12.05.20

Bringing DRM to GNU/Linux to Attract the Stereotypical ‘Gamers’

Posted in DRM, GNU/Linux, Wine at 11:54 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

DRM at the application level as opposed to operating system level

Summary: With streaming disservices such as Google’s Stadia (GNU/Linux-powered, albeit proprietary and spying) and rental-like disservices such as Steam the situation is further complicated for Software Freedom; what can be done? Gamers aren’t ‘lamers’ and attracting them too would be better than leaving them stranded in Windows.

THE “Linux Gamer” (Gardiner Bryant) cited our articles about DRM in Linux about a year ago, bemoaning what was happening to Linux (the kernel). But he himself is promoting lots of DRM (like Steam) and to many GNU/Linux users Valve is like an “ally” of GNU/Linux because SteamOS is Debian-based and there are WINE-centric efforts, which at times contribute to graphics drivers (upstream patches, so to speak).

“This subject is very difficult for a lot of reasons.”Earlier this year Alex Oliva (the ‘young Stallman’) asked me why I kept linking to news about computer games which were clearly proprietary, albeit had been ported to GNU/Linux (usually native, ‘proper’ ports, not WINE or similar). I told him that people would accept or tolerate such DRM regardless of the system, so whether they gamed on GNU/Linux or on Windows would sort of leave us in a situation of flux. The unspoken hope is that by bringing those users over to GNU/Linux we can introduce them to Free software (like browsers) they otherwise would not be exposed to, or even games that are free/libre. Heck, maybe even the game developers themselves would decide to liberate the code, bearing it mind that can help them receive code contributions (improvements to their games, game engines and so on).

This subject is very difficult for a lot of reasons. We’ll deal with only a few of them here. When I started using GNU/Linux more than two decades ago there were barely any games at all for the system (except very simple ones, nothing that could be taken seriously or be the equivalent of “killer app”). So seeing GOG, Humble, Steam, Itch and the rest of them sort of embracing GNU/Linux is perhaps more “gain” than “loss” (the alternative is no support at all). Remember that Linux Game Publishing and Loki Entertainment weren’t exactly a free/libre thing. Neither were some of the earliest GNU/Linux distributions — some of which contained more binary (proprietary) blobs than today’s distributions.

We may have to disagree with Mr. Oliva on this; Oliva told me he had gotten addicted to some games and I can relate to it because I spent much of my childhood gaming and in my 20s I got hooked on some games again (to the point of playing from dusk till dawn and dreaming about those games at night).

Games are not a good substitute for life, unless life sucks so badly (which is a reality for more and more people as the pandemic takes its toll). If people who love games choose GNU/Linux as their underlying platform (for better security, performance, maybe lower cost), let’s welcome them. Blasting Valve for its DRM schemes can be done politely, in conjunction, bearing in mind that they do in fact hire some Free software developers (last month they decided to pay the developer of Zink to carry on with his fine work).

Life is full of trade-offs and compromises; whether Steam runs on Windows or on GNU/Linux, it’ll still be problematic for many reasons. The question is, does it tempt away existing GNU/Linux users from freedom? Are users of Free software going to suddenly drift away to Google Chrome (proprietary) and Oracle databases because there’s some game they like on Steam? It seems very unlikely. Moreover, with games there’s a lot of emphasis on copyrights of games’ “assets”; surveillance isn’t a main feature because users barely feed any personal data into games. So is there so much to be lost? It is not ideal, sure, but let’s pick our battles for Software Freedom carefully. I, for one, welcome heavy gamers who jump over to our camp. Even if they use Steam a great deal (Debian Developers were given free access to it, so quite a few of them play games in their spare time). █

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11.24.20

Microsoft ‘Moles’ Inside WINE Project? WINE Should Bring Windows Users to GNU/Linux, Not the Other Way Around.

Posted in Deals, Deception, DRM, GNU/Linux, Microsoft, Vista 10, Windows, Wine at 7:56 pm by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

Published hours ago as a press release paid for by WSL (Windows) boosters

Summary: The press release above (link omitted, it was pinned in several sites) is a cause for concern; after Microsoft infiltrated OSI and the Linux Foundation (both are now GitHub boosters, in effect diverting projects to Microsoft’s proprietary monopoly) it’ll be important to watch this space

THE word “mole” may seem rather strong, but it’s in the press release. The same people who have already infiltrated Canonical to a certain degree (to promote Microsoft Windows in the official Ubuntu blog) are now picking another sort of ‘outpost’, not even elaborating on the nature of the said collaboration.

