Showing headlines posted by Scott_Ruecker

We all know we can use open source software without paying, but the real question is: what compels people to buy free stuff? Most widely used free and open source software can also be purchased. We are not speaking of alternative commercial licensing, in this context. We are talking about purchasing support contracts and add-ons for open source software. While you certainly do not need to purchase support services, there may be benefits beyond the obvious ones.

Kubuntu has been my favorite Linux distribution since the very first release. It was made specifically for us KDE fans, branded with beautiful Kubuntu-specific artwork and themes, contained the best Qt-based software, and dared to be different. In a world ruled by Ubuntu, it’s given us KDE fans something to root for. Unfortunately, Kubuntu later became known as Canonical’s third wheel, and each release seems to steadily diminish in quality. What’s responsible for its current status, and what should be done to improve it?

Timesys announced that it is providing the first commercial Linux development support for NXP Semiconductors' LPC313x series of ARM9-based microcontrollers. The "LinuxLink for LPC313x" offering enables developers to build custom Linux-based products on the 180MHz ARM926EJ-S-based processor, says the company.

Sun Microsystems is working with partners to make Java telecomsy for netbooks. The company hopes to deliver a modular version of Java Micro Edition (Java ME) "sometime" next year, which would let netbooks running Java offer more of the kinds of features used in cell phones and are currently enabled on such devices through the Java APIs. Currently, netbooks must use Java Standard Edition (Java SE), which is used on notebooks and PCs.

Eigenlabs, the designers of a major new electronic musical instrument system based around a music controller called the Eigenharp, are planning to release the control protocol and API used with the system as open source early in 2010.

In this final installment of Paul Ferrill's series on building your own high-powered Linux workstation, it is time to install the operating system. Or actually several operating systems, putting a whole computer lab in a box.

When you're collaborating with a team that's flung across the globe, sometimes you need collaboration software with some heft to help you get the job done. Open source Web-based project manager, Collabtive, might be just the tool you're looking for. It has several features that make it a great alternative to proprietary alternatives like Basecamp.

Even though Ubuntu 9.10 is officially completed, developers managed to slip in the new beta version of Apache CouchDB that stores addresses, notes and bookmarks.

Cornell University undergraduates have developed an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) that runs Debian Linux on a 2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo. The 50-inch mini-sub won first place in the 12th annual Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Competition, and was the first AUV to complete the entire course since 2002.

Game Editor provides a graphical game development environment for Windows (95 to Vista), Windows Mobile 6.0 and 6.5 and Linux. The software is distributed under a dual licensing model - the source code is available under version 3 of the GNU General Public License (GPLv3), but can - after being compiled by the user - only be used to develop open source games.

DD-WRT not only converts those little consumer broadband routers into mighty Linux networking powerhouses, it also runs on any old PC. Eric Geier shows how.

Genuine Amarok fans are still reminiscing about the good old version 1.4, code-named Fast Forward. The new Amarok 2.2.1 should bring back memories.

We've done a number of posts lately on the incredible momentum that the open source Android operating system has. It's being supported by nearly every major smartphone maker, with players such as Acer and Motorola putting huge bets behind it. Acer's new "Liquid" Android smartphone has the trendy Snapdragon chip from Qualcomm built in, a sign that the OS could boost the prospects of cutting-edge new processors. Verizon Wireless recently inked a broad-based deal (GigaOm Pro, sub. req'd) with Google that will mean, since T-Mobile and Sprint are also on board, that U.S.-based Android phone users will have solid choice among wireless carriers. Yesterday, Acer announced that it is going to offer dual-boot versions of its popular Aspire One netbooks that run both Android and the upcoming Windows 7 OS. That could potentially help Android spread to many new users who wouldn't otherwise try it.

Over the past few months I've been drifting into the world of Linux video applications and development. I've already written a review of the LiVES video editor, and I've made occasional reference to the Kino editor. Recently a reader asked if I'd tried a recent version of Kdenlive. I started looking into it and I liked what I saw. The following article is an account of my continuing experience with the latest codebase from the project.

Dell has confirmed that its Android phone will launch in the U.S. next year, says eWEEK. In other Android news, Samsung is prepping a "Galaxy Lite i5700" for Europe, a music-oriented phone is coming from INQ, Spotify, and Telia, and Verizon is spinning a MiFi-enabled phone, say various reports.

Recently, we've covered several examples of open source software tools aimed at humanitarian and global healthcare efforts. Even in niche categories, such as earthquake research, open source software is surprisingly widely used. For a sense of how very many open source software tools there are for medical professionals--ranging from medical records keeping apps to medical image viewing software--check out this collection of 100 of them. Open source software is also having an impact on clinical trials, one of the most important ways that emerging drugs and treatments make it to patients who need them. Today, a free, open source version 3.0 of OpenClinica, the most popular open source Electronic Data Capture (EDC) application for use in clinical trials came out.

Web operating systems (OSs) are basically websites that replicate the desktop environment of modern OSs, all inside a Web browser. They are installed onto Web servers and live on the Internet, thus we can access our virtual desktop from anywhere that's connected to the net. You might hear these Web OSs referred to as "webtops" or "cloud" computers as well. After a brief discussion, we'll look at 5 different Web OSs. We'll see what they look like and what they offer. Then you might want to sign-up for one of the services or set up your own cloud server.

More intriguing Bilski briefs filed. The door is shut now, so there will be no more, I gather. Both the ABA and Patently O have them all listed, and the latter includes a helpful brief blurb giving an outline of the theme of each. So read them all if you wish.

In a recent post I wrote called "Linux has no marketing, but what if it did?" I made the point that with Microsoft's Windows 7 OS coming out on October 22nd, there will be a blitz of marketing around it, and noted that there never is any such blitz promoting Linux. That post suggested that if Linux could have an equivalent marketing blitz, a very effective campaign might be built around how very much more secure and out of the line of fire of malware purveyors Linux is.

From this week, Palm's Pre smartphone is being made available in the UK and Germany. Telefonica subsidiary O2 is selling the device both on and off contract. The Pre runs Linux and, as well as a version of the 2.6 kernel spruced up by Palm with a raft of patches, includes all the usual suspects, such as BusyBox and the Gstreamer framework for playing audio and video with an ALSA back end.