OSnews - Exploring the Future of Computing

libjit, a Free Software JIT library

Submitted by Norbert Bollow 2004-04-27 Java 8 Comments

Rhys Weatherley has taken a month's sabbatical from pnet and during this time he created a new project under the DotGNU umbrella, libjit. This library implements Just-In-Time compilation functionality. Unlike other JIT's, this one is designed to be independent of any particular virtual machine bytecode format or language.

Exception Management in .NET

Guest post by Amit Bahree 2004-04-27 .NET 25 Comments

Exceptions are a very powerful concept when used correctly. An important cornerstone in the design of a good application is the strategy you adopt for Exception Management. You must ensure that your design is extensible to be able to handle unforeseen exceptions gracefully, log them appropriately and generate metrics to allow the applications to be monitored externally.

Having fun with unattended installation

Submitted by Frank 2004-04-27 OS News 4 Comments

In an ideal world, all your code is packaged into a universal install script, with dependency checking, updating, and logging services handled automatically. Conflicts between resources required by different applications are resolved according to predefined policies. Site-specific configuration changes are automatically applied as part of the unattended installation, and tests are run across the environment to confirm that everything is good to go. This article shows you how the general tenets of autonomic computing are applied to software installation.

Madotate 3D Graphical Task Gallery

Eugenia Loli 2004-04-27 Graphics 14 Comments

Here is a japanese tool called Madotate that performs similar to the prosposed Microsoft Task Gallery to be included in longhorn. More info and screenshot at NooFace.

Mono 1.0 Beta and Rollout Schedule

Submitted by Chris 2004-04-27 Mono 35 Comments

The Mono 1.0 is quickly approaching. This document explains the Beta releases that we will be doing as well as the various code freezes that we will have in place. Mono 1.0 supports most of the features of the .NET Framework 1.0/1.1 with a few exceptions. Some of those features will be available in "preview" mode for this release, but are not going to be officially supported. For a detailed list see the Mono Roadmap and the detailed list of assemblies.

Sun Sticks ‘Proprietary’ Label on Red Hat Linux

Eugenia Loli 2004-04-27 Oracle and SUN 50 Comments

A surprising breach appeared to open between leading Unix and Linux companies on Monday as Sun Microsystems' chief executive called Red Hat "a proprietary Linux distribution." The catcall was sounded in an eWEEK.com interview with Sun Microsystems Inc. President and Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Schwartz. Besides challenging Red Hat Inc.'s contention that it is the premiere Linux company, the remark casts the relationship of the companies into a more adversarial light.

Gaming with the .NET CF; Combining XML Documents with XInclude

Eugenia Loli 2004-04-27 .NET 1 Comment

This sample expands upon the GAPI series of articles by creating a playable game demo using the .NET Compact Framework. Elsewhere on MSDN, this article explores the problem of how to construct a single XML document from multiple documents. It focuses on XML Inclusions (XInclude), a general-purpose mechanism for facilitating modularity in XML.

Microsoft to SpecOps: “Give David for free”

Submitted by Jerome Gotangco 2004-04-27 Microsoft 46 Comments

If the software developed by a Filipino company that enables Windows programs to run on Linux is indeed meant to propagate "open source computing," then the firm should give it away for free, the head of Microsoft Philippines told INQ7.net. "If they can't do that, it is just like any other commercial software business," Antonio Javier, managing director of Microsoft Philippines said, referring to the David middleware program developed by SpecOps Labs.

Daniel Robbins Leaves Gentoo; Sets up Non-profit Foundation

Submitted by Jacon 2004-04-27 Gentoo 21 Comments

Daniel Robbins, founder and "Chief Architect" of the Gentoo Linux distribution, has decided to call it quits in terms of being associated with Gentoo. This was met with quite a bit of shock from the Gentoo community and developers alike, as this move was quite unexpected. Daniel Robbins also proposed the setting up of Non-Profit Organization to handle future development. Initially, he wanted to serve in the board of this organization, but he later changed his mind.

Formatting Your Output with C++ Streams

Eugenia Loli 2004-04-27 General Development 23 Comments

Writing to text files or to the console in a C++ program? You might need to format some text data, and the C++ streams class includes some handy formatting features that allow you to do great things. Jeff Cogswell shows you how to use it to line up your text columns, right- or left-justify your text, and set the precision of your floating point numbers.

Windows Vulnerability Exploited; Worm May Be Next

Submitted by danjr 2004-04-27 Windows 29 Comments

Security experts are monitoring widespread use of exploit code that takes advantage of a recently disclosed vulnerability in Windows. A worm, although anticipated, hasn't yet been spotted.

Cobind Desktop: Linux Done Right

Adam Scheinberg 2004-04-26 Linux 34 Comments

Linux is all about choice. Endless debates carry on each day, but a new company with a new distribution, Cobind, has a classic, but novel, approach: Do one thing, and do it well.

Apple’s Core Business Shifting

Submitted by Claudio 2004-04-26 Apple 68 Comments

iPod's runaway success virtually transformed the firm. Revenues up; Jobs' big job now is to outrun competition. Both TheStar and NYTimes are discussing an apparent "focus shift" of Apple away from the personal computers market and towards the digital music business.

Longhorn Server Back on Microsoft Roadmap

Eugenia Loli 2004-04-26 Windows 8 Comments

Microsoft Corp is doing a U-turn on its Longhorn roadmap, with plans for a server operating system version alongside the long-expected client due in 2006. A Microsoft spokesperson confirmed Friday that there will be a Longhorn server sometime after the company delivers the Longhorn client OS.

Symbian to Hang on to Smart Phone OS Lead

Eugenia Loli 2004-04-26 Wireless 4 Comments

Symbian is expected to retain the top honors in mobile phone software through the decade, despite an emerging threat from Microsoft, according to a study from ABI Research.

Painless FreeBSD System Updating

Eugenia Loli 2004-04-26 FreeBSD 32 Comments

One of the greatest advantages that *BSD has over other Unix variants is the cvsup/make world process. The cvsup/make world process allows you to update your system at any time.

Microsoft Needs Geek Appeal

Eugenia Loli 2004-04-26 Microsoft 29 Comments

"I thought I had a pretty good handle on the differences between the open-source community and the traditional proprietary approach to software development. But watching a Microsoft spokesperson defend his company and its whole approach to business in front of a room full of Linux zealots last week helped crystallize the gulf between the two camps--not just in business strategy but in fundamental philosophy and political bent." Read the editorial at ZDNet.

GNOME Foundation & Mozilla Foundation On Discussions

Eugenia Loli 2004-04-26 Rumors 21 Comments

The GNOME Foundation had a meeting with some representatives of the Mozilla Foundation about how they could collaborate a little closer in future. More info here about what was discussed.

Linux Must be Slicker to Grab Desktop Space

Eugenia Loli 2004-04-26 Linux 28 Comments

The open-source operating must make key cosmetic adjustments, according to speakers at the Desktop Linux Summit. Elsewhere, the software giant ventured into hostile territory on Wednesday to argue its case during a live debate over the future of the Linux desktop.

SkyOS: A Sticky Development

Adam Scheinberg 2004-04-26 SkyOS 57 Comments

Am I the only one amazed at the progress being made on SkyOS? Kelly writes in to tell us that SkyOS has just gotten sticky note support (screenshot). Read on for more.