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8 Data Engineer and Data Architect Certifications to Upgrade Your Skills

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Technology is evolving at a rapid pace, and programming has become a part of every IT professional’s repertoire. In order to stay abreast of these changes, it’s essential for analysts to upgrade their skill sets. From data engineering courses to cloud-specific specializations, there’s a certification for everyone out there.

If you’re looking to upgrade your skills, check out these data engineer and data architect certifications, each of which is tailor-made for regular industry professionals.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) Certified Data Analytics – Specialty

Amazon Web Services is an umbrella term that blankets numerous cross-disciplinary tools, workflows, services, and technologies. They serve everything from server virtualization technology to data center management and SDLC frameworks, analytics toolchains, and more.

The AWS Certified Data Analytics course is a specialized certification offering accreditation, which has become a basic essential for every data analyst.

Related: Get Your AWS DevOps Engineer Certification Easily

Certification in AWS data engineering and analytics can help your career trajectory move towards more advanced roles with hands-on AWS data life-cycle and analytics. The certificate is ideal for anyone with two or more years of practical AWS exposure.

Registration link: AWS Certified Data Analytics ($300)

2. Cloudera Data Platform Generalist Certification

Cloudera seeks to accredit data engineers who are already familiar with its cloud data platform. You can opt for the CDP generalist certification, primarily if you’re a CDP platform specialist and have a basic working knowledge of its tools and utilities.

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Aspirants can undertake this training course to understand the standardized CDP Generalist syllabus. The course lays the foundation for advanced data governance and management roles.

If you have more than two to three years of prior experience within the data engineering field, rest assured your experience in the CDP toolchain will add beneficial skills to your repertoire.

The certification test covers 60 questions, each of which needs to be answered within 90 minutes.

Registration link: Cloudera ($300)

3. Data Science Council of America (DASCA) Associate Big Data Engineer

The DASCA Associate Big Data Engineer offers a role-defined certification program for people looking to build a career in Big Data analytics, architecture, orchestration, and governance.

DASCA recommends having a degree in IT, CSE, or a diploma in computer programming. While these are not mandatory requirements, they’re good-to-have prerequisites.

This certificate is ideal if you have a working knowledge of Core Java and a grasp on SQL queries for data manipulation.

The ABDE certificate is best for data professionals who can leverage the listed prerequisites to maintain multi-cloud ecosystems.

Registration Link: DASCA Associate Big Data Engineer ($585)

4. Data Science Council of America (DASCA) Senior Big Data Engineer

The Senior Big Data Engineer certificate from DASCA is the next logical step for data specialists after the ABDE certificate.

This secondary certification is made for experts working in data operation roles, such as monitoring, management, connectivity, security, governance, etc. Some prerequisites of the role include hands-on experience in core Java, SQL, PERL, Ruby, Linux, and Unix environments.

The course can significantly benefit engineers with a minimum experience of four-five years in the field. The registration will run you a few hundred dollars and includes a course material kit and credentials.

Registration Link: DASCA Senior Big Data Engineer ($620)

5. Google Professional Data Engineer

As an enterprise data personnel, you are responsible for collecting, transforming, and publishing data. The Google Professional Data Engineer certification validates your data engineering skills with the Google brand name attached, offering you an excellent opportunity to enhance your skills.

The course also offers you a chance to hone your skills in Google’s data platform toolchain and workflows.

As a part of the course certification, you will design data processing systems, drive solution QAs, and develop ML-powered data processing models. Additionally, you’ll also master the orchestration of Google’s data platform tools for driving better security, compliance, and end-to-end governance standards.

Such is the reliability and fidelity large-scale enterprises demand in their data operations. This certification will help you prepare for those roles to implement a combination of robust Google cloud data science and engineering concepts.

Registration Link: Google Professional Data Engineer ($200)

6. IBM Certified Solution Architect – Cloud Pak for Data v4.x

IBM has been another prominent bastion in IT and computer sciences for decades. Their Certified Solution Architect paves the way for aspiring Big Data analysts and experts to solidify their hybrid cloud data ecosystems knowledge.

Related: Tech Giants Are Offering Free IT Upskilling Courses Online

This certification goes a long way in helping you prove your mettle in the domain of Machine Learning Ops for Big Data analytics, governance, and associated sciences.

