Where the heck is Bayanihan Linux 5.0?

In May 2008, Manilatimes.net reported that the latest version of our very own Bayanihan Linux is about to be released. According to the report:

Software programmers at the Advanced Science and Technology Institute of the Department of Science and Technology are now putting the finishing touches to the latest version of Bayanihan Linux.

In addition, a leading member of the Bayanihan Linux team said, “Bayanihan Linux version 5 is slated for release by early 4th quarter, possibly on the first or second week of October, with the possibility of an offline edition of Wikipedia bundled with the upcoming academic edition.”

With the year comes to an end, I’m left wondering where the heck Bayanihan Linux 5.0 is.

I visited the BL project website and noticed that nothing much has changed since my last visit in August of 2007. Their forum is also very quiet with extremely low activity and plenty of unanswered posts.

Danny Garcia of Dannybuntu tried to contact the Bayanihan Linux team via email to request for an interview (to be published here at junauza.com) but failed. Since Danny’s questions are too good to be ignored, I decided to publish them now. Hopefully, someone from Bayanihan Linux will get to read this and can give us some answers. Here’s the content of Danny’s email to Bayanihan:

Greetings,

My name is Danny Garcia or dannybuntu. Like you, I am a fellow Linux enthusiast who likes to write about Linux or FOSS related topics of general interest. If possible, I would like to request for the opportunity to interview you guys, for me to know and publish on Junauza's blog, an article related to the "Comeback of Bayanihan Linux".

Here are the questions that I would like to pose, should you accept my request:

Part 1: Government and Community

1. The Philippine Linux crowd is growing bigger, what do you think could be the contribution of "Bayanihan Linux" a government sponsored Linux distribution, to the general Philippine Linux / Open Source community?

2. It is known that Bayanihan is government sponsored, in spite of this what do you think would be the role of the community at large - in the overall development and application of Bayanihan Linux?

Could the community contribute to the development of this project?

If so, in what ways?

3. For a while, the Bayanihan project seems to have stagnated, in fact the website for Bayanihan literally disappeared for a while and no updates were available for quite a significant time - what happened?

4. Do you think being government funded is advantageous to the growth of Bayanihan Linux or is it constrained by government guidelines?

So, is it safe to assume that if the government pulls the plug on Bayanihan, the project would just disappear?

Who pays for the hosting and bandwidth?


Part 2: Distribution Specific Questions

1. There are literally hundreds of Linux distributions that are available for Free to download on the Internet, if I am going to download Bayanihan, what are the reasons for me to download and use it for my everyday purposes instead of Ubuntu for example?

2. Some distributions, like Debian, integrate in their distributions mechanisms, which send user information back to the distribution's home, for example Debian's Popularity Contest. Will Bayanihan send back information to the government about what we do with our computers?

If yes, what kinds of information?

3. The latest version that is available to download is version 4 right? According to distrowatch.com, the release date for that version is 2007-03-28. Do you plan on updating anytime soon?

What can we expect on the next version?

Distributions such as Ubuntu, release updates on a regular timetable, does Bayanihan have a regular release timetable?


Part 3: Fun Stuff

1. 2001 is a long time, how many original team members are still on the project?

2. Friendster, My Space or Facebook? =D Can we add you as our friend?

3. Aside from Bayanihan, what stuff do you guys engage in? Do you play network multiplayer games?

4. You are in Diliman Quezon City, how did you feel when Microsoft set up an Open Source Center at the National Computer Center (NCC) in Quezon City?

5. Lastly, Richard Stallman or Linus Torvalds?

Well guys and girls, thank you for your time in answering this simple email interview. Good luck on your project and Long Live King Tux!

Until someone from Bayanihan can give us some answers, we can’t really tell what’s happening out there and why the release of BL 5.0 has been greatly delayed. I just hope that Bayanihan Linux will not become another government project with funds going straight inside Houdini’s magic pocket.

Installing RPM Packages on Ubuntu

If you happen to have .rpm file package that you would like to install on your Ubuntu machine, you will have to convert that file to .deb first for it to be installed. How will you do it? --Use the package converter application called “alien”.

From the project’s website:

Alien is a program that converts between the rpm, dpkg, stampede slp, and slackware tgz file formats. If you want to use a package from another distribution than the one you have installed on your system, you can use alien to convert it to your preferred package format and install it.

Despite the large version number, alien is still (and will probably always be) rather experimental software. It has been used by many people for many years, but there are still many bugs and limitations.

You can get alien through Synaptic Package Manager or via the command line:

$sudo apt-get install alien

After you have installed alien, you can now start converting your .rpm files.

