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LXer Features

Chromebooks, Linux, and Lenovo
By Russell Hollander - Sep 23, 2015

One Linux enthusiast's experience trying to install Linux on a Lenovo Thinkpad 11e Chromebook

Interview With Richard Kenner of AdaCore
By Scott Ruecker (Phoenix, U.S.) - Aug 29, 2014

LXer Feature: 28-Aug-2014

When the Heartbleed bug made it out into the world a few months ago I had a chance to talk to Richard Kenner of AdaCore about it. I learned a few things too, here is our interview.

Better Than a Quad-Head Display: My Adventures with "4K" 2160p and Linux
By penguinist - Mar 31, 2014

LXer Feature: 2014-Mar-31

Imagine having the equivalent of four 1920x1080 monitors in a 2x2 grid, on your desk, with absolutely no seam between them. This article describes my journey towards that goal...

Replacing KDE4 with Xfce
By Dr Tony Young - Mar 07, 2014

A brief outline on some of the things you can expect when KDE4 is replaced with the much faster and slimmer desktop manager of Xfce .

Removing/Disabling The Semantic Deskop in KDE4 Running on openSUSE 13.1 Part 2
By Dr Tony Young - Feb 18, 2014

In this article, the author brings together the information so far known on the KDE4 "semantic desktop" and indicates that from his perspective, the principal problem is the removal of "choice". Since disabling of the "semantic desktop" automatically leads to disabling of the KDE email client KMail, the article explains how Thunderbird can be installed to replace the KDE email client. The startling news that Nepomuk is to be discarded is also briefly discussed.

Removing/Disabling The Semantic Deskop in KDE4 (and firing up Thunderbird) Part 1
By Dr Tony Young - Feb 08, 2014

As a result of the first article on KMail, three things emerged. First, while some users may like the semantic desktop, there is serious dislike for the semantic desktop (as has been implemented in KDE4) amongst a considerable number of other users, and these people set about disabling the software in various ways. Second, why does the implementation of the semantic desktop produce such apparent deterioration in the performance of the KDE4 desktop and what happens if you try to remove it altogether ? Third, what are some possible solutions ? This second article tries to explore those three items.

KMail Complexity - and a little Patience
By Dr Tony Young - Jan 26, 2014

LXer Feature: 26-Jan-2014

This article considers some problems I had when I tried to set up and use the latest version of what I still consider is a superb email client: KMail. I believe that this package is no longer intended for the "stand-alone" user, but is firmly aimed at multi-user networks. Attention is also drawn to another far less important but still extensively used KDE4 package, the patience card-game software which I believe has been degraded due to over-development.

Linux Nerd New Year's Resolutions
By Carla Schroder - Dec 29, 2013

LXer Feature: 29-Dec-2013

Forget those boring New Year's resolutions to lose weight, get fit, and be a better person. Let's talk proper Linux nerd resolutions. I'm going to tame mod_rewrite if it's the last thing I do. Which it may well be. What are you going to do in this glorious year 2014 of the new millennium?

Fedora 20 Released With New, Newer, and Newest
By Carla Schroder - Dec 17, 2013

LXer Feature: 17-Dec-2013

Fedora 20 is officially released today with a lot of signficant additions, improvements, and bleeding-edge things to get cut on.

Trouble-shooting a VoIP Modem
By Dr Tony Young - Nov 07, 2013

LXer Feature: 7-Nov-2013

This is a description of a long and involved process which shows how difficult and frustrating it can be to have a VoIP modem running, free of problems. Originally appearing in LXer forums, it has now been updated and expanded.

Linux Malware: Should we be afraid?
By Hans Kwint - The Netherlands - Aug 13, 2013

LXer Feature: 13-August-2013

Given the recent Hand of Thief-news, in which RSA's Limor Kessem explains how a Linux malware-kit is sold on Russian websites, I have been contemplating about Linux security again.

Not only that, after I switched to Ubuntu, I also noticed how easy it is to add new repositories for some cool new programs not in the official repository yet. Sure, while doing so you think "Hmm, there could always be a virus in it, but I think those people are trustworthy. If there's malware in it, other people might already have noticed it in the source code". At least, that's what I usually hope.

Besides, the OS is becoming more and more "unimportant" for crackers; nowadays the browser is taking over lots of roles from the OS. These days, it's all about Javascript, Adobe's Flash and - to a lesser degree - Java, all of them full of potential security shoot-through holes. Linux users are quite lucky Adobe's PDF reader is no common tool on Linux, besides Flash and Java waning in importance. It saves minor headaches, but the main ones remaining.

Throw into the mix some easily exploitable Linux routers, and Googles lax behaviour with Android security to make me reach for the paracetamol again.

Gems from Southeast LinuxFest
By Penguinist - Jun 10, 2013

Three golden nuggets from the Southeast LinuxFest: "RPi+", video editing, and spam tips.

Smartcars: Dangerous if software companies would make them
By Hans Kwint - The Netherlands - May 27, 2013

LXer Feature: 27-May-2013

In his article "Smartcars – dangerous or simply can’t make money out of the apps?" Ray Shaw wrote:
Quoting:“The motor industry is slow to adopt because it fears it would lose its control over the process and its profit. "No it is too dangerous to have smartphone/tablet control” say the motorcar companies “What if it failed and crashed?”. More FUD

In his article, he proves to be totally clueless about the automotive industry: All software companies would be bankrupt if they made cars. Besides, fear, uncertainty and doubt about customer safety in the car industry is less acceptable than in software companies who have been selling bug ridden defective products for years without problems. Please let me explain you the difference.

High-res batch convert EMZ / WMZ grahpics to PNG a.k.a. "liberating your graphics"
By Hans Kwint - The Netherlands - May 24, 2013

LXer Feature: 24-May-2013

Recently I've been trying to 'minimize' some big 'legacy' MS Word files. When using MS Office to export to HTML (unfiltered), I've found out they're so big because they have EMZ (gzipped EMF) and WMZ (gzipped WMF) files in them, accompanied by large "msoledata-thingies". These WMZ's / EMZ's are (zipped) "container" formats, and some of them contain vector graphics, a bit like SVG - but sadly Microsoft doesn't seem to support SVG in MS Office. These EMF / WMG-graphics may contain vector images: That's text, fonts and lines - which has to remain readable of course. I found out replacing this EMZ / WMZ files by PNG files in the Word-documents dramatically reduces size.

The good and bad of Ubuntu 13.04 beta 2
By ubuuser - Apr 15, 2013

LXer Feature: 15-Apr-2013

Keeping my tradition of reviewing Ubuntu beta (http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/164695/index.html) and its final release (http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/166851/index.html) I want to revisit those topics for Ubuntu 13.04.

LXer Weekly Roundup for 10-Mar-2013
By Scott Ruecker (Phoenix, U.S.) - Mar 11, 2013

LXer Feature: 10-Mar-2013

The big news this week was Mark Shuttleworth and his feelings on the Ubuntu community and reaction to it. Miguel de Icaza decides to use a Mac full time instead of Linux at home. The Chrome OS resists being cracked into and more. Enjoy!

LXer Weekly Roundup for 03-Mar-2013
By Scott Ruecker (Phoenix, U.S.) - Mar 03, 2013

LXer Feature: 03-Mar-2013

It was quite the eventful week in Linux news. Linus goes off on (UEFI) Secure Boot option in the kernel, LG acquires webOS from HP, how the “Six Strikes” Anti-Piracy program works and SCALE 11x kicks "trades" and takes "shows", Enjoy!

Ubuntu Touch Developer Preview released
By - Feb 21, 2013