Top 10 ways to secure your website from hackers and spammers

In today’s world, a website is an essential and, sometimes, the most important component of any business, organization, community or group. Websites range from small sites owned by individuals to large enterprise domains and e-commerce platforms dealing with sensitive customer and commercial data.

Whatever be the size of a website, security is at the core of any online platform and webmasters need to ensure the safety and availability of their site at all times.

The following list details ten simple ways to secure any website from hackers and spammers:

1. File-system permissions on the host server.

A website may be developed in HTML, PHP, .Net, Java or any other web language but, irrespective of the design, all websites have application files deployed on the web server. It is our duty to ensure that all application files are readable and writable only by the owner of the file. All other users such as group owners and general public should only have read access to the application files. A Unix or Linux file system should have the permissions set to 644 for proper security. In case of a shared hosting service, connect with the hosting provider to ensure that proper file system permissions are in place.

2. SSL certificates.

Install SSL certificates on the web server. This will ensure that all data transferred to and from the website is encrypted and cannot be easily compromised by hackers. SSL certificates are not very expensive and adds credibility to a site. It is also said to improve search engine ranking.

3. Complex long-length password.

Ensure that all user and database passwords are at least 8 characters in length or more with a mix of alphanumeric characters and symbols. Alphabets should be used in both uppercase and lowercase format. Refrain from using personal information such as date of birth, address or phone number.

4. Minimize the use of plugins and theme add-on(s) in CMS platforms.

Most CMS platforms such as WordPress and Joomla use themes, plugins and add-on(s) to enhance the functionality and look and feel of a website. It is recommended to minimize the use of plugins as much as possible. Plugins slow down a website and may also contain malicious code which may compromise your website’s security features. It is advisable to download essential plugins from trusted and official sources only rather than from third-party sites. If possible, a review of the plugin code for external references can further aid your security checks.

5. Use Google ReCaptcha, Invisible Captcha or any other Captcha service.

This will minimize brute-force attacks for sign-up/login screens and minimize or eliminate spam email from contact forms.

6. Scrutinize freely available PHP/Javascript/Perl codes.

Adding new functionalities to a website and customizing its look is something we all desire. But we should maintain caution while copying snippets of code from the internet and deploying them on a live server, especially if it contains references to external Javascripts.

7. Configure the “robots.txt” file properly.

This will prevent search engines from indexing restricted or private folders containing credentials and other sensitive information.

8. Use the “.htaccess file” judiciously.

This may be used to enable a variety of security restrictions on a website. However, the changes must be reviewed by an expert or the hosting service provider so as not to hamper the normal functioning of the website.

9. Do not use common user names such as “admin” or “administrator”.

Use something unique. For example “abc_master” or “abc_admusr” sounds a bit different.

10. For CMS sites such as WordPress or Joomla, change the default login/admin url.

This can be achieved through custom code or by using a plugin and is a great way to stave off brute-force attacks.

The above listed techniques, although not fool-proof, should help to reduce hacking and spam attacks significantly on any website.

https://knowhowspot.com/technology/information-technology/top-10-ways-to-secure-your-website-from-hackers-and-spammers/

What is a Black Hole?

A black hole is a region of space-time exhibiting such strong gravitational effects that no particle or electromagnetic radiation, such as light, can escape from inside it. The theory of general relativity predicts that a sufficiently compact mass can deform space-time to form a black hole. The boundary of the region from which no escape is possible is called the event horizon.

Black holes of stellar mass are expected to form when very massive stars collapse at the end of their life cycle. After a black hole has formed, it can continue to grow by absorbing mass from its surroundings. By absorbing other stars and merging with other black holes, supermassive black holes of millions of solar masses may form. There is general consensus that supermassive black holes exist in the centers of most galaxies. At the same time, we may also have Black Holes about the size of an atom but with the mass of a very large mountain.

Despite its invisible interior, the presence of a black hole can be inferred through its interaction with other matter and with electromagnetic radiation such as visible light. When an object falls into a black hole, any information about the shape of the object or distribution of charge on it is evenly distributed along the horizon of the black hole, and is lost to outside observers.