To convert .rpm file to .deb using the command line, first you have to go to the directory where you saved your .rpm file. Assuming it’s on your desktop:

$cd ~/Desktop

Then, convert the .rpm file to .deb with this command:

$sudo alien –k rpm-file-name.rpm

After that, you can now install the .deb file in Ubuntu using a Debian package installer or with this command:

$sudo dpkg –i deb-file-name.deb

It’s worth noting that “alien” can also convert other kinds of packages, so you may want to check out its mapage for instructions. You can also visit its website HERE for more details.

Best Linux/FOSS Blogs of 2008

I'm back. Our quest for the best of the best in Linux/FOSS of 2008 will resume by presenting to you some of my favorite blogs of the year.

The best Linux/FOSS "personal" blogs were selected based on their popularity, frequency of updates, and the quality and consistency of their posts/articles. I emphasized the word "personal" since I focused on the more casual but noteworthy blogs, and didn't include those well-established blogs with plenty of serious authors/writers like Linux Journal, Linux.com, Ars Technica(Open Ended), etc.

Unlike the best podcasts and best news sites that I posted here several days ago, there are plenty of entries for this category to make it more interesting. Now without further delay, here are my picks for the best Linux/FOSS blogs of 2008 (in no particular order):

* nixCraft - Linux and Open Source Software Blog by Vivek

* Phoronix - Linux Hardware Reviews, Benchmarking, & Gaming

* Ubuntu Geek - Ubuntu Linux Tips, Howtos & Tutorials

* Raiden's Realm - “…helping people learn about Linux, BSD, and open source software.”

* Red Devil's Blog - News, views and reviews from the world of technology

* Blogbeebe - The odd journey of a Georgia Cracker in Florida.

* Boycott Novell - Exploring the reality behind exclusionary deals with Microsoft and their subtle (yet severe) implications

* Debian Admin - Debian/Ubuntu Linux System Administration Tutorials, Howtos, Tips

* LinuxHaxor - Linux Tips, Tricks, Tools News and Howtos

* Internetling - Linux and open source blog by Gregor

* Dedoimedo – A place to learn about a lot!

* PolishLinux - GNU/Linux for everyone

* Linux Loop - Keeping you in the loop with Linux news, reviews, guides, and more.

* Motho ke motho ka botho - K.Mandla’s blog of Linux experiences

* aseigo - the triumphs and travails of a shift-key-challenged KDE hacker

* Linux Screw - Smart blog about Linux/Unix/Cisco, Open Source, and Networks

* Royal HeHe2-ness! - Bringing Linux to the Masses

* The Linux and Unix Menagerie - Dedicated to keeping Linux, Unix and scripting Languages Alive!

* HowtoForge - provides user-friendly Linux tutorials about almost every topic

* Penguinway - Linux and Tech Stuff

Vote for your favorite Linux/FOSS blogs of 2008:

I know there are other great blogs out there that I fail to include here. Hence if you want to recommend a blog or two, please share them to us via comment so that I could follow them and perhaps include them next year :-)

Life is a piece of cake. Merry Christmas!

I'm pulling the plug temporarily to fully celebrate this special time of the year. So for now, there will be no updates for this site, and reader comments will not be moderated until I come back the day after Christmas, or until I become sober :-)

I will leave you all with this song from Eraserheads, my all time favorite Filipino rock band. --They are like The Beatles of the Philippines. By the way, the title of the song is Fruitcake (as illustrated above).

I picked this song not only because it is related to Christmas but also because of its simple and rather timely message, which is about having fun and looking at the bright side of life.

So now, here’s the song (in music video) Fruitcake by Eraserheads. --It was shot during the 90s.

Here’s the lyric:

Fruitcake
by Eraserheads

There's a fruitcake for everybody
There's a fruitcake for everyone
There are b-sides to every story
If you decide to have some fun

Take a bite
It's alright
There's some brandy and star margarine to make it bright
Take a bite
It's alright
A little lovin' and some fruit to bake
Life is a piece of cake

It's the season for being happy
But the reason is dead and gone
If the reason for being happy
Takes a backseat when the season's done

Just take a bite
It's alright
Taste the taste that sent all mothers giggling in sheer delight
Take a bite
It's alright
A little lovin' and some fruit to bake
Life is a piece of cake

Everybody, everywhere people do you really care
Christmas time has once again arrived
Everybody, everywhere people do you really care
Christmas time has once again arrived

Mistletoe and a little snow
But we don't get it there at fruitcake heights
Mistletoe and a little snow
But we don't get it there at fruitcake heights

Stars are falling down from heaven
But it's nowhere near our town
Miracles are falling down from heaven
But it's nowhere near our town

There's a fruitcake in everybody
There's a fruitcake in everyone
There are b-sides to every story
If you decide to have some fun

Just take a bite
It's alright
Taste the taste that sent all mothers giggling in sheer delight
Take a bite
It's alright
A little lovin' and some fruit to bake
Life is a piece of cake

To our Christian readers and site visitors, have a very Merry Christmas!
Cheers!

