Pro IT Zone

OpenSuSE project, a worldwide project dedicated to creating a distribution of the Linux community, has achieved a milestone in efforts to simplify contributions to the distribution OpenSuSE with the launch of OpenSuSE Build Service 1.0.

This is the first major update and allows developers to directly access repositories of OpenSuSE Linux distribution code, thus speeding up the process of making contributions to the code.

Since its inception, OpenSuSE Build Service has offered a unique system of collaboration for groups working with preconfigured Linux solutions.

This makes it possible to climb and launch larger projects and expand the scope of OpenSuSE Build Service to create a complete version of OpenSuSE.

“I’m very pleased with the launch of OpenSuSE Build Service 1.0, as will the development of OpenSuSE much more transparent, allowing the community to contribute more efficient and rapid distribution, as well as expand the number of users involved in our project, “said Adrian Schröter, project manager of OpenSuSE Build Service.

By allowing direct contributions by developers, build service adds transparency to the process of development and helps improve the ability of the community to help OpenSuSE. This is the only solution of its kind that allows developers to create and maintain multiple packages for Linux distributions, including OpenSuSE, Novell’s Suse Linux Enterprise, Center, Debian, Fedora, Mandriva, Red Hat and Ubuntu. In addition, OpenSuSE Build Service facilitates the development of projects aimed at creating packages for new updates from various Linux distributions, as well as for new versions of old Linux distributions.

According to a blog of Anne Camden, the desktop computers Dell Inspiron 1525, Dell Inspiron XPS M1330 and 530 are now available with the Ubuntu operating system, also known as Heron Hardy.

Dell spent months at the development and testing to provide more support for peripherals like video cards ATI, Dell wireless, fingerprint readers, HDMI, Bluetooth and MP3/WMA/WMV, “said Camden.

Available in the UK, the machines also offer the facility to select a language during the first boot process.

“We are taking more steps to go back to Linux more accessible to help assure that” just works “well outside the box,” he said Camden.

Daniel Judd Dell said in a blog that the additional manufacturer of PCs were viewing the possibility of adding the XPS M1530 and Studio 15n to the range of PCs using Ubuntu 8.04 in August.

“This is just in time for LinuxWorld where participate in a series of conference sessions. It will be your chance to hear directly about what we have achieved over the past year and where we are in 2008, “he said.

Spend a couple minutes listening to a Linux user to talk about their favorite operating system and sooner or later you will hear mention his favorite feature: Linux is virus immune. Such a belief is generally accepted as the gospel in the community of open source. But is not it?

“That depends on what you mean by ‘virus immune,’” said Ben Greenbaum, manager of research at Symantec Security Response.

It explains, “There is no technical reason for that Linux is immune to viruses and infections. They happen but not often. ”

One of the biggest obstacles to malicious software into Linux is diversity, according to a research made by McAfee scientific, Marius van Oers. The viral code is designed to work in specific core operating systems and there are enough differences between the various clusters of Linux that is almost impossible that a malicious program to infect all variants of Linux in the same way. In addition, the market share of Linux is so small that the creators of malicious programs do not focus on that platform.

Conclusion: At this time, Linux users have very little to worry about viruses. Both Greenbaum and van Oers estimate that the current number of threats from malicious software for Linux is about 50 and most of them are demonstrations of concepts that do not represent danger. Compare that with the millions of threats already identified for Windows and Linux users might be entitled to make fun about Windows.

Even so, remember that Linux is not inherently immune to malicious software. As their popularity grows, so will the threats.

The capital of Austria opted for open source software, but the software incompatibility made them return to Windows.

Vienna migrated from Windows to Linux in 2005. Now, the city must undo this footsteps and acquire licenses for Windows Vista.

“It’s a big step backwards for our bid to Linux,” said Marie Ringler to the state radio ORF.

According to ORF, changing operating system is due to a language program that works exclusively with the Internet Explorer browser from Microsoft.

To solve the problem, the municipal administration has opted to reconfigure 720 PCs that currently run GNULinux, so they can run Windows Vista through a dual boot.

The price of the reconfiguration will be of 105,000 euros.

“For a fraction of that amount could have done that the company that distributes the program languages make an adjustment for Firefox,” said Marie Ringler.

Ringler expressed concern at the fact that Vienna “for its back on the practice of using open source software.” According to the German newspaper Heise, Ringler would have said further that “this is the shot of grace, which follows the decision taken in February, to invest 7.5 million in licensing Microsoft.

Other local politicians, therefore deny that the city is abandoning its plans to use free software on a larger scale.

“Vienna has used free software during the past 20 years, and will continue,” said Siegfried Lindenmayer, representative of the Social Democrat SPO party, to the Austrian news site Future Zone.

Users of public administration in Vienna can use between workstations with GNULinux or Microsoft. Around 1,000 of the 32,000 PCs running municipal distribution GNULinus Wienux, based on Debian.

So far the mini Google applications when they were used with Google Desktop could be placed in any part of your desktop PC and had been available only on Windows and Mac OS X systems.

Jim Zhuang, computer software engineer from Google, said in a blog that posted: “Since the launch of Google Desktop for Linux, we have added nearly all the functions most sought, but an exception for mayor: Desktop Gadgets.”

“The support of gadget is not only a function, but a complete platform for applications in miniature. It is a complex undertaking, but we are now putting the final touches on the product.”

According to Zhuang, Google Gadgets for Linux are compatible with those written for Google Desktop for Windows and the ‘Universal Gadgets’ to assure iGoogle “a large number of existing libraries of gadgets that are available immediately for Linux users.