5 Ways To Make Linux Boot Faster

5 Ways To Make Linux Boot Faster:
Linux users are quite proud of the fact that Linux is pretty darn fast when compared to other operating systems. Not only that, but Linux doesn’t seem to suffer much of the same “bogging down” effect that Windows gets when you have hundreds of applications installed on the system.
However, the speed addicts who use Linux (and you may be one of them) always need to find new ways to make their system go even faster. If you begin this mission of ultimate speed, looking at your boot speed may be a good place to start.

Turn Off Services

Turning off unneeded services and startup applications is a simple tip that works for all operating systems. The less the system has to load upon bootup, the less time it will take until it’s done. It’s quite simple math, really.
Make sure to look at your startup applications to see if you can uncheck any that you don’t immediately need at bootup. If you’re very savvy, you can also disable certain system services and disable kernel drivers that you won’t need. However, if you don’t know how to do this, or don’t know what to do with the Google results, it’s best to just let services and drivers be. The default set should be just fine.

Choose Lightweight Alternatives

Is there a service that you absolutely need? If this is the case, then you may want to look into more lightweight alternatives to your current program that is giving you the service you need. That way, you don’t have to sacrifice the convenience of that service by disabling it completely, but you can still decrease your boot time.
Common changes including switching your desktop environment to LXDE or other lightweight alternatives.

Keep Track Of Updates

Updates are also very important, and is a great tip for those who haven’t been using Linux for long. As Linux distributions tend to update literally every component of the system (and the installed applications), including the kernel itself, it’s very important to install the updates. These updates can include optimizations or other changes that could decrease boot time.
Microsoft usually wants to touch the Windows kernel as few times as possible in the form of updates to keep the system changes very stable over the course of the OS’s lifetime, but in the Linux world developers are far more ready to add positive changes to any package.

Clean Out Some Crap

Cleaning out your system from time to time is just as effective in shaving off seconds in your boot time. Tools such as the command line, Ubuntu Tweak, or BleachBit can all help with this, cleaning out old cache files, unneeded packages, and old backup kernels that you’ll most likely never need again. With less crud on the hard drive, your system can boot faster, and it will be more responsive during regular use. Plus it might keep you more sane as well.

Upgrade Your Hardware

Speaking of hard drives, you may want to consider upgrading your hard drive to one that has a higher RPM rate, a higher SATA data transfer rate (if supported by the motherboard), or a sold state drive. If the hard drive you’re booting off of is faster, Linux will most likely boot faster as well.
If you’d also like to, upgrading other hardware components will be beneficial as well. Sometimes, it’s the hardware which limits the speed, not the software.

Conclusion

Linux is extremely versatile, letting you do virtually whatever you want with it. The modular structure is also very helpful, letting you replace clunky parts of the system with more efficient ones. With these tips, hopefully you can gain a little more speed with this great operating system.
Have you got any more tips to decrease Linux boot time? Do you have any feedback about the tips I have shared here? Let us know in the comments!

Learn to talk without words in “Way” – a game of co-operation and silent communication

Learn to talk without words in “Way” – a game of co-operation and silent communication:

Way is an intriguing little game with a very unique and interesting objective: to learn to communicate without words. You’re stuck in a cave, and your only way out is to take instructions from someone in a similar situation. It’s strange to play and even stranger to describe, but it’s a blast.
When I first heard of the idea behind Way as a game, I was definitely intrigued. Two strangers, learning how to communicate. Anyone who has seen one of those SCI FI movies or Star Trek episodes where two aliens have to communicate knows what I mean. Or even someone who has been in a foreign country and doesn’t speak the local language could identify with the curiosity of “how could I handle that situation, what would I do differently, could I really do any better than this guy on this movie?.” You can find out with this game.
While it is currently in Alpha stages of development, Way already offers an interesting and thought-provoking experience that is fun as well as food for thought. The basic concept is this: You take the role of a primitive or a caveman (exactly what your race and origins are is a mystery even to you, the player) presented with some simple challenges of running and jumping and pushing a block here or there. This part of the game is very brief and is mostly just to get you familiar with the controls. There are signs showing you that the arrow keys can be used to run or jump, but that’s about it at first. The rest you have to figure out for yourself. Holding the left mouse button and moving your mouse will move your left arm accordingly. The right mouse button does the same thing, for the other arm, and of course both buttons will do both arms. Other than that, you can make some kind of grunting noises with the down arrow key. The mouse wheel zooms and and out on your character. Those are all the controls I was able to discover in the beginning but as you go along and after you meet the other player, you will learn more controls, each of which will help you accomplish your joint goals.