Christmas Jokes for Linux/Unix Geeks

We hope you've enjoyed the “The 12 Bugs of Software” we've posted last week. As promised, we will keep the tech jokes coming because it's the season to be jolly (falalalala lalalala).

Our next set of jokes will surely tickle some of our geeky readers’ funny bones. Now get ready for some classic Linux/Unix Christmas humor:

The Twelve Days of UNIX
Lyrics: Evan Leibovitch [evan@telly.on.ca]

On the first day I left it, my Unix gave to me:
A burnt-out V.D.T.

On the second day I left it, my Unix gave to me:
Two faulty tapes;
And a burnt-out V.D.T.

On the third day I left it, my Unix gave to me:
Three heads crashed;
Two faulty tapes;
And a burnt-out V.D.T.

On the fourth day I left it, my Unix gave to me:
Four bad blocks;
Three heads crashed;
Two faulty tapes;
And a burnt-out V.D.T.

On the fifth day I left it, my Unix gave to me:
Five core dumps;
Four bad blocks;
Three heads crashed;
Two faulty tapes;
And a burnt-out V.D.T.

On the sixth day I left it, my Unix gave to me:
Six bad controllers;
Five core dumps;
Four bad blocks;
Three heads crashed;
Two faulty tapes;
And a burnt-out V.D.T.

On the seventh day I left it, my Unix gave to me:
Seven blown partitions;
Six bad controllers;
Five core dumps;
Four bad blocks;
Three heads crashed;
Two faulty tapes;
And a burnt-out V.D.T.

On the eighth day I left it, my Unix gave to me:
Eight gettys dying;
Seven blown partitions;
Six bad controllers;
Five core dumps;
Four bad blocks;
Three heads crashed;
Two faulty tapes;
And a burnt-out V.D.T.

On the ninth day I left it, my Unix gave to me:
Nine floppies frying;
Eight gettys dying;
Seven blown partitions;
Six bad controllers;
Five core dumps;
Four bad blocks;
Three heads crashed;
Two faulty tapes;
And a burnt-out V.D.T.

On the tenth day I left it, my Unix gave to me:
Ten ports a-jamming;
Nine floppies frying;
Eight gettys dying;
Seven blown partitions;
Six bad controllers;
Five core dumps;
Four bad blocks;
Three heads crashed;
Two faulty tapes;
And a burnt-out V.D.T.

On the eleventh day I left it, my Unix gave to me:
Eleven chips a-smoking;
Ten ports a-jamming;
Nine floppies frying;
Eight gettys dying;
Seven blown partitions;
Six bad controllers;
Five core dumps;
Four bad blocks;
Three heads crashed;
Two faulty tapes;
And a burnt-out V.D.T.

On the twelfth day I left it, my Unix gave to me:
Twelve boards a-blowing;
Eleven chips a-smoking;
Ten ports a-jamming;
Nine floppies frying;
Eight gettys dying;
Seven blown partitions;
Six bad controllers;
Five core dumps;
Four bad blocks;
Three heads crashed;
Two faulty tapes;
And a burnt-out V.D.T.


Santa Claus is Coming To Geek Town

better !pout !cry
better watchout
lpr why
santa claus town

cat /etc/passwd >list
ncheck list
ncheck list
cat list | grep naughty >nogiftlist
cat list | grep nice >giftlist
santa claus town

who | grep sleeping
who | grep awake
who | grep bad || good
for (goodness sake) {
be good
}


Similarities Between Santa and Sysadmins

1. Santa is bearded, corpulent, and dresses funny.

2. When you ask Santa for something, the odds of receiving what you wanted are infinitesimal.

3. Santa seldom answers your mail.

4. When you ask Santa where he gets all the stuff he's got, he says, "Elves make it for me."

5. Santa doesn't care about your deadlines.

6. Your parents ascribed supernatural powers to Santa, but did all the work themselves.

7. Nobody knows who Santa has to answer to for his actions.

8. Santa laughs entirely too much.

9. Santa thinks nothing of breaking into your $HOME.

10. Only a lunatic says bad things about Santa in his presence.

5 Known Linux Anti-virus Software for Paranoid Users

Like other Unix-like computer operating systems, Linux is widely considered as secured and well-guarded against computer viruses. Its multi-user environment makes it extremely hard for malware to gain root access to the system files.

Though malicious programs that are specifically written for Linux are really small in number, there is still a possibility for them to cause some harm. So, it's necessary to take some precautionary measures.

At the moment, the best way to keep away from viruses while using Linux is to avoid running or installing untrusted programs as root (superuser). However, to those who are rather paranoid and want extra protection, there are available anti-virus applications for Linux.

