Linux CDs confiscated by teacher... Banned substance?

A teacher from Austin, Texas confiscated a bunch of CDs containing free Linux distributions from a student who was demonstarting GNU/Linux on his laptop and handing out the CDs. After this, the teacher sent an angry email to Ken Starks of the HeliOS Project, where the student got his Linux CDs from.

"This is a world where Windows runs on virtually every computer and putting on a carnival show for an operating system is not helping these children at all. I am sure if you contacted Microsoft, they would be more than happy to supply you with copies of an older version of Windows and that way, your computers would actually be of service to those receiving them…"

Read more here: Enemies of GNU/Linux?

Configuring storage in FreeNAS; Excerpt from Hungry Penguin's book

An excerpt from Hungry Pengiun's book Learning FreeNAS has been published by Linux.com. The excerpt is called "Configuring storage in FreeNAS"... Here is an excerpt from the excerpt!!!

The essence of the FreeNAS server is to provide storage that is easily accessible from the network. To this end, it is important to understand how FreeNAS handles hard disks and how they can be configured and used to provide the best and most reliable storage for your network.

Read more here: Linux.com :: Configuring storage in FreeNAS

PC-BSD 7.0.1 available

The PC-BSD team have been busy and after much hard work and testing they are to announce the availability of PC-BSD 7.0.1, i.e. the first upgrade in the 7 series, with FreeBSD 7.0 under the hood.

Version 7.0.1 contains a number of bugfixes and improvements. Some of the changes are:

KDE 4.1.2
AMD64 version
NTFS write support
Adobe Flash 9 support (Linux -flashplugin9)
Better

Read more here: PC-BSD - PC-BSD 7.0.1 available

PC-BSD 7 is a mixed bag

FreeBSD is a Unix-like open source operating system that can trace its ancestry back to the original Unix. It's well known and well respected in the server marketplace, but until recently FreeBSD lacked an easy-to-use desktop version. In 2005 the PC-BSD project was started to provide just that. This month PC-BSD version 7 was released. I downloaded and installed it to see how it squares up to user-friendly Linux distributions like Ubuntu. I came away a little disappointed.

Read more here: PC-BSD 7 is a mixed bag

Twelve Myths about Free and Open Source Software

Bruce Byfield has written a great piece about the 12 myths of FOSS (Free and Open Source Software):

His points include:

1. If software costs nothing, it's no good
   
2. FOSS is inferior to proprietary software
   
3. FOSS is piracy (or at least encourages it)
   
4. FOSS has no support
   
5. FOSS is only for developers
   
6. Using FOSS means working from the command line
   
7. FOSS is only good for small projects
   
8. FOSS is unable to develop games
   
9. Having the code freely available makes it less secure than proprietary code
   
10. FOSS is unable to innovate
    
11. Since the license places restrictions on the users, FOSS isn't really free
    
12. FOSS is all about price
    

Read more here: Twelve Myths about Free and Open Source Software

Adobe AIR launches on Linux

Adobe announced today that Adobe AIR now runs on Linux. AIR is a cool cross-platform runtime that enables developers to create Rich Internet Applications that merge the desktop with the Web. Bringing it to Linux removes yet another roadblock to bringing disruptive applications to Linux.

This beta release of AIR for Linux isn't perfect--supported distributions only include Ubuntu 7.10, Fedora 8, OpenSuSE 10.3; and it lacks some other functionality--but it's a great, running start:

Read more here: Adobe AIR launches on Linux/a>

My OpenSolaris review on Linux.com

The folks over at Linux.com have published an article of mine about OpenSolaris. The review called OpenSolaris 2008.05 is robust and ready looks at installing OpenSolaris and well as looking at its unique features like ZFS.

I hope you like it! Gary

10 things you wanted to do with Ubuntu but didn't know how!

