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NewsVac: News from around the Web
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Debian postpones Lenny, calls for help
37 minutes ago
Debian, the granddaddy of Linux distributions, is in trouble. Its planned September release date for Lenny - its latest release - has come and gone and there is still no sign of the new product. It seems the Debian team is battling “too many release critical bugs” to make Lenny viable. And now the team is calling for help from the community to squash the remainder of these bugs. -
The Ohio LinuxFest webcast, by NOOSS.org
4 hours, 37 minutes ago
The Northeast Ohio Open Source will be webcasting live from the floor from of the Ohio LinuxFest this Saturday, October 11th. As in past years, there will be many interesting people to listen to with random visitors stopping by and chatting during the day. Plus, the occasional presenter and possible linux guru or two will likely stop by during the day to impart their wisdom. -
Hackles: Funniest Comic Strip About Hacking and Linux
8 hours, 37 minutes ago
With all those sad news about the global economy, it's hard not to be affected psychologically. However, if you know how to laugh in the face of danger, everything's going to be OK. -
Linux For The Masses: Are We There Yet?
12 hours, 37 minutes ago
Every year, every major Linux development, every major distribution release sparks a volley of so-called expert opinion of this being finally the year of the Linux. As they provide arguments and counter-arguments over certain news of Dell/HP/IBM/Asus releasing pre-installed Linux computer; and how this will single-handedly fix every problems and finally allow Linux to take over the world. -
Linux at 17 - What Windows promised to be
13 hours, 7 minutes ago
On October 5, 1991, the young man who would one day become the world's most famous programmer - and the brand name and poster boy for the open source software movement - sent a message to a newsgroup announcing the birth of what would become the Linux operating system. -
Wal-Mart reverses policy on DRM?
13 hours, 37 minutes ago
New reports say Wal-Mart may have reversed its policy on digital rights management, and will keep servers online for the near future. -
Open-source innovation in a recession
14 hours, 7 minutes ago
Nat Torkington over at O'Reilly suggests that a recession will be very kind to open source as companies seek to lower their IT costs while continuing to service business needs. -
Mandriva Linux 2009.0 is out - but do you care?
14 hours, 37 minutes ago
The first time I ever saw Mandrake Linux (now Mandriva) was on a retail store shelf. That was probably 9 years ago and to be honest in the last few years I personally haven't seen Mandriva running much.. -
Manage Your Finances With GNUCash
15 hours, 7 minutes ago
Hackers might like to think that the most important programs on their computer is an editor, programming language, or even a Web browser with the latest plugins. But for many people, a computer is nothing more than a tool, something that they use to write letters, perform calculations, and create presentations. Even if Linux were the most user-friendly operating system on the planet, but if it weren't for the OpenOffice productivity suite, no one would ever use it. -
Mozilla Labs Introduces Geode
15 hours, 37 minutes ago
Mozilla Labs recently offered a sneak peak and download of Geode. Geode is one of the first applications to use the new W3C geolocation specification API. It is currently available as a plug-in for Firefox 3 (and seems to only support Windows and Mac systems at this time). Mozilla Labs indicates it will likely be a new feature integrated in an upcoming browser release. -
Let's Set Reasonable Expectations for Linux Netbooks
16 hours, 7 minutes ago
Techworld has an intereresting post up today about how Linux-based netbooks are becoming a big driver for business adoption of Linux. We've been covering how netbooks are helping fuel a relatively healthy market for new computer buying, but there are some naysayers. Reports are coming in that many people are returning the netbooks that they purchase. How solid is the netbook trend? -
One Size Fits All Versus The Right Tool for the Job
16 hours, 37 minutes ago
On Internetnews.com, Christopher Saunders asks if Linux is really necessary for the desktop. He relates a discussion he had with a creative/marketing executive recently, and the doubts that this executive has about the ability of open source alternatives to meet his company's needs. This conversation goes astray with the word "necessary." Is Linux necessary? Is Windows necessary? Perhaps a Mac would do better here? A key point that many open source detractors -- and supporters -- miss is that there doesn't have to be an all or nothing approach to using free software. -
Mozilla Labs Introduces Geode
17 hours, 7 minutes ago
Mozilla Labs recently offered a sneak peak and download of Geode. Geode is one of the first applications to use the new W3C geolocation specification API. It is currently available as a plug-in for Firefox 3 (and seems to only support Windows and Mac systems at this time). Mozilla Labs indicates it will likely be a new feature integrated in an upcoming browser release. -
Let's Set Reasonable Expectations for Netbooks
17 hours, 37 minutes ago
Techworld has an intereresting post up today about how Linux-based netbooks are becoming a big driver for business adoption of Linux. We've been covering how netbooks are helping fuel a relatively healthy market for new computer buying, but there are some naysayers. Reports are coming in that many people are returning the netbooks that they purchase. How solid is the netbook trend? -
Ease Linux Migration By Asking Hard Questions First
18 hours, 7 minutes ago
Over at TechRepublic, Jack Wallen details ten points to consider prior to moving your organization to Linux. Some points are far more critical for operation than others (it is easier to switch to a more suitable desktop environment than make some highly specialized proprietary applications work with Linux, for instance), but all require attention. Depending on the workplace and industry, it might be worth an administrator's time to consider a few other points as well. - More News
Linux.com : Features
Picasa 3 for Linux: A video tour
Google's Picasa is all about photos -- it helps you instantly find, edit, and share all the pictures on your computer. Although it isn't released as open source it is free to download and use from Google's Web site. The new version 3, which is currently in beta, is available for Windows as well as Linux.
