Better than thin: Linux ‘trim’ clients

Australian company Cybersource, who specialise in providing Linux based solutions to enterprise, has recently deployed 120 TrimClient systems for the Victorian Department of Justice.

Ron Fabre, products manager at Cybersource explained the decision to ITWire:

“The Department of Justice had very high levels of security requirements for this rollout.

“In essence, they wanted to prevent the users from making any changes whatsoever to the system or applications, no addition of new software or drivers, no internet access, and complete safety from all forms of malware, worms, viruses and keyloggers… >>>>

Linux continues to rule supercomputers

Linux has once again dominated the list of the most powerful supercomputers in the world. The 27th issue of the bi-annual Top500 list, released today, shows Linux accounting for 73.4% of the top 500 supercomputers, including the two fastest machines on the planet.

The Top500 list reports that Linux is installed on 367 of the 500 fastest supercomputers, with its cousin Unix coming in distant second with 98 supercomputers (19.6%). 24 supercomputers (4.8%) run a mixed environment, five run Apple Mac OS, four are BSD based, and only two run Microsoft Windows.

While Linux performed impressively, its growth is flat compared to the 26th Top500 report, which reported Linux as having 74.4% market share in November 2005. The June 2005 report, released a year ago, pegged Linux at 63.6%. However, only seven out of the top 10 in the last report ran Linux, compared to eight in this report.

Eight of the top 10 supercomputers run Linux, with IBM’s AIX Unix in the third spot and NEC’s Super-UX running the Earth Simulation Centre in Japan at number 10.

IBM dominated the list, taking the top three spots with the IBM Blue Gene eServer accounting for spots one and two. IBM takes up almost half the list – 48.6% – with its closest rival, HP, at 30.8%. IBM had more than 1.5 petaflops of the list’s aggregate performance total of 2.791 petaflops, more than three times the total throughput of nearest rival HP. IBM systems accounted for four of the top 10 machines on the list. IBM also had 55 of the top 100 systems.

In terms of processors, Intel is at the heart of 301 of the 500 systems. Intel’s EM64T-based processors proved very successful in the high performance computing market place, with 118 systems using them already. AMD’s Opteron processors are also steadily and rapidly gaining ground, now with 81 systems using them compared to only 25 systems one year ago.

The US is clearly the leading consumer of HPC systems with 298 of the 500 systems. The European share continues to decline with now 83 systems down from 100 six month ago, while Asia mounted a turn-around with now 93 systems up from 66 six month ago. -tectonix 

MEPIS’s new Ubuntu-based Linux Seems Impressive

Seems like new Mepis Linux is really going to be an impressive distribution, as it’s going to pack Ubuntu’s engine with access to all those applications that are available through their own repositories and Ubuntu’s. Think I am going to give it a try in coming weeks, or perhaps once the final release is rolled out. If you are also one of those who are not satisfied with Ubuntu, or perhaps the KDE that comes with Kubuntu, then have a look at new Meips. On Distrowatch it is featured in top 5 list of most popular distributions, and I think it’s going to climb one position once the final release is out, or even perhaps knocking out Fedora from it’s 3rd place. Don’t think it can challenge SUSE’s 2nd position and Ubuntu’s pole position. I am definitely going to give it a run once final is here on my old notebook, perhaps replacing the SUSE 10.1 GNOME that is installed on it.

Here is a nice and more comprehensive review on Mepis >>>>

The environmental campaign group wants developers to help combat climate change by using a Web platform launched in beta this week

Greenpeace is developing an online collaboration platform to mobilise climate change, based entirely on open-source technologies.

The international, not-for-profit campaign group has published a beta version of the platform, codenamed ‘Project Melt’, to encourage IT developers to create innovative tools to help campaigners fight climate change.

“We already have a Web presence, but wanted to do something different with the Web 2.0 technologies that are out there, using tagging and links,” Rolf Kleef, Greenpeace International head of climate, energy and people projects, told ZDNet UK on Tuesday. >>>>

SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 Pre-release Download

Be among the first to install, test and enjoy SUSE Linux Enterprise 10. The pre-release contains all the functionality of the regular release, but is not the final product.

SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 is an open, flexible and secure platform that is ready to host the applications and databases critical to your business—from the desktop to the data center, across a wide variety of workloads. The SUSE Linux Enterprise platform is tightly integrated with Novell solutions for systems management, identity management and workgroup services, and it also utilizes open standards, which simplifies integration with your existing IT environment.

SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10

• SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10

• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 for x86
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 for AMD64 & Intel EM64T
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 for Itanium Processor Family
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 for IBM POWER
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 for IBM zSeries

Guides

• SLED10: Installation
• SLED10: Configuring and Using Desktop Effects (Xgl)

Music publisher/distributor ships Linux PMP

A “hybrid” music entertainment company with several revenue models says it is shipping its first portable media player (PMP). Titan Global Entertainment’s “Omni” PMP runs Linux, has a 4.3-inch QVGA display, and offers standard media recording and playback features, according to the company.

Titan claims to be a very fast-growing company specializing in “artist management,” “record production,” and music distribution, among other pursuits. The company also runs a “Titan Tunes” website, which it plans to expand into a “Titan Universe” site with video and other media downloads. The Omni device will integrate with its media portals, the company says.

 

 

 

More on this beatiful device >>>>

SUSE 10.1 with GNOME Up and Running @Work

Got SUSE 10.1 installed on the office computer. You’d ask what’s so significant about that! Well, this is the only computer that is running Linux. Here is a screenshot of SUSE 10.1 with GNOME, and SMART updating the available packages. Compared to Ubuntu’s Human theme, I prefer SUSE’s Gilouche with Tango icons.

Next step to beaf up my desktop is to install gDesklets and Xgl. That screenshot will be up soon, though I still have doubts about the Intel 82865G integrated video card. BTW, all the hardware was easily detected on this computer, and I was easily able to setup and connect to the exisiting Windows network that office runs.

Want something more? As I was installing SUSE on the computer, Ivan, director of my department, approached me and also decided to install one on his notebook. I gave him SUSE LiveDVD, and after trying it out, and also seeing some info on Ubuntu, he decided to install Linux (Ubuntu 6.06), dual-booting with Windows. He has never used Linux, and one of the reasons he wants to give it a try is the security concern with Windows.

For statistics: Approximately 80% people in office never heard of Linux and around 99% do not know what Open Source Software is. The ration of IE browser to Firefox equals 10:1. I have already convinced guys from my department to switch to Firefox. Guess what, all of them find it better than IE. Our General Director got himself new iMAC with 20″ screen, I think, he has already installed Firefox and OpenOffice on his Mac.

Вот так вот – viva open source software.

Perfect Planning For Your Web design

Though not a web designer, neither developer, I usually do spend some time helping friends to come up with good site, that is in terms of how navigation is laid out, as to a visitor has no trouble finding the information that he is looking for, instead of getting lost and frustrated and then simply leaving the web site. Saw the following and found funny and even up to some extent true.

via 

ATI 8.26.18 Display Drivers Released

Not sure whether this release will solve some of the problems that the users have been having, but let’s give this one a try and see. Phoronix has some coverage on the latest driver release.

Some of the changes in the fglrx 8.26.18 release include updated install scripts for Debian/Ubuntu/SuSE, added support for some missing cards (such as the 9600 and 9100 IGP), improve OpenGL display list performance on Radeon cards, X.Org 7 creates symlinks in /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/dri to ATI files in /usr/lib/dri, and shortened the list of packages visible in the generate package menu to Red Hat and SuSE (additional packages can still be generated from the command-line installer flags). ATI Control Panel will also now report the current desktop setup. MaxGARTSize option has also been added to configure the ATI GART size.

Another change includes different xconf section identifiers.  >>>>

Alternative Freedom

What is the future of free culture? This fascinating documentary about the invisible war on free culture features perspectives from such luminaries as DJ Danger Mouse, Lawrence Lessig, Richard Stallman, and many others

While the U.S. Congress changes the copyright laws under the behests of a few powerful corporations, individuals across the United States are losing their digital rights. Activists are working together to change this oppressive regime and create an alternative of freedom. >>>>