OSnews - Exploring the Future of Computing

Why Linux is Not for You: The Lengthy Rebuttal of a Linux User

Guest post by Preston Liam Whels 2003-04-16 Linux 119 Comments

Put yourself in his/her shoes. You're a budding young technical writer and the one word you hear popping up in almost every tech-related conversation is, you guessed it, Linux. Now look in the mirror and try to tell yourself you're more than a writer. After all, you write about technology because it not only interests you, but you're accurate and fair enough to tell it like it is. Maybe not.

Brian Valentine talks Windows Server 2003

Eugenia Loli 2003-04-16 Windows 3 Comments

With Windows Server 2003 development coming to a close earlier this year, Paul Thurrott had the chance to sit down with Brian Valentine, Senior Vice President of the Windows team at Microsoft, and discuss the company's most complex and customer-driven Windows Server version ever.

Will Patents Pillage Open Source?

Eugenia Loli 2003-04-16 Open Source 6 Comments

Open-source software is indeed vulnerable to claims of patent infringement. But lawyer Steven Frank says that doesn't mean the legal floodgates are about to open.

Novell CEO: We’ll Make ‘Immature’ Linux Robust

Eugenia Loli 2003-04-16 Novell and Ximian 31 Comments

Novell will take the "immature" Linux operating system and turn it into a" robust, reliable and scaleable" enterprise-class operating system. Read the interview with Novell CEO, here. Update: Two more Novell-Linux articles here and here.

Total Computer Newbies Meet Debian: Part 2 – First Steps

Guest post by Charles Williams 2003-04-16 Debian 52 Comments

In the previous article, our computer newbie family, Mike, Diane, Mary and Carla, had decided they wanted GNU/Linux installed on the new family/business computer. Debian, via Libranet 2.0, was installed on the system, with appropriate business/office software, as well as the Gnome desktop environment. The next steps involved getting the system configured for easy use and adding various minor tweaks. Mike, Diane and the kids were not involved during the configuration phase of the system.

Why Mandrake 9.1 Makes Me Laugh

Eugenia Loli 2003-04-16 Mandriva, Mandrake, Lycoris 77 Comments

This is an editorial by Brad Chamberlin on how he sees Mandrake Linux's 9.1 usability. Before starting bashing the author , take note that he is a Mandrake user for many years, but he is sensitive on UI and usability issues. This user likes a clean, logical and well-thoughout experience and he simply outlines the unpolishness and incosistency that a user finds on any Linux distribution today, not just on Mandrake.

Will Trusted Computing Mean the End the PC as We Know It?

Eugenia Loli 2003-04-16 Privacy, Security 38 Comments

An interesting Palladium editorial is at Linux-mag, going through the pros and cons of the technology.

SCO Ships SCO Linux Server 4.0 for Itanium

Eugenia Loli 2003-04-15 SCO 34 Comments

The SCO Group today announced the release of SCO Linux Server 4.0 for the Itanium Processor Family, a high-performance Linux operating system designed for use with Intel Itanium 2-based systems.

Interview with Jordan Hubbard of Apple and OpenDarwin

Eugenia Loli 2003-04-15 Original OSNews Interviews 31 Comments

A few days ago we featured an interview with one of Fink's project leaders regarding their package management solution which breeds more Unix software to MacOSX. Today, we host an interview with Jordan Hubbard regarding the DarwinPorts, speaking for the DarwinPorts Team which a similar effort to bring more Unix software on Mac OS X. Jordan is currently working at Apple and OpenDarwin (while many will know Jordan as the FreeBSD co-founder).

SuSE 8.2 Live Evaluation Now Available

Eugenia Loli 2003-04-15 SuSE, openSUSE 36 Comments

SuSE released the "live" bootable CD of SuSE Linux 8.2 for everyone to try out this new version of the OS. More details here.

