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NewsVac: News from around the Web
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Mini-Review: Linux Mint 4.0 'Daryna'
1 month, 1 week ago
"From Linux Mint's About page: "Linux Mint's purpose is to produce an elegant, up to date and comfortable GNU/Linux desktop distribution." To reach this goal, lead developer and founder Clement Lefebvre used (surprisingly) Ubuntu as the base, and added multimedia codecs to the distribution, by default .... " -
Microsoft & Linux: at what point is it cheaper to just buy Novell?
1 month, 1 week ago
"Instead of migrating all the tried and tested Yahoo! services over to a Windows server infrastructure, wouldn't it be simpler to establish Microsoft Linux through the acquisition of Novell...?" -
Paul Frields to be Fedora project leader
4 months ago
Outgoing Fedora leader Max Spevack has sent a goodbye letter of sorts from FUDCon and announced that the new project leader will be Paul Frields. "Many of you already know Paul. He has been part of the Fedora community since 2003, not long after the Red Hat Linux Project officially merged with the original Fedora.us. Paul has worked with Fedora's documentation, packaging, marketing, news, and artwork teams. He also served as one of the inaugural members of the Fedora Project Board." -
Linux for translators: a review of Linguas OS
4 months ago
To this day, technology in the translation industry has been largely dominated by a handful of proprietary applications. Linguas OS is a Linux distribution created specifically for professionals in the translation industry, including Free Open Source Software tools to perform all of the tasks that professional translators must do every day in their work. -
Mandriva Linux 2008 Spring Alpha 2 "Neottia" released
4 months ago
The second pre-release of Mandriva Linux 2008 Spring is here. This pre-release brings a near-final snapshot of KDE 4.0 (final 4.0 packages are currently being uploaded to the Cooker repositories), new NVIDIA and ATI drivers, the chance to test the experimental nouveau open source driver for NVIDIA cards, kernel 2.6.24rc7, and more. -
Novell's Microsoft deal a winner
4 months, 2 weeks ago
Two senior Novell execs hail the "success" of the first year of their collaboration with Microsoft. -
Paludis, Gentoo and Ciaran McCreesh uncensored
5 months ago
"I took the liberty of asking Mr. Ciaran McCreesh, Chief developer among the Paludis team about a relatively gentle introduction to the Paludis world, why it became a necessity, its design and goals. Also the relation with Gentoo is examined, but also a glimpse at how F/LOSS can be a socially complicated issue .... " -
"Time to Change"
5 months ago
"Red Hat, stalwart commercial vendor of Linux in the enterprise, is showing signs of disarray. A momentary lapse of reason, or a sign of the times to come?" -
Ubuntu JeOS 7.10 released
6 months ago
"The Ubuntu team is happy to announce the first release of Ubuntu JeOS, Ubuntu JeOS 7.10. Pronounced "juice", Ubuntu JeOS (Just Enough Operating System) is an efficient variant of Ubuntu configured specifically for virtual appliances .... " -
The perfect server - Ubuntu Gutsy Gibbon
6 months, 4 weeks ago
This tutorial shows how to set up a Ubuntu Gutsy Gibbon (Ubuntu 7.10) based server that offers all services needed by ISPs and hosters: Apache web server (SSL-capable), Postfix mail server with SMTP-AUTH and TLS, BIND DNS server, Proftpd FTP server, MySQL server, Courier POP3/IMAP, Quota, Firewall, etc. This tutorial is written for the 32-bit version of Ubuntu Gutsy Gibbon, but should apply to the 64-bit version with very little modifications as well. -
Ubuntu: one more release, yet more polish
7 months, 3 weeks ago
"I upgraded my laptop to the latest Ubuntu Gutsy Gibson a few days ago only to be greeted with an additional feel of polish and goodness. Read more for our mini preview..." -
BugnuX 2007 released
8 months, 2 weeks ago
"The BugnuX team is proud to release the final version of BugnuX 2007, after many sleepless/partyless nights. The key features of this version are that the default Window Manager is Enlighenment 0.17. Yes, E17 is still in beta, but it has some very nifty features. Since it is in beta, we have also included the latest stable version of Fluxbox, as an alternative, just in case...The other important feature is that we have our own repository (fully compatible with PCLinuxOS 2007) with all the testing tools(marathon, jacareto, CurlLoader), E17, OPenBox, FluxBox, Rox, idesk, etc. .... '
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Red Hat is going on the road: The Red Hat Value^2 Tour
8 months, 2 weeks ago