“If Microsoft genuinely loved Linux, it would improve WINE.”Those who are familiar with the antics and tactics of Whitewater Foundry would rightly be concerned. This is a move that’s anything but exciting, except perhaps for Microsoft (if it hopes to more tightly control the WINE project through these people).

If Microsoft genuinely loved Linux, it would improve WINE. WSL is the very opposite of that — it’s about keeping people away from GNU/Linux and getting them stuck inside Vista 10 with all the back doors, the extensive surveillance, the DRM and so on. CodeWeavers basically sells proprietary software based on the Free software, which is WINE. Why would it wish to get closer to Whitewater Foundry? Time will tell, but it doesn’t look good. This would not benefit GNU/Linux but Microsoft’s war on GNU/Linux (it's about control, akin to what the deal with Novell sought to achieve) █

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04.02.14

Campaign of Intimidation Against GNU/Linux, Courtesy of US Patent Law

Posted in Dell, GNU/Linux, Microsoft, Windows, Wine at 3:29 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

Long-sighted FUD strategy

Summary: Commentary about Microsoft’s attempts to make GNU/Linux look like it’s its own property, thanks in part to broken patent law in the United States

YEARS AGO, shortly after Novell and Microsoft revealed that they had signed a patent deal that involved Wine, we hypothetised that Microsoft was perhaps trying to keep Wine under patent threats. Amusingly enough, “Chinese People Try To Patent Wine On ARM,” according to Phoronix. One must wonder how Microsoft feels about it.

For those who think that Microsoft has finished extorting companies, look no further than this Dell deal where “[t]he companies did not provide specific information on which products the agreement will apply to” (or how much — if anything at all — gets paid).

We long ago called for a boycott of Dell, immediately after Microsoft pretty much took this dying company under its wing. Appropriately enough, Muktware is now contradicting its own report (which we criticised) in the comments, insisting that maybe a few pennies are paid to Microsoft by Dell (or nothing at all) and that this is more of a publicity stunt, trying to make Chrome OS and Android seem expensive and dangerous. At the time we also wrote about Verizon joining OIN and other factions of the Linux world, demonstrating that unlike Dell, many companies are now taking a stand for GNU/Linux, not against it (as Dell did). █

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05.21.12

Microsoft Tax on Everything

Posted in Microsoft, Mono, Novell, SLES/SLED, Ubuntu, Wine at 6:12 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

A matter of protectionism

Summary: The company which hardly pays any tax is busy trying to tax GNU/Linux, Android, and all hardware in the OEM channel

THE OTHER day somebody told us that Wine had been put in bed with Mono — a move which can raise all sorts of flags. Following the "sabotage" of Android as a Java-like or Java-oriented platform we are seeing development — not runtime — being tilted in Microsoft’s favour (with Microsoft patents as opposed to Oracle’s). Phoronix noticed the Wine move as well as the Android move from Xamarin. It also made apparent that Ubuntu developers started talking about Mono after they had dumped Mono from the default installation:

Ubuntu developers are currently exploring the possibility of using Mono AOT to reduce start-up time, allow for better memory sharing, and for greater performance optimizations.

It is worth noting, however, that this need not affect the installed-by-default software, so the risk of patent tax on Ubuntu is not quite there. The cause for alarm comes from elsewhere. Compare that to Dell's odd situation (deal with Microsoft/Novell and odd “Ubuntu tax” [1, 2]). Also reconsider Wyse’s relationship with SUSE [1, 2, 3] and notice the fact that Dell recently bought Wyse (and some patents too along with the bundle). What this can lead to is Dell paying more money to Microsoft for the use of GNU/Linux. In Indonesia, Ballnux entered education, meaning that there too the problem exists:

This program was initiated by the Government of Indonesia with the objective to introduce the open source and e-learning method to student and teacher. So three years ago I was contacted to help them to realize their dream, and here I’m now reporting that there are around 7300 openSUSE installation in 350 elementary and junior-high schools. We also use SLES in servers to provide repositories and e-learning materials in SCORM using Moodle. This is work in progress. We educate teachers to use openSUSE and also creating learning material so it is always in beta stage I think

We recently explained why this helps SUSE, which pays Microsoft for GNU/Linux. Some distributors of Android do the same thing, which is why Motorola tablets are the only ones I consider buying right now. It’s part of the need to reward those who stand up for what’s right. It’s worth noting that some people care about what’s just, not what’s “legal” (e.g. software patents in the US), whereas others care about what’s in law and not about what’s just, ethical, and reasonable. In later posts today I shall deal with the Motorola case in isolation and say more about the changes of laws by corporations, not people (democracy derailed).