Here are five known Linux anti-virus software that you may want to check out:

ClamAV
Clam AntiVirus is a free and open source anti-virus toolkit especially designed for e-mail scanning on mail gateways. It provides a number of utilities including a flexible and scalable multi-threaded daemon, a command line scanner and advanced tool for automatic database updates. The core of the package is an anti-virus engine available in a form of shared library. Both ClamAV and its updates are made available free of charge.


Avast!
Avast! is a closed-source anti-virus program developed by ALWIL Software based in Prague, Czech Republic. Though their products are mostly proprietary, the full-featured Avast! Linux Home Edition is available for free. Avast! is aimed at preventing several types of computer threats, including those that are not technically computer viruses such as spyware and even rogue anti-spyware, and can also make a virus Recovery DataBase which is used to recover files when they are infected (instead of deleting them).


NOD32
ESET NOD32 Antivirus, commonly known as NOD32, is an antivirus package made by the Slovak company ESET. The acronym NOD stands for "Nemocnica na Okraji Disku" (hospital at the edge of the disk), a pun related to the Czechoslovakian medical drama series Nemocnica na okraji mesta (hospital at the edge of the city). NOD32 is written largely in assembly code, which contributes to its claimed low use of system resources and high scanning speed. On a network, NOD32 clients can update from a central "mirror server" on the network.


AVG
AVG is an umbrella term for a range of antivirus and internet security software for the Microsoft Windows, Linux, and FreeBSD computing platforms, developed by AVG Technologies. AVG features most of the common functions available in modern antivirus and Internet security programs, including periodic scans, scans of sent and received emails (including adding footers to the emails indicating this), the ability to "heal" some virus-infected files, and a "virus vault" in which infected files are held.


Avira security software
Avira security software refers to a range of antivirus and internet security software for the Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, and Solaris computing platforms by Avira. These applications are based on the AntiVir antivirus engine also known as "Luke Filewalker", first launched in 1988. Avira AntiVir Personal is available as a freeware, while Avira AntiVir Premium is for commercial use.

Christmas Tech Jokes 2008 Edition

I’m off to attend a Christmas party in a few minutes, so I remember that last year I posted here some wacky Christmas tech jokes like the following:

* Christmas Jokes For IT Professionals
* Christmas Jokes For Geeks
* Microsoft Jokes for Christmas

Since it’s holiday season already, let’s keep the tech jokes coming with this parody of a famous song entitled "The Twelve Days of Christmas." You can sing along if you like:

The 12 Bugs of Software

For the first bug of Christmas, my manager said to say:
"See if they can do it again."

For the second bug of Christmas, my manager said to say:
"Ask them how they did it and
See if they can do it again."

For the third bug of Christmas, my manager said to say:
"Try to reproduce it,
Ask them how they did it and
See if they can do it again."

For the fourth bug of Christmas, my manager said to say:
"Run with the debugger,
Try to reproduce it,
Ask them how they did it and
See if they can do it again."

For the fifth bug of Christmas, my manager said to say:
"Ask for a dump,
Run with the debugger,
Try to reproduce it,
Ask them how they did it and
See if they can do it again."

For the sixth bug of Christmas, my manager said to say:
"Reinstall the software,
Ask for a dump,
Run with the debugger,
Try to reproduce it,
Ask them how they did it and
See if they can do it again."

For the seventh bug of Christmas, my manager said to say:
"Say they need an upgrade,
Reinstall the software,
Ask for a dump,
Run with the debugger,
Try to reproduce it,
Ask them how they did it and
See if they can do it again."

For the eighth bug of Christmas, my manager said to say:
"Find a way around it,
Say they need an upgrade,
Reinstall the software,
Ask for a dump,
Run with the debugger,
Try to reproduce it,
Ask them how they did it and
See if they can do it again."

For the ninth bug of Christmas, my manager said to say:
"Blame it on the hardware,
Find a way around it,
Say they need an upgrade,
Reinstall the software,
Ask for a dump,
Run with the debugger,
Try to reproduce it,
Ask them how they did it and
See if they can do it again.

For the tenth bug of Christmas, my manager said to say:
"Change the documentation,
Blame it on the hardware,
Find a way around it,
Say they need an upgrade,
Reinstall the software,
Ask for a dump,
Run with the debugger,
Try to reproduce it,
Ask then how they did it and
See if they can do it again."

For the eleventh bug of Christmas, my manager said to say:
"Say it's not supported,
Change the documentation,
Blame it on the hardware,
Find a way around it,
Say they need an upgrade,
Reinstall the software,
Ask for a dump,
Run with the debugger,
Try to reproduce it,
Ask them how they did it and
See if they can do it again."

