According to a statement an Acer official made for ZDNet.co.uk, Acer
changed its mind in releasing a Linux-laptop for the UK, because of the lack of demand:

"Acer models with Ubuntu pre-loaded are available at the factory level. However, there is no demand for it in the UK. Therefore, those configurations are not an option [for UK customers] at the moment. If the demand was there, then Acer would sell it and such demand would have to be reported to Acer by its UK resellers "

Acer was the second, after Dell, to launch a Linux based system. Acer Aspire 5710Z, powered by an Ubuntu operating system is now on sale in Singapore. It seems that the idea of releasing Linux systems came to Acer as an alternative to the Vista-based ones, which weren’t able to keep a good sales trend as it has been expected. Gianfranco Lanci, Acer president, stated for Financial Times Deutschland that "the whole PC industry is disappointed with Windows Vista". Lanci thinks the main reason why Microsoft’s new operating system wasn’t able to boost PC sales was the customers’ concerns over its stability and overall maturity.

Acer company owns the largest franchised computer retail chain in Taiwan, Acerland. Acer’s product lineup includes desktop and mobile PCs (laptops), servers and storage, displays, peripherals, and e-business solutions for business, government, education, and home users. Acer has also an Australian subsidiary, called Acer Computer Australia (ACA). This subsidiary has been set up in 1990, and is currently Australia’s third largest personal computer vendor, behind Hewlett-Packard Australia and Dell Australia and New Zealand.  [via]

However, it seems that Warren Woodford, founder of MEPIS, is no longer satisfied with the Ubuntu distro and he considers going back to Debian. According to Warren:

"Dapper was not updated in the way our users expected. Personally, I think the Ubuntu people spoke sincerely and accurately, but perhaps ambiguously. So there was a misunderstanding among users. The fact is Dapper was updated with security fixes, but not with new versions of the applications." "

Wooodford has also stated the fact that Ubuntu is being rebuilt from scratch every six months by using packages from experimental Debian versions but this makes it unstable as a code for new releases.

"By using the EXPERIMENTAL code, each and every time, the Ubuntu code tree is inherently less stable than the Debian code tree, which contains additional levels of testing and vetting and fixing of code.", stated Mr. Woodford.

Therefore, Warren Woodford said he will be using the Debian Linux 4.0 (codename Etch) version for the next MEPIS release. Regarding the forthcoming release, Woodford wanted to also mention it will also feature a MEPIS kernel optimized for performance and it will benefit from an out-of-the-box hardware compatibility. This new version is expected to be released this August and regarding the featured applications, there are said to be up-to-date binaries, either Debian/Ubuntu source code.

MEPIS was designed as an alternative to SUSE Linux, Red Hat Linux and Mandriva Linux (formerly known as Mandrake) which, in the creator Warren Woodford’s opinion, were too difficult for the average user.  [via]

Red Hat team released the Linux 5.1 Beta version. For testing purpose only.

The RHEL 5.1 beta is said to be available for all x86/x86_64, ppc. S390x and ia64 architectures. According to the release announcement, the testing period for this version will go on until September 2007 and by then, no benchmark or performance tests should be taken on this version. It seems that the release focused more on bringing numerous improvements and updates in many areas, such as the virtualization area, networking, security or storage while the bugs and malfunctions have been left aside for further correction.

Highlights:

• improved and complete virtualization support on Itanium2 platforms
• improved support for HV guests
• update of the libvirt management layer
• Samba update for improved interoperability
• smartcard support for SSH
• AM/Kerberos and NSS-LDAP updates for improved integration in Active Directory environment
• significant stability improvements to the GFS2 file system
• added replication and migration support for NFSv4 referrals
• improved ACPI power management support including support for S3 suspend to RAM and S4 hibernate
• added Kexec/Kdump support for the host in a virtualized environment
• update of the Sata sub-system

The release announcement features a series of already known bugs and malfunctions, of which the Red Hat developers would take care as soon as possible but many other such bugs are expected to be found during this testing period. The users and developers who chose to take part of the Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.1 beta program and find more bugs in this version should report the bugs through Red Hat’s Bugzilla.

Download  Red Hat enterprise linux 5.1 Beta version at Softpedia

It seems that Skype’s WSKP100 Linux-based phone, made by SMC and distributed in more places in Europe (Germany included), does not provide access to the source code for every user, even though it is licensed under the GPLv2. According to some Skype officials, the phone now comes with a flyer that gives the users an URL address to the source code. But the court in Germany still considers this insufficient and not in compliance with GPLv2.

