File compression is still the best way to send a huge bunch of photos to your dearest friend. It is one of the most important operations on almost every operating system, and is, therefore, inundated with a barrage of apps concerning it. On Windows too, file compression comes built-in, and so does on Linux. That said, the default compression method isn't always the best one, and even if it is, there are people who are looking to trying out new tools for the same operation.

For file compression on Linux, as on Windows and Mac, there is no dearth of applications, both closed source and open source, which you can try for free. So, whether you're looking to pack hundreds of photos in a nice zipped file and send it to your friend, or you’re trying to save some valuable space on your disk, there are a lot of nice compression tools you can choose from on Linux. Here’s a list of all the best ones in that genre:

Released in 1997, bzip2 is one of the most common file compression tools for Linux. Though not as fast as other titles on the list, the open-source tool is known for its errorless compression and patent-free nature. Furthermore, thanks to its recovery capabilities, bzip2 can also decompress files that are slightly damaged. One great thing about bzip2 is that since it uses POSIX threads it parallelizes the compression process, a thing that makes it work well with many multi-core processors. Since it’s a command line tool, and a very old one, it’s highly unlikely that you won’t find it pre-installed on your favorite Linux distribution.

Part of the KDE suite, Ark is a popular archiving utility used for zipping up tar, gzip, bzip2, rar and zip files. Once installed, you can browse, create, extract, and modify archives. The latest stable release is 2.17 and is licensed under GPL v2. Neatly integrated with Dolphin, KDE’s default file manager, Ark proves to be a convenient and simple file archiver for Linux.

7-zip is an open-source file compression utility that’s quite popular on Windows. Also available for Linux, the file archiver supports formats like 7z, XZ, Bzip2, gzip, tar, zip, and more. For unpacking files, even more formats are supported including the ones like arj, cab, dmg, ntfs, rar, rpm, and more. Licensed under GPL, 7-Zip comes with support for strong AES-256 encryption in 7Z and zip formats. Their 7Z format offers the highest compression ratio, and is thus used by many users to compress big files.

PeaZip is a free, cross-platform file archiver that presents a unified GUI for other compression tools like 7-zip, FreeArc, PAQ, and more. Once installed, you can create 7Z, ARC, BZ2, GZ, ZIP, RAR and many other types of archive. Also, PeaZip supports extraction of over 130 archive types. Furthermore, the free tool can extract, create, and convert multiple archives at once, create self-extracting archives, split or join files, and do much more. For the security-conscious, it includes support for two-factor authentication, encrypted password manager, secure deletion and many other features.

If you’re moving from Windows to Linux, you might, more often than not, come across files packed in RAR packages. Now, WinRAR, the tool with which you create RAR files is not available for Linux, as yet, and there’s a dearth of any promising alternatives for the proprietary tool. RAR is a software that fills in that need, and makes unzipping and zipping .rar files a breeze. Though free to try, RAR is a shareware, and you’d need to register it after 40 days of use. That fallacy apart, the tool is actually quite good because not only does it work well with RAR files, it also serves as a good archiver for zip files.

Ubuntu’s latest release called Precise Pangolin has managed to please its many admirers and silence the naysayers. Unity, the most contentious part of Ubuntu so far has turned out to be a dark horse in Canonical’s race for desktop domination. With new features like the HUD, video lens and more, Ubuntu 12.04 has even had the BBC waxing eloquent about its charm. That said, not everyone is happy with the latest release. There are, as always, some criticisms regarding the lack of a new icon theme and the absence of any major game-changing feature. Of course, the overall outlook towards Ubuntu 12.04 'Precise Pangolin' is positive and there is absolutely no doubt that this is the best release by Canonical so far.

As with every new release, many users are kind of on the fence about upgrading their operating system to the latest version. Fears, doubts, and stability affinity are some roadblocks that a new Linux user faces when he or she hears about the word upgrade. If you too are undecided whether to upgrade or not to, here’s a list of the reasons which will help you pick a side.


Reasons Why You Should Upgrade to Ubuntu 12.04

1. You get the latest of all apps: Yes, the latest Firefox, Nautilus, and Thunderbird are enough reasons to make you choose the Pangolin. With the latest kernel, you have faster boot times, better driver support and more. Also, Ubuntu’s Software Center has been upgraded to the latest version making it much faster than its earlier version.

2. Improved Unity: Unity in 11.10 was, to an extent, a half-baked desktop experience. Applications were not integrated properly, nor was the launcher completely done. With Ubuntu 12.04, you’ll find most of the default applications support quick lists, thus making the desktop much more usable.

3. The Video Lens: Whether you want to explore your huge movie collection or want to discover some cool online videos, the Video Lens on the Unity desktop makes every videophile happy. You can easily browse through or search videos from your own videos collection (files from your Videos folder) and open them up using the default media player.

4. Improved Privacy: For many users, the Dash is more of an embarrassing history reminder than an intelligent desktop search engine. For those who worry about their privacy a lot, the settings let you delete your entire track record or history from a limited time frame.

5. HUD: Replacing the traditional menubar comes HUD, an intelligent and adaptive tool that allows you to perform important application-related tasks without clicking the mouse. Simply press the Alt key and key in the command you want.

6. A Great Set of Wallpapers: Admit it, who doesn't love to dress up their computer? If the aforementioned features don’t interest you much, then at least upgrade for the amazing set of community wallpapers that come with Precise. And yeah, change the wallpaper and you’ll see the login screen adapt it as its skin instantly.

7. Improved Multi-Monitor Support: Work with 2 or more monitors like a boss with Ubuntu’s latest offering.



Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Upgrade to Ubuntu 12.04

1. You hate Unity: If you’re using the pre-Unity Ubuntu, then chances are that the new incarnation of the Canonical marvel doesn't appeal to you much. No matter how hard you tried, you couldn't really manage to like the whole Unity thing. In that case, it’s okay; it’s better to stay with your current version. Gnome 2 isn't that bad after all.