For the twelfth bug of Christmas, my manager said to say:
"Tell them it's a feature,
Say it's not supported,
Change the documentation,
Blame it on the hardware,
Find a way around it,
Say they need an upgrade,
Reinstall the software,
Ask for a dump,
Run with the debugger,
Try to reproduce it,
Ask then how they did it and
See if they can do it again."

Watch out for more Christmas tech jokes here. Cheers! :-)

Extensive List of Keyboard Shortcuts for Ubuntu/GNOME Desktop

The fastest and most efficient way to navigate your Ubuntu/GNOME desktop is to learn the keyboard shortcuts that are available at your fingertips. With minimum effort, you can run applications, switch between windows or workspaces, take screenshots, and do other essential tasks. So if you want to increase your productivity, you have to know the all-important keys.

For reference, I kept a comprehensive list of keyboard shortcuts specifically for the GNOME desktop environment. I would like to share this list to everyone, particularly those who are new to Ubuntu or to any other GNOME-based distro.

Now, let your fingers do the walking around your Linux desktop:


Global Keyboard Shortcuts

Alt+F1 - Open the Applications Menu.

Alt+F2 - Display the Run Application dialog.

Print Screen - Take a screenshot of the entire desktop.

Alt+Print Screen - Take a screenshot of the currently focused window.

Ctrl+Alt+Arrow keys - Switch to the workspace to the specified direction of the current workspace.

Ctrl+Alt+D - Minimize all windows and give focus to the desktop.

Alt+Tab - Switch between windows. A list of windows that you can select is displayed. Release the keys to select a window. You can press the Shift key to cycle through the windows in reverse order.

Ctrl+Alt+Tab - Switch the focus between the panels and the desktop. A list of items that you can select is displayed. Release the keys to select an item. You can press the Shift key to cycle through the items in reverse order


Window Keyboard Shortcuts

Alt+Tab - Switch between windows. A list of windows that you can select is displayed. Release the keys to select a window. You can press the Shift key to cycle through the windows in reverse order.

Alt+F4 - Close the currently focused window.

Alt+F5 - Unmaximize the current window, if it is maximized.

Alt+F7 - Move the currently focused window. After pressing this shortcut, you can move the window using either the mouse or the arrow keys. To finish the move, click the mouse or press any key on the keyboard.

Alt+F8 - Resize the currently focused window. After pressing this shortcut, you can resize the window using either the mouse or the arrow keys. To finish the resize, click the mouse or press any key on the keyboard.

Alt+F9 - Minimize the current window.

Alt+F10 - Maximize the current window.

Alt+spacebar - Open the window menu for the currently selected window. The window menu allows you to perform actions on the window, such as minimizing, moving between workspaces, and closing.

Shift+Ctrl+Alt+Arrow keys - Move the current window to another workspace in the specified direction.


Application Keyboard Shortcuts

Ctrl+N - Create a new document or window.

Ctrl+X - Cut the selected text or region and place it on the clipboard.

Ctrl+C - Copy the selected text or region onto the clipboard.

Ctrl+V - Paste the contents of the clipboard.

Ctrl+Z - Undo the last action.

Ctrl+S - Save the current document to disk.

F1 - Load the online help document for the application.

Arrow keys or Tab - Move between controls in the interface or items in a list.

Enter or spacebar - Activate or choose the selected item.

F10 - Activate the left-most menu of the application window.

Shift+F10 - Activate the context menu for the selected item.

Esc - Close a menu without selecting a menu item, or cancel a drag operation

For corrections and/or suggestions, please use the comment section.

Going Loco Over the Ubuntu Logo

Ubuntu is undoubtedly the most popular Linux distribution at the moment. It has millions of passionate users and tons of dynamic community members that can prove it.

Speaking of passionate users, some people have taken their love for Ubuntu to the extremes. Let the following images that I’m going to show to you illustrate this phenomenon.

Warning to Windows fanboys: The images that you are about to see are incredibly disturbing.

A guy with Ubuntu logo tattoos:

*source

A guy with Ubuntu logo haircut:

*source

Someone just baked an Ubuntu bun:

*source

Bread:


Biscuits:

*source

And cakes:

*source

*source

Someone cooked an Ubuntu soup:

*source

And this one:

*source

Someone is crazy enough to have created an Ubuntu logo from his plastic medicine bottles:

*source

Someone thinks that he has just created an Ubuntu logo with these mangoes:

*source

And because some people loves Ubuntu so much, they took photos of objects that remind them of Ubuntu:

*source

*source

If you have other crazy photos showing the Ubuntu logo, please share it with us via comment.

Best Linux/FOSS News Websites of 2008

The Best Linux/FOSS news websites of 2008 were chosen based on the site’s relevance, importance, and popularity. Also, the freshness, quality, and consistency of the news stories or information that are featured on these sites are essential.

