Editorials

Debian: A Brief Retrospective
August 16, 2003 marked the 10th anniversary of the most popular non-commercial distribution ever: Debian GNU/Linux. To mark the occasion, Debian founder Ian Murdock gives this look back at the origins of Debian and a look ahead to the new crossroads Linux is about to face.
Friday, August 15, 2003 10:29:58 AM EST

Interviews

The Voice of Groklaw
One of the few positive things to come out of the current legal battle that The SCO Group is waging towards IBM, Red Hat, and seemingly all things Linux is the growth of a new Web site that provides detailed legal analysis and information surrounding the lawsuits. Groklaw's Pamela Jones sits down for a special year-end interview with LinuxPlanet.
Wednesday, December 31, 2003 09:39:43 AM EST

maddog: Forum Will Answer Enterprise Questions
Next month's Enterprise Linux Forum has a lot going for it, including the conference chairman, Jon "maddog" Hall. Managing Editor Brian Proffitt interviews maddog to learn his thoughts on the Forum, Linux in the enterprise, and how corporations and the open source community can better work together.
Thursday, September 18, 2003 11:23:32 AM EST

Trust Unlimited
Launched by former MandrakeSoft CEO Henri Poole and two other MandrakeSoft refugees in the summer of 2001, Affero is trying to build a standard system of reputation measurement for the Internet. LinuxPlanet recently caught up with Henri to ask him about Affero and his new position on the Board of Directors of the Free Software Foundation.
Thursday, March 27, 2003 10:26:56 AM EST

Patent War Pending?
"Are software patents about to kill open source? The growing number of questionable software patents and the inability of individual developers to defend themselves from frivolous patent suits has many in the open source community concerned. Now that Microsoft has settled its antitrust case, some hackers worry that it will become more aggressive in its attack on open source. And that could spell a frivolous patent lawsuit for some projects: Wine, Samba or Linux, to name three..."
Monday, December 9, 2002 10:45:37 AM EST

Helix Code: Beyond Project to Product
Miguel de Icaza and Nat Friedman have managed to turn the Linux world upside down, first with the creation of Helix Code and then with the formation of the GNOME Foundation. In this extensive interview with Dennis E. Powell, Miguel and Nat discuss how they plan on making money from GNOME (it involves selling to end users online services associated with Helix Code software), where GNOME ends and Helix Code begins (which seems to be a blurry line at best), and why they find it necessary to totally tear apart StarOffice in order to make it fit within the GNOME framework.
Monday, September 11, 2000 05:00:00 AM EST

Kernel Development, Desktops, and Scooby Doo: The Alan Cox Interview
Alan Cox is a long-time Linux kernel hacker, Red Hat Software employee, and general all-around great guy. More importantly, he's one of the people who work behind the scenes to make Linux a great product; his relentless efforts to improve and enhance the Linux kernel are evidenced by the numerous "ac" monikers after kernel revisions. Paul Ferris interviews.
Thursday, February 10, 2000 08:48:05 AM EST

Tim O'Reilly on Open Source and Linux
Tim O'Reillys company publishes some of the best selling handbooks on Internet, Unix and Linux. Linuxplanet talks to him about his involvement with the open source movement.
Wednesday, September 29, 1999 11:15:42 AM EST

Interview with Sensei of Linuxnewbie
Find out what is happening over http://www.linuxnewbie.org and in the world of Linux in general from top Linux community figure Jason Sensei Brietstein.
Thursday, September 2, 1999 12:26:12 PM EST

Opinions

Business Logic vs. Free Software Idealism
For some time now, business and free software have coexisted relatively peacefully. But in recent months this cooperation has shown signs of becoming strained.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008 10:04:19 AM EST

GNU/Linux: Source Code and Human Rights
By using Free and Open Source software, you are supporting one of the few initiatives that give developing nations and the poor any hope of participating as equals in the modern world.
Thursday, May 8, 2008 09:56:57 AM EST

GNU/Linux: Too Much about Hate, Not Enough about Pride
Starting from nothing, the free software community has achieved the impossible, confounding all sorts of expectations. So why all the angst?
Monday, April 7, 2008 10:22:30 AM EST

Cruisin' with Linux
There's an enormous difference between your average PC consumer and the hardcore computer enthusiast. One of the key differences is how much time someone is willing to expend on a system.
Monday, October 29, 2007 10:12:51 AM EST

Put The Power of Linux Into Your Business
So, Mr. Small- and Medium-Businessman, what's holding you up? Don't you need to run a Web site, be able to transfer files around your office, or automate some processes so they run 24/7? Wouldn't you like to put the worry of a virus wiping out your valuable data out of your mind? Have you ever thought about how nice it would be to buy one DVD and be able to load it on all the machines in your company?
Monday, May 14, 2007 10:46:05 AM EST

Is the Importance of Commercial Linux Distributions Waning?
Maria Winslow gives her take on the power of commercial distros: "The conventional wisdom asserts (and I have argued as well) that only a commercial Linux distribution can provide the 'whole product' to customers, and make the shift to widespread mainstream adoption. But now I'm not so sure..."
Monday, June 13, 2005 02:56:56 PM EST

How Can Vendors Make 64-bit Computing Attractive?
64-bit platforms are here. The operating system of choice, Linux, is here. So what does it take to get more widespread adoption of the next generation of processing power? Rob Reilly has a few words of advice for those hardware vendors.
Monday, May 23, 2005 03:39:47 PM EST

LinuxWorld Expo New Haven for Corporate Users, Vendors
The end of the Linux as a geek-oriented operating system has officially arrived. This change has been coming for quite a while and it was confirmed last week during the LinuxWorld Expo in Manhattan. Is it a joyous occasion or a requiem for the beanbag chairs? LinuxPlanet Editor Brian Proffitt reports on the change from within.
Sunday, January 26, 2003 10:00:39 AM EST

.comment: Linux Lewis vs. Microsoft Tyson
Recent developments have given Linux supporters cause for hope. But favorable government rulings and computer companies taking new interest in Linux take us only part way, says Dennis E. Powell. They let us enter the battle -- but it's still up to us to win.
Wednesday, January 30, 2002 04:02:55 AM EST

.comment: Why Windows Users Should Oppose the Settlement (and Other Notes That Defy Categorization)
"Windows users should hate the settlement; the dean of KDE bugs gets squashed; the shootout on bootloader hill; and an idea for bringing Linux to those who could really use it. Dennis E. Powell clears his desk."
Wednesday, January 9, 2002 10:02:18 AM EST

.comment: Crunch Time
The public comment period on the proposed Microsoft settlement has opened. Dennis E. Powell offers a lesson in guerilla civics: why you should care and how you can make your opinion count.
Wednesday, December 12, 2001 02:07:42 AM EST

Editor's Note: Is Ximian Practicing Appeasement or Practicality?
Ximian announced the final release of Evolution 1.0 today, providing the Linux desktop with what may be the strongest e-mail client and PIM going. It also announced a proprietary software offering that will allow Evolution to interoperate seamlessly with Microsoft's Exchange server. If anyone had doubts that Ximian has parted ways with the Anything But Microsoft crowd, it's time to lose them as the company Miguel de Icaza founded to polish the ideologically pure desktop he created joins the list of Linux outfits exploring mixed licensing models and life in the Not-Post-Microsoft Era.
Monday, December 3, 2001 01:25:34 PM EST

.comment: Other Agendas
Alternate agendas, ulterior motives, conspiracy theories, and inappropriate advocacy -- all have permeated Linux, says Dennis E. Powell, and they can end up harming those things they are intended to help.
Wednesday, November 28, 2001 01:08:45 AM EST

.comment: In Praise of IBM
IBM, computing's 800-pound gorilla, has made a big commitment to Linux. Will it extend to the desktop? Dennis E. Powell reports that his friends at the Armonk leviathan hope so, but in any case, Linux profits from IBM's involvement.
Wednesday, November 21, 2001 05:48:49 AM EST

.comment: Leveraging Linux
Sooner or later, the lack of security in Microsoft products is bound to attract the attention of lawyers, who Dennis E. Powell believes will go after the companies that use them. And then, Powell writes, Linux knowledge will be a premium commodity.
Wednesday, November 14, 2001 03:15:00 AM EST

.comment: The Settlement Sucks
Dennis E. Powell argues that while Microsoft may well have evaded the stiff penalties many were hoping for, there's still an opportunity in the form of a comment period, during which citizens can encourage the court to consider whether the settlement was truly in the public's interest. Is it too late for justice? Or has justice been served?
Wednesday, November 7, 2001 03:00:42 AM EST

.comment: The Plateau
Step back and take a look at the Linux of today and you might be surprised. Dennis E. Powell was as he realized that the new crop of Linux distributions are something he's comfortable recommending even to those who are not especially technically inclined. The improvements left to make, he found, are because Linux users seek perfection.
Wednesday, October 17, 2001 01:44:53 AM EST

