Adobe Photoshop is what is commonly known as a graphics editing program. Even if you haven’t used the program it is more than likely that you’ve heard of it. If you run an online business, or are thinking of doing so you may have been inclined to learn how to use the program as it seems to be synonymous with the production of online content. In recent years it has certainly come into the mainstream consciousness due to some negative connotations through it’s use to manipulate photographs, usually to make people look better than they really are for glossy magazines. The truth is that Photoshop is an invaluable tool for anybody involved in the creation of media content of any kind, and it isn’t just for making celebrities look better. It seems strange that Photoshop is over 20 years old and yet it attracts new users everyday who may not be completely aware of what it does. For this reason this article aims to provide a brief overview for anybody who maybe new to the program.

History

I’m inclined to say that Photoshop had humble beginnings, such is the romance behind these stories, but the reality is when brothers Thomas and John Knoll married their love of photography with their interest in personal computers, they created something that was very quickly going to be the De-facto standard in image processing. If it was humble it wasn’t humble very long. The earliest version of Photoshop was limited to 200 copies distributed with a scanner, however it was soon picked up my Adobe who released Photoshop 1.0 in 1990 but only for Macintosh computers. Over 20 years later from Photoshop 1.0 through the current Photoshop CS5, there have been 12 major releases. In 2003 Adobe’s re-branded what would have been Photoshop 8 to become “Creative Suite”. This re-branding reflected in Adobe offering various other software packages under the Adobe brand available for purchase at a reduced price. I mention this because the difference can be confusing, although most people new to Adobe are generally aware of the CS label.

What does it do?

Photoshop is primarily used to manipulate images such as photos, images, or scans. However, it is also used to create images, although technically speaking it is not a vector program which is more usually associated with the creation of images. What does this mean? Photoshop is what is known as a raster based program, put simply it deals with fixed sized images, this means they can not easily be enlarged without losing definition. Many people feel it is more appropriate to create images in vector based drawing programs, such as Adobe Illustrator, or Corel Draw. Vector images can be re-sized without loss of definition. This difference however does not stop people creating images in Photoshop. It should be noted that it isn’t really possible to manipulate photos the other way round, i.e. my using vector drawing based programs like illustrator. Some people new to image manipulation programs find this distinction difficult, but restricting Photoshop to a program that is only able to manipulate images is a mistake.

Having said probably the most popular perception of Photoshop is it’s a ability to edit photos, anything from colour correction, to resizing, to complete distortion of images, sometimes morphing them into something completely different. A popular trend with Photoshop is the creation of photo montage artwork, which takes element of different images and creates a entirely different image. Example of this work can be found at popular Photoshop site Advanced Photoshop here. Photoshop is also commonly used in print production to prepare images for distribution in print media. Photoshop offers a number of tools to ensure the best possible representation of that image in print media. This process is often shrouded in controversy as it is possible to manipulate a photograph to a the point of being unrecognisable compared to the original. It is inevitable that images you see in magazines of  beautiful people have been given a little help from Photoshop, anything from enhancing the appearance of skin tones, i.e. removing blemishes or even changing the shape of the models body. Although it is difficult to spot these changes, and indeed requires skill to manipulate the images to look natural, with some practice it is possible to spot the alterations. In this sense our eyes have become used to seeing these manipulated images, it is a often a shock to see how the models look how God made them! It is not however always a big secret, many successful photographers openly manipulate there images, and has become an art within itself. To a some extent where the success of a photograph could be determined by the skill of the photograph, it has now become determined by the quality of the post production. It is must be emphasised that of course you need good material to work on, and there is no replacement for a skilled photographer.

Are there alternatives?

There are a number of alternatives to Photoshop, one of the main reasons for looking for alternatives, but not the only reason, is the price. Today the price to purchase the full version of Photoshop is a cool $1000.00, and there are plenty of alternatives that do a very similar job. Some of the alternatives may not work on both platforms, Mac and PC, and may not share exactly all the same features, but all these alternatives are free, which makes a very strong case for heading over their sites and checking them out:

• GIMP
• Pixen
• Paint.Net
• PhotoPlus SE
• Seashore
• Pixia
• ArtWeaver

You’ll find endless debate across the internet which follow the lines that if you’re serious then Photoshop is the only way to go. To some extent I agree with this. Photoshop is really the industry standard. But I don’t agree that you have to use Photoshop to get good results, it simply is not about the application but about the user, even if there are things that Photoshop does better. However being the industry standard application, if you’re serious about a career in design, then it is advised to dive into Photoshop. Adobe do offer a trial for Photoshop, and it is possible to find the software for cheaper than the advertised manufacturer price, either by purchasing a slightly older version (which could well be upgradable), buying second hand, or by purchasing through another retailer other than Adobe. There is also a stripped down version of Photoshop called Photoshop Elements, that for a much reduced price would probably certainly offer the hobbyist, or casual user all the essential elements of Photoshop, but misses the advanced professional features.

