Cover Theme: Detection

DVD Theme: Ubuntu 10.10 & Special Bonus: Backtrack Network Security Suite

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If you want to keep the intruders off your network, you have to learn to think as they think. This month, we show you some tricks of the trade. We look at the Metasploit framework, which helps you attack your own network and look for the gaps. You'll learn about some techniques the attackers use to fly under the radar, and we'll show you how to set up your own security camera system.

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This month we also dig into:

• Table of Contents: Detection
• Welcome: Letter from the Editor
• Ubuntu 10.10 Unveiled: Double-sided DVD in this issue.
• Linux Magazine DVD Inlay: Ubuntu 10.10 "Maverick Meerkat"
• eCryptfs: Keep your data safe with convenient file-level encryption.
• Letters: A reader recommends the mozStorage API.
• Lire: Keep your network in harmony with this easy log analysis tool.
• Security Lessons - Plugins: Protect yourself from problems with plugins and extensions.
• DBAN: Do your files really disappear when you press delete?
• Ask Klaus! Knoppix creator Klaus Knopper answers your Linux questions: This month we tackle battery disconnect, bootloader problems, and VirtualBox.
• Perl - Bypassing Splash Pages: A little Perl is all you need to slip past those pesky WiFi splash pages.
• Transcoding Filesystems: 3 FUSE filesystems help you save disk space with audio transcoding.
• Super Sudo: Use sudo for safer superuser access.
• Command-Line PDF: Process your PDF docs quickly with these handy command-line tools.
• Drivel: This practical blogging app saves time and lets you focus on the writing.
• Bluefile: This nifty window manager keeps the windows in easy reach.
• Workspace - OOo Macros: Dmitri rolls out some macros for saving text snippets and shortening URLs.
• Wiki Engines: We explore some of the top wiki tools.
• Cache: Rikki looks at mentoring projects available through Debian Women, LOPSA, Gnome Outreach, and InfoSec Mentors.
• Doghouse: maddog pays a visit to Rio.
• Kernel News: Zack Brown reports on recent developments in the Linux kernel community.
• Projects on the Move: We examine Sofa (Statistics Open For All) and the After the Deadline proofreading tool.
• Tech Tools: Netgear Launches Network Management Platform; Low-Distortion TI Operational Amplifier; Eurotech Unveils Catalyst TC; IBM New Global Financing Program.

Cover Theme: Tuning MySQL: Build a smarter and faster database

DVD Theme: 10th Anniversary Edition: Complete Linux Magazine Archive on DVD!

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10th Anniversary Issue Celebration! Complete Linux Magazine Archive DVD included!

Tuning MySQL: Database performance depends on a number of factors you must identify, analyze, and fine-tune in a systematic way. Learn how to test, measure, and optimize your MySQL installation from the bottom up by looking at your hardware, operating system, and database.

Inside this issue:

• Table of Contents: Tuning MySQL
• Linux Magazine DVD Inlay: Complete Linux Magazine Archive DVD
• MySQL Tuning: Take a holistic approach to analyzing and optimizing your MySQL database.
• TCP Tuning Tips: Return to the fundamentals then apply some simple techniques to keep your network humming.
• Miro: Breaking news 24/7 can leave you feeling behind the times before you get up in the morning. The Miro media aggregator helps you keep up.
• Speeding Up Python: Stop waiting on your code to execute. Learn about some cool tools for speeding up your Python apps.
• Tour Helsinki with Anna Torvalds and meet Nils Torvalds.
• Projects on the Move: Data sharing using a Git repository.
• Do It with Permission: From the vault - this article first appeared in issue #1 (October 2000).
• iTUNES: New HTML5 features and a little Python let you stream your music over the Internet.
• PHATCH: Watermark your web galleries with GIMP, ImageMagick, and Phatch.
• Cache - Then and now: Rikki looks back 10 years to the first issue.
• Doghouse: Memory doesn't always serve us well, so maddog sets us straight.
• GestióIP: Organize your IP addresses.
• Disposable Computers: Create then wipe a bootable USB drive for sensitive jobs online.
• GNU Parallel: Multi-core processing from the command line.
• Ask Klaus! Knoppix creator Klaus Knopper answers your Linux questions.
• Perl: RRDtool An open source library with Holt-Winters forecasting.
• Command Line: A number of tools helps you schedule automatic backups and other system tasks.
• Clementine: This media player manages your collection and plays your tunes, too.
• OOo Extensions: Create and package OpenOffice extensions from scratch.
• Tech Tools: IBM Announces Blade Center HX5; InfiniteGraph Launches Free Program for Technology Startups; Pliant Introduces New SSDs; Harris Launches BeOn Push-to-Talk; Texas Instruments Announces Power Line Development Kit and Software Library.

