UNDERSTANDING GITHUB

To understand GitHub, you must first have an understanding of Git. Git is an open-source version control system that was started by Linus Trovalds – the same person who created Linux. Git is similar to other version control systems – Subversion, CVS, and Mercurial to name a few.

Git in Github

So, Git is a “version control system,” what’s that mean? When developers are creating something (an application, for example), they are making constant changes to the code and releasing new versions, up to and after the first official (non-beta) release.

Version control systems keep these revisions straight, and store the modifications in a central repository. This allows developers to easily collaborate, as they can download a new version of the software, make changes, and upload the newest revision. Every developer can see these new changes, download them, and contribute.

Similarly, people who have nothing to do with the development of a project can still download the files and use them. Most Linux users should be familiar with this process, as using Git, Subversion, or some other similar method is pretty common for downloading needed files, especially in preparation for compiling a program from source code (a rather common practice for Linux geeks).

Hub in GitHub

We’ve established that Git is a version control system, similar but better than the many alternatives available. So, what makes GitHub so special? Git is a command-line tool, but the center around which all things involving Git revolve – effectively, the Hub, is GitHub.com, where developers can store their projects and network with likeminded people.

Technical Terms

Repository

A repository is a location where all the files for a particular project are stored, usually abbreviated to “repo.” Each project will have its own repo, and can be accessed by a unique URL.

Forking a repo

“Forking” is when you create a new project based off of another project that already exists. This is an amazing feature that vastly encourages the further development of programs and other projects. If you find a project on GitHub that you’d like to contribute to, you can fork the repo, make the changes you’d like, and release the revised project as a new repo. If the original repository that you forked to create your new project gets updated, you can easily add those updates to your current fork.

Pull requests

You fork a repository, make a great revision to the project, and want it to be recognized by the original developers, maybe even included in the official project/repository. You can do so by creating a pull request, so the authors of the original repository can see your work, and then choose whether or not to accept it into the official project. Whenever you issue a pull request, GitHub provides a perfect medium for you and the project’s maintainer to communicate.

 And the best part: GitHub isn’t just for developers

All this talk about how GitHub is ideal for programmers may have you believing that they are the only ones who will find it useful. Although it’s a lot less common, GitHub can actually be used for any types of files – so if you have a team that is constantly making changes to a word document, you can actually use GitHub as your version control system.  This practice isn’t common as there are better alternatives, but keep it in mind.

GSoC 2014

Ah!, finally GSoC Registration time for students are coming to an end. And hopes and  dreams of thousands of students, are on stake as working for some big orgs can come true in real life. But getting a proposal approved by the mentoring organisations is not a easy task, especially if you are working with big orgs, like Gnome, gnu, wikimedia, the Linux foundation etc. First you have to start by fixing a bug, which is not a easy task, believe me, i have gone through this stage, the pressure is enormous, and also you have to do in a fix limited span of time. After that there comes the big task of writing a proposal, which is again not a easy task, different orgs have there different template designed, so that they can easily evaluate the proposals, as working for wikimedia, i got a simple template and then you just have to get started.

Most of the ideas proposed are from the idea-page of that org, but you just cant copy the whole stuff and paste in your proposal, you have to be specific about your idea and how you are willing to execute what ever is your idea, with proper timeline and phases.


I may not get the chance for working as intern in GSoC, this year, as they can only choose one candidate, and they make sure, that only the best gets it, having said that, one should not lose there hope, and should continue to contribute, because thats the main agenda of GSoC. i.e. more and more student contribute to Open Source. And i will continue to do so.
 
Also in midst of all these, proper communication is also very important, you have to on IRC, mailing-list, and in regular contact with mentors and admins. Even all these things does not guarantees the approval of your proposal, so the cool thing would be to relax, just try to give your best, be in contact with your mentors and try to improve your final proposal.

Understanding Linux

What is Linux?

Linux, first of all is an Operating Systems..!!!
Operating Systems - Now whats an Operating System, Lets solve this riddle

An operating system (OS) is a collection of software that manages computer hardware resources and provides common services for computer programs. 

And now whats KERNEL. Kernel is heart of an OS, it manages resources, now whats an resource?? Are we going off topic!!! Okay lets be back on our topic.
Lets be back to Linux.

History

Linux is a Unix-Like OS. The History of Linux began in 1991 with the commencement of a personal project by a Finnish student, Linus Torvalds, to create a new free operating system kernel. Since then, the resulting Linux kernel has been marked by constant growth throughout its history. Since the initial release of its source code in 1991, it has grown from a small number of C files under a license prohibiting commercial distribution to its state in 2009 of over 370 MB
of source under the GNU General Public License.


