● 05.11.12

● Links 11/5/2012: Quetzal Logo, Feodra 18 Named

Posted in News Roundup at 9:28 am by Dr. Roy SchestowitzContentsGNU/LinuxGNU/Linux

Desktop

• I mentioned this before: desktop computers are quickly becoming an endangered species seen only on corporate campuses. Laptops, which are still the mainstay of the industry are slowly losing ground to ultra-portable tablet devices. Everyone seems to agree that future is mobile computing. We are boldly moving into a new era where consumer facing devices are portable, wearable and touch controlled – and era that some started to call “post-PC”.

• While every *buntu and *edora moving towards Unity, Gnome3, Cinnamon or MATE, only two distributions remain practical for desktop productivity and fun, they are CentOS 6.* and Debian 6.*. They both will support the good old gnome2 line at least couple years more. However, they are a lot different from each other. Here’s a short description on each of them vis-a-vis desktop use.

• Jack Wallen found many people had strong opinions about his claim that Ubuntu 12.04 nailed the desktop to near perfection. As a result, Jack questions whether the “perfect desktop” is attainable.

• What is it that web developers want? That’s what Dell is trying to find out with its just-launched Project Sputnik, an “experimental” laptop bundled with Ubuntu Linux plus utilities, and with an easy on-ramp to github repositories coming soon. Sputnik looks like Dell’s attempt to wrest the attention of the many web developers that have defected to OS X, but chafe at the restrictions Apple’s walled garden imposes on them.

Server

• In New York’s Financial District, Linux is your MAMA. The Linux Foundation (that’s Greg Kroah-Hartman in the center and to his right is Jim Zemlin) rang the closing bell at the NYSE yesterday.

• The Linux Foundation is in NYC for their End User conference, which also served as a backdrop for an OpenMAMA announcement.

Audiocasts/Shows

• If you’re in the UK this Saturday, why not head over to Manchester for the fantastic UCubed open source unconference. There are only 40 tickets left!

Kernel Space

• Btrfs will work faster and handle errors better, Linux 3.4 already supports chipsets that Intel won’t release until next year, and Greg Kroah-Hartman is putting pressure on Zcache developers to finally improve their staging code.

Graphics Stack

Applications

• Linux MultiMedia Studio is a remarkably feature-filled application for creating music and sounds. It has tools to go beyond just creating musical sounds. It lets me re-arrange sounds and rhythms with a click-and-drag action. I can layer the tracks to create songs. In fact, it’s so packed with possibilities that newcomers may be a little intimidated by its interface.

• At first glance Linux Live USB Creator looks much like UNetbootin, theUniversal USB Installer, and every other tool that aims to help you download and create a bootable Linux environment for your PC. And as those existing tools are generally very good it’s not immediately obvious why we might need another.

• It’s been quite a long time since Microsoft first unveiled Windows Media Center. The entertainment tool catered to a special group of users who wanted to convert their computer into a full-fledged media center. And though Redmond’s ambitious endeavor never really got the expected response, the idea of having a media center on a computer appealed to many users.

Instructionals/Technical

Games

• After a week of interesting Valve Linux news on Phoronix, Friday afternoon there was a special Linux delivery at Valve’s offices for their “Linux cabal” — the team of Valve developers that are working to provide the Linux versions of the Steam client and various Source Engine-powered games natively on Linux.

• Linux Game Publishing is a software company specialized in porting games to the Linux platform. Since 2001, LGP has accomplished many great things on a field that very few people had the guts to explore and invest in. On this interview, we talk with the new CEO of the company in an attempt to learn more about the difficulties of the past, as well as the plans for a brighter linux gaming future. Enjoy!

• Speed Dreams is an open source, multi platform (works on Windows and Linux) motorsport simulator that was forked from the open racing simulator TORCS with the purpose of adding new features such as new cars, tracks, AI opponents and making the game more enjoyable and realistic.

