Building A Linux Box Cheap is from Linux Fanatics.

Building a new computer on the cheap is not really that big of a stretch, considering the financial mess we currently live in these days. But what about building a computer of any quality for $200 or less? Does it even sound possible?

Truth is that yes, building a cheap PC can indeed be done. But does running Linux on it make it cheaper? Well, let me ask this. Unless you have a spare copy of a fully legal Windows 7 laying around, yes, it is cheaper and then some.

So even excluding the costs savings of skimping on various hardware needs, you also don’t have to sweat it when you end up losing your installation CD. No product key, no problem. Even excluding the possibly of OS preferences, this is a huge help.

Building A Linux Box Cheap is from Linux Fanatics.

Building a new computer on the cheap is not really that big of a stretch, considering the financial mess we currently live in these days. But what about building a computer of any quality for $200 or less? Does it even sound possible?

Truth is that yes, building a cheap PC can indeed be done. But does running Linux on it make it cheaper? Well, let me ask this. Unless you have a spare copy of a fully legal Windows 7 laying around, yes, it is cheaper and then some.

So even excluding the costs savings of skimping on various hardware needs, you also don’t have to sweat it when you end up losing your installation CD. No product key, no problem. Even excluding the possibly of OS preferences, this is a huge help.

Reasons To Dump Windows For Linux is from Linux Fanatics.

If you’re running an OS that is meeting your needs, then clearly trying to make the switch is going to provide some turbulence in your existing calm. If however, you are tired of your existing operating system, then now is just as good as any to make the jump.

Now for a loaded question — should one dump Windows for Linux? Depends on your state of mind. For myself, I have found this list of reasons to switch to Linux to be fairly spot on. The reasons may be a bit vague in some areas, but I found them to be factual.

Coming back full circle to new users switching, my answer is this. When you hear people say this is not Windows, it’s not meant to discourage you. It’s a wake up call. You’re entering a land of no driver CDs, complete freedom from product keys and self-help tech support. If you can handle this, you can tackle any perceived learning curve with some patience.

Reasons To Dump Windows For Linux is from Linux Fanatics.

If you’re running an OS that is meeting your needs, then clearly trying to make the switch is going to provide some turbulence in your existing calm. If however, you are tired of your existing operating system, then now is just as good as any to make the jump.

Now for a loaded question — should one dump Windows for Linux? Depends on your state of mind. For myself, I have found this list of reasons to switch to Linux to be fairly spot on. The reasons may be a bit vague in some areas, but I found them to be factual.

Coming back full circle to new users switching, my answer is this. When you hear people say this is not Windows, it’s not meant to discourage you. It’s a wake up call. You’re entering a land of no driver CDs, complete freedom from product keys and self-help tech support. If you can handle this, you can tackle any perceived learning curve with some patience.

Sony Legals Woes Over Linux Removal is from Linux Fanatics.

Despite it being rather shortsighted and stupid, who honestly cares if Sony opts to remove the Linux option from the place set out for us by the PS3 console? Think about it, Sony designed the hardware and if they want to lesson their impact on the market, let them.

Fact of the matter is the hardware to my knowledge, was something to play PS3 games on. Anything else, is added bonus. So hearing that Sony is being sued, leaves me to wonder if there were perhaps commitments made elsewhere that would allow such a legal action to work out somehow?

Perhaps the mandatory firmware update infringes far enough into fair use and individual rights of the property owner that exceed anything allowed otherwise by the PS3 TOS. I tend to doubt it, but I wish those taking Sony to court all the luck in the world. With Sony’s history of DRM’d content, massive control issues and general sleazy choices in general, I fail to see how there is any news here?

Sony Legals Woes Over Linux Removal is from Linux Fanatics.

Despite it being rather shortsighted and stupid, who honestly cares if Sony opts to remove the Linux option from the place set out for us by the PS3 console? Think about it, Sony designed the hardware and if they want to lesson their impact on the market, let them.

Fact of the matter is the hardware to my knowledge, was something to play PS3 games on. Anything else, is added bonus. So hearing that Sony is being sued, leaves me to wonder if there were perhaps commitments made elsewhere that would allow such a legal action to work out somehow?

Perhaps the mandatory firmware update infringes far enough into fair use and individual rights of the property owner that exceed anything allowed otherwise by the PS3 TOS. I tend to doubt it, but I wish those taking Sony to court all the luck in the world. With Sony’s history of DRM’d content, massive control issues and general sleazy choices in general, I fail to see how there is any news here?

Linux Runs In Surprising Places is from Linux Fanatics.

I hear it all the time. No one is using Linux. And if they are, then it’s only for servers. Well prepare for a rude awaking then as I share an article that puts this myth to bed and to bed with the quickness.

Linux is everywhere, as this article shows us. Workstations, POS system, laptops and yes….servers. Some of the most shocking places might include many aspects of the U.S. military, stock exchange and the FAA.

Less shocking but equally cool locations where Linux is being run is USPS, countless schools and of course, Virgin America. I can add to the list in saying that most of the “slot” machines found in today’s casinos, run Linux as well. I’ve seen them rebooting in person a number of times.

Linux Runs In Surprising Places is from Linux Fanatics.

I hear it all the time. No one is using Linux. And if they are, then it’s only for servers. Well prepare for a rude awaking then as I share an article that puts this myth to bed and to bed with the quickness.

