Reillyblog dot com - Open source & Linux

How Linux Supports More Devices Than Any Other OS, Ever

nospam@example.com (smil3y) — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 10:36:07 -0500

Greg Kroah-Hartman is a longtime developer of the Linux kernel, known for his work maintaining USB drivers as well as for packaging the SUSE kernel at Novell. O'Reilly Media recently interviewed Greg about his claim that the Linux kernel now supports more devices than any other operating system ever has, as well as why binary-only drivers are illegal, and how the kernel development process works.

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Ubuntu Linux: 8 Million Users and Growing

nospam@example.com (smil3y) — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 10:23:40 -0500

There is a business behind the popular Ubuntu Linux operating system and according to its lead commercial sponsor Canonical, that business is good. Canonical is set to debut its latest Linux release Ubuntu 8.10 also known as the Intrepid Ibex on October 30th. The new release will include networking, virtualization and user management improvements.

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www.demconvention.com- Error Messages

nospam@example.com (smil3y) — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 19:55:07 -0400

"For the best Democratic Convention video experience, you'll need the Microsoft Silverlight plug-in and the Move Networks media player.

We’re sorry, but the Democratic Convention video web site isn’t compatible with your operating system and/or browser. Please try again on a computer with the following:

Compatible operating systems:
Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista, or a Mac with Tiger (OS 10.4) or Leopard (OS 10.5).

Compatible browsers:
Internet Explorer (version 6 or later), Firefox (version 2), or, if you are on a Mac, Safari (version 3.1) also works."

--------------------------See below for a message sent to Hillary Clinton.

Hillary,

I am writing to express concern about the DNC website. I felt it was necessary to bring your attention to the fact that users of all distributions of Linux are being excluded in being able to use the video feature of this website. The DNC chose to use a proprietary format format to deliver video streams to their audience. This, in my mind, is an atrocity not only to Linux users, but also to VOTING Democratic, and non Democratic Linux users.

Open Source software provides a viable solution to individuals as well as corporations, and should be explored by all as a solution in the difficult economic times we all face today. The market share of Linux in both desktop and server markets grows every year. It is situations such as this where websites choose to implement proprietary codecs inhibit the growth of open source to the general public. It is situations such as this that add frustration to hard working men, and women from NY, the USA, and all over the world dedicate countless hours of their time, unpaid, and some paid, to create and improve open source software.

Please take the time to let us know how you plan on helping open source software in NY, and nationwide.

Thank you.

Click here to send an email to Hillary Clinton, NY Senator

-----------------------------Response will be posted when received.

GlobeTrotter Connect for Linux brings Mobile Internet Devices closer to market acceptance

nospam@example.com (smil3y) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 02:23:06 -0400

Option, the wireless technology company, announced its GlobeTrotter Connect for Linux — the connection management software for Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) based on the Intel® Centrino® Atom™ processor technology. The software is written for Moblin-based Linux operating systems, an OS choice well-suited for MIDs. GlobeTrotter Connect for Linux is expected to quickly become the essential connectivity solution for the rapidly developing MID market. It is a connection management software specifically developed for MIDs, the new range of devices that enables users to access the rich Internet in its entirety, virtually anytime, anywhere.

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Whitfield School Closes Books on First Year

nospam@example.com (smil3y) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:35:25 -0400

Lenovo today announced that Whitfield School, an independent school for grades 6-12 in St. Louis, MO., has successfully completed its first school year operating a 1:1 computing program (one computer for every student, grades 6-12) utilizing more than 600 Lenovo ThinkPad notebooks to power the school's innovative use of Linux.

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AT&T Broadband Card GT Max 3.6 with Ubuntu 8.04

nospam@example.com (smil3y) — Sat, 03 May 2008 19:31:04 -0400

This card is supported in the current kernel 2.6.24-16-386. from dmesg.....

[ 5.522852] usb 5-1: new full speed USB device using ohci_hcd and address 3
[ 5.794934] usb 5-1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
[ 5.813763] option 5-1:1.0: GSM modem (1-port) converter detected
[ 5.813883] usb 5-1: GSM modem (1-port) converter now attached to ttyUSB0
[ 5.816034] option 5-1:1.1: GSM modem (1-port) converter detected
[ 5.816148] usb 5-1: GSM modem (1-port) converter now attached to ttyUSB1
[ 5.819281] option 5-1:1.2: GSM modem (1-port) converter detected
[ 5.819450] usb 5-1: GSM modem (1-port) converter now attached to ttyUSB2

I tried several programs designed to to be used with gsm cards, including Vodaphone mobile connect card driver for linux, available here. No dice with that, although I did have quite a few problems trying to find a version that would work eventually got 2.0 beta1 to work. Kept getting a crash with twistd, python-twisted core, uploaded a few bug reports to launchpad.

I also tried gnome ppp, this didnt work either. I eventually found wvdial command line utility. Just had to edit /etc/wvdial.conf see below for what I found works ok for me.

[Dialer Defaults]
Init1 = ATZ
Init2 = ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 +FCLASS=0
Modem Type = Analog Modem
Baud = 115200
New PPPD = yes
Modem = /dev/ttyUSB0
ISDN = 0
Phone = 99#
Password = CINGULAR1
Username = WAP@CINGULARGPRS.COM

*******************************UPDATE****11/13/08************************************

If your not the command line type, then install gnome-ppp. This is basically a gui frontend for wvdial. Just choose setup, and detect modem. The card will show up as /dev/tty/USB0 . Then enter the *99# for number to dial, username and password from above, save and click connect!

