| Keeps movin' on |
[Nov. 13th, 2006|05:12 pm] |
|
The Linux world got a big boost when the Java plugin went open-source, thustly ensuring its security would be vastly improved and it would be forever attached to Linux operating systems. It won't be attached to Windows or OSX operating systems though, since it has to be open-sourced too to get the benefit. It's a good day for Linux. And a counter-attack on the Novell-Microsoft deal. |
|
|
| Updates |
[Nov. 8th, 2006|07:51 pm] |
Alright, it seems that Microsoft paid Novell lots of money for this deal, not the other way around. It's fairly interesting to note that Microsoft is taking Linux that seriously. Novell is, undoubtedly, the #2 Linux maker on the market, and in a bit of trouble since Red Hat still dominates. Microsoft said, "How can we push another Linux maker into what could be the top spot, wipe out a more GPL-loving company like Red Hat and promote the use of proprietary software? Push Novell!" MS will then aquire Novell or stamp them out after Novell supposedly wipes out the rest of the Linux market. We'll have to wait and see what happens with this. Until then, I'm never downloading another Novell product again. Not that I hate Novell if MS just threw a bunch of money against them, I just think their success would be very bad for Linux overall. We don't want a one-Linux world, we want at least two. Plus I think SuSE sucks compared to Fedora and Ubuntu.
And the Dems have taken over. Thank god. If nothing else, at least the Republicans can use this opportunity to clean themselves up and maybe the world will forgive us a bit for Iraq. Here's hoping 2008 goes as well. |
|
|
| Ahhh! |
[Nov. 2nd, 2006|11:53 pm] |
Is this the end? Has Novell and Oracle killed Linux?
Oracle announces they're trying to kill Red Hat, and Novell announces that Microsoft is their buddy. Microsoft then says they won't kill Novell in the near future. (Thereby implying they may kill someone else in the near future)
What hath God wrought? |
|
|
| Blah |
[Nov. 1st, 2006|04:32 pm] |
I'm almost done with my professional internship for my degree, putting me one class away from becoming a college graduate. Now if I could only motivate myself to get some work done... This whole thing has left me worn out. I'm going to sleep so much Saturday, I can't wait.
I don't think Microsoft is evil. Well, not intentionally. It's a large, multinational corporation that has a very large market base and wants to make a lot of money with the products it has worked hard on getting where it needs to get them. They were in the right place and the right time with the right means and got 90% of the market in a few years.
That's not evil, that's smart. They run a lot of charities, probably to increase their name but it works and that's all it has to do, really.
So why do I prefer Linux and BSD? Because I disagree with how Microsoft does its business, I disagree with the quality of its product and I disagree with the way it distributes its product.
MS is considering pulling out of China because of China's attitude about politics and freedom. I honestly think that'd push Linux into the forefront of the operating systems, and I think it'd make China the main development home of Linux software in the future. Us non-Chinese Linux users will be jealous of their development, and we'll have to deal with skilled Chinese hackers aiming at the Linux platform. It's unlikely most the code released in China would be released either.
It'd be ironic that the most open and free software in the world might be used by China to oppress its citizens if MS leaves China, but it's something we'd have to deal with and understand. |
|
|
| Edgy |
[Oct. 30th, 2006|11:12 pm] |
|
I went back to Dapper after I found out Edgy was still in the post-release patch phase. All operating systems experience this - Shortly after release, they are usually very buggy and recieve a trial-by-fire with the general public. Edgy eft is no different, and I went back to Dapper Drake. |
|
|
| BSD |
[Oct. 27th, 2006|01:52 am] |
I write often here about Linux, since it's my hobby of choice at the moment. However, recently I have become aware of the debate within the Linux community over the nature of the legal liscenses it's been released under.
Specifically, Linux is registered under the GPL, or General Public Liscense. The GPL says that any code released under it must be made public, and any other code that uses that code must also be made public. This has resulted in the Linux domain, the immortality of OSS, and the various benefits of having Open-Source code available in the world.
TiVO, the famous DVR system, used Linux to power its set-top boxes. That meant that the code for TiVO had to be released in the public domain. TiVO did that, but just barely.
The Free Software Foundation, the legal and political organization that released the GPL liscense, declaired that TiVO had met the letter of the liscense but not the spirit of it, something very important in law. They decided to update the GPL, to version 3, with tighter restrictions, thus eliminating TiVO from using Linux code.
The Linux guys themselves weren't exactly happy with that, however, and since there's been some debate over the GPL liscense and whether Linux should continue under it. Some say the FSF, the founder of the movement that spawned Linux, is going too far. Those who support the FSF say they haven't gone far enough to make sure open-source code stays open-source.
