06.11.08

Links 11/06/2008: GNU/Linux on Hollywood’s Desktops, Many Reviews

Posted in News Roundup at 1:46 pm by Roy Schestowitz

GNU/Linux

• DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda created with Linux-based HP workstations
  

  DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda, which opened today, June 6, 2008, was created entirely on Linux-based Hewlett Packard workstations. The digital studio has been using HP workstations since 2001 successfully on its films. Ed Leonard, CTO at DreamWorks Animation discusses the company’s digital workflow, history of the HP-DreamWorks alliance, and the benefit of multi-core processing systems.

• Canonical wants Netbook partners to open drivers for Ubuntu
• The future is bright for Linux filesystems
• [ANNOUNCE] linux-staging tree created
  

  The linux-staging tree was created to hold drivers and filesystems and other semi-major additions to the Linux kernel that are not ready to be merged at this point in time. It is here for companies and authors to get a wider range of testing, and to allow for other members of the community to help with the development of these features for the eventual inclusion into the main kernel tree.

Reviews

• Review: Linux Powered HP Media Vault Pro mv5150
  

  The Linux OS runs from an embedded storage device and operates on a very simple and quite well featured Mini-ITX board with some interesting features, including two Sata controllers. When you first get the device, it’s immediately ready for use and can be setup to be used as is, or you can configure it to do a variety of other things.

• Essential Linux Tool: SystemRescueCd
  

  SystemRescueCd 1.0.3 is an amazingly handy tool that’s essential for system administrators and IT technicians. However, it’s also very easy to use that I think even a regular Linux user can handle it. I’m so glad that I found SystemRescueCd because it has all the tools that I need to keep me from being paranoid of losing all of my essential files.

• Puppy Linux 4.00 is barking up the right tree
  

  In summary, the new Puppy 4.00 release is the cat’s meow. Puppy Linux 4.00 is fast, reliable (on my systems it ran for days with no issue), has good wireless support, new scanner tools that work well, all the necessary multimedia codecs, and has a minimalistic yet usable approach that allows older computers to be functional machines again.

• Linux Mint 5 Review
• Linux Mint 5.0

Embedded

• X86 WiFi mesh routers run Debian Linux
  

  Saxnet is shipping three versions of its Debian Linux-powered wireless mesh-networking router. The standard Meshnode III offers a self-organizing transmission system with up to four 100 mW 802.11a/b/g radios, while a “Power” version ups the Wattage to 600 mW and a “Custom” version adds hardware customizability.

• TimeSys Announces Real-Time Linux Support for Atmel Microprocessors

Gaming and Fun

• Compiz Fusion Community News for June 10, 2008: Physics, Docking, Everything!
  

  It’s hard to explain with screenshots, but Pat has gone to the trouble of making a video of his work. Enjoy!

• Introduction to Linux Gaming
• Battling for time? Then don’t Battle for Wesnoth!

Firefox

• Firefox Keeps Nipping at Microsoft
• All systems are go for Firefox 3 launch; RC3 needed for Mac OSX only
• Firefox 3 new features walkthrough
• about:mozilla - Firefox 3 RC2, Governance, Accessibility, Bugdays, Acid3, T-shirts, and more…

F/OSS

• Open source vs. proprietary? Turn the question around!
  

  Several decades ago the software ‘industry’ managed to re-write our perception of history and make most people believe that proprietary software is normal, and open source is the aberration, while in reality software actually started out as open.

  It is time to change our thinking and to stop trying to justify the use of open source software. It doesn’t need justification like that. Free and open software should be the logical, sensible default choice in all cases, with proprietary software only to be considered when there are compelling reasons for it.

• OpenOffice.org 2.4.1 Released
• First Look: OpenOffice.org 3.0 Public Beta
• GCC 4.3.1 Released
• Qt Jambi 4.4 Brings Benefits of Qt 4.4 to Java Programmers
• Open source tour of Europe: Romania
  

  An open source library system has been created for managing administration of public libraries and was funded by both the Romanian and Italian governments. Meanwhile eLearning vendor Timsoft has created an open source e-learning project in cooperation with the Politehnica University in Timisoara and the University of Helsinki.

Microsoft

• FORUM: Intel confronts Microsoft again
• Microsoft: What Cost the Vista Fiasco?
• The Market Sees Microsoft Losing Its Grip
• Five reasons why it’s not business as usual for Microsoft
• Bumper bundle of Windows updates includes Vista patches
  

  June’s Patch Tuesday has brought a substantial crop of updates for Windows, including three critical patches for Vista =and other versions, calling into question Microsoft’s “secure by design” claim for its latest operating system.

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