08.16.11

Contents

• GNU/Linux
  • Distributions
  • Devices/Embedded
• Free Software/Open Source
• Leftovers

GNU/Linux

• Ryan MacDonald, New Director of Technology at A Small Orange

  MacDonald was previously the lead system and network administrator at a small hosting company based in Michigan. However, he is best known for his contributions to the Linux open source community. MacDonald has written and continues to maintain a number of popular software applications used by web hosts including Linux Malware Detect (LMD), Advanced Policy Firewall (APF), Brute Force Detection (BFD), System Integrity Monitor (SIM), and a half dozen other applications through his website, R-fx Networks (rfxn.com).

• Desktop

  • Has Microsoft defeated Linux?

    I’m not saying that Linux will be number one next year or anything. However, I am saying that Linux is just as capable of taking on Microsoft as it has ever been. Probably fifty times more capable, and I don’t see it weakening one bit.

• Server

  • Toshiba Expands Its New IPedge Line

    IPedge accommodates multiple unified communications EP via a single Linux server. The new EP version is designed for SMBs, supporting 40 users per server.

• Kernel Space

  • Future of the -longterm kernel releases.

  • Lots of stable kernel updates

    The 2.6.32.45, 2.6.33.18, and 3.0.2 stable updates are now available. They contain the usual pile of fixes. All three updates also include a change how TCP sequence numbers are generated; a (relatively) insecure 24-bit MD4 algorithm has been replaced by 32-bit MD5.

• Applications

  • Top 5 MPlayer Skins for your Ubuntu Desktop

    We have recently started bringing out more eyecandy stuff as we really think that Linux has to shed its “old command only interface for geeks” image to make it appealing to more people and as you know there is strength in numbers. Yeah we know Ubuntu has changed that a lot!! but hey allow us to speed up the process. Here is our take on some of the most appealing themes to juice up your Mplayer experience.

  • Instructionals/Technical

    • Installing Nginx With PHP5 (And PHP-FPM) And MySQL Support On CentOS 6.0

    • Graphviz+Jessyink as a Latex-Style Potential Alternative to Prezi and Mindmap Presentations (How to Beat MS PowerPoint)

    • Moving Databases

    • Experiment with ‘Native Linux KVM Tool’

    • Update Virtualbox on Ubuntu

    • Install LAMP in Gentoo/Sabayon

    • Preparing Ubuntu Linux desktop for web development

    • How to read Kindle books on Linux

    • 16 Cool Ass Random Linux Stuff

    • Installing Cherokee With PHP5 And MySQL Support On Ubuntu 11.04

    • Getting Your Desktop Back – The (Almost) Definitive Guide

      Whether you have a black screen, a flashing screen, just can’t get past the login screen or you’re stuck in the command-line, you’re about to learn a few tricks that will help you get your desktop back to full working order. You will even learn how to open multiple virtual desktops.

  • Games

    • Quickly booting C64 games in Linux

      It’s lunch time, and you have 5 minutes to chill out and forget about those reports due by the end of the week. You could play some solitaire, but why limit yourself to the same old dull card games? Some of my favorite games were made for the Commodare 64, and to this day still provide a quick and enjoyable distraction for those otherwise dull desk based lunch breaks.

    • Dead Cyborg Ep 1 Linux download!

    • Ultimate Edition 3.0 “Gamers” Released

      On one of the slowest news days of the year came the welcomed announcement of Ultimate Edition 3.0 “Gamers.” The Ultimate Edition, once dubbed Ubuntu Ultimate, is based or derived from Lubuntu, but the “Gamers” Edition takes it to another level by offering an environment suitable for gaming as well as dozens of pre-installed games and emulators.

• Desktop Environments

  • North Sea suffers worst oil spill for 10 years – video

    Shell says there have been two leaks at the Gannet Alpha platform, just over 100 miles east of Aberdeen. The first was discovered on 10 August, and has already spilled about 1,300 barrels of oil into the sea – more than the amount spilled across the whole of 2009. It claims that the first leak is ‘pretty much dead’ and the second is minor

  • K Desktop Environment/KDE SC)

    • Release Team Changes

      During the Desktop Summit in Berlin, we had a session in which we had a good look at how KDE’s release team performs, which points we can improve on, how, and who will implement these changes.

