Top 5 iPod Alternatives for Linux Users Learning Ubuntu: "Why support a company that doesn't support what you use?
The iPod is a great MP3 player, but there are several other MP3 players which are better then the iPod, and support all of the major operating systems as well." (Nov 15, 2009)
Linux Today Features
Linux Today Sticky Page On this page we'll maintain links to important articles and documents that pertain to Free Software, Linux, and the tech industry. Please submit your suggestions to editors@linuxtoday.com. Thank you! (Jun 15, 2009)
Small Features
Editor's Note: Cloud is Just Another Word for "Sucker"
We might warn about privacy, security, and reliability problems in cloud computing, but it's coming and we can't stop it. So do we join the cloud party? Heck no. Nov 14, 2009
Enhancing openSUSE 11.2: Adding Repositories and Packages (Nov 20, 2009, 22:03 UTC) (564 reads)
(0 talkbacks)
(feedback) Linux.com: "So you've got that shiny new openSUSE 11.2 system up and running. Now what? The default repositories have plenty of software, but there's much more for openSUSE in community and semi-official repositories that you might find useful."
A Northwest Nobel option? (Linus for the Nobel Peace prize) (Nov 20, 2009, 21:33 UTC) (509 reads)
(3 talkbacks)
(feedback) Ridenbaugh Press/Northwest: "It would be fitting to honor that international effort by giving a Peace Prize to Linus Torvalds, perhaps in 2011 on the 20th anniversary of the August 1991 Linux announcement, or in 2012 on the 50th anniversary of Pauling’s award."
Win a CodeWeavers Linux Gaming Rig (Nov 20, 2009, 20:03 UTC) (591 reads)
(0 talkbacks)
(feedback) Wine Reviews: "Any customer purchasing CrossOver Games or CrossOver Professional until November 25th will be automatically registered to win this loaded CodeWeavers Gaming PC."
Intel Linux Graphics Shine With Fedora 12 (Nov 20, 2009, 19:03 UTC) (1091 reads)
(0 talkbacks)
(feedback) Phoronix: "Intel's Linux graphics driver stack is often at the forefront of X.Org / Mesa innovations, from Intel being the first driver having in-kernel video memory management to being the first driver with mainline kernel mode-setting support to even being the driver that often first receives support for new OpenGL extensions in Mesa."
Eva's Useful Guide to Ubuntu 9.10 (updated!) (Nov 20, 2009, 18:03 UTC) (1528 reads)
(0 talkbacks)
(feedback) Johannes Eva: "Welcome to the third edition of Eva's Useful Guide to Ubuntu!
This guide contains many tips to enhance and customize a fresh Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" installation."
Amarok 2.2.1 (Nov 20, 2009, 15:03 UTC) (1085 reads)
(0 talkbacks)
(feedback) ItRunsOnLinux: "Only 6 weeks after the launch of Amarok 2.2.0, the Amarok team is proud to present the next release in the 2.2 series: Amarok 2.2.1. This audio-player can play various audio-file formats & audio-streams. While the developers have focused on fixing bugs and polishing existing features, a few new features make their appearance as well."
Droid Could Bring Motorola Back From Dead (Nov 20, 2009, 12:47 UTC) (1566 reads)
(0 talkbacks)
(feedback) Ron Miller: "Until Motorola came out with the Droid, they were the forgotten cell phone company, but it wasn't that long ago that everyone wanted one of their phones: the Razr. This was in 2004, in the days before the iPhone when smart phones were found only in the pockets of executives and sales people."
Nokia N900: First Look (Nov 20, 2009, 12:03 UTC) (2430 reads)
(0 talkbacks)
(feedback) Linux Journal: "I've had the opportunity evaluate a pre-release N900 for a few weeks now, and while you can expect a full review in an upcoming issue of Linux Journal, I wanted to give you a quick look into what the N900 is like from the perspective of your average Linux geek"
Fedora 12 boasts enhanced performance, improved reporting, better graphics (Nov 20, 2009, 11:03 UTC) (1619 reads)
(0 talkbacks)
(feedback) TechRepublic: "Today, Fedora 12 was released (November 17, 2009). This is perhaps one of the most significant Fedora releases to date, for a few reasons. A lot of performance enhancements under the hood make this a much more tightly optimized release for x86 (32bit) systems."
What Applications Should be in the Standard Installation? (Nov 20, 2009, 06:03 UTC) (1574 reads)
(0 talkbacks)
(feedback) I Been to Ubuntu: "You may have heard that GIMP and F-Spot aren't safe for inclusion in 10.04. 700MB isn't much space to work with Why not question all the applications in Ubuntu, then? What should be in the default installation?"