Without further delay, in no particular order, here are the best Linux/FOSS news websites of 2008:

Linux.Slashdot

The Linux page on Slashdot is still one of the best if not the best news site for hardcore nerds. It contains intelligent topics and often serious (user-submitted and editor-evaluated) issues and news that readers/members can comment on. The front page stories posted on Slashdot will usually receive tons of comments that frequently leads to interesting discussions.

Tuxmachines

If you are looking for the freshest news on Linux and all things related to open source software, then you must go to Tuxmachines.org. There’s never a dull moment at Tuxmachines as it is always filled with dynamic and quality content. Also, the articles featured there are handpicked to cater all kinds of readers. In my opinion, Tuxmachines is currently the hottest Linux/FOSS news aggregator site on the planet.

Digg (Linux/Unix Section)

This site really needs no further introduction, but I have to explain why I included it. As I’ve said earlier, a site’s popularity and its content is key. Digg, with its millions of visitors per month, has certainly helped spread the good news about Linux and stuff that’s related to free and open source software, so I think Digg (Linux/Unix Section) deserves to be listed here.

Linux Today

Linux Today is consistently one of the most popular if not the most popular news aggregator site among Linux users. With its thousands of readers per day, other Linux/FOSS-related aggregator sites are still trying to emulate what Linux Today has accomplished. Its excellent content is updated almost every hour so readers are never left behind with all the latest news on Linux and free and open source software.

DistroWatch

After all these years, DistroWatch has remained the most indispensable website when it comes to the newest and important information regarding Linux and BSD distributions. Its up-to-date distro ranking system, though not perfect, still adds excitement to the site and can still influence how people pick a distro to download and eventually use. Plus, its DistroWatch Weekly column is hard to miss.

I know there are a lot of other great Linux/FOSS-related news websites that I failed to mention here, but I have to narrow down my choices. And then of course, you have to help me choose which one should be included in my "best of the best" list by voting below:

Beranger Sucks!

As some of you may know, Beranger, a long-time FOSS-lover/’harsh critic’ has ended his love-hate relationship with Linux by announcing to the whole world that he has jumped ship.

“In a world with too many irrational religions, who needs another one, called... Linux on the desktop? Red Hat doesn't believe in it, so why should I?”

He also added that he will not be supporting free and open-source software anymore and have decided to remove the free ads on his blog at the end of the month. He said,

“Technical & ethical note: the four distro-related banners that are currently displayed (gratis) on this blog — two of them as “non-profit distro ads”, and the other two as “personal achievement awards” — will only run through December 31.”

Beranger has been using Linux since 1996 and has been well known for his strong and honest opinions on free and open source software through his blog.

“Officially registered with the Linux Counter on Aug. 26, 1996 at #37.497, my attitude towards Linux was not constant over time, with a lowered interest between 1998 and 2004. Since 2004, I tried to trust Linux more than before, and to exclusively use it on my home PC and old laptop — then on the new laptop too.”

A few of Beranger’s readers are still hoping that his move is just temporary, but I think otherwise. Based on what he’s been saying, I believe his move to Windows will be for good no matter how boring his life will become. Sure he can always go back to using Linux and start talking or blogging about it again, but that would surely blemish his reputation.

To end this post, I would like to quote a short and sweet comment from a reader of Beranger’s blog:

“Reading your blog it was obvious that Linux doesn't work for you, no matter how hard you've tried. If Windows does, then so be it.

But since nothing's perfect, I'll enjoy reading your Windows' rants from now on ;-)”

Flashback: Nelson Mandela on the Meaning of "Ubuntu"

What is Ubuntu? --I can hear you all saying that it is a popular Linux distribution. What is the meaning of the word "Ubuntu"? --Some of you are probably Googling for it right now :-)

The first time I hear about Ubuntu Linux I also became curious about its name. I’ve read articles explaining where the name comes from and what is its real definition. But perhaps the most memorable explanation I’ve heard on the meaning of Ubuntu came from one of the greatest leaders of our time.

Here’s Nelson Mandela explaining what Ubuntu means:

Best Linux/FOSS Podcasts of 2008

One of the most fun ways to get your daily dose of Linux and other FOSS-related news is to listen to a podcast. Sometimes fueled by beer-drinking podcasters, the discussions are always entertaining and informative at the same time, that’s why I make it a point to listen to an episode of my favorite podcasts each day.

In no particular order, I have here a list of some of the best and highly recommended Linux/FOSS podcasts of 2008:

Linux Outlaws

The Linux Outlaws has quickly become one of my favorite podcasts. With an aim to misbehave, hosts Fabian Scherschel and Dan Lynch launched the show barely a year ago. It has continuously been updated once a week ever since.

