I can’t recall trying Ubuntu (maybe a livecd), but I’ve heard quite a bit about various variations on it lately. I’ve seen articles on business desktop use, certification by IBM (?) for running one of their applications and other various positive articles. I’m going to have to give it a try soon. Anyway, with all that this article caught my attention.
Author: Avery
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OpenDocument format (ODF) versus Microsoft’s opening of MS XML
There are a couple articles out today (last few days) on the growing conflict between the ODF (Open Document Format) Microsoft’s XML. For starters, the ODF came about as a response/alternative to closed formats such as Microsoft’s. The concept is that it is in the public interest for information to be stored in formats that are open and accessible to anyone. Last week Microsoft fired a volley with a modification to the license for their MS Open XML. They hope the file format will become an international standard. The format is to be used for the next version of Microsoft Office.
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Dutch record store chain switching to Novell linux with KDE
The dot has an article on a Dutch record chain switching some 1000 desktops over to Novell Linux with the KDE desktop. The Kiosk mode in KDE has been helpful in locking down certain settings and creating a nice controlled environment. It sounds like Point of Sale is the biggest use, although the store manager makes use of one as a workstation to access information from the cash registers.
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Server sales numbers linux/windows
On the back of new server sales numbers, cooltechzone has been declaring the demise of linux. I remember looking at the stats and numbers when they came out and didn’t see anything terribly surprising. (Windows server sales outpace Unix server sales), Unix server sales are not equal to linux server sales and have been declining for years, Windows AND linux server sales have been growing. Newsforge has an article on the numbers and get’s into the details.
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iPod nano sales “staggering”
Reuters has a story about how big the sales of the Apple iPod Nano
such as the Apple 2 GB iPod Nano White
, Apple 2 GB iPod Nano White
are exceeding expectations this holiday season. Amazon reported that the Apple 2 GB iPod Nano Black
was the 6th biggest selling item in Electronic gadgets, while the White version above of the 2GB was 10th. There is, of course, also the Apple 4 GB iPod Nano White
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Old hardware has new legs with linux
This isn’t actually news in the “new” sense, but to many people this is newsworthy. From slashdot… aselabs is running a bit on DSL linux on an older laptop (Pentium 266MMX with 64 MB RAM). Most people would agree that is old/slow hardware by current standards and this is something that can be useful still with linux as the base operating system (fluxbox as the Window manager – I think that’s what dsl uses?)
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Worldnic DNS server outage teaches lesson…
Incidents.org has a post on a DNS server outage for Worldnic. Which effects a number of Network Solutions customers. Apparently they’re aware of the problem and are working on a fix. It doesn’t affect EVERY Network Solutions customer, there are some specifics…
To clarify the impact to the casual reader:
Not all customers of Network Solutions are affected.
No root or TLD servers are known to reside on these machines.
It’s “just” individual domains that are affected, but it might be a lot of them.
Only domains that have all their namervers on these machines will have significant impact.
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The virus arms race? is locking down systems the key?
The securityfix has a post on the “dirty little secret” about antivirus. Eugene Kaspersky of Kaspersky antivirus has posted an introspective article on the antivirus industry and it’s current problems. The biggest problem with antivirus is that it’s always one step behind the virus writers. Antivirus software only can prevent you being infected by those viruses that the antivirus software knows about. In other words a quick, fast spreading infection can hit you anywhere between hours-days before your AV vendor has an update.
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Microsoft’s unpatched security bugs
George Ou at ZDnet is mystified (as many of us are) at why Microsoft can’t patch ALL their security vulnerabilities. Most of the unpatched vulnerabilities are considered minor (as was the 6 month old bug that in the last week was discovered could be exploited for more than a Denial of Service…) His point is, if small companies (even open source groups) can patch ALL security bugs big and small, then why can’t Microsoft with it’s legions of coders?
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Moving to Open Source quietly
ZDnet UK has another article on how many businesses prefer to make a move to open source software fairly quietly. This should be no surprise really given the news and circus-type feel some of the public “studies” of a large company or other organization moving to linux or replacing Microsoft Office. In many cases, there’ve been “personal visits” from Steve Ballmer to try to keep the organization in the Microsoft camp, lot’s of news articles, outside individuals lobbying one way or the other.