Haiku OS Alpha 1 Screenshots (Nov 20, 2009, 00:03 UTC) (2410 reads)
(0 talkbacks)
(feedback) Nuxified: "As you may or may not know Haiku OS Alpha 1 was recently released. It is a full featured and improved clone of the old BeOS. OSNews has a nice review starting with a bit of history."
SECURITY: 64-bits of protection? (Nov 19, 2009, 21:33 UTC) (1718 reads)
(2 talkbacks)
(feedback) Sure, It's Secure!: ""64-bit Windows [does] has some of the lowest reported malware infection rates in the first half of 2009.""
Open messaging for the Open Web: Installing and configuring Mozilla Raindrop on (Nov 19, 2009, 21:03 UTC) (978 reads)
(0 talkbacks)
(feedback) Free Software Magazine: "I was intrigued by Raindrop and having used other Mozilla lab experimental software I was determined to see what all the hype was about. If you like the idea of combining a tool for aggregating Twitter, e-mail, RSS and other social Web 2.0 stuff with free and open standards then read on."
Making your mixed KDE and GNOME desktop look cool (Nov 19, 2009, 20:03 UTC) (2099 reads)
(0 talkbacks)
(feedback) Frederik's Blog: "Here’s a howto for Debian and Mandriva which explains how to make your desktop look nice if you’re using a mix of KDE and GTK+. Because Ubuntu is based on Debian, this howto might also apply to Ubuntu, but I have not verified this."
How to Downgrade Gnome Display Manager 2.28 to 2.20 in Ubuntu 9.10 (Nov 19, 2009, 19:33 UTC) (1316 reads)
(0 talkbacks)
(feedback) Ubuntu Geek: "IMHO the new gdm 2.28 shipped by default with Ubuntu 9.10 is really just work in progress. It’s fine for what it currently supports, but it does not support the range of functionality that gdm 2.20 does. Perhaps the biggest issue is Multiseat X."
Midgard2 9.09 "Mjolnir" released (Nov 19, 2009, 19:03 UTC) (725 reads)
(0 talkbacks)
(feedback) Midgard: "The Midgard Project has released stable release of Midgard2 9.09 "Mjolnir" - second release of the new generation of the Midgard content repository."
CPU Hotswapping and how to disable processors (Nov 19, 2009, 18:33 UTC) (1613 reads)
(0 talkbacks)
(feedback) Patrick's Playground: "Here's something awesome I found mostly by accident:
In recent kernels the support for hotswapping CPUs works on x86/amd64 architectures."
Introducing OpenShot (Nov 19, 2009, 17:03 UTC) (1420 reads)
(1 talkbacks)
(feedback) Linux Journal: "OpenShot (Figure 1) is a non-linear editor (NLE) for video. The "non-linear" qualifier simply means that you can play, edit, and mix video footage in any order or at any point you wish. In addition to this random access a modern digital NLE is typically non-destructive, thereby allowing free experimentation with edits and effects while leaving your original material in pristine condition."
Fedora, Still Pushing The Envelope (Nov 19, 2009, 16:03 UTC) (1798 reads)
(0 talkbacks)
(feedback) Linux Magazine: "The latest release of Fedora is out, offering a number of major improvements over its predecessor. Just exactly what does it have to offer the end user, and is it worth the upgrade?"
SECURITY: Federal officers use video game console to catch child pornographers
(Nov 19, 2009, 15:03 UTC) (1172 reads)
(0 talkbacks)
(feedback) Axcess News: "For most Playstation 3 users, the criminals they catch and the victims they save are just pixilated simulations on a TV screen.
But some federal officers are using the gaming console to protect children and catch predators in real life."
Head to Head: Windows 7 vs Ubuntu 9.10 (Nov 19, 2009, 14:03 UTC) (3729 reads)
(2 talkbacks)
(feedback) IT Pro: "Windows 7 turns to face its latest challenger in the form of Ubuntu 9.10, the latest and greatest flavour of Linux to be released."
Why the GPL Sinks SCO's Copyright Infringement Claims, Even if it Owned the Copyrights (Nov 19, 2009, 09:03 UTC) (1752 reads)
(0 talkbacks)
(feedback) Groklaw: "I've started to wonder if Novell or IBM has explained to SCO's Chapter 11 Trustee Edward Cahn how the GPL works. It cuts through all the other ways SCO is bound to lose, in my view. Then, I thought: why not just explain it myself? You never know. It might prove useful to put it all in one place. So, here goes, SCO and the GPL."
Fedora 12 Installation and Post Installation Guide (Nov 18, 2009, 23:04 UTC) (2417 reads)
(0 talkbacks)
(feedback) My Guides: "If you haven't done already download Fedora dvd , install it and let's move on to our system's configuration part. I hope this guide will help you learn the basics of Fedora Linux!"