However, some sources claim that this is only a minor breach and that it would not affect Skype’s distribution for that phone as it requires only a few changes in the distributing protocol. But there are also some voices who claim that the gpl-violations.org website is taking action against the SMC phone.

About Skype

Skype is is a peer-to-peer Internet telephony network. The Skype Group has been acquired by eBay in September 2005. As it is described on wikipedia, the main difference between Skype and VoIP clients is that Skype operates on a peer-to-peer model, rather than on the more traditional server-client model. The Skype user directory is entirely decentralized and distributed among the node in the network, which means the network can scale very easily to large sizes (currently about 220 million users) without a complex and costly centralized infrastructure. Skype is also able to rout calls through other Skype peers on the network to ease the traversal of NAT and firewall. This, however, puts an extra burden on those who connect to the Internet without a NAT (network translation address), as their computers and network bandwidth may be used to route the calls of other users.

This new stable version of the 2.4 Linux kernel brings
fixes over previous versions, and a small set of add-ons, such as:

• new PCI IDs
• more usb-storage unusual devs
• support for high-speed USB HID
• updated e1000 driver
• a few watchdog updates
• support for systems with no keyboard controller (mainly blades)
• backport of the skge and sky2 drivers from 2.6
• support for the "notsc" boot option for some broken dual-core x86_64 systems with no HPET
• LVM fixes

It was tested on x86 SMP, sparc64 SMP and alpha. For a full change-log with all the new features, fixes and improvements, please visit this website. As usual, please report any unexpected problems.

The Linux Kernel is the essential part of all Linux Distributions, responsible for resource allocation, low-level hardware interfaces, security, simple communications, and basic file system management.

Linux is a clone of the Unix operating system, initially written from scratch by Linus Torvalds, assisted by a loosely-knit team of hackers across the Net. It aims to achieve POSIX and Single UNIX Specification compliance.

Download Linux Kernel 2.4.35 from Softpedia Now.

Soon after that, Dell was to add two other systems to this catchy offer and then announced they’re trying to develop a strategy for distributing them outside the United Stated too. After such offer, it seems that the customers got very excited with Dell’s Linux-based products as they’ve been asking for more. Even Mark Shuttleworth was saying in one of his keynotes at the first UbuntuLive conference, which took place in Portland, Oregon, that Dell should continue what they’ve started and release even more computers based on Linux.

However, according to Dell, this task is not as easy as it seems. According to some sources, it seems that Dell confronts some technical problems when it comes to putting a Linux distro on a notebook or desktop, more exactly the lack of proper Linux drivers for the hardware Dell places inside a computer. Amit Bhutani with Dell said at the UbuntuLive conference that Dell has several "areas of investigation" when it comes to Linux and he pointed to the Nvidia 2D and 3D drivers which, according to him, are quite a "challenge in platform enablement".

However, if we are to think about some ATI Linux drivers, these ones are quite far from materializing. Dell claims that they would need a much better support for them in many areas such the audio/video codecs, ATI video cards, printers, wireless networking, TV tuners and remotes, LCD TVs or 3D effects. But we all know Dell’s wish is not something to be accomplished overnight, as Dell’s officials themselves admitted.  [via]

The Ubuntu CE team announced yesterday the availability of the Ubuntu Christian Edition 3.3. This release includes some new features and the usual updates and fixes:

"We are excited to announce the release of Ubuntu CE v3.3. This release comes just after Ubuntu CE’s 1st Birthday! We have had a great year and are looking forward to the continued development in the year to come.", says the Ubuntu CE team.

Highlights of this release include:

• WhatWouldJesusDownload Toolbar to Firefox which gives users access to many great utilities available at WhatWouldJesusDownload.com.
• The Ubuntu Christian Edition main menu icon has been enhanced, in order to give it a particular look.
• The Dansguardian GUI received some minor adjustments.
• IEs4Linux will now work with Ubuntu Christian Edition Parental Controls.
• Bible Fox theme was updated.
• Firefox was set to open new windows in tabs.

Ubuntu Christian Edition is an installable LiveCD based on the very popular Ubuntu Feisty Fawn (7.04). It is a free, open source operating system created for Christians. The main goal of this distribution is to bring the security and power of Ubuntu to Christians. It can be used for both server and desktop environments.

