Linux Archive

Linux App Finder

"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.

Ten Handy Bash Aliases

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 Kernel Walkthrough Screencast

Ottawa Canada Linux Users Group recently hosted its first Kernel Walkthrough given by Bart Trojanowski. Bart starts with a one-hour presentation introducing some Linux development background, file layout and data types. The code walkthrough following the presentation covers some important files and Linux list and bit modification APIs.A Google Video version (presentation only) is also available.

A Slightly Advanced Introduction to Vim

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.

Home Automation in GNU/Linux

"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

Making Desktop Linux Work for Business

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.

Kernel Devs: Closed Source Modules ‘Harmful and Undesirable’

A constant thorn in the eye of many Linux kernel developers is the existence of closed-source kernel modules, most notably those by Nvidia and Ati, but also some file system drivers and other elements. Most of the Linux developers have been against these modules ever since they were first used, and in fact, bug reports originating from a tainted kernel are often disregarded and ignored. The kernel developers have now rallied together by issuing a statement urging vendors to release open source Linux kernel modules and drivers.

The Berlin Packaging API: the Solution?

Installing software on Linux. In the world of online minefields, this is the big one. Back in the day, you installed software on Linux by compiling it manually. Time-consuming, but assuming you had a decent knowledge of gcc, make, and maintaining library files, this could actually work. Later one came the package management systems that were supposed to make installing software on Linux a breeze: rpm, dpkg, and so on, and so forth. Since human beings have the innate tendency to assume that everyone else is wrong and only they are right, we are now stuck with 3453495 different Linux package managers. Denis Washington, a Fedora developer, is taking steps to resolve this issue.

‘The Future Is Bright for Linux Filesystems’

"In a recent article, Linux File Systems: Ready for the Future?, Henry Newman expands on what he feels are shortcomings in current GNU/Linux filesystems. Specifically, he believes current Linux filesystem technology cannot meet the demands that massive implementations of 100TB or larger require. He states he received some emotional responses trying to either refute his information or impugn his character, although those comments do not show on either of the article's pages. This prompted me to get the real scoop on how Linux filesystem technology is trying to keep pace with the ever-growing need for storage space."

The Interactive Linux Kernel Map

The Linux kernel is one of most complex open source projects. Even though there are a lot of books on the Linux kernel, it is still a difficult subject to comprehend. The Interactive Linux kernel map gives you a top-down view of the kernel. You can see the most important layers, functionalities, modules, functions, and calls. Each function on the map is a link to its source code. The map is interactive. You can zoom in and drag around to see details.