Cover Theme: Discover the New Web

DVD Theme: openSUSE 11.3 & Special Bonus: Linux Mint 9 "KDE"

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Advances in the web realm are creating a more vital, dynamic, and secure Internet. This month, we take you on a tour of the new HTML 5 standard. We also get you online with the Drupal CMS, show you an innovative, client-side database, and describe a tool for testing your websites.

This jam-packed issue includes:

• OpenSUSE 11.3 and Linux Mint join forces on our Double-sided DVD!
• Linux Magazine DVD Inlay: openSUSE 11.3 & Linux Mint "KDE"
• News: The Linux Foundation announces the Open Compliance Program; Eclipse SDK 4.0 Released; Interview with Chris DiBona, open source and public manager for Google; Openstack Code Released; Gnome 3 Delayed
• Tech Tools
• Letter from the Editor
• Drupal: Simplify site management and build in new features with the Drupal CMS and its many add-on modules.
• PublicSQL: A web-ready SQL database that runs on the client.
• HTML 5: The new HTML 5 standard embraces dynamic content, multimedia, and semantic processing.
• PAC: The Perl Auto Connector helps admins manage large numbers of remote servers.
• C/C++ Interpreters: Kick-start your projects with the C/C++ interpreters Tcc, PicoC, EiC, and CINT.
• Charly: My Traceroute -- Ping the virtual world.
• Security Lessons: Secure wireless on the cheap.
• Perl: Pidgin Stock Alerts
• eMount: Let eMount help you manage your encrypted partitions.
• Ask Klaus! Knoppix creator Klaus Knopper answers your Linux questions.
• Command Line: Create PDFs from the command line with a2ps, Ghostscript, and ps2pdf.
• Org-Mode: An Emacs extension with your best interests at heart.
• Workspace: iKog and Taskwarrior -- productivity tools for the terminal window.
• Barebones CMS: Build a website fast with this lightweight content management system.
• Cache: LinuxCon 2010
• Doghouse: A discriminating taste in cloud services
• Kernel News
• KDE Akademy: Tampere, Finland, welcomed the KDE developer conference.
• Projects on the Move: Collaborative writing with Etherpad; VoIP with Mumble.
• Beer Hike 2010

Cover Theme: Virtualization

DVD Theme: Mandriva 2010.1 & Slackware 13.1

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Virtualization: This month, we explore some variations on the theme of virtualization in Linux. You will learn how to configure better authentication in VirtualBox environments, how to manage multi-gigabyte VM disk images, and how to achieve high-availability fault tolerance with Xen 4 and Remus.

Also in this issue:

• Double-sided DVD! Mandriva Free 2010 Spring and Slackware 13.1
• News: Android, Nokia, Symbian, WordPress 3.0, Palm, Flock, Twitter, Mandriva, MeeGo, Canonical
• Interview: We talk with Ian Weller, young winner of the 2010 Fedora Scholarship.
• Letter from the Editor: Publicly Perform
• Reader-submitted Letters
• Retro Gaming: Travel through time to the Atari, Commodore 64, and other classic computer systems.
• PolicyKit: Tailored access profiles give admins granular control over privileges.
• LUG Camp 2010: Gold, beer, and Python in Swabia.
• Security Lessons: Checking signatures in Linux.
• Perl - Managing Git: Maintain your Git repositories with a metadata directory.
• Ask Klaus! Knoppix creator Klaus Knopper answers your Linux questions.
• Vala and Genie: These new languages combine the performance of compiled languages with the ease and flexibility of scripts.
• Command Line: A variety of command-line tools manipulate PDF files.
• Converseen: Batch image conversion in a GUI.
• Comix: Check out this cool graphic novel reader.
• Workspace: The Chrome browser already has a stable of extensions.
• Enna: A convenient new media center is based on GeeXboX.
• RedNotebook: This desktop journal helps you keep track of everything.
• Cache: Meet a geek
• Doghouse: Old-time open source programs just keep on keeping on.
• Kernel News
• License That! The European Union can show off with its own free, open source license.
• Free Software Projects: Crabgrass and Clipperz