2. Your upgrade experience hasn't been good so far: Admit it, the upgrade experience isn't the smoothest of all. There are some small issues here and there usually; however, there are rare cases when the upgrade messes things up real bad. If your computer has been a victim of such circumstances a lot of times, then it’s better to stay with the earlier version rather than upgrade. Also, if you’re on a computer that demands a lot of uptime then it’s better to stick with the older version.

3. You don’t need awesome features: Okay, no matter how much you hate Unity, Ubuntu 12.04 is something that will make you change your mind. It’s stable, fast, and comes with a lot of amazing features that neither Linux Mint nor any other distro have at this moment. So, if you’re on the fence about upgrading, we’d say by all means go to ubuntu.com right now and upgrade!

Tired of Shuttleworth's bold endeavors? Find Fedora, Mint, and other Ubuntu alternatives relatively insipid? If yes, then it’s time you put in a little time to create your own custom spin that looks and works as you want it to. Oh, but before you imagine yourself typing in cryptic commands in a dark corner of your room, stop worrying. Creating a custom Linux live CD is not as hard as it sounds. Thanks to an amazing set of tools, you can create your own custom Linux live CD or USB in about an hour.

So, if you’re itching to showcase your Linuxian invention to the world, here’s a small how-to article on that:

Ubuntu users can benefit from a cool customization tool called Ubuntu Customization Kit, which, once installed, lets users create custom Ubuntu Live CDs according to their needs. The great thing about UCK is that it’s very easy to use, and anyone with little computing experience can create his or her own distribution without any major hassles. Moreover, since the application comes with a nicely designed GUI, you can swiftly move through all the complex tasks. That said, the app doesn't just cater to the needs of new users, it also allows experienced users to customize their distro with some cool scripts along with the possibility to customize root filesystem.

To get started, simply install UCK by typing in or pasting the following command in the terminal (Ctrl + Alt + T):

Open the launcher (Super key) and type ‘uck’ without the quotes. Then once the application shows up, follow the instructions and create the distro of your dreams.

Also, if you get stuck, How-To Geek has a detailed guide about using UCK.

If you’re known among friends as an expert tweaker, then Remastersys will help you share your expertise with your friends without the hassles of cryptic coding. The application, once installed, will help you backup your whole system on to a live CD or USB, which can then be installed as a distro on a separate computer. Since Remastersys blacklists NVIDIA and AMD proprietary drivers, installing your custom distro on a different computer won’t be such a big issue. The maximum size of the ISO is 4GB, which, in our opinion, is more than enough for any Linux user to showcase their distro-making talent.

For Fedora fanboys and fangirls, Revisor is a popular tool that helps them create customs spins of their favorite distribution. Users can customize the packages and personalize the distro any way they want. Then, once you’re done customizing your respin, you can load it onto a USB stick or a DVD and share it with friends. Furthermore, if your respin appeals to a certain user group, you can submit it to Fedora Spins project page and watch it grow. In fact, some of the spins like Electronic-Lab were created specially for people who need all the packages related to their work.

To install Revisor, simply enter the following commands in your terminal:

SUSE Studio is quite similar to the aforementioned Fedora Spins project; however, SUSE Studio is much more easy to use as it lets users create their Live CDs/USBs online. Once you’re done customizing, you can export your custom operating system as a virtual machine, Live USB disk, CD/DVD image, hard disk image and more. Moreover, you can build and deploy directly to cloud services such as Amazon EC2. Finally, once you’re done with your masterpiece, simply upload it to the SUSE Studio gallery where new users can try out your work.

It's been quite a long time since Microsoft first unveiled Windows Media Center. The entertainment tool catered to a special group of users who wanted to convert their computer into a full-fledged media center. And though Redmond's ambitious endeavor never really got the expected response, the idea of having a media center on a computer appealed to many users.

This fledgling interest in entertainment software gave birth to many Linux-based media center applications and distributions. Some of them took off, and some of them never hit the limelight; however, one thing was clear, the concept was quite fascinating, so much so that Apple TV, Google TV and even Ubuntu TV are very much inspired by these media centers. For example, Boxee, which is based on XBMC -- which, we’ll cover later in the article -- has gained quite a lot of popularity as an Internet TV box. Thus, there is very little doubt that these media center software are quite important and, to an extent, indispensable for some.

So, if you too are looking to revamp your computer into a complete media center, here are some of the best applications that will help you do that:

Moovida, formerly known as Elisa media center, is one of the best cross-platform media centers out there. Moovida supports a variety of file formats, making it easy to play all media files on your disk. Not only can it play files on your hard drive, it can also detect networked computers along with connected devices like portable media players. With its simple interface and intuitive controls, you can browse your entire movie or music collection without getting out of your comfy sofa. And, if you’re bored with all the stuff on your computer, you can install some cool plugins like YouTube, Flickr, Shoutcast, Grooveshark, and more to get more stuff from the Internet. Moovida is completely free and open-source and can be downloaded directly from the Ubuntu Software Center.

For the terminal junkies, here’s the command for you to paste or type:

Plex is a software designed to bridge the gap between your computer and home theater. The application comes with a stunning interface that is both easy to use and intuitive. Plex media server, which runs seamlessly on Linux, Windows, and Mac, connects Plex clients with local and online media. Written in C++, the server can also run on any compatible Network-Attached Storage device (NAS). Furthermore, Plex also offers Bonjour-based discovery, a feature that depends on Avahi. Though the stuff is still in Plex Labs, that is beta, you can download one that suits your distro (the choice also includes a ppa for Ubuntu users).

Even though you can fetch the required files from the download page, you can also try out the beta builds (comes with DLNA and WP7 support) by typing in or pasting the following commands in your terminal (Ctrl + Alt + T):

XBMC is perhaps the most popular media center application for Linux. The free and open source software that inspired successful commercial applications like Boxee has made its place in the hearts of many entertainment enthusiasts. XBMC recently saw the release of Eden; successor to Dharma, which is the software’s 11th stable release.

