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Links 12/08/2009: Many GNU/Linux Releases, Free Software News



GNOME bluefish

Contents





GNU/Linux

  • 2010: The Year of Virtualized Desktops?
    Ultimately, the desktop virtualization market sounds quiet a bit like a next-generation successor to the thin client market. So it’s safe to expect virtualized desktops to surface within settings where thin clients first emerged — health care, retail and so forth.


  • Applications

    • Nathive developer spotlight
      Nathive is a libre software image editor, similar to Adobe Photoshop, Corel Photo-Paint or GIMP, but focused on usability, logic and providing a smooth learning curve for everyone. The project run in the Gnome desktop environment and anyone is welcome to collaborate on it with code, translations or ideas.


    • Open source and 3D
      Thus I read with interest the related blog posts “Sweet Home 3D” and “Sweet Home 3D: Open Source, Cross Platform Design Application” which, not surprisely, talk about the Java-based open source program called Sweet Home 3D. This seems similar to the programs I used on Windows years ago, though it is, as I said Java-based and open source. I’ll definitely give it a try.






  • Distributions

    • Run Multiple Debian Versions Simultaneously




    • New Releases

      • PC/OS 2009.3 released
        PC/OS 2009.3 has been released for the general public. This release fixes many of the hardware issues that users had with PC/OS 2009v2 series. With this release we went ahead and and installed all updates so all security updates since PC/OS Maintenance Pack 3 have been applied. The changes to PC/OS 2009.3 application wise are common across all releases except XFCE 4.6 was not included in WebStation due to some issues that are being explored right now on some models of netbooks.


      • Finnix 93.0 released
        Finnix is a small, self-contained, bootable Linux CD distribution for system administrators, based on Debian testing. Today marks the release of version 93.0 for the x86/AMD64, PowerPC, and UML/Xen platforms.


      • The G:Standard 3.0.rc01 (2.9.90) is Released
        The GoblinX Project is proud to announce the second released of the next G:Standard. The G:Standard 3.0.rc01 (2.9.90) is Released. The G:Standard is the original edition first released in the end of October 2004. In the past it was called as GoblinX and later as GoblinX Standard. In order to dismiss doubt about the releases and follow the same criteria used for all distributions (editions) of the GoblinX Project it became simply G:Standard.


      • kademar 4.9


      • SystemRescueCd 1.2.3


      • Clonezilla 1.2.2-27












  • Devices/Embedded

    • Nokia to cull Symbian from smartphones?
      Nokia smartphones may soon be shipped running the phone giant's Linux-based Maemo operating system instead of Symbian, it has been claimed.

      Maemo – also known as the Internet Tablet OS – has been around since 2005 and was originally designed for Nokia’s family of handheld internet gadgets.

      Now a report by the Financial Times Deutschland has hinted that Nokia is preparing to drop Symbian from its smartphones, in favour of Maemo. The paper’s source is unclear.


    • Nokia: We’re Fully Commited To Symbian


    • How to hack a Sony Reader
      Inside the Linux-based e-book viewer




    • Phones



      • Mobile Marketers Must Look Past The iPhone
        Some experts suggest it's time to warm up to Android, as the Google-backed, open-source mobile-operating system is set to power a growing numbers of handsets, making it an equally vital, if not bigger, long-term play. And though there are only two Android-based phones available in the U.S. (the second one was only introduced last week), Google said 19 Android-based handsets will launch by year-end worldwide, from the likes of LG, Samsung and Motorola, and folks in the app-development space predict about half a dozen of these will be unveiled stateside. Android's platform is also open source, meaning that unlike the iPhone, anyone can build a device or create apps for it.


      • Dell to launch China-only mobile phone after all, calls it “Ophone mini3i” (Updated)
        We broke the news on Dell launching a China-only cell phone on Sunday, and today major Chinese news portal 163.com reports the device is on its way: What Dell will be offering in China is an Android-powered “Ophone” called the mini3i.








    • Sub-notebooks

      • Moblin v2 to reach netbooks this Oct.?
        The first netbook pre-installed with Moblin v2 operating system technology may reach market in October. A report suggests that Asus will offer Moblin v2 technology preinstalled on its "Seashell" netbook.










