Linux Archive

Cosmoe Developer Release 0.5 Available

Submitted by Thomas Weibel 2002-05-31 Linux 35 Comments

Bill Hayden, the initiator of the Cosmoe project has released a developer version. Bill is looking for feedback, bug reports and even code contributions. You will need a 2.4.x Linux kernel, RPM and a framebuffer graphics driver loaded through LILO. At this point, Cosmoe should only run via the console, as root. A mirror and an additional screenshot can be found here. Recently, OSNews featured an interview with Bill.

UnitedLinux won’t Tip Red Hat

Eugenia Loli 2002-05-31 Linux 6 Comments

"A move by four sellers of Linux to unite behind a single version of the operating system might help those allies--and boost Linux's popularity--but it isn't likely to dent the dominance of the top dog, Red Hat." Read the article at ZDNews. Update: Interesting interview with Caldera's CEO, about UnitedLinux.

Linux Vendors to Standardize on Single Distribution

Submitted by Sandro Barbieri 2002-05-29 Linux 42 Comments

"A number of Linux vendors will announce on Thursday that they have agreed to standardize on a single Linux distribution to try to take on Red Hat Inc.'s dominance in the industry. A media advisory issued on Tuesday said executives from Caldera, Conectiva, SuSE and Turbolinux on Thursday will make 'a major announcement that will change the shape of Linux worldwide.'" Read more at eWeek.

Linux Development Kernel Gets Bluetooth

Eugenia Loli 2002-05-28 Linux 9 Comments

"Support for Bluetooth has been added to the Linux development kernel, a step toward native Bluetooth support in upcoming releases of the Linux operating system." Read the report at ZDNews.

A Line on Linux

Submitted by Jason Walsh 2002-05-18 Linux 55 Comments

"Far from bringing openness and cooperation to the world of IT, Linux enthusiasts want to keep it as closed as possible - while collecting lavish praise from half-baked anti-capitalists - so they can carry on feeling self-important. After all, if these geeks could write real software, they'd be working for a proper company. Like Microsoft." Read the editorial at Spiked. IMNSHO: Some of the author's points are valid. But for the most part, speaking as a woman to woman, she just needs a good spanking.

Embedded Linux Crying Out for Standards

Eugenia Loli 2002-05-17 Linux 15 Comments

"Linux is set to become the de facto standard in so-called "embedded" devices such as robotics, information appliances and automobile information systems. However, fragmentation could prove a stumbling block, said Inder Singh, chairman of the Embedded Linux Consortium (ELC)." Read the rest of the article at ZDNews.

Reaching Beyond Two Terabyte Filesystems

Submitted by Jeremy Andrews 2002-05-11 Linux 18 Comments

Peter Chubb posted a patch to the lkml, with which he's now managed to mount a 15 terabyte file (using JFS and the loopback device). Without the patch, Peter explains, "Linux is limited to 2TB filesystems even on 64-bit systems, because there are various places where the block offset on disc are assigned to unsigned or int 32-bit variables." Peter works on the Gelato project in Australia. His efforts include cleaning up Linux's large filesystem support, removing 32-bit filesystem limitations. When I asked him about the new 64-bit filesystem limits, he offered a comprehensive answer and this interesting link. The full thread can be found here on KernelTrap. Reaching beyond terrabytes, beyond pentabytes, on into exabytes. I feel this sudden discontent with my meager 60 gigabyte hard drive...

ELXLinux Preparing for Release 1.0

Submitted by zegenie 2002-05-10 Linux 5 Comments

It seems that the ELXLinux project is preparing for its 1.0 release, named ELX Power Desktop 1.0. It is said that the company have partnered with another company in Northern America and some in Europe to distribute its ELXLinux 1.0. Their website features a brand-new improved design.

Lynuxworks Gets a Shot in the ARM

Eugenia Loli 2002-05-10 Linux No Comments

"Lynuxworks, which makes Linux software for embedded devices, has landed a deal with prominent chip designer ARM to bundle the two companies' products into a single embedded Linux development platform. The deal is a boost for Lynuxworks, which will gain visibility as a partner of one of the biggest names in embedded processors." Read the rest of the story at ZDNews.UK.

Real Time and Linux, Part 3: Sub-Kernels and Benchmarks

Eugenia Loli 2002-05-08 Linux No Comments

"In the first two articles of this series (see "Real Time and Linux, Part 1" and "Real Time and Linux, Part 2: the Preemptible Kernel"), we examined the fundamental concepts of real time and efforts to make the Linux kernel more responsive. In this article we examine two approaches to real time that involve the introduction of a separate, small, real-time kernel between the hardware and Linux. We also return to benchmarking and compare a desktop/server Linux kernel to modified kernels." The article is hosted at LinuxDevices.com.

How the PCI Hot Plug Driver Filesystem Works

Eugenia Loli 2002-05-04 Linux No Comments

On May 14, 2001, H. Peter Anvin announced to the linux-kernel mailing list: 'Linus Torvalds has requested a moratorium on new device number assignments. His hope is that a new and better method for device space handling will emerge as a result.' Greg Kroah-Hartman describes how the PCI Hot Plug core implements a RAM-based filesystem and how you can do the same for your drivers. The article is hosted at LinuxJournal.

