Senin, 16 Mei 2011
THE CHROMEBOOKS are COMING
The Chromebooks are Coming
Google has announced that Chrome OS based notebook computers will be available from Samsung and Acer starting June 15. Chromebooks are intended to offer a new type of user experience by eliminating many of the hassles typically associated with PCs and notebook computers that run traditional operating systems. For example it cuts down start-up time to a few seconds, immediately being connected to the Internet, eliminates the need to install and maintain software, and minimizes the frequency of recharging the battery.
This is accomplished by using the Linux-based Chrome OS to shift much of the maintenance of software and data to the web. Software on the Chromebooks will be automatically updated and your data automatically backed up on the web.
Samsung's basic model includes Wi-Fi (3G optional), 2 GB RAM, a 16 GB solid state drive, and an Intel 1.66 GHz dual-core Atom CPU. It has a 1280x800 pixel 12 inch display, 2 USB ports, an SD card reader, and a SIM card slot. It weighs in at 3.2 pounds.
The central application of the Chromebook is the Chrome browser which kind of takes the role of the operating system and the desktop environment. The opening tab of the browser contains links for YouTube, Google Maps, Gmail, the Chrome Web Store, Scatchpad, and a couple of games.
Minggu, 15 Mei 2011
HOT ISSUE.....!!!!!!
Let's face it, the Linux install base is shrinking. No, of course I don't mean numbers, I mean the actual size of the devices onto which Linux is installed. Just like with Alice's trip down the rabbit hole, we're seeing our favorite OS embedded on smaller and smaller hardware. This month, we talk about some of those places and teach you how to make a "Drink Me" bottle for your own projects.
Reuven M. Lerner starts us out with Backbone.js. Making Web applications, whether big or small, is an invaluable skill. Every Web device supports JavaScript (for the most part), and Backbone.js helps make those Web apps seem like traditional desktop applications. Mick Bauer provides Part II of his series on DNS cache poisoning, which can affect all users. Whether you are using a Droid in your pocket, Linux on your lap or a server in your workroom, DNS is how you get things done on-line. Everyone is vulnerable, so be sure to read up!
If installing Linux on something as mundane as a phone isn't your cup of tea, you'll likely be interested in Anton Borisov's article on the Linux-powered spider robot, hexapod. A device right out of a science-fiction movie, and also my nightmares, the spider bot is powered by Linux. Anton interviews its creator, Matt Bunting, and explains how it works. Tom Parkin talks about bugs this month too, although his article is a little less creepy. Tom shows how to de-bug embedded Linux platforms with GDB and Python. If you're a Linux developer, chances are you're familiar with GDB. Tom demonstrates version 7, which now has Python support.
Reuven M. Lerner starts us out with Backbone.js. Making Web applications, whether big or small, is an invaluable skill. Every Web device supports JavaScript (for the most part), and Backbone.js helps make those Web apps seem like traditional desktop applications. Mick Bauer provides Part II of his series on DNS cache poisoning, which can affect all users. Whether you are using a Droid in your pocket, Linux on your lap or a server in your workroom, DNS is how you get things done on-line. Everyone is vulnerable, so be sure to read up!
If installing Linux on something as mundane as a phone isn't your cup of tea, you'll likely be interested in Anton Borisov's article on the Linux-powered spider robot, hexapod. A device right out of a science-fiction movie, and also my nightmares, the spider bot is powered by Linux. Anton interviews its creator, Matt Bunting, and explains how it works. Tom Parkin talks about bugs this month too, although his article is a little less creepy. Tom shows how to de-bug embedded Linux platforms with GDB and Python. If you're a Linux developer, chances are you're familiar with GDB. Tom demonstrates version 7, which now has Python support.
Fabulous Virtual Window Manager Sees First Release in Five Years
After five years, a new stable release of FVWM has finally been announced. FVWM is a lightweight and fast window manager still used by a few distributions and offered as an option on several. This landmark release brings several new and improved features.
Some of the new features include:
Some of the new features include:
- Extended Window Manager Hints support allows the use of docks, widgets, and such.
- Colorset used to define color, gradient, transparency, etc. in specific areas of themes, backgrounds, icons, etc.
- WindowStyle command used to segregate styles to individual elements
- Unmanaged command used to separate any window from FVWM control
- FocusStyle allows focus stealing
- Window states can be used to perform functions on similar groups
- XFT font are support
- Module dynamic actions allow changes while running
- Menu now uses XDG specifications
- PNG/SVG support for icons
- Mouse gestures and window-specific key / mouse bindings
- Lots of new style options for themers
- A new script to upgrade FVWM 2.4 configuration files
- Support for Xinerama, XRender, and Xcursor
FVWM 2.6.0 was released April 15 and a follow-up bugfix, 2.6.1, was released April 16. F doesn't really stand for Fabulous. Tradition says F used to stand for Feeble, but the actual meaning has been lost. Today F doesn't stand for anything. Austrumi is one distribution that relies upon FVWM for its desktop.
Rabu, 11 Mei 2011
The creation of Linux
In 1991, in Helsinki, Linus Torvalds began a project that later became the Linux kernel. It was initially a terminal emulator, which Torvalds used to access the large UNIX servers of the university. He wrote the program specifically for the hardware he was using and independent of an operating system because he wanted to use the functions of his new PC with an 80386 processor. Development was done on MINIX using the GNU C compiler, which is still the main choice for compiling Linux today (although the code can be built with other compilers, such as the Intel C Compiler).[citation needed]
As Torvalds wrote in his book Just for Fun,[9] he eventually realized that he had written an operating system kernel. On 25 August 1991, he announced this system in a Usenet posting to the newsgroup "comp.os.minix.":[10]
Hello everybody out there using minix -
I'm doing a (free) operating system (just a hobby, won't be big and professional like gnu) for 386(486) AT clones. This has been brewing since april, and is starting to get ready. I'd like any feedback on things people like/dislike in minix, as my OS resembles it somewhat (same physical layout of the file-system (due to practical reasons) among other things).
I've currently ported bash(1.08) and gcc(1.40), and things seem to work. This implies that I'll get something practical within a few months, and I'd like to know what features most people would want. Any suggestions are welcome, but I won't promise I'll implement them :-)
Linus (torvalds@kruuna.helsinki.fi)
PS. Yes – it's free of any minix code, and it has a multi-threaded fs. It is NOT portable (uses 386 task switching etc), and it probably never will support anything other than AT-harddisks, as that's all I have.
As Torvalds wrote in his book Just for Fun,[9] he eventually realized that he had written an operating system kernel. On 25 August 1991, he announced this system in a Usenet posting to the newsgroup "comp.os.minix.":[10]
Hello everybody out there using minix -
I'm doing a (free) operating system (just a hobby, won't be big and professional like gnu) for 386(486) AT clones. This has been brewing since april, and is starting to get ready. I'd like any feedback on things people like/dislike in minix, as my OS resembles it somewhat (same physical layout of the file-system (due to practical reasons) among other things).
I've currently ported bash(1.08) and gcc(1.40), and things seem to work. This implies that I'll get something practical within a few months, and I'd like to know what features most people would want. Any suggestions are welcome, but I won't promise I'll implement them :-)
Linus (torvalds@kruuna.helsinki.fi)
PS. Yes – it's free of any minix code, and it has a multi-threaded fs. It is NOT portable (uses 386 task switching etc), and it probably never will support anything other than AT-harddisks, as that's all I have.