It’s comprised of 63 questions, out of which you need to answer 42 questions correctly in 90 minutes to achieve a minimum passing grade.

Registration Link: IBM Certified Solution Architect – Cloud Pak for Data v4.x ($200)

7. IBM Certified Solution Architect – Data Warehouse V1

Individuals with prior knowledge of IBM’s cloud-based data pipeline architecture deployment will find the IBM Certified Solution Architect suitable for their needs.

The Cloud Pak for Data v4.x is a stipulated secondary certification for data engineers and architects intent on an IBM-certified curriculum vitae (CV).

As a prerequisite, you should have relevant on-the-job experience before enrolling for IBM’s Big Data specialist certifications.

To ace this test, you’ll need to have a working knowledge of data governance, processing models, storage and virtualization, Business Intelligence tooling, SQL query syntax, data sciences, AI, and multidimensional modeling.

Registration Link: IBM Certified Solution Architect – Data Warehouse V1 ($200)

8. SAS Certified Big Data Professional

The SAS Big Data platform is responsible for some of the most versatile and battle-tested analytics tooling in the modern data engineer’s arsenal.

The Certified Big Data Professional certification consolidates your knowledge of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), marketing analytics, and other assorted SAS products and solutions.

Respondents must have practical knowledge of the program and be able to manipulate data on an ad-hoc basis using SAS, Hadoop, and Dive. It helps assuage modern enterprise data challenges in data management, fraud and security intelligence, risk management, etc.

This certification also proves to any future employers that you can derive critical insights from custom visualizations and implement data quality and analytical reporting improvements.

There are two exams that you can opt for in this regard:

  • SAS Big Data Preparation, Statistics, and Visual Exploration Exam
  • The SAS Big Data Programming and Loading Exam

A minimal 6-months hands-on experience in SAS platform tools is best before pursuing this certification.

Registration Link: SAS Certified Big Data Professional ($180 per exam)

Data Engineer and Data Architect Certifications for Every IT Professional

Even though data engineering certifications have become the talk of the town, there’s a lot more to look forward to within the IT field. While having tons of options to choose from may seem overwhelming, you get to pick and choose which ones you think have the best shot at helping advance your career.

If you’re a professional IT person looking to make a career in network engineering, there are a few good certifications out there for you as well.

11 Certifications Every Network Engineer Needs to Succeed

Looking to get into networking? It’s a great career with endless opportunities, and getting some certs under your belt can help when you start out.

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About The Author

Gaurav Siyal
(30 Articles Published)

Gaurav Siyal has two years of writing experience, writing for a series of digital marketing firms and software lifecycle documents.

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Intel Plans $20 Billion Factory in Ohio to Accelerate Domestic Chip Manufacturing

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A rendering of Intel’s planned $20 billion microchip production facility, currently scheduled to come online in 2025.
Image: Intel

Intel will invest $20 billion in a sprawling new processor manufacturing facility outside Columbus, Ohio, according to an announcement from the tech giant early Friday. The plant, billed as the single largest private-sector investment in Ohio’s history, is expected to create 3,000 jobs, based on the company’s projections, not including at least 7,000 temporary construction jobs.

Construction on the facility is scheduled to begin in late 2022, with production coming online around 2025. Intel is billing the first two plants as just the beginning of a much larger project on the roughly 1,000 acres the company has acquired in Licking County.

Intel has also pledged $100 million in education funds for the region in an effort to create the workforce needed for the chip-making facility. The money will fund collaborative research projects with universities in the area, as well as help develop curricula specific to semiconductors for undergraduate programs.

The CEO of Intel, Pat Gelsinger, is scheduled to appear at the White House with President Joe Biden via video link to formally announce the project on Friday. The $52 billion CHIPS Act, which passed in the Senate but has stalled in the House, will likely provide funding for at least some of Intel’s long-term venture. The CHIPS Act is an attempt to spur chip-manufacturing in the U.S. to make the country less dependent on its adversary in the New Cold War, China.

“The impact of this mega-site investment will be profound,” Keyvan Esfarjani, Intel senior vice president of Manufacturing, Supply Chain and Operations, said in a statement.

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“A semiconductor factory is not like other factories. Building this semiconductor mega-site is akin to building a small city, which brings forth a vibrant community of supporting services and suppliers,” Esfarjani continued.