Linux is everywhere, as this article shows us. Workstations, POS system, laptops and yes….servers. Some of the most shocking places might include many aspects of the U.S. military, stock exchange and the FAA.

Less shocking but equally cool locations where Linux is being run is USPS, countless schools and of course, Virgin America. I can add to the list in saying that most of the “slot” machines found in today’s casinos, run Linux as well. I’ve seen them rebooting in person a number of times.

Say Goodbye To Flash For 64bit Linux is from Linux Fanatics.

Well that was short lived. Apparently Adobe has opted to shelve the very short lived concept of a native Flash option for 64bit users.

Honestly though, this is only one reason to drop 64bit Linux, but a fair one to be sure. I mean come on, this is a deal breaker for most people I know.

Speaking as a guy who has opted to simply stick with the 32bit options instead, there is no real love lost here. But the for love of Pete, why can’t Adobe just keep working on this. Not “eventually” as per the article, but now instead.

Say Goodbye To Flash For 64bit Linux is from Linux Fanatics.

Well that was short lived. Apparently Adobe has opted to shelve the very short lived concept of a native Flash option for 64bit users.

Honestly though, this is only one reason to drop 64bit Linux, but a fair one to be sure. I mean come on, this is a deal breaker for most people I know.

Speaking as a guy who has opted to simply stick with the 32bit options instead, there is no real love lost here. But the for love of Pete, why can’t Adobe just keep working on this. Not “eventually” as per the article, but now instead.

Chrome OS Provides Flash By Default is from Linux Fanatics.

Can anyone serious use a browser without Flash installed these days? Good luck. It can be done, but with much of the Web using Flash at some level, not having it installed is not really the best idea.

Well now Chrome browser users will find that Flash is made available, by default. This is great for Chrome users who prefer Flash to be installed without any extra hassle.

Unfortunately, this leaves those who do not want Flash, forced to uninstall it from Chrome if they so desire. It’s totally doable, but must be done by the end user as the choice aspect of things is no longer free reign.

Chrome OS Provides Flash By Default is from Linux Fanatics.

Can anyone serious use a browser without Flash installed these days? Good luck. It can be done, but with much of the Web using Flash at some level, not having it installed is not really the best idea.

Well now Chrome browser users will find that Flash is made available, by default. This is great for Chrome users who prefer Flash to be installed without any extra hassle.

Unfortunately, this leaves those who do not want Flash, forced to uninstall it from Chrome if they so desire. It’s totally doable, but must be done by the end user as the choice aspect of things is no longer free reign.

Nokia Chooses MeeGo Linux is from Linux Fanatics.

Why Nokia simply doesn’t just bite the bullet and use Android remains a mystery to me. Regardless of why, at least Nokia has come to its senses enough that it is not going to be wasting more time with Symbian anymore. Well, at least after the release of the N8 anyway.

No, Nokia has teamed up with Intel and will be working with a mobile friendly Linux option called MeeGo. It’s oddly named, yet it looks like it has some potential. Hip with the latest Linux advances and utilizing all the great things that QT has to offer, MeeGo is expected to be a big shift for Nokia.

The shift over to QT and MeeGo could put Nokia back into the game on the mobile front if it can get enough community support behind the effort. It’s difficult to say for sure at this point, but I am one who believes that if any company can make such a shift work, it’s Nokia using Linux.

Nokia Chooses MeeGo Linux is from Linux Fanatics.

Why Nokia simply doesn’t just bite the bullet and use Android remains a mystery to me. Regardless of why, at least Nokia has come to its senses enough that it is not going to be wasting more time with Symbian anymore. Well, at least after the release of the N8 anyway.

No, Nokia has teamed up with Intel and will be working with a mobile friendly Linux option called MeeGo. It’s oddly named, yet it looks like it has some potential. Hip with the latest Linux advances and utilizing all the great things that QT has to offer, MeeGo is expected to be a big shift for Nokia.

The shift over to QT and MeeGo could put Nokia back into the game on the mobile front if it can get enough community support behind the effort. It’s difficult to say for sure at this point, but I am one who believes that if any company can make such a shift work, it’s Nokia using Linux.

Mandriva Saved At The Last Minute is from Linux Fanatics.

Mandriva has run into its fair share of troubles in recent years. The worst and most recent was the prospect of Mandriva going bankrupt.

Seems that the once successful Linux company simply couldn’t find a profitable niche. Thankfully Mandriva has been given a second chance with a fresh round of capital. All that is left now is to see Mandriva find its new home place in the market.

With other companies in the Linux realm putting much of its emphasis on the enterprise world, it has been tough for Mandriva to do their thing outside of this area. Education isn’t paying that great and home users are not a profitable when most distros are free to use. Should be interesting to see what Mandriva does with their second chance.

Mandriva Saved At The Last Minute is from Linux Fanatics.

Mandriva has run into its fair share of troubles in recent years. The worst and most recent was the prospect of Mandriva going bankrupt.

Seems that the once successful Linux company simply couldn’t find a profitable niche. Thankfully Mandriva has been given a second chance with a fresh round of capital. All that is left now is to see Mandriva find its new home place in the market.

