Showing headlines posted by Scott_Ruecker

Ubuntu Linux is gearing up for the debut of its latest release with Ubuntu 10.04, codenamed "the Lucid Lynx" and scheduled for general availability at the end of the month. It's a release that offers multiple new features on the desktop and a new look to Ubuntu Linux.

The O'Reilly Open Source Convention (OSCON) has posted sessions and keynotes for its annual conference. Scheduled for July 19-23, at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, OSCON features keynotes including Google's Chris DiBona, Facebook's David Recordon, Canonical's Simon Wardley, and the GNOME Foundation's Stormy Peters.

On April 1, Sony released firmware update 3.21 for the PS3, an update that disabled the Install Other OS function on the older, bulkier PS3s. Sony's official reason: "Security Concerns." Now, nearly a week later, consumers are reporting that the update has led to a variety of bugs, including slowed internet connections, controller compatibility issues, and resolution issues when using HDMI. And that's if the update installs at all, as there have been reports that the download cycle hits an endless loop and never fully completes.

A few years ago I wrote on OSNews several articles (1,2) about workstations. After three years I had to stop, because there were no workstations left on the market, they became legacy and were not sold any more. Now with the rise of mobile devices with touchscreen and wireless network connectivity virtually everywhere, the question becomes valid, what will happen with the desktop computers, are they still needed, or will they follow the workstations on their way to computer museums?

Google's open source Android mobile operating system (OS) has continued to grow and gain US market share over other popular mobile operating systems in recent months. According to a February 2010 Mobile Subscriber Market Share report from US market research firm comScore, Google's smarpthone OS has grown more than 5 percentage points since November of 2009 alone – far more than any of its competitors. The positive trend means that Android now holds an overall US market share of 9%. The comScore report surveyed current mobile subscribers age 13 and older to find out what device manufacturer and platform they were using.

GNOME 2.30 was originally intended to coincide with GNOME 3.0 -- a massive cleanup and rethinking of the popular desktop. However, GNOME 3.0 is delayed for at least another release, which leaves GNOME 2.30 as most likely the last version in a series stretching back almost a decade. You will find signs of what is coming, including 3.0 previews, but, for the most part, like its predecessors, GNOME 2.30 is a collection of generally unrelated improvements. Unlike recent KDE releases, a specific direction is hard to see, unless it is an emphasis on improved usability and, to a lesser extent, application inter-connectivity as part of the cleanup for the big release.

A Swedish firm called People of Lava has announced what appears to be the world's first Android-powered TV. The Scandinavia Window to the World TV runs Android 1.5 on a Cortex-A8 processor, and offers HD with 1920 x 1080 resolution, available in 42-, 47-, and 55-inch models, says the company.

IBM says that they are within their rights to protect their investment in mainframe technology and have not broken their 2005 pledge. IBM had sent a letter to TurboHercules SAS listing patents that believed the open source mainframe emulator could possibly infringe. IBM say they were not claiming the patents were infringed but that the letter was an illustration of the company's patent portfolio related to mainframe technology.

Just when it seemed like Microsoft's European anti-trust tangle on browser choice in Windows was over, trouble is stirring again. Opera Software has told The Reg that it has informed the European Union of a possible problem with a fix that was designed to make Internet Explorer in Windows comply with EU antitrust law. Opera has also informed Microsoft.

Most images on the web such as JPG, PNG, and GIF are raster images – grids of pixels that each hold a color value. Raster images are great for photos of real people and events, but they have drawbacks. When you scale a raster image up or down in size, you’re losing data and/or clarity in the image. Color intensity can also be lost in conversions and compression, leaving you with a mangled version of what you once wanted. A great alternative for many situations is to use vector graphics. Inkscape is a powerful free vector drawing program for Windows, Linux, and Mac, and this guide will get you started with using it to create your own smooth, colorful, scalable graphics.