Features of Linux

Free

Linux is free.  :)
First ,It's available free of cost (You don't have to pay to use this OS, other OSes like MS-Windows or Commercial version of Unix may cost you money) 
Second free means freedom to use Linux, i.e. when you get Linux you will also get source code of Linux, so you can modify OS (Yes OS! Linux OS!!) according to your taste. 
It also offers many Free Software applications, programming languages, and development tools etc. Most of the Program/Software/OS are under GNU General Public License

Unix Like 

Then Ken Thompson (System programmer of Bell Labs) thinks he could do better (In 1991, Linus Torvalds felt he could do better than Minix - History repeats itself.). So Ken Thompson wrote OS on PDP - 7 Computer, assembler and few utilities, this is know as Unix (1969). But this version of Unix is not portable. Then Unix was rewrote in C. Because Unix written in 'C', it is portable. It means Unix can run on verity of Hardware platform (1970-71). 
So Unix is Multi-user, Multitasking, Internet-aware Network OS.  Linux almost had same Unix Like feature for e.g.

• Like Unix, Linux is also written is C.
• Like Unix, Linux is also the Multi-user/Multitasking/32 or 64 bit Network OS.
• Like Unix, Linux is rich in Development/Programming environment.
• Like Unix, Linux runs on different hardware platform.

Open Source 

Linux is developed under the GNU Public License. This is sometimes referred to as a "copyleft", to distinguish it from a copyright.
Under GPL the source code is available to anyone who wants it, and can be freely modified, developed, and so forth. There are only a few restrictions on the use of the code. If you make changes to the programs , you have to make those changes available to everyone. This basically means you can't take the Linux source code, make a few changes, and then sell your modified version without making the source code available.


Why Linux?

Hmm.. A skeptic, good.. Well, First of all its FREE and you have got this amazing oppurtunity to modify, customize and change the source code which is available to all, unlike Windows where everything is hidden and all..

Secondly, there is this really cool community of Linux users always for your help, kinda missing from Windows platform.

Its a whole new world when you start or when you switch to Linux form boring BLUE GAINTS.


Where Linux can be used

Anywhere, literally anywhere be it be your old pc, new laptop, tablet or even mobile phones. It is there, specifically speaking these are where Linux can be used.

• Personal Work
• Web Server
• Software Development Workstation
• Workgroup Server
• In Data Center for various server activities such as FTP, Telnet, SSH, Web, Mail, Proxy, Proxy Cache Appliance etc.

Conclusion


So start using one. Latest version of Linux Ubuntu is 13.04, easily available everywhere to download go to www.ubuntu.com/download


 

Cheers!!!

 

Bleeding Rupee ,Diseased Economy.

Since July last year, the Indian rupee has fallen by more than 27% against the US dollar, one of the biggest declines among Asian currencies.

Understanding Money

Money is the value assigned to a commodity, a piece of paper, a coin or electronic data. It can be of different types-commodity money, representative money, fiat money and commercial bank money. Gold coins, cocoa beans, cattle or anything that has a value of its own and is used as a medium of exchange is commodity money. The use of commodity money is similar to barter, except that the commodity used is widely accepted 
and can be easily handled.


The value of a currency is its purchasing power – that is, what you can get for a unit of the currency in terms of goods and services. In today’s context when it is said that a currency is declining or being devalued, it is with respect to other currencies.

 Free Fall

According to BBC, this falling of Indian currency with respect to USD is mainly due to some reasons. They being.

• HUGE TRADE DEFICIT

• LOWER CAPITAL INFLOWS

• HIGH CURRENT ACCOUNT DEFICIT

• DEVALUATION PRESSURE

• LOW GROWTH AND HIGH INFLATION

• RUPEE SPECULATION

   

  What can be done?

  # We should stop or decrease our imports mainly oil and improve exports.  Currently oil import companies are making large purchases for which large amount of Dollar is required Nations like The united states such as Indian have arranged their oil sources and mostly transfer.

   # Now Govt of India has to be interested in enhancing manufacturing.  More discounts and rewards by means of tax refund or motivation for less publishing organizations to be announced, so that natural manufacturing will improve and there by transfer of such product will get decreased and unwanted manufacturing may be released. 

  # Traditional clear policy decision is needed.  The marketers,  traders will come forward to get and single window venture approval should be applied with firm guidelines.

   # RBI also prohibited financial institutions from dealing in rupee forex futures dealing and choices, except on part of their customers.

   

  May god be with us.

  THANKYOU.

    

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  
  

  
  

YES FOSS ...

WHAT IS FOSS?

Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) are softwares where it is possible to see and change the software codes that make it work, but the community who developed it actually encourage it and rely on this philosophy to see the software spread and grow beyond its original creators. 

The nature of FOSS development practices means that some tools are extremely professional and even exceed the functionality of proprietary solutions. This is possible to see in applications such as Firefox for Web browsing, or Thunderbird for email.

WHY FOSS?

Open source projects usually have a large and welcoming community around them. Just look at the ubuntu community; its great.

Open source software tends to be more secure. The more eyes watching the code, the more security holes get noticed and fixed. Linux is better and more secured constructed from the beginning.

And now the best part its FREE.... :)

CONCLUSION-

If you feel that proprietary software are powerful, then tell me, how they can be powerful if they don’t respect the freedom of its users. The users are bounded by ropes there. They are spied, restricted to upgrades and even bounded to use the features. You don’t have any freedom to modify, distribute the software or even the see the code else you will be caught doing illegal actions.

“Be a Programmer in Real sense, else use Proprietary Software. The choice is all yours “

Happy Coding :)