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Fedora Core 4 Test1: Features Over Stability

Following the release of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 4 last month, the developers of the world's most prominent Linux distribution have been freed of the immense responsibility that goes into producing a quality enterprise-class operating system and were once again able to experiment with cutting edge software releases. That's because, for the Red Hat engineers, Fedora Core 4 is the start of a new release cycle on the road to RHEL 5. The distribution will go through the usual testing phases and stability checks, before several interim releases (speaking from the RHEL's point of view). Then about a year and three releases later, Fedora Core will likely be declared a well-tested and solid base on which to build the Red Hat's flagship product. This gives us an exciting opportunity to peek at the innovations that will be part of our every-day computing lives in the not too distant future. Your writer was unable to resist the temptation and decided to check out the hot-off-the-presses Fedora Core 4 Test1 (FC4T1).

Fedora Core 4 Test1 couldn't possibly be any more bleeding edge. Although it is based on a stable Linux kernel 2.6 11, it includes beta or RC releases of GNOME 2.10, KDE 3.4 and OpenOffice.org 2.0, as well as several experimental releases of important packages, such as LVM2, RPM and yum. On top of it, all packages have been compiled with the yet-to-be-released GCC 4.0. Other "firsts" include Java packages for developers, the Eclipse IDE (also a development version), and support for the PPC and PPC64 architectures. All this should give much entertainment to even the most hardcore beta testers out there. We downloaded the DVD ISO image for the x86_64 architecture and installed it on a computer built on top of an AMD64 3500+ processor (2.2GHz), K8N Neo2 (Socket939) MSI mainboard, and 2 GB of DDR SDRAM.

If we still had any doubts about just how experimental this test release was, they were quickly gone as soon as we completed the installation and rebooted the system. First, we noticed a high number of Python-related errors during the boot. Then, instead of the usual configuration dialog ("firstboot"), we were dropped straight into a GDM login screen (at 800x600 pixel resolution), with the only available account being the root account created earlier. Those Python errors came to haunt us soon afterward, as we were unable to launch many applications (included most of Red Hat's configuration dialogs) and could not connect to Red Hat Networks to check for updates. Evolution crashed during account configuration and OpenOffice.org wouldn't start at all. To add insult to injury, opening Firefox greeted us with: "There ought to be release notes for Fedora Core 3.90 here, but there aren't. In the meantime, we bring you this ASCII art hat."

To sum it up, the x86_64 edition of Fedora Core 4 Test1 is broken. It is not completely unusable, because the GNOME desktop came up nicely and Nautilus also worked (and, as one of the testers on the Fedora Test mailing list remarked, "the console was very fast"). But surely, there is more to personal computing than file management! In a desperate attempt to improve the experience and to find something positive to write about, we tried a few things, such as "yum update" (which failed too, reporting several unmet dependencies), and visited the mailing list to see whether other testers have fared better. But apart from further bug reports about grub-install, which insists on installing GRUB into the Master Boot Record, and the usual failed media check during installation, we were unable to find a panacea for the half-broken operating system.

Nevertheless, some of the individual yum updates turned out to be improvements. The Python problem was solved by 'yum update gnome-python2', which meant that the Red Hat utilities, including Red Hat Networks, were working again. A new version of Nautilus was also available - this one was slightly better because we were able to complete the initial account setup, although it still crashed shortly afterward. But no amount of package updates were able to bring OpenOffice.org to life; it stubbornly refused to start without giving away any clues as to the reason for its behavior. Of course, the rawhide tree is undergoing a large amount of updates daily, so a fix might be available by the time you read this. But it became rather clear during our brief experimenting that, as development releases go, FC4T1 is more like a very early alpha, with many broken or non-functional packages and unusually sluggish desktops, both GNOME and KDE.

One group of people who are likely to be excited about the new features in FC4 are Java developers. Included in this release are the Ant "make" facility (version 1.6.2), GCJ GNU compiler for Java, Tomcat (5.0.30), the Apache Struts Web Application Framework (1.1) and even the Eclipse Integrated Development Environment (version 3.1.0) with a several popular plugins. This comes at the expense of a number of long-standing open source applications that were "relegated" to Fedora Extras and will no longer be part of the core system. AbiWord, Gnumeric, KOffice, Exim, Sylpheed, Tuxracer and XEmacs are among the affected packages, so users who need them will need to get them from the "extras" repository from now on.