"Just as we have worked closely together to provide best-in-class, end-to-end virtualization capabilities, Red Hat and Intel are excited to bring you the North American Value2 seminar tour. The tour consists of half-day interactive seminars where IT decision makers can learn how to transform their enterprise with an open source-based approach to virtualization and service-oriented architecture .... " -
Pardus 2007.2 — new cat in town
9 months, 4 weeks ago
"I’ve already written two Pardus reviews — 2007 Beta 2 and 2007.1. So it’s time for a review of 2007.2 Caracal release. In this article I will focus on the key changes and my personal thoughts concerning this interesting distribution .... " -
OpenSuSE 10.3 Alpha 6 Screenshots
10 months ago
Yesterday's release of OpenSuSE 10.3 Alpha 6 marks the first time there is a single installation CD for OpenSuSE, but also added in this development build is the Linux 2.6.22 kernel, GCC 4.2, and other updated packages. The single CD was possible by splitting packages and also introduced was 64-bit CDs for KDE and GNOME. While this isn't the final build of OpenSuSE 10.3, we have enclosed new screenshots of the OpenSuSE 10.3 Alpha 6 GNOME edition. - More News
Linux.com : Distributions
New Fedora 9 makes waves by emphasizing contributors
The Fedora distribution has a reputation for innovation, and the new Fedora 9, released today, is no exception. With features that range from easy filesystem encryption to support for the ext4 format, it includes a wide range of features that are likely to become standard in other distributions in the next six months. But for Paul W. Frields, who became Fedora project leader in February, what distinguishes the release is less the technology than the community that supports it, and how the technology contributes to the larger free software world.
Review: Hardy Heron converts an Ubuntu skeptic
I have to disclose that I have never been a real fan of Ubuntu. I've tried it about every release and had more than my share of issues with it. Ubuntu 8.04 was released last month, and the first reviews mostly spoke of how nice this version was, so I downloaded the i386 version to test. Sigh -- it's rough when you have to change a long-standing opinion.
Interview with Bluewhite64 creator Attila Craciun
Slackware Linux has stood strong for more than a decade by refusing to compromise. There was a time when people used to say, "If you want to learn Linux and learn it well, give Slackware a try." Attila Craciun, a Romanian software developer and Linux enthusiast, has ported the Slackware tree to the AMD64 architecture to create the Bluewhite64 distro. We spoke with him to find out about Bluewhite64, where it came from, and where it's going.
New SymphonyOne distro plays a different tune
After several years of development, SymphonyOS this month released SymphonyOne 2008.1, the first stable version of its distribution. When SymphonyOS first emerged three years ago, it offered a Linux desktop experience unlike any ever seen before by structuring the computer desktop to function more like a real-life desk instead of just another system folder. Featuring the Mezzo desktop environment, Symphony simplifies the desktop concept for users. This release brings a new level of stability to the design, making it a viable alternative to KDE, GNOME, or Fluxbox.
Shuttleworth starts countdown to Ubuntu 8.04 release
The next red-letter day for Ubuntu fans will be April 24, when Ubuntu 8.04 LTS (Long Term Support) arrives. Mark Shuttleworth, the CEO of Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu, guarantees that the next version of the popular Linux distribution will make it on time, with something for enterprise, desktop, and Internet users.
PCLinuxOS Gnome links two worlds
If you're looking for a GNOME desktop for the popular PCLinuxOS (PCLOS), then newly released PCLinuxOS Gnome might be for you.
Puppeee: Puppy for your Eee PC
The Asus Eee PC ultraportable comes bundled with a version of Xandros as its operating system. If you would like to try a different Linux distro on your Eee, there are plenty of options to choose from, including eeeXubuntu, EeeDora, ZenEee, EeePCLinuxOS, and Puppeee. The latter is based on Puppy Linux, a tiny Linux distribution that sports a few unique features that make it a perfect candidate for use on machines like the Eee PC.
Granular distro preview is worth a look
Granular Linux is a desktop-oriented distribution based on PCLinuxOS. Its primary goals are to be easy to use and user-friendly. With the new preview release of version 1.0, Granular has come a long way toward achieving these goals, and becoming a unique distribution with its own benefits and problems.