Once you have gotten past a few of these jumping and pushing and running obstacles, you will find yourself in a cave, and suddenly trapped in a room with a big mural on the wall. The mural, it seems, shows you the other player and what he is doing. Somehow, you have to communicate to the other player and help him/her through different challenges and they will have to do the same to help you along. This, of course, is where the game gets interesting. Some of the solutions and situations can be downright fascinating but since much of the fun of this game is seeing what happens next, I won’t be posting any spoilers here. However, I will say that at times, you will be able to see things the other player cannot, and therefore guide them with your gestures and sounds. It gets more fun and more rewarding as you go along.

Since the game is still in Alpha, the developers are working hard around the clock tracking and fixing bugs, as well as adding new content and ideas. That being said, expect a bug or two and if you can find it in your digital heart to make a post in their forums about any bugs or glitches, that would really help them make the game even better before it goes Beta or even a final public release. This game is shaping up to quickly be a great one. It thinks outside the box, and makes you do the same. Add to that an price tag of “Freeware” and we’re looking at one more great way to entertain yourself for hours on end at no cost, thanks to freeware.
A note about the fact that the game cannot be played single player. You must have another person playing, it just wouldn’t work, in concept, with a computer opponent, since the idea is connecting two human minds without words. So, when you start the game, it will auto-connect to the central Way server and search for someone to pair you with. Since the game is in Alpha there is not a gigantic player base yet but that will grow quickly, I think. You can also, through the game interface, send a tweet telling your followers that you’re looking for someone to play with and I got another player pretty fast that way. Additionally, for the Alpha release only, you can set up a private game that you can tell your friend about if he’s in the next room or what not. There’s also a handy note telling you what the average best time has been to connect for other players. All of these ways combined mean that sometimes you may have to wait for a player to join you but usually not long, one way or another, if you’re connecting at peak times.

In conclusion, I think Way is a great game and I will be eagerly following its progress as it gets better and better. It is worth a look so head on over to the website and check it out. Who knows? We might wind up getting paired for a game or two! Until next time, my friends!
Play Way here. (Windows, Mac).

Use These Websites To Save Ridiculous Amounts Of Money On Your Next Outdoor Equipment Purchase

Use These Websites To Save Ridiculous Amounts Of Money On Your Next Outdoor Equipment Purchase:
Sadly, winter is coming to an end for me. Hitting the slopes is soon to be in the rear view mirror. It is a sad time of the year. Having your favorite hobby ripped away from you can sting a little; but what better way to cure some of those blues than with some great deals on new gear for next year?
This time of year is when you can pick up some of the craziest deals on the best gear. Retailers are looking to unload last year’s merchandise to make room in their warehouses for new clothing and equipment.
The best place I know of to get deals is through the network of sites owned by Backcountry.com. They offer deals on ski, snowboard, biking, scuba diving and every piece of equipment you could imagine for anything that you do outdoors. For skiing in particular, now is the time to save some big money on the equipment you need. For deals, this network of sites and applications is the best way to save some serious money and be ready for the rest of this season and next year.

The Websites

Four websites are part of Backcountry.com’s huge savings network. Each one has timed deals, so you need to jump on something when you see it. I have seen some deals for as short as two or three minutes, and some have sold out in a matter of seconds.

The websites are Steepandcheap.com, Whiskeymilitia.com, Bonktown.com and Chainlove.com. Steepandcheap and Whiskeymilitia tend to focus more on the cold sports, and Bonktown and Chainlove focus on bicycling.

All three websites have incredible deals, and they all come with Backcountry.com’s incredible customer service. I have ordered many products from them, and any time I needed to do an exchange, return or order cancelation, Backcountry has bent over backwards to make sure I was happy.

The websites allow you to hold your order to save on shipping. Therefore, if you buy something, you can select hold, and if you see something else come along in the next couple of days, you can add it to your order and only pay $1.00 to ship the second item.
Check out the links at the bottom of this article for the links to sign up for alerts for each of the four websites.

Mobile

Each one of the four deal websites has a mobile version that works on all popular mobile devices. For Steepandcheap.com, they have an iPhone app, for the rest, you will need to go to their website on your phone. They have an easy to use mobile ordering function, so if you see a deal that you like you can purchase it right from your phone quickly and easily.

Browser apps

I use the Steepandcheap and Whiskeymilitia alert applications for Google Chrome religiously. It alerts me of every new deal, so I am constantly aware of what I can save on. They also have these available for Bonktown and Chainlove, so no matter what your outdoor flavor, you can be alerted throughout the day.

Similar apps are available for Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox, although the functionality seems to be a little greater on Chrome. They all will alert you of the deals, and that is the main reason to use them.

