XAMPP is a web server that is used to develop applications in PHP, with connection to a SQL database (LAMPP = Linux + Apache + MySQL + PHP + Perl)

Installing an Apache web server is not easy for newcomers and is even more complicated if it is required to add MySQL, PHP and Perl.

XAMPP is an easy to install and use Apache distribution that contains MySQL, PHP and Perl. It’s really simple to install and use, but keep in mind that it is not intended for use in production (explained at the bottom of the article).

It is also a multiplatform GNU project, currently distribute for: Linux, Windows, Mac OS X and Solaris.

Instant messaging is a text-based and file-sharing  real-time communication system that is established between two or more terminals connected to a network.

It has become a key tool of the Internet, allowing people to connect with their families, friends and have a direct way to chat, exchange files, photos, documents, web pages and more.

Instant messaging requires the use of an IM client that handles the service. It differs from regular email in that conversations are conducted in real time.

In Ubuntu you can install several IM clients:

• Empathy
• Pidgin
• aMSN

“EMPATHY” INSTANT MESSAGING CLIENT

Canonical has decided that starting Ubuntu 9.10, Empathy is the default IM client. Earlier versions of Ubuntu used Pidgin instead.

If you have installed or upgrade to Ubuntu 11.04 or later the first thing you will notice is the unity interface. The interface over all look nice, but it will take some time to get used to it. The good part Ubuntu has left you the option to revert back to the original Gnome interface if you wanted to by logging out and choosing Classic as the interface to use when u login again.

I believe the Ubuntu Unity interface it self is not too bad, but what really annoyed me with it is the new method they are using for the scrollbar. Its really clumsy and does not work well. The below screen shot show the new Ubuntu Unity Scrollbar.

Today while trying to install Gnome-RDP & after adding the universe repository to my list of repositories I kept getting the following error:

W:Failed to fetch gzip:/var/lib/apt/lists/partial/ae.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dists_natty_universe_binary-amd64_Packages Hash Sum mismatch, E:Some index files failed to download. They have been ignored, or old ones used instead.

As I am sure I would not be the only one having this error, I have decided to share the resolution path I have took to fix this error.

First step I went to the Ubuntu Software Center => Edit => Software Sources     where I found my  Download from is United Arab Emirates just change it back to Main Servers as shown in the screen shot below:

I have been using Ubuntu 64-bit for about 2 years now, & during that I had came across many 32-bit packages that I wanted to run them where no 64-bit version is provided of the same application. Though when ever I tried to install a 32-bit package on my 64-bit Ubuntu, I was always treated with the following error message:

‘package architecture (i386) does not match system (amd64)’

Many times I was able to avoid the above error by using the following command to install the desired package:

sudo dpkg -i –force-architecture pkgname_i386.deb

–force-architecture <== will tell Ubuntu to allow the installation of 32-bit package on the 64-bit version of Ubuntu.

Before I start I should mention that what I am doing here is not supported by VMware, nor anyone else. Further if you follow it the normal rules for any of my posts go, you are on your own. If you mess up your computer or get sued or anything its nor me nor anyone problem, its your problem so please proceed with caution at your own risk.

I have been running the latest Ubuntu 11.04 for about a month now, and the update manager was always working like a charm, though I had an error few days back when trying to update my Ubuntu using Ubuntu Update Manger. The error was as follow:

Could not initialize the package information. Please report this bug agaist the ‘update-manager’ package that include the following error message:

‘E:Encoutered a section with no Package: header, E:problem with MergeList /var/lib/apt/lists/ae.archive.ubuntu.com_ubuntu_dist_natty_main_binary-amd64_Package, E:The package lists or status files could not be parsed or opened.’

A snapshot image of the error is showing below:

After Upgrading my Ubuntu the other day to Ubuntu 11.04 (Natty Narwhal), My VMware Workstation 7.1.3 that was working perfectly before the upgrade stopped working and kept throwing the following error when trying to compile its modules with the new Kernel: “Unable To Build Kernel Module see log file /tmp/vmware-root/setup-7357.log for details.” Below is a screen shot of the lovely error message:

Ubuntu 11.04 VMware Workstation 7.1.3 error

I have followed the error instruction and checked the log file setup-7357.log pointed out by the error message shown above  to find the following messages:

================ setup-7357.log Messages===========

May 30 01:31:39.932: app-139993976203040| Trying to find a suitable PBM set for kernel 2.6.38-8-generic.

May 30 01:31:39.933: app-139993976203040| Building module vmmon.

Ubuntu has been so far the best distro I have tried when looking for a windows desktop alternative. The massive repository & ease of usage Ubuntu has to offer makes it a great windows replacement. I have been running Ubuntu on my laptop for the past two months & have been really enjoying the speed & easiness of Ubuntu. Below is a great 10 tips to enjoy Ubuntu even further.

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First Tip: Install GIMP

GIMP does not come by default with Ubuntu anymore, though its quite easy to install from the respo. Before I explain how to install GIMP for those of you new to Linux GIMP is a great image editing software with many many advance image editing features that only available in paid software on windows. Further GIMP is free so get it now!!  All you have to do to install GIMP in Ubuntu is to run the below command:

The Open Source community should be highly proud of Ubuntu. It seems to be the distro which most worry Microsoft in the Desktop market which is Microsoft Lead market. Actually Microsoft has posted for “Director Open Source Desktop Strategy at Microsoft” at linkedin. I was suprised that Microsoft are looking to hire some one at that high level just to put a plan to compete with Ubuntu on the Desktop market. Seems the Ubuntu buzz is floating the market. With Ubuntu 9.04 approaching, Ubuntu has proven it self as a great Open Source alternative for Windows in the Desktop arena.

Let us know what do you think of Ubuntu in the comments area.