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LONG [News Digest] Linux News Digest for the 24hrs preceding 02-01-08

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Mark Kent

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Jan 3, 2008, 9:18:51 AM1/3/08

In today's digest, we have:
* Dyne:bolic (Linux) Tour and a Big World of Linux Audio
* New Version of Gobolinux Released, Foresight Linux Publishes
Newsletter
* [Rival] Microsoft Worked on Biggest Disappointment of 2007 for
6 Years
* Microsoft is Copying GNU/Linux, Piece by Piece
* Video: Nintendo Wii Runs GNU/Linux
* [SOT] Australia Becomes a Censor, Just Like China
* Multiple Formats, DRM Ruin Music and Video (Lesson on OOXML)
* GNU/Linux Grows a Lot in 2007
* Linux-based "Bug" Featured in NYT
* 2007 a Successful Year for the GNU GPLv3 (and Thus Freedom)
* Linux-based Eee PC is More Than Just a Laptop
* [Rival] Microsoft Windows Botnets a Huge Problem, Getting More
Sophisticated
* Shillnalysts Exposed (Forrester, Gartner, IDC, F&S and 'Gang')
* Got Old PC, Get GNU/Linux
* Op-ed: Windows Makes Dumb Generation with Technical Problems
* Another Open System Emerges, Runs GNU/Linux
* 2007 Was Bright for Linux, 2008 Already Looking Bright
* [Rival] Signs of Weakness in Vista: Microsoft Does Clearance Sale
* Free Open Courseware Now in More Than 100 Universities
* Intel's Graphics Driver for Linux Imporved, Windows Games Run
in Linux
* Netscape Makes Big Comeback 'as' Firefox
* Red Hat's Desktop GNU/Linux Coming This Month to Join Ubuntu's Growth
* New Perl Offers Plenty of Advantages
* Dan Lyons, Computing Caveman
* [Rival] Windows Vista Year in Review
* Video of the Brand-new KDE 4.0 Splash Screen
* GNU/Linux is Simple Enough for Young Kids
* Executives: GNU/Linux and Free Software Move into the Enterprise
* (Windows) Desktops Are Cannibalised by (Linux) Devices?
* Quake Wars 1.4 (Enemy Territory) Comes to Linux, Beyond The Red
Line Demo on Linux
* Mandriva 2008 and PCLinuxOS Are Big Winner on Former Windows Desktops
* Linux Products Among Top Products This Xmas in Aussie
* Korea Foresees Further Linux Growth
* Openness Becomes Crucial Selling Point (Freedom an Added Value)
* Linux-based Eee Laptops Expand Internationally
* Rich World of Photos with the Linux Desktop
* Rankings of Free Software, Free Speech & Privacy

This is a digest of the previous 24 hours (GMT day) of [News] postings
in comp.os.linux.advocacy. If you have any comments, suggestions or
remarks, please reply to this message and I will take account of all
that I can. The digest is created from my leafnode news spool, which is
pre-filtered, so some posters' articles might not appear.

Try the faq at: http://www.faqs.org/faqs/linux/advocacy/faq-and-primer/
for more information about cola.

Just like other public, unmoderated discussion fora, cola has
its share of disruptive posters. This blog has been created by
a concerned cola netizen to assist newcomers in identifying them:
http://colatrolls.blogspot.com/

In order to find the last week's digests, try:
http://groups.google.co.uk/groups/search?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&num=10&q=group%3Acomp.os.linux.advocacy+insubject%3Alinux+insubject%3Anews+insubject%3Adigest+author%3Amark.kent%40demon.co.uk&as_drrb=q&as_qdr=w&safe=off&qt_s=Search

Alternatively, you can start at the first one, posted 3/Sep/06, and
work fowards:
http://groups.google.co.uk/group/comp.os.linux.advocacy/browse_thread/thread/204520deb472e5ef/fa8c1f5e12433243?&hl=en#fa8c1f5e12433243

I very much hope that you find this digest useful. I also run a blog in
which I post occasionally, which you can find at http://thereisnomagic.org
It does tend to the philosophical end of free software, engineering and
economics, you have been warned!

You can email me at: echo ma...@NOSPAM.ellandroad.demon.co.uk, removing
the obvious bit.

Happy reading, Mark Kent, Digest Editor.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message-ID: <2338120.f...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] Dyne:bolic (Linux) Tour and a Big World of Linux Audio
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 04:10:52 +0000

Dyne:bolic 2.5.2 – screenshots

,----[ Quote ]
| Dyne:bolic is a LiveCD Linux distribution, shaped on the needs of media
| activists, artists and creatives. It is distributed with a large assortment
| of applications for audio and video manipulation. Dyne:bolic is based
| entirely on free software.
`----

http://free-your-media.net/2007/12/31/dynebolic-252-screenshots/

The Sound Of Linux 2007

,----[ Quote ]
| In this article I've selected what I consider to be some of the past year's
| outstanding achievements in the world of Linux music and sound software. It's
| not really a "Best Of 2007", it's just my personal choices for what I found
| most interesting and significant in the past year.
`----

http://www.linuxjournal.com/node/1005969

Review: dyne:bolic 2.4.2

,----[ Quote ]
| The dyne:bolic website, though it contains a lot of RASTA propaganda,
| is pretty good. The dyne:bolic online documentation is pretty useful.
| There are detailed instructions on docking (installing) dyne:bolic to
| your hard disk, and also using nesting. A wiki is also available
| that contains even more information.
|
| If you use a lot of multimedia applications, dyne:bolic could be
| perfect for you.
`----

http://www.triedit.org/review/review-dynebolic-242/

Dyne:Bolic 2.4.2: A live CD multimedia studio

,----[ Quote ]
| If you've ever wanted to make your own podcast, run a radio station,
| or edit movies, Dyne:Bolic is your free studio in a CD.
`----

http://distrocenter.linux.com/article.pl?sid=07/03/29/1738243

Audio in Linux is awesome

,----[ Quote ]
| I can’t wait for PulseAudio. I’m sure that will make all of this even easier.
`----

http://darkness.codefu.org/wordpress/2007/12/15/292

Commercial Sound And Music Software For Linux, Part 1

,----[ Quote ]
| As a result of this inquiry I decided to revisit the Linux soundapps site and
| check up on the commercial sound and music software for Linux. This article
| reveals and ponders some of the results from that visit.
`----

http://www.linuxjournal.com/node/1005835

Commercial Sound And Music Software For Linux, Part 2

,----[ Quote ]
| I hope this article has been enlightening with regards to the presence of
| commercially available sound and music software for Linux. Speaking
| personally, I'd love it if these programmes were all free and open-source, but
| such decisions are best left to the programmers themselves. As mentioned,
| many of these programmers already contribute to the FOSS community.
`----

http://www.linuxjournal.com/node/1005911

------------------------------

Message-ID: <1384837.i...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] New Version of Gobolinux Released, Foresight Linux Publishes Newsletter
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 04:12:49 +0000

Gobolinux 014 - Release Notes

,----[ Quote ]
| We are pleased to introduce GoboLinux 014, the new major release of
| GoboLinux, the Linux distribution featuring a rethinked file system
| structure. This release is the result of over an year of work. The Live CD
| build environment is highly customisable and packages were built using a
| dynamically-generated sandboxed environment which insulates the source code
| and its dependencies during compilation. Major upgrades include KDE 3.5.8,
| Glibc 2.5 and Xorg 7.2, as well as new versions of the GoboLinux management
| tools.
`----

http://www.gobolinux.org/?page=release_notes_014

Foresight Linux Newsletter Volume 1, Issue 9 (December 2007)

,----[ Quote ]
| Welcome to the December edition of the Foresight Linux Newsletter. This
| month we take a look at the initial launch of the GNOME Developer Kit based
| on Foresight Linux, a look back at the year in review, an update on the next
| alpha of 2.0, updates to developer
`----

http://wiki.foresightlinux.org/display/newsletter/2007/12/31/

GoboLinux presentation at Latinoware 2007 is online

,----[ Quote ]
| Last week Hisham Muhammad gave a talk at Latinoware 2007, the IV
| Latin-American Conference on Free Software, which took place at Itaipu, the
| largest hydroelectric power plant in the world. The slides for the talk (in
| Portuguese) are available at the documentation page, in ODF and PDF formats.
`----

http://www.gobolinux.org/

Review: Foresight Linux - When nature calls!

,----[ Quote ]
| In conclusion, testing Foresight has been quite a pleasure and I've learnt
| some new things. If you hate to do things in a console, you should let
| Foresight update itself and not do it yourself, from the terminal. It
| contains useful software, such as the entire OpenOffice.org suite, two web
| browsers (Mozilla Firefox and Epiphany), Brasero for burning CD/DVDs, a
| powerful and sophisticated audio player/manager (Banshee). It also comes with
| a very beautiful theme, called Nimbus, and a nice collection of wallpapers.
| You should definitely give Foresight a try and, who knows, you may like it!
`----

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Review-Foresight-Linux-74527.shtml

Foresight Linux: A Distribution That Stands Out From The Crowd

,----[ Quote ]
| Foresight Linux has entrusted its package management to Conary. A few of the
| cool features about Conary are:
|
| # Dependencies are defined at the file level, which brings in only the
| components needed from other packages instead of entire packages.
| # During an update, Conary only installs the diff of the update, not the full
| binary again which makes downloads and updates faster
| # If anything went wrong with an installation or update, you can rollback
| your system to a previous state. If the command conary rollback 10 is
| issued, Conary will undo the last 10 things it has done for you.
| # When fresh installing an application, Conary downloads a binary package and
| install it, process which takes a whole lot less than compiling and
| installing from source code. When a new version of the application is
| available, it just applies the diff.
`----

http://www.linuxlove.org/2007/12/02/foresight-linux-v142-a-distribution-that-stands-out-from-the-crowd/

Foresight Linux Newsletter - News from Nov 30, 2007

,----[ Quote ]
| Welcome to the November edition of the Foresight Linux Newsletter. With the
| recent release of the first alpha of Foresight Linux 2, this month's
| newsletter will take a detailed look at the release, including changes from
| the 1.x releases, how to test both the GNOME edition and new KDE edition, and
| the next alpha of Foresight Linux 2.
`----

http://wiki.foresightlinux.org/display/newsletter/2007/11/30/

Foresight Linux 2.0 Alpha 1

,----[ Quote ]
| With its lime green theme, the appearance of Foresight 2.0 Alpha 1 is
| certainly distinct from most other desktop Linux distributions. However, it's
| colour theme is not all that's unique about this new development release.
`----

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=913&num=1

Foresight Linux 1.4 Review

,----[ Quote ]
| Foresight is really great for seeing the latest gnome; one can show off the
| bleeding edge desktop. Foresight also has a great out of box experience.
| Foresight is having a great theme and is quite user friendly. I would
| recommend it to every one, coming to me, asking for which Linux to start
| with.
`----

http://simplyjat.blogspot.com/2007/09/foresight-linux-14-review.html

Foresight Linux Review

,----[ Quote ]
| Foresight Linux is a relatively new distribution based on rPath Linux and
| featuring the latest Gnome and freedesktop.org desktop. This review of
| Foresight's latest version, 1.4, will attempt to show the strengths of this
| distro and why not, give you a reason to try it next time you go distro
| hopping!
`----

http://www.dvd-guides.com/content/view/215/104/

Foresight LiveCD GNOME 2.17.92

,----[ Quote ]
| Today marks the release of GNOME 2.18.0, and to commemorate today's
| release we have posted some screenshots from the Foresight LiveCD
| 2.17.92 GNOME Release Candidate, which is designed to be a demo
| GNOME LiveCD. This is also Foresight's first attempt at creating
| a bootable CD image.
`----

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=663&num=1

Foresight Linux (Review)

,----[ Quote ]
| I'm really impressed - as a long time Ubuntu user, this is the first
| distro that really makes me consider switching.
`----

http://www.silwenae.org/blog/?p=675

Review: Foresight Linux 1.0

,----[ Quote ]
| Installation of Foresight Linux was a snap. Under VMware Fusion
| Beta on my MacBook Pro and on my Athlon 64 x2 system with GeForce
| 7800GT the installation was flawless. The graphical installer
| popped up cleanly on both and easily walked me through the
| installation process with minimal questions.
`----

http://www.triedit.org/review/review-foresight-linux-10/

------------------------------

Message-ID: <1541148.a...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] [Rival] Microsoft Worked on Biggest Disappointment of 2007 for 6 Years
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 04:15:45 +0000

Vista: even six years isn't enough

,----[ Quote ]
| How many years does it take to create an operating system that works? How
| many people does it take to do the work - in other words, how many manhours
| does this task consume? Would Microsoft like to cast some light on this?
`----

http://www.itwire.com/content/view/15925/1148/

"Linux is a very complete and sophisticated operating system. And there is a
lot of work being done to improve it in and of itself, particularly to make it
easier to use and easier for people to set up on their personal computers."

--Paul Maritz, senior vice-president, Microsoft

10 Worst Tech Products of 2007

,----[ Quote ]
| Windows Vista: Where to begin? Vista arrived in stores months late, forced
| untold thousands of users to upgrade their hardware, made mincemeat of
| software and drivers that worked perfectly well in XP, ended up lacking many
| of the bold-faced features we'd been promised, and came saddled with new and
| annoying set of video DRM schemes. At least Vista now boasts an option for
| downgrading back to XP.
`----

http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/patterson/9908

The 15 Biggest Tech Disappointments of 2007

,----[ Quote ]
| #1. No Wow, No How: Windows Vista
|
| Five years in the making and this is the best Microsoft could do?
`----

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,140583-page,5-c,techindustrytrends/article.html

Vista makes the list as one of the top-10 worst consumer tech products of all
time

,----[ Quote ]
| Pretty bad. But top ten of all time? That's mighty impressive.
`----

http://blogs.cnet.com/8301-13505_1-9823042-16.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=TheOpenRoad

Microsoft admits Vista screwed - report

,----[ Quote ]
| Vista SP1 is code named "Fiji", presumably after a pretty looking
| island which is paralysed by coups.
|
| In a statement regarding the service pack Microsoft admits that
| Vista has "high impact" problems.
`----

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=37125

------------------------------

Message-ID: <1627954.v...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] Microsoft is Copying GNU/Linux, Piece by Piece
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 04:18:32 +0000

Microsoft to build an ‘Emacs.Net’ text editor

,----[ Quote ]
| Developers are puzzling over recent clues blogged by a few Microsoft
| employees regarding a new “Emacs.Net” tool the company is building.
`----

http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=1069

Quote for the day:

"I don’t understand how IE is going to win. The current path is simply to copy
everything that Netscape does packaging and product wise."

--Jim Allchin

NT influenced by Unix

,----[ Quote ]
| (Gates:) "And through Windows NT, you can see it throughout the design.
| In a weak sense, it is a form of Unix. There are so many of the
| design decisions that have been influenced by that environment. And
| that's no accident."
|
| In light of the recent sabre rattling about Linux and patents, the "There
| are so many of the design decisions that have been influenced by that
| environment" sentence is particularly interesting if these patent
| threats include things that are prior Unix art. "In a weak sense, it
| is a form of Unix" is also telling. I said before that I don't think
| that's the case; I think the patent stuff is talking about things like
| Samba and Mono, but even there the "influenced by that environment"
| could be important in the court of public opinion if not in actual
| law.
`----

http://aplawrence.com/Unixart/gates_quote.html

This eWeek [on Servers]

,----[ Quote ]
| I asked Jason about Windows Server's newfound security: "The first time
| I heard about this new feature," he said, "I thought it was clearly a
| response to Linux.
|
| Windows Server 2008 isn't quite there yet, according to Jason's tests.
`----

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,2134429,00.asp

Death of the command line

,----[ Quote ]
| It's hard for me to imagine using an OS without a strong command line.
| Even Microsoft has recognised the for that with their Monad Shell
| (though they are at least temporarily removing that from Vista). Linux
| of course has its Bash shell, Mac OS X has Terminal (which now defaults
| to Bash) - everybody knows you need a shell.
`----

http://aplawrence.com/Unixart/command_line_death.html

------------------------------

Message-ID: <2178117.H...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] Video: Nintendo Wii Runs GNU/Linux
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 04:20:37 +0000

Wii Been Hacked! Runs Cutest Linux Ever!

,----[ Quote ]
| We all knew it was just a matter of time, but now we have video evidence. The
| Wii has been totally haxored! That's right, just check out the video below
| and take a look at what these guys have accomplished. In all honestly, about
| half of what they say is Greek to me, but I'm impressed with the final result
| nonetheless.
`----

http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/681818/Wii_Been_Hacked_Runs_Cutest_Linux_Ever.html

Hackers: 1; Nintendo: 0.

