09.24.13
Posted in GNU/Linux, Google at 11:05 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz
It’s fine when a pack of Linux backers controls the market
Summary: A roundup of statistics and news about Android, which is now far ahead of its competitors
WITH SALES and/or activations measured in terms of millions per day, Android has clearly become the market leader. Android might not be super-profitable for Google, but it does give this company a lot of power and it also spreads Linux. That’s all fine. Some criticise Android for attracting more and more proprietary software which is widely used [1], but this is probably inevitable when a platform becomes the primary target for developers. Some key people leave Android because of lack of adherence to freedom/openness (there are also other departures [2,3]), but this platform commands the lion’s share of the market [4]. A new release called KitKat is coming [5] and more companies are building their business around Android [6], which is liberally licensed. Even new companies emerge which basically fork/branch Android [7,8] and they attract investment, showing that Android is not a one-horse race. Support for 64-bit is being facilitated [9] in an age of fewer restrictions in phones (the phones with less restrictions can be more attractive to buyers). Once upon a time this was unforeseeable for phones, which basically came with just one platform ‘baked’ in (like Apple’s hypePhone).
“Diversity is more or less assured and secured here, provided the hardware and software are free to modify.”Those who don’t see the benefit of Linux taking over the mobile market may simply prefer to let some giant companies like Nokia (in the past) or Apple make all the choices, even when these choices are customer-hostile and driven only by the business interests of some wealthy shareholders.
Sure, it would be nice if platforms like Sailfish and Firefox OS gained market share, but any time a platform like Android takes away market from proprietary counterparts it should be considered good news. Diversity is more or less assured and secured here, provided the hardware and software are free to modify [10]. █
Related/contextual items from the news:
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The BlackBerry Messenger is slated for a Friday release on the Android platform, though will be exclusive to Samsung Galaxy devices for the first three months. The confirmation of the popular IM client coming as an app to Android, after a very long wait, comes from Samsung Nigeria, which tweeted the Friday release date and the three months exclusivity of the app to Galaxy devices. Though BlackBerry has been known to distance itself from exclusive deals, no confirmation, or more importantly, denial has been issued from their side.
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The front face of Android during many Google events Hugo Barra is suddenly leaving the company. He will be joining the fast growing Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi. Barra joined Google in 2008 and was in charge of Android product development as a vice president. Barra came second after Andy Rubin, who also stepped down from his position recently.
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The former head of the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) at Google has jumped ship to the competition.
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Android continues to gain the market share in the Western Europe while Stephen Elop dragged Nokia to the bottom line.
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Google is calling the next version of its mobile operating system Android KitKat.
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Worried about the NSA and other online eavesdroppers? Then startup QSAlpha is working on the smartphone for you.
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Independent Android firmware project CyanogenMod has become a company, thanks to a $7m Series A financing round led by Silicon Valley venture firms Benchmark Capital and Redpoint Ventures.
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CyanogenMod is a bridge between users and Android experience which continues to get spoiled by carriers and hardware manufacturers who take forever to bring updates (most of the times these updates never come). CyanogenMod is also known as the open source community around Android where anyone can contribute to the project.
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With the recent release announcement of the iPhone 5S, which, among other things, sports a fast A7 processor that has the capability of processing 64 bit instruction sets, the community was set abuzz with the prospect of Android’s support for 64 bit. Though Samsung has promised to provide 64 bit support in its mobile devices, Google has been quiet on that front.
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Posted in GNU/Linux, IBM, Red Hat at 10:43 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz
Summary: Why the platform which Richard Stallman created should be evaluated in terms of its adherence to core values, not market value
IBM received a lot of attention a week ago, owing to a promise it had made before. This is significant because Microsoft is bound to suffer the most [1]. Investment is what they call it [2,3] and it’s hardly news [4]. “Innovation” is another word that gets thrown around [5], but not the F word. Yes, Freedom. To IBM, this word is scary; either it means “cheap” or that ‘radical’ thing Richard Stallman talks about. To companies like IBM, it’s still all about money. GNU/Linux pundit SJVN alludes to Red Hat as such [6] now that there are some financial results which, despite early optimism [7,8,9] and beating of expectations [10], Wall Street is not even so excited about [11-14]. But the problem is this: rather than focus on the genesis of GNU/Linux, which was about freedom and users’ control, here we are talking about billions of dollars — sometimes made by selling proprietary software from IBM, installed on very proprietary hardware. If this is progress for GNU/Linux, it’s merely fiscal progress. Our rights online are still perpetually eroding (e.g. the Internet has become a military-grade surveillance platform), perhaps because companies which bear our flag put profit before principles. █
Related/contextual items from the news:
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Not long ago, Microsoft ruled the computing empire with near-monopolies in PC operating systems, web browsers and productivity applications. The company’s reign, however, was dominated by discord. Competitors complained about Microsoft’s predatory business practices. Users bemoaned the company’s software as a necessary evil.