Mac OS X 10.6.2 vs. Ubuntu 9.10 Benchmarks (Nov 18, 2009, 22:34 UTC) (2565 reads)
(1 talkbacks)
(feedback) Phoronix: "As we await the release of FreeBSD 8.0 to deliver a larger operating system comparison, we have carried out a fresh round of tests comparing Mac OS X 10.6.2 and Ubuntu 9.10 (both x86 and x86_64 editions) under a variety of tests."
Doctors All, Car Crashes, and Insurance
(Nov 18, 2009, 21:34 UTC) (1148 reads)
(0 talkbacks)
(feedback) Ubuntu User: "A few days have passed since the big exciting release of the Karmic Koala. Reviews are mixed with people claiming it's the greatest Ubuntu release of all time, and others saying it's an utter disappointment."
openSuSE 11.2 (Nov 18, 2009, 20:04 UTC) (1814 reads)
(2 talkbacks)
(feedback) Jamie's Random Musings: "I've been trying out the new openSuSE 11.2 release for nearly a week now, loading it on everything I have. It's been a mixed bag of results, starting out very strong, and ending up with several significant disappointments. Here is a summary of the highs (and lows):"
Verizon Droid's Sales Surge: Report (Nov 18, 2009, 19:04 UTC) (1734 reads)
(0 talkbacks)
(feedback) InternetNews: "The Droid, the smartphone released Nov. 6 through a partnership between Motorola, Google and Verizon Wireless, has significantly outpaced other Android handsets in first-week sales, according to one analytics firm -- which said the feat makes the Droid the first viable iPhone challenger."
The Case for Non-Free Firmware By Default (Nov 18, 2009, 18:04 UTC) (1170 reads)
(0 talkbacks)
(feedback) WorksWithU: "This is great, except when your only connection to the Internet is wireless and you have no way to download the driver or firmware you need. Here’s why this situation should change."
20 Essential Tips Every Ubuntu User Should Know (Nov 18, 2009, 17:04 UTC) (3291 reads)
(0 talkbacks)
(feedback) Maximum PC: "We've compiled a list of the 20 most important skills that every Ubuntu user should have. These tips, ranging from basic GUI manipulation to advanced system recovery, are essential to your Windows-free computing experience."
Large Hadron Collider stolen by joyriders (Nov 18, 2009, 16:04 UTC) (3163 reads)
(5 talkbacks)
(feedback) NewsBiscuit: "Swiss police were yesterday involved in a high-speed pursuit after the Large Hadron Collider was hotwired and stolen by teenagers."
TuxRadar by the numbers 2.0: the rise of Karmic (Nov 18, 2009, 15:34 UTC) (1887 reads)
(1 talkbacks)
(feedback) TuxRadar: "...thanks to sifting through 32GB of logs - we have some even more interesting numbers for you this time, showing that Ubuntu 9.10 adoption is outpacing that for both Windows 7 and Snow Leopard..."
Hitch your wagon to a lizard: dist-upgrading openSUSE (Nov 18, 2009, 15:04 UTC) (899 reads)
(2 talkbacks)
(feedback) TuxMachines.org: "For the first time, openSUSE now officially supports a "dist-upgrade" feature, similar to Debian's. Which is to say, if you've got openSUSE 11.1 installed, you should be able to upgrade to openSUSE 11.2 by updating your list of software repositories..."
Top Backup Solutions for Linux (Nov 18, 2009, 14:34 UTC) (2632 reads)
(1 talkbacks)
(feedback) Intranet Journal: "For years I have watched in amazement as most articles highlighting various Linux backup solutions merely point out the same old list. While their authors enjoy their "FoSS-ness," they fail to realize that, in the real world, not all of the solutions provided make sense for the casual user. Half of them are really enterprise only."
SECURITY: Let Password Gorilla store all of your passwords
(Nov 18, 2009, 14:04 UTC) (1444 reads)
(0 talkbacks)
(feedback) Ghacks: "So what do you do when you’re brain reaches critical mass for passwords? Simple, you let a single application store and encrypt them for you so all you need is a single password to access all of those crucial passwords."
Keep your Linux system up to date with KPackageKit (Nov 18, 2009, 07:34 UTC) (1360 reads)
(0 talkbacks)
(feedback) Ghacks: "PackageKit is a background service charged with updating and installing software on your computer. But because PackageKit itself is just a background service it requires a front end so that end users can take advantage of the system. One very powerful front end is KPackageKit."
The convenient fiction that Microsoft is evil (Nov 18, 2009, 00:04 UTC) (3093 reads)
(17 talkbacks)
(feedback) The Open Road: "It's a convenient fiction that Microsoft is the source of all evil in the technology world, particularly for a vocal minority within the open-source community."
