Most admins tend to use the shell, Perl,or Python if they need a system administration script. But there is no need for web programmers to learn another language just to script a routine task. PHP gives admins the power to program command-line tools and even complete web interfaces.

The principle behind Rsnapshot is nothing new: use Rsync and SSH to back up files to another computer. What sets Rsnapshot apart is its simple setup and its rich collection of features.

The Fish shell offers some user-friendly features for command line beginners.

Bashish adds a dash of style to the command line.

A few basic tricks can liven up the command line and add a dash of color to your console.

It is often inefficient to fire up a tape drive whenever you need to back up files or restore a backup. The Rsync tool pushes critical files to a second computer, where you can access them easily.

Firewalls sometimes prohibit everything but everyday surfing, leaving users with no hope of running IRC or streaming servers through the firewall, unless they use a virtual private networking tool like OpenVPN.

Taskjuggler is a handy project management tool for large or small projects. We’ll show you how to organize a simple remodeling job with Taskjuggler.

Linux New Media put together an international jury to recognize outstanding contributions to Open Source. We’ll tell you who brought home the prizes when the 2005 Linux New Media awards were presented at Linux World Frankfurt.