Top 10 Technology Terms to Know for 2009 (3)

Microblogging

·         The terminology and technology associated with online blogs just doesn't seem to end. Hitting the big-time in 2008 is microblogging — the capability to update your blog with short text updates, using your PC or text messaging-enabled cell phone.

·         Bloggers can usually use a number of services for the updates including instant messaging, e-mail, or Twitter. The posts are called microposts, while the act of using these services to update your blog is called microblogging.

·         Also, social networking sites, like Facebook, also use a microblogging feature in profiles. On Facebook this is called "Status Updates".

Netbook

·         Netbooks are small portable computing device, similar to a notebook, and are great for surfing the Web and checking e-mail. What differentiates a Netbook from a notebook is its physical size and computing power.

·         A Netbook typically has a small display, ranging from 7 to 10 inches. It weighs less than 3 pounds, and supports a keyboard that is reduced in size from 75 to 80 percent when compared to a standard keyboard.

·         Netbooks have build-in Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB ports and slots for flash memory cards. To keep the devices small and compact, Netbooks do not have a CD or DVD drive, and most use solid-state disks (SSD) for storage.

·         Netbooks commonly run Linux or Windows XP Home edition operating systems.

 SSD - Solid State Disks

·         Solid state disks are all the rage, and for good reason, too. These high-performance plug-and-play storage devices contain no moving parts and their own CPUs to manage data storage, so they are a lot faster than conventional rotating hard disks.

·         SSD components include either DRAM or EEPROM memory boards, a memory bus board, a CPU, or a battery card.

·         They are most effective for server applications and server systems, where I/O response time is crucial.

·         Data stored on SSDs should include anything that creates bottlenecks, such as databases, swap files, library and index files, and authorization and login information.

·         While laptops and the mobile market in general was the best launching point for SSD, in the next year we will see SSD in desktop PCs, with solid state drives expected to gain ground in the enterprise.

 Ubuntu

·         Ubuntu is a community-developed Debian-based Linux operating system that can be used on desktops, laptops or servers. The operating system includes a variety of applications including those for word processing, e-mail applications, and Web server software and also programming tools.

·         Ubuntu is free of charge, including enterprise releases and security updates. It also comes with full commercial support from Canonical. Ubuntu is also available in both a desktop and server edition.

·         In the second half of 2008 Ubuntu 8.10 was released, making this one of the most popular Linux distributions. With all the hype surrounding this stable Ubuntu release, it looks poised to be even more popular in 2009.