“Ohio is an ideal location for Intel’s U.S. expansion because of its access to top talent, robust existing infrastructure, and long history as a manufacturing powerhouse. The scope and pace of Intel’s expansion in Ohio, however, will depend heavily on funding from the CHIPS Act.”

Did you catch that last part? Intel will pony up for the first couple of factories, but if you really want to see a huge facility, the U.S. government will need to get the CHIPS Act done.

The company also says it expects other suppliers to pop up in the region to help support the new facility:

In addition to Intel’s presence in Ohio, the investment is expected to attract dozens of ecosystem partners and suppliers needed to provide local support for Intel’s operations – from semiconductor equipment and materials suppliers to a range of service providers. Investments made by these suppliers will not only benefit Ohio but will have a significant economic impact on the broader U.S. semiconductor ecosystem. As part of today’s announcement, Air Products, Applied Materials, LAM Research and Ultra Clean Technology have indicated plans to establish a physical presence in the region to support the buildout of the site, with more companies expected in the future.

“Today’s investment marks another significant way Intel is leading the effort to restore U.S. semiconductor manufacturing leadership,” CEO Gelsinger said in a press release.

“Intel’s actions will help build a more resilient supply chain and ensure reliable access to advanced semiconductors for years to come,” Gelsinger continued. “Intel is bringing leading capability and capacity back to the United States to strengthen the global semiconductor industry.”

“These factories will create a new epicenter for advanced chipmaking in the U.S. that will bolster Intel’s domestic lab-to-fab pipeline and strengthen Ohio’s leadership in research and high tech.”

CEO Gelsinger also plans to hold a dedicated press conference at 2:30 p.m. ET/ 11:30 a.m. PT on Friday to discuss the company’s plans for a “globally balanced” supply chain. Keyvan Esfarjani, Intel senior vice president and general manager of Manufacturing, Supply Chain and Operations will also be on the webcast, according to the company.

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5 best examples of eCommerce dashboards to help you take control of your business

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Being an entrepreneur means you must keep a lot of things under control. You have to always know what is going on in sales, marketing, finance, inventory, and other aspects of your business.

Moreover, you probably use a myriad of tools to run them. Switching between a CRM, marketing automation software, Google Analytics, Accounting System and your eCommerce back-end won’t provide a clear picture of how your business is doing. 

Wouldn’t it be great to have one screen showing the most important information about your business? eCommerce dashboards are here to give you this opportunity.

What is a dashboard and why do you need it?

eCommerce dashboard is a visual representation of up-to-date data (metrics and KPIs) important for the business. It helps to analyze the main indicators to improve the results. Dashboards are different from other analytics tools because they give insights on the most vital data. Thanks to dashboards you can check the vitals of your business any time you want and not just during your monthly reports.

This becomes possible because they accumulate real-time (or near real-time) data. With the help of a well-tuned dashboard, you can quickly spot and fix problems and see if your company is effective or not. It takes less time and effort to check a dashboard than to dig into monthly reports and collect info manually. 

Dashboards provide statistics on different areas of your online store, including, but not limited to monthly sales, website traffic, and marketing campaigns. You can compare data by any period of time: days, months, or even years. 

Let’s look at the most popular examples of dashboards for eCommerce.

5 eCommerce dashboards examples

We’ve prepared five examples of dashboards that will help you run your store. Keep in mind that there are no universal solutions that can fit everyone. The best solution for you depends on the complexity and scale of your business: are you going to create a marketplace or a small online store? How many product categories and markets are you going to cover? All of this will impact the types and number of KPIs you will have to track. 

Store overview

The overview dashboard shows the performance of the store across all major areas of the business like sales, marketing, inventory, and others. This type of dashboards enables you to see the most important metrics of your business on one screen. 

Goal: to get a snapshot of your store performance.

KPI examples: 

  • Total sales
  • Sales by product, marketing channel, geography, etc.
  • Traffic
  • Average order value
  • Conversion rate
  • Repeat customer rate
  • Customer Lifetime Value

Dashboard Example: 

Store overview dashboard

Google Analytics for eCommerce

Google Analytics is the number one tool for analyzing website traffic. It also provides a lot of information which makes it difficult to digest. That is why you need a Google Analytics eCommerce dashboard that will show only the most meaningful data for your online store. 

Goal: to check your website’s most current statistics.