Recent:

Nintendo Wii fully hacked for native homebrew

,----[ Quote ]
| The Wii was compromised pretty early on to be able to play burnt discs and
| GameCube homebrew such as Linux, but until now Nintendo has managed to
| isolate Wii hardware such as the extra horsepower of the console and wireless
| connectivity from hackers. But the walls are coming down. Some hackers from
| Germany have just showed off their fully hacked Wii at the 24th Annual Chaos
| Communication Congress.
`----

http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/28/nintendo-fully-hacked-for-native-homebrew/

Linux 3D graphics access on PS3 found

,----[ Quote ]
| A method has been found to reach Linux 3D Graphics on the PS3. A number of
| hackers have clubbed together to release a draft kernel module for this along
| with a relevant Xorg driver.
`----

http://www.maxconsole.net/?mode=news&newsid=23190

------------------------------

Message-ID: <23070431....@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] [SOT] Australia Becomes a Censor, Just Like China
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 04:23:35 +0000

Conroy announces mandatory internet filters to protect children

,----[ Quote ]
| "Labour makes no apologies to those that argue that any regulation of the
| internet is like going down the Chinese road," he said.
`----

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/12/31/2129471.htm

Ignore the "child" sobbing. It's just an excuse to introduce censorship. The
Inquirer is now blocked in China. Welcome to the New World Order.

[ Labour should apologise for going down the same road as the Chinese
here. In fact, they should do far more than apologise. Ed. ]

Also new:

Beijing court sides with Baidu in music piracy case

,----[ Quote ]
| A Beijing appeals court has found top Chinese search engine Baidu.com not
| guilty of property rights infringement for posting links to websites offering
| illegal music downloads, state media said Monday.
`----

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5j0hDkgX23htra1BY_kh5O9iLDgPw

Australia to get net censorship

,----[ Quote ]
| The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) will be able to
| force content providers to take down offensive material and issue notices for
| live content to be stopped and links to the content deleted.
`----

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22959799-5005961,00.html

Major Aussie ISP Telstra BigPond shafts open source OpenOffice

,----[ Quote ]
| Australia’s largest Internet service provider Telstra BigPond has removed the
| free open source office suite OpenOffice from its unmetered file download
| area following the launch of its own, free, hosted, office application,
| BigPond Office.
|
| [...]
|
| Our reader was outraged by Telstra’s move, which he sees as an attack on the
| open source software movement.
|
| “The principle of the matter upsets me,” he said. “The fact that BigPond has
| removed previously allowed open source software is un-ethical. They are
| discriminating against me, even though I pay the same as other customers.
| They are attacking the Free Software movement.”
`----

http://tech.blorge.com/Structure
%20/2007/12/18/major-aussie-isp-telstra-bigpond-shafts-open-source-openoffice/

Australia to extend web censorship

,----[ Quote ]
| Privacy advocates take a dim view of this proposal, naturally. Roger Clarke,
| chair of the Australian Privacy Foundation, said "This government's extremism
| has reached new heights today." He asked "How can a politician claim the
| right to hold office if they set out to undermine the critical democratic
| right of freedom of speech, and blatantly decline to evaluate the impact of
| measures put before the Parliament?"
`----

http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2007/09/26/australia-extend-web-censorship

Suit against blogger weaves legal web in Paris, Texas

,----[ Quote ]
| But there is little case law in Texas or nationally to give judges a standard
| for when to expose anonymous postings on the Internet.
`----

http://chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5149745.html

Web 'censorship' bill brings police state one stop closer

,----[ Quote ]
| Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA) has slammed moves to give the Federal
| Police powers to ban access to certain Internet content as "another step in
| Australia's descent into a police state".
`----

http://www.itwire.com/content/view/14570/1055/

Howard row over Wikipedia edits

,----[ Quote ]
| Staff in the Australian prime minister's department have been accused of
| editing potentially damaging entries in online encyclopaedia Wikipedia.
`----

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6961575.stm

AT&T admits it censored other bands

,----[ Quote
| It looks like Pearl Jam isn't the only band that has had its politically
| charged comments bleeped from concerts streamed from AT&T's Blue Room Web
| site.
|
| [...]
|
| AT&T quickly apologised for the incident and blamed the company that handles
| the Webcasting for performances on Blue Room.
`----

http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-9759184-7.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20

AT&T slams Google over open-access wireless proposal

,----[ Quote ]
| AT&T has asked Capitol Hill not to enable an open nationwide wireless
| spectrum, claiming that Google's lobbying of such a network is a bid by the
| search giant to obtain broadband airwaves at bargain-basement prices.
`----

http://www.cbronline.com/article_news.asp?guid=B592E3C6-E5F3-4ECA-93C1-3A5A3392024A

Microsoft and MySpace join Govt's fight against online predators

,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft has joined the likes of MySpace and the child protection advocacy
| group Bravehearts to help launch an extension of the Federal Government’s
| NetAlert initiative, the Consultative Working Group.
`----

http://www.securecomputing.net.au/news/61208,microsoft-and-myspace-join-govts-fight-against-online-predators.aspx

Australia's porn-blocking plan unveiled

,----[ Quote ]
| While individual filters will be available beginning later this month,
| ISP-level blocking may take some time to implement. The Australian
| Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is currently planning a trial of
| ISP-level filtering in Tasmania that will inform the government's decision on
| a national launch.
`----

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-6202226.html

Yahoo!, Microsoft ink web pact with Chinese government

,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft and Yahoo! have signed a pact with the Chinese government
| that "encourages" the big name web players to record the identities of
| bloggers and censor content. So says Reporters Without Borders, an
| organisation that fights for journalistic rights across the globe.
`----

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/08/24/yahoo_and_microsoft_ink_chinese_blogging_pact/

Chinese Internet dissident committed to mental hospital

,----[ Quote ]
| "It is not acceptable that Chinese authorities use such methods to silence
| citizens who have merely peacefully voiced their opinions", expressed the
| organisation in an announcement. Apparently authorities have not abandoned
| the practice of punishing those who have exposed the abuse of power and
| defied censorship by compulsorily committing them to mental institutions.
`----

http://www.heise.de/english/newsticker/news/94864/from/rss09

------------------------------

Message-ID: <109024238....@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] Multiple Formats, DRM Ruin Music and Video (Lesson on OOXML)
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 04:26:45 +0000

In the DVD War Over High Definition, Most Buyers Are Sitting It Out

,----[ Quote ]
| What if nobody wins the high-definition DVD format wars? That increasingly
| looks to be the situation for the next-generation DVD technology, which is
| available to consumers in two incompatible formats.
`----

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/31/business/31dvd.html?ex=1356757200&en=5fd426e7a62710f4&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Digital album packaging should improve in 2008

,----[ Quote ]
| Digital music files just don't provide the same amount of content that a CD
| package does. That includes liner notes, extended album art and lyrics. Buy a
| digital album today and all you get are a list of tracks and (maybe) a
| thumbnail image of the album cover that you can't even read.
`----

http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN3049009520071231

Director: Microsoft fueling HD wars

,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft is deliberately feeding into the HD disc format wars to ensure that
| its own downloads succeed where physical copies fail, says movie director
| Michael Bay in a response to a question posed through his official forums.
| The producer contends that Microsoft is writing "$100 million dollar checks"
| to movie studios to ensure HD DVD exclusives that hurt the overall market
| regardless of the format's actual merit or its popularity, preventing any one
| format from gaining a clear upper hand. Bay's own Transformers is available
| on disc only in the less popular HD DVD format despite his stated preference
| for Blu-ray. To the director, this is primarily a stalling tactic while
| Microsoft refines its own online-only technology.
`----

http://www.electronista.com/articles/07/12/04/bay.on.microsoft.hd/

Two Studios to Support HD DVD Over Rival

,----[ Quote ]
| But money talks: Paramount and DreamWorks Animation together will receive
| about $150 million in financial incentives for their commitment to HD
| DVD, according to two Viacom executives with knowledge of the deal but
| who asked not to be identified.
|
| The incentives will come in a combination of cash and promotional
| guarantees. Toshiba, for instance, will use the release of “Shrek the
| Third” as part of an HD DVD marketing campaign.
|
| Paramount and DreamWorks Animation declined to comment. Microsoft, the
| most prominent technology company supporting HD DVDs, said it could not
| ^^^^^^^^^
| rule out payment but said it wrote no checks. “We provided no financial
| ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
| incentives to Paramount or DreamWorks whatsoever,” said Amir Majidimehr,
| the head of Microsoft’s consumer media technology group.
`----

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/21/technology/21disney.html?ei=5088&en=d4e1f285e2f41437&ex=1345348800&adxnnl=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1187698143-B5wO3L/F+4r1NyAsum87vQ

Is Toshiba Giving Away The Razor [HD DVD] To Get You To Buy The Blades?

,----[ Quote ]
| I just received an e-mail tonight from the folks at the EMA (Electronic
| Merchant's Association), who are responsible for a big industry event next
| week, the Home Media Expo.
`----

http://www.dvddossier.com/2007/07/a2-toshiba-hd-d.html

Tosh to tempt laptop buyers with free HD DVDs

,----[ Quote ]
| Buy it and the company will send you the discs - worth £75, it said.
`----

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/11/21/toshiba_hd_dvd_offer/

Cringely the Unemployable on the fallacy of Web 2.0, Microsoft ruthlessness,
and the CB radio of our decade

,----[ Quote ]
| Davidson: Which software company would you hate to compete against? What
| makes you single them out?
|
| Cringely: Microsoft of course. They have the deepest of pockets, unlimited
| ambition, and they are willing to lose money for years and years just to make
| sure that you don't make any money, either. And they are mean, REALLY mean.
|
| Davidson: Why do you think Microsoft is mean? Are you implying some kind of
| malicious intent rather than just ruthlessness?
|
| Cringely: Maybe "mean" is the wrong word to use for Microsoft. "Ruthless" is
| good. The company is built in the image of Bill Gates and Bill is a guy who
| gets caught-up in the game of business and doesn't typically see its personal
| cost. To use what might seem to be an obscure example, just look at all the
| various partnerships and industry consortia that Microsoft has announced
| through the years that never produced a product or even a usable
| specification. There have been literally dozens of these operations that are
| intended solely to freeze the competition until Microsoft can figure what the
| heck it actually wants to do. To Microsoft its a PR exercise that helps them
| compete but to customers it is just a damned lie. That's ruthless. There are
| plenty of other examples I can give but you get the point. I represent the
| concerns of users, not vendors, and Microsoft doesn't really care about
| users.
`----

http://blog.businessofsoftware.org/2007/07/cringely-the-un.html

,----[ Quote ]
| "Let me be clear, ladies and gentlemen, there is one company that will
| have to change its illegal behaviour as a result of this ruling, and
| that is Microsoft," Kroes said at a news conference.
`----

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/332064_msfteu18.html?source=mypi

Corrupt countries were more likely to support the OOXML document format

,----[ Quote ]
| Is this just a random coincidence? The median of the CPI index of the above
| mentioned 70 countries is 3.95. Of the most corrupted half (CPI index less
| than 3.95) 23 or 77% voted for approval (approval or approval with comments)
| and 7 or 23% for disapproval; 5 abstained. Of the least corrupted half (CPI
| index more than 3.95) 13 or 54% voted for approval and 11 or 46% voted for
| disapproval; 11 abstained - see the table below.
`----

http://www.effi.org/blog/kai-2007-09-05.en.html

Microsoft buying it's way into OOXML ISO certification?

,----[ Quote ]
| It appears that Microsoft is just buying the OOXML ISO certification!
`----

http://masuran.org/node/90

Ecuador Tax Agency Closes Microsoft Branch Offices For 7 Days

,----[ Quote ]
| "We have twice requested balances, payment reports and complete tax
| information, but the company hasn't given it to us, so in accordance with our
| laws we have proceeded with the closure," the SRI official in charge of the
| proceeding said.
`----

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200710041610DOWJONESDJONLINE000810_FORTUNE5.htm

Microsoft Office raid in Hungary

,----[ Quote ]
| "Such behaviour could lead to the exclusion of competitive products from
| the market and violate European Union rules, according to the authority
| known as the GVH."
`----

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/07/26/ap3957835.html

------------------------------

Message-ID: <2324635.f...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] GNU/Linux Grows a Lot in 2007
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 04:27:31 +0000

Signposts of GNU/Linux Growth in 2007, Part 1

,----[ Quote ]
| It is sometimes forgotten that GNU/Linux is more than just a desktop
| operating system. Linux, being a well-engineered kernel, is used extensively
| and also funded for its important role in several different areas of
| computing. One needs to look for evidence of growth not only in desktops.
| Judgment must be based on multiple areas where GNU/Linux gains traction.
`----

http://itmanagement.earthweb.com/osrc/article.php/3719096

The top Linux/FOSS events of 2007

,----[ Quote ]
| Sure, it’s been said before, but this time it’s true: 2007 was undoubtedly
| the year which saw Linux go mainstream. Linux has long accepted as a server
| platform and a playground for tweakers, hackers and the adventurous, but 2007
| saw major events which entrenched Linux on the desktop. Let’s look at what
| happened.
`----

http://www.itwire.com/content/view/15922/1141/

Survey Says … Linux Desktop Is Ever More Popular

,----[ Quote ]
| The first thing we can say about the Linux desktop in 2007 is that there are
| more users than ever. The Linux Foundation 2006 survey had fewer than 10,000
| people signing in. This year more than 20,000 Linux desktop users reported
| in.
`----

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,2235654,00.asp

,----[ Quote ]
| Okay, now lets tie this all back in together. Novell claimed several months
| back in a video ad that Desktop Linux users accounted for upwards of
| 30,000,000 different people. That's 30 million. Recent statements made by
| some Novell representatives indicate that they expect there are upwards of
| 50,000,000 Desktop Linux users. Microsoft has never contested the number of
| Desktop Linux users, and if anything the deal Microsoft signed with Novell
| was tacit agreement that Microsoft believed those numbers to be accurate.
`----

http://zerias.blogspot.com/2007/11/desktop-os-vista-vs-linux.html

Linux Users Base More Than doubled Over Last One Year: Survey

,----[ Quote ]
| The number of Linux users has more than doubled over the last one year, says
| a new survey by DesktopLinux.com. The survey also said Ubuntu remains their
| Linux distribution of choice.
`----

http://www.sda-india.com/sda_india/psecom,id,22,site_layout,sdaindia,news,19940,p,0.html

Survey: Desktop Linux use grows

,----[ Quote ]
| DesktopLinux.com, which is a Web site devoted to, obviously, desktop Linux,
| has finished a survey that found more than a doubling of Linux desktop users
| in the past year.
`----

http://weblog.infoworld.com/techwatch/archives/013576.html

Desktop Linux on the Rise, Linux Foundation Reports

,----[ Quote ]
| For starters, almost 20,000 self-selected users filled out this year's survey
| compared with fewer than 10,000 in 2006's survey.
|
| [...]
|
| In those businesses and organisations that have deployed Linux desktops, 39.5
| percent are running Linux on more than half of their machines.
`----

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,2220549,00.asp?kc=EWRSS03119TX1K0000594

------------------------------

Message-ID: <1972273.n...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] Linux-based "Bug" Featured in NYT
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 04:29:25 +0000

Building Your Own High-Tech “Bug”

,----[ Quote ]
| Users could also turn their Bugs into open-source digital video recorders,
| game controllers, biometric security scanners or any thousands of devices
| that the big electronics companies haven’t thought of or won’t address
| because the market for such a gadget is perceived as being too small.
`----

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/28/building-your-own-high-tech-bug/index.html?hp

It runs Linux.

Hack: The Bug

,----[ Quote ]
| Technology Review takes apart Bug Labs' modular open-source hardware system
| and explains how it works.
|
| [...]
|
| Linux Computer
| Most electronic devices, because of their limited memory and processing
| power, must be programmed using languages and techniques that are difficult
| to master. But the Linux computer at the heart of Bug Labs' modular device
| provides tools that let users programme applications more easily. The
| technically inclined can programme in Java, a widely known language, and make
| their programmes available to other users. The device has enough memory to
| store multiple programmes, so it can perform many different functions when the
| proper modules are connected.
`----

http://www.technologyreview.com/Biztech/19873/

Open Source Hardware Gift Guide

,----[ Quote ]
| Open source 3D printers, TV-turn-off devices, iPod chargers, music players,
| wi-fi companions, educational electronic kits, and more! Let's get gifting!
`----

http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2007/12/open_source_hardware_gift.html

Open source hardware comes out of closet

,----[ Quote ]
| EVER SINCE open-source software created a buzz, people have stroked chins,
| pondered and pontificated about the possibility of open-source hardware – and
| now it’s becoming a reality.
`----

http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2007/11/02/open-source-hardware-coming

The Future of Hardware is Open Source

,----[ Quote ]
| Open Hardware is the future of technology, and all we need to kick off this
| next great revolution in technology is to have the right tools in the right
| place at the right time. After that, the sky’s the limit!
`----

http://www.raiden.net/?cat=2&aid=315

Perens set to tackle open-source hardware

,----[ Quote ]
| On Monday, Perens plans to announce the TAPR Open Hardware
| License, a document written by John Ackerman designed
| specifically to govern hardware designs that can be
| modified and redistrubuted. Perens plans to submit the
| license to the Open Source Initiative for its as an
| open-source licence.
`----

http://news.com.com/2061-10795_3-6156093.html?part=rss&tag=2547-1_3-0-20&subj=news
http://tinyurl.com/2noydh

------------------------------

Message-ID: <2837862.n...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] 2007 a Successful Year for the GNU GPLv3 (and Thus Freedom)
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 04:33:31 +0000

GPL v3 Year in Review

,----[ Quote ]
| We welcome 2008 with open arms as we say goodbye to 2007. Looking back, since
| the release of the GPL v3, the licence has grow quickly and consistently
`----

http://gpl3.blogspot.com/2007/12/gpl-v3-year-in-review.html

Apathy/misunderstanding of freedom is still the main barrier.

