Many aspects of Linux functionality are found, albeit in a different form in Windows. Inodes, the subject of this article, are an exception to this rule. Given the practicality of inodes, Windows now contains an imitation of this functionality. But really, to take full advantage of this somewhat complicated concept, you'll have to go to Linux or Unix.
So what are inodes and why would anyone want to use them? Inodes are the internal description of a file. As we will see below, the specific inode contents for a given file are different in memory and on disk. But the key to the inode is that a single file may have different names. Why would anybody want to do that? One very important reason is that a user may access a shared file by an intuitive name. Accounting department users could give a certain file an accounting-style name, while users from the marketing department could access this same file by a name that makes sense to them. This functionality alone makes inodes worth having.
Furthermore, let's say that by accident the "accounting" file was deleted. Accounting users could still access that file if they knew the "marketing" name. Remember, we are talking about one single file that has different names. People don't have to know about these complications to be able to access the file. The extra processing is handled behind the scenes.
Now let's examine inodes more closely. The inode on disk contains the following information: file owner identifier, file type, file access permissions, file access information, number of links, list of data addresses, and file size. The file owner identifier specifies the file owner and the group owner as discussed in our article on permissions and groups. The file type indicates whether we are talking about a regular file, a directory, or something else. The file access permissions denote the permissions, also discussed in a previous article. A given file may have different permissions for different users, for example accounting users may have permission to read and modify the file while marketing users only have permission to read it.
File access information specifies when the file was last accessed, last modified, and when the associated inode was last modified. The number of links indicates the number of names that the file has. In our example, the file has two links. If either accounting or marketing delete the file (assuming that they have such permission) the number of links is reduced to 1. But the file is still there and the number of links could be increased.
The inode on disk provides a list of data addresses; the single file may be scattered across the disk. The final value is the size of the file in bytes.
The inode in memory contains all of the above information plus additional information such as whether or not the file is available for processing (someone else may be using it) and whether someone is waiting to process the file. Remember, several people may be using Unix or Linux simultaneously. If there were no file usage control two different people in accounting could pay a bill at the same time. Windows doesn't have this problem; it's not a multi-user system.
The ln command is used to create a link to a given file. For example, ln acct1 mark1 links the mark1 file to the acct1 file; it makes the name mark1 available for the acct1 file. It's the same file, but with a new name. The ls 'i command provides information about the file including the number of links (the number of names for the file.)
The next article in this series discusses the Linux kernel and processes.
As CEO and Chief Career Coach for CareersNet.com, I see teeming hordes of people wanting to change their career. Trouble is 99% haven't got a clue how to go about it.
The problem is most Career Advisors haven't got any idea either. Ask yourself: "Who advised you at school, college, university, at the job centre? As Dilbert once said 'Would you trust your career counselor, if they worked that hard?"
I've been on both sides of this equation. While I was unemployed I worked very hard at presenting myself well. When I've been the recipient of resumes, I realised that many career change artistes fail because they put themselves first, rather than the addressing the OTHER's problem.
In fact, I cannot remember a time when an applicant first thought of what I might WANT or NEED before telling me what a great guy or gal s/he was, thus sounding like every other 'Knuckle-headed loser." - "I'm great take-me."
Every recruiter and prospective employer thinks that the NEXT person they see is going to be the 'One'. They want you to be the 'One'. In fact, somewhere, someone is desperate for you to be the 'One'.
Believe me. That's why producing a blog, a two minute job, is a fantastic vehicle for your self promotion, because first - you have to find the problem that you can solve and become the 'ONE' that they are looking for.
Below, I share my Top 10 Tips for creating a blog that helps change your career. Enjoy, and do pass these tips along to those who you feel would benefit from reading them. Think Content: If your blog contains rich relevant content, you will keep your audience returning for more.
Well thought-out position statements that run counter to business as usual are another avenue to explore in the content arena.
Visualize Your Audience: Don't write for a "demographic." Too many press releases seem to be writing for some vague audience.
Personify the reader(s). Imagine them reading your blog or 'a lift from it that a reporter might use.' If you can't visualize this, start over.
Optimize Your Blog for the Search Engines: Everyday, more people get their news from Google News or Yahoo News and the like. When writing your blog, think about the keywords your target audience uses to make up that filter. Don't overuse those keyword phrases, but don't ignore them either.
Try New Circuits: Don't just use the same old search engine directories you've always used. (but don't neglect them either) I've recently gotten much better bang for the buck by using RSS feeds as part of the service for no extra charge that results in "links" with more blogs and other sites syndicating content via RSS.
Be Quotable: Say something that is not part of the daily drone. That PR clutter can be your friend so long as you say something relevant and different that breaks through it.
Get Help: Many blogs are terrible because they're written by individuals obsessing about themselves. Get help with discovering what makes you tick and how you can use the strengths you undervalue.
Be Tough on Yourself: After you have drafted your post to your blog, before you submit it - read it as if you never laid eyes upon it. If the headline was a subject header in an email, would you open it or delete it? As you read through the copy, where do you start to lose interest and start thinking about supper?
Jump Page: I sometimes offer 3 out of 10 tips or trends within my blog and a live link thereafter for readers to jump to my site where they can read the remaining 7 tips. Very effective.
Create News: Much news is manufactured, not only for B2B but B2C as well. Creating an event that you can repeat annually, such as a competition or review of something interesting to your target audience, can generate traffic for your site for many years to come.
If you establish a "Hall of Fame" or some other perennial competition, you're likely to also create a clamour for other firms to be heralded in your final results that will be announced in your blog.
Track Your Results: See what works best by tracking your results for days after your blog has gone out. Any blogging service worth it's salt should offer you this feature for little or no extra.
Furthermore, you yourself should search for citations of your blog in the major blog search engines for days after to see how well it has propagated.
Bonus Tip: Edit, Edit, Edit. With the onslaught of so much information coming at all of us, editors and readers alike are less and less patient with puffery and prose that don't get to the point quickly.
As Net Guru Mac Ross advises, "Make every word work hard."
See my Change Your Career With a Blog! and receive a five day no charge ecourse!
Both Levi Reiss & Margaret Stead are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Levi Reiss has sinced written about articles on various topics from Touring Italy, Travel and Leisure and Food and Drink. Levi Reiss has written ten computer and Internet books either alone or with a co-author. The books are over, at least for the time being, replaced by a multitude of websites, including global wine, Italian wine, Italian travel, and health and nutritional. Levi Reiss's top article generates over 450000 views. to your Favourites.
Margaret Stead has sinced written about articles on various topics from Careers and Job Hunting, Career Change and Careers and Job Hunting. Margaret Stead is a Career Consultant, Business Psychologist and self-styled 'Dream Architect' on a mission to create a million brilliant careers. She has increased career currency, capability and job satisfaction for many successful career change individ. Margaret Stead's top article generates over 1000 views. to your Favourites.