Desktop Environments

• The developers of the Xfce desktop environment have released the newest version of their suite of applications. Xfce 4.10, which was released roughly fifteen months after its stable predecessor Xfce 4.8, comes with new orientation modes for the panel, a rewritten application finder and more fine tuning to its overall look and feel.

• Choice is one of the best parts of the desktop Linux world, where there’s a distribution to suit virtually every taste and purpose.

K Desktop Environment/KDE SC/Qt

• It has been several years since I spent any significant amount of time with the productivity suite known as KOffice. The project, designed to work hand-in-hand with the KDE desktop, has maintained a small niche over the years by being an office suite with a small foot print that features an interface designed to fit in with other KDE/Qt software.

• May 4, 2012. Today KDE released updates for its Workspaces, Applications, and Development Platform. These updates are the third in a series of monthly stabilization updates to the 4.8 series. 4.8.3 updates bring many bugfixes and translation updates on top of the latest edition in the 4.8 series and are recommended updates for everyone running 4.8.2 or earlier versions. As the release only contains bugfixes and translation updates, it will be a safe and pleasant update for everyone. KDE’s software is already translated into more than 55 languages, with more to come.

Distributions

• ROSA, on the other hand, has unveiled its new release candidate of Marathon EE (EE is the version including non-free stuff, like the extinct Mandriva ONE). I downloaded, gave it a run in Live mode, and this is what I found:

• ROSA presents some animated bars as the Live environment is becoming ready to launch. After a while of waiting (the wait was shorter than with Mandriva Desktop 2011, I must say), you are greeted by this desktop:

• There is wide variety of Linux Distros in the market. Each one differs in size, design, support and layout, although the basic function is the same. Each distros offers several unique features apart from main features. There is a heavy competition among distributors to create and develop unique features. Each of these distros offers different types of support systems such as forums, live chat, and other means. That is why it is necessary to select the distributor based on your requirement.

• It is the mystery of mysteries, the one that ranks up there with the Gordian Knot, crop circles, and how many licks does it take to get the center of Tootsie Pop: what is the greatest Linux distro of all?

• This is part one of a multi-part series about my experiences creating a LFS system for the first time.

PCLinuxOS/Mageia/Mandrake/Mandriva Family

• In his usual man-of-a-few-words manner today, Jean-Manuel Croset, Mandriva COO, announced that enough funds have been secured to allow Mandriva to keep its doors open and continue development. With Croset saying little else, users at least have a nugget of good news to sustain them.

• Mageia 2 RC was planned for today but tests and debug are still going on to finalize it. We hope to deliver it in coming days.

Gentoo Family

• I have been running Sabayon Linux (Xfce) for the past couple of months and figured I would throw a post up on here describing my experience with it.

Red Hat Family

• As previously announced, Red Hat has open sourced its OpenShift Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) offering. The community version of the product, which has been named OpenShift Origin, can be downloaded as a Fedora-based live CD that may be used to set up an OpenShift instance on a spare machine or using VirtualBox.

• Her responsibilities with the open source technology provider include overseeing the system integrator community that provides services to the public sector.

• Corddry is a well-versed technology veteran, serving with companies including NetApp and systems integrators firm Unisys. She recently spoke with ExecutiveBiz about her experiences at each firm, Red Hat’s subscription model successes and market opportu

Fedora

• Some of you may have noticed that Fedora 16 and Fedora 17 basically have the same kernel. The astute of you might have also noticed F15 does as well [1]. All three main Fedora branches are currently sitting at the Linux 3.3.2 release, with Linux 3.3.3 already committed to the git repository. So if they’re all based on the same kernel version, that means they’re all identical, right? And if so, why bother upgrading, right? Well, not quite. There are some differences, and I thought I’d take a minute to explain what those are and why.

• Tatica broke the news about the Fedora 18 release name in Vienna to Emichan and me and we have been discussing it tonight. We all have some concerns with it.

• There’s one feature In the upcoming Fedora 17 release that is immensly useful but very little known, since its feature page ‘ckremoval’ does not explicitly refer to it in its name: true automatic multi-seat support for Linux.

