twitter. For example, on Twitter, you would see someone you follow post a link. A click leads to advertising. This has been called in-stream advertising. It carries the weight of someone with whom you have some familiarity online, and it increases the chances that you will click and look at that link.

This type of advertising also provides hackers and criminals another way to access your computer. That person you follow online may have his/her account hacked and may be unknowingly serving up malicious links.

This is just one scheme to deliver malware to your computer. By the time this paragraph is read, there will be new means to spread malware. The daily news will trigger another flood of malware. There is no doubt that the criminals are fast and creative. There are big dollars to be had and easy targets to be found online.

That is why security programs are necessary for protecting your computer from these infections. We repeatedly urge our readers to protect themselves and inform their friends and family. Some of your friends and family may not have the slightest interest in computer security. Those are the people who become easy targets.

You may hear the argument from these people that they are careful online. However, no one can be vigilant 100% of the time. There are drive-by downloads that can install malware on your machine, without your even having to click a link. Sometimes, a person is just tired and errors are made. Hackers count on such errors and an absolutely necessary protection is an excellent security regime on your computer. You should have an anti-virus, a firewall, and at least one anti-spyware program running at all times. For an anti-spyware program, we are recommending SUPERAntiSpyware. We have an excellent deal for you that offers real time protection:

SUPERAntiSpyware has real-time blocking of threats! Prevent potentially harmful software from installing or re-installing! First Chance Prevention examines over 50 critical points of your system each time your system starts up and shuts down to eliminate threats before they have a chance to infect and infiltrate your system.

The program offers much, much more and you can read about it at the links provided. SUPERAntiSpyware will detect and remove spyware, adware, malware, Trojans, dialers, worms, keyloggers, hijackers, rootkits, and many other types of threats. This program is easy to use and it is effective. SUPERAntispyware is being offered at a special rate for our readers. There is a ten dollar ($10.00) saving, until December 3, 2009.

This is a program that is highly recommended within the security community. People who work on these pages use it and recommend it, too. We use it. We need it and so do you. We are trying to make it as easy and as economical as possible for you to protect yourself and your computer.

Clint Huffman Announces PAL Version 2

Greg Hughes — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:25:58 +0000

In this RunAs Radio podcast, Richard and I talk to Clint Huffman from Microsoft’s Premier Field Engineering (PFE) about the new version of Performance Analysis of Logs (PAL).

PAL is available on CodePlex. Its job is to help you analyze performance monitor logs for various Microsoft applications and identify out-of-normal values. PAL solves the key problem of Performance Monitor — identifying what numbers are good, what numbers are bad, and what numbers are ugly. Check out Clint’s blog here.

Originally from Dayton, OH, Clint joined Microsoft in 1999 supporting Web technologies, Microsoft load testing tools, and later worked as a testing consultant helping people with load testing at the Microsoft Services Labs. There he found a passion for solving Windows performance issues. In 2006, he joined Microsoft Premier Field Engineering (PFE) to take on BizTalk performance issues only to find that most issues could be diagnosed by analyzing operating system resources.

Some may say that performance analysis of Windows is more of an art than a science. Well, Clint strives to make it as much of a science as possible and to bring it to the masses. Clint is probably best known for the Performance Analysis of Logs (PAL) tool, which simplifies the analysis of performance monitor logs. He is an author of many of the recent BizTalk performance guides on MSDN and recently spoke at Tech Ed 2008 on BizTalk performance analysis.

If you would like to use Microsoft Premier Field Engineering (PFE) resources (onsite problem solving, training, risk assessments, etc) and if you have a Microsoft Premier Support Agreement, then contact your Microsoft Technical Account Manager (TAM). If you do not have a Microsoft Premier Support Agreement, then go here for more info.

Create And Attach VHDs In Windows 7

Diana Huggins — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:00:40 +0000

One of the great new features of Windows 7 is that it lets you create and attach Virtual Hard Disks (VHD) without third party software. Instead, you can simply use the Disk Management tool included with Windows 7.

To create a VHD in Windows 7:

Open the Disk Management tool by typing diskmgmt.msc in the Start menu search field.
Within Disk Management, click Create VHD from the Action menu.
From the Create and Attach Virtual Hard Disk window, specify a location in which to create the new VHD.
Next, specify a size for the virtual hard disk.
Select the format of the VHD: dynamically expanding or fixed size.
Click OK.

Once you create a VHD, you need to attach the disk so you can access it from within your virtual operating system. To attach a VHD in Windows 7:

Once again, open the Disk Management tool.
From the Action menu, click Attach VHD.
Browse to the location of the VHD and click OK.

PeaZip v2.8

Lockergnome — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:30:35 +0000

PeaZip is a free file and archive manager for Windows and Linux. It features encryption, secure deletion, and file split.

Create: 7Z, 7Z-sfx, BZip2, GZip, *PAQ, PEA, QUAD/BALZ, split .001, TAR, ZIP.
Open: ARJ, CAB, DEB, DMG, ISO, JAR, LHA, LZH, MSI, NSIS, RAR, UDF and more (79 types).

PeaZip allows you to browse archives, apply multiple inclusion and exclusion filters, save an archive’s layout, export job definition as command line, and work on multiple archives at once.

[5M] [Linux, Win2k/XP/Vista] [FREE]

Website Magazine

Lockergnome — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:00:21 +0000

Website Magazine is a free resource offering practical advice and helpful tools from industry experts to help any Web site achieve Internet success.

Until now, there has not been a magazine that caters exclusively to the business of running a Web site. Website Magazine has tapped premier talent in the Internet industry for its content and each and every issue will contain practical advice and insights for Web site owners.