The How-to Geek has a great post about 10 things you wanted to do with Ubuntu but didn't know how! They include:

1. Set Gmail as Default Mail Client in Ubuntu
   
2. Add the Trash Can Icon to Your Ubuntu Desktop
   
3. Change the GRUB Menu Timeout on Ubuntu
   
4. Configure How often Ubuntu checks for Automatic Updates
   
5. Create a Bootable Ubuntu USB Flash Drive the Easy Way
   
6. Enable Smooth fonts on Ubuntu Linux
   
7. Speed Up Amarok With Large Music Collections
   
8. Share Folders on the network using Samba
   
9. Hide Removable Drive Icons from Your Ubuntu Desktop
   
10. Clean Up Ubuntu Grub Boot Menu After Upgrades
    

Read more here: 10 things you wanted to do with Ubuntu but didn't know how! :: The Tux Geek

Downloading an Entire Web Site with wget

If you ever need to download an entire Web site, perhaps for off-line viewing, wget can do the
job—for example:

$ wget \
--recursive \
--no-clobber \
--page-requisites \
--html-extension \
--convert-links \
--restrict-file-names=windows \
--domains website.org \
--no-parent \
www.website.org/tutorials/html/
This command downloads the Web site www.website.org/tutorials/html/

Read more here: Downloading an Entire Web Site with wget | Linux Journal

Can open source survive Congress?

If the House's proposed 2009 Defense Department budget is any indication, Congress may want to see more open-source software (OSS) in defense systems.

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (H.R. 5658) includes language that calls for the services to consider open source software when procuring manned or unmanned aerial vehicles.

It's surprising to see a concept as technical as OSS in an actual congressional bill. But there it is. Whether it will remain in the final authorization is another question. The House's version of the bill was passed in May; This week, the Senate is debating its own version of the bill (S. 3001). When the two halves of Congress come together, will the open source language survive in the resulting authorization?

Read more here: Can open source survive Congress?

Ubuntu 9.04 gets a codename: Jaunty Jackalope

Ubuntu founder Mark Shuttleworth has announced a codename for Ubuntu 9.04, the version of the Linux distribution slated for an April 2009 release. And that name is Jaunty Jackalope.

Each version of Ubunty has come with an alliterative codename where the first word is an adjective and the second is an animal. Or in this case a mythical animal. 8.10 will be called Intrepid Ibex. And even though the codenames aren't supposed to have much meaning once the product is officially launched, many people sitll think of Ubuntu 7.10 as Gutsy Gibbon and 7.04 as Feisty Fawn.

Read more here: Ubuntu 9.04 gets a codename: Jaunty Jackalope

(Via Download Squad.)

What's Coming in Ubuntu 8.10?

The next Ubuntu release is already around the corner. Only two more months, and the next tidal wave of brown 2 paragraph reviews will be upon us. PolishLinux decided that they'd be ahead of the pack, by taking a look at what Ubuntu 8.10 looks like right now, and what new features it brings. Of course, many of these features come from upstream, and will find their way into other distributions as well - or are already there.

By default, Ubuntu 8.10 comes with a pre-configured guest account, allowing people to make their system accessible to others without the risk of losing data or messing up the system. A related addition is the ~/Private directory, which can be encrypted and is inaccessible to others.

Other changes include a graphical configuration tool for fontconfig settings, tabs in Nautilus, a cleaning utility for the package database, a new look for the installer, and a lot more. The theme will also receive a redesign, but it is not yet complete for the current alpha releases.

Read more here: What's Coming in Ubuntu 8.10?

Chromium - Open Source Chrome

Did you know that Google's web browser Chrome is open source?

The open source project is called Chromium, after the metal used to make chrome. In typical Google fashion, the project page has documentation, FAQs, and build-instructions. Even though Chrome is only available for Windows XP and Vista systems right now, users on Linux and Intel Macs running Mac OS X Leopard can compile the Chromium source and run some command line tests (in the case of Linux) and TestShell (OS X). The UI layers for Linux and Mac systems have not been developed -- but many of the underlying core modules can be tested.

Read more here: Chromium - Open Source Chrome

Intel acquires Linux distro developer

Poky Linux" and Matchbox developer OpenedHand announced that it has been acquired by Intel Corp. The U.K.-based embedded Linux services team will join the Intel Open Source Technology Center, and will focus on Moblin development for mobile Internet devices and other mobile devices.

