Debian, is a package of software tools combined together under the open-licensed GNU (General Public Library) and some other free software, of the Linux operating systems which means it uses the Linux kernel. This operating system is the most popular and one of its best OS versions is the UBUNTU operating system.

Since you want to get with your operating system some basic tools, and of course some extra efficient tools, instead of finding each program that you find that you need, the Debian package has been created to contain the basic tools that are needed for and operating system.

The Debian package is being used both for Server and for Desktop operating systems, again the Debian package is the core of those operating system which are built upon the Debian package, like UBUNTU Linux distribution system.

So with all of those Linux distributions out there, why choose Debian? well, it is quite simple:

• A non-commercial totally free distribution.
• A true GNU/Linux distribution based on the Unix command style. This assures that the core that you are using will not be changed as time passes since it is the core of things.
• Easy to maintain – so you can easily get it updated and up to date, there is a mechanism that knows how to identify missing packages and update on required dependencies.
• Automatic updating – You can use automatic updates using a single command, which will collect the needed required updates from the internet, and install them automatically.
• The Debian distribution only uses real free software and it contains already around 25,000 applications and utilities.
• Help is accessible through forums, chat rooms of the community. You can get answers to almost any question you might have and there are developers who improve it daily.
• Performance is excellent and of course cheap since it uses any type of hardware, and does not require hardware upgrades or requires stronger equipment.
• Reliability and stability are the core focus of Debian, and you do not need to reboot it contantly.

— You can read more about the Debian packages at http://www.debian.org/ and get http://www.debian.org/, even though I would recommend working with Ubuntu than on Debian directly.

The reasons why Debian can be the perfect server are because it contains many common software tools, for almost any purpose that servers are being used for like those basic ones:

• • Web server – Apache, PHP, Python, Mysql
  • Mail server – Postfix.
  • DNS server – Bind9
  • FTP server – Proftpd

• File Server – Samba

What can we say about Microsoft that no one heard before, there is almost no one who works with computer and never heard about Microsoft and their operating system series. The operating systems of Microsoft have changed the way we were using computers, from a nongraphic user interface to a graphic interface, using a keyboard and a mouse to be able to do so many things with ease, than the way we have done before using a nongraphic interface, where every action was a series of commands, which of course where only working on a nongraphic way.

The graphic interface of the Microsoft operating systems enabled us to see what we are doing (not just numbers and lines in a report kind of a way) and be able to use the internet, write documents, and change fonts, sizes of texts, insert photos, and pictures into the document, etc…

The operating systems were starting with the Windows 3.11 version which was the beginning of Microsoft Windows graphic interface was real progress from the way we have conducted our work with computers and started the developments of better and improved windows operating systems by Microsoft.

Microsoft Windows Desktops:

Microsoft Windows 3.0 – 3.1 – Started in March 1992 – it was a 16-bit operating system and different versions of it where being issued between 1992-1994 until it was replaced by Windows 95. This operating system was the basic change of the way the home user and businesses were using computers. There were new tools and technological ways of using our computers.

Microsoft Windows 95 – Released on August 1995 – It was a larger enhancement of the previous windows 3.1 operating system. It contained more color – This operating system was the most popular at those times, and it was replaced by Windows 98 – which enhanced and fixed issues that were collected on the Windows 95 operating system. This operating system was a better fit with the business orientation of the Windows NT (network server operating system).

Microsoft Windows 98 – Release on May 15th, 1998 – This operating system supported 16bit & 32bit work. This operating system was the first to use the new “Windows Driver Model” (WDM), hardware manufacturers where developing drivers to enable these common operating systems to use their hardware devices.
Microsoft Windows 2000 – Released on February 17, 2000, this operating system was designated for the client computers for a business environment, as a desktop operating system. This operating system was serving as a client for Windows NT and was a very solid stable operating system. It was replaced by the successful Windows XP.

Microsoft Windows XP – Released on October 25th, 2001, This is one of the most used windows operating system ever, most users have moved to this operating system that was stable and very user-friendly.  When Vista got out, many people who received the Vista operating system requested to downgrade to the Windows XP operating system, since it was much better and fit almost any platform of computers, even weak ones.

Microsoft Windows Vista – Released on July 22nd, 2005, This I have to say wasn’t a very good operating system that was developed by Microsoft. This operating system forced you to increase your computer’s performance, you had to have at least 2GB RAM to work properly. This operating system was heavy and its performance was not as her previous versions.  The graphic and the ability to use more than 3GB RAM were some of the OS’s improvements from her predecessors (previous operating systems).

Microsoft Windows Servers:

Windows NT server – Release in July 1993 – This operating system was the first server like an operating system that could serve many clients, and use its resources to share resources, operations, and other server type software that could serve multiple users.

Windows 2000 server – Released on February 17th, 2000 – This server operating system was more advanced from its predecessor the Windows NT. This version was a more advanced server which included datacenter server, supported 64bit version, this version included the MMC (Microsoft Management Console) that enabled more control over the server features and options. This OS issued the first “Active Directory” that enabled a centralized control interface to manage the users and security features of the server’s network.

Windows Server 2003 – Released on April 24th, 2003 – This server operating system was the more solid, stable and very useful server operating system. Most organizations have moved to it, after the windows NT and windows 2000 server has received many improvements on the server 2003 version, which made the active directory and the management features which included forests and a very organized control center to monitor and manage a large organization and made it easier for IT managers and network administrators to have better control over their network.