For starters, XBMC is an award-winning FOSS media center application for Linux, Windows, and Mac. The software allows users to browse through their media, organize it, and play it just like you would on a home theater. Thanks to online integration, the software automatically downloads the movie descriptions, box covers, and fan art from the Internet. Furthermore, XBMC is so stable and versatile that it can play files in almost every format, even the ones inside Zip or RAR archives.

For the eye-candy fanboys, XBMC comes with a fabulous selection of skins that can help you dress up your media center any way you want. Moreover, you can add various features like online video integration and more using the feature-filled plugins that the software offers. The latest stable release of XBMC comes with features like UI improvement, Apple TV compatibility, AirPlay support and more.

To install XBMC 11 on your Ubuntu box, type in or paste the following commands in your terminal (Ctrl + Alt + T):

If you’re using any other distribution, follow the instructions given on this page.

Android is one of the most popular mobile operating systems around. In just a short span of time, this Linux-based OS has soared to popularity thanks to its amazing features and ease of use. When pitted head-to-head against its archrival, that is none other than Apple’s iOS, Android usually gets the upper hand thanks to the freedom that it offers to users.

While iOS requires iTunes and a Windows or Mac operating system, an Android device can be managed from any device, be it Linux, Mac, or Windows. Moreover, managing the device, or transferring songs, videos, and documents, doesn't take much effort at all; all you have to do is simply plug in your smartphone or tablet to the computer and drag and drop. That said, not all are comfortable with that method of 'softwareless' management, especially people who switch over from other devices -- mostly Nokia-based and iOS devices -- feel that they need a dedicated software for managing their phones and tablets.

So, if you’re a Linux user, and just purchased an Android device, here are some tips that will help you manage your brand new Droid with ease:

First plug in your Android device using the cable provided in your box. Then, on your device, turn on mass storage mode, which will then pop up the device on your computer. Simply open it with your file manager (Nautilus, Dolphin, or whichever you use) and create separate folders for the files you want to put. For example, you want to transfer Excel spreadsheets, create a folder called Documents, and in there, create another folder called spreadsheets wherein the file will go. It is important that you keep everything organized into proper folders because over time the file system tends to get overly crowded as different apps create their own folders.

When it comes to transferring music, simply open Rhythmbox or Banshee on your Linux desktop. The device will show up in the left pane wherein you could drag and drop all your songs. Sometimes, however, the files show up in folders other than the main Music folder, in that case, you can safely drop them to the designated folder without losing the playlists you created on your device.

AirDroid is one of the best Android-managing tools out there. Though not a complete Linux-based software per se, it works perfectly well across all platforms, as it needs nothing but your web browser. With AirDroid you can wirelessly transfer files, manage SMSes, apps, and media right from your desktop. You can also copy and organize your music, and even set a song as your ringtone. The software is incredibly easy to use, even easier than iTunes. To get started, all you have to do is pair your device with the web-based version of AirDroid.

QtADB, as the name suggests, is a Qt-based Android manager for Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X. Written in C++, the application can be used for managing files, apps, and more. Furthermore, you can use it for taking screenshots, flashing bootloader, boot recovery, Nandroid backup, and more complex tasks. Though the app is more suited for rooters and advanced users, enthusiasts can use it for managing files and apps. The application requires Qt 4.7 libraries to be installed on your computer (libqtgui4, libqt4-network and libqt4-declarative).

Back in the olden days when installing Linux was painfully tedious, disk management and partitioning was an area even the tech experts refused to venture into. The reason for this reticence was the fact that partitioning, as opposed to most of the other administrative tasks, was the riskiest of them all. If you make one mistake in typing a command, you’d risk losing all your data, thus leaving you in the lurch.

Thankfully though, as time progressed, Linux became more GUI-friendly, and more and more tools started popping up, thus giving new users a chance to tweak disks to their liking. Also, with the advent of tools like Palimpsest, users started feeling more confident while making major changes to their hard drive, all thanks to the user-friendly GUIs these tools offered. Now, Linux has more than half a dozen of such tools that help users partition and manage their disk, and also, help them with multi-booting, bootloader management, and other tasks.

So, if you’re looking to tweak or manage your disks, here’s a collection of the best disk management tools out there for Linux:

GNU Parted is a free tool used to create, destroy, check, and copy partitions. It has a command-line front-end called parted and forms the base for the undermentioned programs like GParted and KDE Partition Manager.

Palimpsest is a disk utility used for S.M.A.R.T. monitoring, benchmarking, partitioning, and software RAID. It is the default partition manager for Fedora and Ubuntu along with many other distributions. The application comes with a very simple user interface, along with some important data about the hard drive. For example, Palimpsest shows warnings if a partition is misaligned or if the disk is unhealthy, thus prompting users and admins to make important fixes to their system. Apart from formatting, ejecting, and deleting a partition, Palimpsest can also help users benchmark their disks and run various self-tests to analyze disk health. On Ubuntu, Palimpsest can be accessed by opening the launcher and typing in ‘disk utility’ without the quotes.

Based on the aforementioned parted tool, KDE Partition Manager is KDE-based tool for creating, deleting, resizing, moving, checking, and copying partitions and file systems. Written in C++ and designed using the Qt GUI toolkit, KDE Partition Manager was first seen when KDE 4.1 was released. Though not much different from GParted underneath, the UI blends in perfectly with the K desktop and differs quite a lot from other partitioning tools. In fact, it looks more like the disk management tool on Windows system, except that there’s a space for viewing the application and the live progress log.

GParted is the GUI version of the aforesaid parted tool. It helps users create, delete, resize, move, check, and copy partitions and filesystems. The application is more useful for creating dual boot systems (for example creating space for a Windows 7 installation), reorganizing disk usage, and mirroring a hard disk.