According to OpenedHand, Intel will continue to support open source projects led by OpenedHand staff, including Clutter and Matchbox, "and in most cases, will accelerate these projects as they become an integral part of Moblin," says the new Intel unit. OpenedHand contributions will now be made available from the Intel Software Network's open source site.

Read more here: Intel acquires Linux distro developer

Put the fun back into computing. Use Linux, BSD.

The so-called "distribution for the average Joe" market has been expanding at a rapid pace in recent years. While the vast majority of these projects is invariably based on Linux, we have also witnessed a few attempts to create a user-friendly "distribution" based on operating systems that traditionally belonged to the hacker's domain, notably FreeBSD and OpenSolaris. One of them is PC-BSD, a project launched in 2005. Its main goal? To hide the complexity of FreeBSD and to deliver an alternative to Linux on the desktop. Its main claim to fame? The web-based software installation infrastructure called PBI. Its community? Over 8,000 registered forum members and a growing network of world-wide community sites. All this thanks to the original vision and undying conviction of Kris Moore (pictured on the right), the founder and lead developer of PC-BSD.

Kris was kind enough to answer a few questions about his beginnings with FreeBSD and the forthcoming release of PC-BSD 7.0.

Read more here: DistroWatch.com: Put the fun back into computing. Use Linux, BSD.

Should More Employers Subsidize Open Source Development?

The Hi-Tech Squad raise the interesting question: Should more employers subsidize open source development?

I used to work for Digital Equipment Corp (DEC) who invented the VAX, VMS, main stream 64 bit computing with the Alpha chi and of course Ethernet, to name a few. There was an unwritten rule that you could spend 10% of your time working on other things. Why? Because it broadened your horizons and increased your knowledge. This in turn had a positive effect on the project you where working on.

Google has a similar rule.

Read more here: Should More Employers Subsidize Open Source Development?

(Via .)

Things you should never EVER type in Linux. Ever!

If you’re a Linux guru or or experienced enough to know what all of these things are then you probably don’t need this article and we can go our merry ways. If not, then DO NOT, DON’T, NEVER EVER EVER EVER run these commands in a terminal session. If you do you will render your system anything from useless without a forced reboot to devoid of any useful purpose ever.

Read more here: Things you should never EVER type in Linux. Ever! | ArsGeek

Download 25 Most Beautiful FireFox Desktop Wallpapers

Here is a cool collection of firefox desktop wallpaper collection for firefox fans.

You can download the 25 most beautiful firefox wallpapers below:

1024×768 | 1152×864 | 1280×960 | 1280×1024 | 1400×1050 | 1600×1200

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Read more here: Download 25 Most Beautiful FireFox Desktop Wallpapers

(Via TechTreak.com.)

Quebec government sued for buying Microsoft software

Quebec's open-source software association is suing the provincial government, saying it is giving preferential treatment to Microsoft Corp. by buying the company's products rather than using free alternatives.

Facil estimates the Quebec government is spending $80 million a year on Windows Vista licences alone. (Mary Altaffer/Associated Press)The lawsuit by Facil was lodged with the Quebec Superior Court on July 15 and made public on Wednesday. In it, the group says the provincial government has refused to entertain competing bids from all software providers, opting instead to supply public-sector departments with products bought from proprietary vendors such as Microsoft and Oracle Corp.

Government buyers are using an exception in provincial law that allows them to buy directly from a proprietary vendor when there are no options available, but Facil said that loophole is being abused and goes against other legal requirements to buy locally.

Read more here: Quebec government sued for buying Microsoft software

Anatomy of Linux dynamic libraries

Dynamically linked shared libraries are an important aspect of GNU/Linux®. They allow executables to dynamically access external functionality at run time and thereby reduce their overall memory footprint (by bringing functionality in when it's needed). The article linked below investigates the process of creating and using dynamic libraries, provides details on the various tools for exploring them, and explores how these libraries work under the hood.

Read more here: Anatomy of Linux dynamic libraries

(Via Linux.com :: Newsvac.)

Integrating Linux into the SME

DesktopLinux.com have an article that summarizes the experiences of one small- to medium-sized enterprise (SME) using a heterogeneous mix of Linux and Windows XP systems.

