News (60)

Ubuntu gets user interface team

Canonical, the leading backer of the Ubuntu version of Linux, this week said it would hire a team to help make open source software on the desktop more appealing and easier to use. Read more »

Intel acquires Linux mobile developers for Atom

Intel Corporation has acquired OpenedHand, a London-based company which specialises in mobile Linux development and services. Read more »

Developers respond to KDE 4 backlash

Developers of the open source KDE desktop environment have responded to the ongoing controversy around their handling of the transition from KDE 3 to the current generation of the system, KDE 4, which began with the release of KDE 4.0 in January. Read more »

The GNOME Foundation appoints new executive director

The GNOME Foundation has hired Stormy Peters as executive director to work on strengthening the organisation by drawing in new industry members and contributors. Read more »

Ubuntu creator wants to squash 'upstream' bugs

The founder of the Ubuntu open-source operating system, Mark Shuttleworth, has called for Ubuntu developers to fix all software flaws found in the operating system, including, crucially, those in inherited source code. Read more »

OpenSuse unwraps Version 11

Version 11 of the OpenSuse Linux distribution was made available on Thursday. Read more »

Canonical touts app launcher for 'netbooks'

The founder of the Ubuntu project has given details of a new application launcher for a version of the operating system designed to run on the new generation of small laptops, such as the Asus Eee PC. Read more »

Novell finalises OpenSuse 11

Novell has released the last public version of OpenSuse 11.0 for testing -- but significant problems still need to be ironed out before the software's final release later this month. Read more »

Open source fans offer differing views of MS move

Open source developers and users have always been a sceptical group, but their opinions can shift — for example, their loathing of Sun Microsystems diminished as Sun stopped attacking Linux and started moving towards open source software. Read more »

Update released for Gnome Linux desktop

The Gnome project has released the first test version of the Gnome 2.22 desktop this week, with changes including a new Web-browser engine, updates for virtual network computer and accessibility, and a new file system. Read more »

Features (35)

Open source's usability challenge

The iPhone has been out for a year, and known about in detail for considerably longer. Yet the very latest crop of state-of-the-art Windows Mobile phones, clearly designed as head-on competitors to that phone, miss the mark by miles. Read more »

Consider these Linux file management alternatives

This article introduces Linux file management alternatives: Gentoo, Krusader, and Midnight Commander. Here are the basics about each if you want to try something different. Read more »

10 ways to make Linux boot faster

On those infrequent occasions when you need to reboot Linux, you may find that the process takes longer than you'd like. This article gives you a number of tricks you can use to reduce boot times. Read more »

Install Microsoft core TrueType fonts in Mandriva Linux

The default fonts packaged with Linux are definitely passable; however, Microsoft has some freely available TrueType fonts that make Linux look even better. Read more »

Use lbdb to combine contact sources for easy address lookup

Address book storage varies by e-mail client; many keep contacts in their own storage format that makes them inaccessible to other clients. One program, called the Little Brother's Database, can bring many of these together to make it easy to search for contacts outside of your e-mail client. Read more »

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5

Production-quality XenSource virtualisation is the main selling point here, with optional clustering and storage virtualisation to go with it. But there's a lot more besides, making the new Red Hat Enterprise Linux a compelling solution for businesses of all sizes. Read more »

Design your Java applications to be more accessible with JAAPI

Did you know that you can use a rich palette of accessibility tools to make your Java application more accessible to users with disabilities? Learn how to incorporate the Java Accessibility API (JAAPI) in your application development work. Read more »

Learn about core enhancements in Java SE 6

Peter V. Mikhalenko covers many of the new features and enhancements introduced in Java SE 6, which is slated for release this year. He also discusses how this release may become a revolutionary step in GUI and desktop Java application development. Read more »

Java SE 6 in a nutshell

Peter V. Mikhalenko covers many of the new features and enhancements introduced in Java SE 6, which is slated for release this year. He also discusses how this release may become a revolutionary step in GUI and desktop Java application development. Read more »

Red Hat's Fedora 5 boosts desktop features

Red Hat released its Fedora Core 5 version of Linux Monday, giving enthusiasts new graphics and virtualisation abilities, as well as some desktop utilities based on a software framework from Microsoft. Read more »

Blog (10)

Confessions of an accessibility sadist

Chris Duckett [blogs:betaliving] -- If your mouse dies because of a software update, most people would rollback the update -- a small minority will continue to move forward regardless. All in the name of science and testing the world of accessibility. Read more »

A new coat of varnish

Staff [blogs:syslog] -- This week featured plenty of coverage from the various conferences occurring around the country. All the while Builder's design gnomes were busy give the site a touch-up. Read more »

Nokia starts trolling

Staff [blogs:syslog] -- This week Builder AU is on the road at linux.conf.au 2008 in Melbourne -- but before we get into all that is happening here, there is the small matter of Trolltech. Read more »

Dr. Evil couldn't have said it better

Staff [blogs:syslog] -- When the price for a company is $1 billion, it's hard not to recall Austin Powers' Dr Evil. Read more »

How to make a brand homeopathic

Chris Duckett [blogs:betaliving] -- There was once a time when the word Java was used another person knew what you were talking about. It was either the language, the island or the coffee -- it was hard to take either of those three definitions out of context. Read more »

The return to the king

Chris Duckett [blogs:betaliving] -- Does the arrival of Web applications on the desktop warrant the death pronouncement of the desktop or is it just hot air? Read more »

Widgets - Revenge of the shiny things

Chris Duckett [blogs:betaliving] -- In a world without widgets, would you start up separate applications for the weather, a dictionary, a screen ruler, a gmail peeker and an app that checks your favourite web comic everytime your machine boots up? Read more »

Day Two Done and Dusted

Chris Duckett [blogs:betaliving] -- All in all it was a very good day and we are not even half way yet! Read more »

LCA Opening Day

Chris Duckett [blogs:betaliving] -- Distro chairs, gentoo, solar cars plus Jonathon Oxer. And that's before things really get going! Read more »

Testing means testing, you fool!

Chris Duckett [blogs:betaliving] -- I opened Pandora's box and promptly forgot about it. Read more »

Others (3)

Mini-Confs Day 2

Mini-conferences continued to be the order of the day at Linux Conference Australia 2007. Read more »

Mini-Confs Day 1

Linux.conf.au kicked off today with a series of mini conferences covering a range of topics Read more »

Gnome 2.16 Preview

With the next major release of the GNOME desktop scheduled for release next month, each passing day sees more of the code frozen. This is the first iteration since version 2.14 was released in April, which saw extensive improvements in performance. Here is our first look at some of the features in Gnome 2.16. Read more »

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  • Staff XP stays on life support for longer

    This week's Roundup looks at Microsoft's decision to extend the life of Windows XP, the release of Microsoft Surface SDK, Firefox's new Geode plug-in, Yahoo's new tool -- Smush It and more. Read more »

    -- posted by Staff

  • Chris Duckett The good and truly awful celluloid depictions of computers

    Ever wonder why your lawyer uncle leaves the room whenever you turn over to Boston Legal? Or why your forensic science cousin can't stand crime drama? You know the answer: it’s the horrid trivialisation and dumbing down of an occupation to make it appear entertaining. Sometimes it is so unbelievable that it actually hurts and yelling at the screen is the only outlet. Read more »

    -- posted by Chris Duckett

  • Brendon Chase Apple's iPhone engineers to tour Sydney, Melbourne

    Aussie developers will be able to get up close and personal with some of the iPhone engineers in November to learn how to build applications for the platform. Read more »

    -- posted by Brendon Chase

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