GParted's user interface is quite simple and easy to use. The top bar shows the disk space of the partition and the bottom part of the page lists all the partitions that are available on that disk. Written in C++, GParted, in my opinion, has the simplest UI on the list, and, even when compared to the mighty Palimpsest, it still comes out as the strongest. Apart from plain partitioning, the free tool can also be used for manipulating a lot of different file systems from Btrfs to FAT16. Though GParted comes with a really simple user interface, it loses out to Palimpsest as the latter comes with a lot more features (like S.M.A.R.T. tools and more) and is also a more powerful tool for benchmarking.


You may also check out: Linux-based Hard Drive Data Recovery Tools

From making piano-playing cats popular to giving skilled musicians a platform, YouTube has become one of the most pivotal entertainment hubs of our generation. Not only has it successfully revolutionized entertainment; it has also made knowledge and education more accessible to the bleakest corners of the world. Founded in 2005 by three former PayPal employees, no one had thought that YouTube would go on to become the third most popular site on the Internet.

While most people use YouTube for entertainment, there a growing number of people who are incorporating this video sharing site into their studies. Thanks to revolutionary uploaders like Khan Academy, education has become simpler, more accessible, and easy to understand. That said, not everyone has access to the Internet, and sometimes, it’s a great idea to download those videos on a thumb drive and share it with others. However, as easy as it sounds, it’s not always possible to download videos off YouTube. Thanks to the dreaded copyright laws and a host of other reasons, downloading videos from YouTube is not allowed.

That said, it’s not as if you can’t download videos from YouTube. There are interesting sites like KeepVid and others that offer the functionality for free. And yeah, if you’re on Ubuntu too, there are a few options that will let you bring the best of the video-sharing site to your hard drive. So, without further ado, here are some of the best ways you can download YouTube videos from your Ubuntu desktop.

Youtube-dl is a tiny command-line program designed to help users download videos from YouTube by simply typing a command along with the URL of the video. Written in Python, this free and open-source program can run on any platform so long as the Python Interpreter is installed. Youtube-dl, apart from letting you download videos, also lets you choose which format they’ll be downloaded in. Before you start using it, it’s not a bad idea to go through the documentation once. You may also check out our quick and easy guide on downloading YouTube videos from the Linux terminal.

DamnVid is a free video downloader and converter for Linux that lets you grab videos from popular video sites like YouTube, Dailymotion, and CollegeHumor without making you go through hoops. This simple, straightforward application, once installed, can download as well as convert videos to your favorite format, all at the same time.

To install this fabulous application on your Ubuntu box, open your terminal (Ctrl + Alt + T) and paste or type in the following commands:

Similar to the aforementioned DamnVid, ClipGrab, as the name suggests, lets you grab clips from the Internet in an easy, quick, and hassle-free way. Once installed, not only can you download your favorite videos from YouTube, Vimeo, and Dailymotion, you can also convert them to your preferred format (including simple audio).

To install this application, open your terminal and punch in the following commands:

Downverter is a completely free video-downloading tool for Ubuntu, Windows, and Mac. The application, once installed, lets you download YouTube videos in a variety of formats. Supported formats include popular ones like MP4, MOV, AVI, 3GP, and others. Furthermore, you can also grab videos specially converted for your iPod, PSP, Pocket PC, or Mobile Phone. With an easy to use interface and a bunch of interesting features, Downverter is one of the best choices if you’re looking for a decent video grabber.

Minitube is a YouTube application for your desktop. The free and open-source tool lets you watch, search, and discover YouTube videos from your desktop without the need for any external plug-ins (not even the dreaded Flash player). Written in Qt, this application has recently added the functionality to download YouTube videos by a simple click of a button.

To download the software to your Ubuntu box, simply type in or paste the following commands in your Terminal (Ctrl + Alt + T).

Since Windows is the most popular operating system around, most of the games and software that are out there are available only for the Microsoft-made platform. While Mac has some great offerings to its users in this department, Linux users often miss out on the amazing games and applications its competitors can run.

The Windows monopoly has successfully managed to keep all the best applications to its continually thriving platform, thus thwarting many Linux-curious users from making the switch. That said, it doesn't mean that it’s impossible for switchers to enjoy the same features that their Windows-loving friends enjoy. Thanks to relentless efforts of thousands of developers, Linux has managed to bolster itself using the hundreds of alternative software like GIMP and LibreOffice, thus making it a viable choice for anyone looking for something apart from Windows.

Having said that, not every alternative software suffices the need of users. LibreOffice and GIMP, though good, are not quite up to the mark when compared to MS Office or Photoshop. Moreover, many games that Windows fanboys often boast of aren't available on Linux, thus holding back many gamers who want to make the switch. Thankfully, though, there are some great ways to access those software; that too without dual-booting or punching in cryptic code for hours. So, if you’re looking to make Linux as your one and only operating system, here are some tips that will help you run Windows-based games and software applications without hassles:

Wine is perhaps one of the most popular software on the Linux platform. It’s the good old tool that lets you run all your favorite Windows applications and games on your breezy little Linux box. According to statistics found on Wine’s website, the free software has over 1.5 million users worldwide.


Wine is known for its ability to run famous games like StarCraft, Left4Dead, Guild Wars, and Elder Scrolls: Oblivion. Also, the open-source tool can run Adobe Flash CS3, Adobe Photoshop CS3, MediaMonkey and many other Windows-based software. A good place to know whether your app is compatible or not is to look up the AppDB. To download Wine, simply go to the downloads page HERE and grab the one that works with your Linux distribution.

PlayOnLinux is a Python-based software that helps users run Windows-based games and applications on your Linux computer. The application, apart from letting you play the latest games on your Linux desktop, also lets you install and run many software that are actually designed for Windows. PlayOnLinux uses the aforementioned Wine to run all the needed applications thus providing outstanding compatibility with most Windows-based software.