As Adrian Kingsley-Hughes shows, Microsoft is also trying to tax OEMs right now:

So, the OEMs make money from installing crapware onto PCs, and now Microsoft is making money removing it. Makes you realize why more and more people are buying Apple hardware.

Microsoft cannot really sell physical products (it tried Zune, phones, etc, but failed), so it focuses on trying to tax everything. People need to take a stance and actively work to save IT from Microsoft. Scapegoat is not what Microsoft is, scapegoat is the Free software community which gets damonised for merely standing up for justice, just like Wikileaks and others. █

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10.10.10

VMB_ware — Now Headed by Former Microsoft Executives — is Claimed to be Promoting Microsoft DirectX Inside Linux

Posted in GNU/Linux, Kernel, Microsoft, Mono, Patents, VMware, Wine at 4:26 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

Paul Maritz
Photo by Robert Scoble

Summary: Non-standard and Microsoft-controlled APIs are said to be pushed into Microsoft’s #1 competition (Linux) via the VM company people should beware as it also strives to buy Mono

MICROSOFT is not the only company which attacks GNU/Linux using software patents, not anymore anyway (thus the need to diversify). But some of the companies which are attacking GNU/Linux using software patents are either Microsoft partners or entities which are accommodated by former Microsoft staff and today we’ll show some examples from the news. This post concentrates on VMware, which would be better off known as VMB_ware.

As we’ve been stressing and documenting for a couple of years, VMB_ware is the home of several ex-Microsoft executives. Even Microsoft bloggers are saying it. This does not take some crazy theory to show, one just needs to read the CVs of the top management there.

We have written several lengthy posts which explain how VMB_ware suffocates Zimbra [1, 2, 3], which poses a risk to Microsoft’s Exchange (VMB_ware’s parent company, EMC, appears to be promoting Exchange). Why can’t more people foresee the negative effects of SUSE being offered to VMB_ware?

One of our readers who goes by the name of gnufreex raised a curious point a short while ago. By the way, his opinions are his own are there are attempts by mobbyists to smear Techrights over mere informal words (IRC) of people who participate, so be sure to check context. To quote just a portion of a much longer discussion:

[...]