At the center of a black hole, as described by general relativity, lies a gravitational singularity, a region where the spacetime curvature becomes infinite. For a non-rotating black hole, this region takes the shape of a single point and for a rotating black hole, it is smeared out to form a ring singularity that lies in the plane of rotation. In both cases, the singular region has zero volume. It can also be shown that the singular region contains all the mass of the black hole solution. The singular region can thus be thought of as having infinite density.

Black holes are extremely perplexing entities and the scientific community is continuously trying to explore its true nature and unravel its mysteries.

https://knowhowspot.com/science/astronomy/what-is-a-black-hole/

What is Kumari Kandam? A mythical continent or lost reality?

Kumari Kandam refers to a mythical lost continent with an ancient Tamil civilization, located south of present-day India, in the Indian Ocean. Alternative names and spellings include Kumarikkantam and Kumari Nadu. In the 19th century, a section of the European and American scholars speculated the existence of a submerged continent called Lemuria, to explain geological and other similarities between Africa, Australia, India and Madagascar. A section of Tamil scholars adapted this theory, connecting it to the Pandyan legends of lands lost to the ocean, as described in ancient Tamil and Sanskrit literature. According to these writers, an ancient Tamil civilization existed on Lemuria, before it was lost to the sea in a catastrophe. In the 20th century, the Tamil writers started using the name "Kumari Kandam" to describe this submerged continent. Although the Lemuria theory was later rendered obsolete by the continental drift (plate tectonics) theory, the concept remained popular among the Tamil scholars of the 20th century. According to them, Kumari Kandam was the place where the first two Tamil literary academies (Sangams) were organized during the Pandyan reign. They claimed Kumari Kandam as the cradle of human civilization and the place from where all human beings ultimately migrated to various parts of the world. According to the Kumari Kandam proponents, the continent was submerged when the last ice age ended and the sea levels rose. The Tamil people then migrated to other lands, and mixed with the other groups, leading to the formation of new races, languages and civilizations. Some also theorize that the entire humanity is descended from the inhabitants of Kumari Kandam. Both narratives agree on the point that the Tamil culture is the source of all civilized culture in the world, and Tamil is the mother language of all other languages in the world. According to the most versions, the original culture of Kumari Kandam survived in Tamil Nadu. An interesting and mysterious fact supporting the above theory is that of a section of indigenous Australians being able to speak fluently in Tamil or its dialects. Genetic similarities have also been identified between Indians and native Australians. Multiple ancient and medieval Tamil and Sanskrit works contain legendary accounts of lands in South India being lost to the ocean. The earliest explicit discussion of a Katalkol ("seizure by ocean", possibly tsunami) of Pandyan land is found in a commentary on Iraiyanar Akapporul. This commentary, attributed to Nakkeerar, is dated to the later centuries of the 1st millennium CE. It mentions that the Pandyan kings, an early Tamil dynasty, established three literary academies (Sangams): the first Sangam flourished for 4,400 years in a city called Tenmaturai (South Madurai) attended by 549 poets (including Agastya) and presided over by Gods like Shiva, Kubera and Murugan. The second Sangam lasted for 3,700 years in a city called Kapatapuram, attended by 59 poets (including Agastya, again). The commentary states that both the cities were "seized by the ocean", resulting in loss of all the works created during the first two Sangams. The third Sangam was established in Uttara (North) Madurai, where it is said to have lasted for 1,850 years.

Nakkeerar's commentary does not mention the size of the territory lost to the sea. The size is first mentioned in a 15th-century commentary on Silappatikaram. The commentator Adiyarkunallar mentions that the lost land extended from Pahruli river in the north to the Kumari river in the South. It was located to the south of Kanyakumari, and covered an area of 700 kavatam (a unit of unknown measurement).

In 1864, the English zoologist Philip Sclater hypothesized the existence of a submerged land connection between India, Madagascar and continental Africa. He named this submerged land Lemuria, as the concept had its origins in his attempts to explain the presence of lemur-like primates (strepsirrhini) on these three disconnected lands. In 1885, the Indian Civil Service officer Charles D. Maclean published The Manual of the Administration of the Madras Presidency, in which he theorized Lemuria as the proto-Dravidian urheimat. In a footnote in this work, he mentioned Ernst Haeckel's Asia hypothesis, which theorized that the humans originated in a land now submerged in the Indian Ocean. Maclean added that this submerged land was the homeland of the proto-Dravidians. He also suggested that the progenitors of the other races must have migrated from Lemuria to other places via South India. This theory was also cursorily discussed by other colonial officials like Edgar Thurston and Herbert Hope Risley, including in the census reports of 1891 and 1901.

