Friday, April 28, 2006

Apache an opensource web server swiss knife

The first thought when i hear his word is an indian. But when i found out what Apache was not related of some sort and it's only relation was the logo that was used and nothing else.

Apache is an open source webserver program which is free and highly configurable. If you will ask me if this is secure? well my answer would be: "It depends", because it really depends on the Administrator that maintains the server.

In my experience Apache server is extendible and customizable and you can do anything you wish to at your own liking. if and only if you really know how to tame tweak and configure it.

Presently apache has two version:

Apache 1.3
Apache 2

You can download either of the two here

You might as well take a look on the other Project taht is brewing on to their Foundation
Apache Software Foundation

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Open Source Addiction, how i am first introduced

I had been a user of open source software since 2003, as i studied it on Meralco Foundation Institute as a cerificate course. Hoping to know something new other than the Operating System that i used to, in which i used the latter in programming and playing games.

It was an eye opener. I started with Redhat Linux 7.2 till 8. There is a lot of memorization at the start and internet search of the one page manual of all that could help me gain more understanding about it. I had been an ignoramus and did not explore much about it.

My Professor asked me to become an onsite co lecturer in VB and later on to become the lecturer of the First Module of Linux System Administration. I go on the usual training of sitting in on classes, demo and then co lecture.

Having gone through the process of becoming a lecturer of the LSAM1 course, I am also going through the adjustment of memorizing commands specifically to linux and its equivalent to windows, in which i could use as a tool for the introduction of Linux to the new users.

But that doesn't stop there, time came and i realize that i have to go look for a greener meadows and stopped teaching.For the opportunities comes to those who can manage their time well.Since I quit i tried freelancing and since linux is so new and never heard of, i started re learning windows and its money making softwares, such as video editors and web page designers/development tools.

As the strike of luck comes to me and with the help of my cousin i was hired as a Linux System Administrator, maintaining Redhat,AIX,Solaris Servers and of course Windows on an ISP located at Makati.But boredom, burnout and fatigue makes me give up and quit the company.

Then after six months of unemployment i landed as a LSA of an outsourcing company. Developing, installing and configuring Linux Applications and services. And was assigned a pc with windows then with an ubuntu Linux operating system a debian/BSD based OS an to this day i still stick on to it.

The reason why is: that i dont have to worry a single penny to pay for it,i love tweaking and configuring things till it work no matter what way i do it.While on windows it's limited including the backing up of files when the main OS is corrupted and the luxury of having a multiple partitions makes backups of files and configuration a breeze. And you cant backup a configuration of a certain application when the main OS had crashed. unless the configurations are stored on a text file rather that the registry.

So that could explain why i am hook on to it