scribbles of the perennial debugger…
GNU/Linux
The magic’s gone
May 12th
I have received my Ubuntu 9.04 today. However, unlike my enthusiasm before, I am in no hurry to install. In no way that I’ll be screwing the pristine state of my ThinkPad X200, loaded, unfortunately with Windows Vista. To be honest, Vista is not that bad. Just like beauty, stability and performance is in the hands of the beholder. I might install Ubuntu in a VM, or I might give it away. Or I might just make it a cute addition to my CD Software Library.
I used to be rabid Open Source advocate. I am still… However, I am resigned to the fact Linux might have missed the boat. OSX, Windows are the kings of the bi-polar desktop roost. My Open Source eyes just focuses where free and open source software counts, to the applications. We’ve got OpenOffice, we have MySQL, GIMP, Firefox, we have the Apache apps. Now, these are definitely making a serious dent on their closed-sourced counterparts.
Open Source or not, my interest is for better software, holistically speaking.
My Gutsy Desktop
Nov 2nd
And behold, my newly-installed desktop. I couldn’t wait for the CDs from Canonical, so I just downloaded and in just a little over an hour, I had my desktop humming.
But after enjoying the looks and sleekness of this new desktop, I had to backtrack from using it further, lest I’d want to ruin my 160 GB HDD. Ubuntu (Feisty and Gutsy) apparently had a bug that will hasten the lifespan of a SATA HDD. Here’s a link to the article: linux-hero.com, and at bugs.launchpad.net. But wait, there’s a workaround:
“hdparm -B 255 /dev/sda”. I wouldn’t budge though. I’ll wait for an official Ubuntu kernel patch.
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Ubuntu 7.10
Oct 12th
7 days to go (6 days as of this writing) and I can’t resist the itch. I have downloaded and installed Ubuntu 7.10. Though Gutsy Gibbon is still in beta, the installation is stable enough and went on without a glitch. Just accept all the updates as they come along.
The new GNOME and the out-of-the-box Compiz rocks. Far cry from the days of manual download and compilation of Compiz/Berryl. The Flash download-integration with Firefox comes handy. Next stop for me will be Java. Then Avant. Then…
I have pre-ordered 2 CDs from Canonical. One for me for keeping (ala-souvenir) and on for my friends to copy and enjoy.
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Java is now free, no reasons for FUD either
Nov 14th
Sun just open sourced Java. Java will now carry the GPL as its license. As Sun has said, it was always open, now it’s free. My FUD, and perhaps, the same sentiments shared by the majority in the Java community is addressed through the Classpath Exception Clause.
Linking this library statically or dynamically with other modules is making a combined work based on this library. Thus, the terms and conditions of the GNU General Public License cover the whole combination.
As a special exception, the copyright holders of this library give you permission to link this library with independent modules to produce an executable, regardless of the license terms of these independent modules, and to copy and distribute the resulting executable under terms of your choice, provided that you also meet, for each linked independent module, the terms and conditions of the license of that module. An independent module is a module which is not derived from or based on this library. If you modify this library, you may extend this exception to your version of the library, but you are not obligated to do so. If you do not wish to do so, delete this exception statement from your version.
RMS would be very happy with Java’s opening. Perhaps, RMS would consider adding a closure and revisions on his The Java Trap article.
And, oh, btw, Duke is also freed… under BSD.
Ubuntu CDs
Mar 21st
Just got my second batch of Ubuntu CDs. I got 20 pieces of CDs this time. Unlike my old set of ShipIt order (10 PC, 3 64bit PC, 2 Mac), this batch is all PC versions. All PC version that I had before were snagged up in less than 10 minutes. This time, let me give away these CDs from Canonical to people other than my colleagues.
The Ubuntu version that I have is 5.10. Now that Dapper Drake (Ubuntu 6.04) will be delayed by 6 weeks from the usual April release, you can savor the last few pieces of Breezy Badger CD release. Aside from trying out the stable 5.10, you can beta test version 6.04.
To all persons** who want to try out Ubuntu, drop a comment on this post and we’ll work out a way for me to send the CDs to you.
** Guess I will only be able to send the CDs to people in Singapore.
As an alternative for those who have broadband internet access, you can download the OS @ Ubuntu Download Site.
Is XBox 360 using a true X?
Nov 29th
I am not sure whether many knows about this, at least for the non-gamers, but it is indeed true. Microsoft’s vaunted PS3 killer (not yet released as of this writing) is not built on Windows or its variant. At the closest to describing the OS, MS says it is a “custom operating system”. Hmm… that made me think, are they using Unix? One fearless assumption, I guess it is not Linux. If it is Unix, is the kernel BSD? Is it Mach? Noone’s for sure. One thing’s for sure, the console’s CPU is IBM’s PowerPC. That made me think again… Why not intel? Oh well, Robbie Mach (president of MS’s Entertainment and Devices Division) really did it right, right on top of Bill and Steve’s noses. Bach’s reason on not choosing Windows, it is not “specialized” enough to do the task. Yes Robbie, learn from Steve (Jobs)… choose Unix.