A similar report of a lost underwater continent has been reported in the National Geographic. In a study published in Nature Communications, a team of South African researchers have described the discovery of 3-billion-year-old zircon crystals on Mauritius. But the volcanic island itself is only some 8 million years old, so how is that possible? The ancient minerals, found on the island’s beaches, were likely ejected by volcanic eruptions from far below. Their age suggests the zircons once belonged to a continental crust much older than the recently formed island itself. This means that deep underneath the surface of the Indian Ocean and right under Mauritius, there was once a small continent. Mauritia, as the researchers have proposed to name it, was only a quarter of the size of Madagascar and has been buried under volcanic material for millions of years. Mauritia acted as a buffer zone between the western Indian subcontinent and eastern Madagascar, and was fragmented by numerous tectonic and volcanic events that occurred in that region since the early Cretaceous period. The early Cretaceous period happened some 146 to 100 million years ago. Dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus rex and sauropods were wandering around the early continent of Gondwana — now South America, Africa, India, Antarctica, and Australia. As Gondwana changed shape, causing India and Madagascar to move apart some 180 million years ago, Mauritia broke into smaller and thinner pieces. Whatever be the name - Kumari Kandam, Mauritia, Lemuria or Gondwana, all the above reports indicate the presence of an underwater continent connecting India, Australia, Madagascar and Africa, with possible extensions to South America and Antarctica. A lot of research is yet to be done, lots of facts to be unravelled from the depths of the Indian Ocean and history waiting to be revealed; the past, which may change the future of the entire human race.

Independence Day (India) - 15th August

Independence Day is annually celebrated on 15th August, as a national holiday in India commemorating the nation's independence from the United Kingdom on 15th August 1947. The UK Parliament passed the Indian Independence Act 1947 transferring legislative sovereignty to the Indian Constituent Assembly. India still retained King George VI as head of state until its transition to a full republican constitution. India attained independence from oppressive British rule of more than 200 years following the Independence Movement led by eminent freedom fighters and martyrs such Rani Laxmi Bai, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh, Chandra Shekhar Azad, Sardar Vallabhai Patel and several others, which was later followed by a largely non-violent resistance and civil disobedience movement led by Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian National Congress (INC).

Independence coincided with the partition of India, in which British India was divided along religious lines into the Dominions of India and Pakistan. The partition was accompanied by violent riots and mass casualties, and the displacement of nearly 15 million people due to religious violence. On 15th August 1947, the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, raised the Indian national flag above the Lahori Gate of the Red Fort in Delhi. On each subsequent Independence Day, the Prime Minister customarily raises the flag and gives an address to the nation.

The following speech was delivered by Jawaharlal Nehru declaring India's Independence on 15th August, 1947:

"Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance. It is fitting that at this solemn moment, we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity."

The national holiday is observed throughout India with flag-hoisting ceremonies, parades and cultural events.

Lord Jagannath and The Puri Temple

Jagannath (Jagannatha) literally means "Lord of the Universe" (derived from "Jagat" meaning Universe and "Nath" meaning Lord) and is a deity worshipped in regional traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism in India and Bangladesh. Jagannath is considered a form of Vishnu. He is a part of a triad along with his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra. To some Vaishnava Hindus, Jagannath is an abstract representation of Krishna; to some Shaiva and Shakta Hindus, he is a symmetry-filled tantric representation of Bhairava; to some Buddhists, he is symbolism for Buddha in the Buddha-Sangha-Dhamma triad; to some Jains, his name and his festive rituals are derived from Jeenanath of Jainism tradition.

The icon of Jagannath is a carved and decorated wooden stump with large round eyes and a symmetric face, and the icon has a conspicuous absence of hands or legs. The worship procedures, sacraments and rituals associated with Jagannath are syncretic, and include rites that are uncommon in Hinduism. The origin and evolution of Jagannath worship is unclear. Some scholars interpret hymn 10.155.3 of the Rigveda as a possible origin, but others disagree and state that it is a syncretic deity with tribal roots. His name does not appear in the traditional Dashavatara (ten avatars) of Vishnu, though in certain Odia literature, Jagannath has been treated as the Ninth avatar, as a substitute for or the equivalent of the Buddha.

