Blogs of War

Linux has been my primary OS for several years now. I haven’t run a version of Windows at home in over five years. I did continue to use Windows at work but only because no other options were offered. However, work is becoming increasingly Mac-friendly (thank you Vista) so I’ve recently been able to ditch Windows as a primary OS. These days I’m able to run Windows in Parallels on a MacBook Pro (screenshot above) and 24″ iMac – and then only when needed (which isn’t often). My computing time is significantly more productive with Apple hardware and software in the office.

Ubuntu is still my primary OS at home. I don’t expect that to change. Switching between Leopard and Ubuntu 8.04 feels virtually seamless to me. I’m generally happy and productive as long as I’m on some flavor of Unix but open source variants will always have the edge.

You can find more Ubuntu demos and tutorials on my Ubuntu Video blog.

On the Web:
Ubuntu
Ubuntu Video
Ubuntu @ Dell

Installing software in Linux used to require a bit of work. These days both Windows and Mac take a back seat to Ubuntu (and many other brands of Linux) when it comes to managing applications.

For more on Ubuntu, and hundreds of videos, head over to my other blog. You might also want to check out the newest flavor of Ubuntu, the one I’m using now, Ubuntu Studio.

Ubuntu Links:
Ubuntu
Ubuntu @ Dell

It’s a huge day for Linux fans and consumers looking for a powerful alternative to Windows Vista. The announcement was posted on Dell’s blog:

Dell is doing this because of your clear feedback in IdeaStorm. User dhart submitted this idea on February 16—the first day we launched IdeaStorm and it quickly became the #1 idea. Since then, about 30,000 community members weighed in to support it, and over 100,000 of you completed the Linux survey to tell us more.

…To the worldwide Linux community, I wanted to thank you for all your support. Linux-related posts are the three most viewed posts since we launched the blog back in July 2006. The Linux survey post and the Ubuntu 7.04 post are also the top two most commented blog entries as well—both received well over 500 comments. That makes it hard to keep up with comment moderation, but it’s a problem I love to have.

Thanks for giving us a chance to show what Dell 2.0 is about. While this is a milestone that a lot of us will remember, it’s just the beginning—plenty more to come.

You should be able to place your orders on Dell’s Ubuntu page after 4 PM CST this afternoon. Regular readers will know that I’ve used Ubuntu for years and that I’m an Ubuntu Member.

If you’re not familiar with Ubuntu and you’d like to see it in action there are hundreds of user created videos available at my Ubuntu Video site.

Ubuntu Resources:
Ubuntu
Ubuntu Video
The Fridge
Full Circle
Planet Ubuntu
Weekly Newsletter
Ubuntu Forums
Ubuntu Counter
Project Teams
Canonical
Launchpad
Ubuntu Foundation

Ubuntu @ Dell:
Forums
Support
Direct2Dell

Elon Musk Is Betting His Fortune on a Mission Beyond Earth’s Orbit
In 2010, NASA plans to retire its fleet of space shuttles. The replacement, the crew vehicle called Orion, doesn’t come online until 2015. In the meantime, Musk says, “SpaceX’s Falcon 9 will be the only manned US spacecraft.” It will be amazing — if he can get it to fly.

MySpace to report sex offenders
Social networking website MySpace has agreed to provide police with information about convicted US sex offenders, removed from its service.

Mars rover finds evidence of water
A broken wheel on one of the Nasa rovers that has been roaming Mars for three and a half years has helped scientists to find strong new evidence that the Red Planet was once wetter and possibly capable of supporting life.

Ubuntu, Dell PC Multimedia Codec Issue
Ubuntu, in its latest Feisty 7.04 release (which will be loaded on Dell’s upcoming Linux PCs), allows users to install appropriate codecs on-the-fly – in most cases – with a simple pop-up (via the “codec wizard”) when clicking on a file.

Microsoft: ‘OK, We Won’t Sue You… For Now’
Software giant Microsoft said Tuesday that it won’t follow through on threats to pursue patent violation litigation against makers and users of open-source software.

Intel, AMD Wage High-Stakes Battle Over Low-End Laptops
A tiff between the world’s largest chipmaker and an organization selling low-priced laptops to the developing world will ultimately benefit poor kids, according to one tech aid expert.

Google Trends: Hot or Not?
The 44th hottest trend in Google search right now is the phrase “Google Hot Trends.” That’s the search giant’s new and improved entry into a search zeitgeist meter market that includes Yahoo, Technorati and even a page on nytimes.com.

“False claims” land Apple in Hot Soup
Nearly a month after dealing with battery problems in its MacBook and MacBook Pro notebook computers, Apple Inc. has been slapped with a class-action lawsuit, accusing the computer maker of making “false claims” about the above said models’ displays.

The $85 Computer
That minuscule price is attached to Norhtec’s Microclient JrSX, a desktop PC the size of a large novel. The Microclient is no Powerbook; it has only 128 megabytes of RAM and a 300-megahertz processor. And instead of a hard drive, it’s designed to store data on flash cards. Thailand-based Norhtec’s founder, Michael Barnes, says he’s already sold thousands of the machines.

