The triumph of Linux as a supercomputer OS

Operating systems on supercomputers used to be custom-made affairs, but this has changed. These days, Linux has become a popular choice for supercomputers. But how popular? You may be surprised.
…
19 of the top 20 supercomputers in the world are running some form of Linux. That’s 95%! And if you just look at the top 10, ALL of them use Linux.

You can read the rest of the article on pingdom.

Debian GNU/Linux Lenny (5.0) released

The Debian Project is pleased to announce the official release of Debian GNU/Linux version 5.0 (codenamed Lenny) after 22 months of constant development. Debian GNU/Linux is a free operating system which supports a total of twelve processor architectures and includes the KDE, GNOME, Xfce, and LXDE desktop environments. It also features compatibility with the FHS v2.3 and software developed for version 3.2 of the LSB.

You can read more on their release information page. You can download the DVDs and CDs via http and bittorrent.

I’m very happy to see the new release because I’m a vivid fan and user of Debian GNU/Linux. It’s my default distribution on my desktop and server machine. (Even when I recommend Ubuntu for unexperienced users).

You can help the project with donations or support them directly with their work.

10 reasons why gnu/linux is great for businesses

If you have ever wondered how you can convince your manage to favor free and open source software over proprietary ones, in this case gnu/linux over microsoft windows there is an article for you on TechRepublic.

1. TCO is bunk
2. Linux is not just for servers
3. Security is the name of the game
4. Support is everywhere
5. Applications are key
6. The kernel is just for you
7. Virtualization is virtually everything
8. Updating is simple and fast
9. Administration is world wide
10. Linux is constantly gaining traction

I think the article is somewhat biased but has his truth.

Source: Lwn.net

GNU/Linux World Domination for the Wrong Reasons

As GNU/Linux is becoming more and more mainstream, practical issues are getting more attention than the ideals of the free software movement. A great number of people using GNU/Linux don’t know the difference between a gratis proprietary graphic driver and a free (as in free speech) one… or they just don’t bother.

At its most basic, free software is about helping users gain control of their computers so that they can participate unhindered in the digital conversations of the networks and the Internet.
It’s about installing software freely, rather than being dictated to by the manufacturer.
It’s about using your computer the way that you want, instead of ceding control to lock-down devices installed by software vendors without permission on your machine.

The opinion, and I share this one, of Bruce Byfield in the article GNU/Linux World Domination for the Wrong Reasons that there is the danger of concentrating on short term goals instead of the long term goals.

“The trouble with talking about monopolies,” Peter Brown, the executive director of the Free Software Foundation told me a couple of years ago, “Is that it suggests that, if it wasn’t a monopoly, if there was competition among proprietary companies, that would be okay with us. But, no, it wouldn’t make it okay from our viewpoint.” …

Seeing GNU/Linux shift from the fringe to the mainstream is exciting, no question. Being part of that shift is even more so. Yet in the rebellious glee of watching the paradigms shifting, we need to consider that acceptance can sometimes come at too high a cost. True, insisting that the ethics that built the operating system share in its success may delay or even halt that same success. Yet if those ethics don’t survive, then the success will not be worth having.

Source: Lwn.net 

Linux unites North and South Korea?

An article on informationWeek speculates if the joined efforts of north and south Korea to develop
a gnu/linux distribution is a step in the direction of reunification.

Wanna have free PDF software?

As PDF is growing in acceptance and is even going to be an international standard, the lack of free/open source software pdf writer/reader which
are fully compatible with the PDF standard is becoming more and more important.

But now GNU has started a new project

The goal of the GNU PDF project is to develop and provide a free, high-quality, complete and portable set of libraries and programs to manage the PDF file format, and associated technologies.

You can even donate to help them create the software faster…
There are a lot of FOSS programs which can handle PDF. So why do wee need a new software (library)?
They have a page explaining it…
Mainly its because there is no GPLv3 software, existing programs are written in C++ and not C (issue for mobil systems) and the PDF compliance of the software.