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I finally managed to get a child in front of the XO PC from the One Laptop Per Child project. I thought I would share my observations from watching her interact with this interesting tool.

I have previously discussed the XO's hardware, as well as its multimedia and web activities. The XO has several tutorial activities that can be used in a fairly productive (read 'useful') way.

Having thrown around a few initial impressions about the OLPC XOs, I thought I would take a more in-depth look at the user interface and some of the activities kids can engage in. And I have a couple of comments about their durability and adjustable screens.

I have been asked to review the XO computers from the One Laptop Per Child project. This is the first in a series of blog posts about my experiences, as well as those of some children with whom I will be working. I could easily gush over it or complain about how small the keyboard is in a single article, but I think the XO requires a more in-depth review than that. So I hope you'll join me as I explore these interesting tools aimed at children.

Anne Zelenka recently predicted that software businesses will move from the extreme 'closed' and 'open' licensing models toward the center, what she refers to as 'clopen', or hybrid closed and open licensing models. I think she's missing something.

The issue of binary kernel blobs cropped up on the gNewSense Mailing list recently. The discussion I saw was friendly enough, but the real benefit for me was that I got to see just why kernel blobs are so, well... contentious.

Whether you're a hobbyist or seasoned professional, you'll want to grab a copy of Carla Schroder's newest book, the Linux Networking Cookbook.

Either there really is no "average" computer user, or "Mrs. D" is just not your "average" average user.

The appearance in the past year of so-called "completely libre" distributions such as gNewSense and Gobuntu, especially against the backdrop of existing distributions, like BLAG, Dyne:bolic, Ututo and others, might seem to point to an increased interest in software freedom. Should we be looking for the "rise of the completely libre distros", or is there something more subtle that we should notice?

KonsoleKalendar lets you interact with the calendar application in KDE's Kontact from the command-line. Aside from possibly using this handy utility via SSH to remotely add an event to your calendar, you could probably also use it in a Bash, Python, or other script.

Against the backdrop of cries from the GNU/Linux community, Asus has taken steps to correct the availability of the source code for its Eee PC.

The Free Software Foundation is working to develop a set of libraries and programs that implement the PDF file format. Even non-developers can contribute to the cause.

Recently, Blue GNU reported that the Xming software is released under the terms of the GNU GPLv2, and that the developer might be violating its terms. Harrison now states his program is no longer under the GPL. So here's an update.

The Free Software Foundation has confirmed that Xming developer, Colin Harrison, has overreached his limits by attempting to impose additional restrictions beyond the requirements of the GNU GPL and LGPL.

Xming appears to be a useful program for accessing and running your GNU/Linux applications remotely from a Windows computer. It is licensed under the GPLv2. But just how free is it, really?

The GNOME project has a new tool coming into its own that enables developers to produce GObject libraries using the high-level Vala, as if they had used C. Blue GNU got Jürg Billeter to discuss the up and coming Vala platform.

Blue Gnu Media & Technology announced today that its flagship service, Blue GNU, has seen strong, steady growth in readership for the first quarter, a positive impact on various Free Software projects, as well as new clients for its advertising and marketing services.

It's one thing to make a computer easy to use, but if you're going to do so, you must also make it secure. If you're not going to develop a secure OS, then at least give more thought to your emphasis on "Ease of Use".

Beagle has had its 15 minutes of fame. Now Tracker offers Beagle's capabilities and more. And it's faster, too.

If you are new to the GNU/Linux world, and need to know where to begin, you might find the LINFO project very useful.