All hard disks have to have partitions on to hold any sort of data, different operating system require you to have different partitions. Windows generally uses either a FAT32 partition type or NTFS. If you have a pc with windows on the chances are that you only have 1 partition on. For Linux we're going to have to make some changes to your partition table and introduce 2-3 new partitions.
Don't worry if this all sounds complicated, the newest distributions especially SuSE has tried to make partitions as easy as possible, it comes with a utility built into YaST (SuSEs installation program) which automatically resizes your main fat32 partition to fit Windows and Linux on along with any other small changes which need to be made. If you feel more comfortable controlling how much space exactly to give each operating system I suggest you use a program like Partition Magic rather then Fdisk.
I'm not going to go into great detail on how to use these programs but I will mention what you need to do with these programs. Depending on how big your hard drive is will depend on how much space you want to allocate for Linux. I normally go for around 10gbs as my root partition for Linux as this gives me plenty of space to work with. You can install Linux on a number of different partition types the most common being EXT2/EXT3.
The newer distributions will use EXT3 and the older EXT2. Though the differences between the partitions do not concern us, it does not make a major difference which you choose. Once you have your main Linux root partition you will need a swap partition. It took me a while to get my head round this concept but swap partitions come in very handy and speed up day to day tasks a lot. Swap partitions originally came from the days when ram was very expensive so the idea of using your hard drive to substitute ram came about. Windows uses a similar technique known as virtual memory.
Your swap partition doesn?t need to be over big, a minimum of 128mbs and a maximum of around 500mbs. Generally the less ram you have the bigger the swap partition you need. If you have a large enough hard drive and space isn?t a big issue it doesn't harm having a bigger swap partition but there is no need to over do it. Finally if your hard drive is bigger then 8gbs and the Linux partition isn?t the first on the drive then you may need to make a boot partition if you intend to duel boot with windows. Boot partitions have to be the first partition on the drive as need only be a maximum of 50mbs formatted to EXT2.
This makes it easier for installing any boot managers needed to duel boot the system. Without one you may find when you reboot your pc after installation only windows will boot and the only way you will be able to access Linux is with a boot disk. The exact principles behind how partitions work is not really relevant for using Linux. The general idea is that Windows uses either FAT16, FAT32 or NTFS partitions and Linux uses EXT2, EXT3, REISER and SWAP. All these can easily be created using Partition Magic or Linux Fdisk.
Your office space should reflect you as a business owner and as a company. This is important because the building and its interior is the way you make that all-important first impression, so make it good!
Make a bold statement
You need to show visitors and clients that you are cool, creative and modern. Think about a statement piece for your entrance or reception – it could be a sculpture, a collage of your employees and their stories, or something bonkers like an indoor pond.
Focus on the reception
Those first few seconds of human contact are vital in forming an impression that will hopefully lead to a great business relationship. You need to get across the feel and ethos of you and your company, so incorporate that into the design and layout. Don’t forget, though, that the reception area is often busy and so people need to be able to move efficiently and quickly through it.
Once you’ve pinned down the design, make sure your receptionist seals the deal with a warm smile!
Use the building’s original features
If your office space in Heathrow has some quirky features, or an interesting history, bring this to the fore. If it used to be an old tyre factory, for example, think of ways to give that history a nod. It’s a talking point, at least.
Use the force…of colour
Colour really does influence people and their behaviour, so busy rooms can be yellow or orange to promote creativity and energy. Don’t go overboard though, as it can lead to outbursts of temper.
For calmer rooms, try blues and purples, and for a return to nature and restfulness, try greens. You can also have some old favourites like greys and browns, but only as accents, as you want to avoid a total re-run of the 1970s!
Aim for a homely kitchen
Just as the kitchen is the heart of the home, it should be the heart of the workplace too. Office kitchens have previously been grubby, drab little affairs where bad coffee and dry sandwiches were the order of the day.
Now, however, the office kitchen is a home/work/meeting kind of place where people can genuinely relax and even generate some ideas together. Aim for cosy and homely, or maybe a bit café-ish, depending on your style. One thing is vital, however – good coffee! Coffee is how working relationships and friendships are forged.
If there’s space for air hockey or something similar, then go for it.
Choose the best chairs you can
Woefully overlooked, the office chair needs to be rehabilitated and brought back into fashion. We spend hours every day in them and if you want the best out of your workforce, give them the best foundation you can! They deserve comfort.
Use clever lighting
With creative use of lighting, you can make your space into zones and manage people’s moods. This includes letting in natural light as well as feature and adjustable lights and lamps. Aim for a mixture of natural, soft and high beam.
What are your ideas for cool office spaces? Let us know!
Do you have a job that keeps you tied to your desk throughout the day? It can be difficult to stay in shape in an office environment, but there are things you can do to try and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Read on for our top five work fitness tips to help you avoid piling on the pounds.
