Issue 73 Dec 2006

Cover Theme: New Internet

DVD Theme: Fedora Core 6

Article Code

The New Internet: New tools, new services, and a whole new vision of community have ushered in a new age of the Internet. This month we'll tell you why the web is changing, and we'll examine some features of the new Internet landscape.

Smart Package Manager: This fast and versatile package manager supports several package and repository formats. We'll show you why Smart is different, and we'll help you configure your own system to manage packages the Smart way.

Vnc2swf: This handy screen recording tool lets you build multimedia tutorials without the cost and fuss. We'll show you how to get started with Vnc2swf.

Issue 72 Nov 2006

Cover Theme: Crypto Tricks

DVD Theme: Mandriva Linux 2007

Article Code

Crypto Tricks: Today's computers travel everywhere and might be left anywhere. Is your data safe? In this month's cover story, we'll show you some practical techniques for encryption in Linux. We'll start with a tour of encrypted filesystem options, including Loop-AES, DM-Crypt, Truecrypt, CryptoFS, and Enc-FS. We'll also give you a hand-on look at how to encrypt your hard disk, and we'll describe how to encrypt CDs and DVDs.

Squid Bridge: We'll show you how to configure your Squid proxy server to provide transparent bridging. The Squid bridging option saves reconfiguration time and keeps your network running with minimal disruption.

Tcl3D: Are you looking for a really easy way to access OpenGL graphic effects? Tcl3D lets you integrate OpenGL into your TCL scripts. We'll start with the basics and show you how to build textures and complex shapes.

Issue 71 Oct 2006

Cover Theme: Hotplug Hacks

DVD Theme: SimplyMEPIS 6.0

Article Code

Hotplug Hacks: The whole point of hotplugging is to free the user from having to worry about the hardware. But if you want to dig a little deeper, you'll find some very interesting opportunities for customization in the Linux hotplug system. In this month's cover story, we'll describe how hotplugging works, and we'll show you how you can use your knowledge of the Linux hotplug system to create your own hotplugging solutions.

BOINC: Grid computing lets little PCs work on big problems. We'll show you how you can use the BOINC grid computing environment to harness the wasted CPU cycles on your network.

Singwall: Our singing firewall plays musical notes each time a packet is rejected. This novel security tool serves as an illuminating case study in how to build a custom Netfilter module.

Issue 70 Sep 2006

Cover Theme: Virtual Machines

DVD Theme: Knoppix 5.0.1

Article Code

Virtual Machines: We are rapidly leaving the world where one processor only runs one operating system. In the age of virtualization, many systems can run in a single box, saving time and simplifying administration. In this month's cover story, we'll look at some important virtualization tools. We'll show you the concepts behind the Xen revolution and describe the new features of the latest Xen release. We'll also examine the promising Vserver project, and we'll take you through the steps of setting up VMWare's ESX Server.

Pessulus and Sabayon: Gnome 2.14 includes some new features that let the system administrator restrict user access. The Pessulus lockdown editor and the Sabayon profile editor are helpful front-end tools that use these Gnome features to tighten security and lower cost of ownership.

Perl: Video Organizer How long has that Internet video been soaking up space on your system? The Perlmeister brings you a great new Perl script for managing and organizing your video collection.

Issue 69 Aug 2006

Cover Theme: How to Write a Rootkit

DVD Theme: Ubuntu 6.06 ‘Dapper Drake’

Article Code

Rootkits and Linux Security: So you think your system is safe? Internet intruders are working on new ways in - and new ways of covering their tracks. To stay ahead, get the latest tools, and make sure you know what the attacker knows. In this month's cover story, we'll show you how kernel rootkits work, and we'll describe why they are so difficult to detect. We'll also examine two important tools for limiting the power of unauthorized users: the AppArmor and SELinux enhanced security systems

Gnome 2.14: Support for the Mono .NET environment brings a new crop of tools to the latest Gnome release. New components, new features, and a faster, more stylish interface fill out the package.

Botnet: Linux Magazine columnist Charly Kühnast offers a rare case study of a real Botnet attack. Learn how Charly foiled the attack with Recipient Address Verification.

Issue 68 Jul 2006

Cover Theme: The Future of Linux Graphics

DVD Theme: Suse Linux 10.1

Article Code

The Future of Linux Graphics: Red Hat and Suse are working on competing projects that bring OpenGL-based graphics to the Linux desktop. In this month's cover story, we'll show you Xgl and AIGLX, and we'll tell you about some recent changes to the X11 graphics system.

Superkaramba: You don't need to be a programmer to build interactive widgets for the KDE desktop. We'll describe how to create your own handy applets with Superkaramba.

Sendmail: We examine a series of real world solutions for filtering malware with Amavisd-new and other add-on tools for Sendmail.

Issue 67 Jun 2006

Cover Theme: Safer Surfing

DVD Theme: Fedora Core 5

Article Code

Safer Surfing: Surfing the web used to be easy - it all seemed so innocent. But today's web is a different and darker place. If you click the wrong link, a gangster geek from across the planet may just put his hand in your pocket. Your best defense is to know the tricks and plan ahead.

