An Ocean and Synth look at JDK 5.0

Java 8 Comments
Now that Tiger is an official release, it's time to explore even more exciting differences between the 1.4 version of the Java 2 Standard Edition platform and 5.0 of the Java 2 Development Kit. In this installment of Taming Tiger, UI expert John Zukowski explores the newly available Ocean and Synth look and feels. Now, even non-programmers can develop custom look and feels without writing code or having the benefit of a good eye!
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Cross-platform packaging facility OpenPKG 2.2 released

  Submitted by Ralf S. Engelschall In the News 2 Comments
The OpenPKG project released version 2.2 of their unique RPM-based cross-platform Unix software packaging facility. OpenPKG 2.2 consists of 528 selected (from a pool of 800) packages, all carefully packaged for easy deployment on 18 different Unix platforms. Focusing on portability and isolation, OpenPKG 2.2 places greater emphasis on reducing underlying Unix system requirements.
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Increase stability and responsiveness by short-circuiting code

Java 3 Comments
Keep your Web applications running when tasks lock up. High volume Web sites often require asynchronous or threaded operations to achieve target performance criteria. While threads in Web containers are considered bad practice, the alternative is for developers to make blocking calls to code they cannot control. It becomes important that dependencies of this nature fail-fast. This developerWorks article covers a homegrown short-circuit pattern that ensures threaded execution and completion of a process in a fixed window of time.
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Seven Cool Mono Apps

Mono 55 Comments
This article provides a tour through some Mono programs, along with details about how you can start experimenting with them yourself. Not all of the programs featured here are finished products, but they're all exciting and show off interesting aspects of Mono. Even more Mono applications can be found at GnomeFiles.org: We should add to the list the excellent PolarViewer and SportTracker (they go together), and of course, GCursor#, CSBoard, Galaxium Messenger, SkyNET and GLyrics among others like Bless, fewnn, GFax, WoodPusher, CDCollect and Kurush.
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Perpetual vs Subscription Licensing

In the News 25 Comments
Software vendors have been moving toward the subscription-type license over the past few years, and away from the perpetual license that had been the norm. Software firms note that companies generally upgrade regularly anyway, so subscription pricing spreads out the payment more easily. A win-win right? But companies don't like the feeling of bing on the hook for payments forever when they once felt like their fee was capped at a certain amount. Read more at PCWorld
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Review of “The Last Starfighter: The Musical”

Geek stuff 12 Comments
Maybe you have to be a hard-core geek of a certain age to even see the wonderment of such a thing, but Jason Scott, who wrote the review, shares a delightful anecdote about Pac Man at the beginning to establish his credentials. He says that the off-broadway musical based on the 80's cheesy sci-fi movie is great. I just happened to catch The Last Starfighter on HBO a couple weeks ago, and it didn't disappoint my adolescent memories of it.
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OpenStep 10th anniversary

  Submitted by Nicolas Roard OpenStep, GNUstep 15 Comments
Today, the OpenStep API celebrates its 10th anniversary. What started out as a joint adventure of NeXT and SUN to define an application development standard that would run on all machines, making "write once compile everywhere" a reality, is still unfolding within the vivid and active community of GNUstep, old NeXT and Apple lovers.
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Apple Unveils Fastest, Most Affordable iBook G4 Ever

  Submitted by Tudy Apple 38 Comments
Apple today announced that it has unveiled its fastest, most affordable iBook G4 ever, featuring built-in AirPort Extreme 54 Mbps 802.11g wireless networking across the line and prices starting at US$999. They also announced the addition of a 1.8GHz single processor Power Mac G5 desktop priced at US$1,499 to its 64-bit Power Mac G5 line. Apple updated its Xserve RAID storage system too.
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