    • Wireless sharing with Plasma NM 0.9

    • Back from Berlin

      One of the highlights of the conference was the panel discussion about copyright assignment. It’s a complex topic, but the panelists brought up good arguments and lot of food for thought. Mark spoiled his argumentation a bit at the end by introducing his generosity concept. This certainly has its place when talking about motivation in a community, but in the context of legal agreements with companies it’s very questionable, if generosity should be a dominant concept. My takeaway from the panel and some other discussions I had at the summit is that KDE e.V. is in a very good position here with the Fiduciary License Agreement, we optionally provide for KDE contributors. This provides a good balance of the different interests and adds safety for contributors and community.

    • Installing Plasma Active on the ExoPC (“WeTab”)

      If you own an ExoPC, and you’re eager to know how to get Plasma Active, our new workspace and set of applications for consumer devices to run on it, this blog article will help you get going.

• Distributions

  • PCManFM-Mod To Be In Parted Magic 6.7

  • Installing Linux on a 386 laptop

  • Debian Family

    • Debian GNU/Linux Still Growing Strongly

    • Derivatives

      • One time around the Bodhi Tree

        So bodhi is a Pali/Sanskrit work that loosely translates to “enlightenment”. They seem to make heavy reference to this lineage in their artwork and as well as their naming. For example, they have two recommended software sets:
        Nikhila (meaning entire/all in Hindi) – their full featured software collection Pratibha (meaning light in Hindi) – their lightweight software collection

        Bodhi Linux itself is very new (first release, 1.0.0, was out March 2011). Version 1.0.0 was based off of Ubuntu 10.04LTS as was their update 1.1.0, which was released in May, but with the 2.6.39 kernel and Midori 0.3.6. According to their website, they are targeting only the LTS (long term support) Ubuntu versions, which come out every 2 years. They will have quarterly updates to keep their software fresh in between. I don’t have much interest in bleeding edge, but 2 year release cycles are a bit much. I haven’t even gotten anywhere yet and I’m already questioning my decision.

      • Canonical/Ubuntu

        • Flavours and Variants

          • LXDE edition of Linux Mint 11 arrives

            Linux Mint 11 LXDE has been released, offering a number of improvements in the UI, a faster update manager, better overlay scrollbars and more. The release comes just under three months after the release of the main version of Linux Mint 11. In the LXDE version, Mint 11′s Software Manager has been made more visually attractive with larger icons and a better layout and the Mint-X theme works better with more applications. What’s New in Linux Mint 11 has screenshots and details of these and other changes in the Ubuntu-based distribution.

• Devices/Embedded

  • GENIVI Alliance Announces Fifth Compliant Offering

    The GENIVI Alliance, an automotive and consumer electronics industry association driving the development and adoption of an open In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) reference platform, today announced that the Linux Foundation’s MeeGo IVI Project has been approved as GENIVI compliant.

  • Phones

    • Android

      • Motorola and Samsung unleash ruggedized Android phones

        Hot on the heels of news that it will be acquired by Google, Motorola Mobility announced a 1GHz, Android 2.3-ready “plus” version of a rugged phone it first released last year. The 3.7-inch Defy+ will go head to head with a 3.6-inch Samsung Xcover announced last week in Germany, since both handsets are said to offer IP67-rated resistance to water, dust, and scratches.

      • 5 Android Apps for Remotely Controlling Banshee, Amarok, VLC, XBMC, Boxee in Linux

      • Tablet and smartphone run on Android-based Grid OS

        Fusion Garage announced a 10.1-inch tablet and four-inch smartphone, both running an “Grid OS” operating system that’s based on Android — and said to run its apps — but adds predictive features and a grid-like UI. Available for purchase now, the Grid-10 tablet features an Nvidia Tegra 2 processor and 1366 x 768-pixel screen resolution, while the Grid-4 smartphone due later this year offers a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor.

      • Will Google Build an Uber Android?

