Getting my new Asus X540S notebook ready for Linux
Today I try a variety of Linux distributions on a low-priced laptop that comes with Windows 10 Home.
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Articles about Open Source
How to run openSUSE Linux on Windows 10
When Microsoft added Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) to Windows 10, it became possible to run other Linux distributions such as openSUSE -- and not just Ubuntu -- on Windows 10.
Raspberry Pi Compute Module 3 launches at $30, ready to power up in other products
The Raspberry Pi Foundation has launched the Compute Module 3, a slimmed-down Raspberry Pi missing the SD card and other sockets for embedding in other products.
Raspberry Pi 1 and Zero: Hands on with Manjaro ARM and PiCore Linux
Today I'm focusing on the original Raspberry Pi Model B and B+, and the Pi Zero. I also have some more information about Ubuntu MATE from my previous post.
Fedora, Manjaro, and Ubuntu MATE on the Raspberry Pi 2 & 3
After being disappointed by my tests with SuSE Linux, I'm hoping for more satisfying results with other distributions.
Hortonworks, Neustar collaborate to secure IoT, more efforts to follow
With cyberattacks scaling, courtesy of Internet of Things devices, the tech industry needs to partner to lock end points down.
Digital transformation, the Red Hat way
Red Hat's infrastructure boss Tim Yeaton outlines why the open source pioneer is well positioned to guide CIOs through an evolving IT landscape.
Raspberry Pi: Hands on with SuSE and openSuSE Linux
SuSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES), openSuSE Leap 42.2, and openSuSE Tumbleweed are all now available for the Raspberry Pi 3. I'm giving each of them a whirl.
Want a Windows 10 PC in your pocket? GPD's tiny laptop will also run Ubuntu
GPD is planning to launch a seven-inch Windows 10 laptop that it says will fit in your pocket.
MongoDB ransacked: Now 27,000 databases hit in mass ransom attacks
Over a quarter of MongoDB databases left open to the internet have been ransacked by online extortionists.
GitHub secret key finder released to public
The open-source tool can be used to search for secret keys used to access networks.
There's a Linux-powered car in your future
Linux is well on its way to becoming the default automobile operating system.
Raspberry Pi: A closer look at Raspbian PIXEL GNU/Linux
It's not just for the Raspberry Pi anymore! After recent updates and security fixes, a version of Raspbian PIXEL for x86 systems is now in the works.
Linux 2017: With great power comes great responsibility
Linux and open-source software now run the world and that means we need to work harder than ever to make sure it's trustworthy.
CyanogenMod is dead. Long live LineageOS
Cyanogen has switched gears, leaving the Android variant CyanogenMod in the lurch, CyanogenMod's developers aren't giving up. They're forking the code into LineageOS.
Red Hat annual revenue grows 18 percent, misses estimates
Red Hat continues to do well -- but its revenue didn't grow quite as fast as analysts had expected.
The 25 biggest events in Linux's 25-year history
A year by year summary of the most significant events in Linux's history to date.
The top 10 leaders driving open-source tech
These are the people who have been driving the open-source technology powering today's business world.
A Fedora 22 beta walk-through
The new Fedora, with its GNOME 3.16 interface, is an interesting, powerful Linux desktop.
Ten Raspberry Pi 2 alternatives
The Raspberry Pi 2 is the single-board computer of the moment, but there are plenty of others out there. We've rounded up some of the most eye-catching offerings.
Must-have Linux desktop apps (Six Clicks)
Who says you need a Mac or a Windows PC? With the right applications, a Linux desktop is every bit as good as either of the two mainstream desktop operating systems.
Six Clicks: Androids Apps on Chromebooks
Look out, Windows! With Google starting to bring over a million Android apps to Chromebooks, the Windows PC is going to face a real challenge.
Six Clicks: The best Linux desktop environments
Unlike Windows or Mac OS X, Linux offers a wide variety of desktop environments. Here are my picks of the most important of these PC interfaces.