IT Execs Unmoved by Microsoft’s Open-Source Gripes
Microsoft Corp.’s claims that open-source technologies infringe on 235 of its patents irked some IT managers last week, while others said they viewed the patent offensive as nothing more than a standard corporate business tactic. But none of the half-dozen IT executives who were interviewed about Microsoft’s infringement assertions plan to change their open-source adoption strategies — at least, not unless and until there’s a good reason for them to do so.

Ogg’s Creator On Why Open Media Formats Still Rule
We’ve been saying for years that there’s more money to be made without DRM than with it, and a few very large players are finally coming to agree. It’s a nice coincidence that DRM-free is also better for the public and our country as well. Once we also finally get across that there’s more money to be made without software patents, we’ll have achieved a large chunk of our mission.

China aims for the moon this year
China plans to launch a lunar orbiter in the second half of 2007, in a first step towards a lunar probe, Xinhua news agency quoted the director of the National Space Administration as saying on Sunday.

Linux set to replace Palm OS
Palm’s announcement earlier this month of the Palm OS Treo 755p provoked some questions regarding whether this would be the last Palm device to run the Palm Garnet OS, now that Palm is embracing Linux.

Windows Media Center Restricts Cable TV
A simple search on the subject reveals that HBO programming and, in my case, Braveheart on AMC are among the many selections now restricted for playback or recording by Windows Media Center Edition. What’s next, restricting every piece of programming on television?”

80GB Playstation 3 on the way
While the 80GB PS3 is a slight improvement on the original officially-released 60GB hard-drive, the price differential between 60GB and 80GB is negligible. This could simply be a re-sourcing exercise by Sony which has resulted in a benefit to potential Korean Playstation 3 owners.

Norton AV upgrade cripples thousands Chinese computers
The Chinese Internet Security Response Team (CISRT), Symantec’s SRT group located in China, called it ‘Black Friday.’ In what should have been a routine update to the popular anti-virus software, an update issued Friday disabled several thousand computers across China. The Norton AntiVirus update caused the computers to recognize two Windows XP files as malicious and remove them. The result was the infamous BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) after a system reboot, resulting in a rather expensive paperweight.

Are these Dell’s Ubuntu PCs?
If these are indeed the systems that Dell will be offering, Linux desktop users will have a nice selection of both desktop and laptop computers. Dell has indicated that pricing for these systems will be lower than that of their Vista-powered twins.

Google Study: Ten Percent of Web Pages Carry Malicious Code
About one in 10 Web pages is infected with malicious software that could result in a user’s personal information being stolen, according to Google researchers. Sensitive data such as banking passwords and e-mail addresses could unwittingly be handed over to criminals as a result of visiting infected pages, which work by exploiting a vulnerability in the user’s Internet browser, a study by Google researchers suggests.

Blizzard talks Starcraft II gameplay details
Believe it or not, even though the Blizzard Worldwide Invitational 2007 event is home to music concerts and some of the biggest game tournaments in the world, one of the most intriguing activities is actually sitting quietly in a theater. Three of Blizzard’s top creative talents, creative director Andy Chambers, senior game designer Dustin Browder, and vice president of game design Rob Pardo sit on a panel to discuss gameplay details for the company’s newly announced sequel, Starcraft II.

Wii needs more games
Research firm IDC is forecasting that by the end of the 2008, the Wii will be the best-selling console, besting the PS3 and Microsoft Xbox 360, which got a one-year head start. With momentum behind the Wii, many publishers are working to keep up, trying to cash in on the excitement surrounding the Nintendo system. The stakes are high for software publishers, which generated almost $5 billion in sales of console games last year in North America.

NASA Using Mexican Sinkhole to Practice for Jupiter Exploration
NASA is testing an underwater robot in one of Earth’s deepest sinkholes in a first step toward searching for life on Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa. El Zacaton, near the Gulf coast of northeastern Mexico, is about 100 metres (328 feet) wide and more than 1,000 metres (1,000 feet) deep. It could easily hold the Eiffel Tower. Scientists plan to map and take samples in the dark, water-filled fissure with the 1.5 tonne DEPTHX robot over the next two weeks as a prelude to the proposed navigation of Europa’s ice-capped oceans in about 20 years.

Ubuntu has been my primary OS since it’s birth but now I’ve switched – sorta. Ubuntu Studio has all the same goodies found in Ubuntu (because it is Ubuntu) but it’s also packed with tons of audio, video, photo, and 3D animation tools. It’s all free too. Hit the Ubuntu Studio website for more information and downloads.

Update:
The website is a bit overloaded and down at times. Demand appears to be pretty high. Try again later if doesn’t work for you.

On the Web:
The Perfect Desktop – Ubuntu Studio 7.04

Consumers will finally be able to order a PC with a secure, stable, open source, operating system from Dell. I’ve been tracking developments at JohnLittle.org. Dell released the above video, featuring Ubuntu founder Mark Shuttleworth, this afternoon.