Linux in the news
Recommended Reading
What Can't Open Source Achieve in the Next 10 Years? (Linux Journal)
Glyn Moody ponders the possibilities for the next ten years of open-software development. "Against this background, then, I'd like to pose a question: what can't open source achieve in the next ten years? I phrase it this way, because it emphasises the fact that free software is likely to achieve much more than we might think. After all, who ten years ago would have been bold enough to predict that IBM - the archetypal conservative corporation - would place GNU/Linux at the heart of its strategy, or that the then-new Java would one day be released under the GNU GPL?"
Disgruntled Debian developers delay Etch (Linux-Watch)
Linux-Watch looks at delays in the Debian Etch release. "Debian GNU/Linux 4.0, codenamed Etch, had been due to arrive by December 4, 2006, but it's been delayed because some developers have deliberately slowed down their work."
Trade Shows and Conferences
Linux desktop architects map out plans for 2007 (Linux.com)
Joe 'Zonker' Brockmeier covers the Desktop Architecture Meeting in Portland, Ore. "One of the priorities coming out of DAM3 is fixing the sound experience on the Linux desktop. Sound is a mess on the Linux desktop, and developers are finally starting to turn their attention to clearing up the muddle. McQuillan says, "By far, the most important thing coming out of DAM3 was the understanding that we need the audio/multimedia system to finally settle down and adopt a single robust API.""
Companies
MySQL is NOT abandoning Debian (Linux-Watch)
Linux-Watch quashes rumors about losing support for the MySQL dbms on the Debian distribution. "In a note from MySQL AB public relations, a MySQL representative said, "MySQL AB apologizes for any miscommunication that may have implied that the MySQL database does not run on the popular Debian Linux operating system, or that the company does not offer technical support for MySQL Enterprise subscribers using Debian." She continued, "We have a strong commitment to Debian and other forms of Linux - for both open source community developers and corporate enterprises." Further, "The Debian Linux operating system is an active, growing and successful platform for the MySQL database to run on.""
SUSE co-founder returns to Novell (Linux-Watch)
Linux-Watch reports that Hubert Mantel has returned to Novell. "Mantel rejoined Novell in the beginning of December. And, according to Novell spokesperson Kevan Barney, he's already hard at work. Mantel is now the team leader of the kernel QA team and he's "back in the swing of things with a full workload.""
Linux at Work
CRYPTOCard Protects Linux Network for Over 2000 Schools in the North of England (SYS-CON)
SYS-CON Brasil reports on a deal between CRYPTOCard and the Yorkshire & Humber Grid for Learning in which two-factor authentication tokens have been provided for more than 500 people. "The YHGfL network, which runs on a Linux environment to help the not-for-profit organization keep costs down, opted for CRYPTOCards KT-1 two-factor authentication keychain token solution because it was cheaper than other products and could run on open source software."
Interviews
Scribus Team in the Spotlight (KDE.News)
KDE.News presents an interview with members of the Scribus WYSIWYG page layout application core team. "Q:What do you think about Microsoft's initiative to replace PDF with XPS, the XPS itself and its strategy of semi-opening specs? Is import of OpenXML documents planned to be implemented in Scribus using existing specs? PL:XPS has some interesting features, but as yet, we will have to see what the uptake is. PDF is not going away any time soon, there is too much serious investment at least in the printing industry in PDF. It solves many problems which were painful and expensive to overcome in the past."
Interview: syslog-ng 2.0 developer (Linux.com)
Linux.com talks with syslog-ng 2.0 developer Balázs Scheidler. "syslog-ng is an alternative system logging tool, a replacement for the standard Unix syslogd system-event logging application. Featuring reliable logging to remote servers via the TCP network protocol, availability on many platforms and architectures, and high-level message filtering capabilities, syslog-ng is part of several Linux distributions. We discussed the highlights of last month's version 2.0 release with the developer, Balázs Scheidler."
Resources
Introduction to NIS, the Network Information Service (Linux.com)
Linux.com presents an excerpt from the book Linux Administration Handbook, Second Edition by Evi Nemeth, Garth Snyder, and Trent Hein on the topic of NIS. "NIS, released by Sun in the 1980s, was the first "prime time" administrative database. It was originally called the Sun Yellow Pages, but eventually had to be renamed for legal reasons. NIS commands still begin with the letters yp, so it's hard to forget the original name. NIS was widely adopted among Unix vendors and is supported by every Linux distribution."
Semantic Wikis and Disaster Relief Operations (XML.com)
O'Reilly's XML.com has an article on the use of semantic wikis for support disaster response and humanitarian efforts. "Access to timely information is critical for relief operations in emergency situations. Over the last years social-networking web systems, such as wikis, have become more and more sophisticated and can also be applied fruitfully in humanitarian information management. However, a major drawback of the Web currently is that its content is not machine-readable, a shortcoming that is addressed by the Semantic Web approach."
Reviews
A survey of Linux file managers (Linux.com)
Linux.com takes a look at file managers. "Linux file manager ontogeny encapsulates the history of GNU/Linux. File managers began as command-line and generic graphical tools and progressed to desktop-specific ones, gaining sophistication along the way, with mouse controls, for example, replacing buttons. Today, the more than a dozen options highlighted here will suit users with widely varied interests."
Pepper Pad offers Linux Web tablet for sofa surfing (Buffalo News)
The Buffalo News reviews the Linux-based Pepper Pad 3. "Even if the universal remote function had worked, its usefulness would be limited by the Pad's battery life of about two and a half hours. The sleep mode would extend this, but you wouldn't want to wait even 9 seconds for your remote to boot up every time you wanted to pause a DVD. The battery life issue isn't unique to the Pad - it's something that bedevils the whole field. 'Wireless' Web tablets just don't seem that useful if have to keep them plugged in."
KDE 4: the ultimate business desktop? (Computerworld)
ComputerWorld takes a look at KDE4. "Since beginning as a one-person project over ten years ago, the fourth generation of the K Desktop Environment (KDE) is poised to be the most business-friendly open source desktop to date with a host of new features ideal for enterprises. KDE 4 is now in rapid development and is scheduled for release sometime next year, with the final date still to be decided."
Top Linux photo managers side-by-side (Linux.com)
Linux.com compares the DigiKam, F-Spot, GQview, imgSeek and Picasa photo management applications. "While a full-fledged image editor may be the best way to repair digital photos, most of the time users need only to make minor touch-ups; it is organizing, sorting, and finding a specific photo that eat up all the time. For that task, as is often the case with Linux, you have several options to choose from. Let's take a look at the major photo management applications, and compare them side by side."
Miscellaneous
Education, information access top Mellon Foundation award winners (NewsForge)
NewsForge looks at the Mellon Foundation award winners. "The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation earlier this month announced the first winners in its planned annual Mellon Awards for Technology Collaboration (MATC), granting 10 recipients cash prizes of $50,000 to $100,000. The awards recognize contributions to open source software that benefit higher education and nonprofit organizations."
SPI to transfer domain names to OSI (NewsForge)
NewsForge covers the transfer of the opensource.org domain name to the Open Source Initiative. "However, the issue dates back to 1998, when Bruce Perens left SPI to help found OSI and failed to transfer rights to the domain. The issue has been contentious ever since, with OSI regularly requesting the transfer and many SPI supporters arguing against it on the grounds that OSI was not suitably governed for a non-profit society -- an argument that often seems to have been a front for hostility left over from the original split between the two organizations. Opposition to the transfer seems to be especially strong among Debian developers, the largest and oldest project supported by SPI."
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