01.03.09

Links 03/01/2009: Btrfs Goes into Linux; Super Ubuntu Debuts

Posted in News Roundup at 10:17 pm by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

GNU/Linux

Seven Reasons Why Linux Will Succeed in 2009

Linux will continue its soaring success in 2009. Yes, Linux is free and free is good but what about its other advantages over commercial Unix flavors and Windows? Here are the top seven reasons why Linux will continue to smash the competition in the face of the economy, the Cloud, and the smart administrator.
Microsoft on FLOSS

Over the holiday break, I’ve been working on a small project. I’m trying to collect up quotes from Microsoft on Linux, Free Software, and Open Source.
Btrfs For The Mainline Linux Kernel

Chris Mason, the founder of the Btrfs file-system, had previously stated he hoped to merge the first bits of this much-improved Linux file-system into the Linux 2.6.29 kernel. With the 2.6.29 merge window still open, earlier this week he started a new thread entitled Btrfs for mainline.
Slowly moving people to Linux via OpenSource Apps

The person who aids this movement, away from Windows, has to be patient, its a slow transition, a learning process, don’t sing the praises of linux, its a voyage of discovery, and everyone finds things hard to start with.. they will not read the forums, because they won’t know they are there, they will ask you.. be patient, smile, bcause it will pay off.. and 6moths, a year later, you’ll have your own little tribe of converts, who are not complaining because linux isn’t like Windows, however, are telling everyone else, about thier new discovery…
Top 5 Free First-Person Shooting Games for Linux

Happy New Year to all our readers, we hope you had a good one! We thought we would start off this year by including an article written by Blair Mathis – one of the chaps over at LaptopLogic.com, your premier source for best gaming laptops.

At one time, asking if Linux could play games elicited laughter and disappointment. Games were basic and lacked the graphics and game play that Windows offered. However this is starting to change and dozens of high quality games have been released to run on Linux platforms.
Finance
- 6 best personal finance apps for Linux
  
  In the past, Linux was not overly blessed with decent budgeting software, and installing GnuCash was regarded by many as the epitome of a descent into dependency hell.
  
  Thankfully, things have since changed, and anyone using a modern distribution could now have the software ready to go in just a few minutes.
- Manage Your Money Easily With My Money
  
  In a world where keeping track of your financial information can be a hectic task, now you can thank someone for dreaming up and putting into use this innovative solution: My Money. My Money is a modern way for common individuals or businesses to manage their online banking statements with a simple few clicks! All this seemingly complex yet simple system does is download your transactions from the bank web site and automatically insert into your My Money software.
Ubuntu and Derivatives
- It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s Super Ubuntu
  
  We are pleased to announce yet another Ubuntu-based Linux distribution, this time… with “super powers,” called Super Ubuntu. The “super powers” of Super Ubuntu can be translated into the inclusion of applications, tools and technologies that are missing from a standard Ubuntu 8.10 (Intrepid Ibex) installation. Among the applications included in Super Ubuntu 2008.11 we can notice the powerful and ever-popular OpenOffice.org 3.0 open source office suite with support for Microsoft’s Office 2007 file formats; MPlayer, the number one video player for Linux systems, which includes support for DVD playback and most of today’s video and audio formats; Wine and Wine-Doors, two amazing apps that allow users to use Microsoft Windows applications in a Linux environment; support for portable applications with the SFS technology and Zero Install.
- CrunchBang Linux Review : Dark, Evil, and it has the Mark of The Beast
  
  The minimal configuration is great if you have an older machine you would like to revive. And unlike other mini distributions, it comes shipped with a ton of software so chances are you won’t have to go searching for too many packages once installed. With the GIMP, Inkscape, PiTiVi, Kino, recordMyDesktop and Audacity they already have a lot of tools for creative types. If you find anything missing you can find it quickly using the large Ubuntu repositories. What I like most about this distribution is that it showcases the combination of Conky and OpenBox, two projects that look really good together.
- Ubuntu 8.10, DOSBOX, and the single HP dv9000.
  
  From a technical point of view, this capability exceeds anything Dad has ever had before. He can now run on the latest, fastest hardware, and has far more control over the results. He now also has Linux support. It is not that I did not support him on MS Windows. It is just that for me MS Windows is just another computer platform and I often have to sit a mess with it to figure out why it is broken, whereas Linux is something I know fairly well.
- Ubuntu and Mac OS X Integration
  
  So, when everything is said and done, I was able to achieve all my stated goals. The only outstanding issue that I haven’t yet figured out yet centers on automatic logins; for both AFP and SMB/CIFS, I get prompted for a password when connecting, even though I keep my password synchronized (manually) between my Mac and the Ubuntu server. Any tips on how to resolve that would certainly be appreciated.
Devices
- German Linux integrator launches workshops
  
  German Linux integrator Millenux is launching a series of monthly workshops for Linux developers and IT managers on open-source Linux topics including high availablity (HA), Debian, and kernel development. The initial January 7 event in Munich will address “mobile computing,” plus NoMachine’s “NX” Xhosting technology.
- Giving life back to an OLD laptop
  
  This laptop belongs to a good friend and she loved it when I told her that we can give a new life to her laptop using GNU/Linux. This is an Toshiba Satellite Sro 435CDS built around 12 years ago. Specs? Pentium 120, 32 MB ram, 4 GB Hard. Yes this laptop has been upgrade a few years ago to highest supported specs.
- Sub-notebooks
  - Atom-powered Wizbook has speed but less agility
    
    MANY people who still want to have a computer opt to buy a cheaper model to save on cost and perhaps leave some more for other items to buy. Red Fox is now one of the cheaper brand names in the desktop and notebook PC market that can appeal to a wider range of buyers.
    
