KDE 3.5 Available for SUSE 10.0

I am happy to inform to those who are still not aware, that Final KDE 3.5 is now available from Yast repository for SUSE 10.0

If you have not yet set up your Yast repositor, then simply add the following address:

Protocol: HTTP
Server: ftp.gwdg.de
For 64bit:
pub/linux/suse/ftp.suse.com/suse/x86_64/supplementary/KDE/
update_for_10.0/yast-source/
For 32bit:
pub/linux/suse/ftp.suse.com/suse/i386/supplementary/KDE/
update_for_10.0/yast-source/

KDE 3.5: A Visual Guide to New Features

And here is an article from eWeek.com titled “Linux Desktop Keeps Getting Better with KDE 3.5″

HowTo: Build a Home Terabyte Backup System Using Linux

High-capacity disk drives are now widely available at prices that are incredibly cheap compared to those of only a few years ago. In addition, with so many Linux users now ripping CDs to disk, saving images from their digital cameras and recording video using digital camcorders and DVRs, such as MythTV, the need for backing up and archiving large amounts of data is becoming critical. Losing pictures and videos of your kids–or your audio music library–because of a disk crash would be a catastrophe. Fortunately, a high-capacity, Linux-based backup server can be built easily and cheaply using inexpensive disk drives and free software. >>>>

Firefox 1.5 Final Out and Reviews

A Better Web Experience – The True Bowser

Firefox 1.5 has an intuitive interface and blocks viruses, spyware, and popup ads. It delivers web pages faster than ever. And it’s easy to install and import your favorites. Packed with useful features like tabbed browsing, Live Bookmarks, and an integrated Search bar, Firefox will change the way you experience the Web, for the better.

Faster Browsing

Enjoy quick page loading as you navigate back and forward in a browsing session. Improvements to the engine that powers Firefox deliver more accurate display of complex web sites, support for new Web standards, and better overall performance.

Automatic Updates

The new Software Update feature makes it easy to get the latest security and feature updates to Firefox. Firefox automatically downloads these small updates in the background and prompts you when they are ready to be installed.

Release Notes

Firefox Tweak Guide (Modified: November 2005)

And here is the Review on Firefox 1.5 as well as Thunderbird 1.5.

‘Linux Awareness’ Program by Novell

In 2006, Novell will launch a “Linux awareness” program meant to migrate more customers, resellers, and development partners from NetWare and Microsoft Windows to open source alternatives.

This, according to Ed Anderson, VP of global marketing for Novell’s Linux and open source solutions. Unlike most of its competitors, Novell currently sells both proprietary and Linux software, Anderson said in an interview with LinuxPlanet. “We have mixed business models,” he added.

Novell has no plans, at this point, of abandoning support for either Windows or its long-time NetWare platform, Anderson explained. But in a multifaceted program to take place next year, Novell is due to become “substantially more aggressive” about selling Linux.

In umbrella terms, the new program is about “giving more choice to customers,” according to Anderson. “[But] it will be oriented to telling people there are alternatives to proprietary OS. >>>>

Comparison: Desktop Linux for small business

ZDNet UK reviews five Linux flavors, trying to decide which one is the best for small business (not from home users and enthusiasts point of view).

This is what their comparison comes to:

Ubuntu 5.10

SUSE Linux 10

Novell Linux Desktop 9

Red Hat Desktop 4

Mandriva Linux 2006

All in all I can agree with their ratings, but still find that SUSE/Novell should be scoring higher than Ubuntu, as their primary focus is for business segment. Also I can note that I, personally, found the reviews not that professional and comprehensive enough.

Here are links to individual reviews:

Firefox plans mass marketing drive

Mozilla is gearing up to launch a large-scale marketing drive when Firefox 1.5 is released.

Christopher Beard, the vice-president of products at Mozilla, said on Monday that there is a “strong likelihood” that Firefox 1.5, the next major version of the open source browser, will be released on Nov. 29.

Beard said the corporation is planning a “big marketing push” that will coincide with the release of 1.5. This will include a community marketing campaign that will encourage Firefox fans to tell the world about their favorite browser by publishing home-made videos on a Mozilla Web site. >>>>

Free Software Magazine Issue #9 Out

Free Software Magazine is proud to announce that issue 9 is out!

In Issue 9 of Free Software Magazine Saqib Ali gives the public a lesson in Private Key management and David Horton shows us ways to attract volunteers for free software projects. There’s also an intro to RSS news feeds by John Locke, and much, much more.

Click here to read it or simply register on their site to download your version of the latest edition.

Computer First Aid Using Knoppix

A good article on how to save your crashed computer using Knoppix Linux.

Put the Knoppix CD in the CD drive of the computer you need to get data out of. If you have a zip drive or other removable disk drive, put a disk in the drive. If you have a USB keychain drive or USB hard drive connect it to the computer. Turn the computer on. Some computers will start the CD automatically, while others will act like it isn’t there. If the CD boots just by putting it in your computer and turning the computer on, great. You can skip the next paragraph.

Read on

NVIDIA Linux SLI Primer

Now that the 1.0-8XXX drivers are due out for an official public launch shortly, and the 1.0-8168 BETA drivers have been leaked by ASUS, GNU/Linux users can finally begin to experience the benefits of Scalable Link Interface (SLI) Technology in addition to many other improvements that Microsoft Windows ForceWare users have been able to utilize in their high-end systems for quite some time. For those Linux users who aren’t familiar with this SLI Technology, rather than running a single graphics card, you’re able to run two identical graphics cards in tandem on supported PCI Express systems. Similar to Scan Line Interleaving found on 3DFX Voodoo2 3D accelerators, Scalable Link Interface is able to utilize two PCI Express x16 graphics cards simultaneously but rather than having each card render one line, NVIDIA uses a dynamic load balancing logic to split the rendering portions equally between the two GeForce 6/7 units. For Linux users today we’re going to discuss the possible options for establishing a NVIDIA SLI system when it comes to the motherboard, graphics card, and power supply. We also have a few tidbits of information (with SLI screenshots) when it comes to the SLI drivers and software at this point in time. >>>>

Review: Firefox 1.5

In the space of a roughly a year, Firefox has gone from relative obscurity to being the second most popular browser in the world. It’s got only about 9 percent of the Internet browsing market, but that’s incredible for a version 1.0 product, especially since the top browser, Microsoft Internet Explorer, comes bundled with new PCs. The release of Firefox 1.5, the first major upgrade since Firefox 1.0 came out in November 2004, is almost certain to drive adoption rates even higher.

Firefox has not fattened up with its success; it’s still lean, mean, fast, and clean. The core application itself is less than 5MB. By comparison, Internet Explorer 6 SP1 (including Outlook Express) ranges from 11MB to 75MB depending on which files are needed, according to the Microsoft Web site. >>>>