Six clicks: History of supercomputers -- fast, faster, fastest
From CDC's 40MHz "supercomputer" to 2014's Tianhe-2's 33.86 PetaFlops per second, supercomputers are continuing to push computing to its ultimate limits.
First impressions: Canonical Orange Box and Juju (Gallery)
The Orange Box really is a cloud-in-a-box. But while the hardware is neat, it's the Juju DevOps software inside that makes it special.
Beyond Android and iOS: The top six mobile operating system alternatives
There is a world of operating systems beyond Android and iOS. Will any of them lock down third place? Can any of them give Google or Apple a run for the top spots?
Six clicks: Single board computers: Banana Pi, Raspberry Pi, and more
We all know about the Raspberry Pi, but it's far from the only single-board computer out there that makers might find both useful and affordable.
Ubuntu 14.04: Smoother than earlier versions (Gallery)
It's smooth, pretty, and, in short, it's the nicest Ubuntu Linux desktop that's ever been.
Hands-on with Makulu Linux 5 Xfce: The most fun you can have with Linux?
My first look at this wonderful Debian Testing/Unstable (Jessie/Sid) derivative reminds me of how much fun there can be in Linux.
Hands-On: Zorin OS 8 Linux
This is the distribution that is touted as the "easiest" transition from Windows to Linux, so how does it stack up?
Debian, Mint (LMDE), SolydX and Tanglu, compared and contrasted
Hands-on comparison of Debian GUN/Linux and three first- and second-generation derivatives.
Android market trapped in a race to the bottom
There are more OEMs scrambling over one another for attention than there are customers to go around.
Free and open-source text editors for devs
Even if you work in an integrated development environment, a good text editor is always handy to have. Bill Detwiler looks at five text editors every developer should try.
Ben Forta: All about Adobe
Take one ColdFusion veteran and mix in a healthy dose of prolific book writing, and chances are you will end up with Ben Forta.
A look at high-speed autonomous driving
At JavaOne in San Francisco, Volkswagen's Marcial Hernandez and Sun's Greg Bollella detail Project Bixby, an Audi TTS programmed by Volkswagen and using a Java runtime environment. The vehicle will then be raced on a Rally course against other automated vehicles.
Short clip: Special Olympics' Chief Begging Officer
Andre Mendes, CIO of the Special Olympics, says that being the CIO for a nonprofit often means being the "Chief Begging Officer" as well. Rather than use open source software, they have managed to convince larger software companies to donate or give grants for most of what they need.
Short clip: The Weather Channel: Timely delivery for perishable content
Brian Shield, CIO for The Weather Channel, describes the challenges of delivering ever-changing weather updates to users on a variety of content delivery platforms.
The Weather Channel CIO: Brian Shield
Brian Shield, CIO of The Weather Channel talks to CNET News' Dan Farber about delivering the weather on multiple platforms in a timely manner for its 120 million users. He also discusses new innovations, including a new LEED certified HD studio and how they are using open-source software to power their backend operations.
Short clip: How Facebook is developing an open-source platform
Jonathan Heiliger, vice president of technical operations at Facebook discusses the company's open source strategy and its plan to improve the application environment for its more than 100,000 developers.
Exploring Mars with Java
At the JavaOne conference in San Francisco, James Gosling, Sun Microsystems vice president and fellow, talks to Arizona State University geological sciences professor Phil Christensen about the school's geospatial software, JMARS. The open-source project is available to the public and used by NASA to find and gather scientific data for analysis.
Goodwill Industries CIO: Steve Bergman
Steve Bergman, CIO of Goodwill Industries talks to ZDNet Editor in Chief Dan Farber about innovating technology for the non-profit. From an open source web portal to geo-spatial mapping tools for the organizations retail site. Bergman also shares his business approach to inventory management, and the company's plan for going green.
Ubuntu tops desktop, server Linux enthusiast poll
Preliminary results of a survey conducted by Waugh Partners consultancy at the 2008 Linux conference -- linux.conf.au -- have revealed Linux trends and Australia's open source hubs.