Cover Theme: IN THE CLOUDS

DVD Theme: FEDORA 13 & SABAYON 5.3 "KDE EDITION"

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Cloud computing is changing the way businesses, home users, and even mobile phone users interact with their systems. This month we examine some practical tools that bring the promise of cloud computing to Linux environments. We examine Scalr and RightScale, which scale your cloud presences automatically -- so you never have more or less than you need. We show you how to deploy and manage your own virtual machines with Amazon Web Services. We also look at icloud, eyeOS, and other tools for the cloud user.

There's more! Our August issue also includes:

• News: Meego 1.0, Qimo, Android 2.2, the Defensive Patent License, Peppermint, and more.
• IPv6: Where will you be when the Internet runs out of addresses? Surfing on the new IP?
• Perl: The Perlmeister shows how to drill a temporary SSH tunnel to send an email message.
• Sys Admin: Protect your system with an ingenious one-liner that sends a warning when an intruder logs in.
• DNSSEC: DNS has some severe flaws that make it easy for attackers to inject malicious data. DNSSEC keeps the names straight.
• ZK: Use the ZK toolkit to build rich, Ajax-based Internet applications without the usual overhead.
• Ask Klaus! Knoppix create Klaus Knopper answers questions about print sharing, GRUB, and ACPI settings.
• Emacs: The Emacs editor is too arcane for some, but others love its power and versatility.
• Thingamablog: Maintain a blog the easy way with this handy desktop tool.
• JessyInk: The JessyInk extension builds presentations in Inkscape.
• E-books: Building e-books with Sane and ImageMagick.
• Skrooge: Keep your accounts balanced with this free banking tool.
• Cache: A round-up of community news.
• Doghouse: Maddog reminds us to keep the fun in Free Software.
• Kernel News: Zack keeps up with the kernel.
• Projects on the Move: The Gramps genealogy tool and other projects.

Cover Theme: INSIDE KDE'S NEW DESKTOP

DVD Theme: UBUNTU 10.04 SIXPACK

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When we set out to look for emerging technologies that are making their way into real projects, our focus quickly fell on the innovative KDE project. We show you the semantic web technology in KOffice, and we study how to build a custom plasmoid applet. Then we round out our emerging technology set with a study of 3D printing.
Also in this issue:

• Comment: Our editor in chief introduces our fresh new look.
• News: Our new news editor, Trevan McGee, rounds up tech news from around the world.
• FSlint: Clean up unwanted files with this helpful janitor app.
• Coding in Go: Two Unix veterans create a language with the best of old and new.
• Synfig: Use this free app to create your own animations.
• RHEV: Losing track of virtual machines? We take a close look at Red Hat's enterprise virtualization manager.
• Ask Klaus: Knoppix creator Klaus Knopper answers questions about Eee PC troubleshooting and NTLDR masks.
• Perl: Add a command history feature to a custom Perl app.
• Charly: Monitor system information with Nmon.
• Security Lessons: Secure authentication options.
• Command Line: The Vim text editor offers features you won't find in Vi.
• Terminator: Split windows and group your terminal sessions.
• Geocaching: Search for treasures with GPS devices.
• Workspace: Organize your data with Tree-Line -- part outliner, part DB.
• Logfile Viewers: These free logfile readers help you track system messages.
• Cache: Roundup of community news and events.
• Penguicon: Zonker reports on this unique event.
• Doghouse: Maddog explains how Open Source saves time, and money.
• Projects: See the world through a robot's eye with Peekabot.

