12.14.08
Links 14/12/2008: Myst Online is Open Source, Glimpse at Lancelot
GNU/Linux
- Yugma’s Free Web Meeting App Upgraded, Now Does Linux
- Windows needs a Linux package manager
Overall though, the general idea of one unified approach through a master application package updating tool is one that in my view keeps Linux users (relatively speaking) up to date (and no pun intended on the old Red Hat Up2date command). Wouldn’t that type of system be a good one for Windows too? Wouldn’t you rather have one update process instead of many?
- Is Linux ready for the average user? My wife thinks so
So is Linux ready for the average user. My wife sure thinks so and if I can get my wife to use Linux without complaint, I can get anyone to use Linux.
- Ten Linux and Open Source milestones in 2008
- Lancelot, and the Knights of the Plasma Widget
As someone who is a stickler for usability and efficiency, this sort of project is really brilliant. The fact that there is competition between different menu systems is part of what gives open-source operating systems an edge over the commercial ones.
- The Difference Between Vista, XP, Linux and Mac OS Explained
A middle school student I know asked me to explain the difference between Vista, XP, Linux and Mac OS.
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Kernel Space
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Distributions
- Checking out the Neighbors, part III
- Review : Arch Linux – A sleek, fast Linux distribution
- Interview with Warren Woodford – Founder of Mepis
- Screencast: How to Build a Fedora 10 Remix
- Vyatta hits Cisco ISR with open-source challenge
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Mandriva
- Review: Mandriva One 2009
Overall Mandriva One 2009 has a lot of polish. It is a very good KDE distro and it feels solid compared to Kubuntu. There are a few niggles that I think need to be corrected. They need to make it easier to navigate the file system. They need to bring back some sort of “My Computer” and/or “My Home Folder” back. Sure, I could set that up with Plasma, but it should be automatic. They need an easier way to play DVDs and/or Codeina needs to actually work and tell me that I need to install the codecs. For now Mandriva will stay on my wife’s computer. I’ll be checking updates from time to time. If it improves that last little bit – I think it will be her distro when she’s ready for Linux.
- The Ideal Xmas Gift: Mandriva Flash 2009
- Review: Mandriva One 2009
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Ubuntu
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Devices
- Small is beautiful [Economist recommends GNU/Linux sub-notebooks]
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Phones
- A Peek at Lenovo’s iPhone-Like Android Phone
- Symbian vs. Android vs. Windows Mobile
- Maemo Linux On Next Nokia Superphone
- 2 of CNET’s Best Cell Phones of 2008 Run on Linux
Two days ago, CNET came up with its list of what it considered as the best cell phones of this year. Out of the six, two of them run on Linux.
If you couldn’t wait and clicked on the link above, you’ll recognize two of them from my article: 8 of 2008’s Latest Linux-Powered Mobile Phones.
F/OSS
- CDC takes its epidemiological software open source
Nieves said CDC has tested Epi Info Community Edition on Ubuntu, a Linux-based operating system. He said the software has not been tested on any other Linux distribution. “The reason we use [Ubuntu], is it’s one of the most popular Linux distributions and one of the most user friendly,” Nieves said.
- Who opened Open Source?
- Open source – the ultimate globalization tool
- Bjarne Stroustrup on Educating Software Developers
- Walk the talk
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Cost
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Web Browsers
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Myst Online
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Collaboration
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‘Clouds’
Leftovers
- Electronic votes mysteriously vanish in Ohio election
- Required Reading: News
As some of you remember, just over a year ago I reported that I was shifting my academic (and activist) work from free culture related issues to (what I called) “corruption.”
- Media Companies Have Only Themselves to Blame
The recession is hitting everyone. But print media companies — newspapers, books and magazines — are getting hit harder and sooner than most.
It’s their own damned fault. Like the US automakers and the music industry, print media companies squandered most of their time and money during boom times clinging to the past rather than preparing for the future. And now they’re left totally unprepared for the bust.
How bad is it? It’s bad.
