Linux Archive

"Linux is a powerful and versatile operating system that can be utilized to hack just about any electronic hardware device. To prove it, I have here a list of popular gadgets that are already known to run Linux."

Linux security may seem daunting, but there are a host of best practices to simplify the maze. Recently, Steve Grubb of Red Hat Inc. outlined some important security principles, including minimizing admin access, the increasing sophistication of SELinux and the importance of auditing systems.

As if to further prove the ultra-flexibility of Linux, Echoes takes a brief look at 9 file managers for Linux, both well-known and obscure. Accompanied by comments on strengths, screenshots and homepage links, the article provides a quick guide for Linux users looking for a better file management interface.

A sizeable number of full featured, mature and free video applications are available on the Linux platform. This article explores such topics as becoming a digital video editing master and turning your Linux machine into a Home Theatre.To provide insight into the quality of software that is available, we have compiled a list of 42 high quality Linux video applications, covering a broad spectrum of uses. Most of the titles included in this feature are desktop applications with an elegant graphical front-end, although we have not neglected console software.

Linux creator Linus Torvalds has released version 2.6.26 of the Linux kernel after a lengthy three-month development stretch since the 2.6.25 release involving nine release candidates. In announcing the release on the Linux Kernel Mailing List, Torvalds said the 87 days since 2.6.25 makes 2.6.26 a longer-than-usual release cycle. Torvalds said the changes from release candidate (RC) 9 are small, with the bulk (80 percent) being documentation updates.

So you thought Linux was the key to the Eee PC's success? Not so, according to ASUS. "The bulk of the requests and requirements we see in the marketplace are for the model with Windows rather than Linux," says Henry Lee, Acer's senior product manager. "It's a give and take between simplicity of usage for the masses versus full customisation. The Linux version is really only to use exactly what is provided, and someone in the know can easily remove what's been installed. But consumers are accustomed to the Windows environment, and the Windows version will be a stronger player eventually." Editor's Note: More broadly, this piece examines whether the popularity of the Eee and its Linux-bearing cousins will be sustained, or if they will ultimately get beaten out in the netbook space by Windows-based versions. What do you think?

"Linux App Finder's mission is to catalog useful GNU/Linux programs and provide a great resource to discover new apps". The programs are organized in categories to browse the collection. It has an alternatives page to find an equivalent Linux app to replace your Windows or OS X app when you make that switch. The app's page has user submitted screenshots and a research section where links to reviews for that app is provided.

The Linux desktop has come a long, long way, but there are still times when I have to use the command line. (I am a hardcore user, after all.) But even though I'm used to typing, spending hours upon hours with my fingers at the keyboard, I still grow tired of typing the same commands over and over. To reduce that tedium, I always add aliases to my .bashrc file.

LinuX-Gamers Live is a live DVD from Germany based on Arch Linux that includes nothing but games. Version 0.9.3 was released in June and provides an excellent means of sampling Linux games or setting up a home arcade.

I find a large number of people around me who have used vim a few times while writing programs. Very few of them have grown into becoming effective vim users. The majority drop out because of its initially daunting interface. A good number of the interested users switch to emacs, because they think the 'power' just isn't there with vim. I am not saying emacs is bad, but I just cannot stand decisions made on lack of information.

While I was trawling through Net Applications' operating system share trend data for the past 24 months, something struck me. June 08 marked a big month for Linux. The OS saw the largest increase in market share for the whole 2 year period - a growth of 0.12%.

"Home Automation ... covers many areas, including remote and timed control of lights and electrical home appliances, distributed media services, and communication. Over the last 10 years, many hardware manufacturers have presented their own proprietary solutions to these problems. Unbeknownst to them, a groundswell of developers from around the world has been providing similar solutions to the free and open source community." If you want to know how to remotely tell your computer to switch on the kettle and boil a cup of tea, switch on the lights, or just draw the curtains the read the full story at Freesoftware Magazine

The Sabayon Linux project has released version 3.5 and are now also officially sponsored by the NLnet Foundation. Highlights are: a new look, Linux kernel 2.6.25.9, X.Org 7.3, Compiz Fusion 0.7.6 and, and a new binary package manager called Entropy. Distribution screenshots are available here.

We've been talking about desktop Linux in the business world for years. in 2008, it seems, a lot has changed and improved, and a lot has stayed the same. A Computerworld article takes a look at the state of desktop Linux in the enterprise, and examines the benefits and the pitfalls, looks at the various vendors and their offerings, and talks about how to work well with Windows and other commonly-used platforms and applications.