Samba 4: The new Samba 4 extends Active Directory integration and adds an array of new features. We had a look at the Samba 4 Technical Preview.

Suse Linux 10.1: For genuine Suse fans, each new release is an exciting event. But this time Novell has caused additional tension, and raised some eyebrows, with last minute changes.

Issue 66 May 2006

Cover Theme: Internet Radio

DVD Theme: Mandriva One

Article Code

Internet Radio: The birth of Internet radio unleashes a new era in broadcasting. In this month's cover story, we'll show you how to build your own Internet radio site with the Icecast streaming server. We'll also discuss how to create a podcast audio file using the Audacity sound editor. We round up some of our favorite sites in our Internet Radio guide. We'll end with a look at Last.fm: a free service that creates a "personal radio station" based on your musical preferences.

Blender Animations: Last month, we showed you how to create a 3D image in the blender image editor. This month, we'll discuss how to add motion to a 3D image to create a computer-generated animation.

Klear: If you are weary of configuration battles with software for PC-based digital TV, try Klear - a TV tool for KDE that is easy to configure and use.

Issue 65 Apr 2006

Cover Theme: Linux Tuning

DVD Theme: CentOS 4.2 (32-bit and 64-bit)

Article Code

Linux Tuning: This month we feature strategies for tuning up Linux performance. You'll learn how to speed up hard disks with DMA. We'll also show you how you can smooth out the kinks in multimedia performance by scaling up the application priority. And we'll help you find the fastest Linux file system for your environment.

Wordpress: Weblogs used to be only for the experts, but with today's tools, even beginners can get in the game. The stylish and practical Wordpress content management system will help you build a blog the easy way.

Stellarium: If you love to stargaze, but you don't like standing in the cold, you may be ready for Stellarium. We'll help you chart the stars and planets in realtime with the dreamy tool for the desktop astronomer.

Issue 64 Mar 2006

Cover Theme: Scripting Secrets

DVD Theme: Extreme Gaming

Article Code

Scripting Secrets: This month we feature scripting techniques. We'll show you how to integrate interactive maps into your web pages with the Google Maps API. We'll also discuss Python's Twisted framework, which lets you easily build networking components into your Python programs, and we'll describe some tips for speeding up your Bash scripts. We'll close with a look at Realbasic, a Basic development environment designed to help convert VisualBasic programs to Linux.

Mudbag: Why worry about MySQL if you are only building a very simple database? Mudbag is a web-based, multiuser database system for creating quick and simple applications. You can use Mudbag to set up a web-accessible, multiuser database in a matter of minutes.

Playstation Movies: Your Sony Playstation Portable may have more powers than you think. With a simple firmware hack and a few other tricks, you can load movies and other videos onto your PSP. We'll show you just how far you can go with personalizing your Playstation.

Issue 63 Feb 2006

Cover Theme: Voice over IP

DVD Theme: Ubuntu 5.10 ‘Breezy Badger’

Article Code

Voice over IP: This month's cover story features tools and techniques for voice communications on IP networks. You'll learn about some popular phone clients, and we'll even help you configure your own VoIP-based telephone server. We'll start with a look at Asterisk, a free tool that lets you network several IP-based phones through a single Internet connection. We'll also examine some popular phone client applications, including Linphone, KPhone, and Skype.

Anubis: Tired of managing encryption separately for all your mail clients? The Anubis universal mail manipulation daemon intercepts and modifies messages on their way to the mail server. You can use Anubis to centralize encryption for outgoing mail.

Sudoku: The Sudoku craze is sweeping the world. We'll show you how you can play this popular numbers game in Linux. You'll learn about Gnome-Sudoku and its KDE counterpart ksudoku. We'll even describe some of the special advantages you'll get when you're playing from the Linux desktop, such as hints and tips on strategy.

Issue 62 Jan 2006

Cover Theme: Virus Hunting

DVD Theme: Suse Linux 10.0

Article Code

Virus Hunting: Linux may not be as susceptible to damage from a virus as Windows is, but Linux users are increasingly aware of the need to be careful. Of course, there is the possibility of passing a Windows virus to a Windows computer, but Linux itself is not immune from attack. In this month's cover story, we show you some rules and tools for fighting viruses in Linux. We start with a look at how a Linux virus could get in. Then we review several popular virus scanners and describe the KlamAV desktop antivirus application. We finish with a look at Amavisd-new, an interface for integrating spam and virus checkers with a Linux mail server.

Ask Klaus! Klaus Knopper, the legendary creator of the Knoppix live distro, answers your questions on Linux configuration. This month Klaus offers tips for troubleshooting sound cards. He also investigates problems that can occur with DVD and CD-ROM drives and offers some advice for buying a Linux-ready laptop.

Perl AJAX: Perl's AJAX module helps you add dynamic elements to your web designs. AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) lets you incorporate updates to a web page without reloading the whole page. Perl columnist Mike Schilli offers a real-world example of how you can use the AJAX module for fast and simple dynamic websites.

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