Written by the founder of an international PC distributor, it compares and contrasts various Linux-based distributions, and assesses their suitability for business use.

Author Michael C. Barnes, president of Nohrtec, begins with a brief history of his company's use of Linux. He then outlines the following as criteria used to evaluate various operating systems for business use:

• Compatibility with hardware
  
• Installation ease
  
• Repository system
  
• Performance
  
• Interface
  
• Applications
  
• Stability
  
• Configurability
  
• Scalability
  
• Security
  

Barnes goes on to look at about a dozen different operating systems, including Microsoft OSes as well as Linux distributions, in the context of the above criteria. To read the full story, click the link below.

Read more here: Integrating Linux into the SME

10 must-have Linux (and not only) cheat-sheets

Need a quick reference card? Here you have a list you can choose from:

1.Linux Command Line Tips
2.Unix/Linux Reference Card
3.One Page LInux Manual
4.Linux Security Quick Reference
5.Screen VT100/ANSI Terminal Emulator Cheat Sheet
6.Vi/VIM Graphical Cheat-Sheet
7.Firefox Keyboard and Mouse Shortcuts
8.Gimp Reference Card
9.Debian Reference Card
10.Google Cheat Sheet

Read more here: 10 must-have Linux (and not only) cheat-sheets

10 Most Beautiful Plasma Themes for KDE 4 Desktop

The latest series of the K Desktop Environment now utilizes Plasma, a new desktop and panel user interface tool that aims for a more functional, user-friendly, and sleek KDE desktop. Plasma also supports Dashboard-like widgets called plasmoids.



If you want to further enhance the look of your KDE 4 desktop, below is a list of some of the most beautiful Plasma themes available:

Read more here: TECH SOURCE FROM BOHOL: 10 Most Beautiful Plasma Themes for KDE 4 Desktop

openSUSE vs. Novell SUSE

openSUSE 11.0 is based on the Linux kernel version 2.6.25 and provides a cornucopia of features. If you choose to download the full DVD, you can expect a whopping 4.5 GBs for the iso-format file. Other options include a Live CD and over the network. The good news is that you can use a BitTorrent client to get the iso file.

So what differentiates openSUSE from Novell's other distributions, namely SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop (SLED) and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES)? To quote from the openSUSE FAQ:

"openSUSE, created and maintained by the openSUSE project, is a stable, integrated Linux operating system that includes the latest open source packages for desktop productivity, multimedia, Web-hosting, networking infrastructure and application development. It contains everything you need to get started with Linux and is ideal for individuals who wish to use Linux on their personal workstations or to drive their home networks."


"Novell refines and enhances openSUSE to create a hardened and supported suite of enterprise Linux products suitable for data center deployments, edge server deployments, business desktops, and business infrastructure deployment."

Read more here: LinuxPlanet - Reviews - OpenSUSE 11.0: A Solid, Up-to-Date Linux Desktop - openSUSE vs. Novell SUSE

9 Tips to Use Apachectl and Httpd like a Power User

After you have installed Apache2, if you want to use apachectl and httpd to it’s maximum potential, you should go beyond using start, stop and restart. The 9 practical examples provided in this article will help you to use apachectl and httpd very effectively.

Apachectl acts as SysV init script, taking arguments like start, stop, restart and status. It also acts as front-end to httpd command, by simply passing the command line arguments to httpd.  So, all the commands you execute using apachectl, can also be executed directly by calling httpd.

1. Pass different httpd.conf filename to apachectl
2. Use a temporary DocumentRoot without modifying httpd.conf
3. Increase the LogLevel temporarily
4. Display the modules compiled inside Apache using option -l
5. Display both static and dynamic module loaded by Apache
6. Show all accepted directives inside httpd.conf
7. Validate the httpd.conf after making changes
8. Display the httpd build parameters
9. Load a specific module only on demand.

Read more here: 9 Tips to Use Apachectl and Httpd like a Power User

Support the FreeNAS project

The Hungry Penguin's book Learning FreeNAS is now available.