.comment: Your Friendly Neighborhood Linux Salesman
Linux is faced with a golden opportunity: Steve Ballmer is reduced to arm-waving and gibbering, WindowsXP promises to irritate more than it impresses, and the Department of Justice isn't letting up on Microsoft. So what's a Linux fan to do? Well... flamewars are fun, but an even better option is to go out and be somebody's guru today. Dennis Powell offers a collection of tips on helping a friend or loved one make the Linux leap while the opportunity's there.
Wednesday, September 5, 2001 12:14:33 AM EST

Editor's Note: Heroes of the Revolution
A quietly deleted request to run a petition didn't cause any lost sleep: it was profane, demanding, and threatening. Months later, though, an unassuming Linux enthusiast stepped up and showed the Linux community at its best, and provided a reminder of who the real heroes of the Linux revolution are.
Monday, August 20, 2001 03:35:08 AM EST

.comment: We're Getting There!
Longtime .comment readers will want to sit up and take notice this week as Dennis E. Powell confronts GNOME on his desktop, considers Red Hat for the first time since version 5.0, contemplates a package/source manager that may unite geeks and the source-averse once and for all, and comes up concluding that now, more than ever, Linux has a fighting chance. Just in time to provide a real alternative to Windows XP.
Wednesday, August 15, 2001 03:26:00 AM EST

Editor's Note: The Bug Days of Summer
Summer's slow, not a lot is happening it's the perfect time to spend some time making something you love, or at least like a whole lot, a little better. Bug Days are the perfect time to stop talking and contribute what you can. We've also got the perfect SirCam stopper (it's still out there).
Thursday, August 2, 2001 02:21:40 AM EST

.comment: Leave the Front Door Unlocked, Too
Dennis Powell notes that last week was interesting for those to whom private property matters: New Englanders returned from a trip to find their home occupied by a couple that doesn't believe in private property, and Michael Stutz released the "design science license," an effort to bring copyleft to all copyrighted materials, not just software. It's a soft-headed idea, argues Powell, who calls it a plan for progressive redistribution of talent that will appeal to the talentless.
[ The original edition of this column mistakenly identified David Stutz as the author of the DSL. The correct author is Michael Stutz. We regret the error. -ed. ]
Wednesday, August 1, 2001 02:53:44 AM EST

Editor's Note: The Customer's Always Wronged
Michael Hall revisits the state of technical and customer support one last time, recounting his struggle with the DSL people and some reader responses to his mandatory Linux removal. The bad news: tech support is universally bad regardless of what OS you're running. The good news: there's a quiet Linux underground in the support pits you might stumble across if you're lucky.
Monday, July 30, 2001 02:55:21 AM EST

Editor's Note: Sun's Practical Present, Tech Support Revisited
Last week, Sun released the results of its GNOME usability study. Michael Hall says the Linux community couldn't have asked for a nicer present than one that helps talented hackers understand an area where their coding skill does them little good: the over-cited, seldom-understood world of usability. Plus: a second look at tech support, with the one document every Linux advocate should keep taped to the wall when it comes time to help those hopeless newbies.
Thursday, July 26, 2001 03:56:24 AM EST

.comment: The Weakest Link
Stirred, at last, by the assault of Code Red and SirCam, Dennis Powell says enough is enough: even if Linux users aren't pushing these malicious bits of code across the Internet, we still suffer from their effects. It's time to politely demand our Microsoft-using friends and acquaintances either change their operating system, or take their machines off the 'net. A polite sample letter is included.
Wednesday, July 25, 2001 02:26:40 AM EST

.comment: A Moderate Approach to Intellectual Property
On its face, a lawsuit brought on behalf of Adobe to force the KOffice project to change the name of killustrator to something sounding less like Adobe's own vector drawing software may sound like an invitation to once again revisit worn rants about the harmfulness of intellectual property. Dennis E. Powell argues that seeing as how even the GPL depends on it, the real issue isn't with the existence of intellectual property, but with the execution of intellectual property laws. This area of the law is one we choose to scorn and ignore at our own peril, and it's time, says Powell, for cool heads to step to the plate.
Wednesday, July 11, 2001 01:08:05 AM EST

The StartX Files: Real Live Trolling
Brian Proffitt files a report from the OS Wars front as experienced on the South Shore rail headed into Chicago. His unfortunate experiences with a pair of would-be advocates show there are still some people out there doing more harm than good when it comes to promoting Linux.
Monday, July 9, 2001 10:53:42 AM EST

.comment: Cold Turkey
After spending some time with the horsey crowd, Dennis E. Powell has a new outlook on all the issues facing the Linux world. Reflecting on issues like Caldera's per-seat licensing plans and Adobe's legal wranglings with the KIllustrator developers, he comes to a simple conclusion: Linux and the Internet are not the center of the universe, and it would behoove us all to take a break.
Thursday, July 5, 2001 09:26:16 AM EST

.comment: Separated By a Common Operating System
When Dennis Powell's Caldera installation died, he decided to use the occasion to look at two other Linux distributions: Progeny Linux and SuSE Linux. While he likes both of them, he realized that there's really no such thing as a generic Linux distribution, as both distros -- as well as most other Linux distros -- are set up to box users into relationships with manufacturers, as knowledge of one distribution has little to do with any other distribution. If Microsoft were to cook up a plan to cause Linux to disappear in a virtual Tower of Babel it could scarcely be more effective than that which has been adopted by distributions on their own, voluntarily.
Wednesday, June 27, 2001 09:20:55 AM EST

.comment: On Writing About Linux
A central cliché in the news-consuming audience is the bloodthirsty media, pandering to the darker impulses of its audience. A central cliché among reporters is the bloodthirsty audience's demand to be pandered to, and the subsequent reward of those efforts with ratings and pageviews. Dennis Powell looks at the issue of covering bad news about Linux from a reporter's perspective, using two recent stories about GNOME and KDE as examples. At issue: Are Linux reporters here to cheerlead? Does reporting bad news constitute endorsement of the news? And why did a story about Red Hat turning its first profit (in many ways representing Linux turning its first profit) get only half the attention?
Wednesday, June 20, 2001 09:16:01 AM EST

The StartX Files: Chasing Them Naughty Blues
Why do you use Linux? Because you're running from something or embracing something? In this week's StartX Files, Brian Proffitt says people run Linux more because they're for freedom and the chance to contribute. For the rest of the world, software may "just be a tool." For the Linux community, Linux is "a chance to create something new, something unique, and something bigger than ourselves."
Monday, June 18, 2001 09:21:50 AM EST

Editor's note: Exactly how large is the Linux market?
In a study partially sponsored by Microsoft, the market-research firm Gartner Group estimates that Linux represented less than 9 percent of all server shipments in 2000. This is seemingly at odds with market research from IDC and AllNetResearch, which report that Linux has upwards of 35 percent of the server space. So what's the deal?
Monday, June 11, 2001 01:42:19 PM EST

gnotebook: The Desktop War: A Separate Peace
It's a good day for Progeny users as the distribution releases its own GNOME 1.4 packages, an interesting time for Linux as the community debates its future on the desktop, and a time for reassessment for Michael Hall, as he presents the final edition of gnotebook.
Friday, June 1, 2001 08:21:59 AM EST

The StartX Files: Roughed Up by Flightless Water Fowl
When Brian Proffitt set out to investigate the origins of Tux in order to answer serious questions about the correct use of our favorite mascot's likeness and name, he forgot that nobody expects the Penguin Inquisition. A harrowing tale of naked lightbulbs and bondage among the flightless water fowl.
Tuesday, May 29, 2001 08:34:07 AM EST

.comment: If Not Now, When?
Dennis Powell also takes exception to the notion that it's time write the Linux desktop's obituary. On the other hand, he offers up some points for why things aren't moving so fast: resistance to proprietary hardware support, and resistance to for-pay software among them. This week Dennis reminds us that the best technical solution doesn't always win, and the real task ahead for convincing people to make the switch to a Linux desktop lies in providing a truly compelling reason.
Wednesday, May 23, 2001 09:01:25 AM EST

The StartX Files: The Linux Uncertainty Principle
Where do you want Linux to go today? Brian Proffitt maintains that the Linux desktop isn't dead, but it's ensnared in conflicting visions and the occasional misplaced need to match Microsoft feature for feature while forgetting the value of incremental gains in basic end-user functionality.
Tuesday, May 22, 2001 09:44:13 AM EST

Editor's Note: RIP: Linux on the Desktop
With the departure of Eazel and the inability of anyone to make a buck on selling a desktop-oriented Linux distribution, it's time to write the obituary for Linux on the desktop -- or at least admit that it's unlikely that Linux world domination via the desktop will occur any time soon. Instead, writes Kevin Reichard, we should take joy that Linux has become a valuable and essential server operating system, and that when planning for the future we should build on that success, rather than lamenting the demise of Linux on the desktop.
Monday, May 21, 2001 01:17:44 PM EST

The StartX Files: Losing the Horizon
When a pilot "loses the horizon," it's a disorienting, unnerving experience that can mean real trouble without a calm head. When Brian Proffitt got "the mail" from Richard Stallman asking that he adopt the phrase "GNU/Linux," he had the same feeling. Here he offers a history and examination of an old controversy, notes why RMS has a point, and explains that no matter where you land on this one, it's important to keep sight of the horizon.
Tuesday, May 15, 2001 11:58:02 AM EST

