Showing headlines posted by dcparris

Culminating a year of joint development, the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and Silicon Graphics (OTC Bulletin Board: SGID) today announced that an open-source version of the SGI(R) SpeedShop(TM) performance analysis tool is now available to developers.

Rowan Wilson writes: "The GNU General Public License (GPL for short) is the most commonly used open source licence. Over two thirds of the open source-licensed projects on software repository Sourceforge use the GPL. This document attempts to draw together the main features of the GNU General Public License into a friendly and comprehensible digest, and in addition to note some details about its history and usage."

[Ed: This is an excellent overview, and is an excellent introduction for IT executives. If you don't understand the GPL, or just think you do, this is a must read. - dcparris]

Colin Barker writes: "Even as Microsoft continues with the most aggressive product rollout in its history with the launch of the Live series of hosted applications, it is showing no inclination to consider alternatives to its long-standing packaged software approach. IBM's on-demand model is "crazy" and Open Source is "really a developer phenomenon" that does not stand comparison with "customer experience of Windows Live", said Charles Fitzgerald, Microsoft's general manager of platform strategy, last week."

[Ed: O.k., what he really said was that MS Live users wouldn't likely go "dorking" around in the source code. Is Barker being sensationalist? Read and decide. - dcparris]

New Additions to Panasas Storage Cluster Help Maximize ROI and reduce TCO of Linux Clusters through Simplified Deployment, Accelerated Performance and Improved Business Continuity

Mandriva today announces that it is organizing a Worldwide Install Party for Saturday November 19th. Following the release of Mandriva Linux 2006, Mandriva is mobilizing its network of Linux User Groups (LUGs). Free community installation sessions will take place around the world. Major participating locations include the United States, Brazil, Canada, China, Moroco, and the island of Reunion.

There are good reasons for using open source software (OSS), and I've learned those reasons through 15 years of experience with more traditional, commercial or closed source applications. In part one of this two-part column, I'll cover problems I've had with proprietary software and my take on the total cost of ownership (TCO) debate. In part two, I'll talk about what I consider to be Microsoft's unethical practices and when not to use open source software.

Gregor J Rothfuss has been observing and working with content management tools for many years. We catch up with him over the internet to talk about open source, a subject increasingly recurring

I have a peeve about MySQL. Oh, not about MySQL directly: it's great. I love it, it's wonderful, no complaints. It's the people who use it when they don't need to that get me shaking my head and talking to myself. This falls in the same general category as my previous rant about text vs. binary. Some people use MySQL for idiotic purposes.

Bryan Long writes: "James -- which is not his real name -- is a reformed "office creeper." His work often put him in a suit and tie, or sometimes a building engineer's overalls. He would sneak into offices and steal laptop computers while employees were out to lunch, in a meeting or just away from their desks."

[Ed. This seems like a timely reminder that computer security starts with the physical security. Speaking as one who has spent years in physical security, it's a good idea to foster a relational environment in the office, where people are open to asking questions. - dcparris]

PalmSource, France Telecom's Orange and several other companies plan to standardize aspects of Linux running on mobile phones.

SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 14, 2005--Linux Networx, The Linux Supercomputing Company, announced today record company growth and an expanded corporate focus on delivering a systems experience to Linux supercomputing users. Linux Networx also announced the LS Series, a family of Linux Supersystems that blend the price/performance of Linux with the power of legacy supercomputing while providing total systems value.

[Ed. One wonders if Microsoft will ever get close to Google. Every time they take a step, Google leaps that much further ahead. - dcparris]

Google will shake up the web analysis market and strengthen its key advertising business on Monday with the launch of a free service that measures the effectiveness of websites and online marketing campaigns.

We were pleasantly surprised when we discovered (by hex-dumping its firmware files ;-) that the Pontis MX2020 multimedia device that Geeks.com sent us for a review actually uses Linux (embedded distribution uCLinux, kernel 2.4.19). If it's video, audio, pictures or even basic PDA functionality via its touch screen, the Pontis MX2020 can do it all. And for very cheap too.

[It looks pretty good for the most part. Too bad the company has no plans to support it further! - Ed]

Cluster Resources has announced the Novell SUSE Linux and HP hardware validation of their cluster and grid solutions, Moab Cluster Suite and Moab Grid Suite, through the Novell/HP Validation Program for high performance computing (HPC).

If Michael Doyle, Eolas Technologies and the University of California win the next round in a patent-infringement lawsuit against Microsoft, they stand to make more than half a billion dollars.

Looking to leapfrog its rivals, computer maker Sun Microsystems Inc. announced a server chip that it claims will deliver more performance while requiring less electricity than competing microprocessors. The UltraSparc T1 processor, code-named Niagara, has eight computing engines on a single chip, with each core capable of handling up to four tasks at once, Sun said Monday. It expects to ship systems based on the processor by the end of the year.

John C Dvorak's PC Magazine article called "How to Kill Linux," introduced the world to what he called "the lopped-off head approach" - the head being that of Linux, and the beheader being Microsoft. Dvorak's notion is that, since the key to competitive success is to gain dominant market share with a proprietary product, all Microsoft needs to neuter Linux is to usher "MS-Linux" into the world, then cut the driver layer out of Windows and attach it to Linux directly.

[Ed. Microsoft should introduce their own GNU/Linux distribution. Those who oppose proprietary software would not use it, obviously, but even following Apple's lead and developing on top of FreeBSD would be better than trying to improve their current offering. - dcparris]

SAN FRANCISCO - IBM, Sony Corp., Philips N.V, Red Hat Inc. and Novell Inc. have announced on Thursday that they are forming a new company to share Linux patents, but without charging any royalties. The new company is to be called Open Invention Network.

[How about these folks forming something - anything - to abolish software patents? - Ed]

Canonical's Ubuntu is a Debian Linux branch. In the past, its developers have emphasized its community Linux status. In particular, it's well-known for being a Linux used by those interested in the third world and education. Nevertheless, Ubuntu engineers worked directly with IBM DB2 Lab Software engineers to do compatibility testing under the DB2 for Linux Validation program to earn the "Ready for IBM DB2 Software for Linux" service mark.

Florian Mueller, who spearheaded a successful political campaign against European software patents, said: "MSFT (Microsoft) and SAP collaborate ever more closely on the lobbying front. Initially they were only together in EICTA, a big industry association where IBM, Sun, Nokia, Philips et al. are also involved. MSFT and SAP became the main sponsors of the Campaign for Creativity."