Is converting a good idea?

,----[ Quote ]
| I have seen a sudden resurgence in articles dealing with the subject
| of "converting" non-GNU/Linux users. While the general idea is laudable, I
| wonder if the end result is anything but benign. Of course getting everybody
| liberated and free to shape their computing environment seems like the best
| thing to do. Who doesn't want to be free? The problem is that most people
| don't want to have a free computing environment, they rather have no
| computing environment at all. A computer to them is a necessary evil. They
| have to deal with it to get the stuff done they ultimately desire. Most
| people don't want to use a computer to process their information, but there
| are no other more cost and time effective alternatives available.
`----

http://warp35.blogspot.com/2007/12/is-converting-good-idea.html

Later on, DRM (data loss), remote death switches, forced upgrades (money), data
corruption and other things are better understood and ordinary people wake up
to see they are abused.

Free Software Foundation Releases GNU Affero General Public Licence Version 3

,----[ Quote ]
| The Free Software Foundation (FSF) today published the GNU Affero General
| Public Licence version 3 (GNU AGPLv3). This is a new licence; it is based on
| version 3 of the GNU General Public Licence (GNU GPLv3), but has an
| additional term to allow users who interact with the licensed software over a
| network to receive the source for that programme. By publishing this licence,
| the FSF aims to foster user and development communities around
| network-oriented free software.
`----

http://www.fsf.org/agplv3-pr

A Quick Guide to GPLv3

http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/quick-guide-gplv3.html

Mark Webbink On: GPLv3

,----[ Quote ]
| This week Mark Webbink, former Red Hat General Counsel discusses the GPLv3
| and talks about the limits of sharing, the mellowing out of Linus Torvalds,
| and issues with the LGPLv3.
`----

http://truthhappens.redhatmagazine.com/2007/10/26/mark-webbink-on-gplv3/#comments

Sun tiptoes into GPLv3

,----[ Quote ]
| Sun Microsystems will release its xVM Ops Centre virtualisation management
| application under the General Public Licence version 3 (GPLv3), the company
| revealed at the Oracle OpenWorld conference in San Francisco.
`----

http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2203486/sun-tiptoes-gplv3

Why does Microsoft seem scared of GPLv3?

,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft is extremely keen to avoid "legal debate" over whether its recent
| partnerships with Linux firms such as Novell, Xandros, and Linspire, mean
| Redmond must assume any of the new licences' legal obligations.
`----

http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/software/soa/Why-does-Microsoft-seem-scared-of-GPLv3-/0,130061733,339279673,00.htm

FSF Says GPLv3 Means Microsoft Patent Protection for All

,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft's covenant not to sue users of Novell's SUSE Linux
| Enterprise will be extended to all General Public Licence v3
| users as soon as Novell includes GPLv3 code within its Linux
| distribution, according to the Free Software Foundation.
`----

http://www.computerwire.com/industries/research/?pid=E86B6EA6-EC51-43DF-A305-9939E5829EFC

------------------------------

Message-ID: <1969066.k...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] Linux-based Eee PC is More Than Just a Laptop
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 04:35:33 +0000

So, just what can you do with this ASUS Eee Linux PC thing anyway?

,----[ Quote ]
| The answer is lots. Sure, the things I said above are true. But don’t be
| deceived by a small glimpse at its hardware specs – there’s so much more
| which can be said. I’m definitely a fan, and the Eee PC’s sales figures
| suggest I’m not unique.
`----

http://www.itwire.com/content/view/15923/1143/

It also runs Compiz-Fusion and KDE 4 quite nicely.

The little computer that could ...

,----[ Quote ]
| After reading the post on planetkde about KDE4 running smoothly on an aged
| machine, I was tempted to try it myself. Although the EeePC is far from old,
| its CPU/memory and graphics card are relatively low end.
|
| I simply downloaded the latest KDE4 RC kubuntu live CD, and followed the
| instructions from the EeeUser wiki on how to make a "live" usb stick. A
| slight adjustment to the bios/boot order, installing the libgl1-mesa-dri
| package, and a short while later I was pleasantly surprised by the
| following...
`----

http://www.jespersaur.com/drupal/node/36

------------------------------

Message-ID: <2162545.k...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] [Rival] Microsoft Windows Botnets a Huge Problem, Getting More Sophisticated
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 08:05:42 +0000

Botnet gains, Web 2.0 pains

,----[ Quote ]
| Botnets, networks of compromised computers used for spreading spam and
| malicious software or attacking large corporations, easily became one of the
| biggest security stories of year.
`----

http://www.news.com/Year-in-review-Botnet-gains%2C-Web-2.0-pains/2009-7349_3-6223531.html?part=rss&tag=2547-1_3-0-20&subj=news
http://tinyurl.com/3xbcq9

Storm, Nugache lead dangerous new botnet barrage

,----[ Quote ]
| But this new piece of malware, which came to be known as Nugache, was a
| game-changer. With no C&C server to target, bots capable of sending encrypted
| packets and the possibility of any peer on the network suddenly becoming the
| de facto leader of the botnet, Nugache, Dittrich knew, would be virtually
| impossible to stop.
`----

http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/originalContent/0,289142,sid14_gci1286808,00.html

In zombies we trust

,----[ Quote ]
| A little over a year ago, I wrote an editorial where in back-of-the-envelope
| style (.pdf) I estimated that perhaps 15-30% of all privately owned computers
| were no longer under the sole control of their owner. In the intervening
| months, I received a certain amount of hate mail but in those intervening
| months Vint Cert guessed 20-40%, Microsoft said 2/3rds, and IDC suggested
| 3/4ths. It is thus a conservative risk position to assume that any random
| counterparty stands a fair chance of being already compromised.
`----

http://blogs.zdnet.com/security/?p=661

Over 50% of corporate desktops infected with malware: IronPort

,----[ Quote ]
| The report also reveals that more than 50% of corporate desktops
| worldwide are infected with some type of spyware with the rate of
| infection as high as 70% in the United States. Trojans or malicious
| system monitors represented over 7% of the infections. Rootkits and
| trick loaders, which reinstall spyware and other obfuscation techniques,
| make remediation very difficult thus prevention is the key to stopping
| these threats.
`----

http://www.crn-india.com/breakingnews/stories/66870.html

Botnet 'pandemic' threatens to strangle the net

,----[ Quote ]
| Cerf estimated that between 100 million and 150 million of the
| 600 million PCs on the internet are under the control of hackers,
| the BBC reports.
`----

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/01/26/botnet_threat/

------------------------------

Message-ID: <1569030.7...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] Shillnalysts Exposed (Forrester, Gartner, IDC, F&S and 'Gang')
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 08:07:30 +0000

Other Underreported Stories: Analyst Integrity?

,----[ Quote ]
| There was a pretty interesting discussion with views on both sides. Some felt
| that the rumours have been so persistent that, well, where there's smoke
| there's fire. Others saying they have heard from someone who heard from
| someone that once they started paying their exposure improved. Others saying
| it's just like the rumours that magazine advertisers get better reviews, an
| accusation that has been levied to Ziff-Davis publications, as well as
| photography and stereo equipment magazines for years.
`----

http://weblog.infoworld.com/openresource/archives/2007/12/other_underrepo.html?source=rss

[ The reason why Which magazine has such a committed following in the UK is
precisely because they do not "sell" reviews. Ed. ]

Good old article:

Credibility Of Analysts

,----[ Quote
| Research firms make their living by offering expert advice to business and
| technology people about the best ways to invest their IT dollars. It can be
| invaluable insight, but only if that analysis comes with no strings attached.
| And on that, there's no guarantee.
|
| Forrester, Gartner, IDC, and others insist their output is squeaky clean, yet
| they also rake in millions providing services to the very same companies they
| monitor, heavyweights like Cisco, IBM, Microsoft, and Oracle. Which leads to
| a question that continues to dog the research firms: How much influence do
| technology vendors have over their work?
`----

http://www.informationweek.com/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=CTCBZVQX5MTSCQSNDLPSKH0CJUNN2JVN?articleID=178601879&queryText=analyst+influence

,----[ Quotes with annotation ]
| "(Microsoft manager:) I don't like the fact that the report show us losing
| on TCO on webservers. I don't like the fact that the report show us losing
| on availability (windows was down more than linux). And I don't like the
| fact that the reports says nothing new is coming with windows .net server."
|
| [...]
|
| "I don't like it to be public on the doc that we sponsored it because I
| don't think the outcome is as favourable as we had hoped. I just don't like
| competitors using it as ammo against us. It is easier if it doesn't mention
| that we sponsored it."
`----

http://antitrust.slated.org/www.iowaconsumercase.org/011607/9000/PX09695.pdf

------------------------------

Message-ID: <7504406.W...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] Got Old PC, Get GNU/Linux
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 08:09:07 +0000

Suggestions for that old computer

,----[ Quote ]
| Wait a second! Maybe it is too old for the Windows world, but what about the
| Linux world?
|
| If you are a little bit adventurous, you might want to enter what I
| call "geek dome" and try installing one of the many Linux Distributions out
| there. Most of these are absolutely free.
|
| Now, the level of expertise required to install these distributions varies.
| You can check out a list of distributions at
| http://www.linux.org/dist/list.html.
`----

http://www.gulfnews.ca/index.cfm?sid=93826&sc=343

Stop! Don't trash those old PCs

,----[ Quote ]
| Interestingly enough, there is another operating system that most people are
| not familiar with called Linux. Linux (and its earlier version UNIX) have
| been around for a long time helping us place phones calls and providing
| access to the Internet. Linux, up until this point, has been mostly behind
| the scenes just doing its job and doing it well. You can get started with
| Linux at www.linux.org.
`----

http://www.reporter-times.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=91254&format=html

Linux For An Old Laptop

,----[ Quote ]
| I have such a machine (Pentium 266 MMX, 80 MB RAM, 4 GB HD) which still
| sports a "Designed for Windows 95" sticker.
`----

http://www.pcdailytips.com/2007/07/23/linux-for-an-old-laptop/

Apple //c as a Dumb Terminal to my Mac mini

,----[ Quote ]
| The //c spends basically all of its time serving as an IRC chat terminal,
| displaying a shell session of either irssi or Rhapsody, both terminal-based
| IRC clients, running on my remote Linux server by way of a secure shell
| connection. It's a rather abstracted approach, but it's great to twiddle
| the //c's keys in a meaningful way every workday.
`----

http://www.bytecellar.com/archives/000113.php

Turn your computer into a media centre PC with GeeXBoX 1.1

,----[ Quote ]
| GeeXBoX 1.1 is a mere 8.9MB ISO download. Its hardware requirements are
| minimal -- a Pentium II 400MHz processor and 64MB of RAM are enough to power
| GeeXBoX -- and of course you'll need a CD/DVD drive to play your media.
`----

http://www.linux.com/feature/118210

Performance Duel: Koolu 500 MHz vs. Pentium III 666 MHz

,----[ Quote ]
| We also use Ubuntu in our Monastery office. If you read the minimal
| specifications for Ubuntu Fiesty Fawn, it states you need at least a 500 MHz
| machine. We are interested in using computers that are low power, so a
| modern, general-purpose Operating System that has such modest requirements
| suits us fine, as it will run on older, less power-hungry computers.
`----

http://ca.blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-RkGSoVA1brWtXrVH9Gr5CzgVujwwGg--?cq=1&p=61

The Year Of The Small Distro

,----[ Quote ]
| 2007 may well be the year of the small distro.
`----

http://www.oreillynet.com/linux/blog/2007/08/the_year_of_the_small_distro.html

How to keep your old PC alive

http://www.pramnos.com/story69-2331.html

ReviewLinux.Com: First Look at MEPIS AntiX 7.0 Beta 2

,----[ Quote ]
| I am always looking for a faster Linux OS that just does the basics. I want a
| low-overhead Linux distro that can run on almost any machine be it a Pentium
| 2 to a Pentium 4. MEPIS AntiX 7.0 Beta 2 might just be the one. Check out my
| short little review about this Linux distro plus my flash video showing off
| this fast and lightweight Linux OS.
`----

http://www.reviewlinux.com/index.php?m=show&id=6903

10 ways Linux can breath life into your old PCs

http://icanhaslinux.com/2007/09/07/10-ways-linux-can-breath-life-into-your-old-pcs/

Put your old machine to good use

,----[ Quote ]
| PCLinuxOS, which, along with Kubuntu and Ubuntu is one of the best
| Linux distributions around, only requires an old Pentium II (!) to
| run nicely. The entire cost of Linux is the cost of the blank disk
| you'll need to burn yourself a copy, so it's worth it to play around.
| There's a good chance you'll like what you see.
`----

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/andrewkantor/2007-05-25-old-machine_N.htm?csp=34
http://tinyurl.com/292b73

How To Revive An Old PC With Linux

,----[ Quote ]
| Sure, it could go to the landfill, or you might be able to get a
| tax deduction from donating it to a local school. Or, using a
| Linux-based operating system, you could turn it into a
| functional desktop, browser, and e-mail client, and put it
| back to work.
`----

http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=198500289

How to revive an old PC

,----[ Quote ]
| For better performance, most LiveCD distros can be installed onto a hard
| disk, but the process isn't as easy as it is with a conventional distro.
| There's still some hope, though. Currently the Ubuntu Lite project is working
| on a special customised release of Ubuntu for very low-end PCs. Similarly,
| the RULE Project offers a way to install current and recent releases of Red
| Hat's Fedora on low-end machines.
`----

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=40532

How to revitalise mature pentiums

,----[ Quote ]
| Hardware that is obsolete in Windows World is not obsolete in the real
| world!
`----

http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/articles/free_computing

Build This Cheap But Effective Firewall

,----[ Quote ]
| Fight the bad guys without busting your budget. Here's all you'll
| need to create a low-cost, super-secure firewall using
| Linux-based freeware and an old PC.
`----

http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=197001131&cid=RSSfeed_IWK_All
http://tinyurl.com/ypqfrz

Expert shares secrets to saving thousands with K12LTSP

,----[ Quote ]
| The K12 Linux Terminal Server Project (K12LTSP) is a thin client
| distribution designed for use in schools.
|
| [...]
|
| Arkiletian estimates that his lab cost only $4,000 to set up --
| about a tenth the cost of buying replacement workstations.
`----

http://enterprise.linux.com/article.pl?sid=07/01/16/1717243&tid=23&tid=46

Column: Linux lets you avoid upgrading computer

,----[ Quote ]
| Combine the alternative of using a Linux desktop with being able
| to use older computers often donated by Fortune 500 companies when
| they cycle to new systems every three to four years and you start
| to have a financially compelling argument for not having the same
| technology as everyone else.
|
| If you have a very large network, the finance picture needs to take
| into account the fact that your technicians would need to be familiar
| with another technology, but for smaller nonprofits and schools
| systems, I would seriously consider this desktop platform.
`----

http://www.norwichbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070108/NEWS01/701080307

------------------------------

Message-Id: <3515971.I...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] Op-ed: Windows Makes Dumb Generation with Technical Problems
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 08:18:08 +0000

Unblocking Blockheads or, Some People Should Not Use Computers or, "The
Marching Morons" Comes True

,----[ Quote ]
| A sizable number of humans have devoted their lives to erecting barriers to
| learning anything new. You can see it when you talk to them- when something
| as simple as "click this button" produces a glazed expression and drool, you
| know you've lost them forever. Of course they'll waste hours of your time
| complaining about how stupid computers are. But even though it's easy money
| to nod and pretend to listen, and then bill them for every minute wasted on
| empty complaining (I never had enough nerve to charge a whining penalty, and
| I wish I had), it's not how I want to spend my time. Life is too short.
`----

http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/97649/index.html

If the "click [of] this button" doesn't work, expect hours of troubleshooting
or a reinstallation.

