01.28.09

Links 28/01/2009: New NVIDIA Drivers, DRM Stumbles

Posted in News Roundup at 3:09 pm by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

GNU/Linux

• Location-aware software comes to the Linux platform

  A multitude of factors are contributing to a mobile computing renaissance. Some of these factors include the growing availability of ubiquitous mobile Internet connectivity and the rising popularity of netbooks and other Internet-enabled small form-factor devices. These changes are inspiring a renewed interest in location-aware software and web services.

• 10 ways to help users transition to Linux

  Sheer economics are driving the increasingly widespread usage of the Linux operating system. It’s free, it’s reliable, it’s safe, and (did I mention?) it’s free! But when adopting a new operating system, there is always a learning curve for the user base. Not only that, many users think Linux is hard to use. This, of course, is not necessarily so. But it’s your job to overcome their reluctance and to train them to use Linux so that it becomes second-nature to them, as Windows is. Without sending your users to some sort of boot camp, this may seem like a rather daunting task. But there are ways to ease the pain of learning Linux. Let’s examine some of them.

  1: Standardize on a Windows-like desktop

  [...]

  2: Get users familiar with applications before you switch

  [...]

  3: Choose the right distribution

  [...]

  4: Have a machine up and running for your users to play around with

• PlayOnLinux 3.3 released

  Here’s the First version of PlayOnlinux for the year 2009 !

  It is a major change in WineVersion’s behavior, not about the graphics or the script implementation but on the internal code
  This change allows the use of wine packages that have been intended for PlayOnLinux.
  This means that we’re no longer dependent on the debian repository, which was a source of problems for certain distributions, but on a repository maintained by a member of the team (MulX).

• Kernel Space

  • NVIDIA Releases Four New Linux Drivers

    The NVIDIA 180.22 Linux driver was released less than three weeks ago, but today NVIDIA has released a new 180.xx display driver update. In addition, NVIDIA has updated all three of their legacy display drivers.

• Devices/Embedded

  • Linux-ready XScale net board ships

    Gateworks Corp. is shipping the first of its new line of power-sipping networking boards called the Cambria Network Platform. The Cambria GW2358-4 ships with an OpenWrt Linux-based board support package (BSP) and optional dev kit, and is primarily designed for wireless applications, says Gateworks.

  • Phones

    • A more “persistent” OODBMS adds Android support

      McObject released new versions of its Linux-compatible, object-oriented embedded database for Java and .NET. Now with persistance for “any” object, the open-source Perst 4.0 and Perst Lite 4.0 enable application development in Java ME, and include sample Android applications such as the ContactsIndex, pictured at left.

  • Sub-notebooks

    • Microsoft’s Netbook Woes Also Mean Linux Yays … Right?

      When Microsoft specifically cited netbook PCs as a big reason for its weakening sales, the “L word” didn’t get mentioned by name — but it wasn’t difficult to tell this was the flip side of that news tidbit about Linux-equipped netbooks being returned. So what’s this mean for Win7 vs. Linux in what is fast becoming the battleground for the new desktop?

    • New features in the upcoming Easy Peasy 2.0 release

      Easy Peasy (netbook optimized Ubuntu Linux) which was released a few weeks ago will have a few nice new features in the upcoming 2.0 release, according to developer Jon Ramvi.

    • Netbooks hit right spot for schoolchildren

      Netbooks typically range in price from just over $300 to $800, depending largely on the size of the screen and other extra features such as a bundled wireless broadband plan for connecting to the internet when out of the house.

  • MID

    • Moblin v2 Alpha Linux for netbooks released

      Moblin v2 Core Alpha has been released. Moblin is a custom Linux Operating System optimized for netbooks & mobile internet devices (MIDs).

    • Moblin 2.0 alpha posted — and targets netbooks

      The Intel-sponsored Moblin Project has released an alpha version of its second-generation “Moblin V2″ Linux-based toolkit for mobile devices — and it targets netbooks initially, rather than mobile Internet devices (MIDs). The Moblin V2 Core Alpha for Netbooks is available for testing now, says Moblin.org.

F/OSS

• Open-source storage explained

  Open-source storage software is freely available, but it’s the rare IT department that’s willing to cobble it together with hardware to build a storage system.

  Corporations are more likely to use it by happenstance, acquiring it through storage systems they buy from major vendors, some of which embed open-source technology into their products.

• New Open Source Maven Repository Manager Launched

  The leading commercial supporter of the open-source Maven project recently released a new version of its Maven repository manager. Sonatype, the Mountain View, Calif.-based company founded last year by Maven creator Jason van Zyl, announced Nexus Professional, a version of its flagship repository manager enhanced with a superset of features aimed at commercial Maven users.

• Enterprise Search Reaches Open Source Maturation Point

  We’re on the cusp of yet another evolution in maturation of open source with the advent of open source search engine technology. Over the past few years we’ve seen the Apache Lucerne and Solr projects grow from being interesting computer science projects to mission-critical tools that over 4,000 companies now use. As a result, it was only a matter of time before start-up companies such as Lucid Imagination started to form with the goal of making it easier to bring open source search engine technology into the enterprise.

• Winding Road Leads Skyway to Open Source Code-Generation Framework

  It’s hard to overstate the impact that open source technologies have had on the software industry. One recent example: Skyway Software, provider of an open-source code-generation framework for Spring-based applications, called Skyway Builder. The Tampa-based company last week announced the general availability of Skyway Builder 6.1, which is all about delivering Java EE apps for Spring. But the company started out going in a different direction.

• Events

  • Google I/O 2009, Developer Conference

    I’m excited to announce Google I/O 2009, our two-day developer event that will take place May 27-28, at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. Last year, over 3,000 developers participated in I/O and they attended 90+ sessions across all of our developer products. This year, much of our content will feature Android, App Engine, Chrome, GWT, AJAX APIs and more.

