OSnews - Exploring the Future of Computing

The BeOS/Zeta CD Project

Submitted by Mr.H. 2006-04-14 Haiku 13 Comments

A CD with BeOS/Zeta-related information is in the planning stages as donationware. It offers information in different languages (German, English, Italian, French, etc.). The content includes BeOS programmer interviews, magazines, and further BeOS-related articles. Think interviews with developers, Technoids, the BeOS Bible, etc.

FreeBSD Status Report: 1st Quarter 2006

Submitted by Joel Dahl 2006-04-14 FreeBSD 3 Comments

The latest FreeBSD status report has been released. "The highlights of this quarters report certainly include the availability of native Java binaries thanks to the FreeBSD Foundation, as well as progress has been made with Xen support and Sun's Ultrasparc T1. Futhermore we are looking forward to FreeBSD 6.1 and TrustedBSD audit support has been imported into FreeBSD 7-CURRENT. All in all, a very exiting start to 2006." And on a related note, FreeBSD now boots on the Intel Macs.

Submitted by dbprice 2006-04-14 Solaris 28 Comments

Community contributor Jürgen Keil and Sun engineer Jan Setje-Eilers have been working together to get OpenSolaris based operating systems to work under Apple's BootCamp. Today Jan announced that he had successfully installed and booted build 36 of Solaris Nevada (plus some hacks). A series of bugfixes to make OpenSolaris distributions "just work" have been identified.

VMware-Friendly Change Likely for Linux

Eugenia Loli 2006-04-14 OS News 34 Comments

Linux programmers are moving toward a change that would put virtualization software from VMware on a more even footing with open-source rival Xen. Xen was expected to be built tightly into the Linux kernel at the heart of the open-source operating system. But Andrew Morton is advocating an interface in the Linux kernel that would let it work with any virtualization foundation.

yT Releases Official Statement Concerning Bankruptcy Issue

Thom Holwerda 2006-04-13 Zeta 36 Comments

As promised earlier, YellowTAB has released an official statement concerning the bankruptcy rumours. "Rumours have been circulating for a few days now: yellowTAB has been put under bankruptcy protection. This causes many questions and uncertainties. We wish to explain how bancruptcy protection affects our product."

Ubuntu: a Ramble Through Drake Lake

Submitted by Mark 2006-04-13 Ubuntu 36 Comments

"I like Ubuntu. I just do. There's a simplicity about it that appeals. Every successive release adds an additional layer of abstraction between the user and the 'plumbing'. While some might pass this off as soft-hearted pandering to a demographic that was never meant to use Linux in the first place, 'Debian for the Lazy', there is a gentle delight in taking a smooth, working OS and working your way down into its innards."

Innovation in Linux: a Linux Kernel Review

Submitted by Hans Kwint 2006-04-13 Linux 32 Comments

"There are plenty Linux reviews, though almost none of them are about Linux. You see, Linux is only a kernel, but most Linux reviews are about KDE, SuSE, the desktop and so on. Those reviews aren't about Linux, strictly speaking. In contrary, this review is about Linux, made for the people who normally don't configure and compile their own kernel."

When Do Users Donate?

Submitted by mouser 2006-04-13 Open Source 6 Comments

"This article is a one-year report on the experiments with Donationware at DonationCoder.com. Throughout the article I will focus on the specific experiences of our site in attempting to strike a kind of middle ground - keeping software free but making enough money from donations to fund the site."

Submitted by magick 2006-04-13 SuSE, openSUSE 39 Comments

The first release candidate for OpenSUSE Linux 10.1 has been released, but as you know, no release notes, changelog, or whatever, so I again cannot tell you what's changed, improved, or fixed. Download locations are listed in the release announcement.

FreeBSD 6.1-RC1 Released

Thom Holwerda 2006-04-13 FreeBSD 22 Comments

FreeBSD 6.1-RC1 has been released. "The FreeBSD Release Engineering Team is pleased to announce the availability of FreeBSD 6.1-RC1. It is meant to be a refinement of the 6-STABLE, branch with few dramatic changes. A lot of bugfixes have been made, some drivers have been updated, and some areas have been tweaked for better performance, etc., but no large changes have been made to the basic architecture."

Interview: Hogne T., AROS Developer

Submitted by Paul J. Beel 2006-04-13 Amiga & AROS 5 Comments

The AROS Show has an interview with AROS Developer Hogne T. "AROS Native gives me no troubles with compiling anything. I use it for the whole development process. I do not even run Linux Hosted at the moment. AROS Native with SFS has some problems with unix ported apps, and I have to compile in RAM:, but other than that, I use Native without any problems." Screenshots included.