VMware Workstation 6.5 consolidates the best of desktop virtualization
Virtualization software can help you run programs that your native Linux distro wouldn't. While Linux users have many virtualization options, none comes close to the all-encompassing VMware Workstation 6.5. Introduced last month, VMware Workstation 6.5 continues the tradition of outshining and outpacing the competition with a host of useful new features, and boldly goes where no virtualization software has gone before -- into the realm of virtual machines with accelerated 3-D graphics. Despite the advances, some of the new features are still in beta, so Workstation 6.5 might not be the best virtualization option for everyone.
The KOffice 2.0 beta, part 2: Graphical and charting programs
Yesterday, I looked at the major applications in the first beta for KOffice 2.0. Now it's the turn of the rest of the beta: The KPlato project manager, KChart, the vector graphics editor Karbon, and the raster graphics editor Krita.
Foresight Kid's can inspire young minds
Foresight Linux is best known by many as the distribution that features the Conary package management system. Perhaps soon it may become known as your child's favorite distro. The recent release of Foresight Kid's Edition 1.0 introduces a new generation to the benefits of Linux and open source software. Not that kids care about that -- they'll just appreciate the unlimited hours of fun at their fingertips.
Clocks for time travelers
Whether you believe that punctuality is "the politeness of kings" or "the art of guessing how late the other fellow is going to be," you can count on your Linux box for information about local times across the globe, so that you can plan a punctual VoIP call, stock transaction, or meeting. Here are some world clocks that work well on the desktop.
KOffice 2.0 beta hints at improved capabilities
KOffice has been trailing the office application leaders for a long time. Despite years of development, it has yet to match OpenOffice.org feature for feature, although its features are complete enough that they have attracted a loyal community. Judging from the first beta, KOffice 2.0 will still not rival OpenOffice.org or other free software rivals, but it should be a major step in that direction.
Security scans with OpenVAS
As important as security is, remaining current with every development is hard, and evaluating possible vulnerabilities across a network can be quite a chore. You need a way to both automate tests and make sure you're running the most appropriate and up-to-date tests. Open Vulnerability Assessment System (OpenVAS) is a network security scanner that includes a central server and a graphical front end. The server allows you to run several different network vulnerability tests (NVT) written in Nessus Attack Scripting Language (NASL), which OpenVAS updates frequently.
After 2.0 release, Miguel de Icaza reflects on Mono's past and future
Few free and open source software projects have attracted such a range of reactions as Mono. On one hand, as an implementation of Microsoft's .Net that's sponsored by Novell, it has been vilified both for the company it keeps and as a possible source of patent claims, should Microsoft choose to get nasty. On the other hand, Mono has been the platform of choice for such major projects as Second Life, which uses it to increase the efficiency of its servers. This week, as the Mono project reached version 2.0, Miguel de Icaza, the project's founder and maintainer, talked with Linux.com about the history of the project, its application and the criticism leveled at it, and where the project goes from here.
In search of bigger, stronger calculators
If I had had SpeedCrunch or Qalculate! during high school, finishing homework really would've been child's play. From breaking down complex algebraic equations, to solving your calculus problems, to performing geometric computations and providing statistical answers, SpeedCrunch and Qalculate! are tools that offer quick solutions to difficult questions.