With other companies in the Linux realm putting much of its emphasis on the enterprise world, it has been tough for Mandriva to do their thing outside of this area. Education isn’t paying that great and home users are not a profitable when most distros are free to use. Should be interesting to see what Mandriva does with their second chance.

Tethering iPhone To Ubuntu is from Linux Fanatics.

As mentioned previously, I was able to get my non-jailbroken iPhone tethered to AT&T. And it works great via both USB and Bluetooth with Ubuntu 10.04 LTS – Lucid Lynx.

Before I share how, understand this:

1) I make no promises as to how this will affect sudden data charges. While we are given unlimited plans (pre-June 2010), you might be charged extra by AT&T — so don’t be foolish; use tethering sparingly.

2) If this doesn’t work for you, look again to the documentation provided here as I don’t have time to point out something you might have missed.

3) This is being done on a NON-JAILBROKEN iPhone running the older OS release of 3.0. Not 3.1 or 3.x — 3.0. If you are running older or newer, I can’t help you. This said, it may very well work for those running the newer OS. This is up to Apple and how screwed up it made things in its attempt to run the mobile world its way. So… don’t even try to blame Ubuntu if it’s not working; thank Apple, instead. ;)

Ready to get started with setting up USB Internet via iPhone with Ubuntu 10.04 LTS? Great, let’s go.

1) Paste this into a terminal window. I say this as there is a key that must be retrieved, so adding the PPA in a GUI is not going to work.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:pmcenery/ppa

It’s going to hang for a bit, as it’s retrieving the key to activate access to the PPA repository for the needed files. Once completed,

sudo apt-get update

Now you’re ready to install the needed iPhone USB driver. From Synaptic, search and install libimobiledevice-utils & ipheth-utils and this will add the needed extras automatically (extra packages). This way you are not simply working with the back-end stuff, but the utilities are already pulling in everything for you.

Making the connection

Back on the iPhone, you need to get tethering working with as little hassle possible. First of all, trying this method on the iPhone with OS 3.1.x is going to fail — don’t waste your time. You may need to jailbreak your phone or try reverting back to 3.0 instead. If you still have 3.0, this is dead simple — just “iPhone browse” to help.benm.at. Then follow along for AT&T.

Once all of this is done, go ahead and restart the Ubuntu computer. Now using your iPhone USB cable, connect the iPhone to your Ubuntu computer. On the iPhone (OS 3.0), go to Settings > General > Network > Internet Tethering.  Click tethering on; it’ll ask you USB or Bluetooth. Choose USB only. Now you will see Network manager showing activity and soon, it will display a popup on Ubuntu saying it’s connected. That’s it.

It’s not working, Bluetooth, etc.

So for those of you finding it’s not working, here’s why:

1) Another iPhone OS release. I did this with 3.0. If you updated your iPhone and it’s running a newer OS release, chances are excellent that you will need to try a jailbroken tethering method on the iPhone end of things, but the Ubuntu aspect above will still work.

2) So what about Bluetooth? Ah, well this works. But it’s an article in itself. The awesome part is I troubleshot a problem with Network manager that was making things flaky. But thanks to a gconf edit, it is now working perfectly out of the box, every single  time. This said, I will demonstrate this in a future article.

• Practical Guide to Linux Commands, Editors, and Shell Programming, A (2nd Edition)
• Practical Guide to Fedora and Red Hat Enterprise Linux, A (5th Edition)
• A Practical Guide to UNIX(R) for Mac OS(R) X Users

Tethering iPhone To Ubuntu is from Linux Fanatics.

As mentioned previously, I was able to get my non-jailbroken iPhone tethered to AT&T. And it works great via both USB and Bluetooth with Ubuntu 10.04 LTS – Lucid Lynx.

Before I share how, understand this:

1) I make no promises as to how this will affect sudden data charges. While we are given unlimited plans (pre-June 2010), you might be charged extra by AT&T — so don’t be foolish; use tethering sparingly.

2) If this doesn’t work for you, look again to the documentation provided here as I don’t have time to point out something you might have missed.

3) This is being done on a NON-JAILBROKEN iPhone running the older OS release of 3.0. Not 3.1 or 3.x — 3.0. If you are running older or newer, I can’t help you. This said, it may very well work for those running the newer OS. This is up to Apple and how screwed up it made things in its attempt to run the mobile world its way. So… don’t even try to blame Ubuntu if it’s not working; thank Apple, instead. ;)

Ready to get started with setting up USB Internet via iPhone with Ubuntu 10.04 LTS? Great, let’s go.

1) Paste this into a terminal window. I say this as there is a key that must be retrieved, so adding the PPA in a GUI is not going to work.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:pmcenery/ppa

It’s going to hang for a bit, as it’s retrieving the key to activate access to the PPA repository for the needed files. Once completed,

sudo apt-get update

Now you’re ready to install the needed iPhone USB driver. From Synaptic, search and install libimobiledevice-utils & ipheth-utils and this will add the needed extras automatically (extra packages). This way you are not simply working with the back-end stuff, but the utilities are already pulling in everything for you.

Making the connection

Back on the iPhone, you need to get tethering working with as little hassle possible. First of all, trying this method on the iPhone with OS 3.1.x is going to fail — don’t waste your time. You may need to jailbreak your phone or try reverting back to 3.0 instead. If you still have 3.0, this is dead simple — just “iPhone browse” to help.benm.at. Then follow along for AT&T.