KPI examples:

  • Unique visitors
  • Average session duration
  • Bounce rate 
  • Time on site
  • Goal completions 
  • Traffic sources
  • Top pages
  • Top keywords

Dashboard Example: 

Google Analytics dashboard

Sales

eCommerce sales dashboard shows KPIs like total sales, as well as sales by product, marketing channel, location etc. This is a functional strategic tool that allows getting an instant overview of your sales to pinpoint any problem as soon as it occurs. It organizes the most precise and recent data related to commercial success.

Goal: to see current sales performance and compare it to your sales target.

KPI examples: 

  • Total sales
  • Sales target
  • Average order value
  • Lead conversion rate
  • Up-sell and cross-sell rates
  • Profit margin per product

Dashboard Example: 

Sales dashboard

Marketing

eCommerce marketing dashboards present vital KPIs in digital marketing to track channel and campaign results in real-time. These KPIs include traffic sources, macro and micro conversions, leads, ROI of marketing channels and campaigns, etc. The information is collected from such channels: Google Analytics, email marketing tools, CRM, social media, and others. 

Goal: to see how effective your marketing is in real-time. 

KPI examples: 

  • Traffic
  • Leads
  • Sales
  • Conversion rate
  • Conversions by channel
  • Customer acquisition cost (total and by channel)

Dashboard Example: 

Marketing dashboard

Finance

This dashboard focuses on your budget and analyzes existing assets, profit and expenses, cash flow, income, and other financial indicators. It allows you to see the current figures and financial details to get helpful insights and increase the cost-efficiency of your business.

Goal: to see the current financial state and overall profitability of the business.

KPI examples:

  • Revenue
  • Net profit
  • Gross / Net profit margin
  • Cash balance
  • Working capital
  • Cost of goods sold

Dashboard Example: 

Finance dashboard

Wrapping up

To sum up, eCommerce metrics dashboards are useful tools that help track your business performance on a daily basis. They can either provide an overview of the entire business or may cover different areas from SEO to finances. 

The fundamental advantage is that you can check your KPIs any time, not just once a month when you prepare your reports. This will help to detect and fix problems almost on the spot. Another advantage is that dashboards are visual tools that allow you to digest information easily. Additionally, they are customizable and can show the indicators which you need the most.

In this article, we shed some light on what dashboards are and why they matter. We also gave examples of dashboards that might be helpful for your eCommerce business. Give these tools a try and get a clearer picture of how your store is doing.

The post 5 best examples of eCommerce dashboards to help you take control of your business appeared first on noupe.

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I don’t think this meme makes the point they want it to make

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I’ve seen this meme posted several times online:

 

The point is always the same.  It’s not fair that the Red area is represented by eight senators and the green represented by two senators.

So the conclusion they draw is that we must abolish the Senate.

Because the Left already controls the House of Representatives, they need to attack the Senate.

I look at this and come to a different conclusion.

The population density of NYC is 27,000 per square mile.  The average for the United States is 94 per square mile.

New York City is 288 times more dense as the average.

Cities like NYC are unnatural and unsustainable.

They can’t grow enough food to feed their population or have landfill space to dispose of their garbage.

Clearly before we abolish the Senate we have to abolish the megacities.

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Laracon Online Winter will be free this year!

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Join us on February 9th, 2022, for this year’s Laracon Online winter edition. It will be free for everyone!

For the first time ever, we’ll be streaming Laracon for free on YouTube, allowing us to reach the entire Laravel community. This is a huge moment (and experiment) for us. Thank you to the following incredible partners for helping us achieve this!

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

Community Sponsors

If your company would like to partner for the event, we still have a few spots left.

Schedule

Here is the schedule for the day, all times are EST (GMT-4):

  • 8:55 AM – Opening – Ian Landsman
  • 9:00 AM – Actions are a Dev’s Best Friend – Luke Downing
  • 9:40 AM – Modularising the Monolith – Ryuta Hamasaki
  • 10:20 AM – Digital Nomadding in the Time of COVID – Polly Washburn
  • 10:35 AM – Typing In and Out of Laravel – Craig Morris
  • 10:50 AM – Everything Flex – Shruti Balasa
  • 11:20 AM – Dealing with Criticism – Kristin Collins
  • 12:00 PM – A Little Bit More Lambda – Aaron Francis
  • 12:40 PM – Web 3.0 and Laravel – Marcel Pociot
  • 1:40 PM – Laravel Update – Taylor Otwell
  • 2:40 PM – How to do API integrations in Laravel – Steve McDougall
  • 3:20 PM – Building Awesome Blade Components With Alpine – Caleb Porzio
  • 4:30 PM – Discovering Route Discovery – Freek Van der Herten
  • 4:35 PM – The Art of Programming – Erika Heidi
  • 4:50 PM – Using Lando for local Development – Rory McDaniel
  • 5:05 PM – The Jigsaw Challenge – Zuzana Kunckova
  • 5:30 PM – Laravel for millions and some… – Ashley Hindle
  • 6:00 PM – Keep Thinking Like a Hacker – Stephen Rees-Carter

