David Adams Archive

OpenMFG, the makers of open source ERP software, have released OpenRPT, a report writer for ad-hoc Web-based reporting. It creates graphical, embeddable reports, similar to the commercial software Crystal Reports or Microsoft Access report designer, but runs on on Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows. It supports graphs, integrated barcodes, label printing, and watermarks and report definitions can be stored in a PostgreSQL database as XML, or exported to individual files.

The code examples in these tutorials are in Python and C, but translate well to other languages. Part 1 covers the basics, such as an echo server and client, which connect over TCP/IP, fundamental network, layer, and protocol concepts. Part 2 is an intermediate level tutorial that demonstrates how to write UDP sockets applications.

Solaris Express 4/2005 (a.k.a. Nevada Build 10) was posted today, providing improved performance, X.org 6.8.2 final, and a host of bug fixes. You can obtain a free download. An overview of new features is available.

So, I went out to at least partially test this theory, and to do appropriate comparisons between Dell computers and Apple computers. I'm hardly the first one to take this challenge but I've decided it's time to stop talking and taking other peoples' word for it, and go get some concrete facts to put on (digital) paper.

wxWidgets 2.6.0 was released yesterday. This is the first stable release in over 18 months. Release notes and downloads are available here.

The next release of Java (Mustang) has some significant enhancements for desktop usage, including improved OS L&F, text anti-aliasing modes, more and improved graphics hardware usage, threading improvements, etc. Also, some long term bugs are fixed (like gray rectangle issue). See a full list and details.

PalmOS users and developers have been having problems lately with the NVFS (Non Volatile File System) which has been included on recent PalmOne devices such as Tungsten T5, E2 and the Treo 650. Developer Zakai Hamilton has a solution to solve it for the future.

The CEO of Opera Software, Jon S. von Tetzchner, has promised he "will swim from Norway to the USA with only one stop-over for a cup of hot chocolate at his mother's house in his home country, Iceland" if the number of downloads passes 1 million by Saturday. Sure, we're falling for this cheap publicity stunt, just as they hoped we would. But I can't help but hope he ends up having to make good on his commitment.

Microsoft's Jim Allchin says that the number one design goal for Longhorn has been: "it just works." In other words, a lot of the fiddly, annoying tasks that computer users have become accustomed to (or never quite got the hang of) such as searching for files, defragmenting, changing network configurations, and tweaking security settings, will happen automatically.

A CIO Today editorial notes that security concerns are most often cited when IT managers consider a switch to Linux over Windows, but difficulty in replicating Microsoft Office functionality is a barrier. Why not use Macs? In addition to software-side security advantages, there are distinct security advantages to using a non-x86 platform as well. And you can still run Office.

Another wrinkle in the ongoing CherryOS saga: having just announced that they were putting the CherryOS Mac emulator project "on hold" indefinitely (amid accusations that their software was inappropriately using PearPC intellectual property), now the CherryOS web site states: "Due to Overwhelming Demand Cherry Open Source Project Launches 5.1.2005."

This month's Wired magazine has a terriffic story about a team of students from a high school in an economically depressed part of Phoenix, who took part in an underwater-robot building competition against students from the top universities in the country -- and won. All of the students are undocumented Mexican immigrants who don't qualify for most financial aid or even in-state tuition, and therefore can't afford to attend college, in the US, Mexico, or anywhere. When I read the article I determined to try to do something to help give these kids their chance, and I was delighted to discover that their faculty advisor has set up a scholarship fund for them, and I'm about to donate some money to help. I'd like to encourage OSNews readers to read the story, and if they feel the same way, to donate.

The Register, which is generally no purveyor of Microsoft fawning, notes the many security improvements in Windows 2003 SP1, among those a perceived attitude change in its documentation that acknowledges security challenges inherent to their platform, and nifty features like the ability to tun off inbound network connections during setup to prevent the latest worms striking before you can run Windows Update.

Visual Basic developers who are being left behind with Microsoft's discontinuing of "classic" VB have a short time to take advantage of an interesting offer. The makers of REALBasic will give registered VB6 users a free license to their software.