To qualify for a free subscription, you (or your company) must have an active Web site!

iMac Takes On The Mac Pro

Matt Hartley — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:30:28 +0000

Thinking of purchasing a Mac Pro? Might want to take a second look at the latest iMacs. Based on this recent article, the latest iMacs appear to be in a stronger performance position than the existing Mac Pros. I know this sounds a bit suspect, but even just looking at the specs described in the previously linked piece does lend some credence to the idea of a performance gap.

One area that is said to separate the men from the boys outside of raw performance, however, is for professional users. A Mac Pro has room for expansion for things like select sound boards. Clearly the iMac is not going to be a lot of help there.

Speaking from the PC user standpoint, regardless of OS, I would never want to be dedicated to the iMac-like design myself. There are a few PCs that are and I am simply not interested in any of them. My wife, on the other hand, loves the Mac not just for its OS, but also for the form factor. Clearly everyone has different insights here.

FirstRSS+ThunderIT AWS HMAC ERROR: "http://xml-us.amznxslt.com/onca/xml?AWSAccessKeyId=05G128QTRXN0J06J6PG2&ContentType=text%2Fxml&Keywords=apple%20mac%20osx&Operation=ItemSearch&ResponseGroup=Large&SearchIndex=Blended&Service=AWSECommerceService&Signature=JEtp9F%2BY1PNDxkZj3gKxOopECYyeXfjYLhGhfEBM7RY%3D&Style=http%3A%2F%2Ftagjag.com%2Fcss%2Famazon.xslt&Timestamp=2009-11-28T01%3A05%3A59Z&Version=2005-07-26" NOT FOUND!

Google Ubuntu Or Canonical Chrome OS?

Matt Hartley — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:30:36 +0000

I think that both Canonical and Google are seeing tremendous success in their individual spaces. Canonical has done wonders for getting new faces in front of their flavor of desktop Linux and Google redefined search and advertising in what seemed like overnight success merely a few years ago. To this end, one might surmise that the two companies working together on the Chrome OS project makes a world of sense.

Where I find myself drawing some concern is in the realization that Google will be relying on a non-Google source for this work. Now obviously this must seem like a moot point as many of its technologies also fall into this same basket. But how many of them are OS related? While Canonical does a fairly decent job with Ubuntu, I am not totally sure that I would want it working on what is going to be the next perceived Linux battleground. I mean, are we not already seeing Canonical spread fairly thin? Would this effort not actually create more issues for both Ubuntu and Chrome OS in the long run? Perhaps I am reading too much into this.

Maybe what bothered me the most about this whole thing was the impression that Google was giving us that it was directly involved. Instead, I come away feeling like we are merely seeing gOS part II taking place. After all, both Chrome OS and gOS will be based on aspects of Ubuntu. Sort of seems redundant to me.

Upcoming Webcast: Confessions Of A Public Speaker

Lockergnome — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:30:43 +0000

For leaders, managers and anyone who speaks and expects someone to listen, Scott Berkun shares an insider’s perspective on how to effectively present ideas to anyone in this live webcast event on December 2nd, 2009.

Loosely based on his third book, Confessions of a Public Speaker, this fun, interactive webcast brings you lively lessons and insightful confessions, giving you new insights into the art of persuasion — as well as teaching and learning — directly from a master of the trade. Bring your toughest questions and situations for Scott to answer or solve.

Attendance is limited, so register now!

Prevent Windows 7 From Remembering Search Queries

Diana Huggins — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:00:32 +0000

If you share a computer, there are numerous settings available in Windows 7 that you can use to maintain your privacy. For example, you can prevent Windows from displaying your recently opened files on the Start menu and you can prevent Internet Explorer from keeping a history of web sites you visited.

Another example is to prevent Windows 7 from remembering your search queries. By default Windows 7 remembers your search queries and displays the most recent examples when searching in Windows Explorer. If you share your computer, others will be able to see your most recent searches.

To prevent Windows 7 from remembering your search queries:

Launch Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc).
Navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Explorer.
Double click Turn off display of recent search entries.
Click Enabled.
Click OK.

How to Handle Remote Tech Support

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 06:30:00 GMT

Using GoToAssist is the easiest way to view and control another person's computer online. Use it to provide instant technical support to family, friends and customers. Start a session with just one click, and instantly connect with the other party.

Network Tools for Windows

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:30:00 GMT

You need these network tools, no matter which operating systems and networks you have to support. SolarWinds ipMonitor: Affordable Network Monitoring for SMBs. Get turnkey network, server and application availability monitoring with SolarWinds ipMonitor v9.0. This easy-to-use, reliable solution for SMBs delivers out-of-the-box availability monitoring so you always know exactly what's up with Active Directory, DNS, Exchange, FTP, Web, IMAP, MS SQL Server, and SMTP. Download your free trial today. Or, try their totally free tools! And, through 2/29, save 20% when you purchase ipMonitor 9.0.

Get Your Own Web Site

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:30:00 GMT

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VMware and Parallels for Virtual Machines

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:30:00 GMT

It doesn't matter if you're running on Windows or Mac OS X - every power user needs either Parallels or VMware (or both). There's never been an easier way to test software without destroying your primary operating system's stability. Think of how many times you wish you could press a 'reverse' button on your computer. Plus, there's no easier way to try new Linux distributions - see what all the fuss is about. Run Windows in OS X, run Linux in Windows, but the best way to do either is with VMware and/or Parallels.

Coupons for Online Shopping

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 07:56:13 GMT

This feed is fueled by Lockergnome Online Shopping and Coupon Codes

Before you shop next time, see if we have a coupon first.