Cover Theme: FILE STORAGE

DVD Theme: 2-SIDED DVD: LINUX MINT 8 & CALCULATE LINUX

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Life was so easy when all the data for a stand-alone computer stayed on a little local hard drive. This month we look at filesystems for solid-state drives and show how to connect Linux clients with Microsoft Active Directory networks. Also in this issue:

• Smoke and Magic: Letter from the Editor.
• Linux Mint and Calculate Linux: Double-sided DVD.
• DVD Inlay: The easiest desktop Linux ever!
• Security Blanket: Analyze security compliance with a few easy clicks.
• Tuesdays with Microsoft: Software patches on Linux.
• KDE SC 4.4: The latest KDE includes some important improvements.
• Practical Git: Use the Git version control system to access community source code repositories -- or even to create your own repository.
• Ask Klaus! Knoppix creator Klaus Knopper answers your Linux configuration questions.
• Charly's Column: Apache's Mod_qos module keeps your web server safe from the slow-moving Slowloris attack.
• Rsyslog: Make sure your logfiles are secure and reliable with ryslog, a replacement for sysklogd.
• Save It: We look at filesystems for SSDs
• Shinken: The Nagios-like Shinken monitoring tool uses multiple processes to distribute the workload.
• Perl - Video Playback: We'll show you a Perl script that remembers how far a video has played.
• Permissions: Security begins with the proper use of permissions.
• Docky: A Mac-style dock in Linux.
• Scratch: Cool tool for teaching programming.
• OOo Basic Macros: Converting formatted files.
• Nepomuk: Explore KDE's semantic desktop.
• Tech Tools: Build CSS with Construct; diskGenie Portable Hard Drive; MSI Wind Box Intel Atom Nettop Runs Linux; and much more!
• Plus: News, maddog, SXSW, and Projects on the Move

Cover Theme: CUSTOMIZE YOUR LINUX

DVD Theme: DEBIAN 5.0.4 LENNY & LINUX FROM SCRATCH LIVE CD

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Customize Your Linux: The infinitely flexible Linux lets you customize almost anything. This month Marcel Gagné tours some alternative windows managers and desktops for Linux. We take a close look at some popular Linux filesystems and help you decide which filesystem is right for your environment. Learn how to automate your desktop with Sikuli, an innovative tool that lets you build scripts from screenshots, and find out how to create your own applets for KDE 4’s powerful Plasma desktop.

Also in this issue:

• Linux Magazine DVD: Debian 5.0.4 Lenny & Linux from Scratch LIVE CD.
• DVD Inlay: Debian 5.0.4 with more than 70 updated packages.
• KDE Plasma: Create your own plasmoids for the latest KDE desktop.
• Hotel Hack: This simple study in how to slip past the hotel login page shows why casual port blocking just isn’t enough.
• PCI Passthrough with KVM: If you know what you are doing, you can access a real PCI device from with a KVM virtual machine.
• Ask Klaus! Knoppix creator Klaus Knopper answers your Linux questions. This month Klaus looks at laptops, video brightness, and Windows dual boot.
• SpamAssassin 3.3: Charly takes a turn at fighting spam with this classic tool.
• Spoofed Browsers: So you think you can trust your certificate authority? Security columnist Kurt Seifried takes a look behind the curtain.
• SUMO Access Manager: Manage list servers simply from a web browser, no matter how large or decentralized your groups.
• Dialog and Xdialog: Add GUI elements to your text-based scripts.
• Remus: Use this cool tool to organize personal information, RSS feeds, and even Twitter data.
• Shutter: Get clicking with an extraordinary screenshot app.
• Doghouse: It's a Free For All!
• TDFSB: This 3D file browser will help you visualize your directories.
• GRUB 2: Get to know the next generation GRUB boot loader.
• Event reports: SCALE 8x and FOSDEM 2010.
• Projects on the Move: Replace dictionaries and notepads with StarDict, the dictionary application, and RedNotebook, a combined notepad, diary, and calendar.
• Tech Tools: The latest news.

Cover Theme: BLUETOOTH SECURITY

DVD Theme: Double-sided DVD: Knoppix 6.3 exclusive! Plus Mandriva 2010

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Most people don’t give a second thought to Bluetooth security, but that address book on your mobile phone might be more vulnerable than you think. Bluetooth devices are surprisingly susceptible to snooping, but the new Bluetooth 2.1 specification could floss some of the gaps. This month we’ll show you how an intruder can get past your phone’s defenses.

