Posted on 07/21/2009 6:03:07 AM PDT by ShadowAce
The first half of 2009 is over and after your summer vacation, you might want to start gearing up for the new distro releases. Once again open source proved that developers collaborating all over the world deliver constant platform improvement. Let’s see what they have in store for us this time.
KSplice – Rebootless Kernel Upgrade
One of the arguments I use often when talking about the advantages of using Linux is the fact that you do not have to reboot when installing or upgrading software. Most of the time. Almost every Linux user knows you have to restart your system after updating the kernel. The guys at Ksplice Inc. came up with this fascinating new technology that basically enables you to apply kernel patches and start using the new kernel right away, without rebooting. That is really all there is to it.
Comment: I don’t know about you, but as far as I’m concerned, it is pretty mind-blowing. Kind of like making a headless chicken do your homework. Read about the underlying technology here.
USB 3.0
Via Wikimedia Commons (Tosaka)
This new bus specification promises a speed of 5 Gigabits per second, about 10 times faster than USB 2.0. And the first operating system to get a USB 3.0 driver is GNU/Linux, specifically, kernel 2.6.31 (scheduled for September).
Comment: Although we have yet to see some hardware (guess we will have to wait until good ol’ Windows adopts the tech), think about the possibilities. A pen-drive could be almost as fast as a regular hard drive, which would drive storage prices to the ground. As soon as a 1 GB or more USB 3.0 thumb drive appears, mark my words, I will be installing Fedora as if my life depended on it.
Ubuntu to support Google Android applications
Ubuntu Netbook Remix running Android (via Ars Technica)
With a user base of roughly 2 million and more than 20 Android-powered devices coming this year, Google’s mobile operating system may become a force to be reckoned with. Developers will embrace the platform and given time, Android’s Market will contain hundreds of thousands of applications. Well, at least that is the direction in which the Ubuntu dev team is thinking. They plan to introduce an easy way to port Android apps over to their flagship Linux distribution. While most applications will be useless on a desktop machine, there might be some apps that, with their small size and modest memory consumption, might do a certain task much better than its Ubuntu-native equivalent.
Comment: I have to hand it to the Ubuntu guy who first got this idea: very original thinking. However, I do not think this is a wise way to use developer resources. There are still many things in Ubuntu that need fixing. New features are going to bring new hurdles. The Android support idea is great, though we should wait until the Android Market grows a bit.
As you can see, 2009 may not be the Year of Linux on the Desktop, but it will certainly be an interesting year. Thanks to the openness of the platform, GNU/Linux remains the driver of innovation in modern desktop computing.
Nice-looking demo-ware. Got any real drivers or devices? Didn't think so.
I've been developing USB hardware and software for over a decade. Many years I was active in the USB 1.0 roll-out. Motherboard manufacturers were showing motherboards with USB connectors cobbled onto them -- WITH NO CIRCUIT TRACES CONNECTED. Pure show-n-tell.
So unless you can show me a USB 3.0 driver, and a USB 3.0 device, plugged into that motherboard, my opinion is that it is just marketing-ware or an engineering prototype.
> ...over a decade. Many years I was active...
Make that "...many years ago, I was active..."
My company is currently developing USB 3.0 support, in cooperation with the leading silicon vendors. Trust me, USB 3.0 ain't ready for prime time yet. ;-) So your comment:
...USB 3.0 devices (that Windows can already use)...is simply not accurate, unless you're talking about unstable engineering prototypes and such like.
Yes, but after a few dozen apps do this, the system is so encumbered with background processes that it becomes intolerably slow. I’ve got a 3Ghz dual-core P4 with 1 Gig of memory and it takes 3-5 minutes to fully boot.
Linux takes about 45 seconds. That’s why I’m on it this morning. I don’t have the patience for Windows today.
That could be true, however Asus is a pretty big name in motherboards. If they have sent models to tech publications, I've got to bet they are functional, but admittedly I'm basing this on their brand equity.