Can’t watch it live? No problem, all talks will be recorded and available online for viewing at your convenience shortly after the conference ends.

Mark your calendar for February 9th, 2022, and join the conference for free live on Youtube! For complete details, check out Laracon Online and subscribe to the YouTube channel.

PS: If you want some sweet desktop images from the art we have them here:

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Holosun’s New RML Gives You Small, Lightweight Red or Green Laser Aiming Capability

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Holosun RML Rail Mounted Laser
Holosun’s new RML Rail Mounted Laser

Next Post Coming Soon…▶

Holosun just introduced their new RML Rail Mounted Laser. It’s tiny and affordable and will come in both red and green laser versions. The RML will come in five models with MSRPs ranging from $105 to $162 and is expected to hit stores in March or April.

Here’s their press release . . .

Lasers are becoming invaluable to verify an accurate and effective aim, especially in low-light environments. Pistols and rifles fixed with lasers have been shown to improve fast target acquisition. With the growth of red dot optics, lasers have fast been growing in the industry as an alternative to mounted optics. Not only does this help to improve users’ response time, but it also makes a potential Point of Impact clear.

Holosun RML Rail Mounted Laser
Holosun is known for optics and lasers. This year, Holosun releases the RML (Rail-Mounted Laser). The RML comes in at a very manageable 1.97″×1.18″×0.91″ and 1.3 ounces. Made with a durable polymer housing, the RML is IPX8 rated for water and dust resistance. Additionally, Holosun tests each unit to 2,000G shock resistance. This guarantees that the RML is suited for use in extreme environments.

The RML is available in either a red or green laser version, both of which are class 3R and <5mW output power. The RML package includes one CR1/3N lithium battery. The laser can be adjusted by 4MOA per click and can travel a total of +/-60 MOA. The rate of travel makes it ideal for a primary or even secondary zero, providing an alternate distance point of aim from iron sights or a pistol mounted optic.

Holosun RML Rail Mounted Laser
With many features, it is easy to see why the RML is a strong contender. Holosun has made it easy to utilize the laser in multiple roles with multiple color options. For the hiker who carries a defensive pistol, the uniformed officer that relies on an alternate color laser and red dot, and everything in between, the RML fills their needs.

Specifications:

  • 520nm Green or 635nm Red, class 3R laser
  • Cr1/3N removable battery
  • Durable Polymer housing
  • 4 MOA adjustment per click
  • +/- 60 MOA laser W&E travel range
  • IPX8 water & dust resistance
  • 2000G vibration resistance
  • Dimensions: 1.97×1.18×0.91
  • Weight: 1.8oz

 

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The Truth About Guns

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10 Fun Linux Command-Line Programs You Should Try When Bored

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The Linux terminal is a powerful utility. You can use it to control the whole system, crafting and typing commands as you go about doing your everyday tasks. But it can quickly become overwhelming to keep staring at a command line and carry on with your work.

Lucky for you, the terminal is also a source of fun. You can play around with commands, listen to music, and even play games. Although expecting a great deal of entertainment from a window full of commands would be carrying it too far, you can find utilities to bind some time when bored.

Here are some fun and entertaining commands every Linux user should try at least once.

1. CMatrix

Starting off the list with a fun tool every Linux user loves, CMatrix is a command-line utility that generates the classic “The Matrix” animation from the popular movie franchise of the same name. You can expect to see some great animations in different colors that you also get to customize.

Albeit CMatrix uses regular fonts instead of the original Japanese characters, you’ll definitely enjoy every moment you spend with the tool. Either use it as your desktop screensaver or include the program in your window manager rice screenshots, the choice is yours. You can even go to the extremes and set up a CMatrix server on a laptop that runs the program 24/7.