DiabloD3	Tekk_: yes, but they cant patent anything here that GL isnt already in violation of	Oct 08 17:59
Tekk_	oh, so there’s hope	Oct 08 17:59
DiabloD3	its just an API	Oct 08 17:59
DiabloD3	it works the same way GL3 in future mode does.	Oct 08 17:59
Tekk_	so they could basically just make it a wrapper?	Oct 08 18:00
Tekk_	cool	Oct 08 18:00
DiabloD3	well, wine is “just a wrapper”	Oct 08 18:00
DiabloD3	they’re making a native state tracker just to make it faster	Oct 08 18:00
gnufreex	But there is again problem.	Oct 08 18:00
DiabloD3	theres no “problem”	Oct 08 18:00
gnufreex	Games will port to Linux and it will be DirectX	Oct 08 18:01
gnufreex	That is bad.,	Oct 08 18:01
DiabloD3	you can write D3D10/11 native code on linux… but you cant run that code on windows	Oct 08 18:01
gnufreex	They should be OpenGL	Oct 08 18:01
DiabloD3	and you cant take your windows code and compile it on linux	Oct 08 18:01
DiabloD3	so you still need wine	Oct 08 18:01
DiabloD3	gnufreex: and no	Oct 08 18:02
DiabloD3	go look at d3d10/11	Oct 08 18:02
DiabloD3	its almost an entirely different API	Oct 08 18:02
gnufreex	OpenGL is better. I looked.	Oct 08 18:02
DiabloD3	opengl3 in future mode, and d3d10/11 do shit how the card wants it	Oct 08 18:02
-TRIdentica/#techrights-[mairin/@mairin] @fabsh i could tell from the smaller version – it’s brilliant. the circuit board roots too		Oct 08 18:02
DiabloD3	they both act and work the same	Oct 08 18:02
DiabloD3	microsoft basically admitted d3d was trash, and cloned opengl with a d3d naming style	Oct 08 18:02
DiabloD3	its sorta like what c# is to java	Oct 08 18:03
gnufreex	So they will later do extend and extinguish	Oct 08 18:03
DiabloD3	get what Im saying?	Oct 08 18:03
DiabloD3	well, they cant extend and extinguish	Oct 08 18:03
DiabloD3	opengl keeps pushing features first	Oct 08 18:03
DiabloD3	microsoft has to somehow get AMD and Nvidia both to support d3d features before opengl has them	Oct 08 18:03
DiabloD3	which is impossible	Oct 08 18:04
DiabloD3	microsoft refuses to let vendors be part of the design process	Oct 08 18:04
-TRIdentica/#techrights-[fabsh/@fabsh] @mairin Hehehe…. Thanks. @bkuhn had the original idea and we refined it together. I really like doing logos!		Oct 08 18:04
DiabloD3	which is extremely hilarious about d3d10	Oct 08 18:04
DiabloD3	they copied an API that has 100% vendor input AND is older than d3d	Oct 08 18:04
gnufreex	Stupid people think DirectX is better than OpenGL. And most people are stupid. So it doesn’t matter.	Oct 08 18:04
DiabloD3	gnufreex: well now it no longer matters	Oct 08 18:05
DiabloD3	d3d IS opengl.	Oct 08 18:05
DiabloD3	well, d3d10/11 is	Oct 08 18:05
DiabloD3	its the same fucking api, just with incompatible syntax.	Oct 08 18:05
gnufreex	I have tough time beleiving that.	Oct 08 18:05
DiabloD3	microsoft has basically killed d3d10/11 adoption because of it	Oct 08 18:05
DiabloD3	all the hardcore opengl haters wont go to 10/11 from 9	Oct 08 18:05
-TRIdentica/#techrights-[bkuhn/@bkuhn] @fabsh sounds like you and @vinzv should fight over who gets the !FaiFCast logo,then. competing logo proposals could be fun for me & @kaz		Oct 08 18:06
DiabloD3	(which 10/11 is vista7′s big selling point for gamers)	Oct 08 18:06
gnufreex	So then, this is the time when OpenGL should be pushed hard. No phuckin DirectX	Oct 08 18:06
DiabloD3	gnufreex: not at all.	Oct 08 18:06
DiabloD3	the problem is, the state tracker doesnt do anything for me	Oct 08 18:06
DiabloD3	portal 2 is a d3d9 game.	Oct 08 18:06
gnufreex	Why to let MS kill DirectX	Oct 08 18:06
gnufreex	?	Oct 08 18:06
gnufreex	If Linux have DirectX, OpenGL is dead	Oct 08 18:06
gnufreex	Nobody will use it	Oct 08 18:07
DiabloD3	not at all	Oct 08 18:07
DiabloD3	the most important game of the year is d3d9.	Oct 08 18:07
gnufreex	Everybody thinks DirectX is best thing since slice bread.	Oct 08 18:07
DiabloD3	and no, NO ONE thinks directx is any good	Oct 08 18:07
gnufreex	Everybody are idiots.	Oct 08 18:07
DiabloD3	it costs sales.	Oct 08 18:07
DiabloD3	no android sales, no mac sales, no iphone sales.	Oct 08 18:07
DiabloD3	and theres only one game console that uses d3d, and thats xbox, and the xbox doesnt do 10/11, it uses a customized version of 9	Oct 08 18:08
DiabloD3	so if they’re shipping pc AND xbox, its going to be a d3d9 pipeline (or multiple pipelines, and everyone hates that)	Oct 08 18:08
-TRIdentica/#techrights-[fabsh/@fabsh] @bkuhn OK. I have an idea for one. Will try to squeeze it into my schedule…. @vinzv		Oct 08 18:09
DiabloD3	all the other game consoles either offer some opengl or opengl-like api, or the rendering pipeline is completely different (ps2/psp/ps3, etc)	Oct 08 18:09
DiabloD3	gnufreex: dx is rather dead	Oct 08 18:10
DiabloD3	most games being sold are either opengl, or are neither gl or d3d.	Oct 08 18:10
DiabloD3	why sell a silly PC game, when you can sell 25 times more on the DS? or 15 times more on the wii?	Oct 08 18:10
DiabloD3	or if you need those next gen graphics, 10 to 15 times more on a PS3.	Oct 08 18:11
DiabloD3	xbox has very few native xbox titles, and they dont sell well	Oct 08 18:11
DiabloD3	gnufreex: so d3d10/11 on linux really doesnt mean shit at the end of the day.	Oct 08 18:11
DiabloD3	not only that, they’ve cut themselves out of the largest gaming segment: casual gamers	Oct 08 18:13
DiabloD3	I already mentioned iphone and android	Oct 08 18:13
DiabloD3	but appletv and google tv may end up being casual gamer platforms as well	Oct 08 18:13
DiabloD3	and microsoft is totally fucked out of that.	Oct 08 18:13
gnufreex	Apple has propriatary OpenGL extensions. Stipid Steve Jobs.	Oct 08 18:14
DiabloD3	nope.	Oct 08 18:15
DiabloD3	Apple is a vendor, they actually CAN name new extensions	Oct 08 18:16
DiabloD3	its legit	Oct 08 18:16
DiabloD3	and several apple extensions have made it into core.	Oct 08 18:16
DiabloD3	apple maintains their own opengl stack for osx, and also a different one for opengl es on iOS hardware	Oct 08 18:16
DiabloD3	mesa also has extensions	Oct 08 18:16
DiabloD3	gnufreex: you cant just mysteriously have a phantom extension	Oct 08 18:17
DiabloD3	you have to register for a number, and you cant register without a completed spec	Oct 08 18:17
DiabloD3	gnufreex: I have no problem with Apple proposing new extensions	Oct 08 18:19
DiabloD3	even Microsoft had that power at one time, before they quit the opengl board	Oct 08 18:20
gnufreex	When I last heard about that, Apple was not feeding back into core.	Oct 08 18:20
gnufreex	You say they are.	Oct 08 18:21
gnufreex	Then it’s fine.	Oct 08 18:21