Fedora Core 4 is undoubtedly the most ambitious Fedora release to date. The developers are going through similar pains as they experienced during the first test release of Fedora Core 2 over a year ago, which introduced kernel 2.6 and SELinux functionality into the distribution. That release was also barely usable and even the final product wasn't the most bug-free distribution in the world. It took another 8 months of solid debugging before a much improved and stable Fedora Core 3 was released. I suspect that we will see a similar pattern here. If you are a tinkerer who takes pleasure in navigating Bugzillas, and who routinely builds RPM packages from CVS sources, then you will likely enjoy this release. As for the rest of you, save your blank CDs and DVDs for FC4 Test2, or for another distribution.

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New Releases

The Ubuntu 5.04 preview is available

The folks at Ubuntu have made available a preview version of the "Hoary Hedgehog" release. There is no end of good stuff in this release; click below for the details.

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Accessible Ubuntu LiveCD announced (GnomeDesktop)

GnomeDesktop takes a look at the release of an accessibility-focused version of the Ubuntu LiveCD. This is the second testing/proof of concept release of an accessible derivative of the Hoary Live CD, based on the recently released Ubuntu preview. This CD aims to give blind/vision impaired Linux users a chance to use the Gnopernicus screen reader, and explore the many features and applications of the GNOME and Ubuntu desktop.

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Announcing Fedora Core 4 test1

The first test release in the Fedora Core 4 development cycle is now available for i386, x86_64, and PPC/PPC64. This release has gcc 4.0, GNOME 2.10.0 Beta 2, and more. Click below for more information.

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Terra Soft Releases Y-HPC for YDL v4.0.1

Terra Soft Solutions has announced the release of Y-HPC for Yellow Dog Linux v4.0.1, featuring a rebuild against the 2.6.10 kernel. "Y-HPC is Terra Soft's 64-bit PowerPC Linux operating system and cluster construction/management suite. In use by the Department of Energy, Department of Defense, University labs, and corporations nation-wide, Y-HPC offers a full 64-bit code development foundation and an advanced, rapid cluster construction and management suite."

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Novell Ships Open Enterprise Server

Novell, Inc. has announced that Novell(R) Open Enterprise Server is now available to customers worldwide. Open Enterprise Server combines NetWare(R) and SUSE(R) LINUX Enterprise Server.

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Distribution News

Ubuntu: Next Release Codename + Mascot Competition

A codename has been chosen for Ubuntu 5.10, the Breezy Badger. Work will begin on the Breezy Badger in April, once the Hoary Hedgehog reaches a final, stable release. A stable Breezy Badger is expected in October 2005.

Also found in this announcement (click below) is the Breezy Badger Mascot Competition. "The Breezy Badger is an extremely rare South American breed, not a friend of colder climates. ;-) Obviously, submissions should depict a badger!" The competition closes on April 25, 2005.

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SUSE Linux Professional 9.3 coming

SUSE has sent out a press release announcing the April availability of SUSE Linux Professional 9.3. "SUSE LINUX Professional includes a stable and reliable Linux operating system plus a complete set of desktop applications -- office suite, Web browser, e-mail and instant messaging clients, multimedia viewers, photo organizers, and other popular open source applications. It also features the latest tools for setting up a secure home network, running a Web server, developing applications and more. SUSE LINUX 9.3 also provides a sneak peak into upcoming server-based Linux, including the XEN virtualization environment and intuitive search engines."

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Debian proposes dropping most architectures

The Debian Project release team has proposed that most architectures (all but i386, amd64, PowerPC, and ia-64) be dropped from the main distribution after the sarge release. "The release team and the ftpmasters are mutually agreed that it is not sustainable to continue making coordinated releases for as many architectures as sarge currently contains, let alone for as many new proposed architectures as are waiting in the wings." Debian ports to the dropped architectures would remain (via a new "second class citizen" mechanism) as long as people continue to maintain them, but they would not be part of the core Debian distribution. Click below for the full announcement.