The StartX Files: How Linux Could Lose to Microsoft
With Mr. Mundie's speech last week, many in the Linux community took the opportunity to let out a collective, barbaric "Yawp!" and commence gleeful bashing. While it may have relieved a lot of stress, it didn't do anything to promote Linux and may well have been the best response Redmond could have hoped for. In this week's column, Brian Proffitt argues that while a horselaugh may well be worth a thousand syllogisms, the arrogance it connotes is PR gold for Microsoft.
Tuesday, May 8, 2001 08:46:32 AM EST

The StartX Files: Tux, My Hero
Brian Proffitt is happy to report a nearly flawless Windows 2000 installation, with only the niggling detail of its inability to find any of his computer's hard drives keeping him from Redmondian Nirvana. The only logical response for consumers who may be faced with similar problems when Windows XP arrives is to go out and buy new hardware. Or, should we seize this opportunity to act, take advantage of the Linux alternative.
Tuesday, May 1, 2001 08:45:36 AM EST

gnotebook: Assessing What We Owe
It's widely understood that Eazel, the company behind GNOME's Nautilus, is in no small amount of financial trouble. Enough so, in fact, that the company has started accepting contributions via PayPal. The question this raises is one of how GNOME users should react: either thanking them for the code and moving on, or pitching in as a way of recognizing the company's contributions.
Friday, April 27, 2001 09:19:56 AM EST

The StartX Files: Like Sands Through the Hourglass...
After looking at PLWM -- the Pointless Window Manager -- last week, Brian Proffitt catches up with Peter Liljenberg, one of the primary developers of PLWM (along with Morgan Eklöf). Liljenberg admits that the Python-based PLWM isn't actually so pointless and has great potential as a hands-on window manager for disabled users and set-top systems.
Tuesday, April 24, 2001 08:17:57 AM EST

The StartX Files: When the Mouse is An Anathema
Is it a business expo or the kiddy table at Thanksgiving dinner? Brian Proffitt decided to blow off COMDEX and a moribund Linux Business Expo: "I can tell you why Linux Business Expo was yanked," he says, "too few Linux executives were willing to put themselves through the embarrassment of displaying at the junior varsity convention." Instead he stayed home and learned all about Ratpoison, a window manager that's out to make you forget your mouse with a vengeance.
Tuesday, April 10, 2001 08:59:34 AM EST

gnotebook: Bugs, Press Releases, and Molasses: The GNOME 1.4 Launch Considered
GNOME 1.4 was released to the world earlier this week after a premature announcement and a last-minute bug. All wasn't necessarily well, even if you discount the slings and arrows of armchair Medusa doubters. Michael Hall discusses why Medusa really is a good thing, why the GNOME Foundation should call this one a practice run, and where the binaries are.
Friday, April 6, 2001 10:17:08 AM EST

Editor's Note: Do the Retail Linux Numbers Mean Anything?
PC Data released its survey of Linux retail sales, and there's only three distributions that apparently matter anymore: SuSE, Red Hat, and Mandrake. But Kevin Reichard argues that the numbers don't really mean anything: since Linux can be acquired in any number of ways, the pure retail numbers only show what distributions are putting any effort at all into retail sales -- and little else.
Monday, March 26, 2001 01:10:00 PM EST

gnotebook: Nautilus Revisited: Unhappy Users Make All the Wrong Demands
Nautilus 1.0 has been out for scarcely a week, and in some quarters there are already demands that it be forked and stripped to the bare essentials, or removed from the impending GNOME 1.4 release entirely. Michael Hall argues that this is borne out of impatience, misplaced competitiveness, and a distorted perception of where Linux is in the race for the desktop.
Friday, March 23, 2001 09:14:39 AM EST

.comment: What Are We Shooting For, Anyway?
It's great that Linux is scalable to the point that it runs on both an Intel box and an S/390 mainframe, but for Dennis E. Powell, Linux won't truly be a success until it conquers the final frontier: the desktop. In this column, he explores the factors that are inhibiting Linux on the desktop -- including a lack of support from distribution packagers.
Wednesday, March 21, 2001 08:43:05 AM EST

The StartX Files: Why X Foibles Don't Matter
We've heard it from the analysts before: "Linux is too complex," "the Linux GUI is too far behind." The same analysts aren't, evidently, talking to their friendly local MCSE... the one with R - E - G - E - D - I - T worn smooth on his keyboard. In his latest column, Brian Proffitt tackles the problem with complexity, and asks if the experts aren't throwing brickbats at the wrong OS.
Tuesday, March 13, 2001 08:58:46 AM EST

.comment: Taking Inventory
Most Linux distribution and software leaders -- like Ximian, Red Hat, Eazel, Debian -- are rushing to promote automatic installations and upgrades for their customers. But for an operating system that relies so heavily on source code, this plan could end up fragmenting the Linux community, as distributions release software that is incompatible with everybody else's. Dennis E. Powell explains why we need a baseline standard in the Linux world to address these issues.
Wednesday, March 7, 2001 07:23:27 AM EST

The StartX Files: Peace, Love, and Linux? My Foot!
Is it "peace, love and Linux?" Or maybe just "sharks and thugs?" IBM's Linux campaign is a curious one. According to Brian Proffitt, it doesn't quite jibe with an underlying reality of Linux today: we fight too much over the wrong things.
Monday, March 5, 2001 09:48:42 PM EST

.comment: 1776? Yeah, Right.
Do the Free Software movement and the GPL indeed share common philosophical roots with the US Declaration of Independence? Or are they an attempt to confound a body of ideals built around free trade and private property? Dennis Powell says attempts to link the copyleft with the 'Spirit of 1776' are a laughable exercise in megalomania.
Friday, March 2, 2001 02:05:09 PM EST

.comment: Can Microsoft Hurt Linux? In a Word, No.
All eyes are on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia this week, where Microsoft looks to have the ruling against it overturned. Will the outcome matter to Linux? Not according to Dennis Powell, who says Microsoft's up against something as difficult to pin down as water, and as tough to beat as a hard game of whack-a-mole.
Wednesday, February 28, 2001 11:51:18 AM EST

Lou's Views: Playing Hardball with Microsoft
If you thought Jim Allchin's recent comments were bad, Lou Grinzo argues you'd best brace for worse: "Microsoft is not only far better at this game than you imagine, they're far better at it than you can imagine." Need some proof? Consider a Redmond-funded magazine with a stable of pseudonymous writers, or the curious case of Professor Flack.
Tuesday, February 27, 2001 01:56:31 PM EST

.comment: Not Forking But Branching
Are there too many Linux distributions? With Caldera's announcement last week that it was eschewing the retail channel, Dennis E. Powell argues that it's time for the Linux community to reevaluate how Linux is deployed on distributions -- and concludes that we'd all be better off if Linux distributions were to specialize.
Wednesday, February 21, 2001 10:54:55 AM EST

.comment: Microsoft Doesn't Care What We Think
Close followers of Linux are up in arms over comments made by a Microsoft official the other day regarding the anti-commercial aspects of Linux. Trouble is, says Dennis E. Powell, there's a grain of truth in the comments, and unless the Linux world acknowledges that commercial interests are a part of Linux's future, Linux's future will be as a marginal toy operating system, not as a robust enterprise and desktop juggernaut.
Tuesday, February 20, 2001 11:00:46 AM EST

.comment: On the Outlaw Trail with Linux
After spending an hour browsing at his local computer superstore, Dennis E. Powell comes to the following realizations: that this superstore is really intended for 14-year-olds, that there was nothing that he really wanted have, and that Linux by its very nature would never be an intregal offering of the computer superstores -- with the last realization providing a high level of comfort and satisfaction.
Wednesday, February 14, 2001 06:49:33 AM EST

Lou's Views: KDE vs. Ximian
Yesterday saw a remarkably nasty spat between the leaders of the two major Linux desktop environments: GNOME and KDE. Even though cooler heads have prevailed and major damage was averted, the Linux community just experienced their own version of the infamous "thirteen days" of the Cuban Missile Crisis. In that spirit of having just dodged a bullet, Lou Grinzo provides everyone concerned with a little free advice from someone who's been through the industry meat grinder a few more times than most of the people on these two projects, not to mention the countless hordes getting riled up about this: Shut up, grow up, and stop fighting each other instead of your common enemies.
Tuesday, February 13, 2001 11:37:35 AM EST

.comment: Freedom's Just Another Word for Do It My Way
Free software, free beer, free source code...there are many interpretations of the word "free" when it comes to Linux, the Free Software movement, and the Open Source world. For Dennis E. Powell, freedom means that the end user has the freedom to make their own decisions -- and that's why he finds the strictures imposed by the Free Software movement to be as morally corrupt as the limits imposed by Microsoft.
Monday, February 12, 2001 12:57:04 PM EST

.comment: The Search for a Truly Great Keyboard
One of Microsoft's shrewdest moves -- and the one that can prove most troubling to Linux users -- is to convince hardware vendors to directly support Windows via Windows-only keys on a keyboard. Keyboards are probably replaced more frequently than any other piece of hardware and serve as your direct connection to the computer, so choosing a keyboard that supports Linux and is pleasing can be a monumental task. Dennis E. Powell reports on his search for the perfect Linux-compatible keyboard.
Wednesday, February 7, 2001 09:32:02 AM EST