Debian Family

• The primary version of Linux Mint uses Ubuntu as its source, but to think that it is the only source would be wrong; there’s also the Linux Mint Debian Edition (LMDE).

• Apart from its Debian roots, LMDE differs from regular Mint versions by being a rolling release; meaning that the system is constantly and gradually updated, rather than having a massive update every six months bundled into a new release of the distro that demands a new installation or comprehensive updating sequence. Hence, LMDE should only ever need be installed once.

Derivatives

Canonical/Ubuntu

• The new Ubuntu 12.04 LTS (Precise Pangolin) has just been released. Ubuntu 12.04 LTS is a long-term support release, which means it is supported for five years. This guide shows how you can upgrade your Ubuntu 11.10 desktop and server installations to Ubuntu 12.04 LTS.

• My first experience with it dates back to testing Ubuntu 5.10. I made the switch not too long afterward with the Ubuntu 6.06 release. Coming away from a KDE-centric distribution, I found the switch to a Linux distro offering GNOME as its preferred desktop to be interesting. Previously I had used KDE almost exclusively, so having an opportunity to spend some time with GNOME piqued my interest.

• buntu 12.04, codenamed Precise Pangolin, was released last week, and I’ve been updating my Linux boxes to the shiny new version of the operating system. The upgrade system has gotten a lot smoother in recent years, but I still like to do a fresh installation for each release on my PC and netbook. In this short roundup, I’ll look at some great third-party applications that you can get from the Software Center to augment your Ubuntu installation.

• Well, you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting an Ubuntu 12.04 review, with pictures, videos, step-by-step instructions and everything else imaginable. So rather than write yet another, I am going to take a different approach – a quick result run-down and a few comments about installing it on the various computers around here. As I have a fairly wide variety of hardware, in both configuration and age, this should cover a lot of different situations, and perhaps offer hope and encouragement to those considering upgrading (or especially those considering installing for the first time), and consolation to those who might have tried and run into trouble.

• So what is/are Ubuntu Accomplishments? To keep it short, imagine achievements on console games that get added to your profile when you complete a certain action in a game. Its a nifty idea that extends the playability of game and surprisingly (though I would not have thought it before) acts as a very inspiring means to get people involved with Ubuntu.

• This morning Matthias Klose announced Quantal open for development. While it has not even been a week since the release of Ubuntu 12.04 LTS, with the six-month release cycle it’s already time to get working on the Ubuntu Quantal release. Coming up next week is also the Ubuntu 12.10 Developer Summit where some of the new features will be discussed for this release expected to land in mid-October, per the Ubuntu 12.10 release schedule.

• The release of Ubuntu 12.04 (Precise Pangolin) hasn’t exactly made critics warm to Ubuntu’s Unity interface. However, Unity having gone through several versions, a definite tone of acceptance — or maybe resignation — colors discussion of the new release. Although Unity isn’t a critical favorite, the pundits are at least resigned to the fact that it isn’t going away.

• Partly, this change is simply the result of the passage of time. Obsessive outrage is hard for most of us to maintain for more than a few months. A couple of years of testing and use is also enough for the shock of the new to be blunted and replaced by a closer approximation of objectivity.

• With roughly 98 percent of the desktop and laptop market spoken for, you’d be forgiven for thinking your only choices for powering your computer were Windows or Mac OS X. There is another way, though. Linux may only run on a tiny sliver of consumer PCs, but the number is growing and one of the biggest players propelling its popularity is Ubuntu. Since bursting on the scene eight years ago, the distro has grown to dominate the desktop Linux market and made plenty of fans (and a few detractors) along the way. Truth is, Ubuntu is completely unique and, at least compared to other distros out there, very user-friendly. It also happens to have a very active community of developers and users willing to lend help to those in need, which makes it appealing to Linux vets, enterprise users and *nix n00bs alike.

• Ubuntu spans the whole open source ecosystem. I think it’s convenient for Ubuntu’s competitors to talk about a split between Ubuntu and GNOME. But I know lots of GNOME developers who don’t see things that way at all, they write apps because they want them to be used, and Ubuntu is an amazing conduit for their work to millions of users.