Other ways to be alerted

Maybe you do not want to download something to your browser in order to find out the latest deals. That is fine, because all four websites offer plenty of other ways. You can sign up to be alerted through AOL Instant Messenger of each new deal. Whenever a deal is posted, they will send you an instant message with the deal and a link to purchase it.

If you do not use AIM, you can also be alerted via email. The email alerts will not tell you about each deal. They have a nightly newsletter that drops hints about the deals that will be coming up the next day. It gives you a head start so you know what kind of deals to expect.

Some of the sites even have alerts for Windows and Mac that work right on your desktop, so you will never miss a single deal as long as you are near your computer.

Here are the links for each alerts page. From here, you can download all of the apps and sign up for deal alerts.
SteepandCheap.com deal alerts page

WhiskeyMilitia.com deal alerts page

Bonktown.com deal alerts page

Chainlove.com deal alerts page

Conclusion

If you are looking for outdoor equipment and you do not want to pay full price, you need to check out these four websites. I have purchased a 250-dollar jacket for 100 dollars, a 130-dollar pair of gloves for 50 and many more. If you like saving money, you need to check out these sites, especially now, because they are blowing out high quality equipment to get ready for next years products.
Have you purchased anything from these websites? Did you save a ton of money? Let us know in the comments!

Need A New Job Or Want To Volunteer? Check Out IdeaList.org!

Need A New Job Or Want To Volunteer? Check Out IdeaList.org!:
For the past few years, the United States–and the world in general–has experienced rapid fluctuations in economic stability and purchasing power. The general trend has been downward. Layoffs and firings all over the place. People unable to find work. The prevalence of terrible dead-end jobs because there exists nothing better.
And then there are those who are looking to quit. But that ain’t you!
If you happen to be looking for a new job, whether it’s because you don’t have one currently or you hate the one you have, then there are a few options: networking connections, Craigslist, Monster, as well as others. And if you’re using a job search engine, then be sure to put these job searching tips and tricks to use.
But on top of all those other options, have you considered IdeaList? Have you ever even heard of it? You should give it some consideration, and here’s why.

What is IdeaList.org?

Way back in 1985, Ami Dar had an inkling of a great idea: a global network that would pool together the available resources in people and organizations and use those resources for the betterment of humanity. Fast forward through a lot of hard work and IdeaList is born in 1996.
Their website summarizes the vision of IdeaList in three distinct and concise points. They want to live in a world where:

• All people can lead free and dignified lives.
• Every person who wants to help another has the ability to do so.
• No opportunities for action or collaboration are missed or wasted.

Too long, didn’t read? Here’s the gist of it. IdeaList is a neutral organization that aims to bring people together so that they can help build a world where everyone can live their lives in a free, dignified manner.
And let’s not forget the play on words here. IdeaList is really just idealist with a capital ‘L’–in other words, someone who is guided by ideals rather than practical considerations.
So it’s a list of ideas for an idealist’s purposes. How delightfully clever!

Finding New Jobs

Perhaps IdeaList sounds good and all, but you’re wondering how it could possibly help you find a new job. Fear not. Let me explain.
There are plenty of organizations and businesses out there that are doing good work and looking for helping hands. But they’re not just looking for free labor; they’re looking for quality help. Free is nice, but you often get what you pay for, and these people understand that.
So these organizations are looking for employees and they are willing to pay wages for the work they need. Respectable wages.


Click on the Jobs section of the website and you’ll be presented with a big pile of job listings. Areas of focus include teaching and education, office work and administration, social services, event planning, counseling, and more.
Don’t need a full-time job? That’s fine, too. You can filter the results by the employment type (part-time, contract-basis, etc.), by the level of professionalism required (entry level, managerial, executive, etc.), by the requirements (diplomas, degrees, etc.), and by salary ranges.

Volunteers and Internships

Maybe you don’t qualify for the available jobs. Don’t give up yet! There are a few other avenues for you to explore.
While you continue looking for a job, you can build up your resume by participating in volunteer activities. You can also learn new skills by landing internships in the field you intend to pursue.


Filter the list of volunteering opportunities by area of focus, weekly time commitment, duration of volunteering, days available, and more.


Filter the list of internship opportunities by area of focus and whether the internship is paid or not.

Conclusion

Sure, sites like Craigslist and Monster have much more variety and quantity of postings. However, IdeaList operates on a grander scale by supporting organizations that work towards making the world a better place.
When you land a job through IdeaList, you know that your energy and effort will be going towards something bigger than yourself, reaching out and affecting those all across the world–not just filling the piggy banks of the CEOs above you.
Image Credits: Volunteer Image Via Shutterstock