Skip Links

Network World

Mark Gibbs

Gearhead

By Mark Gibbs

Comments and suggestions to gearhead@gibbs.com.

Gibbsblog - More Gibbs, only bloggier.

Check out Backspin and Network World on Web Applications for more musings from Gibbs.

Gibbs RSS feed (Gibbs)
How-to RSS feed (How-to articles)

Reader feedback and Linux distros
08/27/08
Some great user feedback on the SliTaz Linux distro.
Jott outta beta, and SliTaz is the boss
08/20/08
The Jott service that Gibbs reviewed a few weeks ago has come out of beta, and a reader points out a really cool Linux distro.
Network diagnostics, monitoring and building flash
08/13/08
A question about MAC-only device monitoring, a diagnostic suite, a server monitoring tool and a simple Flash creation utility.
What readers sync
08/06/08
Gearhead readers responded big time to the recent column on file synchronization. Gibbs discusses rsync and its flavors, Foldershare, and suggests an answers to a question.
Video for memory, a book for faults
07/30/08
A tiny video camera for a remarkably low price and a book on a novel software testing technique called "fuzzing."
Something to sync about
07/22/08
Gibbs takes a look at a cross-platform file synchronization system and then thinks about extending the idea.
Groundwork Monitor: serious network management
07/16/08
Nagios is a powerful, free, open source network management system, and when it's wrapped up in a virtual appliance it has to be one of the easiest ways to evaluate a serious network management solution
Nagios, lots of network management for nothing
07/08/08
Reader feedback revealed that the Nagios network monitoring and management system is available in a virtual appliance that means that Gibbs just had to take it out for a spin.
An IMAP book and measuring power use
06/30/08
A book on high performance IMAP servers and how much power does dimming a laptop screen save?
WhatsUp Gold: A solid new version with minor flaws
06/25/08
WhatsUp Gold from Ipswitch is a highly capable and cost effective network management solution that could replace far more expensive enterprise management suites for less than the cost of their annual maintenance. A few minor flaws mar an otherwise excellent product.
Reader feedback, erasing stress, and WhatsUp Gold
06/18/08
Gibbs responds to a reader's letter to the Gearhead column on Jott, Twitter, RSS feeds and Goosh; de-stresses with Stress Eraser; and starts reviewing WhatsUp Gold, a network management tool from Ipswitch.
Jawbone revisited and down the Google Docs rat hole
06/11/08
The Aliph Jawbone 2 is even better than the original, and Gibbs solves a data entry problem using Google Documents - it was a quick and dirty solution but it works.
Jott, Twitter, RSS feeds and Goosh
06/04/08
Jott, a speech-to-text service sets appointments, keeps lists and now reads RSS feeds such as Twitter's. And then there's Goosh, a command line for Google. How cool is that!
Photos, networking and tweets
05/28/08
A bit of a potpourri this week: A revised Eye-Fi product line, image manipulation applications, Twitter update, and Friend Feed, which could replace Twitter
Updating Twitter with cURL and Wget
05/21/08
Twitter can be a great way to broadcast corporate status data. Here's how to use command line tools to get the job done.
Eye-Fi links digital cameras to Wi-Fi nets
05/13/08
The Eye-Fi storage card uses clever and sophisticated communications technology to wirelessly transfer images from digital cameras to computers and Internet photo services.
Building with FreeBSD 7 and a rad headset
05/06/08
This week Gibbs adds another highly recommended book to the IT library and reviews a Bluetooth cell phone headset that is outstanding.
Books for the IT library
04/30/08
We review a few IT-related books, including telecom reference tomes, a book on the theory and practice of tagging, and a book on the use of scripting in Second Life.
Problems with virtualization
04/22/08
Virtualization systems aren't quite as compatible with, and transparent to, applications as Gibbs thought they were. Also GrandCentral accounts and disposable telephone numbers.
A cheap VoIP alternative: magicJack
04/15/08
Gibbs looks at magicJack, a good, cheap VoIP service, but support is lacking.
GrandCentral, one call to bind them all
04/08/08
Google's GrandCentral provides free and very powerful call management services.
Wi-Fi analysis tools
04/02/08
This week Gibbs reviews a really good Wi-Fi hot spot locator; looks at an update to Wi-Spy, the Wi-Fi spectrum analyzer that he previously reviewed; and raves about VisiWave, a Wi-Fi site-analysis tool.
Parallels Virtuozzo Containers review, Part 2
03/26/08
Gibbs concludes his review of the Parallels Virtuozzo Containers 4.0, an OS virtualization system
Working with NSIS' screen-saver installer
03/18/08
Wrapping up building an installer with NSIS, figuring out which registry keys to set, finding a small residual probem, and discovering an OS X version of VNC.
An excellent FOSS installer for your tool kit
03/11/08
Trying to build a Flash-based screen saver led Gibbs to an excellent FOSS installer system that you need in your IT tool kit.

Most Read

View more Most Read

Videos

rssRss Feed

Latest News

rssRss Feed
Get instant email notification when white papers, webcasts, executive guides are added to our library. Stay informed and up-to-date with the latest on IT Technologies with Network World's Resource Alerts.

Whitepapers

File Integrity Monitoring: Secure Your Virtual and Physical IT Environments

Discover the capabilities your file integrity monitoring solution should have to effectively secure...

5 Biggest Blunders when Building Spreadsheet Applications in Java

Developers are asked to incorporate spreadsheets into Java applications for a number of reasons....

Java: Four Server-based Approaches

Java applications often need to tap into the logic in a spreadsheet. Developers are challenged to...

View more SOFTWARE whitepapers

Webcasts

PoE Plus: Impact on the PoE Market

The standard for Power over Ethernet (PoE), IEEE Std. 802.3af(tm)-2003, advanced networking,...

Harnessing the power of communications to increase workplace performance

Due to the convergence of IT and telecommunications technologies, the business workplace has been...

Stay out of the headlines: Detecting and preventing network intrusions

How do YOU stay out of the headlines? There is no denying that risk exists in our computer-driven...

View more SOFTWARE webcasts

Special Reports

How to lower software costs, complexity

Discover how Software as a Service is the economical alternative to expensive on-site software,...

Executive Guide: Virtualization Reality Check

Find out why analysts say approaching virtualization with an ounce of caution is wise. And also why...

WAN Optimization: The Ultimate No Brainer

Find out how you can dramatically improve data throughput, significantly reduce bandwidth usage and...

View more SOFTWARE special reports
Partner Content
CA logo

CA Network & Voice Resource Center

Comprehensive Network & Voice Management Visit CA Network & Voice Management Resource Center and get insights into industry best practices, information that helps you to address your challenges.

CA Network & Voice Management Resource Center

whitepaper

Managing Voice Over IP for Successful Convergence

Voice over IP (VoIP) has much to offer in cost savings but some customers have concerns about VoIP call quality compared to the quality of traditional voice services. This white paper will help you learn how to take the right steps so that voice quality is assured.

Managing VoIP for Successful Convergence

whitepaper

The Changing Face of Network Management

Managing your network is serious business. This paper discusses the benefits of integrating configuration change-awareness into your network fault management solution

Download Whitepaper