Linux in the news
Recommended Reading
Trademarks: The Hidden Menace (The Washington Post)
In an article syndicated from PC World, The Washington Post looks at trademarks for free software. While the article is a bit over the top, it does make several good points about the conflict between freedom and trademarks. It also ignores a legitimate threat that trademarks can reduce: trojaned versions of popular software distributed as the original. "To be fair, at the time of the creation of the Enterprise distro, Red Hat also created the Fedora project to encourage the creation of an entirely unrestricted Linux distro. Novell did the same with the openSUSE project. But I can't help feeling that this was a way of paying-off the community -- throwing meat to the wolves, so they don't bite. With community projects to chew-on, people are less likely to bring-up troubling trademarking or redistribution issues. It seems to have worked too."
Trade Shows and Conferences
Linux Audio Update (Linux Journal)
Dave Phillips continues his outstanding coverage of Linux audio in an article over at Linux Journal. On tap in this column is a quick look at the Linux Audio Conference, held last month in Parma, Italy, as well as updates and new features in multiple audio, and audio-related, software projects. "This conference is a key "meeting of the minds" for Linux audio developers and users. Represented projects included Csound, the Q programming language, Pure Data (Pd), netjack and many others. Former conferences have been characterized by an abundance of fine conversation, music, food and wine, and reports indicate that organizer Fons Adriaensen maintained the tradition in excellent style. Judging from the quality of the papers I've read and the videos I've watched, LAC2009 appears to have been another successful event."
Companies
Enea Launches Embedded Linux jump start solution (SOA World)
SOA World reports on Enea's new Embedded Linux Project Framework. "Enea, one of the industry's leading suppliers of embedded Linux expertise, announces an innovative offering to jump start development of embedded Linux projects where performance and unique requirements are of central importance. The Enea Embedded Linux Project Framework (ELPF) is an entirely new approach that offers the core components, tools and services that are common to virtually all Embedded Linux projects in a single, one-stop package. Additional packages and components that are not widely used are available as required." LinuxDevices analyzes ELPF in more detail.
Interviews
Interview with Greg Dekoenigsberg - Red Hat Community Architect (LinuxQuestions)
LinuxQuestions talks with Greg Dekoenigsberg. "Shortly after we announced the split between Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Fedora, the job of "community manager" came open. At the time, it was largely an evangelist role, but I saw a lot of opportunities in the job. At the time, we'd made a promise -- to give the community a larger role in the development of Fedora -- that I thought we hadn't yet fulfilled. So I took the job, with the goal of helping Red Hat keep its promise to make Fedora a truly community-driven distribution."
Interview with Edward Hervey about the PiTiVI video editor (GnomeDesktop)
GnomeDesktop talks with Edward Hervey about the PiTiVi video editor. "There are many goals for PiTiVi, but I'd say the fundamental goal from which all other goals derive is to be a video editor framework without any limitations (unlike all other editors that have got very specific limitations to what they can do or support). Getting rid of the limitations of formats, devices, filters,... we can support is brought to us through the use of the GStreamer multimedia framework. All other editors have hardcoded this, whereas we can for example be proud in being the only Free editor not tied to any patent-encumbered libraries!"
The smallest unit of freedom: a Fellow (Fellowship of FSFE)
Stian Rødven Eide has interviewed Timo Jyrinki for the Fellowship of Free Software Foundation Europe. "In addition to being the friendly media face of Wikipedia Finland, the team contact for Ubuntu Finland and founder of local advocacy project Vapaa Suomi (Libre Finland), Timo Jyrinki has been involved as an active developer and translator for a wide range of Free Software organisations such as FSFE, Debian, GNOME and Openmoko. He has worked on computer graphics for much of his life, with a particular interest in human-computer interaction, and spends a lot of his current time making improvements to embedded systems. I had a lovely interview with Timo, in which he shared his thoughts on user interfaces, the Free Software situation in Finland and how businesses should let the community lead."
Resources
A Few Facts As Antidote Against Microsoft's anti-ODF FUD Campaign (Groklaw)
Groklaw has some facts about ODF (Open Document Format). "The best antidote against FUD is facts. FUD only works when people don't know any better. So, given some recent anti-ODF FUD in the air, I thought it would be useful to provide some facts. First, I'd like to show you who voted Yes to approve OpenDocument v1.1 as an OASIS Standard in January of 2007. ODF v1.2 is already being adopted by some now, of course, as development has continued, but Microsoft chose to stick with v1.1, so let's do the same. I think you'll find the list dispositive as to who is sincere in this picture. Next time you read some criticism of ODF, then, you can just take a look at the list and ask yourself what it tells you."
Reviews
Canonical aims for the cloud with new Ubuntu One (ars technica)
Ars technica tries out the Ubuntu One beta service. "At the current stage of development, the primary feature of Ubuntu One is file synchronization. The client software creates an Ubuntu One folder in the user's home directory and will keep the contents of this folder synchronized across multiple computers. The software will detect when files are modified on the local filesystem and will upload the changes to the Web service, which will then propagate the data to the rest of the user's computers."
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