linux

A new report from the nonprofit Linux Foundation shows that Linux continues to grow at breakneck speed and will outpace all other server operating systems over the next five years. Additionally, Linux will be chosen for more than 66 percent of new or "greenfield" applications.

The report, titled "Linux Adoption Trends: A Survey of Enterprise End Users," reflects the results of an invitation-only survey with responses from 1,900 individuals. According to the report, Linux adoption continues to grow for a number of reasons, not just driven by reduced costs, but by technical superiority and security … Read more

The next versions of Ubuntu Linux for desktops and Netbooks will launch Sunday with new cloud features, an updated interface, and better links with other operating systems, Canonical has announced.

The software, known as Maverick Meerkat, will both be versions 10.10 of the Linux distribution, the company said yesterday. They will be available for free download from October 10, sidestepping the usual Thursday release window to tie the launch in with the 10/10/10 date stamp.

Ubuntu 10.10 Desktop Edition and Ubuntu 10.10 Netbook Edition focus on integrating mobile access to other devices via Ubuntu's … Read more

A longtime Silicon Valley company says it can turn Apple's iPad into an X terminal, allowing it to run Linux, do true multitasking, and even run Flash-based apps.

Sunnyvale, Calif.-based StarNet Communications announced this week that it can transform the iPad into a an X terminal--generically referred to as a dumb terminal because the data processing is done on the server not the client--for Linux, Unix, mainframe, and supercomputers.

(See "Update" below for notes about the iPad's keyboard and initial browsing impressions.)

iLIVEx, available from the Apple App Store for $14.99, allows iPad users to connect to Unix and Linux desktops and applications hosted on remote Unix and Linux servers. StarNet makes bold speed claims too. "iLIVEx features an ultrathin data transfer protocol allowing for LAN-like performance, even over 3G connections," the company said.

And iLIVEx maintains a stable connection to the iPad, StarNet said. "Connections...run over securely encrypted SSH (Secure Shell) tunnels. Built-in session persistency allows users to reconnect to their remote desktops should the iPad get disconnected, turned off, or the user temporarily switches to another iPad app."

iLIVEx can also be used by non-Linux users, allowing them to run a remote desktop. When purchased, StarNet provides a free Linux desktop account on a StarNet-hosted Linux server. On their remote desktop users get "a number of capabilities not currently available on iPads,"… Read more

Though there are some free virtualization tools available, most have limitations. VirtualBox is a free open-source virtualization tool powerful enough for enterprise systems yet easy enough for home users. It runs in Windows editions 95 to 7, Mac OS X, Solaris, and Linux, and it supports a wide range of guest operating systems, including MS-DOS, early versions of Windows, and OpenBSD.

VirtualBox's wizard-based interface simplifies the creation and management of virtual machines (VMs). The tabbed main display is paired with a side panel listing all existing VMs. Control icons labeled New, Settings, Start, and Discard handle all functions, and … Read more

Got a Netbook collecting dust? Hey, it happens. Many users find that traditional operating systems, be they Linux or Windows, just don't work well in compact, low-powered PCs. (I once tried running Vista on one. The horror, the horror.)

Consider making a switch. Jolicloud is a new Linux-based OS that was designed expressly for Netbooks. Not sure about the "Linux" part? Don't worry: Jolicloud has decidedly user-friendly trappings. It's a snazzy, intuitive, well-rounded operating system; one that might just earn a permanent home on your mini PC.

Jolicloud's app-centric interface reminds me more of … Read more

Novell has a new best friend when it comes to Suse Linux distribution: VMware.

If you recall, Novell's former best friend for Suse Linux was Microsoft. Microsoft and Novell have a partnership where the two parties had certificates that indemnified Suse users from any intellectual-property liability. In addition, Microsoft officially recommended Suse Linux Enterprise for hybrid Windows/Linux shops.

Now that the sales pop from the Novell-Microsoft partnership has played out, Suse Linux growth has stagnated. In Novell's fiscal third-quarter report, released Thursday, the company said Linux platform product revenue was $36 million, down 7 percent from a … Read more

Dell is responding to concerns in the open-source community that it didn't comply with the rules governing Android software used in its Streak tablet.

The Streak was released in the U.K. in June, and in the U.S. in July. Recently, a group of developers started a mini-protest online after they found, they said, that Dell failed to release some source code components for the Streak as required by anyone using software governed by the GNU General Public License.

The GPL requires those who use software governed by the license to make available any changes they made to … Read more

The next version of Ubuntu will get multitouch interface abilities, catching the Linux operating system up to Windows and Mac OS X in at least one domain.

"Every single major PC manufacturer has been asking for a touch story on Linux. This has been one of the major missing points for Linux in the PC ecosystem," said Mark Shuttleworth, founder of the company called Canonical that develops and supports Ubuntu. But multitouch support will arrive in the next version of Ubuntu, 10.10, aka Maverick Meerkat.

Adding multitouch isn't easy, particularly in the open-source world of Linux … Read more

Do you have an old PC that you want to "donate" to your children? Or are you looking for a way for them to use your PC without messing things up? Kiddix might just be the answer: It's a Linux-based operating system with a child-friendly interface, software, and loads of parental controls.

Normally, Kiddix costs $50, but between now and the end of the Wednesday, June 30, you can pay what you want for Kiddix.

All you do to get the deal is provide a name and e-mail address, enter the amount you want to pay, and … Read more