News (192)

Google open sources 'Protocol Buffers'

Google has open sourced an internal development tool called 'Protocol Buffers', a data description language that forms a basic part of the operation of the company's vast computing cluster. Read more »

Google open sources XML-alternative Protocol Buffers

XML, it seems, has run out of steam for Google. Google said Monday that it has created an open source project for a data interchange format called Protocol Buffers. Read more »

Google takes open source back to school

Google Highly Open Participation Contest is a global program that is an analogue of the Google Summer of Code program (SoC) targeted at high school students. Read more »

Google creates open source repository

New site will give open source developers another place to store their projects. Read more »

Google Chrome's open source ally: Microsoft

During Google's launch of its Chrome Web browser, the company went out of its way to acknowledge the debt it owes two open source projects, Firefox and WebKit. But Microsoft, an uncommon ally in the open source realm, might also deserve a tip of the hat. Read more »

DMCA makes Google kill open source project

A copyright complaint pushes Google to remove an open-source project to let Linux use proprietary video decoding software called CoreAVC. Read more »

Google courts open-source developers

Google has launched a new site intended to serve as a central resource for developers working on applications related to the popular search engine. Read more »

Google Code reverses open source licence ban

Google has undone an earlier ban on the Mozilla Public License, an option for open source projects hosted at its Google Code site. Read more »

Google joins open-source patent network

Membership in Open Invention Network will see it agree to cross-license open source-related patents to other members for free. Read more »

Open source rival takes on Google Maps

Volunteers with GPS devices aim to map the planet... Read more »

Features (30)

A look inside Google's open source kitchen

Google's Chris DiBona says the search giant has a lot of involvement in open source, but is also a firm believer in proprietary software. Read more »

Nokia enters the mobile open source battle

Tuesday's big announcement, that several major mobile platforms — Symbian, UIQ, Series 60 and MOAP — are to be pooled into one open-sourced über-platform, came out of the blue. Read more »

Why open source is bad for Australia

Open source is actually anti-industry, and protecting it is not in Australia's interests, says one industry observer. Read more »

Five ways Microsoft could change after Gates

Bill Gates has left the building and the question on many people's lips is: will Microsoft change as a result? What influence will Steve Ballmer have and how will the company's strategy alter without Gates? Read more »

50 significant moments from internet history

We take you through 50 defining moments of the internet. Read more »

Troubleshoot Apache with these tips

The Apache Web server is well-proven, but can still offer an administrator headaches from time to time when things go wrong. Read more »

Google vs. Microsoft

At the 2008 Gartner Application Development, Integration and Web Services Summit, David Mitchell Smith, vice president and Gartner fellow gave a presentation titled "Google vs. Microsoft", discussing the seeming battle between the two companies. Read more »

Introduction to the Google Web Toolkit

At the Google Developer Day conference 2008 in Sydney, Lars Rasmussen, the head of engineering for Google Australia gave an overview of the Google Web Toolkit (GWT) with his presentation "AJAX with Google Web Toolkit". Read more »

Why Chrome will win and why it will lose

Google dipped its mighty toe into the increasingly crowded world of internet browsers today with the announcement of Chrome. We spoke to industry experts and Google's new rivals to find out why Chrome matters and whether the browser reality can deliver on the hype. Read more »

Are open source databases for real?

Free and open-source software is making a splash in the world of databases. But is it reliable enough for your critical applications? Read more »

Video (4)

Making Android fully open

Dan Morrill, developer advocate for Google, explains which areas of Android will be open sourced in the future Read more »

What is Android anyway?

Dan Morrill, developer advocate, Google, gives the elevator summary of exactly what Android is. Read more »

Playing in Google's Sandbox -- Club Builder

Google invites developers to play in its new sandbox, Java on the way to become 100% open-source, a new version of Ubuntu gets released and more. Read more »

Is Google's Android ground-breaking?

ZDNet correspondent Sumi Das talks to senior editor Sam Diaz about Google's new mobile phone operating system, Android. Diaz discusses the new features available in the open-source operating system, whether it's an iPhone killer, and how the technology may eventually reach beyond phones and land inside other products such as set-top boxes, televisions, and automobiles. Read more »

Blog (26)

Google opens up the code for Browser Sync

Lana Kovacevic [blogs:webanatomy] -- After deciding to discontinue its Browser Sync, Google has decided to make the code open source to let developers continue hacking. Read more »

You've got patched flaws!

Staff [blogs:syslog] -- Patents and Symantec were made to look very silly this week. Microsoft said that open source was a bigger threat than Google and no prizes for guessing which month the final version of Firefox 3 will appear in. Read more »

Google's Android parts ways with Java industry group

Staff [blogs:syslog] -- Google's Android software gives Sun Microsystems' Java technology a starring role -- but not the version of Java the rest of the mobile phone industry has been developing since the 1990s. Read more »

OS X + NFSv4 == SSHFS + open bitterness

Chris Duckett [blogs:betaliving] -- Has anyone, who isn't a die-hard Darwin fanatic, ever tried to recompile their kernel in OS X? If you answered yes then you are among a rare breed of user indeed. Read more »

How Microsoft beat Linux in China and what it means for freedom, justice, and the price of software

Staff [blogs:syslog] -- Thanks to some major concessions on source code and a precipitous price drop, the Chinese government has now thoroughly embraced Windows and Office, what does this mean for the world? Read more »

Scratching an Itch

Chris Duckett [blogs:betaliving] -- In the wonderful world of software it is unlikely that your next big idea is original. In the modern world of collaborative development over the Web it's also likely that someone has belted out some code for it too. Read more »

AUUG conference gets a peek inside Google

Brendon Chase [blogs:codemonkeybusiness] -- Google is poised to give their first public insight into the management of their clustered architecture at the annual AUUG conference in Melbourne next week. Read more »

Delivering software like iTunes delivers songs

Chris Duckett [blogs:betaliving] -- Last Friday I got the chance to speak with Don Ferguson, IBM Fellow and SWG Chief Architect about the impending open sourcing of Java, Web 2.0, and what IBM are doing. Read more »

Lets Shindig!

Lana Kovacevic [blogs:webanatomy] -- At this year's Google Developer Day in Sydney, Dan Peterson and John Hjelmstad talked about Apache Shindig, an open source implementation of OpenSocial and gadgets. Read more »

Google Gears screenshots

Brendon Chase [blogs:codemonkeybusiness] -- Here is a bit of eye candy of the new Google Gears installation and sample code. Read more »

Others (1)

LCA Open Day

Yesterday was show and tell day for linux.conf.au with a pavilion full of gadgets, toys and cool stuff 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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