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Linux in the news
Recommended Reading
Linux vs. Windows installation comparo, Part 3 (LinuxWorld)
Joe Barr continues his comparison of installing Linux and Windows with Red Hat Linux 8.0 vs. a newbie install of Windows XP. "The rules for the installation were the same as before: defaults rule. If a choice was offered and a default given, the default was taken. If a choice is offered, there is no default and Susan doesn't know what to do, she can ask me for guidance. The only exception to the above would be a case in which she knew that the default is wrong without asking."
Open Source is good for America - US military advised (Register)
The Register covers a report commissioned by the US military which concludes that open source and free software should play a greater part in the infrastructure of the U.S military. "Mitre Corporation's 152-page study addresses the extent of software libre, or FOSS-licensed software use - FOSS being "Free and Open Source Software" ... - in various branches of the military."
Companies
RealNetworks, U.S. government recognize power of open source (SiliconValley.com)
Dan Gillmor's latest column on SiliconValley.com looks at the Helix DNA Client code release. "Indeed, there's an echo in this development. Years ago, as Microsoft was turning Netscape into roadkill, Netscape announced it was moving key technology toward an open-source model as well. The Mozilla browser and development platform resulted, but not until Microsoft pretty much owned the browser market."
IBM plugs in new 'blade' server (ZDNet)
ZDNet looks at the latest computing blade products from IBM. "IBM on Wednesday unveiled a pair of dual-processor blades during a customer conference in Palm Springs, Fla., said Tim Dougherty, IBM's director of blade strategy. IBM's pSeries servers typically run Unix, but for its Power blades, the company expects the Linux operating system to be more popular, he said."
It's Linux for IBM supercomputer project (News.com)
News.com takes a look at IBM's newest line of Linux powered supercomputers. "Linux will be the main operating system for IBM's upcoming family of "Blue Gene" supercomputers--a major endorsement for the operating system and the open-source computing model it represents."
Open-Source Development Site Reaches Usage Milestones (TechWeb)
TechWeb reports that SourceForge.net now has 500,000 registered users, nearly 50,000 projects. "To support its growth, SourceForge.net began a migration to IBM's DB2 for Linux in August, with plans to be running fully on DB2 by mid-January 2003." That's a lot of eggs in one basket.
TCO is bottomline for Sun Linux PCs (ZDNet)
ZDNet covers a Gartner analysis of Sun's total cost of ownership advantage with Linux PCs. "Gartner sees an opportunity for Sun to create a relatively large cost differential compared to a mainstream PC, through lower-cost elements such as an Advanced Micro Devices processor and a lower software-licensing fee. Because Linux potentially consumes fewer resources, Sun could configure the system with a slower processor, less storage, and less memory. It can also carefully control the hardware, software, and messaging configuration to tune the systems for security and stability."
Business
Trustix clinches China Secure Linux deal (Register)
The Register covers a partnership between Trustix AS and Chinese server manufacturer Langchao Group to bundle its Trustix Linux Solutions Software (TLS) suite on the company's Intel-based hardware. "The Trustix portfolio includes the Secure Linux operating system distribution, as well as firewall, web server, proxy server, LAN server, web server, and mail server software through the TLS suite. The company has worked with IBM to deploy TLS on its xSeries servers for convenience retailer 7-Eleven, and most recently to replace an existing Novell network for sports car vendor Ferrari."
Study: Linux, .Net will dominate server market by 2009 (ComputerWorld.au)
The Australian ComputerWorld site looks at a study published by IT analyst company, Butler Group, part of Butler Direct Ltd. "Though Unix systems from Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP), IBM Corp. and Sun Microsystems Inc. will remain the server operating systems of choice through 2004, within seven years Linux and .Net will have fully penetrated the market from file and print servers, through to the mainframe, the Butler Group, in Hull, England, said in a statement outlining its study: "Server Operating Systems -- Winners and Losers in the Open/Proprietary OS Market."" Thanks to Vladimir Likic
Legal
U.S Congress ponders Open Source licenses
Some members of the U.S. Congress are looking into which software licenses will and will not be allowed for release of government-sponsored software. Alert LWN readers dwheeler, Barry Gould and Magnus Lycka have sent in links for three articles addressing this issue.This Newsforge article by Robin "Roblimo" Miller looks at how open source advocates are lobbying the U.S. congress as members decide which software licenses are and are not allowed for release of government-sponsored software.
InformationWeek focuses on Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., whose biggest campaign contributor is Microsoft, who has added an addendum to an official letter that criticized open-source software distributed under the GNU General Public License.
The topic is causing ripples as far away as Australia, as seen in this article in TheAge.
Resources
Embedded Linux Newsletter
The October 24, 2002 edition of the LinuxDevices Embedded Linux Newsletter is out with the latest Embedded Linux news.
