A revolution is happening in web operations. Configuration management tools can build servers in seconds, and automate your entire network. Tools like Puppet are essential to taking full advantage of the power of cloud computing, and building reliable, scalable, secure, high-performance systems. More and more systems administration and IT...

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Each year, Windows XP is pre-installed on 30 million PCs sold in the U.S.--and 90 million worldwide--making it the world's most popular operating system, and proving to frustrated users everywhere that preponderance does not equate to ease of use. There are literally thousands of programs, tools, commands, screens, scripts,...

Legendary programming author Herb Schildt shares some of his favorite programming techniques in this high-powered Java "cookbook." Organized for quick reference, each recipe shows how to accomplish a practical programming task. A recipe begins with a list of...

• Perform essential database tasks such as benchmarking the database and optimizing the server's memory usage
• Learn ways to improve query...

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Humans still obtain the vast majority of their sensory input through their visual system, and an enormous effort has been made to artificially enhance this sense. Eyeglasses, binoculars, telescopes, radar, infrared sensors, and photomultipliers all function to improve our view of the world and the universe. We even have telescopes in orbit...