10 Reasons Why the Command Line is More User-Friendly than the Desktop

http://penguinpetes.com/b2evo/index.php?title=10_reasons_why_the_command_line_is_more_&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

Linux on the line: musings on the CLI / GUI flip-flop

,----[ Quote ]
| People are a funny lot. One person’s trash is another person’s treasure. And
| one person’s primary means of instructing a computer is met with disdain by
| another. There’s a perennial battle between mousers and keyboard jockeys,
| and “what’s in” appears to go in cycles.
`----

http://www.itwire.com/content/view/15449/1141/

Geek to Live: The command line comeback

,----[ Quote ]
| The advent of the Graphical User Interface (GUI) forever
| revolutionised personal computing. A windowed system with point
| and click icons made computers usable for anyone who couldn't deal
| with a black screen and a prompt waiting for arcane textual commands.
| But in recent years, this enormous interface change is coming full
| circle. Amongst power users - and more and more, regular Joe's - the
| command line is making a comeback in modern web and desktop
| applications.
`----

http://www.lifehacker.com/software/command-line/geek-to-live--the-command-line-comeback-226223.php
http://tinyurl.com/y88w3w

Fear and loathing at the command line

,----[ Quote ]
| Whatever the reasons, fear and loathing of the command line is so strong that
| the claim that GNU/Linux still requires its frequent use is enough to
| convince many people to stick with their current operating system. The claim
| is no longer true, but you can’t expect people to understand that when the
| claim plays on so many of their basic fears about computing.
`----

http://brucebyfield.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/fear-and-loathing-at-the-command-line/

How to completely ditch GUI internet applications for the command line

,----[ Quote ]
| Today, terminal-based programmes have almost disappeared. GUIs are taking over,
| whether we like it or not. However, there is still a place for the old
| command line. Take the internet as an example: everyone’s using Firefox,
| Thunderbird, and Pidgin for their internet activities. Even though these are
| great, quality, free software apps, they tend to be bloated. That’s where the
| terminal comes in.
`----

http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/articles/ditch_gui_apps_for_command_line

------------------------------

Message-ID: <2384229.D...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] Another Open System Emerges, Runs GNU/Linux
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 08:13:13 +0000

Win a Custom, Open-Source Mini Monster PC: Extreme Freebie

,----[ Quote ]
| And we saved the best part for last. We’re running our little computer on a
| lean, Linux-based OS, and we want to give that away to everyone (see “DIY
| Operating System”). The only thing we’re not giving away is technical
| support.
`----

Yesterday:

Building Your Own High-Tech “Bug”

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/28/building-your-own-high-tech-bug/index.html?hp

Hack: The Bug

http://www.technologyreview.com/Biztech/19873/

Open source hardware comes out of closet

http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2007/11/02/open-source-hardware-coming

The Future of Hardware is Open Source

http://www.raiden.net/?cat=2&aid=315

------------------------------

Message-ID: <1834860.I...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] 2007 Was Bright for Linux, 2008 Already Looking Bright
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 08:15:24 +0000

2007: That Was a Very Good (Linux) Year

,----[ Quote ]
| This once I wish I could attach an audio clip to the headline, so that you
| could hear William Shatner singing "It Was a Very Good Year", just to get
| into the proper mood. Because 2007 was a good year for computing on a number
| of different levels: better cheaper hardware, Linux continued to mature and
| grow, and thanks to Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) there is not only
| some actual competition in the tech marketplace, but real growth and
| progress.
|
| The most important thing that came to light this year is how much Linux and
| FOSS drive the computer industry. It's not the oldtime traditional commercial
| companies that are "driving innovation" as they like to say, and which makes
| me want to hit something every time I hear it because it's such a big fat
| fib, but Linux and the FOSS world. So rather than getting all violent, let's
| take a look at some of the ways that Linux is leaving everyone else in the
| dust.
`----

http://www.enterprisenetworkingplanet.com/netsysm/article.php/3719051

The year ahead: Steve's top 10 predictions

,----[ Quote ]
| Ubuntu on the high street
|
| Imagine walking past your high street computer store (what's left of them)
| and seeing Tux in the window...
|
| Dell recently pledged continuing support for Ubuntu Linux. Couple that with
| recent news that the once 'direct sales only' company will soon be selling in
| both Tesco and DSGi stores, and it looks likely that the real mainstream
| users will get their first taste of penguin.
|
| Let us not forget, of course, the Asus EEE PC. It may be a conundrum to
| pronounce, but it's a Linux-powered mini-beast set to win the hearts of those
| looking for a truly mobile PC. The EEE PC - and its friends that may follow
| this year - could well spread the Linux love further still.
`----

http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=10924

Yesterday:

Signposts of GNU/Linux Growth in 2007, Part 1

http://itmanagement.earthweb.com/osrc/article.php/3719096

The top Linux/FOSS events of 2007

http://www.itwire.com/content/view/15922/1141/

Survey Says … Linux Desktop Is Ever More Popular

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,2235654,00.asp

Linux Users Base More Than doubled Over Last One Year: Survey

http://www.sda-india.com/sda_india/psecom,id,22,site_layout,sdaindia,news,19940,p,0.html

Survey: Desktop Linux use grows

,----[ Quote ]
| DesktopLinux.com, which is a Web site devoted to, obviously, desktop Linux,
| has finished a survey that found more than a doubling of Linux desktop users
| in the past year.
`----

http://weblog.infoworld.com/techwatch/archives/013576.html

Desktop Linux on the Rise, Linux Foundation Reports

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,2220549,00.asp?kc=EWRSS03119TX1K0000594

------------------------------

Message-ID: <2610869.i...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] [Rival] Signs of Weakness in Vista: Microsoft Does Clearance Sale
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 08:11:31 +0000

Microsoft offers a Vista two-for deal

,----[ Quote ]
| Under terms of “The Ultimate Offer,” testers can go to any retail or online
| store and buy a copy of Vista Ultimate (full or upgrade version) for full
| price and Microsoft will match it with a second complimentary Vista Ultimate
| Upgrade product key.
`----

http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=1071

Two licences, not two products. They try to make software seem like a loaf of
bread.

[ This will allow Microsoft to claim double the sales for Vista licences. Ed. ]

Recent:

Interesting comment from CompUSA

,----[ Quote ]
| Every single one of them he said was returned from consumers... and that they
| (CompUSA) couldn't ship them back. As he heard, Microsoft wasn't giving
| credit back for unsold or returned copies... and didn't want the returned
| figures made public... He wouldn't say that every single one of them
| exchanged for a copy of Xp, he didn't know if that was true. So, I asked how
| many boxes did they have. Same glare, followed with a "You do not want to
| know" type statement.
`----

http://zerias.blogspot.com/2007/12/interesting-comment-from-compusa.html

Windows Vista: Sold but not deployed

,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft says it remains happy with enterprise sales of Vista -- however,
| the software behemoth acknowledges that many businesses which have bought
| Vista licences are yet to deploy the software.
`----

http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/software/soa/Windows-Vista-Sold-but-not-deployed/0,130061733,339284495,00.htm

Currys group blames Vista for poor sales

,----[ Quote ]
| DSG, the group behind Currys and PC World, has warned that poor sales of
| Vista could slash its profits by around £20 million.
`----

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/131507/currys-group-blames-vista-for-poor-sales.html

DSG continues retailer woes

,----[ Quote ]
| DSG, the company formerly known as Dixons, became the latest British retailer
| to report a drop in profits for the summer months today. But it wasn’t all
| down to the rotten weather – this time it was also Microsoft’s fault.
`----

http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/newsalerts/article/748756/dsg-continues-retailer-woes/

Dell casts doubts on Vista

,----[ Quote ]
| Dell today revealed that it will restore the option to use Windows XP on
| some of its home systems, marking a potentially damaging blow to
| Microsoft's hopes for the newer Windows Vista.
|
| [...]
|
| While a popular request through the company's IdeaStorm website, the
| choice was substantially outnumbered by requests for pre-installed
| Linux, US-based technical support, and other features -- pointing to a
| larger general demand for the change. The turnaround may be a reflection of
| an overall backlash against Vista, observed IDC analyst Richard Shim.
`----

http://www.macnn.com/articles/07/04/19/dell.casts.doubts.on.vista/

Lenovo offers downgrade from Windows Vista to Windows XP

,----[ Quote ]
| My colleague Stian just sent me this interesting link regarding my
| experiences with Windows Vista. Since I assume the link will NOT have the
| visual appearence it has right now for very many more hours (days) I've
| created a screenshot of how it looked when I went into the site.
`----

http://jaxed.org/lenovo-offers-downgrade-from-windows-vista-to-windows-xp.blog

Windows Vista kicked out of Olympics PCs

,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft's latest version of Windows is too risky to implement for the
| important computers managing the 2008 Olympic summer games in Beijing, said
| the event's computer supplier and sponsor Lenovo.
`----

http://www.electronista.com/articles/07/08/08/no.vista.on.olympic.pcs/

Acer: PC industry 'disappointed' with Vista

,----[ Quote
| Acer president Gianfranco Lanci became the first major PC manufacturer to
| openly attack Microsoft over the Windows Vista operating system in the
| Financial Times Deutschland on Monday.
|
| Lanci said the operating system was riddled with problems and gave users and
| businesses no reason to buy a new PC, according to the report. Taiwan-based
| Acer is the world's fourth-largest PC manufacturer, after HP, Dell and
| Lenovo.
|
| "The whole industry is disappointed with Windows Vista," Lanci said.
`----

http://www.techworld.com/opsys/news/index.cfm?RSS&NewsID=9579

The End of the Vista Experiment

,----[ Quote ]
| Over a year ago, I bought a new computer. This was a carefully considered
| decision, as I don't change computers that often and so try to get something
| I will be satisfied with for as long as possible.
|
| [...]
|
| But as far as my desktop OS, yesterday I reinstalled XP on the silent
| machine, and it doesn't look like I'm going to be trying Vista again until I
| hear some really, really good things about Service Pack 2. Basically, I'm
| done experimenting with Microsoft OSes for at least a year and a half.
`----

http://www.artima.com/weblogs/viewpost.jsp?thread=221497

------------------------------

Message-ID: <1495602.0...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] Free Open Courseware Now in More Than 100 Universities
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 08:19:58 +0000

Universities Worldwide Offer Free Open Courseware

,----[ Quote ]
| More than 100 universities worldwide - including Johns Hopkins, Tufts and
| Notre Dame - have joined the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in a
| consortium of schools promoting open courseware.
`----

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7009575178

MIT digitises its courses, throws them online

,----[ Quote ]
| MIT this week announced an important digital achievement: the completion of
| its pioneering OpenCourseWare project. And everyone involved seems quite
| happy with being unsure about why exactly it's important.
`----

http://www.networkworld.com/news/2007/112907-mit-digitizes-courses.html

MIT OpenCourseWare expands for high school students

,----[ Quote ]
| The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is taking on the issue of
| inadequate education for youth by extending its OpenCourseWare (OCW) programme
| to include secondary level students.
`----

http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9825103-7.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20

'The New York Times' drops online subscription service

,----[ Quote ]
| The New York Times has finally given up on the Web-subscription model,
| announcing Monday that the newspaper's online site will no longer charge for
| any content.
`----

http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9780063-7.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20

OUP wants me to pay for my own Open Access article

http://wwmm.ch.cam.ac.uk/blogs/murrayrust/?p=529

A Quest to Get More Court Rulings Online, and Free

,----[ Quote ]
| The domination of two legal research services over the publication of federal
| and state court decisions is being challenged by an Internet gadfly who has
| embarked on an ambitious project to make more than 10 million pages of case
| law available free online.
`----

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/20/technology/20westlaw.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Libraries Defend Open Access

,----[ Quote ]
| In an open letter last month, Rockefeller University Press castigated the
| publishers' sock-puppet outfit, PRISM, for using distorting rhetoric in a
| coordinated PR attack on open access. N
`----

http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/09/08/1739235&from=rss

News Corp undecided on making WSJ.com free

,----[ Quote ]
| "It would be a very expensive thing to do in the short term," Murdoch told
| analysts on a telephone conference call to discuss News Corp's quarterly
| earnings. "In the long term, it may be a wonderful thing to do, but we're
| looking at it very closely."
`----

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070808/media_nm/newscorp_results_journal_dc

The Land of "Nothing for free"

,----[ Quote ]
| I was down there to give a talk on "Open Source Business Models"
| for a conference. Also represented were entertainment industry
| lawyers, "Big Telecom" management, and a smattering of software
| people. Microsoft was there of course. You can't hold a church
| fete with "Open Source" on the banner these days without Microsoft
| turning up and requesting representation. At least we also had
| Bruce Perens on our side to help make up the balance. The venue
| eas an unbelievably expensive hotel. Even though I was on
| expenses I balked at asking the company to pay for a room
| there and found something cheaper (not by much) a few miles
| down the road.
`----

http://samba.org/samba/news/articles/low_point/column11.html

Academia's Open Access movement mirrors FOSS community

,----[ Quote ]
| Free and open source software (FOSS) has roots in the ideals of academic
| freedom and the unimpeded exchange of information. In the last five years,
| the concepts have come full circle, with FOSS serving as a model for Open
| Access (OA), a movement within academia to promote unrestricted access to
| scholarly material for both researchers and the general public.
`----

http://www.linux.com/feature/118139

DJ Google, Sprint Pact Could Heat Up Wireless War

,----[ Quote ]
| Wallsten, however, argued it is unclear their network will be truly open. "It
| doesn't seem consistent with Google's claims for open access and net
| neutrality," he said. "Clearly Google is going to benefit from this, and it
| will be easier to use (Google) than Yahoo" or other rival services.
`----

http://biznes.onet.pl/5,1579741,wiadomosci.html

AT&T slams Google over open-access wireless proposal

http://www.cbronline.com/article_news.asp?guid=B592E3C6-E5F3-4ECA-93C1-3A5A3392024A

Musicians' copyright pleas fall on deaf ears

,----[ Quote ]
| The music industry has reacted with outrage to the government's rejection of
| pleas to extend the period musicians get royalties from their tracks beyond
| the current 50 years.
`----

http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,2133762,00.html

Announcing the Open Library

,----[ Quote ]
| Early this year, when I left my job at Wired Digital, I thought I could look
| forward to months of lounging around San Francisco, reading books on the
| beach and drinking fine champagne and eating foie gras. Then I got a phone
| call. Brewster Kahle of the Internet Archive was thinking of pursuing a
| project that I'd been trying to do literally for years.
|
| [...]
|
| So today I'm extraordinarily proud to announce the Open Library project. Our
| goal is to build the world's greatest library,
`----

http://www.aaronsw.com/weblog/openlibrary

Berkman Centre and CALI Partner to Create New Legal Education Resource

,----[ Quote ]
| “We are looking forward to renewing a fruitful relationship with Harvard Law
| School through the Legal Education Commons project, which will provide
| innovative tools and access to open-licensed course materials to our more
| than 200 member law schools” said CALI Executive Director John Mayer.
`----

http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/home/newsroom/pressreleases/berkman_center_and_cali_partner_to_create_new_legal_education_resource

Wikipedia Founder Joins EC Open Access Campaign

,----[ Quote ]
| Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales said he signed a petition calling
| on the European Commission to give the public open access to
| taxpayer-funded scientific research because it was "simple and
| obvious" that the public should have access to research they
| had funded. "Public money should result in public benefit,"
| he added.
`----

http://www.linuxinsider.com/rsstory/56443.html

Push for open access to research

,----[ Quote ]
| "Cancer patients seeking information on new treatments or parents
| searching for the latest on childhood development issues were often
| denied access to the research they indirectly fund through their
| taxes"
`----

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6404429.stm

Elsevier duo say the future is open

,----[ Quote ]
| Two senior publishers have departed Elsevier and joined rival Biomed
| Central, placing their bets on an open access future for scientific
| research.
`----

http://www.iwr.co.uk/information-world-review/news/2171597/elsevier-duo-say-future-open

------------------------------

Message-ID: <1493763.I...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] Intel's Graphics Driver for Linux Imporved, Windows Games Run in Linux
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 08:22:12 +0000

new 'xvmc' branch of intel video driver

,----[ Quote ]
| The aim of the new 'xvmc' branch is to deprecate origin
| 'xvmc-i915' branch with lot of cleanups and new framework
| inside driver to add supports for more hardware media decode
| drivers in future. It also has changes that affect users.
`----

http://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/xorg/2007-December/031496.html

How to run games on Linux (sweet links)

http://wddc.blogspot.com/2007/12/how-to-run-games-on-linux-sweet-links.html

Does WINE + Linux support more Windows apps than Vista?

