However, now that I have an initial understanding of each pattern and when it could be applied, I have found no better reference than SourceMaking. The website gives a readable, concise explanation of each pattern including diagrams, applications and rules of thumb, as well as clearly relating it to other patterns which might be relevant to the same problem. It also includes coded examples in several languages, in some cases with a listing for the solution both before and after the design pattern was used.

The site is being used to promote an ebook and series of video tutorials, which could be a great resource, but at $49.99 I can’t really afford to find out right now. If anyone has checked these out, I’d love it if you could let me know what you thought.

• POOR man’s BIG screen! The $100 DIY projector! – A guide to creating a projector using a 15″ screen and an OHP.
• No Text Please, We’re Gamers! – an extensive article on the use of text in modern gaming, and some examples of older, less graphically orientated games.
• Has Ubuntu lost it’s relevance – Why does it suck so much ! – Not really an anti-Linux post so much as a post on why Ubuntu 8.04 was a let down.
• How to Jailbreak iPhone using Quickpwn GUI – does just what it says on the tin.
• Totally Geeky: I Am All Agog When I Visit Microsoft – A report on a visit to Microsoft.
• Will You Remember Me Tomorrow? – A tutorial on CakePHP login forms, focussing on the ‘remember me’ function.
• Codename your releases – thoughts on the importance of giving software releases codenames.
• How am I supposed to know I can tilt the iPhone?! – A usability post looking at the iPhones tilt function, something which is completely unnatural to those who do not know about it.
• 11 reasons why girlfriend is better than computer – a follow on from a post on why computers are better than girlfriends.
• What’s Your Data Worth? – a well thought out post on data loss and recovery.
• We want Hypervideos, not Captioning – oppinions on the ability to add captions toYouTube videos.
• New, Better, More and other lies about game sequels – the problems with story in video game sequels.
• Are Premium Themes & Plugins Legal? – something I have wondered for a while, this post debates whether selling wordpress themes and plugins with restricted right of use is legal given that WordPress is liscensed under the GPL.
• History of Games (that we like to forget): Mario Edutainment Games – digging up some games that should perhaps have remained forgotten.
• Search The Web Visually With Searchme – a review of SearchMe, a beautiful and functional looking search engine.

 
Did you enter a post in the Problogger group writing project? Or have you written a computing related post recently you’d like to share?
Feel free to share your links in the comments.

1. 5 Reasons You Should Use Plain Text To Save Your Data from Rarst. A short, but informative and convincing post on the benefits of using plain text to store your documents.
2. But Mom, You Guys Look at Porn Sites Too from Data-Drop. An amusing post on the importance of cleaning your cache and browser history.
3. Memo: Please Erase All Memories of Lost Memory from Tech Cult. Thoughts on the Britains current trend of regularly loosing our personal data.
4. Geek-Speak and Legaleze – Fess Up! from GrowMap. A portrayal of how inexperienced users feel about the technical terms open source users find commonplace, and the amount of legal jargon found on the web.
5. 9 Super Sexy Betas to Crave Right Now from Listropolis. A list of the hottest betas online right now.
6. Best Blog Footers are Standalone Creations from Webomatik. Views on why great footers are important for websites, and a selection of strong examples.
7. 9 Of The Best Ways To Present A Website To A Client from Just Creative Design. A selection of ideas from presenting mockups of websites to a less than tech-savvy client.

I hope you find some of those links useful. As for me, I entered my post 8 Reasons Why Every Computing Student Will Love Linux.

Today is the final day of the project, so I’ll update this list with the best of todays entries when it is published tomorrow. If you’ve entered, feel free to link to your post in the comments below.

Forums

There are hundreds of Open Source related forums all over the internet, some for a specific program or Linux distribution, others aimed at new users and yet more dealing with anything and everything. If there is something relating to Linux you want to discuss, there will be a forum out there where you can talk about it.

The best part is, all you need to do is sign up and immediately you can read through a whole lot of useful information, get help, and talk with other Linux users.

Some Popular Forums:

1. Linux Forums
2. Linux Questions
3. Ubuntu Forums

Mailing Lists

Mailing lists tend to be more specific than forums, dealing with only a particular geographical area or an application. Users communicate through email, with every one you send being shared with every other person in the group. Writing to one can be a great way to meet people and get support.

Some Mailing Lists:

1. A List of Lists
2. Ubuntu Mailing Lists

Linux User Groups

User groups can be a good way to meet other Linux users in person, or talk to people near you through a mailing list. Meeting other new users can really help you see that you are not alone with your problems, and get some tips from more experienced users.

Some User Group Sites

1. A List of User Groups by Country
2. UK User Groups
3. Dundee and Tayside Linux User Group and Abertay Linux Society.

 
I hope that this post will help some newer users become part of the vast and active Open Source community. If you’ve joined a group and are now looking for technical help, I’ll be following this up with a guide to finding solutions and asking questions in the next couple of days.

If you have any other tips and links you’d like to share, please share them in the comments.