Computer makers push device builders

nospam@example.com (smil3y) — Sat, 03 May 2008 14:42:44 -0400

For years, device and peripheral builders could get away with ignoring the Linux desktop market. It was too small to matter, they would say. Things have changed. At the Linux Foundation meeting in Austin, Texas, last month, major PC vendors ASUS, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, and Lenovo said they would be telling their chipset, component, and peripheral OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) that they were going to demand Linux-compatible hardware from them.

It's one thing when Linux users ask for support; it's an entirely different thing when multi-billion-dollar companies demand it. This is an offer that the OEMs can't refuse.

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Microsoft ups Yahoo offer above $31 per share

nospam@example.com (smil3y) — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:50:11 -0400

Microsoft Corp. finally dangled a higher takeover bid in front of Yahoo Inc. Friday, hoping to reach a friendly deal after weeks of saber rattling. The Redmond, Wash.-based software maker upped its offer beyond the original value of $44.6 billion, or $31 per share, according to a person familiar with the matter. The specifics of the new offer weren't known by this person, who didn't want to be identified because the negotiations are still confidential.

GO yahoo! soak them for as much as you can get!

Ubuntu Linux Takes Aim At Larger Role For Itself In Enterprise

nospam@example.com (smil3y) — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 19:55:16 -0400

A new release of Ubuntu Server, version 8.04, is scheduled to be available for free download Thursday with more enterprise qualities than previous releases. The move puts Canonical's Ubuntu, heretofore a consumer-oriented, desktop version of Linux, on more of a collision course with Red Hat Enterprise and Novell Suse Linux Enterprise.

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Vista, MacBook Out--Only Linux Left in Hacking Contest

nospam@example.com (smil3y) — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 18:47:28 -0400

The MacBook Air went first; a tiny Fujitsu laptop running Vista was hacked on the last day of the contest; but it was Linux, running on a Sony Vaio, that remained undefeated as conference organizers ended a three-way computer hacking challenge Friday at the CanSecWest conference.

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Third-World Laptops Headed for Alabama

nospam@example.com (smil3y) — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 21:06:21 -0500

If US$200 laptop computers are good for kids in Peru and Mongolia, why not Alabama?

Birmingham's City Council has approved a $3.5 million plan to provide schoolchildren with 15,000 computers produced by the nonprofit One Laptop Per Child Foundation, which aims to spread laptops to poor children in developing countries.

The foundation says the deal marks the first time a U.S. city has agreed to buy the machines, which also are headed to such countries as Rwanda, Thailand, Brazil and Mexico in addition to Peru and Mongolia.

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Vista SP1: Still Lagging Behind the Linux Desktop

nospam@example.com (smil3y) — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 20:24:49 -0500

There is little improvement in such a so-called update.

I had really thought that Vista SP1 would be an improvement. I didn't think it would be a big improvement, but still that it would be more competitive with Windows XP and the modern Linux desktop. I was wrong.

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Amazon mp3 service now supports Linux

nospam@example.com (smil3y) — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 20:28:45 -0500

Clients available for OpenSUSE 10.3, Fedora 8, Debian 4, Ubuntu 7.10.

Click here to download Amazon mp3 client for Linux

PicLens Firefox plugin

nospam@example.com (smil3y) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 18:07:55 -0500

I heard about this plugin on a podcast and decided to check it out. piclens.com
Half way through the download I received an error message which basically said that they do not support the build of Firefox I was using. Huh? This plugin looks great, and its unfortunate that they decided not to include support for Linux. Anyway, I saw on their site a link to email support, so thats what I did. I suggest everyone else do the same!

My email to PicLens

I was inquiring about whether or not you knew of an error when
installing pic lens on firefox 2.0.0.11? I am receiving an error that
says "not compatible with my build type?" Any other firefox plugin I
use has never given an error such as that. Using ubuntu gutsy, and
kernel 2.6.22-14-generic #1 SMP i686 GNU/Linux. but that should not
matter. Is it true you are really only supporting windows and mac? If
not, we were curious to know when you have plans to include a version
that is compatible with firefox in general and not choose which builds
to support. Thank you for your time, BTW the plugin looks great, but
have yet to be able to use it.

I was expecting a "form" response, but received the following in less than 24 hours.

PicLens response

Hey xxxxx,

Thanks for your email. Unfortunately at this time we do only support Macintosh and Windows Operating Systems, but we intend to implement a Linux version in the future. Stay Tuned!

Best,
Brian & The Piclens Team

US Army struggles with Windows to Linux overhaul

nospam@example.com (smil3y) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 19:39:25 -0500

The greatest penguin migration of all time

In multiple media reports over the past two weeks, the US Army has professed its love for the penguin. The Army eventually intends to move from a Windows-based infrastructure over to Linux for its new, roughly $200bn weapons program.

But the Army has largely been prepping new Linux-friendly weapons, vehicles, and devices before the completion of a software network to connect them to its existing Windows-based infrastructure — or blithely, putting the chariot before the warhorse.

read more here