06.22.08
Links 22/06/2008: Free Software Enters Gujarat’s Education, Linux Appears in Unexpected Places
GNU/Linux
- [Linux] 2.6.26-rc7, “Mainly Drivers And Arch Updates”
Linus concluded, “if you ignore the driver and arch updates, the rest is pretty minor. About half is in networking, and half of the remaining is filesystems updates (mainly ocfs2). And random smatterings elsewhere, like some scheduler updates.”
- Enforcing the GPL On Software Companies?I
currently use an IPTV box that runs software by Minerva Networks. When you ssh into the box, you are greeted with a BusyBox v1.00 (ash) shell. It’s clearly running a flavor of Linux (uname -apm outputs: Linux minerva_10_0_3_99 2.4.30-tango2-2.7.144.0 #29 Wed Mar 16 16:16:16 CET 2005 mips unknown). However, when you look at their Web site there is no publicly available source code.
- Oracle increases prices 15 to 20 percent: The joys of pricing power
Laptops
- Did Microsoft Fake XP on XO Press Media?!I
f you look at the photo on James U’s blog post, you can really tell the difference - his image has the XP screen looking way more natural. And if that were the only trespass, who really cares, eh?
- Starting out with the [Linux] Eee PC
- Comment: Why netbooks are here to stay
This was big news in the industry as Microsoft knew this would be jumped on by the tech press and described as a u-turn in a potential PR nightmare, especially considering the lack of popularity of Vista.
So why did they do it? Not just for revenue reasons - in order to avoid Linux getting a bigger toe-hold in this vital emerging market, primarily made up of young users.
Eye Candy
- Compiz Fusion Stackswitch: Another Application Switcher
- Tweaking Ubuntu: Release the Geek!
- Gujarat Education Board(India) goes Open Source
For the uninitiate, this is the turning point we have been waiting for that would take Linux to every computer user. Imagine millions of students who are aware of what Open Source Software and Linux is before they join universities. Who in their right mind is going to use Vi$ta after trying out openSUSE 11.0 in all it’s compiz glory?
Play
- Tinkerer’s Toy
The Chumby is Internet-connected, runs on Linux software and is extremely hackable. In other words, it is a thoroughly open-source device.
- Savage 2 v1.5.0 Update For Linux
- Sauerbraten CTF Edition
- Sacred: Gold Enters Beta On Linux
- Heroes of Might and Magic 5 on Linux with Wine!
Reviews
- Almost 9 Distros in Almost 6 Minutes
- Great spring for distros
- 5 Enlightened Linux Distros
- Looking for a nice KDE distribution? Try Mandriva 2008 Spring
I remembered I had used Mandriva years ago. I downloaded the free edition of Mandriva 2008 Spring and burnt it to a DVD.
I ran the LiveCD and I must say I was impressed.
- Choosing a Linux distro
Short Ones
F/OSS
- Why Is Proprietary Software So Bad?
The majority of the Linux users out there are for pure FLOSS (Free Libre Open Source Software). That is, they only want FLOSS software on their machines. This movement really took off mostly because many of the original Linux and UNIX pioneers were firm FLOSS disciples.
- Open Source Government: France beats Italy 4-0!
- Top 10 Best GTK Applications Not Included in GNOME
- Free/Open-source File Managers
A computer program that provides a user interface to work with file systems is called a file manager. It is considered as one of the most important software applications since its main function is to speed up interaction with files. The most common operations of a file manager are create, open, edit, view, print, play, rename, move, copy, delete, attributes, properties, search/find, and permissions. Others have special functions such as network connectivity and the ability to extend operations utilizing user written scripts.
- Business family, open source community
- Devunity: Open community for open-source developers
- Building IT Support for Open-Source Model
- Google spice brings out open source aroma
- IcedTea: The First 100% Compliant Open-Source Java
- Is Open Source Good for the Java Developer?
- Building Open Source Acceptance
- Our Constitution - The Open Source for Freedom
- Can open source save Yahoo?
- Sun aims open source model at emerging markets
- Drupal’s Creator Envisions Web Publishing’s Plug-and-Play Future
- Lou Dolinar: Alternatives to Microsoftware
Highlight: Novell was the first to acknowledge that Microsoft FUD tactics had substance. Novell then used anti-Linux FUD to market itself. 
Highlight: Xandros let Microsoft make patent claims and brag about (paid-for) OOXML support. 
Highlight: Linspire's CEO not only fell into Microsoft arms, but he also assisted the company's attack on GNU/Linux. 
Highlight: Microsoft craves pseudo (proprietary) standards and gets its way using proxies and influence which it buys. 
Highlight: The invasion into the open source world is intended to leave Linux companies neglected, due to financial incentives from Microsoft. 
Analysis: Xen, an open source hypervisor, possibly fell victim to Microsoft's aggressive (and stealthy) acquisition-by-proxy strategy.
gggggg said,
June 22, 2008 at 8:44 pm
You continue to promote closed source, proprietary software while you have the nerve to criticize Mono, Moonlight, Novell and Microsoft.
If you continue you’re nothing more than an hypocrite.
Victor Soliz said,
June 22, 2008 at 10:31 pm
The only parts in the whole article that could be called advocacy are the quoting perhaps? The rest are just links. So, this article is advocating : Linux, the GPL , openSUSE, FLOSS, FLOSS file managers. uh, your post looks like utter nonsense , sorry.
Don’t dare to bother the holy ones, all praise to Novell and Microsoft…
Roy Schestowitz said,
June 23, 2008 at 1:22 am
I suppose you’re referring to that game which is ported to GNU/Linux and another which is not Wine-compatible (and no, I don’t use Wine).
PitaGuy said,
June 23, 2008 at 2:03 am
http://www.ubuntu.com/news/db2cert
DB2 is closed source. So Mark Shuttleworth talk about open source is just another vapouware. Mark does not believe is open source…he is just a hypocrite.
Hypocrisy (or the state of being a hypocrite) is the act of preaching a certain belief or way of life, but not, in fact, holding these same virtues oneself.
Roy Schestowitz said,
June 23, 2008 at 2:12 am
I don’t use, develop or sell proprietary software. The exception might be the Flash plugin and blobs in the kernel.
PitaGuy said,
June 23, 2008 at 4:24 am
I hereby officially coin a new term “Open Source hypocrite (OSH)”
A person/company who claims to be / believes in pro-open source but uses, buys, promotes(links to), sells, writes closed source software is a OSH in the increasing order. Uses being the least OSH and writing being the highest OSH.
And the award for the biggest “OSH” goes to ……..GOOGLE
Google - it is the biggest open source hypocrite on this planet.