.comment: Without a Parachute
When Dennis E. Powell hit the showfloor at the LinuxWorld Expo, he noted the subtle paradoxes that are now prevalent in the Linux world, like the increasing gap between those pushing Linux "solutions" and those scruffy nonprofits who set up tent in the .org pavilion. These paradoxes, he submits, should prove to be a road map to where Linux is headed in 2001.
Sunday, February 4, 2001 11:58:22 AM EST

.comment: The Wit and Wisdom of Linus Torvalds
To a distant observer, operating systems are dead things, little magnetic marks on some spinning gadget that somehow do something that lets you do something, or something like that.. Yet to people who spend vast time with their machines, those who have become imbued with the zen of it all, operating systems have distinct personalities -- reflecting the creators of Linux. And of these unique personalities, none is more interesting than the guy who started it all: Linus Torvalds. Dennis E. Powell wades through the kernel mailing-list archives to bring you the unfiltered Linus Torvalds commenting on a variety of topics: hardware, software, and those philosophical issues that make life interesting.
Wednesday, January 31, 2001 08:10:02 AM EST

Sleeping with the Enemy
Sometimes writing about writing about Linux involves taking a few knives in the back from people you agree with because you didn't agree hard enough. But when Michael Hall ran across a thoughtful discussion of the future of Evolution on a Ximian/GNOME mailing list -- a discussion fueled by an ex-program manager for Microsoft Outlook, no less -- he came to the following realization: the constructive work is happening out of easy reach by any yahoo with a web browser and too much time on his hands, and that makes the yahoos irrelevant.
Friday, January 26, 2001 10:43:45 AM EST

.comment: Strange Alliances in U.S.v. Microsoft
It is awfully tough trying to figure out the motivation for people of widely varied political philosophies taking atypical views in that little lawsuit known as United States v. Microsoft Corporation, argues Dennis E. Powell. So he strips away the rhetoric and to find that there are basically two arguments in the debate -- both coming from the conservative side of the spectrum.
Wednesday, January 24, 2001 09:09:45 AM EST

Editor's Note: Linux in 2001
In the span of 14 months, Linux has gone from a really cool underground technology to the toast of Wall Street to a firmly established player in the enteprise and corporate-computing worlds. What will Linux bring in 2001? Kevin Reichard thinks that Linux will continue its rise as a enabling technology, but that it still faces a lot of challenges as a standalone technology, especially where the desktop is concerned.
Monday, January 22, 2001 04:01:14 PM EST

Ramen and the Danger of Default Linux Configurations
The security field is all aflutter about a worm that takes advantage of well-known security lapses in Red Hat Linux -- lapses that most experienced Linux system administrators addressed back in September 2000. And while the so-called Ramen worm doesn't do a whole lot of damage to Linux systems, it does point out the need for constant awareness to security issues -- beginning with the default configurations offered by most Linux distributions. Kevin Reichard reports.
Thursday, January 18, 2001 02:05:38 PM EST

Editor's Note: Reinventing the Wheel, Openly
If Linux is to succeed as a desktop operating system, it needs to offer more than just high reliability and good security -- it needs to offer compelling applications that attracts users. Kevin Reichard argues that the Open Source community's well-known hostility to commercial software will be the undoing of Linux as a desktop OS, forever consigning Linux to the enterprise/IT server ghetto.
Tuesday, January 16, 2001 03:03:21 PM EST

.comment: So You Think You Want to Use Linux
The conventional wisdom is that Linux is too difficult to learn for beginners or those with more experience with Windows or the Macintosh. Nonsense, says Dennis E. Powell, who lays out a path here for anyone wanting to introduce Linux to a newbie.
Wednesday, January 10, 2001 08:28:58 AM EST

Editor's Note: Linux at the Consumer Electronics Show: MIA
The Consumer Electronics Show is the place to see gadgets of all sorts, ranging from the latest and greatest home-computing devices to the trendiest personal electronics. At last week's CES in Las Vegas, Linux was missing in action -- even Transmeta, which employs Linus Torvalds, used the occasion to promote its laptops running Windows. Kevin Reichard reports.
Monday, January 8, 2001 01:04:24 PM EST

.comment: Be Careful What You Wish For
Recently a writer for the Los Angeles Time proclaimed Linux a failure after a two-week trial of desktop usage. But, as Dennis E. Powell points out, the many benefits to Linux cannot be discerned in a minimal two-week stint.
Friday, January 5, 2001 09:16:28 AM EST

.comment: A Golden Opportunity
The National Security Agency has done something unprecedented in the history of computing: the U.S. government agency has developed a secure version of Linux and given it away to the Linux community for use in future kernel and distribution versions. That the announcement of this gift was met with skepticism in the community highlights one of the biggest flaws in Linux, argues Dennis E. Powell: that those putting together Linux distributions really don't know or care about security, which in turn could squander a golden opportunity to make Linux the operating systen for people who are serious about security.
Wednesday, January 3, 2001 10:36:55 AM EST

From the Desktop: Looking Back From the Next Millennium
Just in from the future: the Linux interface will survive and be the model of all future computing efforts -- at least according to Brian Proffitt.
Thursday, December 28, 2000 09:13:04 AM EST

.comment: Ain't Anti-Aliasing Amazing?
When it comes to handling typefaces and fonts, Linux does an extremely poor job; in fact, its poor handling of fonts is probably one of the biggest reasons why Linux hasn't made more inroads on the desktop. That's why the newsgroups were buzzing with the news that anti-aliasing was now possible on the Linux desktop under KDE 2.0 and XFree86 4.02. But, as Dennis E. Powell reports, he found it virtually impossible to set it up on his Linux desktop -- even after some personal assistance from Keith Packard and Waldo Bastian.
Wednesday, December 27, 2000 07:40:20 AM EST

.comment: Browsing
Welcome back to the browser wars! Surprisingly enough, there's been a ton of development activity surrounding Web browsers in the Linux/Open Source world. In his weekly column, Dennis E. Powell explains why both Konqueror and Opera are fine choices for Linux users--and why he's abandoning Netscape.
Wednesday, December 20, 2000 08:48:24 AM EST

Editor's Note: It's Easy Being Green with Linux
When the Green Institute switches to a Linux server, the news doesn't exactly reverberate through the financial community. But, as Kevin Reichard argues, Linux is changing the computing community--one server at a time.
Monday, December 18, 2000 03:50:26 PM EST

From the Desktop: Fishing for Trout, Catching a Marlin
It's the eternal debate: should Linux be discounted just because it's based on "old" (i.e., UNIX) technology? Brian Proffitt argues otherwise, as he points out that what made the old technology so valuable in the past -- that is, reliability and ease of maintenance -- is what makes Linux so valuable today.
Monday, December 18, 2000 01:29:01 PM EST

Editor's Note: Waiting for the Black Helicopters
Yesterday LinuxWorld ran an extremely irresponsible piece of Microsoft-bashing. Kevin Reichard opines that this sort of writing is bad for the Linux world, as the truth about Open Source and Linux plays much better than ill-informed condemnations of others.
Thursday, December 14, 2000 12:13:57 PM EST

.comment: 86ing XFree?
XFree86 is a terrible, inefficient, arcane tool that's difficult to set up and impossible to manage, argues Dennis E. Powell. So what are the alternatives? There are a slew of them--including some potential replacements for X that reside directly in the Linux kernel.
Wednesday, December 13, 2000 08:31:09 AM EST

Editor's Note: theKompany's Act of Trust
Earlier this week theKompany stepped up to the plate and donated the source code to Kivio, a Visio-like diagramming tool, to the KDE project. Like many others in the Open Source community, he's expecting users to step up and pay for something that they can get for free. Michael Hall explains why people like theKompany's Shawn Gordon are taking a chance on Open Source--and why we need to support them if Open Source is viable as a model for the future.
Friday, December 8, 2000 08:34:40 AM EST

.comment: The Christmas List, or Wantin' Ain't Gettin'
As we approach the holidays, Dennis E. Powell is preparing a list and checking it twice--a wish list of applications and hardware that would benefit the Linux world.
Wednesday, December 6, 2000 10:25:57 AM EST

Editor's Note: Adobe Says No to Free Beer
When Adobe pulled the plug on FrameMaker earlier this week, it clearly had figured out that it couldn't make any money selling expensive, high-end commercial software to a community that lives for Free Beer. The distressing thing, Kevin Reichard argues, is that the community doesn't realize that the constant clamoring for Free Beer and the disdain for commercial vendors could lead to the eventual demise of Linux.
Thursday, November 30, 2000 04:33:32 PM EST

.comment: Making Money on Free Software?
The stock market has not treated Linux stocks kindly: after soaring early, Red Hat Software and VA Linux now have market capitalizations that are more in line with the rest of the computer industry. But the more important question is asked by Dennis E. Powell: whether pure Linux plays have a successful formula to be profitable in either the short term or the long term--and what this means for the entire Linux community.
Wednesday, November 29, 2000 08:37:26 AM EST