And when you buy this book you are also supporting the FreeNAS Open Source project through Packt Publishing's Open Source Project Royalty Scheme. In this scheme when Packt sell a book written on an Open Source project, they pay a royalty directly to that project. Therefore by purchasing this Learning FreeNAS book, Packt will have given some of the money received to the FreeNAS project.

You can get a free chapter to download and read in PDF format. Chapter 2 Preparing to Add FreeNAS to Your Network.

The PDF contains:

• My biography (as written in the book)
  
• A preview chapter from the book
  
• A synopsis of the book’s content
  
• Information on where to buy the book
  

The book is guide to the FreeNAS software and teaches you how to turn a PC into a Network Attached Storage server.

Linux popularity across the globe

The Linux landscape is constantly changing and has a strong community of both developers and users. But where is Linux the most popular, and where are the different Linux distributions the most popular?

To try to answer these questions, Pingdom have looked at data from Google with the highly useful Insights for Search, which gave them a number of interesting and often surprising results.

Aside from just looking at Linux itself, Pingdom have included eight common Linux distributions in this survey: Ubuntu, OpenSUSE, Fedora, Debian, Red Hat, Mandriva, Slackware and Gentoo.

Read more here: Royal Pingdom » Linux popularity across the globe

Microsoft is profitting from Linux

As Microsoft is set to pump up to $100 million more in Novell for Linux, it's important to note that Microsoft is not paying off Linux - it's actually making money from it.

Microsoft isn't just buying Linux subscriptions from Novell to give away...it's buying them so they can sell them. So that means for the past 18 months, Microsoft has been selling Linux.

How much Microsoft is actually making by selling Linux is difficult to determine but it could be as much a $99 million.

How much Microsoft is actually making is difficult to determine.

"We have purchased the Novell certificates, which enables customers to gain direct support from Novell for Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise and we take those certificates and sell them to customers," Susan Hauser, general manager for strategic partnerships and licensing at Microsoft, told InternetNews.com."We keep the pricing confidential since customer size and opportunity pricing varies. We do resell and redistribute the certificates as part of our engagement."

Read more here: Microsoft is profitting from Linux

(Via Linux.com :: Newsvac.)

Linux netbook uses Chinese chip

A new netbook for European schools runs Linux on a Chinese-designed processor. With a generous 10-inch, 1024x600 display, the 2.4-pound Emtec Gdium boots Mandriva Linux from removable USB flash keys, running it in 512MB of DDR2 RAM on a 900MHz Loongson-2F processor made by STMicroelectronics (ST).

The Gdium's Loongson 2F processor is manufactured by ST, which licenses the design from China's Institute of Computing Technology (ICT), a government-sponsored think-tank aimed at helping China compete in the global chip market. With features such as DDR2 memory support and USB 2.0, the "2F" model succeeds a "2E" model used in network computers and mini-PCs. First unveiled in 2005, the Loongson 2 (formerly "Godson-2") processor uses the MIPS64 architecture, less patented portions such as unaligned 32-bit load/store support.

Read more here: Linux netbook uses Chinese chip

(Via Linux.com :: Newsvac.)

5 Great Alternative Linux Music Players

Amarok, Rhythmbox and Banshee are a few of the popular music players in Linux. They are great in features and have received plenty of good reviews. But what is unknown to many is that there are a lot of other music players for Linux which are also great in features, but are hidden in some corners of the world.
If you are willing to try something out of the box, here are 5 great alternative music players that you can use in your Linux desktop:

1. Audacious
2. Listen Music player
3. Quod Libet
4. Songbird
5. Decibel Audio Player

Read more here: 5 Great Alternative Linux Music Players | MakeUseOf.com

Will Netbooks Pave the Way for Linux?

As we all know by now, netbooks are the latest craze in the computing world. Small notebooks, perfect for on the go, and relatively cheap. The interesting thing is that these netbooks are often offered with Linux pre-installed instead of Windows, and this prompts many to believe that it is the netbook niche where Linux will gain its first solid foothold among the general populace. "It does a lot to level the playing field. In fact, Linux looks to be quick out of the gate," said Jay Lyman, analyst with the 451 Group. However - is that really happening?

