OSnews - Exploring the Future of Computing

Sun Announces Solaris 9 Update 4; Integration of GNOME 2.0

Submitted by Bascule 2003-07-29 Oracle and SUN 25 Comments

Sun Microsystems, Inc. today announced the Solaris 9 8/03 Operating System for the SPARC and x86 platforms. The fourth update to the Solaris 9 Operating System, Solaris 9 8/03 features the integration of GNOME 2.0. Update: Sun releases Solaris 10 preview.

NeTraverse Releases Newest Version of Win4Lin Terminal Server

Eugenia Loli 2003-07-29 In the News 9 Comments

NeTraverse, today, announced the immediate availability of Win4Lin Terminal Server 2.5, based on the award-winning Win4Lin technology. Win4Lin Terminal Server allows an organization to dramatically lower costs by hosting and managing their Windows desktop sessions on low-cost, reliable and secure Linux servers. Read more for the rest of the press release.

KDE 3.1.3 Released

Submitted by C. Graham & C. Drane 2003-07-29 KDE 41 Comments

The KDE Project announced KDE 3.1.3 today. It's the third maintenance release of the successful KDE 3.1.x series and ships with many bugfixes and improved translations. KDE 3.1.3 also contains a fix for a possible http authentication leak in the http referrer header. Info, changelog.

Microsoft Prepares for Yukon, Longhorn

Eugenia Loli 2003-07-29 Microsoft 17 Comments

Microsoft on Tuesday announced plans for new development tools, as the company continues to lay the groundwork for its next major database and operating system software releases.

Sun’s Linux: Not Dead After All

Eugenia Loli 2003-07-29 Oracle and SUN 24 Comments

Although Sun Microsystems Inc. discontinued sales several months ago of its customized Linux distribution, the company hasn't entirely abandoned its do-it-yourself Linux strategy: In its forthcoming bundle of desktop software, code-named Mad Hatter, the included Linux OS will be Sun's own.

Introduction to the DirectX 9 High Level Shading Language

Eugenia Loli 2003-07-29 3D 10 Comments

In an excerpt from the forthcoming book ShaderX2 - Introduction and Tutorials with DirectX 9, Craig Peeper and Jason Mitchell present a detailed introduction to the Microsoft DirectX High Level Shading Language, including a number of example shaders and optimization strategies.

SuSE Linux Desktop Review

Eugenia Loli 2003-07-29 SuSE, openSUSE 18 Comments

"To investigate SuSE’s Linux Desktop, which is based on the company’s Linux Enterprise Server technology, we ran it alongside a number of Windows systems in a ‘live’ editorial production environment for around two weeks. The idea was to see how well this business-oriented operating system/application software bundle worked for a moderately technical user working in a Windows-dominated world." Read the review at ZDNet.

Windows Services for UNIX Version 3.5 Beta

Eugenia Loli 2003-07-29 Windows 13 Comments

This download is a self-extracting archive of the beta copy of the Windows Services for UNIX 3.5 product.

The Future of UNIX– A View from HP

Eugenia Loli 2003-07-29 Unix 20 Comments

"As most Encompass members know, HP has promised — at some point in the future — to integrate Tru64 RAS components, DLM support and TruCluster software into HP-UX. As for HP’s "Consolidated Enterprise UNIX," the effort will be infinitely more difficult, and HP’s progress in this regard bears close attention. SKHPC advises current Alpha/Tru64 users to "stay the course" with Tru64 UNIX V5.1B." Read the analysis at EnompasUS site, an HP User Group.

Are You Ready for 64-Bit Computing?

Eugenia Loli 2003-07-29 Hardware 66 Comments

The next generation of desktop computers is coming, and here's why it matters. New processors coming soon from Advanced Micro Devices and Apple suggest 64-bit computing will make its way to a desktop near you this year. But what does that really mean for you?

Interviews with ELX Linux, Knoppix Developer

Eugenia Loli 2003-07-29 Linux 5 Comments

DesktopLinux recently contacted ELX Linux to learn about the company's desktop strategy, market conditions and business activities. PCTechTalk features an interview with Knoppix's main developer.

Xandros Releases Xandros Desktop 1.1

Eugenia Loli 2003-07-28 Oracle and SUN 50 Comments

Xandros, Inc. has released a 1.1 edition of Xandros Desktop Deluxe. Version 1.1 enhancements include: Support for Microsoft Office XP and Adobe Photoshop 7.0, Mozilla 1.3.1 with spell checking and spam filtering, OpenOffice.org office suite 1.0.3, Evolution groupware client 1.2.4, enhanced hardware detection, Intel i830/845/855 graphics drivers. Xandros Desktop Deluxe 1.1 includes a printed user guide, a Technology Preview CD, and 30 days of e-mail installation support.

Microsoft’s IE 6 Global Usage Share Continues to Rise

Eugenia Loli 2003-07-28 Internet Explorer 125 Comments

Today it was reported that IE6's global usage share continues to rise. Internet Explorer 6 has shown a fast adoptation rate with a global usage share of 66.3% and it has a total global usage share of 95.4%.

SGI and OpenGL ARB Announce OpenGL 1.5 Specification

Submitted by Ginny 2003-07-28 3D 18 Comments

SGI and OpenGL architecture review board announced the OpenGL 1.5 specification, introducing support for a "revolutionary" OpenGL Shading Language. Also, SGI and Sun Microsystems' Software Platforms to work seamlessly together with Java bindings to OpenGL. I wonder if this new OpenGL 1.5 spec clashes with 3DLabs' suggested 2.0 specification somehow.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 2.9.95 Beta

Submitted by Philipp Esselbach 2003-07-28 Red Hat 13 Comments

Red Hat has released a public beta of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 2.9.95 (Advanced Server and Workstation versions) for i386, ia64 and AMD64.

Apple’s “First 64bit Desktop Platform” Won’t Run a 64bit OS

Eugenia Loli 2003-07-28 Apple 69 Comments

Apple has confirmed to the Register Panther, aka Mac OS X 10.3, will not be a fully 64-bit operating system. Greg Joswiak, Apple's vice president of hardware product marketing, this week admitted that Panther will be a 32-bit operating system tweaked to support 64-bit addressing. Joswiak himself says: "The important thing for us we didn't want to create a separate OS that is 64 bits. What is essential is that this OS and this hardware will run 32-bit applications with no recompiling - it will just run them."

Review: Is Windows Mobile 2003 Worth the Upgrade?

Eugenia Loli 2003-07-28 Windows 6 Comments

From our sister site, NewMobileComputing: PPCW.net has a review of the new version of Windows Mobile 2003 operating system running on PocketPCs.

Inside Internet-based Windows Product Activation

Eugenia Loli 2003-07-28 Windows 20 Comments

Internet-based product activation of Windows XP involves transmitting an amount of data to the Microsoft activation servers. Is this a threat to the users' privacy?

Intellectual Property and Linux

Guest post by Roberto Dohnert 2003-07-28 Legal 75 Comments

By now you have all undoubtedly heard about SCO's lawsuit against IBM and the threat that it reflects on the Linux community. The news sites and web forums have been alive with speculation about how this case will pan out, articles either show many shortcomings of Open Source development or how wrong SCO is and how bad they are going to lose.

Linux 2.6-test2 Released

Submitted by Matthew Baulch 2003-07-28 Linux 21 Comments

Another test release of Linux's next incarnation, 2.6 has been released today. The full release is available here as well as a patch for those who prefer it. Check out kernel.org for details.