Editor's Note: It's Time to Break Up the Linux Monopoly!
OK, so Kevin Reichard may be facetious here: Linux isn't close to establishing a monopoly, although it's clear that Linux is becoming a such a serious player in the server field that it threatens to seize some meaningful revenue from Microsoft. But he is serious about breaking up Linux--and here's why.
Monday, November 27, 2000 05:10:59 PM EST

.comment: British Beer, American Politics, and glibc-2.2
What do Tetley's, south Florida, and Linux have in common? Quite a bit, as Dennis E. Powell discovers this holiday season. He begins with a simple task--update his system so it's optimized for the K6-2 processor--but runs into a score of problems, including C compilers that don't exist and libraries that can't be found, with no road map to show the way. Worst of all, he emerges from the character-building journey to find that we still haven't elected a president and that there are widgets floating in his beer.
Tuesday, November 21, 2000 02:50:03 PM EST

.comment: Weaseling a Good Idea
When rumors of a KDE League first surfaced, the possibility that KDE supporters were forming an opposition group to the GNOME Foundation were soundly denied by KDE officials. Now, as it turns out, there was a KDE League in the works. Dennis E. Powell explains why the emergence of the KDE League is a bittersweet moment for Linux.
Wednesday, November 15, 2000 03:34:37 AM EST

Editor's Note: Windows 2000 Fails to Derail Linux
Most analysts assumed that the release of Windows 2000 would cause serious problems for Linux, potentially cutting into the installed base of Linux users. But as a new study by WebSideStory's StatMarket shows, Windows 2000 appears to have achieved growth not by stealing Linux users, but by cannibalizing other Microsoft operating systems.
Monday, November 13, 2000 04:04:07 PM EST

.comment: Big Brother's Cookies
If you're nervous at all about cookies, privacy, and the U.S. Government, take note of this: in a report done by the General Accounting Office, out of 65 surveyed government websites, 11 of them put cookies on your hard drive--seven without disclosure, and three sending their results to undisclosed third parties. The agency did not, for some reason, include the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency in its survey. Dennis E. Powell explains what you can do to preserve your privacy.
Monday, November 6, 2000 01:03:53 PM EST

Editor's Note: The Perils of Irresponsible Advocacy
These are heady times for Linux on the desktop, what with the release of KDE 2.0 and the ongoing development of GNOME and Nautilus. But, as Michael Hall points out, Linux has a ways to go before it can be considered the equal of Windows or the Mac on the desktop--and those who argue otherwise are guilty of irresponsible advocacy.
Friday, October 27, 2000 07:43:22 AM EST

From the Desktop: E Stands For Education
Schools around the world suffer from the same problem: low budgets and high expectations. To counter the problem of low budgets, our intrepid correspondent actually did something about it: he volunteered at his local school and started pushing the use of Linux for students. Linux wasn't the perfect choice for school, as Brian Proffitt discovers, and he shares some advice with the Linux community about what's needed to make Linux a serious contender in education.
Tuesday, October 24, 2000 06:12:22 AM EST

Editor's Note: Complexity and the Open Source Model
Are there are an unusually high number of Open Source projects that are delayed? It seems so, with the computing world breathlessly awaiting the release of Linux 2.4 kernel and Apache 2.0. But if these delays don't raise any concerns within the Open Source community, they might in the larger computing world--and, as Kevin Reichard warns, if Open Source gets a reputation for fostering out-of-control, often-delayed projects, then its momentum will soon dissipate.
Monday, October 23, 2000 01:33:28 AM EST

Editor's Note: Where Doesn't Tux Want to Go Today--Linux in the Service of the Monopoly-Minded
Will AOL use Linux's open architecture against it? That seems to be the case with the AOL-TV settop box being developed using embedded Linux and a Transmeta processor. By pushing a closed box and potentially acting in an anti-competive manner, AOL is subverting everything Linux stands for, writes Michael Hall.
Thursday, October 19, 2000 11:34:24 AM EST

.comment: TechnoPolitics
Politics may indeed make strange bedfellows, as Dennis E. Powell discovered when he took a look online to see which tech luminaries gave what to whom. Anyone who follows politics wouldn't be surprised that Larry Ellison and Bill Gates gave a lot of money to the same candidates and causes--and that Linux is totally unrepresented in the Americal political process.
Wednesday, October 18, 2000 09:20:36 AM EST

Editor's Note: Stick a Fork in It?
Last week there were some in the Linux community that were alarmed by a code fork in the Samba project, which raised the larger issue of forking in the Linux world and its potential impact on future code development. But, as Kevin Reichard points out, code forking already exists in most important Linux initiatives, including the kernel--and that most of the time the forking leads to a stronger product.
Monday, October 16, 2000 07:39:31 AM EST

.comment: The Price of the Bleeding
Did Red Hat rush out a version of Red Hat Linux that wasn't ready, or did it perform a public service by staying on the cutting edge of software releases? Dennis E. Powell looks at the issue from both sides and concludes that while the cutting edge may be a fun place to be, that same cutting edge can deeply wound you.
Wednesday, October 11, 2000 07:00:00 AM EST

Editor's Note: Turning the Town Red
When Microsoft invested in Corel, the immediate speculation was that the future of Wine was in doubt. (For the uninitiated, Wine is technology that lets Windows applications run under Linux.) But, as Kevin Reichard finds out after talking to CodeWeavers' Jeremy White, the future of Wine is rosier than you might think--just not in the form you might expect.
Monday, October 9, 2000 02:09:53 PM EST

Editor's Note: Red Hat's Michael Tiemann rebuts C|Net article
Red Hat's Michael Tiemann made headlines yesterday when he was quoted in C|Net as telling an investor conference that Red Hat started "the open-source revolution"--leading to deafening howls from the Linux community. But after Michael Hall took the time to chat with Tiemann, we found out what Tiemann meant by that statement--and why he is absolutely correct in making it.
Thursday, October 5, 2000 12:16:40 PM EST

.comment: Are We Asking for It?
It all began innocently enough: phantom images appeared on the screen, even though there was no Web browser running on the Linux box. And although the images ended up being legit--the result of an application grabbing files in the background--it led Dennis E. Powell to conclude: Much of the reason that Linux is relatively invulnerable is that nobody has gotten around to writing the software yet that will make it vulnerable.
Wednesday, October 4, 2000 11:38:39 AM EST

.comment: Microsoft and Corel--Not Good News
So what does Microsoft really want from Corel? If Microsoft's past behavior is any indication, writes Dennis E. Powell, Microsoft wants one simple thing: a monopoly on key tools for computer users, like an office suite and an Internet browser.
Tuesday, October 3, 2000 10:34:06 AM EST

Editor's Note: Tech Triangulation and Linux
We all know that tech support can be a little spotty when it comes to outside organizations--like the telcos--and Linux. But as Michael Hall reports, sometimes tech support for Linux can be downright hellish and inaccurate.
Thursday, September 28, 2000 12:09:27 PM EST

Editor's Note: Couldn't Call It Unexpected
It's come to this: the "usability" experts are advising that folks avoid Linux because it's too difficult to use (i.e., it doesn't work exactly like Windows or the Mac). But, as Kevin Reichard points out, usability is relative, and what's easy to use for one person is difficult and bizarre for another.
Monday, September 25, 2000 02:48:01 PM EST

Editor's Note: Xi Graphics Is Here to Save You from Free Software
Who needs free software like KDE and GNOME when you can adopt CDE from Xi? Michael Hall admires the horrors that arise from trying to bring you yesterday's desktop in today's Linux.
Thursday, September 21, 2000 11:15:10 AM EST

.comment: Savor the Unmarketed Moment
Linux is a much more commercial entity than it was six months ago. And as Linux grows up, it will be come even more marketable. In fact, writes Dennis E. Powell, it would be a good idea to enjoy the relatively young Linux field now before the real marketing barrage starts.
Wednesday, September 20, 2000 12:10:00 PM EST

Editor's Note: On RMS
Agree or disagree with him, Richard Stallman certainly brings out strong emotions within members of the Open Source/Free Software communities--which, as Kevin Reichard opines, is a shame, because RMS is a truly original thinker, and his voice should be heard by all who care about Linux.
Monday, September 18, 2000 04:16:38 PM EST

Editor's Note: Serial (Software) Monogamy
The rapid change in the Open Source/Free Software communities means that users have an unprecendented amount of choices when it comes to desktop environments, applications, and window managers. Michael Hall points out that sometimes some feel there's too much change and that some worthy applications--like Balsa and AbiWord--get lost in the dust. But he wouldn't have it any other way.
Friday, September 15, 2000 08:28:59 AM EST

Editor's Note: KDE to be Part of Debian GNU/Linux
With all of the recent furor surrounding the release of Qt under the GPL license, Debian users were wondering: how would the controversy affect the inclusion of KDE in a future release of Debian's GNU/Linux? Michael Hall answes this question after interviewing Wichert Akkerman, current project leader for Debian, and Ivan Moore II, who heads up the (until now) unofficial effort to package KDE for Debian.
Thursday, September 7, 2000 11:15:07 AM EST