Lord Jagannath is seated along with Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra in an ancient stone temple in Puri, Odisha. These three deities, constitute the basic and fundamental Trinity and are considered to be the forms and manifestations of the omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent supreme power. Sudarshan, who is supposed to be the fourth important divine manifestation, is also worshipped with the celebrated trio and these four are known as the Caturdha murti or the four-fold divine images. Besides, Madhava, a replica of Jagannatha, Sridevi and Bhudevi are also installed in the sanctum sanctorum and worshipped. Some interesting and unexplained facts about the Jagannath Temple at Puri:

1. The origins of this temple cannot be clearly ascertained. There are numerous references to Lord Jagannath and the Puri temple in acient texts and literature dating back thousands of years but the antiquity of Jagannath still remains a mystery. Traditional authorities strongly hold that Jagannatha is perhaps as old as human civilization.
2. The Brahmapadartha (Life force or Cosmic substance) is, perhaps, the biggest mystery of the Jagannath temple at Puri. Every 12–19 years, the ritual of Nabakalebara is performed. Nabakalebara (Naba means New and Kalebara means Body, literally meaning New Body) is an ancient ritual associated with Lord Jagannath. During this ritual, the idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarshan are replaced by a new set of idols. This ritual is performed when a year has two Asadha months (Adhika maas of Asadha) according to Hindu calendar. This usually occurs every 12 to 19 years. The deities are made of Daru Brahma (Neem Tree). There are many legends about the Brahmapadartha which is transferred from the existing idols to the new ones. They are transferred by the senior most Daitapatis, in a blindfolded state. Even they claim to not know exactly about it. This service is, therefore, called "Gupt Seva" (secret service).
3. The Prasadam prepared in the temple on a single day never gets wasted nor does it ever fall short. It fulfills all the devotees whether a surplus number of people come to the temple or less.
4. The temple Prasadam is cooked in earthen pots using firewood. Exactly 7 pots are put on top on one another. Amazing and unbelievable, the top most pot gets cooked first followed by the bottom pots in order.
5. The flag atop the temple has been observed to flap in the opposite direction of the breeze.
6. Irrespective of where one stands in Puri, it seems to the viewer that the Sudarshana Chakra on top of the temple is always facing him/her.
7. Usually in coastal areas during the day-time, the breeze blows from the sea towards the land and during evening hours it blows from the land towards the sea. But in the case of Puri it is the reverse.
8. No birds fly above the Jagannath temple in Puri.
9. The shadow of the main dome of Jagannath temple is not visible, whatever be the time of day. Maybe an architectural feat or the Lord’s desire.
10. After entering the temple from Singha Dwara’s entrance, one cannot hear any sound produced by the ocean, after the first step. But, when one exits, it can be clearly heard. This can be noticed even more clearly during evening. There is no scientific explanation for this. Legend has it that Subhadra Mayi, the sister of the two Lords wished peace and serenity within the temple abode and hence it was made to come about that way.

Official website of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration, Puri: jagannath.nic.in

Top 10 ways to secure your website from hackers and spammers

In today's world, a website is an essential and, sometimes, the most important component of any business, organization, community or group. Websites range from small sites owned by individuals to large enterprise domains and e-commerce platforms dealing with sensitive customer and commercial data.

Whatever be the size of a website, security is at the core of any online platform and webmasters need to ensure the safety and availability of their site at all times.

The following list details ten simple ways to secure any website from hackers and spammers:

1. File-system permissions on the host server.

A website may be developed in HTML, PHP, .Net, Java or any other web language but, irrespective of the design, all websites have application files deployed on the web server. It is our duty to ensure that all application files are readable and writable only by the owner of the file. All other users such as group owners and general public should only have read access to the application files. A Unix or Linux file system should have the permissions set to 644 for proper security. In case of a shared hosting service, connect with the hosting provider to ensure that proper file system permissions are in place.

2. SSL certificates.

Install SSL certificates on the web server. This will ensure that all data transferred to and from the website is encrypted and cannot be easily compromised by hackers. SSL certificates are not very expensive and adds credibility to a site. It is also said to improve search engine ranking.