Free Software/Open Source

  • Flemish Region to educate citizens on open source
    The Flemish regional Government wants to educate its citizens on "free software (open source)", it writes in its coalition agreement published on 10 July 2009.

    The open source information is meant to help to increase the region's use of the Internet, including electronic government services, media, culture, health services and eLearning.


  • The Open Source Desktop Made Easy
    That's why for some time I've been advocating a phased introduction of open source software. This means swapping out programs like Internet Explorer, Outlook and Microsoft Office, and swapping in Firefox, Thunderbird and OpenOffice.org, but sticking with Windows. Once users are comfortable with these on that platform, it is possible to shift them across to GNU/Linux, using the same apps. Aside from one or two trivial changes of menu structure, the programs work identically across both, which means that users can concentrate on just one aspect of the second move: getting to know GNU/Linux.


  • Bank boosts customer service 60 per cent with open source tool
    A new way of tracking and capturing employee and customer ideas and data using an made-in-house CRM tool has worked wonders for YES Bank. In a short time, this relatively new banking firm has improved customer service by 60 per cent and turnaround time for its processes by almost 70 percent.


  • College Bytes
    Around 400 students from various colleges and experts from the IT industry interacted during the event. The topics included Green IT, Cloud Computing, Entrepreneurship, Open Source Software and Natural Language processing which were delivered by experts from IT companies like TCS, CDAC and Omniscient Technologies.


  • Mod Anti-Malware goes open source for server security
    The other key question that I had for Dasient was how their technology is different than say the mod_security Web Application Firewall (WAF), that is also open source.


  • Open Source Web Anti-Malware Tool Released
    An interesting new piece of security freeware was launched today as Dasient introduced an open source version of its Web server infection remediation technology.

    [...]

    However, anyone who downloads and installs the freeware version will be granted a limited free trial of the paid services.


  • MySociety.org calls for project proposals
    The group, who use open source to power their sites and release their code under the GPL, are looking for ideas which involve the internet and encompass ideas which have an easy to explain "social, civic or democratic benefit".




  • CMS

    • Joomla! calls for awards backing
      Open source custom webhosting platform Joomla! is calling on its users to put it forward for entry into an upcoming awards scheme.

      [...]

      "There are over 3,000 extensions to Joomla 1.5 in the Joomla Extensions Directory," the developers explained.


    • A big, open idea
      Matt's Wordpress, which I use at interest.co.nz, is one of the best and most used of these consumer open source softwares. Open source software is built through an essentially cooperative process where developers work together to create and debug software before giving it away. It uses a General Public License (GPL). There's more information on the GPL here.

      Essentially, the free software movement was borne in the early 1980s and led by Richard Stallman, a former MIT student and hacker. See more background here. Other devotees include Linus Torvalds (Linux).






  • Business

    • Forecast: Cost Cutting Will Drive Open Source Growth
      "We've seen a tremendous growth in interest from companies who really feel uncomfortable with the price hikes and the pricing practices of the big players in the proprietary world," said Ingres CEO Roger Burkhardt in an interview. "Now that budgets are being squeezed, we see a tremendous interest in the economic model that we offer."


    • Career Watch: Job growth could be more robust away from the coasts
      One other area to consider: open source. Having strong knowledge of open-source alternatives to purchased products can give you an edge over competitors that are only offering packaged software. Giving your customers options, especially lower-cost options, should help you get work. Open-source solutions are going to be increasingly viable in the future.


    • xTuple 3.3 open source ERP debuts
      Version 3.3 also allows customers to export to OpenOffice from any screen and the ability to copy one item, row or entire table to the clipbopard. One can export all displays to OpenOffice document formats, as well as HTML and comma-separated text Support for Qt version 4.5, now available under the Lesser GNU Public License (LGPL),” according to the release.








  • Funding

    • Open source living on VC time
      The price on the deal, $362 million plus the assumption of debt, is curiously close to what another Java framework outfit, JBOSS, fetched over three years ago.

      This may also make VMWare a more powerful adversary against Red Hat, although I had thought they were competing with Citrix’ Xensource. Silly me.


    • Peter Fenton Has That Magic Open-Source Touch
      Rather than “expensive sales efforts and negotiations with the upper management to get the most money possible,” the people that will be using the software can easily download and try the product. This helps the best products proliferate and weeds out the underperformers.


