07.12.08

Gemini version available ♊︎

Links 12/07/2008: Impressions of KDE4; New GNU/Linux Appliances

Posted in News Roundup at 3:03 pm by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

GNOME bluefish

KDE

Fedora/Red Hat

Distributions

  • New Wolvix website up and running
  • Ubuntu: Challenge the Mac
  • SliTaz, a mighty micro Linux distro
  • Ubuntu 8.10 Alpha 2 Screenshot Tour

    As the Ubuntu developers failed to deliver a Live CD with this alpha version (it will be available in Alpha 3), we’ve tested one of the current daily Live builds. Here is the screenshot tour of this second alpha version of Ubuntu 8.10…

  • I converted to Ubuntu…

    I was really surprised when it automatically downloaded a driver for my wireless card, without the need of me to look for it. Now I have to admit that Ubuntu is the No.1 Linux distro for desktop user.

    Oh, good bye XP…

  • Sabayon 3.5
  • ELive
  • Mandriva Linux Community Newsletter #129
  • Distro Review: Linux Mint 5 Elyssa

    Overall I would say Mint 5 is more a case of evolution than revolution, there are of course improvements here which are welcome but it feels more a case of fine tuning things than adding big new features. The distro already does so much that it’s hard to see what new features are really needed, though I’m sure the developers have plans. It should also be noted that this is based on Ubuntu 8.04 which is an LTS release and itself could be considered quite conservative on the feature front, it’s about stability and consolidation which makes sense.

GNU/Linux: General

  • Finally, Notes on Linux is here and ready
  • [Wine 1.1.1 Released]
  • A new way to use Linux.
  • Linux in schools: a teacher speaks

    Catching them young is a popular slogan and one that yields dividends too, no matter whether one applies it to the adoption of software or the learning of a language. And with a small window seemingly open for Australia’s FOSS community to push for the use of free and open source software in schools, the question arises – how does one go about making the first inroads?

  • A Simple Guide to Making the Perfect Recording in Audacity
  • New Compiz plugins

    Besides these additions, Freewins plugin from our one and only C-F dev/journalist SmSpillaz has improved leaps and bounds, keep up the great work. Freewins plugin allows you to rotate any window in any direction (yes including in 3D).

  • Another reason to love FOSS – Software Kill Switches

    One thing I hate above almost anything else is when a vendor tells you what you can and can’t do with your software. That drives me bonkers. Sure, they wrote it and it’s theirs to do with as they wish, but once they sell/give it to me, it’s mine to do with as I see fit – within the confines of the software itself. Unceremoniously switching me off or making me pay more, forcing me to upgrade, stopping me from using the software, or making me bow to other ludicrous demands is just blatant power mongering and extortion. If they want me to do something, they had better have a really good reason why I should do it, and it had better not be “just because we want more money.”

    So what brought on this little bout of ranting and bitterness? Well, several things really, but the biggest is the ever infamous software kill switch. It’s been around for years, but really didn’t start coming into its own until Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) came onto the scene. Since then, proprietary vendors have looked at Microsoft’s success with the Software Kill Switch and realized the money making potential of it. They also have seen the power it can give them and it’s become an intoxicating drug to them.

  • What is so good about Linux?
  • Is Linux ready for your Small Business?

Devices

Firefox

F/OSS

Bad Day for Apple

Leftovers

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DecorWhat Else is New

  1. IRC Proceedings: Monday, December 06, 2021

    IRC logs for Monday, December 06, 2021

  2. [Meme] Rowing to the Bottom of the Ocean

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  3. EPO Gradually Reduced to 'Fee Collection Agency' Which Eliminates Its Very Own Staff

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  4. Linux Foundation 2021 Annual Report Made on an Apple Mac Using Proprietary Software

    Yes, you’re reading this correctly. They still reject both “Linux” and “Open Source” (no dogfooding). This annual report is badly compressed; each page of the PDF is, on average, almost a megabyte in size (58.8 MB for a report of this scale is unreasonable and discriminates against people in countries with slow Internet connections); notice how they’re milking the brand in the first page (straight after the cover page, the 1991 ‘creation myth’, ignoring GNU); remember that this foundation is named after a trademark which is not even its own!