,----[ Quote ]
| WINE supports most of the applications which are made for Windows
| 2.0 up to Windows XP. WINE has the ability to run different versions
| of IE, run most of Adobe's products, run World of Warcraft, Half Life
| 2, Microsoft Office 2003, XP, 2000 and 97, Visio, Quicken,
|
| * Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars
| * Need for Speed Carbon
|
| [...]
|
| What about drivers, hardware support, and upgrades?
|
| Want to upgrade you XP to Vista? no chance. might as well do a fresh
| install and shell out $300.
`----

http://jagtalon.wordpress.com/2007/04/30/does-wine-linux-support-more-apps-than-vista/

TransGaming and Mandriva Renew OEM Agreement to Game Enable MandrivaLinux 2008
With Cedega

,----[ Quote ]
| Cedega is the world's only commercial gaming solution for the Linux operating
| system. Cedega allows users to run PC games on their Linux operating system
| seamlessly, transparently, and with equivalent performance and game play.
`----

http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release.do?id=777371

SL Speed Showdown: Linux Tops Windoze

,----[ Quote ]
| This was not a scientific study - only a small test which confirmed what I
| thought I had "felt" already while using Second Life on my new PC.
`----

http://www.secondlifeherald.com/slh/2007/07/sl-speed-showdo.html

[MS MVP] Foray into Feisty Fawn helped me take back my MIPS

,----[ Quote ]
| Long story short - World of Warcraft runs faster under Ubuntu/Wine than
| natively under Windows XP Professional.
`----

http://msmvps.com/blogs/plenderj/archive/2007/07/14/foray-into-feisty-fawn-helped-me-take-back-my-mips.aspx

Free Games for Linux

.----[ Quote ]
| A round-up of fun Linux diversions.
|
| When people talk about computer gaming these days, they
| invariably mean commercial games running on a Windows platform. Few
| people realise that Linux can be more than just a very good Web or
| file server. Even fewer people are aware of the many open-source or
| otherwise freely available games available for Linux.
`----

http://www2.linuxjournal.com/node/1000435

ET:QW Linux Demo Coming TODAY

,----[ Quote ]
| We told you three days ago that the Enemy Territory: Quake Wars Linux demo
| was coming very soon. Well, we've just received confirmation that the Linux
| demo client will be available today! A new ET:QW Windows demo update is
| coming out about noon (CST) and the Linux demo will be out within a few hours
| after that. We'll have more information then.
`----

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=NjEyNg

Linux to game developers: No More Excuses

,----[ Quote ]
| Dell just showed us that the old "lack of market demand" excuse for
| Linux is falling flat. 200,000 users flooded Dell with requests
| for Linux pre-installed on their machines. That's just one
| manufacturer! Never mind the hundreds of thousands of Linux users,
| such as I, who gave up on Dell years ago.
|
| Previous to the Dell fiasco, I might have had my doubts about the
| commercial interests of Linux. But the last straw man has been
| beaten; from here on out, if you run a technology company and
| refuse to support Linux, it's because history's biggest and most
| oppressive monopoly is paying you not to.
`----

http://penguinpetes.com/b2evo/index.php?title=linux_to_game_developers_no_more_excuses&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1
http://tinyurl.com/yp2se2

Vista Offers Nothing to Gamers

,----[ Quote ]
| This is just a small sampling of games obviously, but for our
| intended experiment, I think they did the trick. We wanted to
| simulate what a normal gamer might go through in order to play
| games on Vista, and the end result was just slightly more hassle
| than you would with XP.
`----

http://tomshardware.co.uk/2007/03/01/vista_offers_nothing_to_gamers_uk/index.html

------------------------------

Message-ID: <2422451.v...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] Netscape Makes Big Comeback 'as' Firefox
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 08:24:03 +0000

The Netscape Story: From Mosaic to Mozilla

,----[ Quote ]
| The steady rise of Firefox's market share – first, a few percent, then 10%,
| and now touching 40% in some parts of the world – had a major knock-on
| effect. Through an agreement with Google that makes the latter's search
| engine the default home page when the programme is installed, and the first
| option for the search engine box in Firefox, the parent organisation, Mozilla
| Foundation, is receiving tens of millions of dollars each year in fees. As a
| result, Mozilla has turned from a struggling project into an incredibly
| powerful force within open source.
`----

http://www.computerworlduk.com/toolbox/open-source/blogs/index.cfm?entryid=310&blogid=14

Firefox 3.0 Beta 2 Is A Win For Linux

,----[ Quote ]
| Mozilla has released the latest beta of Firefox 3 today, and the Linux
| efforts behind it are starting to show even more. This release, being a beta,
| is surprisingly stable. Here’s the killer that makes this beta release
| amazing: true GTK support.
`----

http://fosswire.com/2007/12/20/firefox-30-beta-2-is-a-win-for-linux/

Firefox has ‘at least’ 126m users

,----[ Quote ]
| John Lilly, Mozilla’s Chief Operating Officer, has estimated that Firefox,
| the company’s popular open source web browser, is used by at least 126
| million people aound the world.
`----

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2007/12/03/firefox_has_at_least_126m_users/1

------------------------------

Message-ID: <1464945.l...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] Red Hat's Desktop GNU/Linux Coming This Month to Join Ubuntu's Growth
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 08:26:33 +0000

For 2008 media will create Red Hat-Ubuntu war

,----[ Quote ]
| Here’s an easy prediction to make. In 2008 the media will gin up a “war”
| between Red Hat and Ubuntu for “control” of Linux.
`----

http://blogs.zdnet.com/open-source/?p=1848

Why fight? There's room for everyone.

Red Hat gets all charged up in Asia

,----[ Quote ]
| The trend we're seeing is toward having different desktops for different
| users. Linux's flexibility means that we see it on a variety of devices like
| thin clients or the OLPC, for example. I'm expecting widespread deployment of
| Linux on the desktop fairly soon.
`----

http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/software/0,39044164,62034857,00.htm

Red Hat Preps Desktop Blitz, Regional Events

,----[ Quote ]
| The VAR Guy hears. After focusing mainly on x86 servers in recent years, Red
| Hat will move both downstream and upstream while rallying partners at
| regional events later this year.
`----

http://techiqmag.com/2007/03/22/red-hat-preps-desktop-blitz-regional-partner-events/

Van Wyk aims to transform Red Hat for future growth

,----[ Quote ]
| Coming up with that internal plan lies on the shoulders of 30-year IT veteran
| Nick Van Wyk. Van Wyk joined Red Hat last year from EMC, taking a newly
| created role as vice president of operations to optimise Red Hat's
| subscription model and create better business processes to support the
| company's channel.
`----

http://www.linuxworld.com/news/2007/103007-van-wyk-aims-to-transform.html?fsrc=rss-linux-news

Red Hat, Research In Motion lead early tech gains

,----[ Quote ]
| Red Hat, Research In Motion lead early tech gains Red Hat Inc. shares rose 66
| cents, or 3.7%, to $19.60 after the open-source software developer on Tuesday
| reported a 65% increase in its second-quarter earning due to strong sales of
| its Linux operating system software.
`----

http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/Story.aspx?guid=%7B0AE3FC25-2E40-4130-877C-15ED002A612D%7D&siteid=yhoo&dist=yhoo

Tour of GNOME Online Desktop

,----[ Quote ]
| Here’s a tour of the pre-alpha demo release of GNOME Online Desktop included
| in Fedora 8.
`----

http://www.redhatmagazine.com/2007/11/13/tour-of-gnome-online-desktop/

Red Hat Offers Global Desktop for Linux

,----[ Quote ]
| With Red Hat launching a new Linux-based desktop operating system,
| called Global Desktop for Linux, one analyst is saying the software
| could be "huge" for Linux, particularly in developing countries that
| haven't gone the Microsoft Windows route. Red Hat's Global Desktop
| for Linux is a commercial spinoff of the One Laptop Per Child project.
`----

http://www.newsfactor.com/news/Red-Hat-Offers-Global-Desktop-for-Linux/story.xhtml?story_id=0110001A6OI0

Red Hat small business desktops available in Australia early 2008

,----[ Quote ]
| According to Mr Riveros, Red Hat's new Linux desktop release will be easy to
| implement by small businesses with no Linux expertise in house and will
| require less security knowledge than for Microsoft Windows.
`----

http://www.itwire.com/content/view/13943/53/

Dell beefs up Precision portable workstation line

,----[ Quote ]
| Dell is adding more power to its high-end line of mobile workstations with
| the debut of the Precision M6300, a 17" notebook geared at engineers,
| developers, video editors and others who need to tote around some serious
| silicon.
|
| [...]
|
| RedHat Linux 5.1 will be available on the system in October.
`----

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/09/04/dell_precision_m6300/

The Future of Linux: An Interview with Kim Brebach

,----[ Quote ]
| OSS: Even if Linux isn’t ready for home desktops just yet, can it hold up in
| a corporate office environment, especially given its greater security and
| cost effectiveness compared to Windows?
|
| Kim: Linux can hold up anywhere, as long as there is some tech support,
| because it’s inherently more stable and secure than Windows.
`----

http://www.opensourcesociety.org/2007/12/11/the-future-of-linux-an-interview-with-kim-brebach/

IT Week leader: Red Hat in a new ring

,----[ Quote ]
| Red Hat can no longer be aptly described as “the Linux company”. The firm
| might have made its name with a distribution of the operating system but its
| reach now extends far beyond those confines.
`----

http://www.pcmag.co.uk/itweek/comment/2205514/leader-red-hat-ring

Red Hat delays new software for PCs until January

,----[ Quote ]
| She said Red Hat was postponing the product's release again because it has
| yet to resolve problems getting the right to distribute software for playing
| music and viewing videos with the Linux software.
`----

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071211/bs_nm/redhat_dc_1

Dell's Latitude XT convertible laptop ready to ship

,----[ Quote ]
| In China, it will ship with the Red Flag Linux OS.
`----

http://news.yahoo.com/s/infoworld/20071207/tc_infoworld/93910

------------------------------

Message-ID: <1832086.G...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] New Perl Offers Plenty of Advantages
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 08:28:04 +0000

One view of "here's what we've done" in Perl 6

,----[ Quote ]
| Lastly, there is a substantial suite of tests written for Perl 6 language
| features, currently held in the Pugs repository. These tests are about to
| undergo substantial review and revision for correctness, completeness, and
| cross-compatibility among the implementations that are in various stages of
| development.
`----

http://perlbuzz.com/2007/12/one-view-of-heres-what-weve-done-in-perl-6.html

Related and recent:

Call for Grant Proposals

,----[ Quote ]
| The Perl Foundation is looking at giving some grants ranging from $500 to
| $3000 in February 2008.
`----

http://news.perlfoundation.org/2007/12/call_for_grant_proposals.html

Perl 5.10 now available

,----[ Quote ]
| Today the Perl Foundation announces the release of Perl 5.10, the first major
| upgrade to the wildly popular dynamic programming language in over give
| years.
`----

http://www.perlfoundation.org/perl_5_10_now_available

LAMP vs. LAMP Rematch

,----[ Quote ]
| Both Perl and PHP are robust and powerful languages for creating
| web applications. They both offer large libraries of code, database
| drivers, and third party add-ons. For small and medium sized
| applications, the difference would be hard to notice. Extrapolatingt
| hese results to high traffic applications is not a good idea because
| too many other factors come into play. Whether you opt for Perl or
| PHP in your web development adventures, you win.
`----

http://linuxboxadmin.com/articles/lamp-vs-lamp-rematch.php

------------------------------

Message-ID: <1894164.f...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] Dan Lyons, Computing Caveman
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:18:03 +0000

Caution: Full-Blown Fool Ahead

,----[ Quote ]
| Imagine...an operating system that runs totally outside of Windows...how
| silly.
|
| You will note that there doesn't seem to be a way to comment on
| his "blog"...and maybe that's by design...or maybe this is just a satire blog
| like Fake Steve Jobs. I don't think so...Our Forbes Editor who got outed as
| the Fake Steve Blogger is simply a mean-spirited @$$-Whole who spend about
| two weeks after the "outing" explaining how he had been taken out of context.
|
| About 90 or 100 times by my count. I am guessing this is the kind of guy who
| got his kicks as a kid sticking firecrackers in a cat's collar and watching
| the mayhem. Our Fool in Full is just plain addled...I have no other recourse
| but to guess that, given the type of stuff he is writing and passing on
| as "technical knowledge". And I quote:
|
| "Linux is a marvellous operating system in its own right, and even
| comes in several different flavours. However, as good as these flavours
| are, they first need Microsoft Windows to load the services prior to
| use."
|
| Now, how many people are reading this drivel and taking it for gospel? You
| have to wonder and my next question would be: Do people who believe this sort
| of Foolishness have any business operating a computer? I have a friend
| in "the business who says she thinks not...
`----

http://blog.lobby4linux.com/index.php?/archives/404-Caution-Full-Blown-Fool-Ahead.html

Sounds like another n00bron Quark.

Grumpy Fake Steve Jobs

,----[ Quote ]
| Some of you may be wondering why Daniel Lyons, aka Fake Steve Jobs, is on the
| war path against me.
`----

http://www.linux-watch.com/news/NS9523810271.html

"Fake Steve Jobs" is Daniel Lyons, in case anyone wants to sue

,----[ Quote ]
| Maybe we should be, since this is the man who wrote about the "evils" of
| anonymous blogging in "Attack of the Blogs", where he said that blogs
| are “the prized platform of an online lynch mob spouting liberty but spewing
| lies, libel and invective.”
|
| Um. Dude. Talk about world class hypocrisy.
`----

http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20070805195515884

http://www.roughlydrafted.com/RD/RDM.Tech.Q3.07/61BE28FC-FCFF-4997-9CCC-B3E215B3D153.html

More on Troy Wolverton, the Street, and Apple Scandal

,----[ Quote ]
| MediaNews did buy the Mercury News with a loan from Bill Gates' foundation,
| and is in the process of paying back that loan by publishing information
| without much journalistic or technical integrity.
|
| Specifically, I wrote “One might think that the San Jose Mercury News, being
| located in Apple's backyard, would tend to trumpet the company's success. One
| would be wrong... Apple's corporate proximity to San Jose is trumped by the
| Mercury News’ need to publish low cost, highly sensational news to make
| enough money to pay back Bill Gates for the favour of his humanitarian loan.”
`----

http://www.roughlydrafted.com/RD/RDM.Tech.Q3.07/082663E0-6FD8-4F1D-909F-1BC72833AD02.html

------------------------------

Message-ID: <16003922....@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] [Rival] Windows Vista Year in Review
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:21:34 +0000

2007 Tech Year In Review

,----[ Quote ]
| Vista Launched and Wasn't liked
|
| In late January Windows Vista launched. Many news outlets thought people
| would be lining up for Vista, similar to the Wii launch, but as luck would
| have it, the biggest, and only, line was in New York City.
`----

http://joshhoneycutt.blogspot.com/2007/12/2007-tech-year-in-review.html

2007's Biggest Disappointment = Vista

,----[ Quote ]
| So what was the biggest disappointment of last year (2007)? Microsoft Windows
| Vista! Now it's not to say that it's a bad OS, it's just not all we expected
| it to be. We did get a new UI to make it prettier, and some extras like
| partition resising in Disk Management, etc., but otherwise, it definitely
| feels more bloated and slower, and as a gamer, DX10 does nothing to improve
| my experience. SP2 may fix a few things, but until then, enjoy the bashing
| below...
`----

http://fxetc.com/?p=222

Vista Revisited

,----[ Quote ]
| I’d mentioned earlier that the Vista Aero interface looked nice. This is
| strictly by Windows standards though. Anyone who has compiz installed on
| their Linux box will be sadly disappointed when they go to move one of those
| windows with the transparent glass-like window decorations only to find that
| wobbly windows or even the option to have them - just doesn’t exist. TheVista
| taskbar does give window previews on mouseover and the window changer does
| have a nice ring affect too.
|
| I had to jump through a few more hoops to get the shares on the Vista box to
| play nice with the XP machine - no problems from the Linux boxes though. I
| guess it will be a while before Redmond realises that tightening “security”
| in this manner is really just more pretty decoration.
`----

http://rackit.gartnerwebdev.com/2007/12/31/vista-revisited/

Worst product of the year according to CNET, PCWorld, even listed in Yahoo (see
below)...

10 Worst Tech Products of 2007

http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/patterson/9908

The 15 Biggest Tech Disappointments of 2007

,----[ Quote ]
| #1. No Wow, No How: Windows Vista
|
| Five years in the making and this is the best Microsoft could do?
`----

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,140583-page,5-c,techindustrytrends/article.html

Vista makes the list as one of the top-10 worst consumer tech products of all
time

,----[ Quote ]
| Pretty bad. But top ten of all time? That's mighty impressive.
`----

http://blogs.cnet.com/8301-13505_1-9823042-16.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=TheOpenRoad

Microsoft admits Vista screwed - report

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=37125

Interesting comment from CompUSA

http://zerias.blogspot.com/2007/12/interesting-comment-from-compusa.html

Windows Vista: Sold but not deployed

http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/software/soa/Windows-Vista-Sold-but-not-deployed/0,130061733,339284495,00.htm

Currys group blames Vista for poor sales

,----[ Quote ]
| DSG, the group behind Currys and PC World, has warned that poor sales of
| Vista could slash its profits by around £20 million.
`----

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/131507/currys-group-blames-vista-for-poor-sales.html

DSG continues retailer woes

http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/newsalerts/article/748756/dsg-continues-retailer-woes/

Dell casts doubts on Vista

http://www.macnn.com/articles/07/04/19/dell.casts.doubts.on.vista/

Lenovo offers downgrade from Windows Vista to Windows XP

http://jaxed.org/lenovo-offers-downgrade-from-windows-vista-to-windows-xp.blog

Windows Vista kicked out of Olympics PCs

http://www.electronista.com/articles/07/08/08/no.vista.on.olympic.pcs/

Acer: PC industry 'disappointed' with Vista

http://www.techworld.com/opsys/news/index.cfm?RSS&NewsID=9579

The End of the Vista Experiment

http://www.artima.com/weblogs/viewpost.jsp?thread=221497

------------------------------

Message-ID: <1939420.c...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] Video of the Brand-new KDE 4.0 Splash Screen
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:22:56 +0000

From the artist's blog:

Say hello to the new splashscreen!