The short story is that it’s being suggested that VMB_ware is promoting Microsoft’s DirectX at OpenGL’s expense, even inside Linux. The problems are obvious; just like with Mono, it’s about control and patents. It’s something to keep an eye on, for sure.

Microsoft is already attacking GNU/Linux using patents (even in the courtroom several times) and that’s a subject we’ll cover in the next post. █

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12.19.08

Wine Project Responds to Microsoft FUD Award

Posted in Free/Libre Software, FUD, GNU/Linux, Microsoft, Wine at 10:06 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

Toasting to FUD? Why?

THE financial SourceForge-Microsoft link is a subject that we covered before [1, 2, 3, 4], so the following award, granted to Wine, was in a way sponsored by Microsoft. The Wine project, which has a new site design, has just formally responded:

The Wine project has won an award from the SourceForge 2008 Community Choice Awards.

We won the category:
“Most Likely to Be Ambiguously and Baselessly Accused of Patent Violation”.

Nice. It’s good to have Microsoft inside open source, is it not [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]?

Some upcoming conference ([1, 2, 3] below) show just how hard lobbyists are pushing to introduce software patents outside the United States. Glyn Moody has meanwhile responded to UKIPO research.

UK Businesses Indifferent to Intellectual Monopolies

[...]

The results of the research suggests that UK business simply doesn’t think intellectual properties are worth expending time and effort on, because they don’t really matter in this day and age. And, of course, they’re not alone: most young people would tell you exactly the same thing.

It’s important to remember that, to UKIPO at the very least, more Intellectual Monopolies mean more ‘business’ and more revenue. █

“Staff at the European Patent Office went on strike accusing the organization of corruption: specifically, stretching the standards for patents in order to make more money.

“One of the ways that the EPO has done this is by issuing software patents in defiance of the treaty that set it up.”

–Richard Stallman

____
[1] Patents, Copyrights and Knowledge Governance: the next four years

There are high profile right-owner lobbying efforts directed at higher standards and tougher enforcement of intellectual property rights, and growing interest among consumer groups, academics and many innovative businesses to protect the public domain and retain or even expand user rights. There is also much interest in exploring newer approaches to the support of creative and inventive communities, that do not rely on notions of exclusive rights.