The biggest advantage that PlayOnLinux has over Wine is the fact that it makes it easy for new users to install their favorite games and applications in a neat, guided manner. In fact, if you are a new user just embarking on your journey to Linuxland, I’d recommend you to go with PlayOnLinux instead of Wine. Though this amazing piece of software can run many of the popular applications, don’t expect it to work well with every software that comes to your mind. Also, as compared to Wine, PlayOnLinux is relatively new, and, even though it is based on Wine, you might encounter some glitches here and there. To install PlayOnLinux on Ubuntu, type in or paste the following commands in your terminal (Ctrl + Alt + T).

If you’re on any other distribution, feel free to head over to the downloads page.

Developed by CodeWeavers, Crossover is a polished version of Wine that is designed for users who are looking for something more solid and professional. The proprietary software lets you run all your favorite Windows-based games and applications on Linux, and it also provides technical support in case you hit any brick walls.


The license for Crossover costs about $60 with which you get 12 months of phone and email support along with upgrades. To download/buy Crossover, simply head over to their main website HERE.

When it comes to the number of quality paid applications available for download, Ubuntu has always lagged behind Windows and Mac. Despite some great choices in the Software Center, the Canonical-made distro has a long way to go in order to go head-to-head with other operating systems.

That said, not everything is so sullen and gloomy in the Canonical world. Slowly and steadily, Ubuntu is catching up with its competitors by offering some great paid applications that many users have started appreciating. And though you won’t find Adobe Photoshop or MS Office here, you’ll find an assortment of some fantastic games and software that put Ubuntu way ahead of any other Linux-based distribution.

From side-scrolling adventures to addictive MMORPGs, the paid app arena in Ubuntu is just warming up, and it seems that it’s getting hotter and hotter with every passing day. So, if you’re looking to spend your hard-earned cash on some applications tailor-made for Ubuntu, here’s a list that will help you choose the best from the lot.

One of the most popular cross-platform physics-based games around, World of Goo is a title you simply cannot afford to miss. The game challenges the player to build giant structures using interactive globs of goo. Be careful though, one wrong move and your whole structure could collapse right to the ground. This fun adventure-filled puzzle challenges your mind and shapes up your creativity. -Definitely worth your every penny.

If you've just switched from Windows to Ubuntu, you might be missing some of the best apps that Redmond has to offer. From MS Office and Photoshop to high-intensity action games, there are a few things that you leave behind when you switch to Linux. Well, not anymore. Crossover Pro lets you seamlessly run all your favorite Windows applications without any hassles. Be it Outlook 2007 or your favorite Windows games, Crossover Pro makes sure that you’ll never have to boot to Windows again. To get started, you can download the trial version from the Software Center. Then, if you like it, you can pay and upgrade to the full version.

This top-down shooter is set in an alternative universe wherein you control a weapon-laden advanced hovercraft. And, all you have to do is eliminate all extra-terrestrial invaders just to survive. The fast-paced game features single player mode as well as online multiplayer mode where you can battle against 16 random players at once. The old-school title has been well received by Ubuntu users, and is completely worth the surprisingly low $5 price tag.

One of the most well designed games to ever hit the Linux platform is Oil Rush. Based on the powerful UNIGINE graphics engine, Oil Rush is a naval strategy game based on group control. A sort of a cross between real-time strategy and tower defense games, this $20 stunner comes with hours of DRM-free single player and multiplayer fun.

YouTube, though a video-sharing site, has become one of the best mediums to listen to music. The sheer variety of songs offered by that platform can’t be matched by any other site. Taking advantage of this offering comes Musictube, a YouTube-based music player. The $12 app lets you listen to thousands of songs from YouTube without having to open the site. Musictube works and feels just like any other music player, except for the fact that all music comes from YouTube rather than your hard drive.

Braid is a game set in a painting-like world where you manipulate the flow of time to solve puzzles. Everything about the game is about timing and attention, thus putting you on the edge of the seat throughout the gameplay. Apart from a challenging puzzle, Braid is also a sweet adventure with some beautiful graphics and sounds.

With some stunning graphics and engaging gameplay, this next title puts you in the Victorian era with wondrous contraptions and fascinating machinery. The game follows the adventures of Miranda and Sprocket through the Hidden World as they set off on a new adventure filled with innovative puzzles and gorgeous hand-painted scenery.

Dropbox, a startup even the mighty Steve Jobs had his eyes on, has risen to fame and popularity in no time. The file-syncing and backup service has over 50 million users, and the number has been rising quite rapidly. The reason Dropbox has been so successful is because it has managed to make syncing dead simple, and that too across all platforms. While most startups in its genre ignore Linux, Dropbox has been catering to the needs of Linux users for a long time.

On Linux, Dropbox works as stable as a native app, and for many -- for me at least -- there has rarely been a time when the application has crashed or misbehaved. If you too are an avid Dropbox user, it’s time to make the most of it. So, here at TechSource, we've compiled a list of all the essential tips and tricks you need to know if you’re a Linuxian Dropbox user.

Unity, love it or hate it, has become one of the most talked-about interfaces on the Linux platform. And though Canonical’s bravest attempt at reaching for the modern desktop has gotten a mixed response, we at TechSource have been using it ever since it came out. One of the best features of Unity is the launcher, which, like the Windows taskbar, supports jumplists or quicklists. This nifty feature allows users to quickly hop to different menus or folders without having to open the program first.

We have already shown you how to add quicklists for Chrome and Firefox. Moreover, there are a lot of articles on the Internet that explain the same process for other applications. The only caveat of this process is that once you format your computer, or if you switch to a new one, you have to do the whole thing -- which is a tad tedious -- all over again. To remedy that problem, it’s best if you saved the config files to your Dropbox folders and then synced it across all computers. That way, you won’t have to scan through many blogs for instructions after a quick format or a computer upgrade.