Microsoft has come under heavy criticism for its role in the standardisation process for its Office Open XML (OOXML) standard at the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO). In a blog entry on the second anniversary of the specification's adoption as an ISO standard, Alex Brown, convenor of the Office Open XML (OOXML) Ballot Resolution Meeting at the ISO, has stated that Microsoft is failing to implement commitments on transforming OOXML into an open ISO standard. He summarises the situation thus, "It seems to me that without a change of direction the entire OOXML project is now surely heading for failure."

It was both an honor and a surprise. When I was notified by Mr. Hugh Forrest that I had been nominated for the Dewey Winburne Community Service Award, it was surprising. When I was named as the 2010 Dewey Award winner, I was humbled... And a bit bothered. The Dewey Award is traditionally given to individuals and having come to understand a bit more about the man, Dewey Winburne, I fully appreciate the recognition and the reason behind it. Still...

One of the favorite activities of journalists, bloggers, and other putters-of-things-in-print is to declare the impending doom and/or death of this or that. We won't be engaging in the practice today, but we will happily report that the Browser Wars are alive and well, and continuing to take a toll on the market leader.

IBM is threatening to pursue legal action against TurboHercules, a company that sells services relating to the open source Hercules project, an emulator that allows conventional computers with mainstream operating systems to run software that is designed for IBM System Z mainframe hardware. In a letter that IBM mainframe CTO Mark Anzani recently sent to TurboHercules, Big Blue says that it has "substantial concerns" that the Hercules project infringes on its patents. The letter is a brusque half-page, but was sent with nine additional pages that list a "non-exhaustive" selection of patents that IBM believes are infringed by the open source emulator.

There are plenty such tools which are definitely very useful for Linux admins. Here I am just trying to figure out 5 of such useful tools which are used by a normal Linux administrator in day to day operations. A tool which I think is most useful may not fit in your usage and its definitely possible that you know some awesome tool which I forgot to include here, for such case, I am requesting hereby to please mention the tool in comments. One more thing, I am mentioning here tools which are somewhat optional and not absolutely required for everybody and excluding tool which have no viable alternative and every Linux admin have to use them.. such as SSH, SCP etc.

The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) reported that worldwide semiconductor sales in February decreased 1.3 percent from January, but were 56.2 percent higher than Feb. 2009, led by sales to emerging economies. On Friday, meanwhile, the Bureau of Labor Statistics noted a slight dip in computer-related jobs in March, after months of steady gains, reports eWEEK.

I have accounts on a number of Linux machines that I ssh into from my MacBook, using Terminal. On some -- but not all -- of them, I've found that if I run screen after connection, the backspace key is interpreted as a delete (giving an error if the cursor is at the end of the line), and I have to use Ctrl-H to backspace. After poking around a little online, I found several possible ways to fix this.

The Linux Foundation, the non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting Linux, has announced that digital office solutions specialist Ricoh has become its newest corporate member. Ricoh, best known for its multi-function printing products and digital cameras, says that it hopes to further advance Linux, while developing "more user-friendly devices and useful services for Linux users." Tetsuya Morita, general manager of GW Development Center at the MFP Business Group in Ricoh, said that, “Our Linux Foundation membership is a natural extension of our support for Linux and demonstrates for our customers our commitment to the platform”.

The Ben NanoNote keyboard has improved sensitivity in comparison to many other netbooks. The keys are not only more sturdy, but also reside under a protective clear plastic surface, which helps avoid wear and tear. Additionally, the lid's rigid hinges resist wobbling and the lid itself (which could be a bit heavy, as the device often tips backward) has a small clasp to store it securely. The mini-USB port has a decent rubber covering and the bottom of the device has some convenient, small rubber pads. The labels for the MicroSD port, mini-USB port and reset button are etched recessed in the case. In fact, the only noticeable flaw in our test model had a second Delete key in place of the Enter key, though the Enter function itself worked as intended.

Last year about this time we reviewed the VIA ARTiGO A2000 and found it to be a great hardware complement to the FreeNAS distribution. This time around we take a look at the latest incarnation of the small server box from VIA named the M'Serv S2100. We had to look pretty close to see the differences in the two from the outside. On the front panel they're virtually identical with the exception of one LED. On the back panel the two audio ports have been replaced with a second Ethernet port.