Whomwah.com

I have just read an article about Linux and Laptops. I have recently got myself a lovely 12″ powerbook after having run Fedora on a Sony Vaio V505DP for about a year. I went through the transition of FC2 to FC3 and found it great at my day to day tasks as well as for development. Now, obviously you don’t run Linux and expect everything to work seamlessly, although I have to say that most things on FC3 actually did. Even setting up the wireless was a dodle and worked much better than it had been under XP. In fact everything was great … until you decided you wanted to say, use your laptop quickly on a bus or a train, or maybe just finish some work in which you have loads of windows open and stuff running and would like to just put it in standby and come back to it later.

You see thats what currently lets Linux down on a laptop, Power Managment, or should I say the lack of it. The best I could do with my Sony was to just shut the lid (the screen turned off) and hope the gap between me reusing it was within 2 hours. Oh and thats another thing. Under XP the battery life was nearly 5 hours. Under Linux I got just over 2.

Don’t get me wrong here, I think Linux is great, the system, the community, the whole ethos. But for the notebook user it just isn’t quite there yet. Like Neil says in his article, this process could be sped up by manufacturers helping the Linux community and not pandering to the big boys and waiting for someone else to make the first move?

The gnome website has this information on the upcoming 2.1 release of the Gnome desktop. Here’s an introduction:

GNOME 2.10 is going to be the latest and greatest thing from the GNOME Desktop Project this March 9th. Here is a sneak peek of some of the things that are currently in the GNOME 2.9 development snapshot.

I wait with baited breath.

The Linux on iPod Project has just crossed a milestone. Currently their firmware works on all ipod models other then the new mini. Sound plays and for many people it has more features then the original iPod firmware! Check out the link to the development site.

Red Hat Inc., the world’s biggest distributor of the free Linux computer-operating system, will introduce a version for desktop personal computers to compete with Microsoft Corp.’s dominant Windows.

Red Hat wants to capitalize on rising corporate spending on PCs and Microsoft’s plan for a new version of Windows, which runs about 93 percent of all PCs, Red Hat Chief Executive Matthew Szulik said yesterday in an interview. He said Linux may win 10 percent of the market in “a few years.”

Deep inside the K Desktop Environment 3.2′ written by Datschge and Henrique Pinto. After introducing KDE and the project’s structure the authors present some new applications of KDE 3.2. After that they explain the key KDE technologies KParts, DCOP, KIO, Kiosk and KXMLGUI and give examples for code reusage and an overview of efforts to integrate non-KDE applications. For developers Umbrello, Cervisia and Valgrind with KCachegrind are introduced and of course KDevelop 3.0. An examination of licenses precedes the positive conclusion.

[VIA SLASHDOT]

Lin—s (Lindash) Program Ensures Choice in Countries Where Microsoft is Attempting to Block Desktop Linux

Leading Desktop Linux Software Now Available on www.lin—s.com Website and from Participating Resellers in the Netherlands

SAN DIEGO February 17, 2004 –The “Lin—s” (Lindash) program was launched today to make the leading desktop Linux available in those countries where the Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) Corporation has blocked availability. Lin—s makes the affordable and robust operating system available to Dutch citizens through the website at www.lin—s.com and from participating resellers.

“Dutch citizens deserve the same choices that are currently available to the citizens of more than one hundred countries around the world,” said Michael Robertson, chief executive officer of Lindows.com. “Lindash ensures that the Netherlands will have affordable, virus-free options instead of just expensive Microsoft software.”

Lin—s is a program that provides the leading desktop Linux operating system to the citizens of the Netherlands, who would otherwise be unable to attain the software. The www.lin—s.com website enables Dutch citizens to purchase the easy-to-use, powerful software online for instant digital download. The website also offers listings of resellers in the Netherlands who are offering the software in stores and pre-loaded onto powerful, affordable computer systems. Lin—s allows the consumers in the Netherlands to take advantage of the cost-savings of the software that has enabled builders in the United States to offer $199 PCs and $799 laptops.

A half dozen companies are developing cell phones based on the Linux operating system, an executive familiar with the plans said Friday. Click link for more info.

Sony has started taking UK orders for a kit to turn the Playstation 2 games console into a computer running the Linux operating system.Full story here.