Chapter 13

1. Why would you use HTTP or FTP instead of BitTorrent for downloading large files? 
    -You would use HTTP or FTP instead because they are much safer and often faster options. When using BitTorrent you download form multiple people from unknown connections, but with HTTP you know where you are getting the files from.

2. Which command would you give to perform a complete upgrade? 
    -To perform a full upgrade, you could give the sudo aptitude full-upgrade command while in root.

3. Why would you build a package from its source code when a (binary) deb file is available? 
    - Building a package gives you far more control than simply using the .deb file because you can configure it to your needs.

4. Suggest two advantages that deb files have over source distributions. 
    - Deb files are mostly faster to install and easier to manage than source distributions.

5. When you compile a package yourself, rather than from a deb file, which directory hierarchy should you put it in? 
    - /usr/local sounds like a good hierarchy.

6. Which steps should you take before performing an upgrade on a mission-critical server? 
    - I would perform the upgrade on a copycat system in order to see what works and what doesn't.

Net Neutrality

To put it plainly, net neutrality is the battle against internet limitation. Internet service providers (like Comcast) want to limit the activities of their subscribers by slowing their data and removing access to websites they deem inappropriate or illegal. The FCC has supported net neutrality by laying down some laws that prevent Comcast and other service providers from doing this.

I, for one, am for net neutrality. I believe that the internet should be free and I believe that the service I am paying for should not come with idiotic limitations. Verizon has already started implementing plans that remove their unlimited data package in favor of tiered plans. Luckily, I was grandfathered into their unlimited plan. But if I was all of a sudden told that my unlimited data was about to be limited, I would probably start pooping bricks. I pay for the service that is outlined in my contract, therefore any extra obstructions would simply be unjust.
But listen, I'm a greedy bastard and not everyone is going to agree. Sobeit.

Module 9 Blog

Long story short, the podcast was about the country of Brazil switching from Microsoft to open source software (such as Linux). I think this is a pretty good idea. One of their points was that it would save them a lot of money, and this seems logical. Newer versions of Windows can cost up to around $250.00 and I can only assume you would have to multiply that by millions (or at least thousands) of computers that will run the software. Linux, on the other hand, is not only free but it is more secure, updates constantly, and is widely available in several formats. The whole "we also want to do this because it's un-American" thing is kind of ridiculous, but whatever. Sounds like a good move though. I wonder how it's worked out for them over these last few years.

Kernel Numbering

Each new linux kernel is numbered using three numbers in an x.x.x format. The first number represents the version of the kernel, the second number corresponds to the major changes in that specific release, and the third number corresponds to the minor changes. The version number rarely changes, as there have only been 3 versions of the kernel since 1991 (and version 3.0 was only released to celebrate the kernel's 20th anniversary). Minor changes and release candidates for the kernel occur often, with the major changes not occurring as frequently. The development and numbering of the kernel has slowed down significantly in the recent years.

Module 3

1. What is an argument?  Give several examples.

    - and argument is basically a supplement to a command. It can be a few different things, such as a filename or number, that follows the command to give it some instruction. 

   - some of examples of an argument are '-l' which follows 'ls' in order to list it in a long and more informative format. another example would be '/etc' which can follow the 'cd' command to tell the system to change to the /etc directory. a command line can have several arguments, such as 'ls -a -l' (in which '-a' and '-l' are arguments) that will both list hidden files as well as list in the long listing format. 

2. Use the man pages to tell me two options for the ls command and what they do.

    - as i listed above, two options for the ls command can be -a (which will list hidden files) and -l (which will give the long listing of details). 

3. Use the internet to look up "The Cathedral and the Bazaar" and tell me what it is and why it is important.

    - The Cathedral and the Bazaar is a book by Eric S. Raymond, who is a computer programmer and developer of open source software. The reason it is important is because it details how open source software can be developed to a maximum effort. The book lists 19 guidelines as to how development stability can be reached. Raymond said that open source software should follow the Bazaar style (where source code can be read by anyone) vs the Cathedral style (where source code is only available after a software release), which helped open up development and create a more bug-free environment for open source software. 

7 Things You Don't Know About Me

1. I have 5 brothers, no sisters.


2. I have a niece that shares the same birthday as me. 


3. I love classical music. 


4. I've changed my major three times. 


5. My favorite genre of movies is horror. 


6. Most of my money is spent on technology. Modifying, upgrading, etc. 


7. I'm already fairly familiar with Linux, but am looking to expand my knowledge.