Read more here: Will Netbooks Pave the Way for Linux?

Pixar's rendering software - big on Linux servers

Linux clustering is very popular for RenderMan customers. And while the software is "certainly used extensively on OS X workstations...very few people run RenderMan on OS X clusters," according to the source.

"Technically, OS X is very well suited [for clustering] but it does not seem to have made much headway," the source continued. That's ironic, of course, due to the Jobs-Apple connection. The higher price of Mac servers compared to Linux ones, as well as Linux's technical similarity to Unix, are the major factors, it seems.

"Large numbers of RenderMan licenses" are actually sold for Windows, said the source, though that is confined to animator workstations at this point.

Read more here: Pixar's rendering software - big on Linux servers, not Mac

Linux RAID Smackdown: Crush RAID 5 with RAID 10

Carla Schroder has written an excellent article about using RAID 10 on Linux.

RAID 10 is a worthy RAID level with many advantages. RAID 10 is shorthand for RAID1+0, a mirrored striped array. Linux RAID 10 needs a minimum of two disks, and you don't have to use pairs, but can have odd numbers. The basic differences are:

• RAID10 provides superior data security and can survive multiple disk failures
  
• RAID10 is fast
  
• RAID10 is considerably faster during recovery— RAID5 performance during a rebuild after replacing a failed disk bogs down as much as 80%, and it can take hours. RAID10 recovery is simple copying.
  
• RAID5 is susceptible to perpetuating parity and other errors
  

The main disadvantage is cost, because 50% of your storage is duplication.

Read more here: Linux RAID Smackdown: Crush RAID 5 with RAID 10 - Linux Software RAID 10: New and Excellent

InfoWorld's award for FreeNAS | FreeBSD - the unknown Giant

FreeNAS has been awarded with InfoWorld’s Bossie award for being the best free, open source storage server.

InfoWorld’s annual Bossies awards recognize top free and open source software, and the second annual list of winners is out now. Bossies are awarded by InfoWorld’s editorial and test center staff.

A BIG well done to the FreeNAS team.

Read more here: InfoWorld's award for FreeNAS | FreeBSD - the unknown Giant

Ubuntu 8.10 Alpha 4 Screenshot Tour

The fourth alpha version of the upcoming Ubuntu 8.10 (codename Intrepid Ibex), which is scheduled for release in late October this year, was made available a few minutes ago. Compared with the third alpha, which brought you the Nautilus file manager (with tabs), this version comes with the old Human-Murrine (white) theme, some new features and a lot of bug fixes.

Read more here: Ubuntu 8.10 Alpha 4 Screenshot Tour - The Intrepid Ibex Chronicles!

10 quick tips to make Linux networking easier

Linux makes networking simple and secure — if you know a few tricks. Jack Wallen shares some pointers to help admins knock out various Linux networking tasks with a minimum of effort.

These 10 quick tips should help make various aspects of Linux networking easier. You never know when you’ll wind up having to rely on the command line or you’ll need to enlist the help of a graphical front end for iptables. Now, if you do, you should be good to go.

These are the tip headings, for full details go to: 10 quick tips to make Linux networking easier

#1: Make use of your /etc/hosts file
#2: Keep out unwanted users with /etc/hosts.deny
#3: Let WICD handle your wireless woes
#4: Download and install a front end for iptables
#5: Get to know the command-line tools
#6: Hard-code your DNS server addresses
#7: Install ClamAV
#8: Know how to configure an IP address manually
#9: Get to know your /etc/interfaces (Ubuntu) or /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts (Red Hat/Fedora) file(s)
#10: Don’t forget smbpasswd when setting up Samba

Torvalds: Fed up with the 'security circus'

Linus Torvalds, creator of the Linux kernel, says he's fed up with what he sees as a "security circus" surrounding software vulnerabilities and how they're hyped by security people.Torvalds explained his position in an e-mail exchange with Network World this week. He also expanded on critical comments he made last month that caused a stir in the IT industry.

