OSnews - Exploring the Future of Computing

MIPS 2.6. Kernel Evaluation LSP from MontaVista

Submitted by Patricia Colby 2004-12-09 Linux 2 Comments

MontaVista Software has announced the immediate availability of a MIPS evaluation Linux Support Package (LSP) for MontaVista Linux Professional Edition (Pro), based on the 2.6 Linux kernel and MontaVista Linux Professional Edition 3.1 applications and tools.

Mac OS X 10.4 Migration Assistant

Submitted by Erik Vlietinck 2004-12-09 macOS 7 Comments

This article covers the Migration Assistant, one of the major new features, and propbably one of the most useful and time-saving.

An apt-get primer

Eugenia Loli 2004-12-09 Debian 29 Comments

If any single program defines the Debian Linux project, that program is apt-get. apt-get is Debian's main tool for installing and removing software. Working with the .deb package format, apt-get offers sophisticated package management that few Red Hat Package Manager RPM-based distributions can match.

KDE 3.4 Alpha 1 (‘Leverkusen’) Released

Submitted by Albert Astals Cid 2004-12-09 KDE 33 Comments

KDE has released the first Alpha of what will become KDE 3.4. You download it, read the schedule, look at the planned features, report bugs or help in any other way.

Microsoft Goes to Pieces

Eugenia Loli 2004-12-09 Windows 59 Comments

With the release of Longhorn in 2007, Microsoft said it will offer "role-based" versions of Windows in which only the code needed to perform a given function will be included in a particular build of the operating system. Could Longhorn's new, component-based approach be the start of something big?

Mono 1.0.5 and 1.1.3 Released

Submitted by Miguel 2004-12-09 Mono 38 Comments

Updates to the production and development versions of Mono have been released. The major features of this release are:

Building Custom Widgets with the Zinzala SDK

Guest post by Jean-Louis Villecroze 2004-12-08 QNX 12 Comments

In this article, we will explore the creation of a custom widget for an automotive application using the Zinzala SDK. Introduced in April 2003, Zinzala is a BeOS flavored Software Development Kit for QNX. It has improved since then, taking on small features inspired by the Symbian OS. Because Zinzala brings in the benefits of object oriented programming, it can leverage the quality of your QNX RTOS based embedded products.

GNOME Desktop and Developer platform 2.8.2 Released

Eugenia Loli 2004-12-08 Gnome 28 Comments

The GNOME Desktop and Developer platform 2.8.2 is now released. Announcement, changelog.

A constructive critique of Debian Linux

Submitted by TTF 2004-12-08 Debian 52 Comments

This guest editorial by Linux consultant Binh Nguyen is an exercise in "tough love." Nguyen points out key design attributes of Debian that make it one of the strongest and most versatile Linux offerings available. At the same time, he notes several important areas where Debian falls flat. Yet, with a few simple improvements and a more welcoming attitude to new users, Nguyen argues, Debian could turn into the most popular Linux distro around. Elsewhere, Debian Women: Geek feminists in action.

PalmSource to Build PalmOS on Top of Linux

Submitted by Jon Cooper 2004-12-08 Wireless 42 Comments

According to a report by the Register, the next version of PalmOS will have "Linux at its core." The Reg suggests that while the core improvements will be open sourced, the top level layers will remain proprietary a la Apple's Aqua interface.

What alternative operating systems need to learn from Microsoft

Submitted by Nicholas 2004-12-08 Editorial 36 Comments

I just spent the last several days reading the lengthy essay "Ying and Yang of Security" which explores the origins of security on the personal computer and explains why the current models are outdated. It seems to argue that security systems designed to keep the system safe are relics of the days of mainframes when the system was more important than the user, but for a personal computer the user is more important than the system.

Eclipse, not just for developers anymore

Eugenia Loli 2004-12-08 Java 6 Comments

Lee Nackman, IBM VP of Design, Construction, and Test Tools Development and CTO of Rational Software, and Jim Russell, IBM Lotus Software Director of Application Development Tools, explain how IBM is leveraging Eclipse with the Cloudscape Java database and with IBM Workplace Client Technology, Rich Client Edition to become a strong tool for cross-platform deployments.

Improvements in SELinux

Submitted by Rahul Sundaram 2004-12-08 Linux 12 Comments

James Morris, one of the core SELinux developers has a blog entry detailing the evolution of SELinux and how it has worked so far including a recent major performance boost using RCU (Read Copy Update) code in the Linux kernel.

KDE 3.3.2 Released

Submitted by Tech^salvager 2004-12-08 KDE 19 Comments

"The KDE Project today announced the immediate availability of KDE 3.3.2, a maintenance release for the latest generation of the most advanced and powerful free desktop for GNU/Linux and other UNIXes." Read the full announcement here, or download it here."

Interview with amaroK’s Developers

Guest post by Christian Schaller 2004-12-08 Original OSNews Interviews 62 Comments

Market share numbers in free software is a rather dubious thing and tend to reflect more often the wishes of the quoter than any true objective measurement. I still dare to claim thought that XMMS has historically been the most used GUI media player on Linux and FreeBSD systems and maybe still is. Still there have been a lot of alternatives popping up all hoping to dethrone XMMS over the years and maybe the time has now come when either there will be no clear leader or someone else will ascend. One of the alternatives I really like is amaroK.

Apple Macintosh Installed Base Set To Grow Again

Eugenia Loli 2004-12-08 Apple 138 Comments

Goldman Sachs initiated coverage of Apple Computer at "in-line," noting that Apple is "one of the few companies in tech with the ability to consistently innovate and then monetize that innovation."

Technical Overview of Windows Server 2003 SP1

Eugenia Loli 2004-12-08 Windows 24 Comments

Service Pack 1 builds upon the impressive track record of the award winning Windows Server 2003 operating system by introducing numerous refinements in addition to supplying cumulative system updates. Deploying Service Pack 1 will help enterprises across all industries and segments enhance security, increase reliability and simplify administration through guided attack surface reduction.

Xandros Desktop Version 3 Released

Eugenia Loli 2004-12-08 Oracle and SUN 42 Comments

Xandros Desktop Version 3 features the latest in Linux Wireless & VPN Support, Security, and Drag-and-Drop DVD Burning. Read for more.

What are the real vulnerabilities of Linux?

Eugenia Loli 2004-12-08 Linux 63 Comments

For this article, it is accepted that in today's real world, there is little to suggest that worm writers would or could create the same degree of havoc on Linux as they have for Windows. However, that does not mean that Linux is impermeable to attack by the same kind of malicious, worm-writer-minded efforts that plague Windows. So what are the real vulnerabilities of the Linux operating system?

It’s Official: IBM Sells PC Unit

Submitted by danjr 2004-12-08 IBM 45 Comments

IBM has sold it's PC unit to Chinese computer maker Levono on Tuesday. The deal is valued at $1.75 billion. Here's the word from IBM itself. In a press release, IBM says this deal will create the world's third-largest PC business.