Fast forward to 2013. Once revered and feared, Microsoft is a shell of its former self. Far from the software and technology leader it used to be, the company now makes repeated missteps in emerging markets such as cloud computing, mobile, search and social.
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IBM is investing $1 billion in new Linux and open source technologies for IBM’s Power Systems servers.
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The computer giant on Tuesday plans to pledge that it will spend $1 billion over four or five years on Linux and related open-source technologies for use on its Power line of server systems, which is based on the internally developed chip technology of the same name.
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As many of you know, IBM has a long standing commitment to open source innovation and Linux in particular. We have been part of the Linux Foundation and all its exciting events from day one. Of course, IBM will be part of LinuxCon 2013 – again as a Platinum sponsor. A large team of IBMers is heading to New Orleans next week, where we look forward to connecting with both creators and consumers of the open technology that we come together to celebrate. We have a variety of interesting sessions and fun activities planned for you. Here are some of the highlights:
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Red Hat’s second quarter was another roaring success no matter by any standard.
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Wall Street is optimistic about Red Hat , which is slated to report its second quarter results on Monday, September 23, 2013. Analysts project a profit of 22 cents a share, a rise from 20 cents per share a year ago.
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Red Hat has a popular following among both customers and investors, as it has in many ways helped to disrupt the dominant business model in the industry. Early in its history, many were skeptical that the company could actually profit from open-source software, citing the many companies that locked customers into their proprietary platforms in the hopes of compelling repeat business. Yet years later, Red Hat continues to thrive as demand for flexible solutions is greater than ever. Let’s take an early look at what’s been happening with Red Hat over the past quarter and what we’re likely to see in its report.
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Shares of Linux software company Red Hat fell as much as 9 percent in after-hours trading Monday even though the company reported quarterly revenue and net income that exceeded Wall Street’s expectations.
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Posted in Europe, GNU/Linux at 10:25 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz
Wittelsbacher Fountain in Munich, Germany
Summary: Reports on adoption and success stories for GNU/Linux, gathered in recent days or weeks
YEARS ago when this Web site was young there was legitimate concern that Microsoft’s patent assault — waged with Novell’s help — would suppress the free adoption of GNU/Linux. Ever since Microsoft lost its momentum in businesses, then released Windows Vista, announced losses to the public and laid off staff (while first-tier managers fled the company) things have looked somewhat different. Then came Android world domination, which made Linux the de facto platform almost everywhere except desktops and servers. In desktops and servers, however, progress has been made by GNU/Linux and earlier this month we saw some key news from Germany [1,2], China [3], Argentina [4], and the UK [5], to name just four countries. We are going to cover more such examples in days to come, including some government adoptions.
Taking into account Linux/Android and GNU/Linux, the presence of Linux on the Web is rapidly growing [6]. Microsoft has hardly even got majority market share over there. Its prominence is quickly declining. █
Related/contextual items from the news:
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The southern German city of Munich has come up with a novel solution for its Windows XP-using citizens, whose operating system will be officially unsupported by Microsoft in April next year.
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Windows XP users in Germany’s third largest city are being offered free upgrades to Ubuntu ahead of termination of Microsoft support for the OS next Spring.
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China has been in the spotlight lately. Most recently, the country was rumored to be the major catalyst for the “low cost” iPhone 5c. However, this has largely been discredited since the phone was revealed to not be “low cost”, but instead a relatively expensive, premium device. However, China is still a major player in the computer market and manufacturers are chomping at the bit to take advantage of it. Today, Canonical announces that Hewlett Packard is focused on the nation and will be selling Ubuntu-based laptops in its 1,500 retail stores.
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The news has been full of headlines of happenings at this year’s LinuxCon, but one tiny little headline stands out today as different. Although it hasn’t made it into English speaking press yet, it seems the Argentine government has sponsored the development of a Linux distribution to be used on all state provided education computers.
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The highlights:
Android/Linux 5.67%
GNU/Linux 2.06%
That Other OS 51.26%
If we only consider non-mobile PCs, TOS gets 70.7% of page-views
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