Compare this to the "other" large open-source operating system, Berkeley Software Distribution, or more commonly known as BSD. BSD is a Unix variant. Where Linux is a Unix clone, BSD is actually Unix, only released under the BSD liscense.
Compare the GPL and general copyright law. Where copyright protects the rights of the person who wrote the code, the GPL, also called 'copyleft', protects the person who uses the code. The BSD liscense has been called 'copycenter.' It protects both the user's ability to use the code, and the people who write additional code to copyright what they do with it.
Compare the TiVO controversy versus Mac OSX. Mac OSX uses the BSD operating system in a much more convoluted and taken way, utilizing BSD as the frame for the operating system while they fill it with their own work - A means that is far more than TiVO did. OSX is considered the 'second' major operating system after Windows because of it. Largely proprietary, it has shown what the BSD liscense and operating system can do.
Some people have gone so far as to say, "BSD is what Linux was supposed to be."
I don't know if i agree with this - I think code should be free, and I love the GPL, but at the same time I love the ability to copyright your own code. You should be paid for your work, right?
My curiosity got the best of me, and I downloaded and installed PCBSD, a FreeBSD distribution aimed at being user friendly. Unfortunately, they haven't gotten Soundblaster cards working in FreeBSD yet, so I'm going to pull it out for the latest version of Ubuntu, released today. It seems interesting, and some say it's the next Linux. We won't know, of course, until it happens. |
|
|
| An idea. |
[Oct. 11th, 2006|10:32 pm] |
I decided to update my LJ every time I go home to do laundry.
My thoughts this week are primarily focused on how I, as an individual, am sick of college. I've been going there for four and a half years, more time than I spent in high school. While high school was far more boring, I'd much rather get on with my life.
At the same time, I wish I had taken more time to study more things. Yes, I took a lot of electives and subsequently know Cyrillic and how to understand Latin, but I wish I had taken some programming classes or something. I'd really enjoy getting involved in programming some open-source projects, particularly ReactOS, which is trying to create an open-source version of Windows. We all know that project is doomed because it will always be behind Windows, probably by several years, but it's nice to know that something's out there that I could mess with to help me understand how Windows works.
Simultaineously, I wish I knew more about graphics design. I know how to use layout software and photographic software, but I wish I knew more about flash and using graphics software. I wish I knew how to draw and how to create 3d models, especially since most the software I'd need to use can be found in open-source stuff. I dunno.
I am glad though I've done what I've done. I'm very good at what I have to do, I just wish I was even more proficient. |
|
|
| About my life |
[Oct. 7th, 2006|07:41 pm] |
I apologize for having stopped updating. I don't have time anymore, and while I live with other people I'd rather not be caught with a LJ. I'll update periodically. I would rather do it.
Right now I'm enjoying the life of a guy who works 50 hours a week, has a crazy love life and is determined to make good use of Open-Source software.
For anyone who knew me back in the day, I was always very egalitarian and fair, so OSS seems like the logical path for me to follow, even though I'm not a computer programmer. For this reason, I must recommend Ubuntu Linux.
For a media guy like myself, Linux is just too sweet. Here's my favorite programs, all free. The number next to them is how close they are to the programs they imitate:
1. Gimp - A Photoshop clone, open source and free. (Image editing) 7
2. Inkscape - An Adobe Fireworks and Illustrator clone. (Vector graphics) 8
3. Nvu - An Adobe Dreamweaver clone. (Website editing) 6
4. Openoffice.org - An MSOffice clone. 9
5. Cinelerra - An Avid clone. (Professional video editing) ~7?? (I just got this one.)
6. Blender - Not a clone of anything. I guess Maya? Nothing to compare it to. It's been used to make good movies.
7. Scribus - A QuarkXPress imitator. (Page layout) 6
8. Audacity - A Pro Tools imitator. (Audio editing.) 8
These are almost all of the softwares needed to do work in the media industry. Only Cinelerra (Perhaps the most valuable of the softwares) is only available on Linux, though, so you can get these too unless you want to do video editing. There are lots of OSS softwares that are just plain better to use, so you're not violating any laws or copyrights using them. It's very reaffirming to know I'm committing no piracy right now just by using OSS software.
I hate to be an open-source evangelist, but it is kinda fun. |
|
|
| 9/11 |
[Sep. 11th, 2006|10:16 pm] |
God rest you men who died this day five years ago. We will never forget.
God help us forgive. |
|
|
| navigation |
| [ |
viewing |
| |
most recent entries |
] |
| [ |
go |
| |
earlier |
] |
| |
|
|
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=92){kind=small}
animortium's journal