        One thing that’s clear is that Google will obtain an impressive patent arsenal if its acquisition of Motorola goes through. Among the many things that aren’t so clear, though, is what the deal could mean for the development of the Android platform. Will Google maintain a distance from Motorola operations? Or will it use the company’s assets to closely supervise the design of an uber Android handset?

      • Android is still safe under the GPL

Free Software/Open Source

• Web Browsers

  • Mozilla

    • Mozilla Readies Its New Public License

      Not only is Firefox 6.0 complete, but Mozilla’s new public license may also be ready. Mozilla has made available its release candidate of the Mozilla Public License 2.0.

    • Firefox 6 Soon, Firefox-Next PPA, & Mozilla Labs Test Pilot!

    • Mozilla Public Licence 2.0 gets a release candidate

      Mozilla has made a “release candidate” of the Mozilla Public Licence (MPL) 2.0 available and, if no significant problems are found with this version, it plans to make it the released version of the MPL 2.0.

• FSF/FSFE/GNU/SFLC

  • Peter Brown and Stormy Peters Appointed as Directors of Software Freedom Conservancy

    Today, the Software Freedom Conservancy announces the appointment of two new members on its Board of Directors. The new directors, Peter Brown and Stormy Peters, bring even more excellent expertise to Conservancy’s Directorship, which includes many substantially experienced non-profit and Open Source and Free Software project leaders.

• Openness/Sharing

  • The future of management: Is it deja vu all over again?

    The likes of Linux, Mozilla, Google, Amazon, Netflix and eBay all grew up in an online world, and with a majority of Gen Y employees. As a result, they are managed in much more enlightened way than their traditional competitors. And this provides inspiration to others.

• Programming

  • The Freelance

    Friend: Free software doesn’t cost anything, so they call it “free”
    Programmer: You’re wrong, young padawan…
    Programmer: Free as in freedom, not as in “Free beer”… But most people usually misunderstand…
    Programmer: For example, I did a freelance job in January, but I think they thought that was a “free”lance like “free beer”, because they haven’t paid me yet…

Leftovers

• England riots: pair jailed for four years for using Facebook to incite disorder

  Two men have been jailed for four years for using Facebook to incite disorder.

  Jordan Blackshaw, 20, from Marston near Northwich, and Perry Sutcliffe-Keenan, 22, from Warrington, appeared at Chester crown court on Tuesday. They were arrested last week following incidents of violent disorder in London and other cities across the UK.

  Neither of their Facebook posts resulted in a riot-related event.

  During the sentencing, the recorder of Chester, Elgin Edwards, praised the swift actions of Cheshire police and said he hoped the sentences would act as a deterrent to others.

• Security

  • Encrypt Early, Encrypt Often!

  • Attack on open-source web app keeps growing

• Defence/Police/Aggression

  • Rights helped lead to U.K. riots, Cameron says

    In a sweeping speech Monday, Prime Minister David Cameron said mending England’s “broken society” was his priority and he called the four days of riots “a wake-up call.”

• Finance

  • 147 Superentities dominate the network of global corporate control

  • Bitcoin and Anonymous Transactions

    One of the much touted advantages of Bitcoin is its anonymity. The full record of all transactions is by the very nature of Bitcoin completely public. However, transactions move coins between a set of incoming addresses and a set of outgoing addresses, and the addresses are not tied to any particular entity; an address may belong to anyone and Bitcoin includes no way to tell.

• Internet/Net Neutrality

  • FCC Finds That ISPs Don’t Deliver Advertised Speeds

    Does your Internet Service Provider (ISP) give you the kind of performance that it advertises? The FCC has just completed a year-long study that found that many ISPs don’t do so. The study involved tests performed on both download and upload speeds from many top providers. According to the Hot Hardware blog: “Most of the ISPs hit 90 percent of their advertised upload speeds, which is good, except that the reason that the upload speeds of broadband providers are always significantly lower than their download speeds is because most people are much more concerned with how long it takes for something to download than it does to upload.”

• DRM

  • How to read Kindle books on Linux

• Intellectual Monopolies

  • Copyrights

    • The Daily Mail knowingly and commercially used my photos despite my denying them permission.