Ask Linux.com
Got a question about Linux or free and open source software? You've come to the right place. In the left column of every page, directly below the Distributions link, you'll find a link labeled "Get Linux help" that will take you to the Linux.com discussion forums -- your best bet for getting Linux-related troubleshooting and advice, whether the issue involves hardware, software, or neither. Here are some examples of threads from recent days -- some with answers, and some still looking for solutions.
GoblinX packs a lot into compact Slackware-based distro
GoblinX, an installable live CD based on the solid foundation of Slackware Linux, released Standard edition version 2.6 last month. It comes with lots of handy applications and five desktop managers: KDE, Fluxbox, Xfce, Enlightenment, and WindowMaker. I was impressed with the amount of software included as well as the stability and performance of GoblinX 2.6.
EZblue Linux server makes administration easy
EZblue Software touts EZblue Business Server as "a fully integrated [L]inux server. It has a built-in file server, print server, Web server, mail server, and a whole lot more" -- just like many other distributions, of course. One place where EZblue attempts to distinguish itself for its target market of small and medium businesses (SMB) running Windows on their desktops and laptops is by offering the proprietary Magellan Desktop application for Windows, which "enables Windows XP, 2000, and 98SE users to have fast and easy access to their files and folders stored on the EZblue server." EZblue offers straightfoward, no-nonsense configuration replete with easy-to-understand GUIs and wizards, giving administrators a logical way to set up and manage the server.
After troublesome install, EnGarde proves it's secure
EnGarde, a GNU/Linux-based operating system produced by Guardian Digital, aims to provide a secure system that is easy to manage from anywhere. Its philosophy of including only what you need to lessen possible vulnerabilities, combined with strict SELinux application policies and default configurations tuned for security, make EnGarde an excellent base for a server -- though it's not without its problems.
Latest Slax release needs more time in the oven
Slax, a Slackware-based modular Linux distribution, released version 6.0 last month. This release brings a new tar install format along with a new donation request, but also includes some noticeable bugs.
Parsix: Persian distro makes GNOME look good
Last month the Parsix Linux distribution made its 1.0 release after almost a year of development. Parsix is a GNOME-based distro based on the testing branch of Debian GNU/Linux with elements from Kanotix. It makes an attractive alternative to Ubuntu.
Weekly Wire special: Linux.com quizzes new Red Hat CEO Jim Whitehurst (video)
Jim Whitehurst and I met at JBoss World in Orlando, Florida, on the morning of February 13, 2008, pulled up a couple of chairs, turned on the camcorder, and talked. This video is totally uncut. Our idea here is to give you a sense of the man in a way no text interview can.
Tiny Zenwalk 5.0 packs a big punch
Zenwalk, a Slackware-based slim-and-zippy distribution, released a major update last month. The release announcement listed some noticeable enhancements and promised the best support for Wi-Fi you can expect in any Linux distro. Excuse me for being skeptic, but one doesn't expect midget distros to be the best in any field. How well can a single-CD 469MB distro hold up against every other multi-GB DVD distro available today? As it turns out, Zenwalk manages to squeeze in a long list of open source wireless drivers, as well as the proprietary Intel wireless device firmware. Surprisingly Zenwalk 5.0 not only does things you don't expect from a single CD distro, it does them with ease and very little command-line sorcery.
SAM Linux Desktop shows promise
SAM Linux Desktop, an Xfce-fronted distribution based on PCLinuxOS, aims to be a complete and modern desktop operating system. Though it has problems that need to be worked out before it will match the competition, it offers an easy install, a 3-D desktop environment, and a flurry of programs to suit your needs.
Well-appointed Darkstar Linux has a dark side
Darkstar Linux 2008.1 is one of the first stable distro releases of the year. This distribution from Romania is based on Slackware and is available as a DVD image. For a desktop-oriented distro with its first release in 2004, Darkstar Linux has a lot of scope for improvement; its rock-solid performance and range of applications is overshadowed by its poor hardware skills.
Elive distro illustrates power, beauty of Enlightenment
The Elive Linux distribution combines beauty with ease of use. Elive is based on Debian and uses Enlightenment as its windows manager, which gives the distribution a Mac OS X look and feel. Elive comes with dozens of easy-to-use desktop applications that just work.
Litrix: Linux from Brazil to your desktop
Litrix Linux is a distribution developed in Brazil and based on Gentoo Linux. As with Gentoo, users are left to do some of their own configuration, but with good hardware detection and the Litrix Central configuration tool, building your own personalized Linux system is a little easier than you might expect.