Adjust your posture
Many people fall into the trap of slouching at their desk. Sitting up straight is a calorie-burner as it contributes to toning your physique. Your back and core muscles tighten up when you sit up straight, helping to tone them as well. Having correct posture can prevent backaches and neck pain, allowing you to continue exercising away from work without injuries or injuring yourself further.
Don't skip lunch or 'down time'
Do you usually grab your lunch without taking a break from your work? This usually results in us rushing something unhealthy down and increases the chances of putting on weight. Choosing healthy options such as fruits, vegetables and fat free yogurts away from your desk can help you stay fit. Take time away from the daily grind and utilise your lunch hour to do something enjoyable such as trying out casumo free spins or reading a good book can also help our wellbeing.
Keep yourself mobile
Standing up and going for a short walk can help you stay in shape as this will increase your activity levels during the day. If you need to speak with a colleague, pop along to their office rather than phoning or sending an email. At lunchtime try and get outside for some fresh air – even a brisk 15 minute walk can make a difference to your fitness levels.
Don't overdo tea or coffee
It can be notoriously difficult to try to control your intake of tea and coffee at work. This can be made worse if you take your drinks with sugar. Drink plenty of water throughout the day so that you remain hydrated and alert. Water can trick your body into feeling full, significantly diminishing your hunger and cravings.
Don't skip your gym session
You can soon get out of the habit of visiting the gym if you have an office job, but keeping a workout in your daily routine will undoubtedly help you to stay in shape. Most gyms offer early morning sessions, so why not get up an hour earlier and start the day on a treadmill or exercise bike? A quick shower afterwards will leave you refreshed and ready to tackle your office duties.
There are more than 12 million eCommerce websites on the internet today. Less than 650,000 of them make more than a thousand dollars every year. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity to marketers. While the probability of success in eCommerce might seem low, entrepreneurs can make a killing buying not so successful online stores and turning them around. In this article, we will look at some ridiculously easy ways marketers can make failing eCommerce websites profitable.
Content Marketing
Growing traffic to standalone eCommerce websites can be tough work. This is because of the sheer competition that your business faces from rival stores selling the same products. Thanks to the latest algorithm updates, search engines like Google rank established websites like Amazon over smaller, niche stores. One way to get around this challenge is through content marketing. Publishing blogs, videos and images that appeal to your target audience helps your business get seen on social media channels like Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. Also, a well-planned content marketing strategy can also help your business rank for lucrative long-tail searches on Google. All of this draws your targeted audience to your website who may then be directed to your eCommerce portal.
Consolidation
ECommerce marketplaces like Shopify Exchange are extremely popular among serial entrepreneurs who own a lot of businesses. The reason for this is consolidation. Entrepreneurs who own a lot of properties in an industry tend to buy more businesses in the space in order to refer visitors and customers from one portal to the other. For instance, if you own a fashion blog, it is a good idea to buy an online apparel store that aligns with the kind of fashion you cover on your website. This way, you could refer the visitors from the blog to your online store and vice versa, thereby growing the traffic and revenue across both these properties.
Coupons
Customers love giveaways and discounts. Coupon marketing can however bleed your revenue and should therefore be deployed judiciously. To begin with, target your coupons at specific customers or products. For instance, you could offer a ten percent discount on new customers. This way, you incentivize new registrations while forcing regular customers to pay market price for products. Similarly, if you are having trouble moving certain SKUs, you could look at offering discounts on these products alone. One way to make sure that your coupon strategy does not cause loss is by setting a minimum order value.
Partnerships
The purchase of an eCommerce store should not be viewed as a standalone transaction. Buying an online store also helps you get access to suppliers, wholesalers and distributors who can provide you products at a discounted rate. Besides selling these products on your eCommerce store, you may also strike a partnership with complementary websites or brick and mortar destinations to deliver these products to their customers. This helps your business scale up your monthly volume which can fetch you a better price from the suppliers. This strategy is particularly useful to increase profitability as well as to dramatically improve your monthly turnover.
The Web Orchard, one of the region’s leading website developers who are based in Shrewsbury, have recently been delivering support to their growing number of international clients.
A project funded by the World Bank targeting Women in Iraq, is amongst the latest organisations to benefit from The Web Orchards managed hosting, aiming to solve any technical issues and user support requests.
Speaking in regards to the Nina-Iraq website, Pete White says “Nina-Iraq represents the heart of enterprise and the spirit of Iraq. It is great for us to be able to share our technical abilities and expand our services, into other countries from our operating base in the heart of Shrewsbury.”
Website hosting and ongoing technical support are just two areas where The Web Orchard excel in supporting numerous renowned companies.
For more information on The Web Orchard and their web services, visit www.theweborchard.com, to see the Nina-Iraq website, take a look at www.nina-iraq.com