Once all of this is done, go ahead and restart the Ubuntu computer. Now using your iPhone USB cable, connect the iPhone to your Ubuntu computer. On the iPhone (OS 3.0), go to Settings > General > Network > Internet Tethering.  Click tethering on; it’ll ask you USB or Bluetooth. Choose USB only. Now you will see Network manager showing activity and soon, it will display a popup on Ubuntu saying it’s connected. That’s it.

It’s not working, Bluetooth, etc.

So for those of you finding it’s not working, here’s why:

1) Another iPhone OS release. I did this with 3.0. If you updated your iPhone and it’s running a newer OS release, chances are excellent that you will need to try a jailbroken tethering method on the iPhone end of things, but the Ubuntu aspect above will still work.

2) So what about Bluetooth? Ah, well this works. But it’s an article in itself. The awesome part is I troubleshot a problem with Network manager that was making things flaky. But thanks to a gconf edit, it is now working perfectly out of the box, every single  time. This said, I will demonstrate this in a future article.

• Practical Guide to Linux Commands, Editors, and Shell Programming, A (2nd Edition)
• Practical Guide to Fedora and Red Hat Enterprise Linux, A (5th Edition)
• A Practical Guide to UNIX(R) for Mac OS(R) X Users

Tether a Moto Droid To Linux is from Linux Fanatics.

In another article, we talked about how you can tether your iPhone with the proper tools. Seems that you can do the same thing with the Motorola Droid. Unfortunately, it looks a bit more involved when trying to tether this phone with Ubuntu.

After looking this guide over, it appears to be completely doable. Sadly though, I lack a Droid myself to do any testing with.

My take on this is that I don’t mind a bit of setup being involved initially, but having to rely on a script to start the modem each time is a bit of a buzz kill. That aside, the good news is that a comprehensive tutorial does exist as you can see in the link above. It’s kind of odd, as it seems the more closed off iPhone, is much easier to tether.

Tether a Moto Droid To Linux is from Linux Fanatics.

In another article, we talked about how you can tether your iPhone with the proper tools. Seems that you can do the same thing with the Motorola Droid. Unfortunately, it looks a bit more involved when trying to tether this phone with Ubuntu.

After looking this guide over, it appears to be completely doable. Sadly though, I lack a Droid myself to do any testing with.

My take on this is that I don’t mind a bit of setup being involved initially, but having to rely on a script to start the modem each time is a bit of a buzz kill. That aside, the good news is that a comprehensive tutorial does exist as you can see in the link above. It’s kind of odd, as it seems the more closed off iPhone, is much easier to tether.

Giving iPhone Super Powers With Linux is from Linux Fanatics.

Have you been wondering just how the latest Ubuntu release is now able to connect and even sync music with Ubuntu One music store and Rhythmbox? Well the answer (loosely) is the software library known as libimobiledevice.

Apparently the idea is that it presents a select number of back-end and front-end software options that provide quite a bit of great software functionality.

Functionality ranges from updating, backing up to restoring. Sadly though, the project leaves you to fend for yourself, squinting at the video as it did not provide clear documentation at all. Out of it all, I did get two things working that I have been wanting for sometime. USB and Bluetooth Internet tethering to my non-Jailbroken iPhone. It’s in this article here.

Giving iPhone Super Powers With Linux is from Linux Fanatics.

Have you been wondering just how the latest Ubuntu release is now able to connect and even sync music with Ubuntu One music store and Rhythmbox? Well the answer (loosely) is the software library known as libimobiledevice.

Apparently the idea is that it presents a select number of back-end and front-end software options that provide quite a bit of great software functionality.

Functionality ranges from updating, backing up to restoring. Sadly though, the project leaves you to fend for yourself, squinting at the video as it did not provide clear documentation at all. Out of it all, I did get two things working that I have been wanting for sometime. USB and Bluetooth Internet tethering to my non-Jailbroken iPhone. It’s in this article here.

A Complete Beginner’s Manual For Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx) is from Linux Fanatics.

Getting Started with Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx) is a free, comprehensive beginner’s guide for the Ubuntu operating system; it features comprehensive guides, how-tos, and information on anything you need to know after first installing Ubuntu.

Designed to be as user-friendly and easy to follow as possible, it should provide the first point of reference to any Ubuntu newcomer with lots of information. This free manual has step-by-step instructions and includes lots of screenshots to show you how to do tasks. It also includes a troubleshooting section to help you solve common Ubuntu problems quickly. Download this free, 160+ page manual today.

Get your free A Complete Beginner’s Manual For Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx) today!

Lockergnome has joined forces with TradePub.com to offer you a new, exciting, and entirely free professional resource. Visit us today to browse our selection of complimentary IT-related magazines, white papers, webinars, podcasts, and more across 34 industry sectors. No credit cards, coupons, or promo codes required. Try it today!

A Complete Beginner’s Manual For Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx) is from Linux Fanatics.

Getting Started with Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx) is a free, comprehensive beginner’s guide for the Ubuntu operating system; it features comprehensive guides, how-tos, and information on anything you need to know after first installing Ubuntu.

Designed to be as user-friendly and easy to follow as possible, it should provide the first point of reference to any Ubuntu newcomer with lots of information. This free manual has step-by-step instructions and includes lots of screenshots to show you how to do tasks. It also includes a troubleshooting section to help you solve common Ubuntu problems quickly. Download this free, 160+ page manual today.