Though Firefox comes with syncing capabilities built-in, they are a tad tedious to configure and aren't as convenient as moving your profile from one computer to another. One way to deal with this problem is by syncing your Firefox profile using Dropbox. This will save you from a lot of hassles, especially the troubles you get when you lose all your history and bookmarks. A neat guide that will help you sync Firefox with Dropbox can be found HERE.

If you frequently switch between different distros, then Dropbox is an indispensable tool for you. The free application can help you backup your important documents, photos, and other files without any problems. Simply ‘drop’ all your important stuff in the default Dropbox folder and then stop worrying about all your backup woes.

If you listen to a lot of music, then it’s quite annoying when you have to lose all your playlists simply because of a format. Thankfully, Dropbox rescues you from that predicament by allowing you to backup all your playlists safely. Simply create a folder called Playlists in your Dropbox account and save all your important playlists there.

Though the default Ubuntu collection of wallpapers is enough to make your Windows-loving friends jealous, we all love to dress up our desktop with something new all the time. Also, there are people who use a fixed set of wallpapers across all their devices. No matter what kind of wallpaper-lover you are, Dropbox helps you backup and sync your wallpaper collection with ease. Simply create a folder titled Wallpapers in your Dropbox account and relax.

If there are applications you tweak a lot, then it’s important that you back up their config files. Config files are the ones that start with dot (.) and can be found in your home directory (usually the ‘.config’ directory to be exact). So, for example you use Gedit text editor a lot, and want to backup all the important settings, simply back the file up on to your Dropbox account and format your computer without any worries.

Expected to be unleashed in autumn of 2012, Windows 8, Microsoft’s latest gamble in the desktop market is making millions of eyes turn even before its release. Loaded with a brand new yet somewhat contentious Metro interface, the touch-friendly desktop will not only be seen on laptops and PCs, but will also find its place in the swanky upcoming tablet computers.

That said, the main target group for Redmond would be the desktop, a field that they've been dominating for decades. Windows 8 will aim to obliterate all the competition by giving users an interface that will look and behave the same way across all devices. Sadly for them, and quite obviously too, Metro isn't the first to try out this unified concept. Our very own Ubuntu has been busy for a couple of years trying to polish Unity, its unified interface for computers, tablets, smartphones (see: Ubuntu For Android: Do We Really Need it?), and even TVs (see: Ubuntu TV vs. Google TV: Battle of the Linux-based Smart TV). Some even go as far as to say that Microsoft might have actually ‘borrowed’ that idea from its old penguinian buddy.

Rumors apart, we at TechSource believe that Ubuntu 12.04 'Precise Pangolin', despite its meager market share, is cool enough to give Windows 8 a tough time. And so, here we are pitting the mighty pangolin against Redmond’s latest desktop gamble.

Metro kind of leveled the playing field for Unity. Earlier, critics made some biting remarks about Ubuntu's new interface; however, Shuttleworth, by making some much-needed changes in it, managed to silence most of the detractors.

Windows 8 on the other hand, can’t manage to play such big a gamble. People pay to buy their products, and for them, another Vista could end their relationship with Microsoft.

Metro, when compared head-on with Unity, feels a lot like a touchscreen interface. Unity, however, retains many features of a traditional desktop thus blending the best features of both interfaces. The apps, or rather tiles, show up readily on the main desktop and are quite interactive. Ubuntu, on the other hand, features a rather simple desktop with a big fat launcher at the left. It’s hard to be objective for a regular Linux user while comparing these two interfaces, but I think that Metro is perhaps the most ugly user interface around. No matter how much you hate Unity, Metro kind of makes Ubuntu look 100 times better. Though you can easily switch back to the default Windows interface, it still makes you wonder why Microsoft would want to do such a disastrous thing.

When it comes to app switching, Windows 8, be it Metro or the classic interface, steals the show. Though the Metro is a usability catastrophe on the desktop, it still has some great features to keep Windows lovers hooked to the Redmond kingdom. Switching between apps on Unity is not only difficult but also a bit tedious. Even more so if you've opened multiple instances of the same application and you click on its icon in the launcher, you get this expose mode that is completely unnecessary. Windows 8 however, makes switching easier by sticking to the traditional app switching. Even in Metro, you can switch app much like you do on the iPhone; that is, hit a single button (Windows key here) and go back to the main screen. So, summing up, when it comes to overall ease of use, we've got to hand it to Windows 8 (sans Metro).

Ubuntu has featured online integration for a long time now. Ubuntu One is blended perfectly into the Ubuntu desktop and it serves as a great backup tool for many users and as one of the best Dropbox Alternatives for Ubuntu. Windows 8 has stepped up the game by integrating their SkyDrive online service within the upcoming operating system. Since both of them come with almost the same amount of features, it’s hard to pick a winner here.

To sum it all up, both operating systems have their own share of flaws. While Metro struggles to please a regular desktop user, Unity still sports that unbaked, clumsy look that many traditional Linuxians despise. That said, Metro is quite ahead of Unity when it comes to the interface. Unity, though ready for the desktop, is still quite unfinished to make itself popular in the tablet and phone arena. Windows 8 however is already showing itself up on various tablets across the market. So that is quite an advantage Metro has when compared to Unity.

Only time will tell whether Windows 8 will be a hit or another Vista moment for Microsoft. Ubuntu 12.04 on the other hand is cruising swiftly towards perfection.

Though Dropbox, YouSendIt and other innovative cloud services that make it easy to relay files across the World Wide Web, they’re a bit inconvenient when it comes to sharing huge amounts of data. Also, if you’re hosting a university website, it’s much easier to set up a local FTP server and share some files within your network. Thus, there’s no doubt that FTP is still relevant despite the numerous other advances in the file-transfer technologies.

Before we go deeper into FTP clients, here are some of the basic concepts that you need to know about:

FTP, which stands for File Transfer Protocol is a standard for exchanging program and data files across a network. The network could be the World Wide Web or simply a local area network (LAN).