Read more here: Torvalds: Fed up with the 'security circus'

Lessons From PHP 4.4 End-of-Life Announcement

The developers of PHP announced last week that PHP version 4.4.9 is now available. This would not be remarkable in and of itself, except that the developers also indicated that this would be the last release of PHP 4.4.

If PHP were commercial software, its "end of life" would be cause for panic in some quarters. After all, companies don't often like to change software that is crucial to their infrastructure, and having the end of life imposed on them often causes trouble. For example, Windows XP reached its official end of life more than 1 month ago, meaning that Microsoft will no longer offer updates, bug fixes, and security patches for the operating system. Never mind that many people prefer XP to Vista; Microsoft has spoken, and no further updates will be made available.

The end of life of an open-source project works differently, of course. It does mean that the official development group will no longer spend time and energy fixing bugs in these old versions. But that's where the similarities between proprietary and open-source software ends: If the open-source software fails to work correctly, you (as the end user) always have the option to patch it, bringing it up to date by examining the software updates that came out for newer versions. Indeed, there's nothing stopping you from keeping a supposedly obsolete open-source project going forever, if you have enough time and energy.

Read more here: Lessons From PHP 4.4 End-of-Life Announcement | OStatic

5TB NAS server runs Linux

Qnap Systems announced a new member of its "TS" family of Linux-based network-attached storage (NAS) devices. The five-bay, hot-swappable TS-509 Pro Turbo NAS is equipped with a 1.6GHz Intel Celeron processor, 1GB RAM, and dual gigabit Ethernet ports.

Based on embedded Linux, the TS-509 stores the OS and NAS applications in flash ROM, which Qnap says improves "stability." The device supports Linux, Unix, Mac OS X, and all major Windows desktops.

RAID support includes RAID 0 (disk striping), RAID 1 (mirroring), RAID 5, RAID 5+ (hot spare), RAID 6, and JBOD (linear disk volume), says Qnap. The TS-509 offers RAID capacity and migration expansion features that ease upgrades to larger storage devices with higher RAID levels, says the company.

Read more here: 5TB NAS server runs Linux

7 Best Linux Distributions for Multimedia Enthusiasts

Graphic designers, movie editors, music composers, and multimedia addicts have specific needs when it comes to software. That is why there are specialized Linux distributions that cater to them.

Here are 7 Linux distros that will surely win the hearts of multimedia enthusiasts: 7 Best Linux Distributions for Multimedia Enthusiasts

(Via Linux.com :: Newsvac.)

Preview of ZFS on FreeNAS 0.7 Server Video on YouTube

I have created a new FreeNAS tutorial video which I have uploaded to YouTube.

Following the success of the first FreeNAS tutorial video this second video is a sneak preview of ZFS which is coming in FreeNAS 0.7.

The video will also be uploaded to the LearnFreeNAS.com website.

Everything you wanted to know about being a Linux kernel developer (but were afraid to ask)

On August 13th, the Linux Foundation, published a guide to how to participate in the Linux kernel community. This 30-page ebook, How to Participate in the Linux Community, was written by noted Linux authority and executive editor of LWN.net Jonathan Corbet.

So you want to be one of the few, the proud, the Linux kernel developers do you? Well, it’s not easy. But, if you’ve got the right stuff, Linux is looking for a few good programmers.

Read more here: Everything you wanted to know about being a Linux kernel developer (but were afraid to ask)

LVM Snapshot Merging

Mikulas Patocka announced new patches introducing snapshot merging for the Linux kernel's logical volume manager. He explained, "snapshot merging allows you to merge snapshot content back into the original device. The most useful use for this feature is the possibility to rollback [the] state of the whole computer after [a] failed package upgrade, [or an] administrator's error". The patches are for the 2.6.26 kernel, with device mapper 1.02.27 and LVM2.2.02.39.

Read more here: LVM Snapshot Merging

(Via Linux.com :: Newsvac.)

LearnFreeNAS.com Launched

Hi,

To coincide with the release of my "Learning FreeNAS" book I have started a new website LearnFreeNAS.com.

It is a one stop site for tips, articles, tutorials and videos about FreeNAS the Open Source Network Attached Storage OS.

Thanks,

The Hungry Penguin