• He’s the founder of Ubuntu and its parent company Canonical, and is the creative force behind not on the Unity desktop but its expansion to new form factors.

• It seems to be quite a common belief among potential Ubuntu contributors, that it is very difficult to contribute source code to Ubuntu. I have met with such opinion many times, in bug reports, comments at OMG!Ubuntu!, at AskUbuntu. There is quite a lot of people who might help and write some real code, but are not willing to do so, because they are overwhelmed by the size of the project.

• I’m confident that any version of Ubuntu released in the last five years will have absolutely no problem beating [Windows 8],” said Slashdot blogger Barbara Hudson. Of course, “after the success of Windows 7, this is Microsoft snatching defeat from the jaws of victory,” she added. “What’s the logic? Did Steve Ballmer secretly invest a fortune in Apple stock or something? Off his meds? Run out of chairs?”

• I am officially kicking off the start of the spring hunting season with a long review of Ubuntu 12.04 Precise Pangolin. ‘Tis a silly name, but it’s a five-year Long Term Support (LTS) release. Previously, Ubuntu would only offer three years, and anyone using RedHat or CentOS would laugh at this. Not anymore, five years is a respectable figure, by all means.

• The new version of Ubuntu–12.04, codename “Precise Pangolin”– is officially here, meaning two things: I get to be really happy about new features, and some people get to complain about Unity in the comments. Horray!

• It’s been a year since Ubuntu made Unity the default interface, and man: many of you were not happy. I was thrilled, however: in my opinion Unity is better looking and easier to use than any other Linux user interface. Sure: there were some rough edges in that release, but overall I got the Linux desktop I’d been trying to hack Gnome into becoming for years.

• The arrival of Ubuntu 12.04 attracted a lot of attention just over a week ago, both from users and critics alike. In fact, Ubuntu’s new long-term support tempted attracted so many people that I was unable to connect to the project’s download servers on the day of the release and had to turn to the torrent files to get the latest version.

• In this phenomenal times for Linux Gaming there are even more great things to come for Linux soon. As some of you know, Ubuntu Developer Summit is going to take place in California on 7–11 May this year. As usually it is going to be an event for discussing new ideas, plans and solutions for the next Ubuntu release. However this time there will be a special guest talking to the audience, one of the biggest video games publishers – Electronic Arts.

Flavours and Variants

• Kubuntu’s new financial backers – Blue Systems – have ‘no plans’ to change the way Kubuntu is run or built.

• The Kubuntu Community will continue to decide and manage the direction of the KDE-based distro as they have done in the past.

• Kubuntu is the second child in the line of Canonical kings, hence it gets less attention compared to the royal heir and favorite son, Ubuntu. Now, to add to the drama, starting and ending with Precise Pangolin, the company decided it will no longer officially support Kubuntu from its own resources, and it will become a community distro, like the other flavors. This means Kubuntu 12.04 Precise Pangolin will be the last in-house Ubuntu spin with the KDE desktop.

• Xubuntu 12.04 is the only lighter weight distribution that is getting Long Term Support (LTS) from Canonical. Support for Xubuntu LTS will be for 3 years compared to the life-cycle of 18 months and shorter than the 5 years given to Ubuntu 12.04 LTS.

• Xubuntu uses the XFCE 4.8 desktop which is less resource hungry than Unity or KDE and comes in two flavors, 32 bit and 64 bit. It is also an installable Live distribution and is based on Linux kernel 3.2 series.

Devices/Embedded

• The Raspberry Pi is one of the most eagerly-awaited computers of 2012. With more than 350,000 people on the Raspberry Pi waiting list, it’s an enthusiasts’ machine with mainstream appeal.

• The computer provides exceptional value. It’s a $40 computer with a range of intuitive programming tools and the capability of an average PC – browsing the web, running office software or playing HD video. The Pi is also suited to projects as diverse as controlling robots and building an in-car computer.