Is Photoshop difficult to learn?

Like any application as involved as Photoshop there is a learning curve, you may download a trial, open up the program and get terribly frustrated very quickly, but like anything it’s all about patience. My advice would be to dive in but not expect to get results straight away. A quick search will return a wealth of tutorials designed to get you started quickly. Adobe itself is a great source of expert tutorials. Check out their tuition page here. I’d also recommend a local course, it’s great to sit at home and learn in your own time, but nothing beats one-to-one tuition with a group of like minded individuals.

Conclusions

Photoshop is a hugely expansive (and reasonably expensive) program full of features, it’s also possible to expand it with many third party plugins, adding extra features. It is the sort of application where it’s possible to never master it as you frequently learn new ways to do new things. I believe with some application you can become reasonably adept at using Photoshop in a short space of time. Although I can’t guarantee that you will become an expert overnight I can guarantee you’ll never look at a photo in a magazine in the same way again. Leave a comment letting me know about your own adventures in Photoshop!

The purpose of this beginners guide is to give people an insight into this popular but misunderstood operating system, Linux. Web host customers may be familiar with the name, but will be wondering why hosting packages are powered by Linux rather than anything else, and what is exactly is it anyway? Normally any mention of Linux invites a debate regarding which operating system is better, some using it as an opportunity to discredit Windows, but here will simply be outline some basic facts. Still you are welcome to start a debate in the comments section!

Windows Is Not The Only Fruit

For many PC users, Windows is the only fully functional, worthy of any attention operating system. This is not entirely accurate since there are a few other operating systems out there which work quite well on any given PC. People would have heard of OS X for Mac, but fewer people would have heard or used the Linux operating system, the name of which, despite sounding like a character from ‘Charlie Brown’ was derived from the first name of its original creator, Linus Torvalds.

What does it do?

Lots! Linux is a lot like Windows in that it acts as the basic software needed in order for a computer to function properly. It serves as the conduit through which a computer hardware communicates with any software that you decide to install on your PC. Briefly, it is made up of many programs, drivers, system libraries, and the like. In this regard, the system operates under the same principle as that of Windows in that both act as computer decision-makers, choosing which programs to run and how to run them. So there’s really nothing to be intimidated by, in a nutshell it works like Windows!

What does it cost?

Unlike Windows, however, consumers can get the Linux operating system at no cost at all! Actually, the system came into being mainly due to the financial strong hold of Windows over the computer technology market. In particular, if you want to install Windows on your PC, you need to purchase the license, which if not purchasing as part of a new computer system doesn’t come cheap. Incidentally, when you buy a new PC, at least $50 of its price is given to Microsoft. The Linux operating system offered the perfect alternative with its open source format. This simply means that this is available for free if you need it for your desktop. On the other hand, if you want to use this as an operating system for server installations, there is usually a small charge, but this is affordable when compared to the price offered by Windows.

The Different Flavours of Linux

Technically, this operating system is not entirely complete as it contains only the main program set. If you need to have all the other applications that Linux is compatible with, you will need to refer to its partner companies. These include screen graphics and programs that allow users to input data. Nevertheless, these extra programs or software are not hard to find on the Internet, and more importantly, they are usually free. Even better is the fact that you are allowed to share this free software to other people under the Linux operating system. This is not allowed with Windows as you can be charged with computer piracy. When you read about Linux you’ll almost definitely read the word ‘flavours’ and now it’s not time to start getting confused! As alluded to above Linux provides the basic ingredients and then you are presented with different distributions, all using Linux. Three of the most popular are listed below, click on the headings to launch their respective sites where you can start using them tonight if you wish:

Debian

Debian is stable and extremely flexible offering literally thousands of packages can be added to it.

Ubuntu

Ubuntu is a good quality, stable release that is ideal for new users. Possibly the most popular desktop distribution of Linux.

Fedora

This is certainly to be less ‘immediate’, for the new user and offers fewer options for those wishing to use it as a desktop operating system, however it is great for running a web server.

Is Linux reliable?