Monitor your network with GroundWork Monitor Community Edition
A reliable network monitoring and management solution must accurately detect network devices such as routers, servers, and client workstations. It must be able to display a map of the whole network, monitor the health and performance of each device, and have a way to notify someone of a problem by email, text message, or other form of communication. It should be able to fix a problem by restarting services or running specific programs. It should generate detailed reports that you can analyze easily to help prevent future incidents. Finally, a decent monitoring system must be easy to use, deploy, and customize according to your monitoring needs. Let's use these standards to see if GroundWork Monitor Community Edition is up to the task.
Sidux grows on you
Sidux, a relatively new desktop Linux distribution, is based on Sid, the unstable developmental branch of Debian. The developers strive for an easy-to-install and easy-to-use modern Debian derivative, and pride themselves on remaining true to the principles and values of the Debian project. Despite a few inconveniences, I like Sidux a bit more each time I use it.
Become a multimedia pro with the Vector Linux Multimedia Bonus Disc
Many audio, video, and graphics professionals would like to make the switch to Linux, but don't want to deal with the hassle of figuring out multimedia on Linux or are scared off by the purported lack of such tools. I created Vector Linux Multimedia Bonus Disc (MMBD) to address this problem and perception. It's a complete multimedia creation and production system that contains hundreds of the best multimedia applications available on Linux.
Five outliners for Linux
The first essays of the school year are coming due, and with the essays comes the need to outline and plan. GNU/Linux users are fortunate to have a number of outlining applications from which to choose. True, some outliners have become obsolete, and you will be lucky to get programs like GNOME-Think or the once-popular KnowIt to run on a modern distribution. But you can still choose among OpenOffice.org, TuxCards, NoteCase, Emacs, and VimOutliner for doing your planning.
NPX-9000 UMPC is inexpensive but underpowered
The wave of cheap netbooks, mini laptops, or ultra-mobile PCs has crested with the cheapest yet, the NPX-9000 from Carapelli. Though it was announced in July with great fanfare at a price of £65 (or $110), it has yet to appear on the vendor's Web site. But we got our hands on one of the first units to escape from the factory and put it through its paces. We found that you get what you pay for -- if that.
PC-BSD 7 is a mixed bag
FreeBSD is a Unix-like open source operating system that can trace its ancestry back to the original Unix. It's well known and well respected in the server marketplace, but until recently FreeBSD lacked an easy-to-use desktop version. In 2005 the PC-BSD project was started to provide just that. This month PC-BSD version 7 was released. I downloaded and installed it to see how it squares up to user-friendly Linux distributions like Ubuntu. I came away a little disappointed.
FUEL: An initiative in language standardization via collaboration
FUEL (Frequently Used Entries for Localization) aims to solve the problem of inconsistency and lack of standardization in computer software translation in a new and unique way. Initiated by Red Hat, the project is trying to give a better experience to end users of a localized desktop by resolving the issues of standardization and inconsistency.
New Manju project plans to redraw desktop art
Most free software projects produce applications for users. A minority, however, produce specifications or libraries for developers and other contributors. An example of this second type is the recently announced Manju project, whose goal is to make themes easier to create. The project's goal is to write the specifications and scripts for using scalable vector graphics (SVG) files to store widget and other theme-related information that can be used on a variety of toolkits.
Areca and plan/b offer Java-based backup for Linux
Everyone needs to back up their computers, but when you have machines running on different platforms and different operating systems, it can be annoying to have to learn several interfaces. Areca and plan/b are two Java-based backup solutions that can run on any platform, including Linux, Windows, and Unix. Although maintenance has been discontinued for plan/b, both apps are worth a look.
Clean up your filesystems with fslint
Maintaining filesystems can be a real administration burden. Over time you might start getting multiple copies of the same file, soft links that point to files that no longer exist, temporary files that have been hanging around longer than they should, and binaries that have been installed and not had their debugging information stripped out. fslint can help you find these troublesome files so you can clean up your filesystem.
Pidgin instant messaging client: a video tour
Pidgin, formerly known as Gaim, is a popular Instant Messaging (IM) client for Linux. It works with 16 different IM services, including AIM, Yahoo, MSN, and Google, and can handle simultaneous connections to as many of them as you like. This 10-minute video is a brief introduction to Pidgin that shows how easy it is to install, in this case on OpenSUSE 11, how easy it is to set Pidgin up to use an existing IM account, and how to find and join an IRC channel with Pidgin.
