OSnews - Exploring the Future of Computing

Suntan Special 0.52 Released

Submitted by Neil Waldhauer 2006-09-27 OS/2 4 Comments

Suntan Special 0.52 has been released. "Suntan Special creates a well configured workstation or server by installing a sequence of fixes, patches, drivers and applications to your OS/2 or eComStation computer. Each fix, driver or application is installed by running the setup program. If possible, the setup program is run in unattended mode, otherwise instructions are provided as needed. Suntan Special can reboot the system as needed and continue running when the reboot is complete. When you are satisfied with the sequence you have made to create the workstation or server you need, you can run it each time you need another server or workstation."

Taking OpenPower for a Spin: Exploring 64-bit Linux on POWER5

Submitted by IdaAshley 2006-09-27 IBM 6 Comments

"The OpenPower program offers free remote access to servers running 64-bit Linux on POWER5 processors. In Part 1 of the Taking OpenPower for a spin series, author Peter Seebach introduces the process of getting access to a system and compiling applications for it, both as 32-bit and 64-bit applications. He pays particular attention to issues unique to 'guest' software development without root privileges - something most Linux users have never had to do."

Submitted by falko 2006-09-27 Privacy, Security 10 Comments

"The goal of this howto is building a NFS server that works on an SSH tunnel. This way all traffic between your hosts and the file server is encrypted and thus more secure. Normally you should enter a password every time you try to establish a SSH connection but since we could be mounting at bootup we will use ssh-keygen to create a keypair so we can login without entering a password. We will, however, limit that login session to executing just 1 command."

Oracle Overhauls Sleepycat’s Original Berkeley DB

Submitted by Mark Brunelli 2006-09-27 Databases 7 Comments

The new version of Berkeley DB, the OSS embeddable database Oracle acquired along with Sleepycat, promises better performance and the ability to do upgrades on the fly. But does Oracle really have open source street credibility? One expert says not really. On other DB news, check this audiocast on PostgreSQL while Zmanda launched the first comprehensive backup solution for MySQL.

Intel: Quad-Core Is Just the Beginning

Thom Holwerda 2006-09-26 Intel 26 Comments

Quad-core processors are only the beginning of what a revitalized Intel has to offer, the company's top executives said here Sept. 26. The chip maker will deliver in November its first quad-core processors - chips that incorporate four processors each - for both desktops and servers, said CEO Paul Otellini here, in an opening keynote speech at the Intel Developer Forum. The quad-core chips themselves will offer up to 70 percent greater performance in desktops and 50 percent in servers.

Firefox 2 Reaches RC1

Thom Holwerda 2006-09-26 Mozilla, Gecko 59 Comments

"Today, the Mozilla organization is preparing to release the first release candidate for version 2 of their popular Firefox web browser. Firefox 2 RC1 is available in binary form for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X (the latter a Universal Binary for both PPC and Intel systems). The Windows download comes in at 5.7 MB and runs on Windows 98, ME, NT 4, 2000, or XP. It ran without issue on my copy of Windows Vista RC1."

Kroes: US Government Tried to Influence Microsoft Fine

Thom Holwerda 2006-09-26 Legal 40 Comments

European competition commissioner Neelie Kroes said the US government tried to influence its decision over a 280.5 mln eur fine for software giant Microsoft, newspaper Het Financieele Dagblad said. The US embassy in Brussels had contacted Kroes and asked her to be a bit 'nicer' to Microsoft before she had taken the decision to fine Microsoft in July, Kroes said in an interview.

Mandriva Linux 2007 Announced

Submitted by Jeffo 2006-09-26 Mandriva, Mandrake, Lycoris 30 Comments

Mandriva has ~~released~~ announced 2007. "Mandriva today is proud to introduce its brand new product: Mandriva Linux 2007. This new version of the operating system was designed to be an even better fit for the needs and expectations all users, from the beginner to the SOHO user. The key innovation of Mandriva Linux 2007 is the spectacular AIGLX and Xgl 3D-accelerated desktop." Mandriva told us here at OSNews that while 2007 is released, you won't be able to download it for a few days: "Our PR department has apparently decided to send out the 2007 'release' announcement even though it's not actually quite released yet. D'oh."

Submitted by Governa 2006-09-26 Apple 34 Comments

"Apple's Unix - or who knows what it'll be called by then - will overtake commercial Linux in rate of revenue growth by the end of 2007. By mid-2008, Apple's sales of systems with factory-installed Apple Unix will exceed the total combined sales of x86 systems factory-shipped with commercial Linux. At the end of the decade, we'll find that Apple Unix has overtaken commercial Linux as the second most popular general client and server computing platform behind Windows."

Submitted by Rahul 2006-09-26 Red Hat 8 Comments

Red Hat's OLPC lead has written an update on the OLPC project on his weblog. "I wrote up a long update on where we are in the software and hardware for the One Laptop per Child project. We've gotten a lot done, but I don't think that's been communicated to the outside world very well. So, for the first time, here's an update of where we are."