  • OSScamp Delhi March 2009

  • Knowing Compiere’s Leadership

    The event is a major effort to boost Directive Soft specific training initiatives and quality focused on the development of the Spanish Business and Industry as its name suggests, the Free Software that freedom brings to users and developers of it, so it is possible to take this freedom and economic benefits while promoting the growth of local industry and national levels.

• FSF/GNU

  • Winning the Gnu

    The CUSEC convention’s last keynote speech was Richard Stallman’s presentation titled Copyright vs. Community in the Age of Computer Networks. It’s similar to the one he gave at the University of Toronto in the summer of 2007; you can see my detailed notes on that presentation here.

  • GCC Libraries Get Updated License Exception

    A new license exception will allow the entire GCC codebase to be upgraded to GPLv3, and enable the development of a plugin framework for GCC.

• Government

  • Local Government Open Source Conference 2009 (PSF 033/09)

    Open, Competitive Choice for IT Users

    Faced with unprecedented financial pressures, Open Source is fast attracting increasing attention from councils as a viable, credible alternative to vendor-proprietary software that can deliver long-term cash savings and business value.

  • What Role Will Open Source Play In Government?

    With a sizable portion of the Obama administration’s proposed $825 billion economic stimulus plan expected to go to IT infrastructure projects, solution providers are licking their chops at the prospect of more business opportunities, many of which could involve open-source technologies.

    But some open-source experts wonder if Sun Microsystems Chairman Scott McNealy, who has been asked by the Obama administration to produce a paper on how open-source software and technologies can be channeled toward more cost-effective government, is the most appropriate voice for the community.

• Finance

  • Zenoss Closes 2008 with Over 100 New Enterprise Customers, $15M in New Financing, and Numerous Industry Honors

    Zenoss Inc., the leading provider of commercial open source systems and network monitoring, today announced tremendous momentum through the end of 2008. In addition to astounding growth in commercial enterprise sales throughout the year, the company raised an additional $15 million of financing, was recognized with many awards including being named a finalist for a Jolt Award in the Enterprise Tools category and secured twice as many downloads as its nearest competitor in commercial open source IT management for 2008.

  • Open source zigs in a zagging VC market

    And if you treat Washington state as a proxy for Microsoft-related funding (a poor proxy, to be sure, but…), well, TechFlash reports that venture funding there dropped 82 percent from 2007 levels.

DRM

• Is DRM In Retreat?

  Ed Felten has a post up noting that it appears DRM is in retreat, at least in certain areas, such as music. Of course, he points to Apple’s agreement to get rid of DRM as a key factor — but also notes that the former “DRM Watch” blog, from one of DRM’s biggest supporters, is now called Copyright and Technology.

  http://techdirt.com/articles/20090123/0742383503.shtml

  Not A Music Industry Crisis — It’s A CD Crisis

  Hal Bringman has a writeup on Midem for Digital Media Wire, where he notes that the director of the event, Dominique Leguern, says that they’re considering merging MidemNet into the wider Midem as the industry is evolving into a fully digital domain. Also, Leguern made a key point that plenty of people have been making for a while:

  “It’s not a music industry crisis, it’s a CD crisis.”

• The Fight Against the DRM

  In fact, according to http://www.defectivebydesign.org/itunes-drm-free Apple still employs the DRM to restrict many of its other technologies:

  * DRM is used to lock iPhones to AT&T, and other networks around the world.

  * DRM is used to lock downloads from the App Store, even downloads at no-charge.

  * DRM is used to prevent iPod/iPhone being used with software other than iTunes.

  * DRM is used to prevent OS X from loading on generic PCs.

  * DRM is used to prevent the latest MacBook computers from working on certain types of monitor and HDTV.

  * DRM is used to keep accessory vendors for the iPod and iPhone limited to a subset of the devices features via an “authentication chip.”

  * DRM is used to lock up movies, TV shows, ringtones and audiobooks purchased through the iTunes Store.

Copyright

• Proposed EU Copyright Term Extension Faces Vocal Opposition In Parliament

  Strong opposition is being voiced by members of the European Parliament over plans to extend the copyright protection applying to sound recordings from 50 to 95 years.

  Both left and right-leaning Parliament members (MEPs) have signalled that they intend to vote against the proposed extension at a crucial meeting of the assembly’s legal affairs committee scheduled for 11-12 February, rejecting arguments that the move is necessary to guarantee higher pay for session musicians.

• Copyright dogmatism ridiculously strikes the European Parliament.

  Paris, Jan 26th – The European Parliament’s committee for legal affairs (JURI) voted the Medina report on Copyright last week. This report goes against its initial objective to account on the failure of the 2001 copyright directive. It only contains ridiculous repressive measures dictated by the entertainment industries, and goes as far as denying the Commission’s ongoing studies. Among its recommendations are “graduated response”, content filtering, Internet service providers liability, denial of copyright exception, etc. It will be up to the Members of European Parliament (MEPs) to protect their electors by strongly rejecting this report.

Leftover

• you can’t make this stuff up

  Not only are some of the most non-trusted companies in America blatantly trying to buy off Congress, but they’re using our bailout money to do it.

  This will ONLY change when elections are citizen funded. Join our strike4change to (1) starve the beast, (2) just say no, or (3) fix this absurd system — now. No money until a candidate commits to citizen funded elections.

Digital Tipping Point: Clip of the Day

John William Templeton looks at Free Open Source Software and African American culture and innovation 06 (2004)

Digital Tipping Point is a Free software-like project where the raw videos are code. You can assist by participating.

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