3. Complex long-length password.

Ensure that all user and database passwords are at least 8 characters in length or more with a mix of alphanumeric characters and symbols. Alphabets should be used in both uppercase and lowercase format. Refrain from using personal information such as date of birth, address or phone number.

4. Minimize the use of plugins and theme add-on(s) in CMS platforms.

Most CMS platforms such as Wordpress and Joomla use themes, plugins and add-on(s) to enhance the functionality and look and feel of a website. It is recommended to minimize the use of plugins as much as possible. Plugins slow down a website and may also contain malicious code which may compromise your website's security features. It is advisable to download essential plugins from trusted and official sources only rather than from third-party sites. If possible, a review of the plugin code for external references can further aid your security checks.

5. Use Google ReCaptcha, Invisible Captcha or any other Captcha service.

This will minimize brute-force attacks for sign-up/login screens and minimize or eliminate spam email from contact forms.

6. Scrutinize freely available PHP/Javascript/Perl codes.

Adding new functionalities to a website and customizing its look is something we all desire. But we should maintain caution while copying snippets of code from the internet and deploying them on a live server, especially if it contains references to external Javascripts.

7. Configure the "robots.txt" file properly.

This will prevent search engines from indexing restricted or private folders containing credentials and other sensitive information.

8. Use the ".htaccess file" judiciously.

This may be used to enable a variety of security restrictions on a website. However, the changes must be reviewed by an expert or the hosting service provider so as not to hamper the normal functioning of the website.

9. Do not use common user names such as "admin" or "administrator".

Use something unique. For example "abc_master" or "abc_admusr" sounds a bit different.

10. For CMS sites such as Wordpress or Joomla, change the default login/admin url.

This can be achieved through custom code or by using a plugin and is a great way to stave off brute-force attacks.

The above listed techniques, although not fool-proof, should help to reduce hacking and spam attacks significantly on any website.

Plan

Everyone of us plans. Don't we ? We either plan to achieve something or we plan to be someone. But rather often, than not, our plans go haywire. But still we plan......we plan because we have to.....we plan because someone wants us to plan.....we plan because the supreme being has plans for each and everyone of us. Our plans keep us going...our plans keep us motivated, but finally, we always end up with what God has planned for us. We can, therefore, make only one plan......Plan To Be Surprised.

What is Platform as a Service (PaaS)?

Platform as a Service (PaaS) is a category of cloud computing services that provides a platform allowing customers to develop, run, and manage applications without the complexity of building and maintaining the infrastructure typically associated with developing and launching an app. PaaS can be delivered in three ways:

• As a public cloud service from a provider, where the consumer controls software deployment with minimal configuration options, and the provider provides the networks, servers, storage, operating system (OS), middleware (e.g. Java runtime, .NET runtime, integration, etc.), database and other services to host the consumer's application.
• As a private service (software or appliance) inside the firewall.
• As software deployed on a public infrastructure as a service.

Like IaaS, PaaS includes infrastructure (servers, storage and networking) and also middleware, development tools, business intelligence (BI) services, database management systems and more. PaaS is designed to support the complete web application life-cycle: building, testing, deploying, managing and updating. The advantages of PaaS are as follows:

• Cut coding time.
• Add development capabilities without adding staff.
• Develop for multiple platforms, including mobile, more easily.
• Use sophisticated tools affordably.
• Support geographically distributed development teams.
• Efficiently manage the application life-cycle.

How to drive traffic to a website, blog or online store?

A website, blog or online store (e-commerce) is a great way to establish online presence for a company, organization, community or individual. In today's ever changing business scenario, a website or blog serves as an online identity and promotes brand awareness and visibility. It also serves as a means to drive sales of products and services and generates revenue from advertisements and associated offerings. Hence, it is apt to classify a website or a blog as digital real estate.

However, creating a site or online platform is only the first step towards achieving the goal of brand promotion and revenue generation. The most important determining factor behind its success is online traffic. Unless a website/blog has incoming traffic or visitors, it will neither create brand awareness nor will it generate revenue from online sales and advertisements. In the absence of traffic, a website or blog tends to appear like an island lost in the ocean of millions of similar websites and blogs. A piece of digital real estate then becomes a liability instead of an asset.

