Hi-Tech Squad

VirtualBox 3.0 has been released by Sun. This major update introduces Symmetrical Multiprocessing (SMP) in virtual machines as well improved 3D support.

VirtualBox is an x86 virtualization solution, developed by Sun Microsystems (it was originally created by German software company Innotek). When it is installed on an existing host operating system (known as the host) additional guest operating systems can be loaded and run, each with its own virtual environment.

VirtualBox the only professional x86 virtualization solution that is freely available as Open Source Software under the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL).

VirtualBox runs on Windows, Linux, Macintosh and OpenSolaris hosts and supports a large number of guest operating systems including but not limited to Windows (NT 4.0, 2000, XP, Server 2003, Vista, Windows 7), DOS/Windows 3.x, Linux (2.4 and 2.6), Solaris and OpenSolaris, and OpenBSD.

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gary Downloads, Linux, OS X, Open Source, Windows

Cisco® (who own the Linksys brand) has announced a new Linux powered router, the WRT160NL. The new model complements the existing consumer router line-up and is essentially the next generation of the popular WRT54GL. The router provides 802.11b/g and n connectivity and is 802.11n draft 2.0 certified.

The router also has what Cisco are calling “integrated Storage Link functionality” which lets consumers connect their USB storage device to the router to create a powerful media sharing solution that enables video, photo and music sharing through the integrated media server.

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gary Hardware, Linux, Open Source

CrossOver 8.0 (a commercial version of Wine) allows you to install many popular Windows productivity applications, plugins and games in OS X or Linux. CrossOver 8.0 includes an easy to use, single click interface, which makes installing a Windows application simple and fast. Once installed, your application integrate seamlessly with your desktop. Because CrossOver 8.0 isn’t based on Microsoft technology you can install these Windows programs without needing a Microsoft operating system license.
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gary Linux, OS X

Developers wishing to create dynamic websites, web applications and web services with a database back end are presented with two main stream choices. Develop for PHP and MySQL or ASP.NET and possibly Microsoft SQL Server. Both technologies have their strengths and weaknesses and there are those who biased towards one technology over the other. How do PHP and ASP.NET compare?

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gary Linux, Open Source, Web programming, Webmaster, Windows

IBM has announced the release of Lotus Symphony 1.3, an alternative suite to Microsoft Office. The productivity tool suite consists of three component applications, Documents, Spreadsheets and Presentations

Lotus Symphony 1.3 includes several usability and functionality enhancements and has also improved interoperability with Microsoft Office 2007. The release now supports the importing of Microsoft Office 2007 files and includes enhancements to DataPilot tables in spreadsheets. Password protection support has been added for Microsoft Office and IBM Lotus SmartSuite spreadsheets and significant improvements have been made to improve the overall performance on Mac OS X systems.

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gary Linux, OS X, Windows

Asus has released an Eee home server. Using the same Atom chip which powers their line of netbooks, this new device is a simplified Linux-based home server. Dubbed the Eee NAS it is intended to provide data storage and backup for homes and very small businesses.

Launched at this week’s Computex show in Taiwan, the Eee NAS pairs the Atom N270 processor with 2GB of RAM and a pair of 7200rpm 500GB SATA drives for a total of 1 terrabyte of storage.

Read more here: Asus releases Eee NAS netbook-based home server

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gary Gadgets, Hardware, Linux

£8 million a year to Microsoft, with no public bidding. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, say open source activists.

Linux vendor Red Hat, and 17 other vendors, have protested a Swiss government contract given to Microsoft without any public bidding. The move exposes a wider Microsoft monopoly that European governments accept, despite their lip service for open source, according to commentators.

The Red Hat group has asked a Swiss federal court to overturn a three-year contract issued to Microsoft by the Swiss Federal Bureau for Building and Logistics, to provide Windows desktops and applications, with support and maintenance, for 14 million Swiss Franc (£8 million) each year. The contract, for “standardised workstations”, was issued with no public bidding process, Red Hat’s legal team reports in a blog - because the Swiss agency asserted there was no sufficient alternative to Microsoft products.

Read more here: Red Hat Sues Switzerland Over Microsoft Monopoly - News - eWeekEurope.co.uk

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gary Linux

The new Linux.com site has been launched. For those who don’t remember the Linux Foundation took over the site in March and have been planning the relaunch since then.

In addition to Linux news, product listings, and more, Linux.com is designed to be interactive; ‘for the community by the community.’ You can:

• Gain Guru Points for contributions to the site and compete for the “Ultimate Linux Guru” recognition and prizes
  
• Create a group for your LUG or developer group and invite friends to stay informed. (linux.com/community/groups)
  
• Add an Event to the Linux.com Calendar. No event is too big or small. (linux.com/community/events)
  
• Post a comment in our Forums to get help with Linux (linux.com/community/forums)
  
• Ask a question or give a solution in Answers (linux.com/learn/answers)
  
• Add a listing or a product review in our Directory (linux.com/directory)
  
• Create your own tutorial (linux.com/learn/tutorials) or blog entry (linux.com/community/blogs)
  

When you add content to the new Linux.com, you gain the goodwill and support of your fellow Linux.com users. As you participate in the site’s community by providing content, you will gain guru points that will move you towards the rank of Guru that can help you connect to jobs and collaboration opportunities.

The top-ranked Linux.com user will be recognized each year as the “Ultimate Linux Guru” and be given a fully loaded “dream” Linux notebook, personally autographed by Linux founder Linus Torvalds, as recognition of his or her guru status. The top five contributors to Linux.com will be invited to the Linux Foundation Collaboration Summit to participate in the planning for the future of Linux.com.

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gary Linux

The Free Software Foundation and Cisco have announced that they have reached a joint agreement and settled the law suit which the FSF initiated in December. The settlement announcement, which had been expected after an order to dismiss, was filed with the district court, sees Cisco agreeing to appoint a Free Software Director for the Cisco subsidiary Linksys who will enforce the company’s compliance with the terms of the GPL. Cisco have also agreed to notify customers who have received products which contain FSF programs of their rights with regard to the GPL and to publish notices on their web site. The settlement also involves Cisco making a monetary contribution to the FSF of an undisclosed amount.

Read more here: FSF and Cisco Settle - Officially - News - The H Open Source: News and Features

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gary Linux

It was revealed yesterday that the Linux Foundation, a non-profit consortium chartered to foster the growth of Linux, has bought the Linux.com domain from SourceForge.

I (Gary Sims) have worked with the Linux.com team for several years and they have published several of my artivles and even a video review of Picasa for Linux. At the moment I am undecided about what this means for the Linux community, time will tell as we see what the LF make of the site.

Some key points about the deal are:

• LF is taking over the editorial and community stewardship for the site.
  
• The SourceForge and LF will collaborate to create a vibrant and long-lasting community destination for Linux users and developers.
  
• SourceForge will support the Linux Foundation by continuing to sell the advertising for Linux.com.
  
• Much like Linux itself, Linux.com will rely on the community to create and drive the content and conversation.
  
• According to ComputerWorld, the Foundation will be keeping the old Linux.com articles on-site. What is good news for me as I would like to continue to see my articles on the Linux.com site.
  
  

LF Press Release

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gary Linux, Ouch!