Also in this issue:

• Linux Magazine DVD Inlay: KNOPPIX 6.3 EXCLUSIVE! & Mandriva 2010
• Knoppix 6.3: Knoppix creator Klaus Knopper tells about the Knoppix 6.3 Live boot Linux included on this month’s DVD.
• Firefox for Mobile (Fennec): Discover the Firefox browser for mobile devices from Mozilla.
• MySQL Workbench 5.1: Too many tables and too many complex relationships? Visualize your MySQL database with MySQL Workbench.
• Chatbots: Many were introduced to artificial intelligence by interacting with electronic shrinks. Learn more about chatbots and their language.
• Charly’s Column: Charly cooks up some ClamFS and ClamAV soup to inoculate his file servers against viruses.
• Security Lessons: ClamAV Come back for seconds, as Kurt shows you how to protect Windows clients on the Internet.
• Sympa 6: Manage list servers simply from a web browser, no matter how large or decentralized your groups.
• Qt 4.6 and KDE 4.4: Learn what’s new on the KDE desktop, courtesy of Qt.
• CodeSynthesis XSD: Generate C++ classes that let you access the data stored in XML documents. Then stream C++ objects back to XML.
• Perl – Flip It: Hack a recorder to play your secret messages backward.
• Workspace: DAM with digiKam Manage your digital assets with this useful photo management app.
• SocialVPN: Secure virtual private networks.
• FontForge: Create homemade symbol fonts.
• Legacy GRUB: Get to know this Linux bootloader.
• maddog's Column: Fix it for free!
• Chaos Computer Club Congress: The CCC stages its 26th conference.
• Linux Conf Australia: New Zealand hosts annual meeting.
• Projects on the Move: Free software simulates the population of Mars, which is due to start 30 years from now, gives users an overview of social networks, and keeps the peace at the debating society.

Cover Theme: THE STRANGE ART OF STEGANOGRAPHY

DVD Theme: Fedora 12 & Sabayon 5.1 "Gaming"

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Steganography and Other Security Techniques – You've configured a firewall and set up an intrusion detection framework. What else can you do to lock down your network and protect your privacy? This month we study some smart security techniques:

• The Security Challenge: This month we look into better password control.
• Steganography: We show you how to hide secrets in an ordinary digital image.
• PDF Attack: The GhostNet attack infected computers around the world. We show you how intruders used some simple PDF tricks to slip inside.
• SELinux Sandbox: A new tool based on the SELinux access control system locks down your desktop environment to prevent browser-based attacks.
• Password Managers: We examine some practical tools for managing Internet passwords.

Additional articles in this issue include:

• Double-sided DVD: This month’s DVD features a pair of exciting Linux distros.
• DVD Inlay: FEDORA 12 an SABAYON 5.1 "Gaming".
• Media Players: Looking for a place to put your sounds? We compare the Banshee, Ryhthmbox, Amarok, and Songbird media players.
• Tiny Core: Tired of drinking coffee and watching a startup screen? This sleek little Linux will boot your system in less than 30 seconds.
• Ask Klaus! Knoppix creator Klaus Knopper answers reader-submitted questions
• Charly’s Sys Admin Column: Charly rolls his own URL-shortening service.
• SSL Security: Kurt Seifried studies some techniques intruders use for compromising SSL security.
• Samhain: To keep the storehouse safe, you’ll need a night watchman. This hostbased intrusion detection tool notifies users of intrusion attempts.
• Perl – Pidgin English: Playing personal sounds with the Pidgin instant messenger.
• AbiWord: Heavyweight word processing in a lightweight package.
• PiTiVi: Edit your favorite video clips.
• Solang: Fast and easy photo manager.
• Command Line – ImageMagick: Edit images at the command line.
• Doghouse: Community news from maddog.
• SuperComputing 2009: IT meets academics in Portland.
• Projects on the Move: We look at new sound landscapes. C2h lets people talk to dolphins and whales, and if you happen to be a jazz musician, you will find a creative helper in Impro-Visor.
• World News: Open source news.
• Tech Tools