    • Google gives $300K to OSU Open Source Lab
      In yet another show of support for open source projects, Google has made another $300,000 gift to the Oregon State University Open Source Lab, increasing its cumulative support of academia’s premiere open source development and hosting operation to more than $1 million. The new funds will support OSL efforts to provide hosting services used by many of today's most recognized open source projects and communities.






  • Government

    • Ghana: Imani Honours Late Guido Sohne
      "He was one of the early founding members of the Free and Open Source Foundation for Africa as well as being part of the FOSSFA Council. However, he resigned due to differences over governance and direction of the organization and moved on to establish a new organization called AfricanIntelligence with the purpose of focusing on developing developers rather than promoting open source software."

      "He was responsible for the first Open Source project in West Africa (and possibly in sub-Saharan Africa as well) and won awards for creating two of Africa's top fifty websites. He has made minor contributions to OSS projects like the Linux Cross Reference tool, RedHat's Interchange e-commerce system, Ruby's Rannotate and JavaScript and Ruby implementations of a 2D barcode system, DataMatrix aka Semacode."




    • UK

      • Tories call for health computer systems cuts
        Mr O'Brien insisted that "open source" systems could be more secure. We guess he means open source database software run by government offices, not inviting all the world's under-employed programmers to rewrite the UK's NHS software systems.


      • Conservatives publish NHS IT policy pledges
        The Conservatives say they "welcome these conclusions" in part because they are "consistent with our plans to free the NHS from Labour's central control and interference so that it is locally accountable to patients and can focus on improving the results of their treatment".


      • Archives names expert as new FOIA ombudsman
        Miram Nisbet has been hired to head the Office of Government Information Services, which is housed at the National Archives and Records Administration. The ombudsman's office was created by the 2007 amendments to the Freedom of Information Act to be an intermediary between government agencies and requesters.








    • US

      • HHS to sponsor open source 'code-a-thon' for NHIN
        The project's initial strategy will be guided by Brian Behlendorf, an open source advocate and contractor to the Administration's Open Government team.


      • White House tells agencies, think 'open innovation'
        The White House is telling its agencies, which are set to prepare budgets, to pursue an "open innovation"-approach to government, be visionary in their spending requests, and focus on "transformative" projects that help the climate, energy, life expectancy and the economy.

        [...]

        The "open innovation" concept is akin to that used in open source circles. But longtime open source advocate Eric S. Raymond, author of The Cathedral and the Bazaar, read the White House memo and said he believed its call for open innovation is largely meaningless.


      • Obama, open source & healthcare
        Linux-based and open-source healthcare software has been around for years. Unless you were in health IT, however, chances are you never even heard of it. It's time to pay attention, because it may soon be tracking your medical records.

        With the passage of ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009), $19-billion dollars has been ear-marked for Medicare and Medicaid technology incentives over the next five years. Collectively, this program is known as HITECH. If open-source, medical software advocates have their way, some, if not most, of that money will be going to free software and open standard based EHR (electronic health records).












  • Openness

    • Info-sharing tops DOD's tech wish list
      Forge.mil, a family of services for developing open-source solution for the DOD, is example of the enterprisewide, on-demand services DISA wants to continue to develop, Mihelcic said.


    • 3-D Printers Make Manufacturing Accessible
      3-D printers can take blobs of plastic and shape them into almost any object you desire. Now, thanks to open source hardware designs and enthusiastic do-it-yourselfers, these printers are increasingly popular and accessible. People are using them to fabricate iPod docks, plastic bracelets, hair clips and miniature teapots at home.


    • Kaupthing’s loan book exposed and an injunction ordered against RÚV
      Yesterday the website WikiLeaks* published TOP SECRET information about loans made by Kaupthing bank just before the Big Meltdown last October. The info is a 209-page inside document containing slides used at a meeting of the bank’s loans committee on September 25 last year.


    • Open Plaques: open data about UK heritage sites
      There are currently over 1700 plaques, which can be browsed by area, by person, by role or by organisation. Though the project is currently in alpha the idea is that anyone will be able to add or edit plaques, and display photos uploaded to Flickr. We hope there will be participation from local history groups, schools and so on!