[2] The Limits of Abstract Patents in an Intangible Economy

Meanwhile, the issue has been resurrected in Europe. Three years after the European Parliament rejected a proposed directive after extraordinarily contentious debate, the EPO President has asked the Enlarged Board of Appeals to determine where and how the line should be drawn on computer programs. The UK Intellectual Property Office has announced an economic study of software patents to provide input to the EPO. There is also vigorous debate in India, centered around patent office interpretation of recent legislation.

[3] Conference on Computer Implemented Inventions

The one-day conference is dedicated to exploring the treatment of computer-implemented inventions under patent law in Europe, Japan and the U.S. Renowned experts – Judges, academic and practitioners – from all three jurisdictions will present the case law and praxis of the relevant patent offices and courts in the respective jurisdictions, both with regard to the particularities of obtaining and enforcing patents for computer implemented inventions

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05.24.08

Do-No-Evil Saturday – Part II: SLED/SLES Service Pack, More Xandros at Asustek

Posted in Dell, GNU/Linux, HP, Microsoft, Novell, Red Hat, SLES/SLED, Windows, Wine, Xandros at 2:32 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

There are various new bits and pieces in SUSE Linux, but the main news item is about the release of the second Service Pack. We start with SLES and SLED.

SLED/SLES Service Pack

Here is the mind-boggling press release.

Novell today announced the availability to customers worldwide of SUSE(R) Linux Enterprise 10 Service Pack 2 (SP2), containing enhancements in virtualization, management, hardware enablement and interoperability. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 SP2 is the only Xen-based virtualization solution with full support from Microsoft for Windows* Server 2008 and Windows Server 2003 guests and live migration of those guests across physical machines. Several improvements specific to SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 and SUSE Linux Enterprise Real Time 10 are also included in SP2. Novell further unveiled the Subscription Management Tool for SUSE Linux Enterprise, designed to help customers better manage their SUSE Linux Enterprise software updates.

Put simply, it’s a large maintenance release. The Service Pack was mentioned earlier in the week. Important questions were raised.

eWeek welcomed this release with yet another article that merely lumps it in with Red Hat’s new release, which to an extent stole SUSE’s thunder.

Novell and Red Hat announced upgrades of their Linux-based enterprise distros, featuring improved virtualization and hardware support. In addition, Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) 10 SP2 adds a new subscription management tool, while Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5.2 adds new security, clustering, desktop, and networking features.

Information Week covered this also, as did Heise Open Source (Heise Online). Even Computer World.

Red Hat introduced its latest operating system update, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5.2, which includes enhancements in virtualization capabilities, updates for user desktops, encryption and security improvements, while SUSE announced the availability of its Service Pack 2 for SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 operating systems.

SLED in Action

Steven JVN, who has always been fond of SUSE (especially on the desktop), delivered a nice report covering his experiences with SLED 10 (SP1).

That really was it. There were no hoops to jump through. No configuration headaches. No fuss, no muss. The ThinkPad R61 and SLED 10 SP1 just work.

Once it was on, the first thing I did was adjust the GNOME 2.12 desktop to my tastes. Since SLED 10 SP1 is a stable distribution meant for long-term business use it doesn’t have the latest software. Eventually, I’ll switch it out to another Linux, but for this review I wanted to see how the factory-installed Linux worked out.

Vendor Support

EMC seems receptive towards Netware and SUSE (no mention of other Linuxes).

EMC builds up disk backup

[...]

The new Avamar software supports 64-bit Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 and offers expanded client support for Microsoft SQL Server 2005; Vista; Native Netware client backup and restore (Netware V6.5); and Novell Storage Servers (NSS) volumes on Novell Open Enterprise Server (OES) SLES 10.

SAP, which is still very close to Microsoft (some suggested that Microsoft should acquire it rather than go for Yahoo!), gave Novell one of those symbolic rewards that are tossed around for mutual recognition and marketing purposes. Bear in mind that SAP’s Shai Agassi, who fortunately left the company, was a very vocal (and thus notorious) FOSS basher. The current CEO is not a fan either, unlike former managers who grew fond of it, over time.

Novell today announced it has received an SAP Pinnacle Award in the category “Technology: Co-Innovation for Core Business,” recognizing Novell as an SAP partner who has made significant contributions to SAP’s customer-focused ecosystem. Novell was honored specifically for work with SAP on SUSE(R) Linux Enterprise Server Priority Support for SAP as well as SUSE Linux Enterprise Server high availability and virtualization for SAP.

