Monthly Archive:: February 2007

Microsoft will not close a loophole that offers consumers a cheaper way to upgrade to Windows Vista. Users can install the upgrade version of the new operating system as a fresh installation, even if they do not currently own a licensed copy of Windows XP. The procedure is time consuming, but allows users to save about 35 per cent of the purchase price for the regular Windows Vista.

"Like the previously featured articles on new KDE 4 technologies for Job Processes or SVG Widgets, today we feature the shiny new multimedia technology Phonon. Phonon is designed to take some of the complications out of writing multimedia applications in KDE 4, and ensure that these applications will work on a multitude of platforms and sound architectures. Unfortunately, writing about a sound technology produces very few snazzy screenshots, so instead this week has a few more technical details. Read on for the details."

This detailed, hands-on review examines Nokia's Linux-based N800 web tablet first as a consumer electronics device, and then as a platform for open source software development. Reviewer Jerry Epplin infuses the review with humor and deeply technical insights. Our review is here.

Ever since Apple launched its 'Get a Mac' campaign, with the accompanying 'I'm a Mac - and I'm a PC' ads, lots of people have voiced their opinions on the campaign; the content has been discussed, the actors, the humour; however, relatively little has been said about the actual goals - and consequently the effectiveness - of the campaign.

Sun has announced a series of updates to its flagship Solaris operating system. Solaris 10 11/06 OS enhances efficiency, safety, and reliability. New security features include Solaris Trusted Extensions, which protects sensitive data and applications using labeled security technology. Secure By Default Networking automatically configures a system to be impervious to network attacks by disabling many unused services, thus reducing the network exposure, while leaving the system fully functional for typical use. In the meantime, HP will be supporting Solaris on its systems.

"Windows has been the best OS for gamers for years, and Vista takes that to the next level. That's all well and good for games made with Vista in mind, but what about your existing game library? Last May, when Vista was at the Beta 2 milestone, I wrote a feature in which I installed around 15 games on the unfinished OS, describing how well each one worked. Now that Vista is 'done' (in as much as any OS is ever actually finished), it's time to do it again. This time, I'm going to use the final Vista release, a DX10 video card (not that it really matters with no DX10 games), and all the drivers available upon Vista's launch. I'll also take a look at a lot more games, around 25."

"In his public appearances, Bill Gates often appears to be so heavily sedated that the the private, peevish Bill we know and love from his internal emails rarely erupts. So it's with some relief we learn that normal service has been resumed, after Newsweek magazine's Steven Levy, an Apple acolyte, solicited chairman Bill's opinion of its latest TV advertising campaign, 'I'm a Mac - I'm a PC'." The Guardian is also hosting a piece on the 'Get a Mac' campaign.

"This DVD release includes all of the 0.5.1 Live CD and adds JDK 1.6, OpenOffice 2.1, Netbeans 5.5 with Visual Web Pack, C/C++ Pack, Profiler and Glassfish AppServer 9, all the OpenSolaris Developer and Administration docs available from the OpenSolaris Documentation Community, and Desktop shortcuts for all these."

OpenSUSE is Novell's free 'community' distribution and one of the key project leaders, Andreas Jaeger, sat down and talked about Microsoft, Linux and where the MS deal is taking SUSE. More interviews can be found as well.

Security tools that work with Windows Vista have failed tests to see if they can detect viruses circulating online. Microsoft's Windows Live OneCare security tool was one of four products that failed independent tests carried out by the Virus Bulletin. The security testing group found that Live OneCare missed far more active viruses than any other program tested.

A ham radio club in Tucson, Arizona, is inviting public comment on a draft license governing open hardware designs. The Tucson Amateur Packet Radio club's Open Hardware License version 0.9 is available online for comment and discussion through March 7. TAPR says its OHL was designed to help hardware designers engage in collaborative development, "just as open source programmers do today."

"Do you have trouble accessing data exported from multiple file servers? If so, try using open source implementations of autofs and Lightweight Directory Access Protocol, with Network File System Version 3, to access data under the same global mount point. In this article, study and compare five different methods to create a uniform namespace using autofs. A handy table with a comparative evaluation is available to help you choose the best technique for your scenario."

"It seems as if a new Linux-based operating system is born every day, with each facing the challenge of justifying its existence in a field that's already rather crowded with mature Linux distributions boasting active user bases and organized bodies to back them. But one relatively young Linux distribution worth keeping an eye on is Foresight Linux, a desktop-oriented distribution that hit its 1.0 release milestone at the end of January. What sets Foresight apart from the rest of the fledgling distro pack is the software management framework on which its built."

"Microsoft quietly raised last week its per-incident support prices across the board for Windows and Office. Support for Windows XP and Windows Vista now costs USD 59 per incident. Prior to the Vista launch, the per-incident support price for Windows was USD 39. Vista users get their first 90 days of support for no charge. Support for Office XP and Office 2007 now goes for USD 49 per incident, compared to USD 35 per incident prior to the January 30 Windows Vista/Office 2007 retail launch. Office 2007 users also get their first 90 days of support for free."