Leftovers

  • U.S. FCC examining broadcasters in music fee row
    U.S. regulators have launched an inquiry into whether certain broadcasters are refusing to air the music of artists who demand to be paid when their songs are played on the radio.

    The Federal Communications Commission reviewed a June petition by a music coalition that accuses radio stations of skipping songs of artists who support legislation aimed at paying royalties to artists.

    According to an official notice dated on Friday, the agency is seeking public comment on the petition until Sept. 23. The FCC customarily seeks comment on proposals for new or amended rules, but petitions received on a wide variety of subjects are also published for public comment.


  • Why the Internet Will Shape Social Values (and not the other way around)
    If anything, I suspect the internet is going to create a society that is more honest and forgiving. We will be returning to a world of thin anonymity - a world where it is difficult to escape from the choices you've made in the past. But the result won't be a world where fewer people take risks, it will be a world that recognizes those risks were necessary and expected.


  • Nabaztag can't make RFID cool, has to file for bankruptcy
    We always knew that any company courageous enough to take a technology designed to help mega-corps monitor their inventory levels and make it mainstream would face an uphill battle, but we never envisioned Nabaztag caving entirely to the pressure.


  • Special Report: Is US Chief Information Officer (CIO) Vivek Kundra a Phony?
    This is the sort of question you might ask after trying to actually verify his supposed MS in Information Technology from the University of Maryland, College Park campus. The registrar has no record of it. In fact the current University of Maryland grad department doesn’t even show this degree as being commonly available to anyone. A search of his college records shows no attendance after he received his BS degree in Psychology on 12/20/98. In fact his last day of school 12/19/98 wrapped up the six years it took Kundra to obtain his undergraduate degree.




  • Intellectual Monopolies

    • Pirate Party UK Officially Registered
      The UK Pirate Party has been officially registered at the Electoral Commission and is hoping to follow in the footsteps of its successful counterpart in Sweden. With all the recent controversy surrounding anti-piracy legislation and lawyers going after alleged file-sharers, the party has become necessity.








Recent Techrights' Posts

Being Prevented From Accessing One's Own System Means Getting Locked Out, Not Security
a metaphor
3/4 (Three-Quarter) of Requests Seen by statCounter (Originating From Desktops/Laptops) Deemed to be "Linux" in San Marino
74% Linux, it says...
The Linux Foundation Does Not Work for Linux, Definitely Not for Free Software
works for its biggest sponsors, i.e. companies like Microsoft, IBM, and others
The European Patent Office's (EPO) Crisis Week Ends Today, the Rest of the Year Will be EPO Staff on Strike
The outcome of the two-day meeting won't change the fact that EPO staff is on strike for the whole year
British Women Don't Want to Work for American Men Who Attack American Women
"[g]reeting clients and preparing beverages"
Mass Layoff Event on June 30 at Red Hat? Let Us Know...
We are looking for more Red Hat whistleblowers
IBM Red Hat Kicks Out the Community, Promotes Slop
It has gotten so bad
 