Ubuntu Christian Edition includes more than 16,000 pieces of software, but the core desktop installation fits on a single CD. Apart from the usual applications found in a regular Ubuntu distribution, this one contains GnomeSword, a top of the line Bible study program for Linux based on the Sword Project and several modules, installed with GnomeSword, including Bibles, Commentaries, and Dictionaries.

Ubuntu Christian Edition also includes fully integrated web content parental controls powered by Dansguardian, which is a graphical tool designed to adjust the parental control settings.

You can download the Ubuntu Christian Edition now from Softpedia.

Anyone that modifies and distributes GPL-licensed software, or uses GPL-licensed software as part of its product offerings, should consider the ramifications of the new licence. There is not much to be concerned about if one is merely using software licensed under the GPL.

Open-source software is software that includes the source code, or human-written version of the software, along with the object code, or machine-written software. While it’s often available for free, the defining attribute is that the user gets the source code, which it is able to modify and distribute. The GPL is one of many open-source licences.

One part of the GPL that has carried risk for businesses using it to develop and distribute software, is that they may be obligated to provide their source code to customers, depending on how it has been done.

Version 3 contains several revisions. The most notable ones involve patents and what has been referred to as "anti-TiVoization." Some of the language has become more legal in nature, which should make it easier to interpret. The GPL was originally drafted as a philosophy or manifesto. That meant while it was easy to understand the perspective of the licence, it was not always easy to understand how it worked in individual fact situations.

The licence contains an explicit patent grant, meaning that any entity that contributes software using the GPL grants with it a perpetual, royalty-free licence to any of its patents that apply to the software.

It also contains a provision to block future deals similar to that between Microsoft and Novell, in which Microsoft protected customers of Novell’s Suse Linux Enterprise Server from certain Microsoft patent-infringement lawsuits. Under GPL 3, if one provides patent protection to some software users, that protection is automatically extended to everyone who gets the software, no matter how.

TiVo personal video recorders use Linux, which is governed by the GPL. The GPL’s authors didn’t like that TiVo was designed to not work if someone modified the software, so they included provisions to discourage restrictions on modification.

If you obtain software using GPL 3, you are bound by it. But software creators are still able to provide their product under GPL 2, if they wish.

While this may sound complex, as with any contract, the important thing is to understand the ramifications of the GPL, or any open-source licence, before using open-source software for anything but internal purposes.

The issues can be dealt with, but they need to be considered early, as a different approach to programming and distribution may be required to meet your needs. [via]

"I suspect the Goliath boards will be attractive to hobbyists who want more control/openness/flexibility than something like OpenMoko might give. I bet most if not all the OpenMoko software could be made to work pretty easily on the Goliath."

The Linux software to be shipped with the daughtercards will be the same as that provided for the other Gumstix products. According to Hughes, the customers would benefit of hardware support in the kernel plus ‘userspace-friendliness’ interface layers and config files. As Hghes said, they will provide "all the glue to hook the hardware in to existing Linux applications like gpsd, pppd, ALSA audio, touchscreen input device layer, X windows, etc."

Two Goliath models which would be shipped in July are: the Goliath-vx ( which would implement GPRS/EDGE functions based on a Siemens MC75 wireless module) and the Goliath-GPS-vx, which comes with an additional u-blox Neo-4S GPS module. Gumstix said that later it would also include in its offer a 4.3-inch LCD module, based on a Samsung LCD, having same dimensions as the Goliath boards of 4.2 x 2.6 inches. Both Goliath modules will interface with the Verdex SBC via full-speed (12Mbps) USB, with GPRS signals redundantly routed to a serial interface. For more information related to the Goliath daughtercards you can also check out here. [via]

Thomas Rooney, president and founder of eXMeritus Software, stated they have also been working with HP in order to port its application from Solaris operating system to Linux. He also mentioned that:

"The combination of HP hardware and Red Hat Enterprise Linux provides us the performance, reliability and security we require to implement cross-domain solutions for the defense and intelligence communities. The recent certifications allow us to implement our highest-security systems on a much broader range of hardware, increasing performance at an overall reduced total cost of ownership."

Tom Hempfield, vice president, Federal Business Organization, HP said that the company’s priority would be to "ensure that customers can turn to HP for the necessary tools and expertise to deploy commercial and open source solutions at maximum security levels." [via]