Which Visual Studio Edition Is Right for Me?
With so many different versions of Visual Stuidio coming out it can be difficult figuring out which one is right for you. This article shows you what you need to know.
Sun Plugs Java Holes; Apple Security Updates; Windows Flaw
Submitted by
Sun Microsystems has fixed five security bugs in Java that expose computers running Windows, Linux and Solaris to hacker attack. In the meantime Apple also released a Mac OS X security update for apache_mod_ssl, CoreFoundation, CoreTypes, curl, iodbcadmin, OpenSSL, Safari, sudo, syslog. Elsewhere, computer code posted can crash vulnerable Windows machines by exploiting a "critical" Windows flaw disclosed and patched by Microsoft in October.
Genesi Announces ‘4U2’
"Genesi is pleased to announce the development of the 4U2 sub-laptop based on the EFIKA 5K2 reference design and the Freescale MPC5200B. The 4U2 will be produced in Asia and be available in Q2 2006. The 4U2 board can be deployed in a variety of configurations and uses and includes both mobile and WIFI wireless capability." More here. The price will be $299 (EUR 255), but may drop if demand is great enough.
Review: Linux-based TVisto Series 3.5″ Multimedia HDD Enclosure
Geeks.com sent us for a review an external hard drive enclosure case, the "TVisto Series 3.5" Multimedia HDD Enclosure" (2.5" series also available). But this is not just another hard drive enclosure, but also a multimedia jukebox. And it's running uCLinux, an embedded version of Linux.
Firefox 1.5 Released to Mirrors
Submitted by Libranet’s Long Goodbye
"Basically the operation is shutting down." With these words, Tal Danzig, the owner and technical lead for the Libranet distribution, quietly announced in his blog on November 25 the news that users had been dreading ever since his announcement two months ago that the distribution was "restructuring." Danzig did not rule out the possibility of reviving the distribution after his return in February 2006 from a three-month trip to Israel. Yet, for now, the announcement seems to mark the end of one of the oldest and best-loved Debian-based distributions. On Distrowatch, Libranet's status is now marked as "dormant." On June 1st, 2005, Jon Danzig, co-founder of Libranet and father of Tal Danzig passed away.
Desktop Linux Aims for the Big Time
Linux desktops have always faced an uphill battle against Windows desktops. Now, OSDL is calling together architects from over two-dozen key desktop-oriented Linux projects to a Dec. 1-2 meeting at its headquarters to set strategic directions and standards, and find synergies amongst Desktop Linux organizations.
Intel-Based Mac Mini Also Scheduled for January 2006
Apple's Mac mini will be reborn as the digital hub centerpiece it was originally conceived to be, sources have disclosed. The new Mac mini project, code-named Kaleidoscope, will feature an Intel processor and include both Front Row 2.0 and TiVo-like DVR functionality. While the specific model and speed of the Intel processor in the new Mac mini is unknown, sources are confident the system will be ready for roll-out at Macworld Expo San Francisco, in line with other reports Think Secret has received that Intel-based Macs will be ready some six months sooner than originally expected.
Massachusetts Flips, Sides with Microsoft
In a reversal, the state government of Massachusetts has thrown its support to Microsoft in an ongoing battle over office software formats and has launched an investigation into the state’s former IT chief, who had been championing open-source software. "The Commonwealth is very pleased with Microsoft’s progress in creating an open document format," said the state’s Administration and Finance Secretary Tom Trimarco in a short statement on Thanksgiving eve. "If Microsoft follows through as planned, we are optimistic that Office Open XML will meet our new standards for acceptable open formats."
Track Phone Position with GoogleMaps and Java
Most developers (and the general public, for that matter) haven't yet gotten the idea that the next step in wireless applications is going to be all about location. Mologogo uses GoogleMaps with a Java and a GPS-enabled cell phone to show a target phone's position on a GoogleMap, allowing you to track it from your own phone or through the Web. This artcle provides insight into Mologogo and other Web 2.0 contenders and their privacy issues.
Moving a Beginner to Linux
"I did not write this to say that people who do not know much about computers need to be told what to do, or to assert that Windows is not a good OS for casual users, but rather to point out that Linux is a great choice for this. Advances in desktop Linux have made it a perfect choice for casual and beginning users who don't necessarily have to (or want to) put up with Windows. Whether this is done for ease of use, to save on licensing fees, or to be able to make the best out of an old computer, it makes sense."
KDE 3.5 Released
The KDE Project is happy to announce a new major release of the award-winning K Desktop Environment. Many features have been added or refined, making KDE 3.5 the most complete, stable and integrated free desktop environment available. For a quick look at some of the new features see the visual guide to KDE 3.5. Packages are available now for ArchLinux, Kubuntu, Slackware and SuSE or try Konstruct to build it yourself.
Open Source Backup and Archiving Project Amanda Grows Up
This was a mixed Thanksgiving weekend for open source communities. We
had a renewed PR onslaught from proprietary software vendors ("Linux
is anti-commercial") and even hardball politics.
But there were lot of interesting announcements made: Firefox 1.5,
codenamed "Deer Park" will finally be unwrapped on November 29th (I
have been using the beta, and I love it). Among all this activity and
with little fan-fare, the Amanda project launched its new Wiki and Forums.
Why Not Put Linux on the Business Desktop?
Submitted by
Following up on their tests to work out which Linux distribution works best for business, ZDNet has taken a look at the wider issue of whether or not Linux is actually ready to replace Windows on the majority of Windows desktops.
Vista vs. Mac OS X Comparison – Part II
Submitted by
The second part of the comparison of Windows Vista beta and Mac OS X "Tiger" continues with an examination of the security, networking, and power management features in each system.
Everything About Envelopes in OpenOffice 2.0
Envelope printing is the tax return of office suite tasks. Everyone has to do it, and everyone hates it. Printing envelopes in OpenOffice.org, or in any office suite, is complicated because of printers. When you take printers out of their comfort space of letter or A4 size paper, they get cranky. Well, not cranky; they just have different rules for how they print, and it's not always obvious what those are. OpenOffice expert Solveig Haugland walks users through custom envelope creation and design.
Impressions: Xubuntu (5.10)
"In this week's issue of DistroWatch Weekly, a new Ubuntu derivative called Gnubuntu is mentioned. A little earlier in the announcement a reference to Xubuntu is given. Xubuntu is news to me! I just had to try it. I headed over to the Xubuntu site to figure this thing out. Their Introduction statements is as follows: "The aim of the Xubuntu community project is to provide a nice Ubuntu desktop experience by using Xfce4 as the desktop environment and GTK+ 2 applications wherever possible."
Linux and the XBox 360
The Xbox-Linux team have got to work on trying to port Linux to the Xbox 360, in a project named 'Free 60'. The Free60 Project aims to port open source operating systems like GNU/Linux and Darwin to the Microsoft Xbox 360 gaming console. Here is some interesting documentation already from their website.
OS Virtualization: an Introduction
"One of the hottest topics in all of IT today is the subject of virtualization. While it has been around for some time, it has just recently started to garner the attention of the biggest names in tech. Everyone from Intel and AMD, to Microsoft, Sun, and virtually every commercial Linux vendor has either current or planned support for virtualization. So what is it, and why is everyone so head over heels about it?"
Time to Take Off the Training Wheels
How are users supposed to learn if they never fall down? For many users, being faced with "safety" features just creates more workaround. Confirming, clarifying, and checking every operation, as most applications these days do, is intended to protect users from accidents. The result is similar to what many people find after putting training wheels on a child's bicycle: the vehicle is more cumbersome and the child never learns to ride it properly.