Why Linux Isn’t on the Desktop Yet

Eugenia Loli 2002-04-29 Linux 79 Comments

"The answer to the title of this article is a single sentence, but you'll have to read the whole article to understand it. The Linux community has an amazing blind spot, and I'd like to rant about it a bit. I keep bumping into programmers who think some program or other is needed to change the world. They're wrong. "Linux just needs this one program and then we'll be ready!" they cry. I generally want to slap these people until they snap out of it (which is kind of hard to do through an internet connection). They are making a fundamentally wrong assumption. It's not about programs. It's about data." Read the rest of the editorial at LinuxAndMain.

Why You Want Linux – Or Not

Eugenia Loli 2002-04-27 Linux 43 Comments

"If anything is creating a stir in the world of computing these days, it's definitely Linux. You may have heard a lot of things about Linux, or not much at all, depending on what you read and who you talk to. Comments range from how incredible Linux is and how it will be a serious threat to Microsoft, to how difficult it is to use, and how there's no software support. Well, every tidbit you hear gained life from some sort of truth, but it's hard to put all the facts together when they're being fired at you from all over the place. With this article I hope to tell a prospective Linux user what he or she needs to know to make the decision to switch. I'm not talking enterprise server stuff here, you can find information on that all over the place. I'm talking about the OS on your home PC that you're probably using right now." Read the article at LinuxOrbit. Also check the guide for new Linux users at ExtremeTech.

Lineo Goes To the Block

Eugenia Loli 2002-04-23 Linux 8 Comments

"The Canopy Group and Egan-Managed Capital, two of Lineo's many investors, have been running a "notice of public sale" in a local Utah paper since April 8 apparently. It recalls the sheriff hammering a foreclosure sign on an Oklahoma farm with the butt-end of his gun during the dust storms of the Great Depression. As previously reported, Lineo has run out of money to the point of bouncing paychecks and having at least one of its offices padlocked by the landlord for want of the rent. Lineo has a pretty lustrous retinue of backers and burned through at least $65 million, maybe $20 million or $30 million more than that. It's reportedly never been profitable." Read the rest of the report at LinuxGram.

Mandrake 8.2 and SuSE 8.0 Now Available in Retail

Eugenia Loli 2002-04-22 Linux 7 Comments

MandrakeSoft, today announced the availability of the boxed versions of Mandrake Linux 8.2 through a number of retail outlets worldwide and also online. Mandrake Linux 8.2 for PowerPack and ProSuite are the first Linux distributions to include StarOffice 6.0, the new office suite from Sun Microsystems which is compatible with Microsoft Office documents. Customers are provided with three packaged versions of Mandrake Linux 8.2 to choose from: ProSuite ($149.99), PowerPack ($69.99) and Standard ($39.99). OEM versions, targeted at hardware manufacturers, are due out later this month. In the meantime, SuSE 8.0 also hits the retail market today. SuSE's prices start at $39.95 for the SuSE Linux 8.0 IA32 Personal and go up to $79.95 for the SuSE Linux 8.0 IA32 Professional.

Linux and Open Source Idealogy

Eugenia Loli 2002-04-21 Linux 43 Comments

KernelTrap features three interesting articles - first, second and the newest -, round ups of the Linux kernel mailing list, where some of the developers are fighting against the use of the proprierty BitKeeper, while the rest are evangelizing regarding the "best tool for the job". When emails like "Rot in hell, closed mind" emerged in the list, Linus replied: "Quite frankly, I don't _want_ people using Linux for ideological reasons. I think ideology sucks. This world would be a much better place if people had less ideology, and a whole lot more 'I do this because it's FUN and because others might find it useful, not because I got religion'". Our Take: Personally, I am on Linus' side. He rocks on this particular subject.

Norwegian “School-Linux” Nears Completion

Submitted by daniel andre 2002-04-17 Linux 3 Comments

A dedicated group of norwegian students have now almost finished what is called "School-Linux" (or "skolelinux" in norwegian). After having put down about 11.500 hours of work, they are planning Norway's largest betatesting - starting on May 3rd. They have translated KDE, and over 350 programs to Norwegian (Bokmal and Nynorsk idiomatisms). They also promise that you will be able to install "school-linux" with three mouse clicks. The finished product is scheduled for late August.

CRUX 0.9.3 Released

Eugenia Loli 2002-04-14 Linux 31 Comments

CRUX is a lightweight, i686-optimized Linux distribution targeted at experienced Linux users. In the new version (195 MB ISO), there are about 45 package updates including glibc 2.2.5, XFree86 4.2, and kernel 2.4.18. Mozilla 0.9.9 is now the default browser. Pkgutils 4.1 provides means to protect selected configuration files from being overwritten when upgrading packages.

Why Linux Made Inroads at Financial Institutions

Submitted by Dave Poirier 2002-04-13 Linux 2 Comments

When the loss of about 1,000 computer servers in the World Trade Center attacks put Lehman Brothers in the market to buy millions of dollars of systems, it looked at Linux. American Banker tells the story.

Real-Time and Linux, Part II: the Preemptible Kernel

Eugenia Loli 2002-04-10 Linux 7 Comments

"In the January/February 2002 issue of Embedded Linux Journal, we examined the fundamental issues of real time with Linux. In this article we examine efforts to bring real-time capabilities to applications by making improvements to the Linux kernel. To date, the majority of this work has been to make the kernel more responsive--to reduce latency by reducing the preemption latency, which can be quite long in Linux." Kevin Dankwardt continues his real-time series by examining efforts to bring real-time capabilities to applications by improving the Linux kernel. Part I can be found here.