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Final announcement of 2005 DPL election debate

Finding a time to get all six candidates for Debian Project Leader together for a debate was not an easy task. Now a date and time has been set. The 2005 DPL IRC Debate will be held on Wednesday March 16, at 06:00 UTC. Click below for details.

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Additional Debian Bits

Bits from the CD team (2005-03-16): "We're increasing the amount of space available for CD and DVD ISO images on cdimage.debian.org so we can host full images for both woody and sarge for a period after the release. A newly donated RAID array is on the way from HP (thanks!) to accommodate this. This should hopefully be in place and serving images within the next week."

Bits from the Testing Security team:

Contents of this message:
	What the Testing Security Team has been up to
	How can I leverage my powerful brain to aid you?
	Let the games begin!
	This is fun, how else can I help?

More bits from SPI: covers a SPI board meeting held March 15, 2005. Topics include date and time of the next meeting, tax filing, accounting update, purcel, old resolutions, and more.

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LinuxQuestions.org adds Officially Recognized Ubuntu Forum

LinuxQuestions.org has added a forum for Ubuntu Linux. ""We are very excited to have an Ubuntu section at LinuxQuestions, it will be a great additional resource for current and new Ubuntu users", said Ryan Troy, Admin of ubuntuforums.org."

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New Distributions

Xline

Xline is a European distribution of Linux, an advanced operating system based on the GNU/Linux core with many additional packages. It is compatible with the architectures x86 (including Pentium and Athlon), amd64 (including Opteron, Athlon 64 and EM64T), Alpha/AXP, IA-64, PC-98, UltraSPARC and PowerPC. Development is open to everyone; developers, testers, translators, etc. GNOME is the default desktop, at least in the initial development of Xline.

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Foresight Desktop Linux

Foresight Desktop Linux is a distribution which showcases some of the latest and greatest from GNOME. Some of the things that may not be mature enough for some of the other distros. It's got Mono, beagle, f-spot, howl, the latest hal, Conary for package management, and more. (Found on GnomeDesktop)

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Distribution Newsletters

Debian Weekly News

The Debian Weekly News for March 15, 2005 is available. This issue covers an upload of the first version of the dbconfig-common package which implements a general database maintenance interface, the DebConf 5 Call for Papers is closed, the Debian logo license, automatic integration of USB storage, a license for documentation, key management on a USB stick, proper etiquette for election discussions, Sarge release status, post-Sarge release plans, and more.

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Gentoo Weekly Newsletter

The Gentoo Weekly Newsletter for the week of March 14, 2005 is out, with a look at the launch of Planet Gentoo, the Gentoo UK Conference, and several other topics.

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DistroWatch Weekly, Issue 91

The DistroWatch Weekly for March 14, 2005 is out. "It is "CeBIT" time again, which means lots of interesting news and announcements. It seems that the CeBIT edition of KNOPPIX 3.8 is a runaway success and there is a lot to look forward to next month when SUSE LINUX 9.3 starts shipping. Plenty of excitement on the desktop front too, with the brand new GNOME 2.10 freshly out of the oven and KDE 3.4 following shortly. Also, don't miss our much improved distribution search engine with several new features added within the last few days! Enjoy!"

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Minor distribution updates

dyne:bolic 1.4.1 codename LUMUMBA

Dyne:bolic GNU/Linux version 1.4.1 has been released. This is release implements important stability fixes concluding the development of the 1.x series of dyne:bolic.

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Lineox Releases Lineox Enterprise Linux 4.0 x86_64

Lineox has released Lineox Enterprise Linux 4.0 for x86_64. Lineox has also released two Always Current x86_64 versions of Lineox Enterprise Linux 4.0 to syncronize it with x86 version.

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Linspire Five-0 released

Linspire has announced the availability of the latest version of its distribution which, perhaps in honor of bad 1970's TV, is called "Linspire Five-0". "Highlights include a completely revised and streamlined graphical interface, improved laptop and hardware support, significant Internet optimization, and dozens of enhanced software applications to provide a complete user experience." Book it, Danno!