• But in its present form novice computer users – weaned on the simplicity of Windows PCs, smartphones and iPads – may struggle to get to grips with the Raspberry Pi.

Phones

Android

• I am encouraged by the the release of ebook readers and their massive popularity. As readers of this blog and listeners to the audio-cast will know, I am not a big fan of TV & Film, infact if it wasn’t for the PS3 and the once a year tradition of Doctor Who, I’d happily throw the insidious device away. Maybe the book will start to gain more ground on the film? You are probably wondering where I am headed with this article, but all will be revealed.

Free Software/Open Source

• Has the Apache Software Foundation overextended itself by taking open source projects like OpenOffice and Cloudstack off the hands of proprietary giants while its famed HTTP web server continues losing ground to NGINX?

Web Browsers

Mozilla

• Mozilla has released the final version of Firefox 12, which streamlines the update process and improves on the numerous developer tools that are now part of the popular open source browser.

• If you’re already using Firefox there’s no need to do anything; you’ll be automatically updated later today. If you’d like to give Firefox 12 a try, head over to the Firefox downloads page and grab a copy.

• After taking a second look at Firefox 13, it is time to look at the current aurora version of the Firefox browser. Mozilla plans to introduce many new features in Firefox 14. Some of the features had been announced for previous versions of the browser but were postponed for a variety of reasons.

• Just as the company pledged it would early last year, Mozilla is marching ahead with its rapid release cycle for the Firefox browser. Version 13 of Firefox is out in beta now, and while it is a testing-focused version, it adds a number of notable features. Meanwhile, silent updates–a controversial feature disliked by those who like to tightly manage their own browsers–have arrived in Firefox 12, and Mozilla is taking steps to move people away from Firefox 3.6. Here is more on what to expect in Firefox 13.

• Mozilla is working on a revamp of Firefox to synchronize its various versions — desktop, tablet, phone and Windows 8 Metro — into a single visual style, according to documents posted by members of its user interface (UI) design team.

Oracle/Java/LibreOffice

• Michael Meeks is a long-time OpenOffice, now Libre Office, contributor and employee of Novell, now Attachmate.

• We caught up with him to get the inside perspective on the massive changes they, and desktop Linux as a whole, have gone through in the past few years.

• The very short form: WPL created a re-implementation of the SAS Language, using the original documentation of SAS and a freebie version for personal and educational use. SAS claimed they thus infringed on copyright etc.

• Seems SAS lost big time.

• Now you can almost directly compare this case with Oracle v Google. Simply replace SAS Language with JAVA and watch this drama unfold. Note: IANAL but it seems Oracle wouldn’t have a chance in the EU with the current set of arguments used in the US case.

CMS

FSF/FSFE/GNU/SFLC

Leftovers

Hardware

• In a 1965 paper, Intel co-founder Gordon E. Moore predicted that the number of transistors on an integrated circuit would double approximately every two years. This prediction has proven to be uncannily accurate over the years and has come to be known as Moore’s Law. But it’s not going to hold true forever, is it? Well, it’s believed that like all things good, Moore’s Law too will come to an end one day. The question that remains, though, is when. Noted theoretical (and often theatrical) physicist Michio Kaku feels he has the answer.

Security

Censorship

• We’ve just learned that issue 154 of Linux Format, the one with ‘Learn to Hack’ on the cover, was removed from Barnes and Noble bookstores in the US after a complaint was made. We’d like to apologise if you were affected and couldn’t find a copy.

Intellectual Monopolies

Copyrights

• The Pirate Party UK has hosted a proxy (tpb.pirateparty.org.uk), allowing people to connect to the Pirate Bay via Pirate Party servers since the 19th of April 2012. We provided the proxy as a tool for users on networks where the Pirate Bay is blocked through filtering, and in support of our sister party in the Netherlands. It continues to be a legitimate route for those affected by court orders issued to some (but not all) UK ISP’s requiring the site to be blocked. Whilst some providers continue to allow access to the web in an unfiltered manner, others are limiting access to specific parts of the internet.

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