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To install Cmatrix on Debian-based distros like Ubuntu:

sudo apt install cmatrix

On Arch Linux and its derivatives:

sudo pacman -S cmatrix

On RHEL-based distros like Fedora:

sudo dnf install cmatrix

2. cowsay

What does the cow say? Definitely, not just “moo.”

cowsay is an ASCII-art-based command-line utility that displays the specified input with a neat ASCII cow art. While there’s not much to this program, you can use it as a Bash prompt by invoking the program with random quotes whenever you launch a terminal instance.

cowsay "Mooooo"

To install cowsay on Debian and Ubuntu:

sudo apt install cowsay

On Arch Linux:

sudo pacman -S cowsay

On Fedora, CentOS, and RHEL:

sudo dnf install cowsay

3. sl

Everyone loves trains, especially steam locomotives. The Linux utility sl brings your favorite steam locomotive to your desk, using the terminal of course.

Running the sl command is very simple.

sl

Installing sl on Ubuntu and Debian is easy.

sudo apt install sl

Similarly, on Arch-based distributions:

sudo pacman -S sl

On Fedora, CentOS, and RHEL:

sudo dnf install sl

4. FIGlet

Have you ever seen a Linux terminal with beautifully crafted ASCII art at the top? You can achieve the same results using FIGlet, a command-line tool that converts user input into ASCII banners.

Unlike some other ASCII art generators, FIGlet doesn’t have a character limit, which is what sets it apart. You can create ASCII arts of unlimited length with the tool, although the characters might break if you supply lengthier strings.

FIGlet uses the following command syntax:

figlet "Your string here"

You can install FIGlet on Debian/Ubuntu using:

sudo apt install figlet

To install FIGlet on Arch-based distributions:

sudo pacman -S figlet

On Fedora, CentOS, and RHEL:

sudo dnf install figlet

5. fortune

Want to read a quote? Maybe something funny, or perhaps an educational message? The excitement is there every time you run fortune, as you don’t know what’s going to hit you next. fortune is a Linux utility that returns random messages and quotes on execution.

fortune

It’s easy to get engrossed in the command, reading the entertaining (mostly funny) quotes that fortune outputs. The best thing about the tool? You can pipe it with cowsay and similar programs to produce an engaging Bash prompt for yourself.

cowsay | fortune

To install fortune on Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt install fortune

On Arch Linux and similar distributions:

sudo pacman -S fortune-mod

Installing fortune on RHEL-based distros like Fedora and CentOS is easy as well.

sudo dnf install fortune-mod

6. xeyes

If you are someone who likes to have a pair of eyes on you every time you need to get something done, xeyes might be the best Linux tool for you. Literally, xeyes brings a pair of eyes to your desktop. The best part? The eyeballs move depending on your mouse pointer’s position.

Launching the program is easy. Simply type xeyes in the terminal and hit Enter. By default, the position of the eyes will be the top left, but you can easily change it using the -geometry flag.

On Ubuntu and Debian-based distros, you can install xeyes with APT.

sudo apt install x11-apps

To install xeyes on Arch-based distros:

sudo pacman -S xorg-xeyes

On Fedora, CentOS, and RHEL:

sudo dnf install xeyes

7. aafire

Want to make your Linux desktop lit? You need aafire. It is a terminal-based utility that starts an ASCII art fire right inside your terminal. Although you won’t physically feel the heat aafire brings to the table, it’s definitely a “cool” Linux program to have on your system.

To install aafire on Ubuntu and Debian:

sudo apt install libaa-bin

On Arch Linux and its derivatives:

sudo pacman -S aalib

On Fedora, CentOS, and other RHEL-based distros:

sudo dnf install aalib

8. espeak

Have you ever wanted your Linux desktop to speak, exactly what you want it to? espeak is a text-to-speech utility that converts a specified string to speech and returns the output in real-time. You can play around with espeak by invoking the command with song lyrics or movie dialogues.

For the test run, you can try specifying a basic string first. Don’t forget to turn up your desktop’s speaker volume.

espeak "Hello World"

You can also change the amplitude, word gap and play around with the voices with espeak. Writers can use this tool to transform their words into speech, making it a perfect tool to assess the content quality.

On Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt install espeak

You can install espeak on Arch Linux from the AUR.

yay -S espeak

On Fedora, CentOS, and RHEL:

sudo dnf install espeak

9. asciiquarium

For those who wish to own an aquarium someday, here’s your chance. As the name aptly suggests, asciiquarium creates a virtual aquarium inside your terminal using ASCII characters.

The fishes and the plants are colorized and that’s what makes them come to life, leaving the dull terminal screen behind. You also get to see ducks swimming in the water occasionally.

To install asciiquarium on Ubuntu and Debian:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ytvwld/asciiquarium
sudo apt install asciiquarium

On Arch-based distributions:

sudo pacman -S asciiquarium

Installing asciiquarium on RHEL-based distros is also easy.

sudo dnf install asciiquarium

10. rig

Want to quickly generate a fake identity for some reason? rig is what you need. Being a command-line utility, it returns output in an easy-to-read manner, for both users and computers. You can implement the functionality of rig in scripts, to test functions that require user information in bulk.

To install rig on Ubuntu and Debian:

sudo apt install rig

On Arch-based distributions:

yay -S rig

On RHEL-based distros like Fedora and CentOS:

sudo dnf install rig

Having Fun With the Linux Command Line

All the tools mentioned in the above list will guarantee you a moment of fun amidst the busy life that we’re all living. You can either install these utilities to simply play around with, or you can make something productive out of them by using them in your code.

Whatever the practical applications are, Linux programs always deliver what you expect them to. There are several other software and applications that every Linux user should know about.

The Best Linux Software and Apps

Whether you’re new to Linux or you’re a seasoned user, here are the best Linux software and apps you should be using today.

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About The Author

Deepesh Sharma
(108 Articles Published)

Deepesh is the Junior Editor for Linux at MUO. He writes informational guides on Linux, aiming to provide a blissful experience to all newcomers. Not sure about movies, but if you want to talk about technology, he’s your guy.

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Define a Route Group Controller in Laravel 8.80

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The Laravel team released 8.80 with the ability to define a route group controller, render a string with the Blade compiler, PHPRedis serialization and compression config support, and the latest changes in the v8.x branch.

Specify a Route Group Controller

Luke Downing contributed the ability to define a controller for a route group, meaning you don’t have to repeat which controller a route uses if the group uses the same controller:

1Route::controller(PlacementController::class)
2    ->prefix('placements')
3    ->as('placements.')
4    ->group(function () {
5        Route::get('', 'index')->name('index');
6        Route::get('/bills', 'bills')->name('bills');
7        Route::get('/bills/{bill}/invoice/pdf', 'invoice')->name('pdf.invoice');
8    });

Render a String With Blade

Jason Beggs contributed a Blade::render() method that uses the Blade compiler to convert a string of Blade templating into a rendered string:

1// Returns 'Hello, Claire'
2Blade::render('Hello, ', ['name' => 'Claire']);
3 
4// Returns 'Foo '
5Blade::render('@if($foo) Foo @else Bar @endif', ['foo' => true]);
6 
7// It even supports components :)
8// Returns 'Hello, Taylor'
9Blade::render('<x-test name="Taylor" />');

PHPRedis Serialization and Compression Config Support

Petr Levtonov contributed the ability to configure PHPRedis serialization and compression options instead of needing to overwrite the service provider or define a custom driver.

The PR introduced the following serialization options:

  • NONE
  • PHP
  • JSON
  • IGBINARY
  • MSGPACK

And the following compressor options:

These options are now documented in the Redis – Laravel documentation.

Release Notes

You can see the complete list of new features and updates below and the diff between 8.79.0 and 8.80.0 on GitHub. The following release notes are directly from the changelog:

v8.80.0

Added

  • Allow enums as entity_type in morphs (#40375)
  • Added support for specifying a route group controller (#40276)
  • Added phpredis serialization and compression config support (#40282)
  • Added a BladeCompiler::render() method to render a string with Blade (#40425)
  • Added a method to sort keys in a collection using a callback (#40458)

Changed

  • Convert “/” in -e parameter to “” in Illuminate/Foundation/Console/ListenerMakeCommand (#40383)

Fixed

  • Throws an error upon make:policy if no model class is configured (#40348)
  • Fix forwarded call with named arguments in Illuminate/Filesystem/FilesystemAdapter (#40421)
  • Fix ‘strstr’ function usage based on its signature (#40457)

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