Vista Won’t Show Fancy Side to Pirates

Thom Holwerda 2006-04-13 Windows 151 Comments

With the new operating system, Microsoft is offering plenty of new graphics tricks, including translucent windows, animated flips between open programs and 'live icons' that show a graphical representation of the file in question. But before Vista will display its showiest side, known as Aero, it will run a check to make sure the software was properly purchased. "Those who are not running genuine Windows will not be able to take advantage of the Windows Aero user experience," a Microsoft representative told CNET News.com on Wednesday. Note: We had a slight problem with our submission system today, but it is now fixed. Submit away, boys and girls!

Leaner Virtualization Coming to Windows, Linux

Thom Holwerda 2006-04-13 OS News 20 Comments

Virtualization software that's all the rage today - chiefly VMware, Microsoft Virtual Server, and Xen - lets a single computer run multiple operating systems. Now, a newer variety of virtualization is emerging that employs a lighter-weight approach so that a single operating system can be sliced into independent sections. While details of the concept are just beginning to emerge, it's likely only a matter of time before it shows up in Windows and Linux.

GNOME 2.14.1 Released

Thom Holwerda 2006-04-12 Gnome 50 Comments

GNOME 2.14.1 has been released, as the first maintenance release in the 2.14 series. Download the tarballs of the platform, desktop and bindings.

MS Patch Day: 10 Flaws Fixed in Monster IE Update

Thom Holwerda 2006-04-12 Microsoft 68 Comments

Microsoft's dominant Internet Explorer browser has undergone a major security makeover to plug 10 vulnerabilities that puts millions at risk of PC takeover, address bar spoofing and information disclosure attacks. The monster IE update includes a fix for the 'createTextRange()' code execution flaw that caused zero-day drive-by downloads and a significant modification to the way the browser renders certain ActiveX controls. In all, Microsoft shipped five bulletins with patches for 14 different vulnerabilities in a range of Windows products. At the same time Microsoft has begun requesting that users upgrade their ME/98 machines because support ends July 11th, 2006.

Will Microsoft’s Vista Delay Push Back ‘Fiji’?

Thom Holwerda 2006-04-12 Windows 23 Comments

Will the delay in Microsoft's Windows Vista have a domino effect on other planned releases of Windows? Partner sources close to the company said that Microsoft has sketched out plans for Windows 'Fiji' (also referred to by some Microsoft watchers as Vista R2) - the version of Windows set to follow Vista - as for Windows 'Vienna', the successor to Fiji, partner sources close to the company said.

Sun Sells Second Low-End ‘Niagara’ Server

Thom Holwerda 2006-04-12 Oracle and SUN 17 Comments

Sun Microsystems has begun selling a lower-end server using the UltraSparc T1 'Niagara' processor and has passed an important milestone in the development of the chip's successor. Its Niagara II, now officially named UltraSparc T2, is due to arrive in servers in the second half of 2007, and a higher-end cousin code-named Rock is due to arrive in servers in 2008.

Interview: Bruce Perens

Submitted by M-Saunders 2006-04-12 Open Source 21 Comments

Linux Format has an interview with Bruce Perens. Having founded the Open Source Initiative and Linux Standards Base, Perens is a well-known spokesperson for the Free software community, and in this interview he discusses the problems with his UserLinux project, the rise of Ubuntu, and why figureheads are still important in the open source world.

Submitted by Eugenia Loli 2006-04-12 Wireless 19 Comments

"From time to time over the last few months, I’ve heard an argument along the following lines, often from people who should know better. 'Operating systems are commodities. There’s no special value in them. Operating system A may have a small technical advantage in one area, and operating system B may have a small technical advantage in another area, but there’s little to choose between them.' But there are many, many things wrong this argument."

Submitted by Innova 2006-04-12 Linux 9 Comments

TuxMachines reviews the SuperGamer-1 DVD, a live-DVD based on PCLinuxOS, optimised for gaming (incl. 3D drivers), and concludes: "The Supergamer-1 DVD performed very well. I had no stability issues and lag was very minimal. Only after long periods of inactivity or loading a new gaming level did I experience delays while the DVD was spun and accessed. Hardware detection was spot-on with, just to name a few, the net connection, graphics, and sound automagically enabled. It was a completely enjoyable experience and I can't find anything to complain about."