Contents

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

GNU/Linux

• Automotive Advances--Linux-Based and Solar--at CES 2012





• What to Expect From Linux This Year

  One of Oracle's big contributions to the Linux kernel is Btrfs, a filesystem that adds many features that enterprises would like to see in Linux. For example, Btrfs allows for snapshots, a maximum file size in the exabytes, compression, integrated RAID features and many other features you don't find in Ext.
  
  However, Btrfs has been missing a few features—most notably a filesystem check (fsck) tool—that you'd want before rolling it out for production use.





• Server

  • Five questions on Linux and z/VM OS for mainframes

    The evolution of hardware development and operating system support has allowed mainframes to endure in the modern data center. Today, open source operating systems like Linux have found a home on mainframe platforms such as the IBM z114. This has spurred important improvements in both the operating system and the mainframe hardware. In this Q&A, James Vincent, a senior z/VM systems programmer and director of conference operations for SHARE, offers his expert insights on the future of Linux and mainframes.

  
  
  




• Applications

  • Music Management Takes Flight With Songbird

    Songbird does not fit squarely into one particular category of application. Instead, it is a desktop Web player, a digital jukebox and Web browser mash-up all nested in one cozy package. It bears a striking resemblance to the user experience that comes from tabbed Web browsing. And its customization extends far beyond the large collection of plugins.

  
  
  

  • Proprietary

    • Corel introduces AfterShot Pro for $99 on Linux, Mac and Windows

    
    
    
  
  
  

  • Instructionals/Technical

    • The Linux Command Line

    
    
    

    • Beginning Linux - Part II

    
    
    
  
  
  




• Desktop Environments

  
  
  

  • K Desktop Environment/KDE SC)

    • Kubuntu 11.10 for digital painting

      With the new year, hard to escape to the temptation of upgrading tool and system. My last working professional system was done over a Linux Mint 11 installation detailed on this blog so I was first tempted to upgrade with Linux Mint 12, but Gnome 3 provided me bad performances while painting, and the operating system was really missing of simple settings already their in Gnome 2 ( windows colors / thumbnail of my files / panel position / changing ergonomy ). In fact, my Gnome 3 experience was a deception because of that feeling of regression and non flexibility.
      
      So, I tryed the fork of Gnome 2 : Mate ( also delivered on the Linux Mint 12 DVD ). Mate worked pretty well, but was also a regression compare to the Gnome 2 of Linux Mint 11 because of a lot of things who worked for Gnome 2 to readapt to all the new Mate's name. Plus this, my home hidden preference folder started to look like this : Mate configuration mixed up with Gnome 2 configuration , mixed up with Gnome 3 configuration. So it started to really look like a big mess. And , I don't really likes to invest a future into forks ; it's still good to look ahead.

    
    
    
  
  
  




• Distributions

  
  
  

  • Red Hat Family

    • CloudLinux Integrates with Vembu StoreGrid

    
    
    
  
  
  

  • Debian Family

    • Debian Linux Named Most Popular Distro for Web Servers

      inux may be enjoying great popularity in the mobile arena, thanks to Android--and even on the desktop, to an increasing extent--but there's no denying its longtime success on servers.

    
    
    

    • Derivatives

      
      
      

      • Canonical/Ubuntu

        • The Tiny Cotton Candy Computer Runs Android 4.0 ICS, Ubuntu

        
        
        

        • FXI Demos Ubuntu and Android 4.0 on its Cotton Candy USB Device

        
        
        

        • Canonical Maps out Ubuntu Strategy at CES

          The name Ubuntu is closely tied to Linux, but that doesn't mean Ubuntu is only interested in Linux servers and desktops. This week at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Canonical, the lead commercial sponsor behind Ubuntu, is showing off where it's headed in the consumer space.
          
          Canonical is demoing their Ubuntu TV concept, which puts the Linux vendor's distribution onto TV sets. They're also showing In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) systems powered by Ubuntu. Helping to connect those items together with desktop users, the company is also stressing the importance of their multi-platform UbuntuOne service. UbuntuOne enables users to share and synchronize content across desktop and mobile devices.

        
        
        

        • Flavours and Variants

          • Release candidate available for Linux Mint 12 KDE

            The Linux Mint team has announced the availability of a release candidate for Linux Mint 12 KDE, the version of the Linux Mint distribution with the latest version of KDE, 4.7.4. Like Linux Mint 12, it is based on Ubuntu 11.10. This is the first Linux Mint KDE release which, like other recent Mint releases, has hybrid ISO images; this enables the simple creation of a bootable USB stick, which can behave just like a live CD or DVD, using just the dd command. A tutorial is provided to explain how to install Linux Mint via USB.

          
          
          
        
        
        
      
      
      
    
    
    
  
  
  




• Devices/Embedded

  • Car drivers fuel big demand for in-vehicle web access

    Last year Toyota joined the non-profit Linux Foundation, which is dedicated to accelerating the growth of the open-source operating system. The car maker said it was joining the Linux Foundation as a Gold member to maximise its own investment in Linux "while fostering open innovation throughout the automotive ecosystem".

  
  
  

  • Raspberry Pi's $35, 700MHz Linux computer enters manufacturing

    The Raspberry Pi Foundation announced this week that its $35 Linux computer has entered the manufacturing stage. The system, which is an open board with a 700MHz ARM11 CPU and 256MB of RAM, could be available for sale within a matter of weeks.

  
  
  

  • Sub-notebooks/Tablets

    • Are Tablets Expensive Toys? Not This One

      Many children pick up an iPad and figure out how to use it right away — swiping and poking the screen in a way that just seems to come naturally to them. One Laptop Per Child, a nonprofit organization that produces low-cost computers for developing countries, wants to take the tablet experience to poor children as well. It showcased its XO 3.0 tablet at the International Consumer Electronics Show this week.

    
    
    
  
  
  

Free Software/Open Source

• Oracle/Java/LibreOffice

  • Oracle in hot water with Java makers

    It wanted to bring in modularisation and licensing plans for Java with version eight under the handle of something called Project Jigsaw. But some of the Java contributors are worried that Project Jigsaw conflicts with the OSGi module system already geared to Java.

  
  
  




• FSF/FSFE/GNU/SFLC

  • Edu-Team 2011 summary

    When I talk to people as a member of FSFE’s education team, there’s always the question what we are actually doing. It is not so easy to come up with something specific. I know we’ve been busy all the time, but ad hoc, it’s difficult for me to name examples, that are worth mentioning. A lot of work that’s being done just doesn’t provide a presentable outcome (more on that below). With this post, I’ll publicly report what we’ve done in 2011 and give a brief overview of what is about to come in 2012.

  
  
  

Leftovers

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  Finance

  • Real Financial Regulators Love Prosecutions of Fraudulent Bank CEOs

    The New York Times published a column by its leading financial experts, Gretchen Morgenson and Louise Story, on November 22, 2011 which contains a spectacular charge against the Obama administration’s financial regulatory leaders. I have waited for the rebuttal, but it is now clear that the administration does not contest the charge.