Get your free A Complete Beginner’s Manual For Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx) today!

Lockergnome has joined forces with TradePub.com to offer you a new, exciting, and entirely free professional resource. Visit us today to browse our selection of complimentary IT-related magazines, white papers, webinars, podcasts, and more across 34 industry sectors. No credit cards, coupons, or promo codes required. Try it today!

ASUS Dumping Linux? is from Linux Fanatics.

The idea of Microsoft forcing a hardware company to abandon Linux as alternative, is well documented in many circumstances. But this article is charging that ASUS is dropping Linux inclusion, due to Microsoft interference.

Now I am of the mind this is a possibility, but that would only be speculation. The reality might be much more boring, in that due to (again) poor vendor marketing on benefits and differences in the available OS’, folks weren’t buying enough of the netbooks to meet ASUS’ needs. Yes, even though the market collectively, is boasting great sales numbers for Linux netbooks.

This is a problem that will continue to repeat itself until the following happens:

1. Market it as a Linux desktop. Benefits, shortcomings, differences and things to realize in contrast to Windows. Ever since the first Lindows(Linspire) desktops rolled off the shelves way back when, this never happened.
2. Stick to selling Windows computers, stop wasting the time of the customers with pretending to provide a commitment to selling Linux computers.

Simple. That’s the magic formula. Fact is there is a market for Linux netbooks, with those who want when a pre-installed Linux netbook can provide. But ASUS, like so many vendors before them, failed. Want pre-installed vendors who will provide you a decent experience, try ZaReason or System76 instead.

ASUS Dumping Linux? is from Linux Fanatics.

The idea of Microsoft forcing a hardware company to abandon Linux as alternative, is well documented in many circumstances. But this article is charging that ASUS is dropping Linux inclusion, due to Microsoft interference.

Now I am of the mind this is a possibility, but that would only be speculation. The reality might be much more boring, in that due to (again) poor vendor marketing on benefits and differences in the available OS’, folks weren’t buying enough of the netbooks to meet ASUS’ needs. Yes, even though the market collectively, is boasting great sales numbers for Linux netbooks.

This is a problem that will continue to repeat itself until the following happens:

1. Market it as a Linux desktop. Benefits, shortcomings, differences and things to realize in contrast to Windows. Ever since the first Lindows(Linspire) desktops rolled off the shelves way back when, this never happened.
2. Stick to selling Windows computers, stop wasting the time of the customers with pretending to provide a commitment to selling Linux computers.

Simple. That’s the magic formula. Fact is there is a market for Linux netbooks, with those who want when a pre-installed Linux netbook can provide. But ASUS, like so many vendors before them, failed. Want pre-installed vendors who will provide you a decent experience, try ZaReason or System76 instead.

VirtualBox 3.2 is from Linux Fanatics.

I have been using Virtual Box as a virtual container for my Windows needs on my Linux boxes for sometime now. Even back before Sun had purchased Virtual Box, I was enjoying Virtual Box for all of my needs.

Now that Oracle owns Sun and by default, Virtual Box. With that, there is the new release available that is boasting the following features to check out.

• Storage I/O subsystem ? VirtualBox 3.2 offers a completely re-worked virtual disk subsystem which utilizes asynchronous I/O to achieve high-performance whilst maintaining high data integrity
• In-hypervisor Networking ? Significant optimization of the networking subsystem has reduced context switching between guests and host, increasing network throughput by up to 25%.
• New Storage I/O subsystem ? VirtualBox 3.2 offers a completely re-worked virtual disk subsystem which utilizes asynchronous I/O to achieve high-performance whilst maintaining high data integrity;
• USB Keyboard and Mouse ? Support more guests that require USB input devices
• Ubuntu 10.04 (?Lucid Lynx?) ? Support for both the desktop and server version of the popular Ubuntu Linux distribution;

VirtualBox 3.2 is from Linux Fanatics.

I have been using Virtual Box as a virtual container for my Windows needs on my Linux boxes for sometime now. Even back before Sun had purchased Virtual Box, I was enjoying Virtual Box for all of my needs.

Now that Oracle owns Sun and by default, Virtual Box. With that, there is the new release available that is boasting the following features to check out.

• Storage I/O subsystem ? VirtualBox 3.2 offers a completely re-worked virtual disk subsystem which utilizes asynchronous I/O to achieve high-performance whilst maintaining high data integrity
• In-hypervisor Networking ? Significant optimization of the networking subsystem has reduced context switching between guests and host, increasing network throughput by up to 25%.
• New Storage I/O subsystem ? VirtualBox 3.2 offers a completely re-worked virtual disk subsystem which utilizes asynchronous I/O to achieve high-performance whilst maintaining high data integrity;
• USB Keyboard and Mouse ? Support more guests that require USB input devices
• Ubuntu 10.04 (?Lucid Lynx?) ? Support for both the desktop and server version of the popular Ubuntu Linux distribution;

Blu-ray On Linux is from Linux Fanatics.

There has been much speculation as to when Blu-ray will be making its official debut like we now have (legally/DMCA) with DVD playback.

Previously, the legally gray method to get Blu-ray working was messy and horribly inefficient. Now there is a slightly less annoying method, but still, not really in the legal clear here in the States.

