Showing headlines posted by gsh

In the past, it seems like there has been a lot of angst surrounding the idea of dual-licensed software gaining any real traction. But after researching this, I think it has a real shot at giving traditional commercial-only software a run for its money. Even if it is simply in the long tail markets.

Let's face it - there is no shortage of distributions of Linux with the recovery of boneheaded Windows users in mind. For many, this is where their first introduction to Linux actually came from. In other words, trying out Knoppix.

In this article, I will share how I currently keep in sync with Evolution on Ubuntu with my own Pocket PC and why I can lose a Pocket PC and the computer, but still protect my calendar data/contacts/email data. While many of you have heard of the tool I use to do this, most of you are not aware of just how accessible it truly is.

I have been using Wine (WINE) or various implementations of it (Crossover Office and Cedega) for a few years now. What is funny is that I often had more success with Wine proper than I did with the various offshoot products. Go figure! So when I learned this issue...

Reading articles like this certainly make us feel good, but I have to say that they leave me with a bad taste in my mouth. While we run around patting each other on the back for a job well done on the adoption front, the truth is that most people, real computer users, not geeks, are using Windows. Does this mean that Linux is not ready? Not at all, but perhaps this means that what we feed to the public needs a fresh review?

Over the past few years, I have heard a lot of noise about how great it would be to see KDE coming to Windows world. Despite this happening on its own, it really means little with the exception of perhaps one application - amaroK.

In my previous article, I shared my opinions and overall vision of the state of Linux wireless today. In this latest installment, I will demonstrate exactly how one can have a simple way to implement Linux wireless connectivity without all of the headaches.

Wireless connectivity on any Linux distribution that is not pre-bundled with existing hardware is a bit of a crapshoot. And yet I would be the first to point out that despite much of the nonsense about it being necessary to either compile a driver from source or worse, falling back into a Windows mindset so as to rely on Windows wireless drivers via NDISWrapper is never the only option.

I have been using Linux in one capacity or another since I first downloaded a Red Hat ISO a number of years ago. What finally allowed me to go full-time with my chosen distro was not so much the progression of hardware detection and self-mounting partitions but the applications. Today, I would like to share some of my personal favorites with you.

As a rule, I am generally leery about various user created "tweaking utilities" available for any OS, much less Linux. Not because I am afraid to trip something up that I do not fully understand, rather fully understanding what I am doing but lacking the confidence in the application itself to do what I could do from a command line or configuration file instead.

Not too ago, I stumbled onto a post that was created by a rather irate blogger who felt that Ubuntu was getting the shaft. Apparently someone had decided to "sell" Ubuntu CDs, with packaging, on eBay. In this article, I want to seriously examine what, if any, harm was done here.

Everyone is familiar with PCLinuxOS by now. And most of us have preconceived thoughts and opinions on this Linux distribution. And yet, I could not get my head around the attraction of this distro over Ubuntu, Simply Mepis, Linux Mint, Freespire or any other beginner-friendly Linux release.

For years now we have heard about Linux on the desktop and its need to make a concerted effort to illustrate its value to the end user and whatnot. The point of it all being is that if we expect Linux to become a household name, we must find away to get it into the minds of the typical user, like we have seen with Windows.

My iPhone is sitting beside me right now, and I’m still thrilled that I purchased it. I’ve never been more excited about a device, and I can’t wait to see how the iPhone continues to develop.

Totally ignoring the fact that this type of news is becoming the new norm everywhere but in the US, it does present a very serious question - how does Microsoft compete with free?

One has to admit, regardless of their feelings of just how idiotic the idea behind Digital Rights Management (DRM) may be, it is frustrating to watch the other two platforms have content we cannot enjoy ourselves.

In the past, I have discussed the various browsers out there for us to enjoy at length. Despite this, there has always been the question as to which one was best for which type of person. After all, we all know what each offers, but which one best fits different type of users? In this article, I hope to better answer that particular question. And of course, all platforms will be considered, not just Linux.

Realizing that "What if" articles tend to bring out the best and worst in people, I thought it was worth exploring this mindset again, just for kicks. This time, however, there is a clear angle to the idea. One that I hope can crossover and inspire, if nothing else.

Don’t misunderstand me, as I’m not preaching the value of proprietary codecs. Despite Theora's shortcomings with rendering speed and overall playback quality in comparison to proprietary alternatives, this does not mean that all open source codecs are loosing ground in the fight for your video viewing freedom.

As I sit here looking at my Zonbu(s) (a mini and the notebook), I cannot help but feel overwhelming dismay over all the progress made with "ready-to-go" Linux solutions like the Eee, Cloudbook and of course, the OLPC project. My concern is not in regard to the projects themselves, but it’s where Microsoft is trying to edge their way into something that Linux was working magic with first.