"For KDE, it will surely be a great one, the launch of KDE 4, the start of a
new era, and then… but, hey! will say more of this yaddayadda in the next
post…"

New Oxygen splashscreen for KDE 4.0

http://youtube.com/watch?v=0qNCgOC73O8

KDE4 is very attractive for software service companies

,----[ Quote ]
| The next version of KDE4 will run natively on Mac OS X and Windows XP and
| Vista. This means that it is a very attractive platform for software
| development. No other cross-platform toolkit looks as good as Qt and has an
| equally appealing API.
`----

http://www.kdedevelopers.org/node/2913

KDE4 is Very Attractive

,----[ Quote ]
| KDE4 will be a big step towards an enterprise software business based on free
| software. The software on the big servers is there already, the desktop is
| next. - kdedevelopers blogs
`----

http://linux.wordpress.com/2007/08/01/kde4-is-very-attractive/

KDE 4 Preview

,----[ Quote ]
| KDE 4 looks very promising. It looks good, works good and I predict reception
| will be good.
`----

http://www.masuran.org/2007/12/17/kde-4-preview/

Introducing KDE 4

,----[ Quote ]
| As most of you already know, it's the new KDE 4 default file manager. The KDE
| 3.x version introduce a new way for file management on KDE, You're probably
| asking yourself: New? In which way? Let me answer that, it introduced for the
| first time in KDE world a simple KDE file manager, easy to follow and use,
| because I believe users will agree that Konqueror (and don't even make me
| talk about Krusader) isn't the user friendliness application out there.
`----

http://introducingkde4.blogspot.com/2007/12/dolphin.html

------------------------------

Message-ID: <4850034.i...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] GNU/Linux is Simple Enough for Young Kids
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:27:23 +0000

Linux Is for Kids

,----[ Quote ]
| My brother doesn’t know that I’m installing OpenSuSE 10.3 on his daughters’
| PC. I honestly don’t think he will mind once he sees all of the cool
| applications and games on it. Hell, he’ll probably want to use it himself.
| I’ll tell the girls not to let him use it, because it’s the kids’ computer,
| not for adults.
`----

http://infinitetides.net/2007/12/31/linux-is-for-kids/

Speaking of SUSE:

SUSE Linux Desktop 1.0 has reached End of Life

,----[ Quote ]
| SUSE Linux Desktop 1.0 was released end of May 2003, making its lifetime 4.5
| years.
`----

http://lwn.net/Articles/263153/

Ubuntu Sharing on a Saturday Morning!

,----[ Quote ]
| The Beauty of it lies where there are no preconceptions or judgement
| passed on Ubuntu. she just uses it. there is no comparing... or
| complaining about not having support. She is only 5 and she can
| use linux... in fact my wife has failed to find an alternative on
| other operating systems that can attract my daughter.
`----

http://effiejayx.wordpress.com/2007/06/09/ubuntu-sharing-on-a-saturday-morning/

Beryl + AIGLX - 2 Year old using Beryl as proof of how simple it is!

,----[ Quote ]
| Proof Beryl is so simple a 2 year old can use it!
`----

http://youtubelinux.blogspot.com/2006/11/beryl-aiglx-2-year-old-using-beryl-as.html

I've just met Santa Claus.

,----[ Quote
| His name is Ken Starks and many only know him as "helios". Ken has a popular
| blog and a cause he has given much for. As a Linux advocate, Ken has not only
| spread the word across the nation and the world about Linux, he has taken on
| the task of giving poor kids computers. He calls it by the corny name of
| Komputers4Kids but it doesn't matter how corny the name sounds, it is what he
| does that makes the difference. Ken has made a difference in the lives of
| over a hundred kids in the past year.
`----

http://ryansrantorama.blogspot.com/2007/12/ive-just-met-santa-claus.html

------------------------------

Message-ID: <7027423.e...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] Executives: GNU/Linux and Free Software Move into the Enterprise
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:29:04 +0000

Cellular and VoIP Services: A Recipe For Growth

,----[ Quote ]
| RT: What has been your company’s biggest achievement in 2007?
|
| SB: Proving that collaboration among competitors with open source in the
| middle rules. The Digum Innovator 2007 award for service providers went to
| DIDX. Shock! Are this many wholesale companies are really using open source?
| Yes! and there’s no stopping.
`----

http://opensourcepbx.tmcnet.com/topics/development-tools/articles/17345-cellular-voip-services-recipe-growth.htm
http://tinyurl.com/3742nm

MySQL's Marten Mickos ushers in the New Year by looking back on the old one

,----[ Quote ]
| What did we learn in 2007?
|
| Whereas several years ago Linux marched into the enterprise as an enabler of
| the switch to commodity hardware platforms, the rest of the LAMP stack (and
| the entire open source ecosystem) is currently marching into the enterprise
| as an enabler of web-based architectures for business applications and
| services.
`----

http://blogs.cnet.com/8301-13505_1-9838418-16.html

Next Gen, Mission-Critical Apps To Be Deployed on Linux Says Report

,----[ Quote ]
| By now it should be obvious to even the most casual industry observers
| that Linux operating systems - and open source-based software in general -
| have reached critical marketplace mass. Recent Linux deals and
| announcements by Oracle and Microsoft have only reinforced the "open
| source is enterprise-grade" message that IBM, Unisys and other "Master
| Brand" hardware, software and services vendors have been preaching for
| years. In short, open source, especially Linux, is becoming "legitimised"
| by the major vendors for enterprise environments, and user executives
| are more than happy to believe them.
`----

http://www.linuxelectrons.com/News/RoundUp/Next_Gen_MissionCritical_Apps_To_Be_Deployed_on_Linux_Says_Report

CIO study finds Linux ready for prime-time

,----[ Quote ]
| The company predicts a steep rise: only 18 percent of businesses
| will be using Linux in business-critical roles by the end of 2007.
|
| "Linux operating systems - and open source-based software in general
| - have reached critical marketplace mass," said the study's authors,
| Bruce Guptill and Bill McNee of Saugatuck Research.
`----

http://www.techworld.com/opsys/news/index.cfm?RSS&NewsID=7681

------------------------------

Message-ID: <4889347.I...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] (Windows) Desktops Are Cannibalised by (Linux) Devices?
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:31:58 +0000

Chip Sales Weak in November

,----[ Quote ]
| Worldwide chip sales experienced the weakest growth for the month of November
| in at least five years, an industry group said Monday.
`----

http://www.thestreet.com/_yahoo/newsanalysis/techsoftware/10396503.html?cm_ven=YAHOO&cm_cat=FREE&cm_ite=NA
http://tinyurl.com/3yovoa

Oh noes! [sic] But, but, but... Microsoft said Vista would sell (and force
people to buy new PCs).

Oh, wait. Might we be witnessing the slow demise of the desktop? Also in the
news:

Mobile Gadgets Fuel Chip Sales

,----[ Quote ]
| "In the old days, mobility was a notebook. Now mobility really is a phone,"
| says Roger Kay, president of the technology research firm Endpoint
| Technologies.
`----

http://www.thestreet.com/_yahoo/newsanalysis/technology-stories/10395121.html?cm_ven=YAHOO&cm_cat=FREE&cm_ite=NA
http://tinyurl.com/2tbulw

Microsoft ought to hurry up. Linux is becoming the de facto platform for these
devices

PCs step aside… smarter mobiles are coming

,----[ Quote ]
| Citing the examples of the company’s single core solutions for smart phones,
| consumer electronics and automotive entertainment and ARM Mali graphics
| processors, and its collaboration for Linux mobile computing, Mr Keith said
| mobile phone makers are taking to a platform approach which offers
| flexibility to add new features.
`----

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/11/05/stories/2007110550450200.htm

Linux Sees 'Astronomic' Growth in Mobile Devices

,----[ Quote ]
| "We were very aware that the growth in mobile for Linux was huge, but we
| didn't know it was so astronomic," Amanda McPherson, marketing director for
| the Linux Foundation, told LinuxInsider. "These are very encouraging
| numbers." Why Linux has drawn significant support from the community of
| handset manufacturers can be explained on several fronts, McPherson said.
`----

http://www.linuxinsider.com/rsstory/59162.html

PCs being pushed aside in Japan

,----[ Quote ]
| The PC's role in Japanese homes is diminishing, as its once-awesome monopoly
| on processing power is encroached by gadgets such as smart phones that act
| like pocket-size computers, advanced Internet-connected game consoles,
| digital video recorders with terabytes of memory.
`----

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071104/ap_on_hi_te/bye_bye_pcs

Linux Sees 'Astronomic' Growth in Mobile Devices

http://www.linuxinsider.com/rsstory/59162.html

Funambol CEO Fabrizio Capobianco: Linux Is Mobile's Future

,----[ Quote ]
| LinuxInsider met with Capobianco to discuss his view on the role of open
| source in creating Mobile 2.0 as a voice and data carrier parallel to the
| Internet. The meeting occurred in the wake of Google's announcement earlier
| this month that it was negotiating with wireless carriers, handset makers,
| software developers and hardware providers to use an open source mobile
| platform, Android.
`----

http://www.technewsworld.com/story/60340.html

After the Desktop -- What?

,----[ Quote ]
| I would suggest that the open source community should stop obsessing
| with the battle for the desktop, and start focusing on the battle for
| the platform that will replace it. As I have said before, the day
| will soon come when the notion of having to go to a particular
| machine on a particular room every time you need access to
| information or computer power will be as obsolete as the notion
| of having to go to the hand pump over the well in the front
| yard every time you need water.
`----

http://trevors-trinkets.blogspot.com/2007/02/after-desktop-what.html

Linux is about to take over the low end of PCs

,----[ Quote ]
| Opinion -- Sometimes, several unrelated changes come to a head at the same
| time, with a result no one could have predicted. The PC market is at such a
| tipping point right now and the result will be millions of Linux-powered PCs
| in users' hands.
|
| [...]
|
| Microsoft will fight this trend tooth and nail. It will cut prices to the
| point where it'll be bleeding ink on some of its product lines. And Windows
| XP is going to stick around much longer than Microsoft ever wanted it to.
| Still, it won't be enough. By attacking from the bottom, where Microsoft can
| no longer successfully compete, Linux will finally cut itself a large slice
| of the desktop market pie.
`----

http://www.desktoplinux.com/news/NS2414535067.html

Where does Linux go from here?

,----[ Quote ]
| Linux and free software are here to stay. No single commercial firm will ever
| control the Linux ecosystem like Microsoft has the rest of the software
| industry. Though both may prosper, the bazaar will outlive the boardrooms,
| and Linux popularity will continue to grow on servers, desktops, appliances,
| and embedded devices.
`----

http://www.linux.com/feature/119865s

This time for sure on mobile Linux

,----[ Quote ]
| The Wal-Mart Linux PC, priced at $198, is sold out. Zonbu seems to be gaining
| traction, with a notebook priced at $279.
|
| “You’re seeing incredibly improved device drivers. We’ve got hundreds now.
| This is a phenomenal effort that plays to the strength of Linux, a volunteer
| community representing millions of dollars in free development.
|
| “You’re seeing more manufacturers shipping Linux desktops, PCs and laptops
| but also mobile Internet devices from Acer, Motorola’s Razr, TiVo…there’s a
| slew of new devices coming out.”
`----

http://blogs.zdnet.com/open-source/?p=1773

Linux Sees 'Astronomic' Growth in Mobile Devices

http://www.linuxinsider.com/rsstory/59162.html

Google's mobile move: awe-inspiring and terrifying

,----[ Quote ]
| It is also another awe-inspiring -- or terrifying, depending on one's
| perspective -- display of the engineering and business resources Google can
| unleash and of the power it has to influence, disrupt and rearrange markets.
`----

http://news.yahoo.com/s/infoworld/20071106/tc_infoworld/93133

Google spending hundreds of millions on mobile

,----[ Quote ]
| Anian, a Reuters company that tracks industry trends for institutional
| investors, reported last month that Google had engaged Taiwan's High Tech
| Computer Corpto design a Linux
| software-based phone for launch in the first quarter of 2008.
`----

http://investing.reuters.co.uk/news/articleinvesting.aspx?type=media&storyID=nN02242073

Linux expected to be leading Smartphone OS market by 2010

,----[ Quote ]
| I just came across this research by Diffusion Group, which found
| that Linux is set to become the leading Smartphone OS by 2010.
`----

http://irfanhabib.wordpress.com/2006/12/10/linux-to-take-over-smartphone-os-market-by-2010/

FEATURE: Mobile Linux: Why it will become the dominant mobile OS

,----[ Quote ]
| I see the mobile Linux wave out in the ocean and am sounding the
| alarm--the mobile Linux tide is rising. Be prepared.
`----

http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/feature-mobile-linux-why-it-will-become-the-dominant-mobile-os/2007-01-03

------------------------------

Message-ID: <5835913.B...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] Quake Wars 1.4 (Enemy Territory) Comes to Linux, Beyond The Red Line Demo on Linux
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:25:04 +0000

ET: Quake Wars v1.4 For Linux This Week

,----[ Quote ]
| In addition to pushing out new Linux client and server builds, the Enemy
| Territory: Quake Wars Linux demo will also be updated against the v1.4
| release. If everything goes according to plan, id Software should be
| releasing these updates later this week. At Phoronix we'll be delivering
| quad-core benchmarks of the Quake Wars threaded renderer once this release is
| out. We have been testing a closed beta of ET:QW v1.4 for Linux with positive
| results thus far.
`----

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=NjI2Nw

Beyond The Red Line - Demo Release!

,----[ Quote ]
| Beyond the Red Line is a stand-alone total conversion for Freespace 2. It is
| based on the popular new tv-show Battlestar Galactica. The Demo allows
| players to play a tutorial, two single player missions and multiplayer. The
| Demo is available for Linux, Mac and Windows.
`----

http://www.linux-gamers.net/modules/news/article.php?storyid=2363

[ Isn't the new Battlestar Galactica where "Starbuck" is really a
"Stardoe"? This remark supplied by the confused by gender
deparment. Ed. ]

No games on Linux? No, just a Microsoft-made myth (Big Lie).

Top Ubuntu Linux Games

,----[ Quote ]
| If you’ve switched to Ubuntu (as I have) or any other Linux distribution, you
| may consider the following free (and in most cases open-source) games, as
| they’ve been favourites of mine for some time now.
`----

http://linuxgames07.blogspot.com/2007/11/top-ubuntu-linux-games.html

Games shared from PC to PS3 over the Web?

,----[ Quote ]
| "We will release a Linux version in Q4 2007 which will enable PC games to be
| played on the PlayStation 3 and many other devices including DVD players, set
| top boxes, networked media devices and mobile phones," he said.
`----

http://www.itwire.com/content/view/15045/1063/

UT3 Linux: It Will Ship When It's Ready

,----[ Quote ]
| While Unreal Tournament 3 will ship on November 19 for Windows gamers, and we
| previously confirmed that the Linux binary will not ship on the DVD,
`----

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=NjE1Mw

------------------------------

Message-ID: <2661783.3...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] Mandriva 2008 and PCLinuxOS Are Big Winner on Former Windows Desktops
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:35:01 +0000

KDE 4, Mandriva '08, and oh... Happy New Year!