But how do we drive more traffic to a site? That is the pertinent question.

There are a lot of articles floating around on the internet which try to address this fundamental question but all may not be relevant and appropriate. With the evolution of technology and computing techniques, many suggestions have been rendered useless and obsolete. In some cases, certain old techniques, such as inappropriate usage of keywords, may even prove detrimental.

This article highlights the most important guidelines for increasing traffic to any website. The suggestions are based on actual experience and have been prepared on the basis of feedback and expertise shared by numerous webmasters and site owners. 1. Write good Content and ensure Quality Control.

The first and foremost criteria for any successful website or blog is quality content. If one can produce content which is useful and helpful for the intended audience, there shall an automatic and natural surge in visitors to the website. However, one must ensure quality and accuracy of the content being shared.

2. Continuous Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

Search Engine Optimization or SEO is essential for driving and maintaining a steady flow of traffic to any website. However, one must understand that this is not a one-time activity but rather, an on-going process. Judicious use of keywords, human-readable permalink structure and appropriate use of tags, hyperlinks and headlines are some of the most common but important techniques. It must also be noted that any description or text used in the site must be written in natural language and keyword-stuffing must be strictly avoided.

3. Engage in Social Media Marketing.

Promote the site on popular social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+, Tumblr, etc. This increases visibility and widens the reach to the target audience. One may start with free promotions and then upgrade to paid promotions in future.

4. Paid promotions in Search Engines.

Advertising is a good idea, especially in Google, Facebook and Yahoo. Opt for a mix of Google AdWords, Facebook Ads and Yahoo advertisements.

5. Create Inbound and Outbound links.

The number of links or url(s) pointing to and from a website or blog impacts its search engine ranking. Try to post references to the site or blog from social media platforms and other blogs and websites. In the absence of inbound and outbound links, a website tends to act like an island in the middle of the ocean with no connectivity to the mainland.

6. Reach the target audience where they already are.

There are numerous blogs, community sites and social media platforms on the World Wide Web and people across the world are using them extensively for commerce, knowledge sharing or simply as a pastime. It is a good idea to engage with the intended audience and encourage them to use the intended site or blog. One may post references to articles and content published on the target site as a means to drive traffic to the new site.

The above guidelines are just a few suggestions drawn from experience and are intended to help entrepreneurs and newly launched sites increase online traffic and visitors.

Memorial Day (United States) - What and When?

Memorial Day or Decoration Day is a federal holiday in the United States for remembering the people who died while serving in the country's armed forces.

Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971.

The holiday is observed every year on the last Monday of May. It marks the unofficial start of the summer vacation season, while Labor Day marks its end.

Many people visit cemeteries and memorials, particularly to honor those who have died in military service.

What is Communication?

Communication is the act of conveying intended meanings from one entity or group to another through the use of mutually understood signs and semiotic rules. It can also be described as the imparting or exchanging of information by speaking, writing or using some other medium.

Communication can broadly be categorized into verbal, non-verbal and written means.

The main steps inherent to all communication are:

• The formation of communicative motive or reason.
• Message composition (Elaboration on what has to be expressed).
• Message encoding (Eg: Digital data, Written text, Speech, Pictures, Gestures and so on).
• Transmission of the encoded message as a sequence of signals using a specific channel or medium.
• Influence of noise sources such as natural forces and, in some cases, human activity on the quality of signals propagating from the sender to one or more receivers.
• Reception of signals and reassembling of the encoded message from a sequence of received signals.
• Decoding of the reassembled encoded message.
• Interpretation and making sense of the presumed original message.

Communication serves as the foundation for human society and is the guiding principle for interchange of all information, globally.

What is Software as a Service (SaaS)?

Software as a service (SaaS) is a software licensing and delivery model in which software is licensed on a subscription basis and is centrally hosted. It is also referred to as "on-demand software", "web-based software" or "hosted software". SaaS is typically accessed by users using a thin client via a web browser and is considered to be one of the three pillars of Cloud Computing.

Instead of installing and maintaining software, customers simply access it via the Internet, thereby freeing themselves from complex software and hardware management. The provider manages access to the application, including security, availability, and performance.