Who or What is "Nadeko"?
Fijxu's services make life a lot easier for Free software sticklers
10 Years Since the World Lost Ian Murdock
My wife and I still use Debian, as does this site
No, Microsoft is Not Laying Off 5,000-6,000 But a Lot More
There are "buyouts", "PIPs" (silence layoffs), pink slips, and future waves, not counting subsidiaries and contractors
The Cyber Show's Andy and Helen Confronting 'Upgrades'
the latest from Andy and Helen
statCounter Sees Almost 1 in 10 Desktops or Laptops in Egypt as GNU/Linux Workstations
10% "market share" (for GNU/Linux) was nearly attained last month
The March of GNU/Linux in the Russian Ally, Belarus
record high for GNU/Linux in Belarus
Technology is Getting Objectively Worse and Less Reliable
Something went horribly wrong
FOSS Force 2026 Independence Drive Lacks Independence From GAFAM's 'Linux' Foundation
We're not trying to 'bash' FOSS Force
News That Matters, News That's Exclusive, and News LLM Slop Will Never Get Right
Churning out blog posts just for quantity's sake was never our goal
Independence and Software Freedom
Much work remains to be done
European Patent Office (EPO) Series: Operation Monte Titano: Micro-State Diplomacy
On 28th May 2026 EPO President António Campinos paid a visit to the Most Serene Republic of San Marino where he was received with full diplomatic honours
Links 03/07/2026: Slop "Isn’t Replacing Lawyers", "App Fatigue"
Links for the day
Statement on This Week's DDoS Attacks
DDoS attacks are not a "badge of honour". They are a nuisance.
Skinnerboxes as Health Problems and Impediments (Against Happiness)
skinnerboxes are a form of addiction
Costa Ricans' Adoption of GNU/Linux Reaches New Highs
Windows is doing poorly in general
Gaming on Windows is in Trouble, XBox is Practically Dead Already
It seems increasingly clear that Microsoft wants to get rid of XBox
New Record for GNU/Linux in the World's Largest Muslim-Majority Population (287,983,025)
Will Indonesians leave GAFAM behind?
SLAPP Censorship - Part 126 Out of 200: Becoming More Aggressive Against Us Only Proves Us Right
the police involved
The Register MS Covers "AI" Because It Gets Paid to
A lot of noise "in the news" about "AI" is paid-for trash
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Thursday, July 02, 2026
IRC logs for Thursday, July 02, 2026
Gemini Links 02/07/2026: OpenBGPD, Newt and OpenBSD, Indieweb Theme for Ghost
Links for the day
Links 02/07/2026: China "Ethnic Unity" Law a Global Threat, "EU Imposes €3 Duty on Parcels From China"
Links for the day
Japan's Share of GNU/Linux Has More Than Doubled
GNU/Linux now sits around 3.5% compared to about 1% two years ago
'Largest Single Layoff Event In Gaming History' or 'Largest Single Layoff Event In Microsoft History'?
we need whistleblowers, not official or semi-official statements from Microsoft
Off-putting Terms or Behaviour That Keep Women Away From Areas of Technology (Not What IBM and GAFAM Tell Us)
the use of language
Microsoft Windows "Goes South" in South America, GNU/Linux Popularity Soaring
Brazil and its neighbours must have paid attention to what happened earlier this year in Venezuela
It's Not the Layoffs, It's the Debt
PIPs and/or "silent layoffs" are about the companies flouting obligations to staff, reducing or eliminating the compensation packages
European Patent Office (EPO) Series: Cutting Ribbons in Sintra While the EPO Burns
Like the Roman Emperor Nero, Campinos fiddles in Sintra while the EPO burns
In Spain, GNU/Linux Now Measured at 5.5%
Microsoft and Windows are generally shrinking
North America: GNU/Linux Leaps to 8% "Market Share"
the trend is clear
statCounter: GNU/Linux Has Risen to All-Time High of 6% Worldwide (July 2026)
GNU/Linux has massive gains
Not Tolerating Death Threats
Death threads are a serious matter
Silent Layoffs, 'Happy' Layoffs, and 'Buyouts' (Pretending to Voluntarily Retire)
We've been seeing lots of that at IBM and Microsoft
SLAPP Censorship - Part 125 Out of 200: Litigants in Person (LIPs) Handling American Lawfare Funded by Third Parties (About a Million Pounds for 100 Kilograms of Legal Papers)
An appeal to the Court of Appeal can be justified at one point
IBM HR "Process is Similar to Raising Farm Animals"
IBM "silent layoffs" won't stop
Attacks on the Sites
These are clearly censorship attempts
Links 02/07/2026: Microsoft May be Shutting Down 5+ Studios, Slop Got Too Expensive, "RAMpocalypse" Discussed
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Wednesday, July 01, 2026
IRC logs for Wednesday, July 01, 2026