    However, its first foray in the “netbook” business through its AMD Geode-powered Wizbook was a difficult one, especially when it left out certain features that would normally be found in other models, especially a webcam.
  - Sylvania Netbook With Ubuntu: A Good Mix
    
    Sylvania’s G Netbook Meso offers a nice-looking screen and plenty of ports — you get three USBs as well as a VGA. The keyboard is just too cramped for reviewer Jack Germain’s liking, though that’s a problem found on just about any tiny netbook computer. The available Ubuntu Netbook Remix OS will give you the option to effortless switch between two GUI
  - Android on netbooks is BIG money for Google
    
    If Google gets this right, the possibilities are tremendous. Currently Google plans to use 30% of the revenue generated from sales of Android applications to pay carriers and billing settlement fees. Think about it though — that 30% only makes sense if we’re talking about mobile devices on a wireless network. I’d suspect that the 30% rake will still exist when Android makes its way into netbooks — and in that case, Google would be the sole recipient of the money. Imagine if Google was able to make 30% on all software sold for their operating system — that should make investors happy.

F/OSS

Open Source Suggestions for a New Year

The last thing I want to see is Linux, thanks in part to the OEM’s, devolve into the same mind numbing bloatware nonsense that currently plagues Windows.
Open Source: Not a Business Model and Not Broken

In particular, the acquiring companies need to consider carefully the effect on the open source companies employees and their community when modifying the business model. As more open source companies are acquired by traditional software companies, these issues will take on increasing importance. Both sides need to understand that such an integration will require flexibility.
A look back at the open source victories of 2008

This year brought many exciting new developments for open source software, but there are many more that we can look forward to in 2009. Intel’s intriguing new Linux-based Moblin platform is finally arriving on devices and will make major inroads in 2009 as the platform gains broader acceptance. The ACCESS Linux Platform and other emerging LiMo-compatible platforms could also debut on devices in the coming year and bring the open source operating system to more handsets.

Netbook growth will likely continue to surge, creating many new challenges and opportunities for Linux. Netbook-centric development initiatives, such as Ubuntu’s Netbook remix and ARM port will continue to advance. We also expect to see community-driven distros gaining some enterprise traction as companies look for more ways to cut support costs.
Applications
- Gimp Keeps You Organized In 2009.
  
  If you’re like most computer users, you probably have a digital camera and scanner. So, you’re saving a lot of images and photos on your computer. In addition, there are probably some bits and pieces of photos that you store in an image library so you can incorporate it into a new design or other image.
  
  When I was using Windows, the graphics app I used had a built in image library. I could drag and drop images and clippings into the library for future use. The problem was, when I upgraded to a new computer and reinstalled the software, I had to move a specific folder within the Windows file system. And the folder was always buried away some place. It took hours and a visit to the web to ask other users in order to locate it. Worse still was if I ever reinstalled the program. The reinstallation routine would overwrite the entire library. If I didn’t back it up, all those images were lost!
- OpenSolaris 08.11 first impressions
  
  Either way, I can definitely see OpenSolaris becoming part of my desktop/server set up in some shape or form. Not least for Dtrace, which I’ve yet to have a proper play with.
  
  Anyway, OpenSolaris 08.11 is definitely well worth a look if you’re a serial OS installer.
- Rails and Merb Merge
  
  Today is a fairly momentous day in the history of Ruby web frameworks. You will probably find the news I’m about to share with you fairly shocking, but I will attempt to explain the situation.
  
  Before talking tech, and even going into the details of the announcement, I want to assure everyone that the incredible members of the thriving Merb community are top priority, and that this could not have been possible without every one of them.
  
  Merb is an open, ever-changing project, and some its best ideas have come from not-core regular-Joe community members. It’s gotten where it has because of the community, and the community will get us even further in the future. Your ideas, feedback and even complaints will be 100% welcome in the future, just as they have been in the past. I believe in the tremendous value an open community and just generally open attitude bring to the table, and am counting on those things to continue ushering in the future of Ruby.

Leftover

Wikinews interviews the Wikimania 2010 Poland bid promoter

Wikimania is an annual conference for users, developers and other people involved in the wiki projects operated by the Wikimedia Foundation. It is held yearly since 2005. The first conference was held in Frankfurt, Germany, on August 4-8, 2005. The second one was held in Boston, USA (on August 4-6, 2006), the third one was held in Taipei, Taiwan (on August 3-5, 2007), the fourth Wikimania was held in Alexandria, Egypt (on July 17-19, 2008) and Wikimania 2009 will be held in Buenos Aires.