.comment: Peace in Our Time?
What a week! First Qt/Free goes GPL, and then RMS warns that it's still illegal. However, that feeling is not shared by all in the Free Software/Open Source world, as Dennis E. Powell finds out during extensive interviews with Helix Code's Nat Friedman and Miguel de Icaza, who both spoke of KDE and Qt licensing issues in largely conciliatory tones.
Wednesday, September 6, 2000 08:40:37 AM EST

Future Linux Game Evaluation -- 2000
In his yearly review of Linux games that will never see the light of day, Paul Ferris poses a set of questions that only he can answer. Can the My-Crow-Softies protect the fortress? Can users whack enough executives? Can you simulate a successful open source company? Can Ferris cram as many puns as possible into one article?
Saturday, September 2, 2000 12:37:33 PM EST

Editor's Note: It's Raining Hardware in Portland
Dell, SGI, IBM, Hewlett Packard, and NEC have announced plans to fund the Open Source Development Lab in Portland, Oregon, putting up millions to back their claims that they see a place for Linux in the realm of "serious" computing. What does this mean for the average Linux user? Quite a lot, as LinuxPlanet assistant editor Michael Hall explains.
Thursday, August 31, 2000 02:21:26 PM EST

.comment: Disco Night at the Old Folks' Home
The battle for the Linux desktop isn't new--in many ways the battle between KDE and GNOME closely resembles what was going on 11 years ago on the UNIX desktop, when a young upstart named Microsoft (!) was trying to dictate the look and feel of an emerging UNIX desktop to a reluctant IBM. Dennis E. Powell looks back and tells what we should learn today from the prior desktop wars.
Wednesday, August 30, 2000 08:28:12 AM EST

Peace and Bread in Time of War: GNOME Defended
Let's just take a step back and look at exactly what is entailed in the KDE vs. GNOME war: a lot of smoke and mirrors, but little substance. Michael Hall explains why there's not really a war being waged.
Monday, August 28, 2000 12:51:36 PM EST

From the Desktop: It's a Users' World
GNOME, KDE...who really cares right now? Brian Proffitt argues that it's way to early to decide between the two competing Linux desktops, because in the end the users are going to figure out what they want and someone's going to give it to them.
Friday, August 25, 2000 06:39:44 AM EST

.comment: Heigh-Ho, Heigh-Ho, It's Off to War We Go
No one likes a religious war, especially one where the participants share a common goal. Yet we appear to be poised for a fight between KDE and GNOME advocates for the Linux desktop. Dennis E. Powell outlines the strategies that each side will use in the desktop battle.
Wednesday, August 23, 2000 09:39:16 AM EST

Editor's Note: Conned by the Gnomes
One of the best things about Linux is that it's a relatively open meritocracy, where the best ideas can succeed. But the recent decision by some industry heavyweights to form a single "standard" desktop has the potential to stifle innovation and limit the choices available to Linux users. Kevin Reichard opines. New: Richard Stallman responds to the issues raised by the creation of the GNOME Foundation.
Thursday, August 17, 2000 10:18:01 AM EST

.comment: Can Linux Grow Up?
It should have been a simple task: find a file somewhere in the Linux filesystem. But after spending some time poking around in it, Dennis E. Powell comes to a logical conclusion: that at a basic level Linux and its accompanying components are a real mess, and there needs to be some oversight of how Linux is organized and what it contains at a basic level.
Wednesday, August 16, 2000 11:48:22 AM EST

Dell and Linux: A Shotgun Wedding?
During his keynote speech at this week's LinuxWorld Expo, Michael Dell seemed to be throwing more support to Linux. But, as Paul Ferris points out, the move doesn't necessarily mean that there's any great love of Linux at Dell, but rather that it's a case of the marketplace snapping its fingers and Dell reacting.
Tuesday, August 15, 2000 04:14:41 PM EST

Editor's Note: Slashing My Wrists on the Cutting Edge
It should be a simple task: installing Linux on industry-standard, yet cutting-edge laptops. But it's not, as evidenced by editor Kevin Reichard's trials and tribulations in getting X to run on a newer Sony Vaio laptop.
Tuesday, August 15, 2000 01:02:35 AM EST

.comment: Working Today Trumps High-Powered Vapor
The KDE developers mailing list has been abuzz over an article in The New York Times saying that on Thursday IBM, Sun Microsystems, and others will throw their support behind Gnome as the standard Linux desktop. But, as Dennis E. Powell points out, this isn't a setback for KDE developers--it's an opportunity.
Monday, August 14, 2000 09:04:31 PM EST

.comment: Help Comes From Unexpected Places
It should have been simple: throw a new graphics card in a Linux system and be dazzled by the shiny new images. But, as Dennis E. Powell relates, nothing is ever quite so simple--and the end result was a journey that taught him more both about Linux and the vast number of helpful Linux users than he thought possible.
Wednesday, August 9, 2000 08:49:21 AM EST

Editor's Note: Brilliant Disguise
Sun's decision to release StarOffice under the GPL was a brilliant move: it provides a powerful and proven tool to the Open Source community while putting Microsoft on the defensive. Kevin Reichard opines.
Monday, August 7, 2000 12:34:58 PM EST

Editor's Note: Why Are We Defending Napster?
Why are we in the Open Source community defending Napster? After all, everything Napster stands for is anathema to the Open Source philosophy. Maybe it's because Napster appeals to the dark side in all of us: free music! Kevin Reichard opines.
Thursday, July 27, 2000 12:53:03 PM EST

.comment: Putting KDE in Its Place
One of the best things about Linux is that it's a product of consensus within the community--a community that sometimes has differing agendas. What happens when that consensus dissipates? Dennis E. Powell explains how a large Linux vendor--Red Hat--is wreaking havoc with file placements in KDE 2, the end result being a more complicated and harder-to-maintain installation for most users.
Wednesday, July 26, 2000 08:15:51 AM EST

Editor's Note: Industry vs. Movement
Is the Linux world shrinking or expanding with the merger of Caldera and SCO? Both, says Kevin Reichard, who says that such consolidation is a natural part of a maturing industry.
Monday, July 24, 2000 08:47:12 AM EST

Don't Get Bitten by an ASP
Everyone--including some major players in the Linux world--is rushing to embrace Application Service Providers (ASPs) as the model of modern computing. But, as Lou Grinzo warns, ASPs have some inherent flaws that you should note before committing your sensitive data to a third party.
Thursday, July 20, 2000 11:56:34 AM EST

.comment: Service Security -- Where Is It?
When most users install Linux right out of the box, they unknowingly launch a system that is riddled with security holes. Dennis E. Powell asks why distribution manufacturers don't configure Linux to be more secure from the get-go.
Wednesday, July 19, 2000 11:46:00 AM EST

Editor's Note: A Little Coopertition Never Hurt Anyone
Everyday it seems that another new Linux distribution is announced on Linux Today. But are we getting to the point to where there are too many Linux distributions on the market? No, says Kevin Reichard, who argue that the more distributions the better it is for the future of Linux.
Thursday, July 13, 2000 04:19:20 PM EST

.comment: Guys Named Stephan and Matthias
Two years ago the Linux world changed forever with the release of KDE 1.0. Dennis E. Powell looks back on what's happened with Linux desktop interfaces in those two years and what we can expect from the KDE designers in the future.
Wednesday, July 12, 2000 08:14:34 AM EST

Deep Dark Truthful Mirror
As Linux continues to grow in popularity, its most ardent fans must begin to acknowledge the inevitable: that Linux moust coexist in a world that doesn't always play by the rules. In this op-ed, Lou Grinzo points out five truths that Linux fans must face.
Friday, July 7, 2000 08:53:05 AM EST

.comment: Luddite Linux
You can't have an iconoclast without an icon. So argues Dennis E. Powell when looking at the graphical interfaces that are becoming an essential part of Linux--GUIs that are not as intuitive as we all would believe.
Wednesday, July 5, 2000 09:08:07 AM EST

Editor's Note: Microsoft Supports Linux! (Sort Of)
There's one important detail lost in the shuffle when Microsoft announced Microsoft.Net: that the software giant is moving its apps to the Web, loosening their dependence on Windows. And what's the best platform for running Web applications? Linux, of course. Kevin Reichard ruminates on Microsoft's back-handed endorsement of Linux.
Friday, June 30, 2000 12:24:46 PM EST

Rant Mode Equals One: I'm a Consumer and I've Been Harmed
One of the cornerstone's of Microsoft's defense against antitrust allegations is that consumers were not harmed by the firm's predatory actions. But as Paul Ferris points out, consumers have indeed been harmed in a number of ways.
Friday, June 23, 2000 11:23:04 AM EST

Editor's Note: The Importance of Open File Formats, Redux
The responses to Kevin Reichard's plea for open file formats was overwhelmingly positive--and included in that chorus of voices was Vistasource President Bernie Thompson, who told of his company's commitment to open file formats in Applixware Office for Linux.
Thursday, June 22, 2000 04:13:49 PM EST

Intel's Dot.station: Why the DOJ Was Right
Intel announced plans for a Linux-based Web appliance, and immediately the product was dissed by analysts who said that it could never compete effectively with PCs. But Paul Ferris argues that the Dot.station will be a cost-effective altertative to Windows PCs--and shows why Intel's actions prove that the DOJ was correct in going after Microsoft.
Thursday, June 22, 2000 12:10:14 PM EST