The problem is the fact that playing encrypted content is very gray in the U.S. Basically, it hasn’t successfully been tested in court and remains a definitely unknown. While some will say decrypting Blu-ray falls under fair use, others could make the claim that patents are being “infringed upon” due to the decrypting.

Long story short, it’s a legal battle that no one wants and DVD player makers like PowerDVD have only provided a DVD option and not bothered with Blu-ray for Linux users.

Blu-ray On Linux is from Linux Fanatics.

There has been much speculation as to when Blu-ray will be making its official debut like we now have (legally/DMCA) with DVD playback.

Previously, the legally gray method to get Blu-ray working was messy and horribly inefficient. Now there is a slightly less annoying method, but still, not really in the legal clear here in the States.

The problem is the fact that playing encrypted content is very gray in the U.S. Basically, it hasn’t successfully been tested in court and remains a definitely unknown. While some will say decrypting Blu-ray falls under fair use, others could make the claim that patents are being “infringed upon” due to the decrypting.

Long story short, it’s a legal battle that no one wants and DVD player makers like PowerDVD have only provided a DVD option and not bothered with Blu-ray for Linux users.

OpenShot Is GNOME’s KDENLive is from Linux Fanatics.

People embracing the OpenShot video editor often get an ear full about how it was unneeded as we already have KDENLive as an option.

KDENLive is great…for KDE users. But those who would rather have something more GTK oriented.

I think that both editors offer a lot, but it is really awesome to have something besides KINO on the GNOME front. And based on what I have seen of OpenShot, it’s definitely giving other editors a real run for their money. In all honesty, it has been said that OpenShot could very well be the easiest to use editor on the Linux platform.

OpenShot Is GNOME’s KDENLive is from Linux Fanatics.

People embracing the OpenShot video editor often get an ear full about how it was unneeded as we already have KDENLive as an option.

KDENLive is great…for KDE users. But those who would rather have something more GTK oriented.

I think that both editors offer a lot, but it is really awesome to have something besides KINO on the GNOME front. And based on what I have seen of OpenShot, it’s definitely giving other editors a real run for their money. In all honesty, it has been said that OpenShot could very well be the easiest to use editor on the Linux platform.

Puppy Linux Goes Ubuntu is from Linux Fanatics.

I have been a Puppy Linux fan for what feels like a life time now. There are a lot of things I like and a few things I dislike about Puppy Linux. It’s a mixed bag, but a great distro overall.

Now we have what could the biggest change to Puppy…ever. Introducing Puppy Linux, influenced by Ubuntu. Yes, the next release of Puppy is going to be very heavily influenced by Ubuntu and hopefully for the better.

New hardware detection, updates to Xorg are just some of the changes. With any luck, some new desktop changes will be in store as well. Sure would be awesome as Ubuntu does do somethings right, you just have to pick and choose through the code provided.

Puppy Linux Goes Ubuntu is from Linux Fanatics.

I have been a Puppy Linux fan for what feels like a life time now. There are a lot of things I like and a few things I dislike about Puppy Linux. It’s a mixed bag, but a great distro overall.

Now we have what could the biggest change to Puppy…ever. Introducing Puppy Linux, influenced by Ubuntu. Yes, the next release of Puppy is going to be very heavily influenced by Ubuntu and hopefully for the better.

New hardware detection, updates to Xorg are just some of the changes. With any luck, some new desktop changes will be in store as well. Sure would be awesome as Ubuntu does do somethings right, you just have to pick and choose through the code provided.

Hulu TV Revisited On Ubuntu is from Linux Fanatics.

I have been happily using Hulu Desktop on my Ubuntu 9.10 laptop for sometime now. Despite some drawbacks on the control front in relying on Intel over say, NVIDIA, it runs pretty darned well everything considered.

The only issue I have encountered, is the horizontal blur that can take place during quick sideways movement during a show. Hardly noticeable considering the overall quality though. And if you’re using a desktop with NVIDIA dedicated video cards, you can turn off v-sync which generally deals with the issue.

Over the weekend, I added a StreamZap remote to the mix and you know something, it’s awesome. Just make a couple of minor tweaks to a couple of files and adding a shutdown option to to my power button in a self created .lircrc file.

Obviously it’s easier to just use a mouse, as it shortens the setup process. But what fun is that? Since adding my remote control, I have been thoroughly enjoying Hulu Desktop and being able to control things with it. Just create automatic login and oh, be sure to add this to stop screen blanking. Optional is to install unclutter from apt-get to hide the cursor when in active.

Hulu TV Revisited On Ubuntu is from Linux Fanatics.

I have been happily using Hulu Desktop on my Ubuntu 9.10 laptop for sometime now. Despite some drawbacks on the control front in relying on Intel over say, NVIDIA, it runs pretty darned well everything considered.

The only issue I have encountered, is the horizontal blur that can take place during quick sideways movement during a show. Hardly noticeable considering the overall quality though. And if you’re using a desktop with NVIDIA dedicated video cards, you can turn off v-sync which generally deals with the issue.

Over the weekend, I added a StreamZap remote to the mix and you know something, it’s awesome. Just make a couple of minor tweaks to a couple of files and adding a shutdown option to to my power button in a self created .lircrc file.