I don’t normally have the patience for windoze anymore either. Usually I run openSuse 11.1. Although right now I’m running the mobile version of Mac OSX.
I have vista on another part, and it boots, or gets to the login prompt fairly quickly, but still takes a lot of time loading stuff after logging in. And don’t get me started on it’s screen/power saver issues. The damn thing keeps coming out of sleep. I’ve turned off wake on LAN and everything I can think of, and it still does it.
You’re correct, Win7 will be well received, very well received, at that.
I’m a Linux fan, but the user side of me really likes 7. :) I hated Vista with a passion, 7 OTOH, is smooth, not as resource intensive, and quite good...for a Windows product I mean. :)
Now, if only I could get Gnash 64 working....
Try Win 7. I know many are saying it’s Vista redux, but I find it to be the first MS OS since Win 2k that I like.
Besides my own, I’ve done 11 installs, one of which is on a Dell 4400 P4 1.8, 512 MB, and no one has anything bad to say about it yet.
Do you think win 7 would be a better choice than XP on a Dell Inspiron 8500 that can only access 1Gb ram due to a motherboard problem?
> That could be true, however Asus is a pretty big name in motherboards. If they have sent models to tech publications, I've got to bet they are functional, but admittedly I'm basing this on their brand equity.
Well, I'm not calling anybody a liar, just saying, the first items to get photo'ed are almost always demos of "what it will look like". If it functions, it's with some spit-and-piano-wire last-minute software with a limited context.
There's nothing wrong with that -- I've certainly cobbled together my share of demos for shows, presentations, and early-look magazine reviews. But that's very different from having a real working product, often many months or more away.
I'm actually not opposed to "upgrading" to ubuntu but my wife uses the computer too and she wants basically what she's used to.
Thanks so much for your input and I'll probably just stay with XP - which works great - and both the computer and my wife will be happy. ;0)
Don’t really want to buy windows 7. The only reason I boot vista, is to use iTunes to sync up my iPhone and transfer my cd library.
Otherwise Linux runs all my systems.
LOL. Linux makes for a great emergency disk, but all this excitement for an OS with 3% market share is pathetic.
...said the pot to the kettle.
Win7 Rc 1 is free until June 2010. LOL
Seriously, I removed the Vista that came with the PC in favor of 7. I have XP, in XP Mode, and as triple boot, along with Win 2k.
How about usable application installation? I’ve tried installing assorted stuff off the Linux equivalent of AppStore, only to have absolutely no indication of where the application ended up or how to start it.
I keep wanting to switch to Linux, and keep getting pushed back by stupid flaws which render it unusable for any but outright geeks.
It's usually in the menus, after a few seconds. If you install a sound application like xmms or amarok, it'll be under multimedia (or Sound and Video, depending on which distro you're using).
Installing a browser? Under Network. Use a little thought and common sense. You'll find it.
I keep wanting to switch to Linux...
Then you'll have to learn it. Linux is not Windows. It's a different OS, with a different philosophy. It's set up differently, and it runs differently. Don't expect it to behave like Windows behaves--that model is broken.
I'm a long-time software engineer. I can't find it. Yes I waited a few seconds. Some apps just plain don't show up anywhere obvious. If something went wrong with the install, nothing was said - a typical response from a *nix app.
There's a difference between learning it vs. hacking around to make it work. Linux still suffers from an affinity to the latter. In contrast, and despite insults & innuendo, Windows and OS X largely "just work".
But you can’t keep W7Rc1 once it goes into production; Or you won’t be able to update/patch it, or anything else, right?
No, you can. It’ll update, patch, etc. I’m hearing rumors of possible discounts to purchase it for those who have registered installs of it. I have Ultimate, 64 bit, that’s what, about $300.00?
Downloads will be available until August 20, 2009, but you can still get a “key” from MS for your uninstalled download after that. Oh, and each copy can be activated on three pc’s.
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