,----[ Quote ]
| And there you have it! Mandriva 2008. The only problem I have experienced
| with using Mandriva involves the lacking of a english dictionary for Firefox,
| which shows every word I type as mispelled in a text field. This really is
| not a problem, as all I have to do is right-click on the field and uncheck
| the "Spellcheck this field" option. Mandriva lets you choose the repositories
| as well. Since Mandriva apparently does not use separate repositories like
| Ubuntu, it uses one, and makes that repository available from many, many
| sources. The one I am using is provided by Georgia Tech. It gives me around
| the same number of applications that are available in Ubuntu. All in all, I
| give Mandriva a solid 9 1/2 on a 1-10 basis.
`----

http://jon-reagan.blogspot.com/2007/12/kde-4-mandriva-08-and-oh-happy-new-year.html

PCLinuxOS: TuXP is a Winner

,----[ Quote ]
| In our search for the ideal Linux OS alternative for the longtime non-geek
| Windows user, we have had occasion to praise the likes of MEPIS Linux and the
| various flavours of Ubuntu. Now we come to another contender, and a very
| capable one at that: PCLinuxOS.
|
| [...]
|
| So my bottom line on PCLOS is very positive indeed: for ease of installation
| and setup, look-and-feel, performance (especially on older hardware), browser
| and plugin configuration, and overall thoughtfulness behind the design and
| preparation of its components, PCLOS wins very high marks here. Particularly
| if you’re a migrating Windows user with no interest in learning the bash
| shell or the fine points of the Linux file system (an education that is best
| experienced over time and under no duress), PCLOS is worth a very close look.
`----

http://dailyrevolution.net/?p=981

A Taste Of Mandriva

,----[ Quote ]
| Mandriva is truly an elite Linux distribution and this 2008 version further
| strengthened its excellent status. To those who haven’t tried Mandriva, I
| encourage you to have a taste.
`----

http://junauza.blogspot.com/2007/12/taste-of-mandriva.html

Mandriva Flash 2008 First Look

,----[ Quote ]
| Both the Metisse and Compiz Fusion 3D desktops worked well on the laptop, but
| were disabled on the old desktop. I'm not sure why people really want 3D
| desktops, however: it's just eye-candy.
`----

http://weblog.infoworld.com/stratdev/archives/2007/12/mandriva_flash.html

Mandriva Linux 2008 Spring Alpha 1 Barlia released

,----[ Quote
| Kicking off the 2008 Spring development cycle in earnest, the first alpha is
| here. This alpha features X.org 7.3, KDE 3.5.8, KDE 4.0 RC2 (in /contrib),
| GNOME 2.21, kernel 2.6.24, OpenOffice.org 2.3, new NVIDIA and ATI proprietary
| drivers, PulseAudio by default and more.
`----

http://club.mandriva.com/xwiki/bin/view/Main/20081Alpha1

Mandriva Flash 2008: Bigger and better

,----[ Quote ]
| While several other distros are designed specifically to run off external USB
| drives, Mandriva Flash still offers a good alternative worth paying for.
| First of all, you don't have to get your hands dirty installing a Linux
| distro on a USB stick and spend time configuring it. Unlike other distros,
| Mandriva Flash offers a full-featured desktop with all the frills and fancy
| trimmings, including 3-D desktop effects.
`----

http://www.linux.com/feature/122980

New 2008 Mandriva Flash 4GB Released today

,----[ Quote ]
| Mandriva today introduced the 2008 Mandriva Flash 4GB, the newest member of
| the Mandriva Flash family that lets you take your entire desktop with you
| wherever you go. 2008 Mandriva Flash includes a new functionnality: ezBoot
| which reboots under Linux without going through BIOS settings, and the double
| utilisation of Windows and Linux system.
`----

http://www.mandriva.com/enterprise/en/company/press/new-2008-mandriva-flash-4gb-released-today

Living with Mandriva 2008

,----[ Quote ]
| This is currently my favourite popular distro. From a practical standpoint, I
| feel it is better than Windows Vista. I don’t say that as a Linux slappy.
| Looking at it from an angle of which OS enables me to do the things I need to
| do day in and day out, Mandriva shines. My next article will compare Vista
| and Mandriva 2008 in depth, and I will convince you why 2008 wins.
`----

http://www.linuxtechdaily.com/2007/10/living-with-mandriva-2008/

A look at Mandriva Linux 2008

,----[ Quote ]
| There were aspects of this Mandriva release that I really liked, such as the
| installer and the Control Centre but overall the system didn't really grab
| me. It is quite a decent, well put-together operating system with all the
| basics and a few extras like the Control Centre and 3D desktop effects. It
| was stable and ran well, but on the whole it didn't seem to offer anything
| exciting enough to make me want to switch to the distribution permanently.
| For the seasoned Mandriva user, I get the impression this will be quite a
| worthy upgrade, but as for me I'm going to check back when the next release
| arrives.
|
| 8 "Smarties" out of 10.
`----

http://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20071022#review

Mandriva Linux 2008

,----[ Quote ]
| Overall Score: 8.5
`----

http://rjdohnert.wordpress.com/2007/10/19/mandriva-linux-2008/

Mandriva Linux 2008

,----[ Quote ]
| If you hate the word Ubuntu and just dont like the system, Mandriva works
| well and the PowerPack contains everything you need unlike the Ubuntu default
| install.
`----

http://rjdohnert.wordpress.com/2007/10/19/mandriva-linux-2008/

Battle of the Titans: Mandriva 2008 vs openSUSE 10.3

,----[ Quote ]
| Overall Winner
|
| In our little just-for-fun comparison, we the judges find that Mandriva wins
| by 4 categories to 2. But to the original question the answer would be to go
| buy the Mandriva Power Pack or try PCLOS or ALT Linux in which advanced power
| saving feature do work out of the box. Also, YMMV.
|
| However, don't forget that both openSUSE and Mandriva are both nice distros.
| This little article is highly subjective and you may not agree. That's okay.
| I love them both.
|
| Winner: Mandriva 2008.0
`----

http://www.tuxmachines.org/node/21155

Mandriva 2008.0 rocks

,----[ Quote ]
| Mandriva 2008.0 seems to be a splendid release. Since setup I've not
| experienced any problems. My system is fast, responsive, and stable. The new
| artwork is gorgeous, and the fonts look great as well. I was pleased with the
| hardware support, especially the powersaving features. I can play any
| multimedia file format I have, and watch Flash videos on the Web.
`----

http://www.linux.com/feature/119783

Mandriva Linux PowerPack 2008.0 review

,----[ Quote ]
| Like I usually say when Mandriva is at the apex of its release cycle, this is
| desktop Linux as it should be. It's as advanced and complex as you need it to
| be, and as automatic as most people would like it to be. Unlike nearly every
| other desktop-oriented OS, with Mandriva I never run into incidents where the
| automatic parts of the system interfere with my intentions for desktop
| operation.
`----

http://www.softwareinreview.com/cms/content/view/86/

[Mandriva CEO:] An open letter to Steve Ballmer

,----[ Quote ]
| Wow! I’m impressed, Steve! What have you done for these guys to change their
| mind like this? It’s pretty clear to me, and it will be clear to everyone.
| How do you call what you just did Steve, in the place where you live? In my
| place, they give it various names, I’m sure you know them.
|
| Hey Steve, how do you feel looking at yourself in the mirror in the morning?
|
| Of course, I will keep fighting this one and the next one, and the next one.
| You have the money, the power, and maybe we have a different sense of ethics
| you and I, but I believe that hard work, good technology and ethics can win
| too.
`----

http://blog.mandriva.com/2007/10/31/an-open-letter-to-steve-ballmer/

Lessons from Africa: How to Kill Your Own FUD

,----[ Quote ]
| So, even as Microsoft claims superior quality over Linux, they act as if they
| don't even buy their own FUD. If they really believed that Windows was
| superior to Linux, they wouldn't have to bribe people with “marketing help”
| to get them to choose Windows.
`----

http://www.linuxtoday.com/news_story.php3?ltsn=2007-11-09-030-26-OP-MD-MS

Linux wins Nigerian school desktops back from Microsoft

,----[ Quote ]
| "We are sticking with that platform," said the official, who would not give
| his name.
`----

http://www.computerworlduk.com/management/government-law/public-sector/news/index.cfm?newsid=6124
http://tinyurl.com/27ycq9

Students using PCLinuxOS in Vietnam

,----[ Quote ]
| Finally, I decided to test PCLinuxOS with my students. Wow, amazing. Finally
| a Linux distro that the majority of my students actually liked using. It ran
| faster than any of the other Linux distros they tried and easily connected to
| the internet from inside the school (they like to read Yahoo 360 blogs in
| class). They figured out how to use Konquerer to browse around the different
| directories in their laptops without me even telling them. As with Macbooks,
| the Desktop GUI was easy to learn. Thus, I decided to use PCLinuxOS.
`----

http://www.saigonnezumi.com/?p=516

PCLinux - PCLinuxOS 2007 review

,----[ Quote ]
| PCLinux - PCLinuxOS 2007 features - Verdict
|
| A polished, accessible and tight Linux distribution that shows continued
| signs of improvement. It's not bleeding edge, but it is very good.
`----

http://www.itreviews.co.uk/software/s535.htm

PclinuxOS, radically simple: Plug ‘n Play

,----[ Quote ]
| The article I am writing is about PCLinuxOS, but probably is not very
| different for other Linux distributions. A few weeks ago I installed
| PCLinuxOS for the first time and was impressed by the ease of stabilising my
| internet connection and the speed of installation. Since that first day
| PCLinuxOS managed to surprise me several other times.
`----

http://mckooiker.byethost5.com/blog/?p=49

My PCLinuxOS “WOW” moment

,----[ Quote ]
| Conclusions: In the end I must admit that there are several advantages for
| users that plan to change from Windows to Linux, like the ease of
| installation of restricted drivers and codecs.
`----

http://mckooiker.byethost5.com/blog/?p=46

Another Day Another Distro – Part 4 – PCLinuxOS 2007

,----[ Quote ]
| So after my positive experience of Mandriva 2008 it was time to reluctantly
| pack my bags and move on. My destination this time was PCLinuxOS 2007 which
| is not a distribution I'd tried before.
`----

http://adventuresinopensource.blogspot.com/2007/10/another-day-another-distro-part-4.html

PCLinuxOS: Linux Distribution

,----[ Quote ]
| One notable difference from Mandriva is the programme used to install
| extra software. We found this much easier to use and includes useful
| software such as graphics drivers.
|
| Unlike some other distributions, PCLinuxOS can play back
| proprietary multimedia files (including wma, mp3, mpg, rm,
| mov) without having to install extra software. DVD playback
| software is not included but can be installed with the
| standard installation tool.
`----

http://www.computeractive.co.uk/computeractive/downloads/2191819/pclinuxos-linux-distribution

Review: PcLinuxOS 2007

,----[ Quote ]
| While PcLinuxOS does still have a bit of growing to do, out of all the
| linux distributions out there, I'd easily rate this one as the best in
| every way because of all that it does, how easy it is to use, how ready
| it is to use out of the box, and most especially in the area of
| appeasing both camps, the new user and the experienced user.
`----

http://www.raiden.net/?cat=2&aid=249

PClinuxOS 2007.0 Review

,----[ Quote ]
| I am a Kubuntu user since version 6.06. However, that hasn't made
| me blindly consider (k)ubuntu to be the best linux distro; I am
| always open to newcomers. In recent days, PClinuxOS 2007.0 was
| released, and quickly hit the top of of the distrowatch charts.
| I decided to download it and give this relatively new distribution
| a text run on my Acer Aspire 5050 laptop, nicknamed the geebee.
`----

http://nosrednaekim.wordpress.com/2007/05/30/pclinuxos-20070-review/

PCLinuxOS Magazine October 2007 Released

http://www.pclosmag.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=65&Itemid=28

PCLinuxOS - the new Number One distribution

,----[ Quote ]
| PCLinuxOS As many of you noticed, PCLinuxOS has overtaken Ubuntu in our Page
| Hit Ranking statistics and is currently occupying the top spot on the default
| 6-month view for the first time.
`----

http://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20070917#editorial

Heavenly Hardware Support

,----[ Quote ]
| Printer, camera, scanner--all detected and configured in less than 2 minutes.
| PCLinuxOS has knocked my socks off!
`----

http://www.linuxtoday.com/news_story.php3?ltsn=2007-09-26-014-26-RV-DT-MD

------------------------------

Message-ID: <5368123.E...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] Linux Products Among Top Products This Xmas in Aussie
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:37:27 +0000

[Chumby in Sydney Morning Herald]

,----[ Quote ]
| Saul Griffith is at home down under for the holidays, and sent a note that
| Chumby topped the Sydney Morning Herald's list of Ten Things That Will Change
| Your Future.
|
| The SMH also called out Twitter, Everyblock, 23andme, kiva, meraki, smart
| mobs, the World Community Grid, loopt, and the OLPC.
`----

http://radar.oreilly.com/archives/2007/12/chumby_sydney_morning_herald.html

Days ago:

Linux and Mac computers sweep Amazon's 'best of' 2007

,----[ Quote ]
| Computers with default Linux or Mac operating systems have swept
| Amazon's 'best of' 2007 list. The MacBook Pro notebook PC was the best
| reviewed and most frequently gifted. The highest selling computer was the
| Nokia tablet PC running Linux, and the Asus EEE pc, running Xandros GNU
| Linux.
`----

http://digg.com/linux_unix/Linux_and_Mac_computers_sweep_Amazon_s_best_of_2007

Intriguing Holiday Gifts [Almost Everything is Linux]

,----[ Quote ]
| Featured in this Roundup:
|
| FrontOLPC XO-1 ($399 direct to donate one, get one—until December 31, 2007)
| The XO-1 laptop by the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) initiative is a
| game-changer for disadvantaged children in developing countries. For a
| limited time you can benefit as well.
|
| AngleASUS Eee PC 4G ($400 street)
| Despite its minor annoyances, the ASUS Eee PC 4G—a 2-pound ultraportable—is
| sleek, versatile, and well worth the $400.
|
| Amazon Kindle - FrontAmazon Kindle ($400 direct)
| It's pricey, but Amazon's Kindle is the e-book's best hope to make the best
| seller list.
`----

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2704,2236777,00.asp

Tux Droid delivers a very Merry Linuxmas

,----[ Quote ]
| Although it could be argued that your average fanboy has already got the
| present they wanted this xmas in the continuing growth of Linux in terms of
| both actual deployment and media popularity, or maybe the arrival of the
| Linux server for Unreal Tournament 3 or even the fact that the BBC iPlayer is
| now Linux compatible. But no, believe me, when they see the dancing plastic
| penguin that announces the arrival of new email all that will change.
`----

http://www.daniweb.com/blogs/entry1904.html

Seller Beware - Hemorrhage of Customers Ahead

,----[ Quote ]
| Just a side note to humbly remind you that Komputers4Kids is in need of some
| help in order for us to get our influx of Christmas season orders met. We are
| looking at 18 computers to build in the next 7 days...and getting the fuel in
| the vehicles to deliver and set them up. Any help you could provide us will
| be appreciated long after this season is over.
`----

http://blog.lobby4linux.com/index.php?/archives/391-AUTOSAVED-Seller-Beware-Hemorrhage-of-Customers-Ahead.html
http://tinyurl.com/33owlq

Linux Drives Hot Holiday PCs

,----[ Quote ]
| Linux machines are cheaper and often more energy efficient than their Windows
| and Mac counterparts.
`----

http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/60564.html

Why I Will Recommend Linux To Family This Year

,----[ Quote ]
| So, my approach to Linux in the family would be to start with the kids!
| Okay, I’ll give you a hint, I already have started with them on Linux, and
| it’s working.
`----

http://www.velocitywebdev.com/2007/12/01/why-i-will-recommend-linux-to-family-this-year/

,----[ Quote ]
| For her birthday, I bought Leslee a Asus Eee (pronounced E). I've had my eye
| out for an ultraportable laptop for her for a while. So far, I'd only found
| very expensive ultraportables. When this came out, and was available in the
| $350-400 range, I jumped at it. For some, the fact that it runs Linux might
| be a deterrent, but definitely not for me.
|
| [...]
|
| Leslee tells me every day how much she loves it. I bought it for her, so
| that's what matters. The fact that it exposes her to Linux and open source
| software is a nice bonus.
`----

http://dmartin.org/weblog/asus-eee

Ten things you can do to help open source

,----[ Quote ]
| Open source is all about the community multiplying individual efforts: at
| whatever level you can, doing something you care about will bring rewards for
| all.
`----

http://resources.zdnet.co.uk/articles/features/0,1000002000,39291123,00.htm

Gift Ideas for Linux Users

,----[ Quote ]
| Do you have a friend who finally got tired of all the crashes and bugs that
| come with Windows? Did they switch to Linux and now swear by it? Then these
| are the perfect gift ideas for your shopping list. The following gift ideas
| are perfect for all penguin loving Linux users.
`----

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/457009/gift_ideas_for_linux_users.html

Nothing Says Holiday Cheer Like Free Software

,----[ Quote ]
| You can also play Santa yourself and show up with your list in hand. Many
| people would appreciate a little help with the installation process, so you
| can just load the software for them -- or even install a Linux distro like
| Ubuntu or Fedora that comes bundled with lots of basic applications most
| people will find helpful. Installing Linux is so easy these days, almost
| anyone can do it -- but you can keep that piece of news totally secret!
`----

http://www.linuxinsider.com/rsstory/60446.html

Kindle, Eee PC top Amazon.com 'most wanted' list

,----[ Quote]
| Ironically, perhaps, it was the N810 that was the only meachine ahead of the
| Eee PC in Amazon.com's list of best-selling notebooks. Even though the N810
| isn't a notebook, in the true, computery sense of the word.
`----

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/11/22/eee_pc_americas_most_wanted/

Top-10 gift ideas for the Linux Gadget Geek

,----[ Quote ]
| Got a Linux Gadget Geek on your shopping list? You can't fail with a gift
| from this guide to the ten hottest Linux-powered devices gleaned from
| LinuxDevices.com's news throughout 2007. There's something for everyone, at
| prices from $150 to $1,000, organised from least to most expensive. Enjoy!
`----

http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS5936183381.html

There's No System Like Linux for the Holidays

,----[ Quote ]
| Holiday shopping season is about to hit full swing, and personal computers
| already rank high on many people's wish lists. If you're going to give the
| gift of a new PC, should you consider giving one with Linux? If the receiver
| is a tech-savvy individual, it may be the perfect gift, and the growing
| availability of preloaded machines means setup headaches are easily avoided.
`----

http://www.linuxinsider.com/story/Theres-No-System-Like-Linux-for-the-Holidays-60397.html

------------------------------

Message-ID: <39988004....@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] Korea Foresees Further Linux Growth
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:38:39 +0000

[The Outlook for 2008 Korean IT Industry] Tech Predictions for 2008

,----[ Quote ]
| The greening of IT was also counted as an important trend for 2008. Linux is
| predicted to make major inroads into various areas. Particularly, Google’s
| Android mobile platform in the cooperation with the Open Handset Alliance
| (OHA) will spur the blossom of the blossom of the OS.
`----

http://english.etnews.co.kr/news/detail.html?id=200801010001

Haansoft to donate Linux based Hangul programme to Daejeon City

,----[ Quote ]
| The company provided 780 copies of the Linux-based Hangul 2005 to centres
| that house infants and small children through Childcare Centre Association of
| Daejeon city.
`----

http://www.koreaitdaily.com/ddaily/viewPage.do?sn=100897

North, South Korea Unite Over Linux

,----[ Quote ]
| The bitter political foes will team with China on the project, tentatively
| named "Hana Linux"
`----

http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/dec2007/gb2007123_556880.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index_global+business
http://tinyurl.com/2tzgrp

Two Koreas Join Forces to Develop Linux

,----[ Quote ]
| South and North Korea team up to develop a version of ‘Hana Linux
| (tentatively named)’ and set standards.
`----

http://english.etnews.co.kr/news/detail.html?id=200712060004

ODF a National Standard in Korea

,----[ Quote ]
| The proposal for ODF to be accepted as a Malaysian Standard by SIRIM,
| Department of Standards Malaysia and ultimately the Minister of Science,
| Technology & Innovation is dormant for more than a year now. Four months
| after the Malaysian proposal went to sleep, Italy made ODF a National
| Standard. Eight months after that, Korea has followed suit. With this Korean
| news, perhaps the Malaysian proposal will be awakened.
`----

http://www.openmalaysiablog.com/2007/11/odf-a-national-.html

Korea, No with comments to OOXML

,----[ Quote ]
| Korean government concluded that OOXML is incomplete for ISO standards right
| now and suggested some of complements for that.
`----

http://channy.creation.net/antiooxml/korea-no-ooxml.html

The cost of monoculture

,----[ Quote ]
| Korea will only get beyond this problem by 1) applying Korean laws
| on open standards to the certificate authorities, 2) reassigning new
| certificates which work with open web standards to all Koreans, 3)
| reprogramming all Korean websites to support 128 bit SSL which will
| allow for a heterogeneous marketplace of operating systems and web
| browsers. This is a herculean task and thus Korea stays hostage to
| Redmond.
|
| Fascinating history. Unintended consequences and de-facto monopolies
| create costs too high to calculate and must be borne without question.
`----

http://www.kanai.net/weblog/archive/2007/01/26/00h53m55s#003095

Is MS Overcharging Koreans for Vistas?