Editor's Note: Action, not Reaction
When a potentially fatal flaw was found in Linux kernels last week, the Linux community responded immediately by shipping out patched kernels and new sendmail configurations. Compare that to the Microsoft heel-dragging that occurs when a problem occurs with Windows, and you have yet another reason why the Open Source model is superior. Kevin Reichard explains.
Monday, June 12, 2000 07:17:26 AM EST

Editor's Note: Climb on the Clueless Train
Imagine our surprise when we opened up our daily newspaper to find out that its meager coverage of Linux centered on the "lateness" of Linux kernel 2.4, rather than any news on how our favorite operating system is growing in popularity. Yet Another Clueless Journalist at work. Kevin Reichard opines.
Monday, June 5, 2000 03:54:52 PM EST

Editor's Note: Crazy Like a Fox?
Is Bill Gates and crew crazy like a fox in protesting too much against the government's plan to split Microsoft in two? Under this plan, the only beneficiaries would be Microsoft stockholders--and the losers would be the millions of Linux users who pine for a level playing field. Kevin Reichard opines.
Friday, May 26, 2000 12:31:23 PM EST

Editor's Note: Adding Color to the Oleo
Linux continues to be a larger presence in the retail world, as retailers are now selling Linux systems--including some interesting configurations that seem designed to sidestep Microsoft contracts. Kevin Reichard opines.
Thursday, May 25, 2000 01:33:31 PM EST

Rant Mode Equals One: Next Generation Windows Services Fun!
Not willing to cede any legitamacy to the U.S. court system, Microsoft is now formulating a plan that would put the entire Internet under the guide of--surprise!--Windows. Paul Ferris tears apart Microsoft's Next Generation Windows Service and explains why it would be a Very Bad Thing for the computing world.
Tuesday, May 23, 2000 03:54:13 PM EST

Editor's Note: Colleagues, Not Competitors
When a public-relations agency came looking information on the Linux space to determine who was important and who wasn't important, our editor got to thinking about the lack of rigid hierarchies in the Linux space--and why that made Linux so unique in a too-competitive world. Kevin Reichard opines.
Saturday, May 20, 2000 01:20:44 PM EST

Alas, Poor OS/2; I Knew it, Horatio
In a curiously muted statement this week, IBM announced that development on the desktop and server editions of OS/2 will end in 2001. For many Linux users, the demise takes away an operating system that proved that life is possible without Microsoft and Windows. Dennis E. Powell presents an appropriate obituary for OS/2 from the Linux perspective.
Saturday, May 20, 2000 11:53:38 AM EST

Rant Mode Equals One: M$ Losing Ugly on Kerberos
What are the lessons to be learned when Microsoft goes after Slashdot--and, by extension, the entire Open Source community--for allegedly publishing "trade secrets" regarding its nasty extension to Kerberos? That Microsoft didn't learn anything from Judge Jackson and that it is willing to go to extreme lengths to embrace and extend. Paul Ferris opines.
Friday, May 19, 2000 12:46:51 PM EST

Editor's Note: On the Failed Corel-Inprise Merger
Linux fans shouldn't read more into the failed Corel-Inprise merger than is there. Corporate mergers regularly fall through, and both companies have a history of rebounding when dealing with difficult circumstances. Kevin Reichard opines.
Thursday, May 18, 2000 03:50:25 PM EST

The Disease Proprietary, Part I
The first step in fighting a disease is defining and naming it. In this article, Paul Ferris identifies the disease that threatens the computer world--as promulgated by Microsoft--and explains why it's important to fight for Free Software.
Friday, May 12, 2000 11:30:08 AM EST

Editor's Note: Casualties of the New Linux Economy
It seems like all the business news in the Linux world has been bad lately--and we add to the bad-news queue with some information about the demise of GNUPC.COM, which filled a unique niche in the Linux landscape. Kevin Reichard explains why the company--and its affable leader--will be missed.
Thursday, May 11, 2000 01:12:35 PM EST

The Real Lessons of ILOVEYOU
Yes, it was easy enough to bash Microsoft when a rogue Visual Basic script took down a good portion of the world's personal computers. But Dennis E. Powell points out that the real lessons that we should glean from this fiasco are basic in nature: that in general our PCs are not as secure as they should be--and that goes for the average Linux user as well.
Tuesday, May 9, 2000 01:02:52 PM EST

Rant Mode Equals One: Just Say No, Bill
Despite a guilty verdict and a virus that crippled a good share of the world's PCs--thanks mostly to Microsoft's poor approach to security--Bill Gates argues that the government shouldn't break up Microsoft, because the only thing standing between the world and other more dangerous viruses is...Microsoft! Paul Ferris opines on Gates' latest publicity faux pas.
Monday, May 8, 2000 12:14:00 PM EST

Editor's Note: More FUD From Microsoft
No one expects trade shows to be nothing less than pep rallies for the faithful, but no one bothered to tell this to PC World, which breathlessly repeated all the FUD coming from Microsoft after a recent Windows hardware conference. Articles like this is why the Linux faithful must remain diligent. Kevin Reichard cuts through the FUD.
Sunday, May 7, 2000 10:09:45 AM EST

Editor's Note: On Linuxcare
Yesterday Linuxcare announced substantial staff layoffs and a withdrawal of its IPO. At one time, Linuxcare was considered to be one of the best bets for commercial success in the Linux world. So what went wrong? The firm decided to stay in the cathedral and ignored the rules of the bazaar. Kevin Reichard opines.
Thursday, May 4, 2000 09:06:08 AM EST

Editor's Note: All This Useless Beauty
We can't help but respond to one of the sillier criticisms of Open Source ever published: that Open Source is a failure because it lacks finished products. Yeah, like Apache and PHP don't exist. Kevin Reichard responds to the latest FUD from ZDNet.
Monday, May 1, 2000 04:22:32 PM EST

Editor's Note: The Devil You Know
We usually don't agree with Chairman Bill on much, but one thing is clear: the world of Linux would not be served by breaking Microsoft into two separate companies. Kevin Reichard explains why it's best to stick with the devil you know.
Thursday, April 27, 2000 03:50:31 PM EST

Editor's Note: Think Tanks in the Age of Linux
Last week Paul Allen pulled the plug on Interval Research, his high-profile think tank. Why is this important to Linux observers? Because the rules about how important computing tools are created have changed, and the closed environment wrought by an Interval Research looks stodgy when compared to the excitement of the Open Source process. Kevin Reichard opines.
Monday, April 24, 2000 12:15:52 AM EST

Editor's Note: Attending Linux Business Expo
Penguinistas love to gather at trade shows, and the latest was the Linux Business Expo held in conjunction with Spring COMDEX and Windows World. Maybe it was the bad karma put out by Microsoft, but this spring's LBE didn't have the excitement of past Linux shows. Kevin Reichard reports.
Thursday, April 20, 2000 03:38:16 PM EST

Editor's Note: Walking with the Giants
In a recent market-research report covering Linux server sales, many surprises were unveiled--including the size of the market (larger than expected and growing) and who led the market. Kevin Reichard explains why this study proves that Linux is growing up and impacting the world.
Thursday, April 13, 2000 03:30:21 PM EST

Underground Linux: More than Just the Web
When people think of Linux, they tend to equate it with the Web. But there's more to Linux than the World Wide Web, says Jay Fink.
Wednesday, April 12, 2000 03:54:31 PM EST

Editor's Note: Losing a Battle, Winning the War
Today Linuxcare announced plans to shelve its IPO, while Intel makes a further commitment to Open Source with the release of key security technologies for Linux. Are we losing some battles yet winning the war?
Monday, April 10, 2000 10:55:03 AM EST

Editor's Note: Funding the Open Source Developer
There's always been a prominent tension in the Open Source world: how to encourage creativity from developers while also making sure that they are financially rewarded for their efforts. The Option Source project from Merlin Software Technologies is a promising attempt to address the problem. Kevin Reichard opines.
Thursday, April 6, 2000 01:15:47 PM EST

Editor's Note: Microsoft Guilty as Charged
No surprise: Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson finds Microsoft Corp. guilty of antitrust violations. What does this mean for the Linux world? Long term, it means a world without a monarchy called Microsoft.
Monday, April 3, 2000 05:43:26 PM EST

Editor's Note: Spring is in the Air
Spring is in the air, which means that baseball shortly follows. Still, the Linux world is so exciting that our intrepid editor--a staunch baseball fan--is more excited by the prospects of Linux in 2000 than in Cracker Jacks and box seats at Wrigley Field.
Thursday, March 30, 2000 12:41:59 PM EST

Editor's Note: Open Source Beyond Computing
Open Source is changing computing, but can it create change outside of the computing community? Charles Crystle thinks so, and he's willing to put his own money on the line to prove it. Meet the founder of Chili!Soft, who is eschewing the corporate world in favor of a more enlightened path.
Thursday, March 23, 2000 04:52:43 PM EST