Ubuntu is the best biz workstation OS!
Nov 25th
The end of IP is near, free and open source software will be the next generation’s suite of software. Well, aside from the behemoth Microsoft and perhaps Google and other traditional closed-sourced IP giants, all software in the future will be or built on F/OSS.
As the Linux desktop ever more becomes mature and accepted by mainstream users, it is time for businesses to seriously adapt open source as their workstation desktops. With will the mature distros around, companies have a lot to choose. In a recent review made by zdnet, wherein, they compared the top distros and tried to determine (at least from their points of view) the best Linux desktop for SMEs. The contenders were:
- Mandriva Linux 2006
- Novell Linux Desktop 9
- Red Hat Desktop 4
- SUSE Linux 10
- Ubuntu Linux 5.10
What? No Fedora? Sorry guys, there ain’t one. 
Ubuntu, not just being the top distro (source: DistroWatch) came in on top of zdnet’s review too. 3 cheers to the Ubuntu community and to Canonical.
“Ubuntu Linux 5.10 – Ubuntu is a well integrated, practical and absolutely free Linux distribution. There may be worries about support, but the Canonical organisation is building a good reputation and the head of steam in the wider Ubuntu community should provide decent local support from third parties, too.”
The following is zdnet’s rating, plus my own rating of Ubuntu:
Pros
- Well integrated package
- good language support
- built-in support for Exchange and networked printers
- excelent package management
- free
Cons
- A lot of confusing text in the install process. hmm, was it really confusing…?
- default colour scheme is brown. huh! just as I thought…
My Ubuntu shipment has arrived!
Nov 13th
And after a month since the release of Breezy (5.10), my order for the CDs has arrived. The CDs were all snapped up in a jiffy like pancakes. All in all, I ordered for x86, PowerPC and x86-64 flavors of the distro. Reserved the three for my home PC, office PC, office PC 2 (64), and my home iMac. Reserved one mac for my friend. Reserved one 64 and one 32bit versions for our IT department. And the rest were given to interested colleagues. I am not sure whether one made the crack as a joke or was he really serious. This is what he said: “will it run in windows?”. I said, in a serious but hillarious way, “no”. “Instead, get Cygwin“. OK, yesterday was an install fest, at least for my own machine. I have reinstalled my OS (64) while I sadly toil away on “hard labor” at the office. Today’s is another install fest for me… at home.
Classpath’s nearing completion
Nov 5th
The road to full Java freedom is almost at hand. With GNU Classpath team’s effort, a free and open source JVM is in near completion, at least on the compatibility with Sun’s JDK 1.4 specs. I am on the impression that Apache’s Project Harmony may fork Classpath or leverage on it. Well, whatever the outcome is, still, we have a free JVM.
Classpath is a project that aims to create free core class libraries for use with runtimes, compilers and tools for the Java programming language. Coupled with GNU’s GCJ (GCC for Java) you’ll have a nice tandem of F/OSS Java runtime and development libraries. Unless, of course, your software will be sold and you’re not ready to take on a GPLed code.
Notable improvements to the latest release 0.19 are:
- More efficient swing
- Better inter-operation with CORBA, support for RMI over IIOP
Highlights from GNU Classpath
Much more efficient painting for large Free Swing GUIs. Improved accessibility support. HttpURLConnection rewrite. Official CORBA VMCID assigned. Start of RMI over IIOP support. Qt4 support for OS-X. Much improved Free Swing Metal theme. Free Swing Demo includes theme switcher example (Metal, Ocean, GNU). JBoss now starts up and Jonas testsuite passes for 95%. Support for the javax.sound.midi framework and experimental DSSI and ALSA service providers. Early version of the popular StAX API. Now has 96% coverage of 1.4 API.
No HURD? Here comes Solaris
Nov 2nd
It has been a long time when the Free Software Foundation’s goal to create a totally free operating system has been announced. Richard Stallman’s goal was to create a free OS based on FSF’s own; GNU and HURD. The OS: GNU/HURD. But HURD has been in perpetual alpha for a long time now and I bet, not much knows about its existence.
Without HURD, enter Linus Torvald’s Linux. Yes, we have Linux today. But Linux by itself is not an operating system, but rather, an OS kernel. Linux by itself is unusable. The GNU coupled with Linux is a complete OS. Linux, which represents the GNU/Linux operating system is actually a misnomer and an injustice to FSF’s GNU. Only Debian had the actual title GNU/Linux. Actually, Debian has been into several incarnations, not just as Linux, but as GNU/HURD and GNU/BSD as well. The fun part begins. A Debian-based group is starting to build GNU/Solaris. Ah yes, when they’re done doing it (hoping that it won’t take years like Sarge), I will be one of the first ones to try this out. Having worked both with Linux and Solaris gets me really excited about the emergence of a GNU/Solaris.
An interesting note: the news of GNU/Solaris came from an Ubuntu site, bulk of the kickstart team comes from Ubuntu.
Debian: the best GNU/Linux
Ubuntu: the best Debian