,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft?s Windows Vista programme is selling in South Korea at
| prices up to 70 percent higher than in the United States or
| Japan, with Microsoft blaming Korea's immature market
| for the price difference.
`----

http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/200701/kt2007012618202953460.htm

Consumers in No Hurry for Vista Upgrade

,----[ Quote ]
| In a survey of 4,144 members of Danawa.com, a price comparison site,
| only 14 percent of respondents said that they will immediately upgrade
| to the Vista platform when Microsoft releases it on January 30.
`----

http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/biz/200612/kt2006122918214111890.htm

Korean government warns against Vista upgrade

,----[ Quote ]
| The Ministry of Information and Communication said that it wished it
| could tell a private company like Microsoft to postpone the release
| of Vista, but it can't. The best thing, an official said, was not to
| install Vista before you know what you're getting into.
`----

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=37159

South Korea, OSS Licence Guide Announced

,----[ Quote ]
| The Guide explains how to strategically manage and utilise open source SW as
| well as what the open source SW is and how to use it. Explanation for GPL, an
| open source SW, published in June, 2007, is included in the Guide as well.
`----

http://www.zdnet.co.kr/etc/eyeon/enterprise/0,39036961,39163094,00.htm

Korean software firm sues Microsoft

,----[ Quote ]
| According to Korean newspaper Chosun, the US software mammoth has been
| accused of causing a loss in sales revenue estimated at W30bn (US$1=W918)
| because the firm's Windows operating system comes pre-loaded with a media
| player and instant messaging.
|
| Seoul Central District Court confirmed yesterday that Digito was suing
| Microsoft in the US and Korea, claiming that the software giant had violated
| the Fair Trade Act since 2000.
`----

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/10/24/korean_digito_sues_microsoft/

Motorola adds Carrier Grade Linux partner

,----[ Quote ]
| Embedded Linux provider Wind River has forged a joint development, marketing,
| and support agreement with Motorola's network equipment division, it says.
| The "strategic alliance" aims to bring Wind River's Carrier Grade Linux (CGL)
| and VxWorks OSes to Motorola's AdvancedTCA and MicroTCA (pictured at left)
| products.
`----

http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS8682642900.html

Motorola selling Razr2 phone in S.Korea

,----[ Quote ]
| Motorola accounted for 11.5 percent of the Korean handset market as of the
| end of April. Samsung Electronics Co. held 55 percent and LG Electronics Inc.
| had 19 percent, according to Korea-based ATLAS Research Group.
`----

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070629/ap_on_hi_te/skorea_motorola_razr2

Korean court rebuffs Microsoft in patents case

,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft has taken another slap from the authorities in Korea, after
| a court decision in a patent dispure raised the prospect of Officeb
| eing taken off the shelves in the country.
|
| Microsoft said it was continuing to dispute the patent's validity.
`----

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/11/27/ms_korea_court/

Consumers in No Hurry for Vista Upgrade

http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/biz/200612/kt2006122918214111890.htm

Haansoft Teams Up with Redgate, Targets Linux Market in Asia

,----[ Quote ]
| Haansoft said on Wednesday that it had teamed up with domestic
| security firm Redgate to reinforce security for 'Asianux.'
`----

http://english.etnews.co.kr/news/detail.html?id=200701110004

First phase of Korea's open-source city is high success

,----[ Quote ]
| Following the trend of open source adaptation in major cities worldwide,
| one of the major Korean cities, Gwangju Metropolitan City, successfully
| jumped onto the open source transition, receiving spotlight from related
| industry.
`----

http://www.zdnet.co.kr/etc/eyeon/enterprise/0,39036961,39154182,00.htm

South Korea's ETRI develops advanced Linux desktop search system, puts end to
erroneous results

,----[ Quote ]
| On 21st, South Korean R&D firm ETRI announced that they have developed new
| Linux desktop search system, 'antbear'. The antbear can analyse and run
| advanced text searches, producing more accurate results by precisely
| analysing the search words.
`----

http://www.zdnet.co.kr/etc/eyeon/internet/0,39036962,39154048,00.htm

An open source development project 'Winter of Code' just got launched!

,----[ Quote ]
| Soonseon Kwon, who runs KLDP (Korean Linux Documentation Project)
| said, "This is the first ever open source event in Korea and I hope
| it will serve as a good opportunity to promote the open source to
| Korean students. I also hope that both the students and resulting
| projects can put a positive effect on the open source community."
`----

http://www.zdnet.co.kr/etc/eyeon/enterprise/0,39036961,39153660,00.htm

'Genome Project' Led by Open Source HPC

,----[ Quote ]
| The BLAST tool module is highly compatible to run on Linux
| platform with advantage of considerably faster result compared
| to running on other platform.
`----

http://www.zdnet.co.kr/etc/eyeon/enterprise/0,39036961,39153485,00.htm

Army Considers Shift to Open-Source Programmes

,----[ Quote ]
| Following the trend of the nation's government agencies, universities
| and post offices, the South Korean military is considering jumping onto
| the open-source bandwagon.
`----

http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/200609/kt2006091517155210440.htm

------------------------------

Message-ID: <8897527.D...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] Openness Becomes Crucial Selling Point (Freedom an Added Value)
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:40:58 +0000

Who Is The Openest Of Them All?

,----[ Quote ]
| Building a product or service on top of open standards is held as one of the
| highest virtues in technology. It is certainly one of the easiest ways for a
| company to score points with consumers, developers, or other companies. And
| for good reason. The Internet, after all, is built on open standards.
| Open-source technologies such as Linux, Apache, MySQL, and others have
| lowered the cost to start a Web company.
`----

http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/31/who-is-the-openest-of-them-all/

Insufficiently free?

,----[ Quote ]
| Most observers would probably conclude that Mr. Stallman has chosen to
| express himself with less childish terms than Mr. de Raadt. Still, this
| conversation came about as a result of a statement made by Mr. Stallman, one
| which upset the OpenBSD community greatly. It is worthwhile to look at where
| the disagreement was.
|
| In particular, Richard Stallman started the discussion by saying that he
| cannot "recommend" OpenBSD because the "ports" system they use facilitates
| the installation of certain non-free packages.
`----

http://lwn.net/SubscriberLink/262400/e249947a2ccd6dac/

That Which We Call Free

,----[ Quote ]
| GNU Project and Free Software Foundation founder Richard Stallman posted a
| message on the OpenBSD -misc mailing list titled, "real men don't attack
| straw men", suggesting that some comments he had made were being
| misrepresented.
`----

http://kerneltrap.org/OpenBSD/That_Which_We_Call_Free

MyEclipse and JBoss spar over open source purity

,----[ Quote ]
| The latest dispute started when Red Hat announced a partnership with
| Exadel that resulted in JBoss RichFaces and JBoss Ajax4jsf to be
| released under the Lesser GNU Public Licence (LGPL), and eventually
| the entire Red Hat Developer Studio (formerly Exadel Studio Pro) to
| be released under the regular GPL licence.
`----

http://blogs.zdnet.com/Burnette/?p=280

------------------------------

Message-ID: <1619894.9...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] Linux-based Eee Laptops Expand Internationally
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:47:46 +0000

A portable mini-computer truly at a price you can afford

,----[ Quote ]
| "If nothing untoward happens, we expect to launch the Eee in Israel in
| February 2008," continues de-Picciotto. "It all depends on what Asus sends
| us, and our conversion efforts. We will try to sell both the Linux version
| and the Windows XP Home edition version. I figure the basic Eee model will
| start at around NIS 1,800 and may go as low as NIS 1,650 at the cheapest
| online stores."
`----

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/940342.html

2007's most important IT lesson is spelt with an Eee

,----[ Qote ]
| The Eee shows too just how out of date the 'is Linux ready for the desktop?'
| ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
| argument is. Yes it is. Anyone can pick up an Eee with its standard Linux
| ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
| distro - or with a number of freely available alternatives - and just use it.
| That alone revitalises the 'is this paid-for operating system value for
| money?' question.
`----

http://community.zdnet.co.uk/blog/0,1000000567,10006830o-2000331777b,00.htm?new_comment

The Asus Eee Laptop Series Selling Off the Shelves World Wide

,----[ Quote ]
| The sturdy and light weight Asus Eee has captured the hearts and minds of US
| consumers, students and educators. The Eee series has all the features of its
| competitors, but its affordable price is turning heads. The Eee units are
| literally selling off the shelves world-wide.
|
| [...]
|
| The popular Eee is not without its critics. IT Wire reports that Asus Eee may
| have misrepresented the Linux loaded capabilities. According to IT Wire, some
| Linux advocates say the Eee uses Xandros a Debian-based distribution that
| charges a licence fee and has an agreement with Microsoft similar to the one
| signed by Novell.
`----

http://www.physorg.com/news115288648.html

Microsoft's Big Problem in a Small Box

,----[ Quote ]
| Vista is a big operating system that demands monster graphics and dual-core
| processors. But what if the market pines for a whole lot less?
|
| [...]
|
| The mass move to mobile computing is a destabilising force and harbinger of
| change. Microsoft's position would be better if Vista didn't demand so much
| when the market wants so little.
`----

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/content/desktop_mobile/microsofts_big_problem_in_a_small_box.html?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535
http://tinyurl.com/2sg6xy

Linux is about to take over the low end of PCs

http://www.desktoplinux.com/news/NS2414535067.html

------------------------------

Message-ID: <3042827.N...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] Rich World of Photos with the Linux Desktop
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:42:41 +0000

Rediscovering my photos

,----[ Quote ]
| Two versions available: Picasa 2.2 for Linux or Picasa 2.7 beta. Since the
| beta version includes more features, including the ability to upload photos
| to a Web album, that’s the one I chose. Ubuntu users can download the Debian
| version, which installs easily and puts a handy shortcut in the Graphics
| section of the Applications menu.
|
| After starting up, Picasa offered to scan my machine for images. It did this
| fairly quickly, working in the background. Going through my 120GB hard disk
| and an 80GB external drive that I had mounted, it indexed thousands of images
| in 320 folders. A glitch caused some folders to be displayed more than once,
| but this wasn’t a major problem. I just removed the redundant folders.
`----

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=business6_jan1_2008

Picasa 2.7 for Linux

,----[ Quote ]
| Google has a preview release of Picasa 2.7 for Linux. The previous version
| launched last year didn't include the features from Picasa 2.5+ for Windows
| (like the Picasa Web integration), so this is a good opportunity to add these
| features to Linux.
`----

http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2007/12/picasa-27-for-linux.html

The Ultimate Wallet-Sized Photograph

,----[ Quote ]
| EmTrace has created the Widget One, a wallet-sized device that will gladly
| show photos and do all sorts of Linux-powered goodness.
`----

http://www.mobilemag.com/content/100/336/C14155/

------------------------------

Message-ID: <1377265.i...@schestowitz.com>
From: Roy Schestowitz <newsg...@schestowitz.com>
Subject: [News] Rankings of Free Software, Free Speech & Privacy
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:44:52 +0000

Best Ten Open Source Desktop Applications of 2007

,----[ Quote ]
| Many applications come and go everyday from our computers and, in the end,
| only the best remains. Therefore, we thought it was a good idea to pick ten
| of the best open source applications of the year that passed. The following
| classification is not a "who's the best or worst app" kind of list, it was
| made based on the most used and useful applications that helped us (the
| users) during the entire year. Without any further introduction, here are the
| finalists...
`----

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Best-Ten-Open-Source-Desktop-Applications-of-2007-74963.shtml

The 2007 International Privacy Ranking

,----[ Quote ]
| Each year since 1997, the US-based Electronic Privacy Information Centre and
| the UK-based Privacy International have undertaken what has now become the
| most comprehensive survey of global privacy ever published. The Privacy &
| Human Rights Report surveys developments in 70 countries, assessing the state
| of surveillance and privacy protection.
`----

http://www.privacyinternational.org/article.shtml?cmd%5b347%5d=x-347-559597

Bad for the UK.

No email privacy rights under Constitution, US gov claims

,----[ Quote ]
| This appears to be more than a mere argument in support of the
| constitutionality of a Congressional email privacy and access scheme. It
| represents what may be the fundamental governmental position on
| Constitutional email and electronic privacy - that there isn't any. What is
| important in this case is not the ultimate resolution of that narrow issue,
| but the position that the United States government is taking on the entire
| issue of electronic privacy. That position, if accepted, may mean that the
| government can read anybody's email at any time without a warrant.
`----

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/11/04/4th-amendment_email_privacy/

Microsoft patents the mother of all adware systems

,----[ Quote ]
| The adware framework would leave almost no data untouched in its quest to
| sell you stuff. It would inspect "user document files, user e-mail files,
| user music files, downloaded podcasts, computer settings, computer status
| messages (e.g., a low memory status or low printer ink)," and more. How could
| we have been so blind as to not see the marketing value in computer status
| messages?
`----

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070717-microsoft-patents-the-mother-of-all-adware-systems.html

,----[ Quote ]
| "Is this a good idea or not? For the first time, the giant software maker
| is acknowledging the help of the secretive agency, better known for
| eavesdropping on foreign officials and, more recently, U.S. citizens as
| part of the Bush..."
`----

http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2007/01/nsa_helps_micro_1.html

Can FOSS save your privacy?

,----[ Quote ]
| Well, the Bush regime has already claimed "we don't need no steenkin
| warrant" to listen to your phone calls, see what websites you visit,
| scan your emails, and now, with the revelation of a new
| "signing statement", it?s even claiming the authority to read your
| physical mail. When the government becomes the biggest threat to
| your privacy, you better take advantage of the legion of privacy
| advocates creating FOSS to help you retain what little bit of privacy
| you can still have.
|
| [...]
|
| However, just because your privacy is being threatened doesn't mean
| you have to accept it. There is a growing array of FOSS being
| developed to provide us with the ability to control our privacy.
| It's about time we all start using it.
`----

http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/blogs/can_foss_save_your_privacy

Polippix: The Political Linux Distribution of Denmark

,----[ Quote ]
| From what I have been able to determine, PROSA, the Association of
| Computer Professionals, is the group responsible for its development
| and distribution. Their feelings on how privacy is being affected in
| the country of Denmark are rather obvious, and it looks as if they
| are not going to take these concerns lying down.
`----

http://www.madpenguin.org/cms/?m=show&id=7822

Microsoft could be teaching police to hack Vista

,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft may begin training the police in ways to break the
| encryption built into its forthcoming Vista operating system.
`----

http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2150555/microsoft-teaching-police-hack

UK holds Microsoft security talks

,----[ Quote ]
| "UK officials are talking to Microsoft over fears the new version of
| Windows could make it harder for police to read suspects' computer files."
`----

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4713018.stm

------------------------------

End of Cola Digest

--
| Mark Kent -- mark at ellandroad dot demon dot co dot uk |
| News Digester |

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