This interesting description of Linux Outlaws as seen on their website accurately describes the show:

Linux Outlaws is a podcast about Linux and free and open source software. We are normal users like yourself rather than part of the in-crowd of community leaders and hardcore kernel hackers. On the show, we talk about interesting news and developments and stuff that we come across in our daily usage of Linux, often with a serious attitude and a humorous angle (the podcast has been described as being "very laid-back" by listeners and reviewers alike). We don't claim to be gurus or experts on anything, but we're trying very hard to provide you with a good time and interesting information.

The chemistry between Fabian (the German guy with a funny accent and a tongue-in-cheek humor) and Dan (the laid-back British open source enthusiast/musician/programmer) is so great making Linux Outlaws a podcast worth listening to.

FLOSS Weekly

Produced by TWiT Network, FLOSS Weekly is hosted by the well-known technology broadcaster and author Leo Laporte. Leo’s co-host for the first seventeen episodes was Chris DiBona of Google, and later on Randal Schwartz. The show premiered on April 7, 2006 and has 49 episodes under its belt.

FLOSS Weekly is purely an interview type of podcasting with famous guests from the free and open source software community. Their long list of prominent guests include Guido van Rossum, Jimmy Wales, Jon "maddog" Hall, Rob Malda, Jeremy Allison, and many others.

With great hosts and equally great guests, FLOSS Weekly can’t go wrong. The show has always been interesting, and listening to it has already become a weekly habit of mine.

The Linux Action Show

Hosted by Bryan Lunduke and Chris Fisher, The Linux Action Show has been around for more than two years, and is updated every two weeks. Sadly, the Season 9 Episode 10 podcast was their last ‘long format’ edition.

The Linux Action Show starts with Bryan’s animated intro summarizing the hottest stories of the week. The show features discussion about FOSS, a call-in question-and-answer segment, and news about events and issues in the Linux community.

The Linux Action Show has already interviewed a good number of famous FOSS developers, advocates, and entrepreneurs including Mark Shuttleworth, Jono Bacon, Justin Steinman, and Kevin Carmony.

The Linux Link Tech Show

The Linux Link Tech Show (TLLTS) is considered as the oldest and longest running Linux show on the planet. Lehigh Valley Linux User Group members Dann Washko and Linc Fessenden originally started it in September of 2003. They were joined later on by Allan Metzler and Patrick Davila.

Broadcasting live on the internet every Wednesday with a podcast version available shortly after, TLLTS has already produced more than 250 episodes. TLLTS has been visited by some of the most notable free and open source personalities like Richard Stallman, Chris DiBona, Bruce Perens, Ian Murdock, Patrick Volkerding, Mark Shuttleworth, and many others.

TLLTS is loaded with fun-filled discussions on the latest news in FOSS, and the show is also known for running gags and goofs. You can also learn a lot of useful information from listening to TLLTS since some of its hosts are considered gurus/experts in their own field.

LugRadio

Launched in 2004, the British-based LugRadio podcast is hosted by Jono Bacon (Ubuntu Community Manager), Stuart Langridge, Chris Procter and Adam Sweet. LugRadio takes both a serious and humorous look at Linux and events in the free and open source software communities, as well as coverage of technology, digital rights and politics.

LugRadio has been featured in Linux/FOSS-related magazines such as Linux Format, Linux User and Developer magazine, and Linux Magazine. The show was also mentioned by many popular websites including Slashdot.

In July 19 2008, at the annual LugRadio Live UK event, the LugRadio team bade farewell to their listeners. However, it was announced that there would still be a LugRadio Live 2009 even though new episodes are not being produced. Though the show has ended, their loyal fans will always remember their rock and roll style of podcasting. You can still download and listen to all the LugRadio episodes HERE.

For our “Best of the Best in Linux/FOSS of 2008” list, you can participate by voting below:

Humorous Alt.Sysadmin.Recovery (ASR) Man Pages

If those ‘Funny Linux Man Pages’ didn’t make you laugh, perhaps these manual pages developed on alt.sysadmin.recovery (asr) will do. ASR manpages document a set of really useful tools that for some strange reason are not included in any implementation of Unix.

Once again, a little warning: View these man pages at your own risk, as you may find some of them rather offensive.

Here’s an example:

Code:

man luser

Output:

NAME
luser - process to control the clueless individuals who (mis)use computer systems, peripheral devices and system administrators. Word play on "loser" and "user".

SYNOPSIS
luser [-d] [-g(level)] [-s] (lusername)

DESCRIPTION
luser is the primary tool a system administrator uses to manage end-user requests. This powerful tool can actually cause the specified user to perform actions as specified by the flags.

With no flags, luser deletes every running process owned by the specified (lusername).