Debunking Some Myths About Graphical Installers

Guest post by Paul Hankes Drielsma 2003-04-15 Graphics 99 Comments

I can't take anymore comments like "Debian/Gentoo/OpenBSD/etc. are not good/user-friendly because they lack a graphical installer." Searching the web, I couldn't find a comprehensive site describing the good and the bad about graphical installers for various OSes throughout the years, so in this article I hope to debunk a few of the myths on the basis of my own personal and professional experience.

Novell NetWare 6.5 In Open Beta

Eugenia Loli 2003-04-15 Novell and Ximian 14 Comments

Novell plans to launch at BrainShare 2003 this week the open beta of NetWare 6.5 and update attendees about its Liberty Identity Provider for eDirectory and exteNd 5 Web services platform. The company is expected to announce not only the open-beta availability of NetWare 6.5, code-named Nakoma, but its slated release date of June, sources said. Also, Novell adopts Linux as NetWare migration path.

Apple to Boost eMacs to 1GHz, Add Third Model

Eugenia Loli 2003-04-15 Apple 55 Comments

Apple is on the verge of announcing a trio of speed-bumped eMacs, sources confirmed to Think Secret. 'Highly reliable' sources said that Apple's consumer eMac lineup will be expanded to three models at 800MHz and 1GHz, and with larger hard drives. But other changes are also in store.

eCos 2.0 Breaks Out of Red Hat Red Tape

Eugenia Loli 2003-04-15 OS News 9 Comments

Free of the shackles imposed by Red Hat Inc., maintainers of the open-source eCos real-time operating system said in mid-March that version 2.0, now in beta, could be generally available around April 15. The new version will add an all-new bootloader with remote debugging and full POSIX compliance, giving it the ability to run many Linux and Unix applications with just a recompile.

Galaxy Dynamics Computer Simulation

Guest post by Dmitry Abrosimov 2003-04-14 3D 25 Comments

The paper considers a mathematical model of the behavior of an assembly of N stars. The 'Kepler' Microsoft Windows demo application based of this model enables to perform real-time simulation of star clusters dynamics for N~=2500. Such performance rate is possible through the use of the Intel Integrated Performance Primitives (IPP) library. The paper also estimates the efficiency of the IPP application and provides an example of C-code with the IPP functions calls. Computer-simulated images of the spiral galaxy forming process, as well as the real galaxies photos, are presented.

Advanced Memory Allocation and Linux 2.6 Kernel Preview

Eugenia Loli 2003-04-14 Linux 8 Comments

The new issue of the LinuxJournal magazine features two articles, a preview of the 2.6 kernel and an article regarding memory allocation: Keeping memory requirements low can save your time and money. Here's how to bend malloc() to your will.

Interview with Frans van Nispen of Xentronix and Sequel

Eugenia Loli 2003-04-14 Original OSNews Interviews 25 Comments

OSNews hosts today a mini-interview with Frans van Nispen of Xentronix and the Sequel OS, a new BeOS-like OS which aims to continue where the BeOS technology left off as opposed to being a direct clone. Most people will know Frans from the AtariST demoscene and from his BeOS involvements. In this interview, we will query the status of Sequel (which btw, I am not part of anymore, so don't email me about it please :) and the status of Xentronix's Refraction and SampleStudio PRO.

Does Apple Still Need Microsoft?

Eugenia Loli 2003-04-14 Apple 81 Comments

MacObserver editor Bryan Chaffin said that even though a new agreement between the two companies is improbable, Microsoft still has incentive to continue developing Office for Mac. Read it at NewsFactor. Update: On other Apple news, Mac OS X Server 10.2.5 has been released via Software Update.

Windows Gets Tough on Spam, Viruses

Eugenia Loli 2003-04-14 Bugs & Viruses 9 Comments

Microsoft on Monday will detail a future version of Windows that will make it easier to detect and isolate viruses. Read the article at News.com.

DROPS Demo Disk available

Submitted by Anonymous 2003-04-14 OS News 11 Comments

The Fiasco--Microkernel based Dresden Realtime Operating System (DROPS) has made available a demo disk containing several examples sessions (including the experimental GUI DOpE).