Realfeel Test of the Preemptible Kernel Patch (Linux Journal)
Here's a Linux Journal article about the preemptible kernel patch, and its effect on the interrupt latency of a Linux system. The patch reduces the measured interrupt latency of the system, making it more appropriate for real-time applications. "For this work, interrupt latency is measured with an open benchmark called Realfeel, written by Mark Hahn. Realfeel issues periodic interrupts and measures the time needed for the computer to respond to these interrupts. Response times vary from interrupt to interrupt. Realfeel measures these interrupts and produces a histogram by putting the measurements into bins."
Build a Secure Webmail Service Supporting IMAP and SSL (Linux Journal)
Linux Journal has an article by Jose Nazario on building a remote, secure web-based email system. "This article describes how you can set up your Linux computer to be a web-based e-mail system for yourself or a group of friends. It will work best, of course, if you are on a dedicated internet connection, like a cable modem or a DSL line at home. This will provide you with a secure method to check your e-mail from remote locations without having to add insecure connection methods that could be used by an attacker. While your friends and coworkers complain about their free web based e-mail system being inaccessible, yours will be humming along."
Fabulous fonts in Linux (Register)
Here's a Register article about getting the best looking fonts in KDE. "One of the more common disappointments reported about the Linux GUI is clunky fonts under X. While it's true that they can look pretty rough out of the box, it's also true that sharpening them up is easy and well worth the effort, thanks to MS TrueType fonts and the open-source FreeType project which makes them useable on Linux. What follows is an explanation of how to get the most out of both, assuming KDE is your desktop manager. (I imagine this may work on other desktops, but KDE is the only one I'm well acquainted with.)"
Reviews
Torvalds: Linux 2.6 moving smoothly (ZDNet)
ZDNet examines the current Linux kernel release schedule. "Torvalds, the top programmer of the kernel at the center of the heart of the Linux software project, implemented a "feature freeze" for the 2.5 testing series, after which no new features will be permitted. The deadline is set for the end of October. Also, Torvalds said "early next year" will be the "code freeze," when the gates close for the software for those features."
Lindows 3 near--desktop Linux summit set (ZDNet)
ZDNet reviews the upcoming LindowsOS 3.0 Membership Edition, "Lindows.com has fixed a date for the "General Release" of its operating system software, promising that Lindows 3.0 will be available from mid-November. The company also announced that Hewlett-Packard and other companies will be sponsoring the Desktop Linux Summit next year."
A mixed welcome for Unreal Tournament 2003 on Linux (LinuxWorld)
Joe Barr doesn't think the Linux version of Unreal Tournament 2003 from Epic Games is quite ready for prime time, in this LinuxWorld article. "The rest of the news about the Linux port of UT 2003 is not so good. There are issues. And there remains in my mind a big question: why has the Linux release been slipstreamed into something of a stealth release? There is also one big issue that you need to be aware of before you rush out to buy the boxed version, but I'm getting ahead of myself."
Miscellaneous
Painless Linux (TECHWR-L)
A technial writer's publication known as TECHWR-L looks at Linux for a technical writer's platform. "The truth is, most of what you think you know about Linux is outdated. Today, most types of Linux have a graphical install, balk only at hardware that specifically requires a copy of Windows, and (depending on your choices) can be installed in as little as fifteen minutes. And, once you're up and running, you can use Linux applications for almost all your work-related computing. Diehards can use a distribution like Slackware to install the old-fashioned hard way, but installing and using Linux is only slightly harder than doing the same things under Windows. The program names, unfortunately, are still with us. You can't win them all." Thanks to Bruce Byfield.
Kernel Developer Hans Reiser to Speak at SVLUG (Linux Journal)
Linux Journal covers the upcoming meeting of SVLUG, where the featured speaker will be Hans Reiser, architect of the Reiser filesystem and founder of namesys. "Why is Reiser4 50-100% faster than version 3? Find out at SVLUG."
EDC developer survey: Linux, Windows neck-and-neck in embedded (LinuxDevices)
LinuxDevices.com covers data recently compiled by Evans Data Corp. which says Linux and Windows are running neck-and-neck in terms of developer use for future projects. "Interestingly, Wind River's VxWorks embedded OS, which is generally considered to be the encumbent embedded software market leader, trails slightly behind Embedded Linux for current project use. Additionally, VxWorks' modest gain of just 2.9 percentage points for expected use in future projects drops it to a distant third place position, ending up with less than half the usage rate of the two neck-and-neck future project usage leaders (Windows Embedded and Embedded Linux)."
Open Saucery (Dr. Dobb's)
"Verity Stob" pokes fun at open-source announcements on Dr. Dobb's. "Will there be lots of feeble Open Source wordplay, for example, referring to the FSF as a bunch of "gnerds"?"
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