OPTIONS
-dDisk reclamation mode. Remove all files in the home directory of (lusername).

-g(level) Grovel mode. Causes the specified luser to make an act of contrition to the sysadmin for past sins. The (level) indicates the severity of the contrition:

LEVEL
0 User makes a sincere apology and promises to never do it again.

1 User buys sysadmin a large quantity of sysadmin's favorite beverage.

2 User signs over ownership of his/her car to sysadmin.

3 User resigns from the company after writing a long letter of apology detailing his/her failings.

4 User commits ritual suicide by sucking on a power strip and grounding himself to a conduit.

NOTES
Sysadmins are encouraged to use the -s option as a way to smarten up the world's user base. Use the -g option at level 4 outside the confines of the machine room. The more lusers that witness the act, the better.

SEE ALSO
sysadmin(1)

BUGS
Occasionally, the luser may survive the effects of luser -g4. In that event, a second invocation of the command will usually prove to be fatal.

HISTORY
Written by Eric L. Pederson (eric@bofh.org.uk).

Here’s more:

bosskill
c
chastise
ctluser
guru
knife, axe, cutter, chainsaw
lart
nuke
normality
people
pmsd
slave
sysadmin
think
whack

Enjoy!

7 Best Free/Open-source Image Viewers for Linux

An image viewer (also known as image browser) is a desktop application that can quickly display or handle stored graphical images in different graphics file formats. It can render images according to properties of the display such as display resolution, color depth, and color profile. Other image viewers have advanced features like editing and web publishing.

Some Linux users may not care much on whatever image viewer they are using. But to those who are rather picky, they can always get and install other image viewers with different features to suit their needs.

Here’s a list of popular free and open source image viewers that you may want to check out:

imgSeek

imgSeek is a photo collection manager and viewer with content-based search and many other features. The query is expressed either as a rough sketch painted by the user or as another image.

Other key features:
* Transform images or batches automatically: Place text captions, change brightness, contrast, blur, etc. Apply lossless rotations automatically if jpegtran is available.
* Supported file formats are jpg, gif, bmp, png, xbm, and pnm. If you have ImageMagick installed, imgSeek will also support over 87 image formats.


Gwenview
Gwenview is an image viewer for the KDE desktop environment. While it was available in KDE 3, the KDE 4 version has a simplified user interface, making it more suitable for quickly browsing through collection of images. It provides full-screen interface that can be used to display images as a slide-show.

Other key features:
* Metadata comment editor
* Thumbnail image view of current directory
* Use of KIPI (KDE Image Plugins Interface) plugins for manipulating images


Eye of GNOME
Eye of GNOME is the official image viewer for the GNOME desktop environment. Unlike some other image viewers with advanced features, Eye of GNOME will only view images. It does, however, provide basic effects for improved viewing, such as zooming, full-screen, rotation, and transparent image background control.

Supported file formats:
* ANI - Animation
* BMP - Windows Bitmap
* Graphics Interchange Format (GIF)
* ICO - Windows Icon
* JPEG - Joint Photographic Experts Group
* PCX - PC Paintbrush
…And a lot more;


KSquirrel
KSquirrel is another image viewer for the KDE desktop environment with a disk navigator, file tree, thumbnails, extended thumbnails, dynamic format support, DCOP interface, KEXIF and KIPI plugins support. It supports more than 50 image formats, including PNG, JPEG, PSD, APNG, GIF, WMF, OpenEXR and many other.


gThumb
gThumb is a feature-rich image viewer and organizer for the GNOME desktop environment. It was originally based on GQView, and is designed to have a clean, simple interface. gThumb allows the filesystem to be browsed for images. They can be organized into catalogs, or viewed as a slideshow. Folders and catalogs can be bookmarked, and comments may be added to images. Many basic image-editing features are included, such as: rotation, resizing, cropping, and image enhancing filters such as color, brightness and contrast adjustment. gThumb can also export Web-based albums with various theme templates.


GQview
GQview uses the GTK+ toolkit, designed to run on the X Window System. Its key features include single click file viewing, external editor support, thumbnail preview, and zoom features. Some image management features are also included.

Other key features:
* One-click photo organizer/sorter
* Slideshow and full-screen modes
* Viewing Exif data for images


F-Spot
F-Spot is lightweight image viewer and organizer for the GNOME desktop. It aims to have an interface that is simple to use, yet still supports advanced features such as tagging images and displaying and exporting Exif and XMP metadata. All major photographic image formats are supported, including JPEG, PNG, TIFF, DNG and several vendor-specific RAW formats (CR2, PEF, ORF, SRF, CRW, MRW and RAF). Basic functions such as crop, rotate and resize are available alongside more advanced features such as red-eye removal and versioning.