FTP Sites: An FTP site is a website that hosts files that you could download. You can access them like regular websites except for the fact that you have to use 'ftp://' instead of 'http://'.

Anonymous FTP: Anonymous FTP means that you can access the files on an FTP site even if you don’t have an account on the server.

Archive: An archive is the files that are made available by the server for download.

Okay, now that you know what the basic terms are, here’s a list of some of the best FTP clients out there for Linux:

FileZilla is an open-source, cross-platform FTP client for Linux. With an easy-to-use GUI and powerful features, it is undoubtedly the best FTP software available for this platform. FileZilla comes with a tabbed user interface that lets you view all the details of the files that are being transferred. Not only does the application support plain FTP, it can also handle FTP over SSL/TLS (FTPS), and SSH File Transfer Protocol (SFTP).

If you’re planning to transfer large files over the network, don’t worry; FileZilla handles those things perfectly well by allowing you to resume files larger than 4GB. On the UI front, it does look a bit cluttered; however, once you get used to it, you won’t be thinking of any other FTP clients. Moreover, the drag and drop support comes in really handy for new users.

For all those command-line junkies out there, LFTP is a sophisticated file transfer client. The open-source application comes with support for FTP as well as HTTP. Other interesting features include bit torrent support, SOCKS support, background jobs, bookmarks, aliases, and transfer-rate throttling. Before you start using it make sure you read the manual first.

Licensed under GPL, gFTP is a free multi-threaded file transfer client for Linux and other UNIX-based computers. Written in C, the free application supports FTP, FTPS, HTTP, HTTPS, SSH, and FSP protocols. Translated in many languages, you can use gFTP as a command-line client, as well as a full-fledged GUI program.

Developed in 1990, NcFTP first started as an alternative to the default ftp program in UNIX. Despite being a command-line software, it is used by many people around the world, and is, in fact, one of the most mature and stable software of this list.

NcFTP runs on a large number of platforms including Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. Available in two variations, NcFTP client and NcFTP server, the free tool is licensed under clarified Artistic License. Before you get started with it, make sure you peruse first the FAQ and manuals found on their website.

If you’re a KDE user, Kasablanca is the perfect tool for you. The open-source KDE client comes with features like ftps encryption, advanced bookmarking system, fxp, and drag-and-drop support. Apart from being multi-threaded, Kasablanca also features an interactive transfer queue and an advanced bookmarking system. Although not as popular as FileZilla, Kasablanca is frequently used by many KDE users from around the world.

Despite all the excitement that comes with buying a new computer, it is rather hard to bid adieu to the old one, even more so, if you've invested a lot of money and time in building it. That said, it’s not always the case that we have to throw the old one out of the window. If we’re a bit tech-savvy, we can utilize the outmoded personal computer as a secondary device; however, with the latest versions of Windows and Mac being incompatible with outdated computers, it’s not always possible to resuscitate a dying PC.

Don’t worry though, because this is where our friendly neighborhood Linux operating system steps in. Linux, apart from being a popular desktop and server operating system, can be used to turn a computer into a torrent downloader, firewall or a full-fledged media server. So, if you too are looking to bring your old PC to life, here are some handy tips that could help you do it with the help of Linux:

If your home has more than 2 computers, it’s not too late to start thinking about your network’s security. A firewall functions like the security guard at your door by keeping a watch on everyone who goes in and out. By allowing only legitimate connections to pass through and blocking connections based on a certain set of rules, the firewall secures the network from most kinds of threats that lurk around on the Internet.

Linux can be used in this case to turn your old machine into a watchful firewall device. To do that, all you have to do is download a firewall distribution and install it. Here’s a list of the best firewall distributions to get you started: 5 Best Linux/BSD Firewall Distributions

If you use your brand new computer mainly for your work, you might not have the time to manage all your torrent downloads. Thankfully, though, your good old PC can transform itself into a full-fledged torrent downloading machine. To get started simply download your favorite distribution, install it, and then start up your preferred bit torrent client. If you’re new to the world of torrents, we recommend you check out our earlier article (How to Use BitTorrent in Linux) wherein we've explained the basics of the file-sharing program in great detail.

If you have a printer at home, it’s not a bad idea to turn your old computer into a print server. You can then use the computer to handle all your printing jobs regardless of the fact that other computers in your house are running Windows, Mac, or Linux.

If you have a lot of movies, music, and TV shows loaded on to one of your computers, and you want to share it with the rest of the family, here’s a nifty little tip for you. Use your old computer, install Linux on it, and store all your media files in there. You can then share those files with the rest of the devices in your house using a simple Linux setup.

Though you might not want to spend any more money on a dying computer, it’s not that bad an idea to invest in a hard disk with a slightly large capacity. To get started, you’ll need your favorite distribution and a small amount of free time. Once you’re set up, there’s no need for any more tinkering.

There are days when your friends pop in for a drink or two and they ask you if they could browse the net from your computer. Then suddenly the possessive, prissy devil on your shoulder comes up with some fancy excuses for not letting them do so. If you’re one of those people who value their privacy yet want to keep their friends, keeping a small web-browsing kiosk at home is not a bad idea. It doesn't matter how old a computer is, just load one of the lightweight Linux distros around and then install Chrome on it. Not only will it be easier for your insistent friends to browse the web, it will also be a useful tool that all your family members can use for browsing the web quickly.

Raspberry Pi, the $25 marvel has taken the tech community by storm. The single-board computer, developed in the UK by Raspberry Pi Foundation comes with a 700 MHz ARM processor, Videocore IV GPU, and 256 MB RAM (earlier it was 128 MB RAM). While those specs are nowhere near compared to what the latest laptops, or even the newest phones offer, it’s ridiculously low price point is what makes it so amazing. Another interesting thing about Raspberry Pi is the fact that it will come with a Linux-based operating system (like Picotux - smallest Linux computer) and will include some useful tools to help users learn programming.