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Announcing the availability of White Box Enterprise Linux 3.0 Respin 2

White Box Enterprise Linux 3.0 Respin 2 is now available. This release is purely a maintenance release to pick up the accumulated errata since Respin 1 in June '04. "It includes all errata issued from upstream through the end of Feb 05, with the exception of the kernel. The kernel is the older one issued with Red Hat, Inc.'s Update 4 so that binary driver discs made available by 3rd party hardware vendors should be compatible with this rebuild release."

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Announcing YES Linux 2.2 Build 1

The YES Linux Release Team has announced the immediate availability of YES Linux 2.2 Build 1. This is the second build of YES Linux 2.2, with lots of updated packages, and a few new ones. This release features updates to bind-utils, php, openssh, sudo, and mod_security (IDS).

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Package updates

Fedora Core updates

Updates for Fedora Core 3: hwbrowser-0.20-0.fc3.1 (fix deprecation warnings), bind-9.2.5-1 (upgrade to ISC BIND 9.2.5 final), openoffice.org-1.1.3-9.5.0.fc3 (bug fixes), NetworkManager-0.3.4-1.1.0.fc3 (many bug fixes), at-3.1.8-68_FC3 (bug fixes), koffice-1.3.5-0.FC3.2 (bug fixes), qt-3.3.4-0.fc3.0 (upgrade to v3.3.4), ImageMagick-6.0.7.1-5.fc3 (bug fixes), system-config-samba-1.2.28-0.fc3.1 (bug fixes), kdenetwork-3.3.1-3 (CVS backport with bug fixes), udev-039-10.FC3.7 (some start_udev fixes).

Updates for Fedora Core 2: openoffice.org-1.1.3-9.4.0.fc2 (updates and bug fixes).

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Mandrakelinux update to lvm2

A bug in the lvm2 packages (in Mandrakelinux v10.1) caused it to recurse symlinked directories indefinitely which caused lvm commands to be really slow or timeout. A patch has been applied to correct this problem.

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Newsletters and articles of interest

amaroK Teams Up with CC/Wired CD to Create amaroK Live (KDE.News)

KDE.News takes a look at a new KDE-centric live CD that comes with a fully functional amaroK music player. "The KDE-centric PCLinuxOS LiveCD distro was used as a base to create this really cool Live CD. amaroK Live is not so much a Live CD distro as it is a demonstration of a really cool music player. It is a stripped down Live CD (only 289MB including the music) with a fully functional amaroK music player bundled with the tracks commissioned last year by Wired Magazine, which are distributed under the Creative Commons Sampling Licenses. It includes - among other major artists - tracks by the Beastie Boys and David Byrne."

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Two floppy-based firewalls (NewsForge)

NewsForge turns old hardware into a firewall using floppyfw and Coyote Linux.

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Fedora makes rapid progress (Netcraft)

Netcraft reports that Fedora is the fastest growing Linux distribution in the web server survey. "Based on distribution names contained in the server banner, Fedora has outpaced all its rivals over the last six months, growing fastest both in absolute numbers and in relative terms."

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Distribution reviews

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 (eWeek)

eWeek reviews Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4. "Red Hat's enterprise-targeted Linux distribution delivers an open-source platform that's up-to-date, well-tested and ready to serve a diverse set of IT services. Version 4 marks the debut of the Linux 2.6 kernel in RHEL, allowing the operating system to scale much better than previous versions on multiprocessor systems. Sporting the latest productivity applications for Linux, RHEL fits well on corporate desktops as well."

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My Workstation OS: Linspire 4.5 (NewsForge)

NewsForge has a mini review of Linspire. "Built on a Debian Linux core, Linspire is designed for simplicity of use, and it delivers this in spades. Linspire eliminates the need for me to be technically proficient in the nuances of Linux to successfully operate and enjoy the OS. This includes loading software, staying updated, and never seeing a command-line interface. It makes it very easy to just get on with what I have to do and not worry about the technicalities of using a Linux-based system."

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