The Elaboration Likelihood Model: Why People Won’t Switch

Thom Holwerda 2006-09-26 OS News 61 Comments

A common heard question in the operating systems world is, 'if the alternatives to Windows are so much better, why aren't people en masse switching to them?' People come up with all sorts of answers to this question, but in fact, the social psychology world already has a fairly simple answer to this question. This answer also happens to actually explain why Zeta sold so well through the usually superficial television retail channel.

Submitted by flanque 2006-09-26 Rumors 51 Comments

"Marking what could have been a summer-long hiatus in its 'Get the Facts' campaign, Microsoft is re-igniting the flames on the argument over whether enterprises spend less to manage Windows systems than Linux systems. This morning, the company touted a study it commissioned from independent analyst Mercer Management Consulting, which made the case that companies that implement migration programs away from UNIX systems based on the need to adopt new applications - what Mercer calls 'transformational migrations' - now tend to choose Windows over Linux." I just bought some salt, now I can put it to good use.

Intel Sheds More Lights on Plans for Quad-Core Processors

Submitted by Ish Pfierman 2006-09-26 Intel 9 Comments

Intel's planning its own version of 'Quadrophenia' for this week's Intel Developer Forum. It has already revealed the code names for the server and desktop versions of those chips: Clovertown and Kentsfield. Those models will be constructed by combining Intel's two newest dual-core processors in those categories in a multichip package. Intel also announced low-end Xeons.

Submitted by elsewhere 2006-09-26 Wayland 22 Comments

A non-technical overview of the Xgl implementation, and how it relates to Compiz and the nVidia driver, has been published by Emanuele Tamponi. Interestingly, the article mentions that Compiz requires Mesa to implement the infamous GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap function; but since the new beta driver from nVidia implements said function, you can now have Compiz in 3D glory without Xgl or AIGLX (howto).

Creating Mac OS X Applications with MS Visual Studio Express

Submitted by Antony Shen 2006-09-26 macOS 16 Comments

It is possible to write applications for OS X using Microsoft's Visual Basic, thanks to .NET Framework's Common Language Infrastructure and the open source Mono Framework and wx.NET. It turns out it is quite easy to do so, and this short tutorial tells you how.

OSNews Alternative OS Contest Results

Adam Scheinberg 2006-09-26 Gifts, Contests 28 Comments

After several months, we're very proud to finally bring you the result of the OSNews Alternative OS Contest. It took us a while to publish them all, but we are done now. Read on for the results.

Submitted by Excel Hearts Choi 2006-09-26 Linux 23 Comments

Apparantly, Gael Duval has leaked the first bits of information concerning his Ulteo project to the LXF magazine. "You can't fail to notice that in the screenshot he sent us, Ulteo is running inside a web browser. What's more, the screenshot also shows Duval creating a presentation on the 'Ulteo Connected Desktop'. Ulteo is going to be hosted on Duval's own servers, enabling users to connect to their own desktop from anywhere in the world. The system administration and upgrades will be handled at the server end, as too will application installation. Anyone with a browser will be able to use Ulteo - indeed, Ulteo is going to need a broadband connection to work - as the client will only require Java."

FSF Clarifies the Second Discussion Draft of GPLv3

Submitted by anonymous 2006-09-26 Open Source 26 Comments

"The Free Software Foundation wishes to clarify a few factual points about the Second Discussion Draft of GNU GPL version 3, on which recent discussion has presented inaccurate information. The FSF has no power to force anyone to switch from GPLv2 to GPLv3 on their own code. We intentionally wrote GPLv2 (and GPLv1) so we would not have this power. Software developers will continue to have the right to use GPLv2 for their code after GPLv3 is published, and we will respect their decisions."

SLES 10 Pairs Well with Xen

Thom Holwerda 2006-09-25 SuSE, openSUSE 3 Comments

"On the strength of its broad platform support, approachable configuration tools, estimable set of vendor certifications and solid support options, Novell's SUSE Linux Enterprise Server has earned a reputation as a safe choice for Linux at enterprise sites. SLES 10, which Novell began shipping this summer, continues in this vein. It also adds to the mix Xen virtualization capabilities, which, while clearly still on the road to maturity, fit in well with the distribution and add a new deployment and management arrow to the SLES administrator's quiver."

Alan Cox’s Thinkpad Explodes

Thom Holwerda 2006-09-25 Hardware 39 Comments

Alan Cox, the famous Linux kernel hacker, saw his Thinkpad explode. His wife writes on her weblog: "Alan was on the other side of the room from the laptop. I was elsewhere. He yelled out, I ambled towards the room in my own good time, and then I heard 'Fire! Real fire! Call the fire brigade, now!' and I speeded up a bit." This is the first laptop of a tech 'celebrity' to explode.