SaaS provides a complete software solution which customers purchase on a "pay-as-you-go" basis from a cloud service provider. All of the underlying infrastructure, middleware, app software and app data are located in the service provider’s data center. SaaS allows an organisation to get up and running quickly with an app with minimal upfront cost.

There are many well-known examples of SaaS, including Office 365, Google Apps, Salesforce, Citrix GoToMeeting, Cisco WebEx and Netflix.

Some examples of where SaaS can be used by enterprises are as follows:

• Accounting and invoicing
• Tracking sales
• Planning
• Performance monitoring
• Communications (including webmail and messaging)
• Analytics

What is Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)?

Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) is a service model of Cloud Computing that delivers computer infrastructure on an outsourced basis to support enterprise operations. Typically, IaaS provides hardware, storage, servers and data center space or network components; it may also include software.

An IaaS provider provides policy-based services and is responsible for housing, operating and maintaining the equipment it provides for a client. Clients usually pay on a per-use or utility computing basis.

Characteristics of IaaS include:

• Automated administrative tasks
• Dynamic scaling
• Platform virtualization
• Internet connectivity

IaaS helps the client avoid the expense and complexity of buying and managing one's own physical servers and other datacenter infrastructure. Each resource is offered as a separate service component and the client only needs to rent a particular one for as long as required.

The client does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure but has control over operating systems, storage, and deployed applications; and possibly limited control of select networking components (e.g., host firewalls).

What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing is a concept that enables ubiquitous access to shared pools of configurable system resources and higher-level services that can be rapidly provisioned with minimal management effort, often over the Internet from multiple cloud server farms. Cloud computing relies on sharing of resources to achieve coherence and economies of scale, similar to a public utility.

Third-party clouds enable organizations to focus on their core businesses instead of spending resources on computer infrastructure, security and maintenance. Advocates of Cloud Computing note that this type of service allows companies to avoid or minimize up-front IT infrastructure costs and provides a robust, secure and flexible platform for businesses and individuals to run their IT operations. Minimum management, optimized resources and significantly less operational costs are some of the key benefits of the Cloud Computing platform. It also enables IT teams to more rapidly adjust resources to meet fluctuating and unpredictable demand. Cloud providers typically use a "pay-as-you-go" model which offers flexibility and reduces overhead costs, but which can also lead to unexpected operating expenses if administrators are not familiarized with cloud-pricing models.

This popular service can primarily be classified as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS). There are several popular cloud computing providers in the market at present, of which, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and Microsoft Azure are the most popular.

What is a Black Hole?

A black hole is a region of space-time exhibiting such strong gravitational effects that no particle or electromagnetic radiation, such as light, can escape from inside it. The theory of general relativity predicts that a sufficiently compact mass can deform space-time to form a black hole. The boundary of the region from which no escape is possible is called the event horizon.

Black holes of stellar mass are expected to form when very massive stars collapse at the end of their life cycle. After a black hole has formed, it can continue to grow by absorbing mass from its surroundings. By absorbing other stars and merging with other black holes, supermassive black holes of millions of solar masses may form. There is general consensus that supermassive black holes exist in the centers of most galaxies. At the same time, we may also have Black Holes about the size of an atom but with the mass of a very large mountain.

Despite its invisible interior, the presence of a black hole can be inferred through its interaction with other matter and with electromagnetic radiation such as visible light. When an object falls into a black hole, any information about the shape of the object or distribution of charge on it is evenly distributed along the horizon of the black hole, and is lost to outside observers.

At the center of a black hole, as described by general relativity, lies a gravitational singularity, a region where the spacetime curvature becomes infinite. For a non-rotating black hole, this region takes the shape of a single point and for a rotating black hole, it is smeared out to form a ring singularity that lies in the plane of rotation. In both cases, the singular region has zero volume. It can also be shown that the singular region contains all the mass of the black hole solution. The singular region can thus be thought of as having infinite density.

Black holes are extremely perplexing entities and the scientific community is continuously trying to explore its true nature and unravel its mysteries.

I am Time

I have witnessed the birth of the sun; I have seen the beginning of life; I have felt sorrow and rejoiced in fun; I have seen love and seen strife.

I have seen things big and small; I have seen them rise....I have seen them fall; I have seen things shallow, and things sublime; I have seen it all because I am Time.