Obviously it’s easier to just use a mouse, as it shortens the setup process. But what fun is that? Since adding my remote control, I have been thoroughly enjoying Hulu Desktop and being able to control things with it. Just create automatic login and oh, be sure to add this to stop screen blanking. Optional is to install unclutter from apt-get to hide the cursor when in active.

Fedora 13, Ubuntu Killer? is from Linux Fanatics.

This article explaining what is coming to Fedora 13 sounds pretty impressive, but honestly I am failing to see what is so different about Fedora 13 vs Ubuntu 10.04?

Now if you are good with RPMs, I’d personally point people to PCLinuxOS or Open SuSE myself. But if you prefer Fedora, then I guess this release is a good plan then.

As for the five things listed above however, I am 99% that all of them are available on Ubuntu. I know for a fact that #’s 1, 2, and 5.  I think Fedora is a great distro, but ground breaking….perhaps not so much.

Fedora 13, Ubuntu Killer? is from Linux Fanatics.

This article explaining what is coming to Fedora 13 sounds pretty impressive, but honestly I am failing to see what is so different about Fedora 13 vs Ubuntu 10.04?

Now if you are good with RPMs, I’d personally point people to PCLinuxOS or Open SuSE myself. But if you prefer Fedora, then I guess this release is a good plan then.

As for the five things listed above however, I am 99% that all of them are available on Ubuntu. I know for a fact that #’s 1, 2, and 5.  I think Fedora is a great distro, but ground breaking….perhaps not so much.

Best Netbook Linux Distros is from Linux Fanatics.

Which distro is best for netbooks? Well, this is a trick question as many distributions of Linux actually have their own “editions” designed to better meet with ARM and Intel Atom CPU architecture.

I can honestly say that this is one area of desktop Linux that I am still exploring. Likely because I only recently came into possession of a netbook myself. Previously, I was a notebook kind of guy.

The thing I found is that I still prefer a standard desktop in lieu of these “netbook desktop” layouts. I like the fact that these editions are optimized for the hardware, but give me a traditional GNOME layout any day of the week.

Best Netbook Linux Distros is from Linux Fanatics.

Which distro is best for netbooks? Well, this is a trick question as many distributions of Linux actually have their own “editions” designed to better meet with ARM and Intel Atom CPU architecture.

I can honestly say that this is one area of desktop Linux that I am still exploring. Likely because I only recently came into possession of a netbook myself. Previously, I was a notebook kind of guy.

The thing I found is that I still prefer a standard desktop in lieu of these “netbook desktop” layouts. I like the fact that these editions are optimized for the hardware, but give me a traditional GNOME layout any day of the week.

Fedora has updated kvirc (F13, F12: remote command execution) and F12: pidgin (denial of service).

Red Hat has updated java (multiple vulnerabilities) and freetype (RHEL 3, RHEL 4&5: multiple vulnerabilities).

SUSE has updated firefox, thunderbird, seamonkey (multiple vulnerabilities).

Mandriva has updated openldap (denial of service, possible code execution).

openSUSE has updated firefox (update to 3.6.8).

Red Hat has updated lvm2-cluster (RHEL5: local privilege escalation).

LinuxTag 2010 runs from June 9th to June 12th in Berlin, Germany. With more than 10,000 visitors last year, it is one of the biggest Linux and open source events in Europe.

You will find the Gentoo booth at Hall 7.2a, Booth 203a. Come and visit us! You will meet many of our developers and users, talk with us, plus get some of the Gentoo merchandise you have always wanted.

Discuss this!

Alex Legler contributed the draft for this announcement.

After the success of the 2009 Screenshot Contest the Contest Team is doing it again!

Gentoo Users, Developers, and Staffers are encouraged to submit their sweetest screenshots. Please head over to the 2010 Contest Page for all of the details.

You can visit this forum post for comments and suggestions. OK enough talk, get started tricking out that desktop.

On June 26th we again invite you to take part in this year's bike ride: "Gentoo White Nights in Russia". Gentoo White Nights is a nighttime bike ride along the most beautiful city in the world - St. Petersburg - in the most magical time - the White Nights.

As last year's experience showed, it's possible to ride in the rain, so the event will take place regardless of weather. The event will take place during the night from 26th to 27th June this year. The starting point is the Moskovsky railway station at 10:00 PM. If you'd like to join the Gentoo White Nights, contact Andrey Surganov or Alexey Shetsov.

Andrey Surganov contributed the draft for this announcement.

Bookkeeper, Accountant, or CPA

And that means? We are looking for help from the Gentoo Community to help us in Accounting/Finance. We are in the process towards the goal of tax-exempt status with the United States Internal Revenue Service as a non-profit corporation. If this is your background, we could really use your help.

Please contact trustees@gentoo.org or visit Gentoo Foundation for details.

Today we have an interview with Andrzej Wasylkowski, and since August 2005 he has been a PhD student at the Software Engineering Chair at Saarland University, Saarbrucken, Germany. His research field is software engineering, with strong focus on program analysis techniques and their application to automatic defect detection.

One of the projects he is involved in is checkmycode, which is a service that allows you to compare your code with the "wisdom of the crowds", over 200 million lines of C code from the Gentoo Linux distribution.

Please continue on and read the complete Andrzej Wasylkowski interview and learn all about the project and its use of Gentoo!

