Ask the Experts

Ask the Experts

Data center server infrastructure and OSes

• $ PATH vs. pwd

  An expert describes the difference between two shell commands, $ PATH and pwd.  Continue Reading

• ipcrm in RHEL 4

  An expert describes several possible solutions for ipcrm's continued existence on RHEL 4 even after is has been dest (destroyed).  Continue Reading

• Running Maple 10 on 64-bit Linux

  A new user wants to know whether it is possible to run a math application, Maple 10, on 64-bit Linux.  Continue Reading

• mysql_ functions vs. mysqli object approach

  MySQL expert Scott Noyes explains why using mysqli over mysql_functions allows you to take advantage of MySQL's newer features and PHP scripts.  Continue Reading

• PEAR functionality in MySQL

  An expert describes PEAR and what it does in MySQL.  Continue Reading

• OpenOffice vs. Microsoft Office GUIs

  How similar are the GUIs for OpenOffice and Microsoft Office? An expert weighs in.  Continue Reading

• Red Hat and proprietary code

  An open source software and applications expert explains where Red Hat's code falls in the scheme of open source versus proprietary.  Continue Reading

• CSV, ARCHIVE, FEDERATED and EXAMPLE in MySQL 5

  A MySQL expert explains why the hype about CSV, ARCHIVE, FEDERATED and EXAMPLE storage engines in MySQL 5 is justified.  Continue Reading

• OpenOffice security cracker

  An office suite expert doesn't think any office suite is secure enough.  Continue Reading

• CentOS, RHEL vs. Oracle on Linux

  An open source software and applications expert explains the difference between CentOS, RHEL and Unbreakable Linux.  Continue Reading

• Linux printer as a Postscript device

  Unix-Linux expert Ken Milberg follows up on his tip, "Printing from Unix to Linux," and explains why you're better off not setting up a Linux printer as a generic Postscript device.  Continue Reading

• Mail merge workaround

  An office suite expert describes how to turn text files into spreadsheets and how to create a database based on a text file in OpenOffice.  Continue Reading

• Hierarchal data storage in MySQL

  An expert describes how to perform store a hierarchy in MySQL by splitting the materialized path to a separate table.  Continue Reading

• Scanning a compromised Fedora server

  Security expert James Turnbull explains how to determine if your server has been compromised and recommends some scanning tools.  Continue Reading

• Ubuntu licensing

  An open source issues and applications expert describes Ubuntu licensing.  Continue Reading