It shouldn’t be surprising that SAP goes for the ‘Microsoft-approved’ Linux. We wrote about the Microsoft-Intel-SAP-Novell axis before. It’s further augmented by relationships with OEMs, e.g. Dell and H-P. There’s a lot of ‘politics’ there.

SUSE Laptops

We encourage people not to buy laptops that have SUSE preloaded because there is no exemption from ‘Windows tax’. Microsoft collects royalties from Novell. In any event, since it’s Saturday, consider this review of the H-P laptop that comes with SUSE.

If 2007 was the year that Asus chose to introduce the small and affordable sub-notebook, then 2008 is the year that the concept has really begun to take off. Asus, predictably, has lead the way once again, with its updated Eee PC 900 putting right many of the issues raised by the original. Meanwhile, Intel has enthusiastically embraced the idea by launching its Centrino Atom platform for small, low-power, affordable notebooks and MIDs (Mobile Internet Devices). There are a few machines mooted to use Atom, most notably the impressive looking MSI Wind, but it appears it could be a while before we see Atom powered machines hitting retail.

There’s also the MSI laptop that comes with SUSE.

The other version of Wind will use Novell’s SUSE Linux OS and cost $399.

Fortunately, not all laptops come with SUSE or Xandros. Plenty of choice remains. Watch this interesting new article which speaks about “Novell for desktops.”

The big shocker for Raburn? “I was surprised to see Novell for desktops,” he says. “I’m not sure I know anyone who would run it for their desktop. Certainly Windows and Red Hat win the category, but the Mac certainly deserves a solid third place and is increasingly part of corporate networks.”

Xandros

Some people, such as reviewers from Laptop Magazine, learn the hard way that «Linux is Not Windows». They try to treat Xandros on the Eee PC as though it’ll be DRM-compatible, as well as Windows compatible (Wine serving as a compatibility layer). Watch what happens.

I am a big fan of Xandros on the Eee PC, but I’ve always said it has its limitations, especially when it doesn’t give me access to my favorite Windows programs. But when my editor told me earlier this week about Wine HQ, I nearly freaked. Wine HQ enables a compatibility layer that allows Windows programs to run on a Linux OS.

Asustek’s commitment to GNU/Linux is no surprise. It uses that same Xandros derivative to create a desktop solution called EBox.

The Ebox will certainly run the Eee PC’s Xandros version of Linux, and come bundled with the same line-up of applications.

The look of the Ebox is at odds with the design of a slimline home desktop PC that Asus demo’d at the CeBit show in March this year. That model, the “Digital Home System EP20″, was, however, said to run the Eee PC’s Linux OS.

What you ought to find most ironic is that Microsoft’s «Crippleware Program» [1, 2] (Windows XP for as little as $18 apiece) does not apply to anything other than low-cost and muchly-crippled laptops. How will it respond to this? Taxation of Xandros? This is an important one to watch. █

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05.10.08

Quick Mention: What on Earth is Microsoft Doing to Fine Wine?

Posted in Microsoft, Windows, Wine at 10:55 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

A colleague of mine at the office has just told me that Microsoft is scanning the Registry files to ensure there’s no Wine in there. Wine has just reached RC of the highly-anticipated version 1.0 [*], but the issue was brought up an hour ago for other reasons. “They check the configuration key for Wine and prevent it from updating,” he says. I believe he’s referring to an installation of Free software on top of something like Cygwin because I found the notion of running Wine under a ‘sub-environment’ in Windows a little unfamiliar. We use different terminology and and he speaks of his brother’s experience, which he was able to verify after some googling. “If you have it installed on your computer, they block the configuration key,” he adds.

We’ve covered before some of the impact of the software patent deals on Wine (last discussed here, with this follow-up confirming some things). it’s something to explore a little later if time permits. The Billwatch Archive has many analogous stories from one decade ago (c/f Java sabotage, Corel, OLE "garbage"). █

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[*] Wine 1.0 Releases Candidate Released

This is release 1.0-rc1 of Wine, a free implementation of Windows on Unix.

This is the first release candidate for Wine 1.0. Please give it a good testing to help us make 1.0 as good as possible.

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