Windows Server 2008 – Released on February 4th, 2008 – This version of the server operating system was built upon the same code as the Vista operating system (from the desktop version). There was much more control using the command-line interface (from the DOS screen) and many other cool features that enabled a more sophisticated and easy to use network platform.

Windows Server 2012 – Released on September 4th, 2012– This version of the server operating system has no support for Itanium-based computers and has four editions. Various features were added or improved over Windows Server 2008 R2, with emphasis on cloud computing, Hyper-V support, IP addressing management role, new task manager version, new file system.

All of those operating systems by Microsoft have shaped the way we do our computer business or use our home computers, there is no other way to avoid this, Microsoft has a real place in the pages of history for giving us these Windows operating systems which shaped the way we use computers today.

What is “Rack-mount“, this is a subject that relates to communication cabinets, those huge rooms with lots of computers. Those computers are being placed in those cabinets, and since we would like to load a maximum number of computers per space, there are Rack-mount computers, exactly for that purpose.

These computers are formed in very thin form, which is sized as U’s, 1U, 2U, 5U etc… The U stands for a number of slots the computer occupies, 1U for 1 slot. A slot is the drawer the computer slides into. What you do is connect to the sizes of the computer tracks which locks into the cabinet’s tracks, so you can slide the computer forward toward you, in case you need to maintain it, and slide it back into place to place it back to its permanent position.

Those U computers (Rack Unit) are usually much more expensive, mostly because of their ability to fit into a communication cabinet, and because their technology is different from the regular standing computers we know of, those who we placed at home, or near our office station. They are built in such way that enables all of the parts to fit into a smaller space, in order for them to fit into those communication cabinet drawers.

Another big benefit for Rack-mount computers is that those are huge computers, which can contain many hard-disk drivers, many CPUs, they are huge processing machines and for the businesses who needs a lot of processing power, these are the computers you need. That is why such computers are being placed in computer rooms, at communication cabinets in hosting places that have huge cooled controlled rooms, with UPSs units that can keep these type of very important servers online at all times.

The most cost effective computer servers to place in a hosting place, are the 1U units, since they catch little place at the hosting farm, and if you need a well kept server at high availability, a hosting farm is what you need.

U servers,

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Microsoft !, what does this name say to you? Anyone who uses computers has to have heard about Microsoft, this is the company the entered the graphical operating systems, that shaped the way we work. The first famous graphical operating system was of APPLE, they have created the Macintosh as a computer for graphic designers. The Macintosh was attended to the graphic designers and it wasn’t cheap, only those who could effort it was enjoying a graphical operating system that enabled the graphic design to become reachable.

Microsoft was the one who developed a graphical operating system that will become a software for all. They have designed an operating system that was cost-effective and affordable by the common people, home users and enabled everyone to gain a graphical environment, that enabled the use of a mouse, dragging and doing operating at a move of a mouse. Before the graphical age, people where typing hundreds and thousands of lines of code to get a simple operation working. Behind the simple copy & paste, we are used to doing with the right click of the mouse, where lines of code to tell the computer where the source file is, how to make the copy, and to where to copy the file.

Since that first step into a revolution in technology, Microsoft has developed many tools, improved its operating systems making them more usable, more effective. They developed the computerized office, using their office packages, that shaped the way we do our business, writing our letters on Microsoft word, doing complicated calculations and statistical charts and diagrams using Microsoft excel, doing presentations on the Microsoft Power-Point, etc… Those software applications have shaped our computerized office tools and became the most common tools being used by computer users.

Linux, what is that operating system? why is it becoming such a required operating system? why do we need to get to know it? There are so many questions like that about Linux that I would like to calm down. Now that I had the chance of getting to know Linux pretty well, I can honestly say that there is much potential for the open-source operating systems. You can basically get all of the things you were used to getting from the Windows operating system, and much more.

There are many tools in Linux, which are free and there are easy techniques to get those tools downloaded and installed on your system. You just need to learn a couple of basic tools that enable you to control these operating systems. My favorite Linux operating system is UBUNTU and I believe many do think like me about it. This operating system is the most convenient and relatively easy to use, it would be recommended to start learning Linux with this operating system.

Linux has two options (all free of course), the first option is the desktop option the other is the server option. The desktop option is a version that includes the graphic interface (Gnome or KDE are the most common) which resembles what you know from the Windows operating system. The operation of the desktop is much the same, there are many built-in applications included in each Linux operating system. The Linux server option, gives you a black screen command prompt, like DOS in windows, which enables you to use all of Linux options, which most of it is being done on the text mode (the desktop interface is just redundant). Linux servers can become anything you want, either a web server, FTP server and much more. Any application in the computer world that you think of, you can create and install in Linux and all of those applications and tools are free, just install, configure and you’re up and running.

Linux has an open office that can open documents saved by the Windows operating system. There are many other built-in applications within the desktop version. All of those tools are free, and most of them will cover all of your needs, either for home use or for your office purpose.

The only issue I am missing in Linux is the computer games option. Currently, I am unfamiliar with any good games as we know in windows on a Linux machine. But, I assume in time this will happen as well since Linux is slowly becoming a real fact in the computer world.