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The Benefits of Virtualization: How to Dodge Steep Upgrade Prices on Hardware and Minimize the Cost of Ownership

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The Benefits of Virtualization: How to Dodge Steep Upgrade Prices on Hardware and Minimize the Cost of Ownership

VMware recently introduced version 9 of its award-winning VMWare Workstation, a software which allows you to run a Windows or Linux/Unix system in a virtual environment on top of Windows 8.

Why anyone would want to run a virtualized PC on a Mac is practically a no-brainer (and since you asked, running OS X on a non-Apple hardware is a no-no for legal reasons). Your Mac doubles as a PC while giving you the ability to use the clipboard and file sharing across these two systems.

But why would you want to run a virtual PC on a PC? This setup can be very handy if you happen to use specialized hardware such as a CNC cutter or some other device with a dongle. Or if you need to rely on drivers which are tied to a specific version of Windows and there is no telling what will happen should you upgrade the OS. Will the vendor force you to upgrade its proprietary hardware? If this is the case then it’s a safe bet that the new hardware will come with no additional features but a steep price tag.

With a virtualizer such as VMWare Workstation, you can dodge the pricing policy of your hardware vendor and get away with a far lower expense.

By virtualizing the old PC on top of a new PC, you escape the compatibility trap and avoid an avalanche of upgrades. In a VMWare virtual environment, your old PC will automatically run at a higher speed, frequently delivering a performance several times that of your old hardware.

Tip: If VMWare’s unreliable checkout powered by Digital River is giving you the chills, you can get your upgrade with electronic delivery of keys from techxtend.com.

The Best Shopping Carts and Web Shops

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The Best Shopping Carts and Web Shops

A stress-free checkout relies on a user-friendly shopping cart with a cost-efficient payment gateway. Giving your web shop a rock-solid shopping cart, which is both enticing, easy-to-use, and versatile, is one of the best things you can do to improve conversions and maximize sales. The choice is yours–but what a choice this is! There are so many of them at any conceivable price point, that it boggles the mind. Let us introduce you to some of the best shopping carts which truly give each other a run for your money.

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Worth Learning or Not: Recent Job Postings in HTML 5, PHP, JavaScript, iOS and Android, and More

Are you trying real hard to make up your mind whether learning any particular programming or scripting language is worth the effort? Why not head over to Indeed and have a look at their compilation of most recent stats about the job postings awaiting coders? You can get your first glimpse right here.

As of today, among the fastest growing keywords found in online job postings are, quite predictably, HTML 5, MongoDB (still a tiny market by numbers), iOS, and Android. By percentage in all job posting containing the search terms, these keywords/languages all stack up and grow pretty well.

In relative terms, it is a different story. HTML 5 outpaces everything else, but since it’s easy to learn, it may not be enough of a reason to get hired. If you had to choose between iOS and Android development, it seems a no-brainer. While similar in absolute terms at less than 0.5 percent market each, the growth in job postings for Android development is shooting through the stratosphere compared to iOS. Your dream job may well involve both these platforms, but Android skills will probably get you there faster.