  5. Links 7/12/2021: OpenIndiana Hipster 2021.10 and AppStream 0.15

    Links for the day

  6. Microsoft “Defender” Pretender Attacks Random Software That Uses NSIS for installation; “Super Duper Secure Mode” for Edge is a Laugh

    Guest post by Ryan, reprinted with permission

  7. Links 6/12/2021: LibreOffice Maintenance Releases, Firefox 95 Finalised

    Links for the day

  8. “Wintel” “Secure” uEFI Firmware Used to Store Persistent Malware, and Security Theater Boot is Worthless

    Guest post by Ryan, reprinted with permission

  9. No Linux Foundation IRS Disclosures Since 2018

    The publicly-available records or IRS information about the Linux Foundation is suspiciously behind; compared to other organisations with a "tax-exempt" status the Linux Foundation is one year behind already

  10. Jim Zemlin Has Deleted All of His Tweets

    The Linux Foundation‘s Jim Zemlin seems to have become rather publicity-shy (screenshots above are self-explanatory; latest snapshot), but years ago he could not contain his excitement about Microsoft, which he said was "loved" by what it was attacking. Days ago it became apparent that Microsoft’s patent troll is still attacking Linux with patents and Zemlin’s decision to appoint Microsoft as the At-Large Director (in effect bossing Linus Torvalds) at the ‘Linux’ Foundation’s Board of Directors is already backfiring. She not only gets her whole salary from Microsoft but also allegedly protects sexual predators who assault women… by hiring them despite repeated warnings; if the leadership of the ‘Linux’ Foundation protects sexual predators who strangle women (even paying them a salary and giving them management positions), how can the ‘Linux’ Foundation ever claim to represent inclusion and diversity?

  11. Microsoft GitHub Exposé — Part IX — Microsoft's Chief Architect of GitHub Copilot Sought to be Arrested One Day After Techrights Article About Him

    Balabhadra (Alex) Graveley has warrant for his arrest, albeit only after a lot of harm and damage had already been done (to multiple people) and Microsoft started paying him

  12. The Committee on Patent Law (PLC) Informed About Overlooked Issues “Which Might Have a Bearing on the Validity of EPO Patents.”

    In a publication circulated or prepared last week the Central Staff Committee (CSC) of the EPO explains a situation never explored in so-called 'media' (the very little that's left of it)

  13. Links 6/12/2021: HowTos and Patents

    Links for the day

  14. IRC Proceedings: Sunday, December 05, 2021

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  15. Gemini Space/Protocol: Taking IRC Logs to the Next Level

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  16. Links 6/12/2021: Gnuastro 0.16 and Linux 5.16 RC4

    Links for the day

  17. Links 5/12/2021: Touchpad Gestures in XWayland

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  19. [Meme] Meanwhile in Austria...

    With lobbyists-led leadership one might be led to believe that a treaty strictly requiring ratification by the UK is somehow feasible (even if technically and legally it's moot already)

  20. The EPO's Web Site is a Parade of Endless Lies and Celebration of Gross Violations of the Law

    The EPO's noise site (formerly it had a "news" section, but it has not been honest for about a decade) is a torrent of lies, cover-up, and promotion of crimes; maybe the lies are obvious for everybody to see (at least EPO insiders), but nevertheless a rebuttal seems necessary

  21. The Letter EPO Management Does Not Want Applicants to See (or Respond to)

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  22. IRC Proceedings: Saturday, December 04, 2021

    IRC logs for Saturday, December 04, 2021

  23. EPO-Bribed IAM 'Media' Has Praised Quality, Which Even EPO Staff (Examiners) Does Not Praise

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  24. Tux Machines is 17.5 Years Old Today

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  25. Approaching 100

    We'll soon have 100 files in Git; if that matters at all...

  26. Improving Gemini by Posting IRC Logs (and Scrollback) as GemText

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  27. Links 4/12/2021: IPFire 2.27 Core Update 162 and Genode OS Framework 21.11

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  28. Links 4/12/2021: Gedit Plans and More

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  29. Links 4/12/2021: Turnip Becomes Vulkan 1.1 Conformant

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