Gemini Links 02/07/2026: Kondo, Theological Thought, and X4
Links for the day
Links 01/07/2026: Apple and Microsoft Price Hikes, Political Catchup
Links for the day
Parroting the Script of RAs and PIPs, "Buyouts" and Layoffs by Any Other Name
Over time people will find out just how many people "leave" IBM
Slop Gives No Real Edge, It's Just Falsely Marketed That Way (FOMO)
Plagiarism in some measurable form is always bad, irrespective of what we call it
The Microsoft-Owned Media Shows What Spin Microsoft Will Use Amid Mass Layoffs
Microsoft says goodbye to over 10,000 workers this month
Brett Wilson LLP Has Just Lost a Case of Its Biggest Client "IN THE COURT OF APPEAL (CIVIL DIVISION)"
Is Brett Wilson LLP proud of such clientele?
The Media is Shooting Its Own Foot by Peddling Slop and Spam
Nobody wishes to read slop; as soon as people realise "the news" (or "news site") is LLM trash, they will walk away
Gary Smith Says Brett Wilson LLP Engages in SLAPP Against Him Over LinkedIn Post, "This is the Streisand Effect in Real Time"
"Lawyers who front SLAPP‑style threats on behalf of powerful institutions are not “defending reputation”; they are abusing legal process to intimidate and silence legitimate public‑interest scrutiny."
Gemini Links 01/07/2026: Wild Flowers, Slop, and Waystone Tools
Links for the day
Links 01/07/2026: Bending Spoons Makes an 'Exit' ("Going Public"), US Supreme Court Rules on Many Issues
Links for the day
Misattributing Blame, the Core Issue is Slop
that issue has nothing to do with Bash
Microsoft: Layoffs Are an Investment
Sales of the console will take another plunge and debt will skyrocket
Links 01/07/2026: MElon (Elon Musk) "Confronted With List of People He Has Killed", Microsoft Ignores Union, Chooses "Bloodbath"
Links for the day
The Register MS: Paid-For SPAM Advocating Chinese Colonialism in Africa, Not Even a Disclosure (as Before)
Does The Register MS recognise what this piece is promoting and who for?
Techrights Never Defended Rapists
In the past, I and others got falsely accused of "defend[ing] a rapist"
"Regular Silent Layoffs and PIPs" at Microsoft, According to Microsoft Insider
Many people leave without a fuss, only a signed NDA
Gaming Companies Help Promote Rootkits ('Anticheat') and Help Microsoft Take Control of People's PCs
The industry in its current form acts a bit more like a cabal of power-hungry companies that actively try to back-door everything and smear people who oppose that
IRC (Internet Relay Chat) Turns 38 Next Month
IRC did well because over 300k users are on significant networks (simultaneous, also counting bots and cross-network overlaps)
opensourceforu.com is a Slopfarm, It's Not "Open Source" and It's Not "For U"
Slop "For U"
DRM and Ownership
We now even have PCs that "expire"
GNU/Linux Reaches 6% in North America
Tomorrow around 10AM we'll see what preliminary data they get for July
IBM Layoffs Still Happening in 2026, They're Just Not Being Reported
The demise of IBM accompanies the demise of the media
SLAPP Censorship - Part 124 Out of 200: The Court Deems My Wife Connected to the Case of the Serial Strangler From Microsoft, Invites Her to the Hearing Last Week
Brett Wilson LLP does not play by the rules
Paying Severance to Staff Laid Off by Microsoft Too Expensive for Microsoft Now?
When companies earn such a bad reputation (not paying severance to people they discard) it lowers morale even further
Microsoft Mass Layoffs Due to Money Problems (Debt, Lack of Money to Complete Payroll), Not "Hey Hi"
If Microsoft later comes up with some "Hey Hi" narrative, then immediately reject it
Stop Conflating Free Software With Slop Plagiarism and Time-wasting
Even decades ago people could use "compute" for lots of fuzzing, then file away false or unaudited reports using bots
What Security Means
Security does not mean asking Microsoft for permission
Microsoft May be Losing 10,000+ Workers This Month
Here's the quick math
BSN Senior School Leidschenveen is Shutting Down and What That Means to the European Patent Office (EPO)
Follow-up meeting with Site Manager VP1 on school matters
Gemini Links 01/07/2026: Keeping (Relatively) Cool plus Adventures in Solar, Camp Snap Cameras and XTEINK X4 Ereader Reviews
Links for the day
European Patent Office (EPO) Series: Different Strokes For Different Folks
Organisation operating in two parallel universes
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Tuesday, June 30, 2026
IRC logs for Tuesday, June 30, 2026
GNU/Linux Measured at 4.4% by statCounter, Even More by analytics.usa.gov
GNU/Linux has fared well