Editor's Note: The Smaller the Cage...
SCO and Sun--who traditionally have not been all that supportive of Linux and open source--took steps recently to upgrade that support. Yet many in the open-source world are decrying these actions. Kevin Reichard opines on how the real penguinistas should view these attempts to enter open sourcedom.
Thursday, March 16, 2000 03:27:29 PM EST

Rant Mode Equals One: Shhh--We're Winning
Fresh from attending ApacheCon, Paul Ferris reflects on how the Open Source movement is changing how users approach their software acquisitions, as well as how Apache has succeeded in the marketplace.
Sunday, March 12, 2000 10:53:19 AM EST

Editor's Note: Microsoft's Potemkin Village
Criticism of Linux usually centers around the lack of applications when compared to the wide variety of available Windows applications. Yet Microsoft unveils Windows 2000 and can only come up with 21--that's right, 21--applications certified to work under W2K. Potemkin Village or Hooverville? You decide.
Wednesday, March 1, 2000 11:44:46 PM EST

Rant Mode Equals One: The Numbers Don't Add Up
Last week an economist estimated that the costs of breaking up Microsoft would approach 30 billion dollars. Is this a realistic estimate, or are some funny numbers being thrown around? Paul Ferris opines on the real cost of breaking up Microsoft.
Sunday, February 27, 2000 01:46:50 PM EST

Editor's Note: 63,000 Bugs and Counting
Today's the release date for Windows 2000 Professional, and the world's reaction is a collective yawn. Did we win the war and not even realize it?
Thursday, February 17, 2000 12:22:49 PM EST

Rant Mode Equals One: The Mighty Fine (Command) Line
Criticism of Linux tends to be monotonous: it's harder to use because it relies on a command line, beginners won't use anything without a graphical interface, blah, blah, blah. Paul Ferris reveals why these critics are all full of hot air.
Tuesday, February 15, 2000 11:04:51 AM EST

Editor's Note: IBM Takes the Lead in Java for Linux
While Sun was playing politics with Java on Linux, IBM quietly took control of the situation with the release of a great JVM and the Jikes compiler. Scott Hebner, IBM's director for e-business technology marketing, discusses how committed IBM is to Linux and Java.
Thursday, February 10, 2000 01:02:07 PM EST

Editor's Note: Linux in the Jobs Market
How to measure Linux's acceptance in the marketplace? By taking a look at the want ads.
Wednesday, January 12, 2000 03:38:10 PM EST

Editor's Note: Open Source Über Alles!
If open-source advocates have their way, governments around the world would ban the use of commercial software in publicly funded projects in favor of open-source technologies—and the open-source advocates are willing to lobby for this cause. Has the open-source movement become an unwitting pawn of politicos with larger agendas, or is this simply a stupid idea?
Wednesday, January 5, 2000 01:53:33 AM EST

Editor's Note: Microsoft is Scared of the Penguinistas!
In a weirdly phrased technical posting, Microsoft insinuates—but doesn't come right out and say—that if you want to run the upcoming Windows 2000, you'll need to delete Linux from your PC. Is Microsoft frightened by the army of penguinistas? More so than of a sea of lawyers, apparently!
Wednesday, December 22, 1999 02:28:45 PM EST

Editor's Note: Linux Amongst the Masses
Linux has dominated the technology news lately. But has the right message trickled down to the masses? We find out when waiting in line at CompUSA.
Monday, December 13, 1999 12:40:54 PM EST

Editor's Note: Money Changes Everything
This week, the real Linux news wasn't about exciting new technology that is going to change the world--it was about how Linux companies made a splash on Wall Street by going public. But will this help or hurt Linux in the long run?
Friday, December 10, 1999 02:39:53 PM EST

Biff Gates
Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson's conclusions about Microsoft's bullying business practices shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone in the Linux community.
Monday, November 8, 1999 12:27:44 AM EST

Why Sun should GPL StarOffice
Zach Frey examines the licensing issues surrounding the popular Staroffice program and argues that it should be released under the GNU Public License
Thursday, October 14, 1999 06:41:20 AM EST

Linux: My Getaway Vacation
Jeff takes us through his opinion of Linux, and why he considers it his getaway vacation--which makes for some pretty interesting analogies and reading.
Saturday, May 29, 1999 01:36:47 PM EST

Previews

Slouching Toward Galeon 1.0
GNOME had a significant presence at this year's LinuxWorld Expo in New York City. In this inaugural GNOME column, Michael Hall interviews a slew of GNOME luminaries (including Eazel's Don Melton and Ximian's Ian Peters, Joe Shaw, and Vladimir Vukicevic) and previews the Galeon Web browser, which is rapidly approaching a 1.0 release.
Friday, February 2, 2001 08:24:57 AM EST

DistributionWatch Review: Progeny Linux beta 2
Another major player in the Linux world enters the world of services, as Progeny Linux Systems -- headed by Debian's Ian Murdock -- builds a new model for Linux in businesses in the form of Linux NOW (Network of Workstations). Michael Hall reviews beta 2 of Progeny Linux, which is based on Debian GNU/Linux, and interviews Murdock on Linux NOW and why it will be important in the future.
Wednesday, January 24, 2001 01:59:54 PM EST

VMware Makes Move for Server with Two New Products
VMware is bringing its multiple-OS technology to the server field with two new products designed for corporate servers, ISPs, and the enterprise. With them, corporate managers will be able to run multiple operating systems--like Linux and Windows 2000--simultaneously on one Intel-based server.
Kevin Reichard reports.
Tuesday, December 5, 2000 06:24:06 AM EST

.comment: KOffice Is A Good Start
With the release of KDE 2 came a significant upgrade to KOffice, a set of integrated applications (word processor, spreadsheet, et al). But, as Dennis E. Powell reports in his review, KOffice is still a work in progress--and while it holds a ton of potential, it's still a rough jewel that needs a lot of work before it's ready for daily usage by average Linux users.
Monday, October 30, 2000 07:46:18 AM EST

.comment: Visiting the Kernel
Yes, we know the mainsteam press has taking the Linux community to task for taking so long in coming out with Linux kernel version 2.4. But, as Dennis E. Powell reports, you will love kernel 2.4 whenever it's released in a final version--and chances are pretty good that you'll decide that time spent refining the kernel was well-spent.
Wednesday, September 13, 2000 05:00:00 AM EST

Red Hat Linux 7: A Brief Look Under the Hat
Itching for a sneak peek of Red Hat Linux 7? You're in for a treat, as we bring you an exclusive look at the next version of this popular Linux distribution.
Tuesday, August 15, 2000 02:34:57 PM EST

Sneak Preview: Corel Linux OS Second Edition
Corel is planning a full release of Corel Linux OS Second Edition next week at LinuxWorld Expo, but you don't need to wait until then to see what Corel plans. Michael Hall provides a hands-on preview of this leading Linux distribution.
Monday, August 7, 2000 08:15:01 AM EST

You Say You Want an Evolution
The next contender for heavyweight among Linux applications--and the one that will be needed the most by Windows users deserting that platform--is Evolution, the Outlook-style mail/calendar program current under development by Miguel de Icaza's Helix Code. Michael Hall previews Evolution.
Friday, June 30, 2000 08:45:16 AM EST

Product Review: FrameMaker 5.5.6 for Linux
More and more established software vendors are bringing their wares to Linux. One of the highest-profile applications on the move is Adobe FrameMaker, a robust desktop-publishing system. Brian Proffitt reviews the public beta of Adobe FrameMaker 5.5.6 and explains why its presence is important for Linux.
Monday, May 8, 2000 09:47:20 AM EST

Reports

Reflections on Open Source Commerce, Part 1
It has been more than two years since the Yin and Yang article was published on LinuxPlanet. Now, open source expert and author John Terpstra revisits the state of the Linux desktop and server in today's market and highlights the challenges Linux faces to succeed.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008 09:58:56 AM EST

Desktop Linux--What Happened, And What Didn't, In 2006
Mozilla, Adobe, and Novell made some major news in desktop Linux this year, and smaller developers introduced interesting innovations. But on the whole, 2006 was just about as memorable for what didn't happen on the Linux desktop as what did happen, with interoperability issues of various sorts playing big roles on both sides of that stage.
Tuesday, December 26, 2006 12:57:05 PM EST

FSG Launches Tools, LSB Developers Network With Linux Apps in Mind
To help spur the creation of a lot more applications for Linux, the Free Standards Group and technical publishing firm O'Reilly Media have launched the Linux Standard Base Developer Network (LDN), a developer's network loosely modeled after the Microsoft Developer Network.
Monday, October 23, 2006 03:34:52 PM EST

Finding the Open Source Tipping Point
When open source developers gather on a panel to discuss whether "all software will go open source," you can expect the sentiment to tip that way, only with lots of arguments. A recent AlwaysOn Innovation Summit planel explored this very question and others.
Thursday, August 3, 2006 10:42:49 AM EST

Embedded Linux--Rising or Falling in Consumer Devices?
Is the use of embedded Linux rising upward or dwindling downward? Some recent research tends to point in one direction, and some in the other. So to shed just a little more light on this question, Jacqueline Emigh tries a different litmus tests.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006 10:40:01 AM EST

Open Source a Judgment Standard
Open Source is changing the way that