Linux is certainly not as prone to suffer crashes as Windows and system affords more security to the typical PC when compared to Windows. Linux also happens to be extremely flexible as this will work even with computers that were manufactured in the 90s. With Windows, this is often not the case such that if you want to have its latest version, this will require you to have a system upgrade. In some cases, you may even need to purchase a brand-new PC.

Is Linux for me?

The best bet is to run it alongside your current operating system, and take it for a spin, you can do this fairly easily without having to sacrifice your current operating system simply by running a dual-boot system on running emulations. If you’re not sure what this means we’ll be coming back to the subject in later posts, for the time being you can run many versions of Linux by running them directly from something like a USB stick.

Running Linux on your computer is not going turn you into a computer genius,  but it may help you look at the way you use your computer differently, it will certainly unlock the mystery of those ‘odd’ server specs offered by your web host. Plenty of people have a loyalty to a particular operating system, but many don’t realise that the are a host of different options out there, which offer a great alternative to your current operating system.

Keep checking back, bookmark us or follow us on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn or subscribe to our RSS feed for more guides relating to Linux and other operating systems.

Perhaps your the sort of person who would normally back-up. After all you try and pay your bills on time, you do your best to be on time for work but you just didn’t backup. The fact of the matter is that most people often wish they’d backed up after the event, and what event is that? A catastrophic loss of all their data.

Why didn’t you backup?

The fact is most casual users believe that it will never happen to them, after all a few letters, perhaps some schoolwork, surfing the net doesn’t really qualify you as a the sort of user who needs to backup. The truth is backing-up is something you might want to start thinking about before you’ve even started thinking about switching on your computer, because almost everything is your enemy and almost everything can go wrong. You’re not alone it is estimated that less than 1% of all computer users regularly backup their data!

Hard drives do fail!

The newer SSD (Solid State Drives) present their own challenges, which we’ll discuss in another post, but since most users are still using ‘traditional’ hard disc drives, that’s what we’ll discuss here. HDDs are really, really mechanical – they have moving parts, they click and churn – there’s absolutely nothing remotely futuristic about them, they’re like a diminutive version of a iron forge. Those clicking churning moving parts can, and do go wrong. Drives can fail without notice (extremely inconvenient and alarming) or can ebb away rather more gracefully, sometimes data can be recovered, sometimes you’ve got as much chance of recovering the data as witnessing a cold day in hell.

 How do I know if my drive is failing?

You may not now – that’s the simple truth. Although HDDs have improved immeasurably they can still be inconsistent. Some of the following may indicate a failing HDD:

• Odd Noises
• Disappearing Data and Disk Errors
• Your computer refuses to recognise your drive
• Computer Crashes
• Everything slows to a pathetic infuriating crawl

People I speak to still refuse to attribute their flagging computer to a failing HDD. They’d rather believe they need more RAM or that they’ve been infected by the latest virus, you know that virus Bob’s mate was talking about down the Duck & Swan, or that their drive is simply full. There’s a psychology to this that’s beyond the scope of this article, but needless to say people are normally gob-smacked when their drive simply packs up.

Backup Strategies for Beginners

People, even intermediate users can get really bogged down with backing up, it can be a confusing subject – I believe this is borne out of the extent to which one can backup and the various methods to achieve backing up. A backup simply means saving a copy of your data effectively TWICE. Confused? Thought not! This can be achieved in a number of ways, or even of combination of a number of ways – at home I combine two methods, professionally it’s more or less the same principle.

Backup Methods

Offline Backup

1. External Hard Drives.

You’ve already bought one computer – why the hell do I need to buy something that attaches ungracefully to the back of it?  The idea is you plug it in, usually (but not exclusively) via a USB lead, and simply copy all your precious photos, music, to the new drive. You now have it in two places. You can copy this data manually or better still run an application that does it automatically for you – normally called an incremental back-up. This simply means it backs up your files gradually, and then if you change your files it updates them for you.

2. USB keys and SD Cards

More of a data transfer method rather than a sensible way to backup. My personal belief is they too degradable – they damage easily. Storage on USB sticks has become pretty huge – but I’ve lost count of the times they’ve fallen apart in my machines.

3. CDs / DVDs

It’s an option but can get messy. Storage space is virtually non existent on a CD, whilst DVDs max out at about 4.7GB – you’re going to need a few. it’s a bit retro, but not as retro as:

4. Floppy Discs/Tape Drives/Zip Drives

Old school stuff – unless you still have posters of Wham on your wall and forgot to upgrade your Commodore 64, I’d forget it. Okay, they’re not that old but you get the picture.