The Tribune Company filed for bankruptcy Monday. The company publishes the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune and other daily newspapers. The New York Times Co. intends to pawn its shiny new Manhattan building to borrow a quarter of a billion dollars just to stop the bleeding. Other major dailies are either for sale, or rumored to be so, including the Rocky Mountain News, the Miami Herald and others. The Cox newspaper group is closing its Washington bureau. Most newspapers have announced layoffs, or will do so soon.
- Editor’s Note: Does the Internet Make People Stupid?
Digital Tipping Point: Clip of the Day
Dolby Linux wizard John Gilbert gives us a look inside the movie industry 07 (2004)
Digital Tipping Point is a Free software-like project where the raw videos are code. You can assist by participating.
David Gerard said,
December 14, 2008 at 1:13 pm
When done by FOSS, a single source of apps is a repository or a ports tree. When done by proprietary software, a single source of apps is the iPhone App Store.
However, a FOSS repository for Windows would be a damn fine thing. Not quite Cygwin (which is also one), but a one-stop source of shiny shiny things that are available for Windows. Start with Firefox, OpenOffice.org and GIMP and work down from there – Inkscape, etc.
This stuff really does work as a gateway drug, y’know. That’s why the Eee 701 worked so well IMO – Firefox 2 on Xandros is identical to Firefox 2 on Windows.
Doug said,
December 14, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Sun patents JAVA method .. (I thought Sun had open sourced JAVA ?)
http://www.mbtmag.com/articleXml/LN898192000.html
Roy Schestowitz said,
December 14, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Sun is weird when it comes to patents, but don’t expect them to go after Linux.
AlexH said,
December 14, 2008 at 2:25 pm
@Doug: it’s free software, so it comes with a patent grant. You’ll find Sun are an extremely active patenter I’m afraid, but it’s not really something to worry about with respect to Java.
Doug said,
December 14, 2008 at 2:26 pm
“a FOSS repository for Windows would be a damn fine thing”, David Gerard
What about the licensing implications, who do I pay my Intellectual Property dues to, Red Hat, Novell or directly to Microsoft ?
AlexH said,
December 14, 2008 at 2:27 pm
@Doug: no royalties are due on any free software, on any platform.
Doug said,
December 14, 2008 at 2:32 pm
“it’s free software, so it comes with a patent grant .. it’s not really something to worry about with respect to Java”, AlexH
Except such patenting of the fundamental particles of programming makes it virtually impossible for anyone to not to violate some patent, unless you get a lawyer to go through it line-by-line, therefore making it impossible for anyone but the major players to write software. The hidden and very real agenda of this patent land grab. How soon wil it be before you have to have your source verified (at great expense) by the BSA?
Doug said,
December 14, 2008 at 2:35 pm
“@Doug: no royalties are due on any free software, on any platform”, AlexH
I sorry Alex, but does that mean I can use an unlicensed copy of Windows and run my FOSS stack on it without violating the Windows EULA. If not, then who do I pay and for what?
Roy Schestowitz said,
December 14, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Microsoft already has some FOSS installer/s for Windows. It’s an anti-GNU/Linux move.
Roy Schestowitz said,
December 14, 2008 at 2:38 pm
I’ve just found our latest post about it.
AlexH said,
December 14, 2008 at 2:48 pm
@Doug: well, Windows isn’t free software, so no. My point only relates to free software.
@Roy: it’s not “anti-GNU/Linux”. See e.g. the Fedora Mingw project.
Roy Schestowitz said,
December 14, 2008 at 3:10 pm
I know about Mingw (and equivalents), but this does not change my argument.
Regarding software patents and Java, big companies need to step up and burn them in a big fire. It’s like IBM promotes possession of nuclear missiles by big nations; it just doesn’t trust ‘terrorists’ with this technology (trolls). Disarmament is the best solution.
Chris said,
December 14, 2008 at 3:15 pm
And why would they do that as long as the american patent law isn´t changed?
Once again you are not only beating a dead horse but the wrong one as well …
Roy Schestowitz said,
December 14, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Have you been following the Bilski case? This is not about pigs and wings.
Doug said,
December 14, 2008 at 3:45 pm
“well, Windows isn’t free software, so no. My point only relates to free software”, AlexH
How can software be free if someone has patented the equivalent of the callback function, matters not if Sun gives the enduser a royalty free patent grant. What about the developers who put similar functionality in their applications?