Open source & Linux

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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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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"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.

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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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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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!

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 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!

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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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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