Cover Theme: SURVIVING WINDOWS 7

DVD Theme: openSUSE 11.2

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Surviving Windows: Every new Microsoft Windows release brings a new crop of interoperability challenges. This month we look at some Linux interoperability tools in Windows and discuss some apps for running Linux on Windows 7:

• Linux Services in Windows 7: Talk to your Linux systems with Windows 7's Telnet server, NFS client, and Subsystem for Unix-based applications.
• Linux on Windows: Several tools offer a means for running Linux on Windows. We look at Cygwin, coLinux, Wubi, and some of the leading virtualization options.
• Web Operating Systems: Throw out your old assumptions about where the system lives. Marcel Gagné studies some web-based OS options.

Additional articles in this issue include:

• This months DVD: openSUSE 11.2 promo edition
• DVD Inlay: openSUSE 11.2
• Opera Unite: The latest Opera release puts a web server in your browser.
• OpenGTS: This handy app helps you keep track of vehicles in the filed.
• UPnP and Coherence: Stream sound and video to mobile devices with your own UPnP server.
• Ask Klaus: Knoppix creator Klaus Knopper answers your Linux questions.
• Charly's Column – sslh: Manage encrypted traffic with the SSL/SSH multiplexer.
• Security Lessons – Secure Programming: Kurt studies some software tools that will help you audit and secure your network.
• GRUB 2: The latest release signals a new beginning for the GRUB bootloader.
• Virtual Sand: Learn about a project that is taking a new approach to the goal of animating sand.
• Perl – Mencoder and Sox: Add opening credits to your home videos with Mencoder, Sox, and Perl.
• DOSBox: Resurrect your ancient DOS programs with this emulator of bygone PCs.
• Workspace – Build an E-Book: Creating an e-book with OpenOffice FBTools.
• Meld: Compare files and directories.
• Command Line – Bash Builtins: We study the powerful bash command and other builtin tools.
• maddog's Column
• LISA: Admins gather in Baltimore.
• Projects on the Move: MediaInfo and Tux Paint
• Linux World News
• Tech Tools: Finding the right tool for the job.

Cover Theme: TRAFFIC SHAPING: TECHNIQUES FOR BETTER NETWORKING

DVD Theme: Ubuntu 9.10

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System Administration: This month we look at traffic shaping and other techniques for the sys admin. We'll show you some process monitoring tools, and we'll examine a distro designed to turn your PC into a network-attached storage device:

• FreeNAS: Turn your old computer into a network-attached storage device.
• Wondershaper: Traffic shaping used to be for experts only. This helpful tool offers an easy way to manage your bandwidth.
• Admin Tools: Marcel Gagné looks at the Top family and other important tools, including pstree, Krunner, and Gnome System Monitor.
• Sudo: We'll show you why it is wise to be careful with this powerful security tool.

In our January 2009 issue you'll also find articles on:

• Karmic Koala DVD: Ubuntu Linux is one of the most popular Linux distros in the world!
• DVD Inlay: Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala
• Letter from the Editor: What do Grace Hopper and Ubuntu's Kernel Manager have in common?
• Gnome 2.28: A look at the new Gnome
• TonidoPlug and Bubba Two: Put a Linux server app on your home network
• Fcron: A snappy job scheduler that takes Cron to new places
• Syntext Serna Free: Check out the GPL version of Syntext's popular XML editor
• Q&A with Klaus Knopper
• Archivemail: Find out about a handy tool for archiving old mail
• Rate limiting: Learn about a promising technique for stopping denial of service attacks
• mod-selinux: An open source network vulnerability scanner
• Kernel news
• Squeak: Will this easy programming language bring new life to Smalltalk?
• Perl: The Perlmeister bowls vertically with a new look at a popular programming challenge
• Marble: Travel the planet with this globe in a window
• Stacey: Build an online portfolio of your creative work
• Empathy: Stay in touch with this versatile IM client
• Parted: Managing partitions
• Ontario Linux Fest 2009
• ZendCon 2009
• Projects: Gnusolidario supplies the Medical OpenERP solution to hospitals, and GOSM provides a free alternative to Google Earth
• maddog's Community Report
• Tech Tools: The latest products and updates.