Online Backup

Online file storage isn’t particular new. There are a plethora of online service companies who offer online file transfer services to their off line data centers. What? Okay simply put – you sign up to a program and all your data is stored on a server in some distant warehouse, miles away from any accidents with hot drinks, or your refusal to accept your HDD is failing. They’ve become an option due to better internet access speeds. However the service they offer needs to be distinguished in order to understand how they work. Here I’ll use the following two examples:

Drop-box

Drop box is fairly new. it sits on you machine just like your documents folder and anything you save to it is backed-up, it allows you to share with your friends or business associates and if you make alterations to that file, it updates them. However it doesn’t really provide a set and forget facility which backs up your entire drive. it works more like a USB stick that you make take round to use on a friend or colleagues machine. But it’s extremely slick, and feels like your simply using your computers operating system. it is free to a point, but larger storage requirements incur a cost. I’m not going to bog you down with costs, check out the site and decide for your self. It’s a lovely little application to have on your machine.

Backblaze

Backblaze is a serious online backup service for serious professionals and serious amateurs. it lacks the ability to use it is a collaborating tool, but that’s not the point. It’s simple, and powerful, small application on your machine and automatically backs-up your files, without hogging all your computers resources or bandwidth. There are a number of very nice options for retrieving your data, you can even have them send it on a external drive at a reasonable cost – and how cool is that? They can also retrieve your lap-top if it is lost or stolen!

There are some blurring of the lines between the two methods, as far as online back-up is concerned, but you get the picture. There’s really no reason not to plump for both. Okay so Backblaze comes with a cost, but I believe it is negligible when weighed up against the benefits.

 Some conclusions

Backing up your data, which ever level of user you are should not be taken lightly, nor should it be preached upon as if your life depended on it, you simply have to take a view on it and have a plan. Personally I use a combination of online storage and external HDDs. Why? The main reason is having an off-site back-up of all my data – the problem is the retrieval is not instant, this is why I also rely on my external drive for back up. But there is a peace of mind in utilising the two backup options that makes perfect sense. I’ll be coming back to the issue of data backup in another post.

Sign Up For Our Standard Hosting Plan

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What is in a Domain name?

Domains are as important to your web page as a wheels are to a car, a car is useless without wheels, a web page is useless without an address, and of course your address needs a host Your web address or URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the unique identifier that individuals will use in order to load your web site. Your web address should be as memorable and relevant as possible. Pennyhosts offer a free domain name on as part of it’s free hosting plan, which offers a great starting point but we always recommend that our clients invest in a TLD (Top Level Domain) name that has something to do with the product or service you are offering on your web page. If you’re a business this is an essential first step in ensuring you reach a wide an audience as possible. Registering a domain is generally inexpensive and sometimes Pennyhosts will offer free domains. You simply need to do a little research in order to find the domain name that works for your business and fits your budget as well. If you need any help completing this step, do not hesitate to contact us.

So Many Domain Names – So Little Time.

There are now a huge variety of domain names available for registration, way over 200 in fact anything from .com to .xxx. Do not get disheartened if your first choice of domain name is unavailable, there are plenty of permutations that will work for you, and although your domain name is important, it’s only half the story. Your web business can achieve success, even if it is called bingddiddypingpong.com. When registering domains another important consideration is what names are available with different suffixes, you may have reserved .com,  but you should check if domains are available with different endings. If you are a hosting company, like Pennyhosts, you’ll want to reserve pennyhosts.net, .pennyhosts.info etc. It is not a compulsory step, but you may like to avoid your competitors reserving the same name as you.

This is a basic primer on domain names, the are other factors to consider, but the process of purchasing a domain name is not a difficult one and will set you on a solid path to success in the online world. We’ll be adding more articles regarding domain names in the future so so watch this space and please subscribe to the blog.

Well as if the world of web hosting didn’t have enough blogs, but is that any reason not to add one ourselves? Of course not. Pennyhosts as been around about a year and we’ve topped the 1k mark in terms of customers. The old site didn’t have a blog. Of course we could have added one, but we decided to build it round the blog rather than just simply tacking it on. Okay that’s doesn’t take a year, it wasn’t as if we weren’t into blogging or didn’t understood it’s importance as a communication medium, it’s just well, decisions, decisions.

Bright Eyed and Bushy Tailed

So here we are bright eyed and bushy tailed and still one of best web hosting providers, providing a fantastic free web hosting solution. Our aim is to keep you, our customers, or even our curious passers by properly updated, with our news and technology news from around the world. If you haven’t already, sign up for one of our great web host plans, we are sure you will be impressed!