Gentoo has been accepted for its 5th consecutive year in the Google Summer of Code! GSoC pays college students $5000 to work full-time on an open-source project for a summer. Check out our GSoC 2010 homepage if you are interested in this year's GSoC for Gentoo. We particularly encourage applications from students who aren't already involved in Gentoo development?many of our students become Gentoo developers after a successful summer.

Interested students can browse Gentoo's project ideas. Student applications will be accepted starting March 29.

Developers, if you'd like to apply to be a mentor, you can do so on the webapp. Please read the mentoring guide before applying.

What: Gentoo Council Meeting of 8 March 2010.

Voting by email

Ideas seemed to converge on how to vote by email but it was noted that this would constitute a change of GLEP39 which the council can't modify without an all-developers vote. Since there were already other changes planned or suggested to GLEP 39 it was decided that the council would work on a new text and submit it to a vote when ready. Calchan has volunteered to gather all ideas and work on the text.

Do we want a policy for changes in metadata.xml?

Adding such information to metadata.xml was considered a bad idea for two reasons: this information is of no use to the users and would bloat the file for no good reason, and it would be a technical answer to a mostly social problem. It was suggested that reducing territoriality could help. Ideas were proposed like making it official that after sending an email to the maintainers and waiting one week anybody could touch a package.

In the end it wasn't clear what exact problem was to be solved. So scarabeus volunteered to animate the discussions on the mailing list. The goal is to find out what the source of the problem is and what solution(s) we can apply.

For more information, read the summary or the complete IRC log.

Chemnitzer Linux-Tage 2010 is almost here, and Gentoo will be there!

This years Chemnitzer Linux-Tage on March 13th and 14th is another great chance to:

• get in touch with Gentoo developers
• buy Gentoo shirts (be quick, first come first serve)
• chat, discuss, start with ebuilds and overlays, you name it

The "Chemnitz Linux Days" is a conference that deals with Linux and Open Source Software . It is open for everyone, novices and experts alike. This event is organized by IN Chemnitz, CLUG, Computing Center and Faculty of Computer Science of Chemnitz University of Technology, and many volunteers.

See you there!

Sebastian Pipping contributed to the draft for this announcement.

SCALE 8x is almost here, and Gentoo will be there!

Southern California's premier open-source software event is just around the corner, running from Friday, February 19 through Sunday, February 21. Several Gentoo developers will be there; it will be our biggest showing since SCALE 5x.

We'll be showing off some nifty devices running Gentoo, and we'll be giving out installation media. Whether you're a developer, user, or simply curious, be sure and stop by booth #33. See you there!

Gentoo has turned up in lots of interesting places before, but Michael from Misa Digital has put Gentoo to work in something entirely different: a unique instrument he invented, a MIDI guitar that uses a touchpad and digital keys instead of strings!

Behold the Misa Digital Guitar:

The Misa runs Gentoo Linux on an AMD Geode processor, using the Linux kernel version 2.6.31. It sports MIDI and Ethernet ports for connectivity.

I had the chance to ask Michael some questions about the guitar and his preferred choice of operating system:

Why Gentoo?

Since the guitar is an embedded system, I needed a really minimal distribution that would boot fast and had a small footprint. After investigating Linux From Scratch, I realised I did not have the time to invest in building a complete system. I was told that the minimal install of Gentoo is like Linux From Scratch with a package manager. I probably made you cringe with that simplistic analogy but essentially it was right for me. Once I had the install up it took me no time to recompile the kernel and streamline it as much as possible. I'm not a Linux expert though, so I reckon someone else could shrink it even more.

Yes, there are other solutions out there but they are surprisingly inaccessable. And the "live-CD" style distributions do not allow you to change the actual workings of the system. I figured it was best if I just used Gentoo because I have full control.

What were the two biggest challenges in crafting this instrument?

I would say the two biggest challenges are: 1) manufacturing and tooling the actual parts; and 2) sourcing components.

When you are a lone developer with no company, trying to keep the idea "secret", no one wants to cooperate with you. For example if you need a particular electrical like a screen, ordering "one" of something is surprisingly difficult - and you can expect it in 4 to 6 weeks - really slow! And then when you get it, you realise it is not suitable, so you have to repeat the process. The only exception is a website called Digikey, which will have the parts at my doorstep in 1 week guaranteed. But they don't have everything.

Working with Gentoo was a breeze, the Linux community in general is extremely helpful.

What can you tell us about the hardware?

There is no signal processing, it outputs digital signals via a MIDI connection. I had toyed with having an onboard sound generator but ultimately you limit the sound possibilities. By using MIDI, you are guaranteed support with practically every sequencer, synthesizer etc on the market - it is a standard that has been around for over 20 years.

[The touchpad] is a 5 wire resistive touch sensor. These are the most durable screens available on the market. The LCD behind it is OEM and ordered from China.

What changes to Gentoo (as a distribution) would make it easier for you to run it on the guitar?

I thought Gentoo was a breeze to work with. And can I just say, the Gentoo x86 install handbook? BRILLIANT. I used it so much that I think I actually know it off by heart now.

What's in store for the future?

I'd just like to see these instruments hit TV :)

Thanks for your time, Michael, and for crafting such a unique instrument! Be sure to watch a demonstration video of the Misa Guitar in action.