12.30.08

Links 30/12/2008: Mass Migrations to GNU/Linux in India, Russian Military

Posted in News Roundup at 5:18 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

GNU/Linux

Open source makes its way into educational institutions

Richard Stallman, the founder of the Free Software Foundation and GNU Project, will launch the e-Swecha initiative, on Wednesday, wherein about 21,000 computers will see migration from present OS to e-Swecha across the state in the next one-month, they said.
LV: Minister: “Open standards improve efficiency and transparency”

Marat Guriev, a representative of IBM in Eastern Europe and Asia, gave an overview of developments on open source software and open standards in Russia. He described how the Russian military has been working on its own version of GNU/Linux, parts of which have recently been declassified by the All-Russian Scientific and Research Institute of Control Automation in the Non-Industrial Sphere (Vniins). According to Guriev, many specialised version of GNU/Linux distributions are produced, often in response to requests by local governments. In three Russian regions, most of the PCs in use in about a thousand schools have been switched over to GNU/Linux. Moreover, Russian science institutes are publishing their work on open source systems, he said, for example on the web site Linux Testing.
The six-figure Linux job

A Savannah, Georgia-based job placement firm called Hot Linux Jobs works exclusively with companies seeking open source experts., and its director, Brent Marinaccio, says the positions they work for pay at least high five-figure and end up in the $150,000 base salary range. And the salary levels are rising due to supply and demand.
One Bush who has designs on LCA2009
Kernel
- Kernel Mode-Setting Push For Linux 2.6.29 Kernel
- Ts’o calls for pragmatic Debian
2009
KDE
- Look Back at 2008
- KDE Digest Issue 136 [Only Just Released]
  
  Merge of the KMail Summer of Code project (including a reworked folder tree and a new message list) to trunk (in time for KDE 4.2). The alternative “QuickSand” interface is integrated into KRunner. Option to enable image support in Klipper, with the start of efforts to convert the utility to KConfigXT. Phonon intuitively responds to removal of internal (non-hotpluggable) sound devices. First version of scripted services for browsing content from BBC (with basic search ability) and NPR, and beginnings of a SongKick applet in Amarok 2. Use of Solid in Digikam to identify pictures already downloaded from cameras. RAW image support added to slideshows in kipi-plugins (used by Digikam, etc).
Distributions
Devices
- ReelTime Partners with Envizions on JV
- Sub-notebooks
  - Lennon Speaks from the Grave for Laptop Charity
  - TechRadar’s 10 favourite technologies of 2008
    
    1. Open source software
    2008 has done wonders for the image of open source software. In fact, you could argue that Linux had a breakthrough year. Although we’re now on Ubuntu 8.10 (Intrepid Ibex), version 8.04 (Hardy Heron) has done much to spit-and-polish Linux for a mainstream audience. Netbooks like the Asus Eee have the option of the Xandros distro, while the Acer Aspire One runs Linpus Linux Lite. Open source software has also made great strides into the mobile arena with Android, while Nokia bought out the Symbian OS this year and promptly announced it would make it free to developers. Nice.
  - Google Watchers Strike Down Google Netbook Notion
    
    Now, I’ve already said I agreed with many who believe an Android netbook isn’t farfetched. Linux distributions such as Xandros and Ubuntu have proliferated on netbooks, causing some folks to opine that 2009 could be the year we see a crack in Microsoft’s Windows hegemony.
    
    Well, if Xandros and Ubuntu can make it on netbooks, why can’t Android, as I asked Friday? Google Watchers have answered the call, doubting the appearance of Android on netbooks anytime soon.