Sunday, February 3, 2013

What is the difference between GNU and GUI?

Q. I have no clue what GNU is but I know gui is Graphic User Interface. GUI is in like mac windows while GNU is in linux/ubuntu, basically any unix system.

A. GNU is the name of software or software collections release by the Free Software Foundation. Originally a recursive acromyn (hackers are quite fond of recursive acronyms) that means GNU is Not Unix.

GNU's GUI is GNOME (GNu Object Model Enviroment), other GUI's for linux are KDE, or XFCE and are not GNU.

GNU really underlies the core system, the compiler, utilities, and many of the tools.

How to get into cgi and movie production with CGI?
Q. I currently study IT at college, and pretty much set to go to UNI in 2 years.
I'm wondering what i can study at UNI to get myself into cgi and what other things I could also study.
I want to do a foundation diploma in graphics before i go to UNI so im just wondering if that will help too.
I really need some pointers on where to go and what im expected to do before uni etc.

Any help is wonderful

Cheers.

A. Definitely graphics will help but most of the people I know who are in animation and movies actually have more of a fine arts background. They don't even often have degrees in it but at least they've been through a two year foundation program at one or another school. The one exception is purely IT: he got his job because he knows Linux (and UNIX which he often prefers). He handles networking and troubleshooting render farms. Not the creative stuff. Really, to work in Movie production you will find you are competing with LOT of top-ranked people and you will need to know whatever you know thoroughly. Most CGI that gets done these days uses the Renderman Graphic description standards.

Going to school for Computer Information Systems and interested in Security?
Q. I'm currently in the middle of getting my degree at a 2 year community college, my major is Computer Information Systems specializing in IT Support, then transferring to a four year after to continue studies. Iv'e always been interested in Security but unsure of where to start learning about it. A few people have suggested tutorials with Linux Backtrack but I was just curious if anyone could point me in the right direction to learn more about security and working on getting certifications to help stand out when applying for jobs down the road?

A. Hi Alec,

Security is a great area of IT to study. Here is what I would suggest as starting point:
I would first complete the 2 year diploma which you are currently working on before making any significant specializations into IT security. Many people rush into wanting to get on the security side of computing and IT but do not have the basic knowledge to start with. Dependant on what type of security you are looking into I would make sure that you have a thorough understanding of the topics that interest you first.

Then I would start by studying for an IT certification in the Security sector such as the CompTIA Security+ - If you are attending a polytechnic institution then your school may have courses specifically designed to prepare for such certifications. Then you could move onto higher level credentials such as the CEH, CISSP and SSCP. CompTIA certifications are quite common and widely recognized by employers. The CISSP and SSCP are a bit more difficult and require some additional work experience in information security but are very valuable at a later point in time.

My advice to you would be to focus on your university education right now which is invaluable knowledge and provides a well rounded approach. Certifications are great but they do not replace a formal academic education so you are definitely on the right track. I would also take advantage of any security related courses that your school offers. And as mentioned above before you start moving directly into the security side of things I would gain a thorough understanding of the fundamentals such networking, programming the Linux operating system and client/server relationships. Once you have built a strong technical foundation then adding security specialization will not seem like much. Linux and Backtrack tutorials are great, but as mentioned, simply memorizing commands and following tutorials is not as beneficial as actually understanding what you are doing. Security and computer problems in general are presented in so many different ways in the real world so having a the basics down and understanding what is happening first can really help in giving you the ability to tackle any problem that comes your way.

I hope this was able to help and wish you all the best with your studies.

Regards,
Max



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