The credit card-sized computer went on sale on 29th February, and immediately after the launch, their official websites crashed due to heavy traffic. Though not confirmed yet, rumors suggest that there have been over 2 million inquiries and pre-orders. As the Raspberry Pi has managed to create a much-needed disruption in the market, Linux lovers are basking in the glory of this newfound penguinian achievement. And we, Linux supporters to the very core, couldn't help but chime in and dish out our own market ideas for the low-cost prodigy.

So, if you’re as excited about it as we are, here are some of the best places where Raspberry Pi could be used:

One of the most revolutionary uses of Raspberry Pi would be in schools. With an extremely low price point, public schools as well as schools in developing countries can benefit from the new invention. Moreover, as it comes loaded with educational apps, it would be an economical as well as an effective way of introducing kids to programming.

The $25 price tag would make computing accessible for many people who can’t already afford to buy a computer. While the iPads and the iPhones sell like pancakes, people in developing countries struggle to even get a glimpse of what a real computer is like. To them, Raspberry Pi would be a great boon as will help them buy their first computer without burning a huge hole in their pocket.

If you’re an entrepreneur planning to start an Internet cafe in your area, you must watch out for Raspberry Pi. Not only will it save you from the huge costs of bootstrapping your business, it will also help you avoid having to deal with virus-ridden sluggish computers. That said, not all Internet cafes would be able to flaunt the mini masterpiece as some Internet users demand complimentary applications like Yahoo Messenger and Gtalk which are not available on Linux. However, a great workaround to that problem would be to introduce them to the web versions of their favorite apps.

Notice those huge Windows-ridden computers in library? Oh, they’re so slow and sometimes filled with viruses. Raspberry Pi can serve as a great alternative to those antiques by providing efficient, basic computing that is exactly what a place like a public library needs. Furthermore, having the little device placed alongside a stack of books would be a great idea to save some space.

Cost cutting is the buzzword recently; and, there are barely companies who don’t think of doing it. Government offices, or even private offices for that matter, spend thousands of dollars on employees’ computers thus adding to the already increasing budget. A great way to save money in this scenario would be to switch to the low-cost Raspberry Pi. Not only will it save lots of dollars, it will also make your desk a little roomier.

If companies like Canonical or Red Hat realize the potential of the Raspberry Pi, they could also come up with their own single-board computer. As fellow blogger Techlaze suggests: there is a huge market for Canonical in this department. A $100 or less single-board device with similar specs and a custom version Ubuntu -- using Unity 2D perhaps -- they could bring in some hard cash to Canonical’s waiting-to-be-filled coffers.

Earlier, people usually got tied of their computer operating systems and were not able to switch OS that easily. Now, thanks to virtualization, techno freaks like you and me can try out any operating system that suits our fancy. So, what is virtualization basically? Virtualization is, in broader terms, the creation of a virtual version of hardware and software. There are, in all, six types of virtualization; first being hardware virtualization, second is desktop virtualization, then software virtualization, followed by memory, storage, and data virtualization. The main thing we’re concerned with is hardware virtualization (also known as platform virtualization), which allows users to run an operating system on top of another one. So, if you’re running Windows XP, you’ll be able to run Ubuntu Linux on it almost as if it’s running natively.

Reasons for virtualization:

So why do you need to virtualize? Can’t you simply install a different operating system? Though distro-hoppers like us can install another operating system in a jiffy, in some cases, especially in professional environments, such changes aren't possible. Moreover, a virtual machine is easy to diagnose, easy to relocate (disaster scenario), and is always easy on the pocket. Take, for example, the case of server consolidation, wherein many small physical servers are replaced by one large physical server to save support costs and resources. Although, in this case, the hardware is consolidated, the operating systems are not. In this case virtualization software comes in handy as it can host several ‘guest’ virtual machines thereby reducing the costs of individual deployment dramatically. In the end user scenario, virtualization is used by many Linux users who want to use Windows for a specific application or for a limited amount of time.

So, finally, if you’re convinced about the importance of virtualization, here are some of the best applications that you can load on to your Ubuntu box. Though all of these applications work on other Linux distros perfectly, we've outlined only the ones that blend in nicely with Ubuntu Linux.

Currently developed and maintained by Oracle, VirtualBox is one of the simplest and the most efficient virtualization tools for Ubuntu. With support for all major OS platforms, the open-source tool has been regarded as the best virtualization software for Linux users. Once installed, you can load multiple guest operating systems on your host OS. So, assuming you’re running Ubuntu, you can run Windows 7 on Ubuntu or even Linux Mint on top of your device. Perhaps the biggest advantage that VirtualBox has over other virtualization software is the fact that it is extremely simple to set up and use. Hence, many users who are new to virtualization find the tool quite handy.

Installation:

To quickly install VirtualBox, download the deb files from HERE.

VMWare is a freeware virtualization software for Linux. Developed by VMWare Inc., the free tool can run and create virtual machines thus letting you use one operating system on top of another. The software is based on VMWare Workstation, which is available as a paid product with lot more developer-friendly features. Though not as easy-to-use as VirtualBox, VMWare Player does prove to be one of the most popular virtualization tools for Linux.

HowtoForge has a nice article about how to install VMWare Player on Ubuntu and Linux Mint HERE.

This next software is used by Ubuntu as its primary virtualization back-end in its server editions. Kernel-based Virtual Machine or KVM is a full virtualization solution for Linux on x86 hardware that includes support for Intel as well as AMD architectures. It consists of a loadable kernel module, kvm.ko, providing the core virtualization infrastructure and a processor-specific module, kvm-intel.ko or kvm-amd.ko. Being open-source, KVM is preferred by many users who want to go for a full-fledged virtualization environment.

Installing KVM is not as simple as installing VirtualBox or VMWare. First, if you want to know whether your computer can run KVM or not, try out the following commands in your terminal:

If you see some lines of code after entering those commands, then your computer is capable of running KVM. Once checked, follow the instructions from the Ubuntu community documentation HERE.