Ballmer on Microsoft's API opening
The software company has made a big show about opening up its APIs, but has it really changed its stance towards open source?
Marc Canter: The master of multimedia speaks
In this Super Techies interview, larger-than-life techie Marc Canter talks with ZDNet's Editor in Chief Dan Farber about his career as a multimedia pioneer. Canter discusses his first job as a music programmer for video games; designing the multimedia authoring tools Shockwave and Director; and his current role as CEO of Broadband Mechanics, makers of open-source social networks.
BQ Aquaris E4.5 Ubuntu Edition review: A promising start
A dual-SIM 3G smartphone running Ubuntu (for Phones), the BQ Aquaris E4.5 Ubuntu Edition demonstrates that the OS can run well on a mid-range phone originally designed for Android. However, Canonical's platform is a work in (rapid) progress, rather than a fully formed mobile phone OS.
Raspberry Pi 2 review: More power to the Pi
The Raspberry Pi 2 Model B is a simple, more powerful, upgrade to the original Pi that comes with a good range of bundled applications. The Pi 2 is great value at $35, but a number of additional items are needed to turn it into a fully functioning system.
Ubuntu 14.10 (Utopic Unicorn), Beta 1 preview: No big changes
Despite optimistic 2011 predictions of a fully converged cross-platform OS running Mir and UnityNext (8) by 2014, Ubuntu 14.10 is set to retain X Windows and Unity 7. Based on this beta, it seems there will be no big changes in 14.10, although upgrading is always worthwhile.
Ubuntu 14.04 LTS 'Trusty Tahr', Beta 1 preview: Convergence deferred
Ubuntu 14.04 LTS was to be the first converged desktop/tablet/smartphone release. However, it's shaping up to be more of a typical Long Term Support release, with the emphasis on solid and stable, rather than radical changes.
Ubuntu 13.10 (Saucy Salamander) review: Smart Scopes in, Mir out
With the Mir display server failing to make the cut, Ubuntu 13.10, rather than being a stepping-stone on the way to form-factor convergence with 14.04, seems more like an obligatory release.
Hands on with Korora 19 'Bruce'
Hot on the heels of Fedora 19 comes this everything-including-the-kitchen-sink derivative.
Ubuntu 13.04 (Raring Ringtail) review
Some of the features that were to be included in Ubuntu 13.04 have been shelved in favour of presenting a polished and solid release, with most of the improvements residing behind the scenes. As a result, Raring Ringtail may seem a bit of a disappointment.
Ubuntu 12.10 (Quantal Quetzal) review
Ubuntu 12.10 contains more controversial changes than expected. If you can live with or work around those changes, it remains a powerful and useful desktop Linux operating system.
Ubuntu 12.04 LTS (Precise Pangolin)
Ubuntu 12.04 LTS is an extremely solid, usable, fast and secure desktop Linux OS. It continues to hone the Unity user interface introduced in earlier releases, and also migrates to a new version of the kernel.
WordPress 2.8
If you are in the market for a blogging platform, content management system or a complete web platform, you can do far, far worse than choose WordPress.
OpenOffice.org 2.4.0
OpenOffice.org 2.4.0 is a free, open source alternative to Microsoft's Office application suite. It is fantastic if you need basic office applications — such as a word processor or spreadsheet — at no cost. However, large organisations and power users may be disappointed by its lack of features and support.
Maxthon 2.0.8
Of the less well known open source browsers, Maxthon has been gaining attention as the second most popular Web browser in its home state of China. Based on IE's Trident engine, we found it to be highly customisable; however its lack of support makes it difficult to recommend for business.
InterSystems launches CACHÉ 2007
InterSystems launches CACHÉ 2007, the latest update to their post-relational database product.
Sugar Suite 4.0.1
Sugar Suite from SugarCRM is a comprehensive, streamlined tool which offers indispensable services to both a company's employees and its customers.
InterVideo DVD Copy 2.0 Platinum
InterVideo DVD Copy 2.0's interface will please ambitious beginners, but its limited functionality may frustrate advanced users.
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