Lena Meyer – Satellite
Google Chrome OS
Google Chrome OS is an upcoming open source operating system designed by Google to work exclusively with web applications. Announced on 7. July, 2009, Chrome OS is set to have a publicly available stable release during the second half of 2010. The operating system is based on Linux and will run only on specifically designed hardware. The user interface takes a minimalist approach, resembling that of the Chrome web browser. As a browser incorporating a media player will be the only application residing on the device, Google Chrome OS is aimed at users who spend most of their computer time on the Internet.
URL: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/introducing-google-chrome-os.html
Medal of Honor
Operating directly under the National Command Authority, a relatively unknown entity of handpicked warriors are called on when the mission must not fail. They are the Tier 1 operators. Over 2 million Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines wear the uniform. Of those, approximately 50 thousand fall under the direct control of the Special Operations Command. The Tier 1 Operator functions on a plane of existence above and beyond even the most highly trained Special Operations Forces. Their exact numbers, while classified, hover in the low hundreds. They are living, breathing, precision instruments of war. They are experts in the application of violence. The new Medal of Honor is inspired by and has been developed with Tier 1 Operators from this elite community. Players will step into the boots of these warriors and apply their unique skill sets to a new enemy in the most unforgiving and hostile battlefield conditions of present day Afghanistan. There is a new enemy. There is a new war. There is a new warrior. He is Tier 1.
Ubuntu 10.04 LTS released
After six months of development, long awaited Ubuntu 10.04 LTS (codenamed lucid lynx) is finally released! Typical Ubuntu versions get 18 months of free security and maintenance updates, but LTS releases are supported for three years on desktop computers and five years on servers.
Ubuntu loads quickly on any computer, but it’s super-fast on newer machines. After loading, opening a browser takes seconds, unlike other operating systems that leave you staring at the screen, waiting to get online.
On the desktop, the most noticeable change is a completely redesigned new themes called Radiance and Ambience with a sleek new look and an updated color palette. They are much easier on the eyes than previous orange and brown color scheme. Window buttons have moved to the left side of the title bar, just like in OS X.
Ubuntu includes Mozilla Firefox – for fast, safe web browsing. You can also choose alternative open-source browsers from the Ubuntu Software Centre.
Get chatting with Empathy. Quickly integrate your chat accounts from Yahoo, Gmail, MSN, Jabber, AOL, QQ and many more. Evolution Mail provides easy, intuitive email.
Read and update your social networks instantly. Ubuntu’s new Me Menu lets you access your Facebook and Twitter accounts (and more) straight away. Connect to your chat channels and make updates through a single window. Being sociable has never been so easy.
Ubuntu’s new music player includes an integrated store, so you can buy and download new tracks with just a few clicks. And thanks to Ubuntu One’s file-sharing magic you can store your music online and listen to it from other computers and music players. Ubuntu works with most music and media players.
OpenOffice.org is fully compatible with Microsoft Office and has everything you need to create professional documents, spreadsheets and presentations. OpenOffice.org is easy to use, packed with the features you need and completely free.
The Ubuntu Software Centre gives you instant access to thousands of free open-source applications. Browse software in categories including: education, games, sound and video, graphics, programming and office. Software is easy to find, easy to install and easy to remove.
Why will OpenSolaris fail?
OpenSolaris, opensource-centric distribution of Solaris operating system, originally distributed by Sun, now purchased by Oracle will in my personal opinion fail by the long-term. Why? OpenSolaris is free to install, distribute and share. But, the fallowing fact is more important – it’s security updates are not. They can only be bought separately by the support agreement from Sun (now Oracle). Sun had SXCE – Solaris Express Community Edition, that stopped it’s existence in January 2010. OpenSolaris is supposed to be SXCE successor. Users of this OS now have only two distributions – first is Solaris 10, an enterprise level OS, the other is OpenSolaris, a community distribution. I personally believe that Solaris 10 is suitable for large enterprise users, who are capable of purchase Solaris 10 support licenses. However OpenSolaris is not suitable for enterprise use and is community-oriented. Why offering security updates commercially for that kind of opensource, community software? Is community not worth to have a secure environment? There is a possibility to update to “development repository” of OpenSolaris, but this is below the level of quality that ordinary user should expect from community distribution of operating system. There are other community oriented distributions of Linux and FreeBSD that offer free updates, while offering comparable technologies to OpenSolaris. We just have to realize that OpenSolaris is not UNIX(tm) anymore – it’s just based on it. Future Solaris 11 (based on OpenSolaris) probably will be. Sun (Oracle) should realize that this kind of licensing ultimately harm OpenSolaris and indirectly Solaris product. Security updates should be free, while there is a market in feature software updates (additional products). This however is not just my personal opinion – it’s opinion of many “community” users who are abandoning OpenSolaris because of this. Oracle, do something about it!
Back Track 4 Linux
BackTrack 4 is out and along with this release come some exciting news, updates, and developments. BackTrack 4 has been a long and steady road, with the release of a beta last year. Authors decided to hold off on releasing BackTrack 4 final until it was perfected in every way, shape and form. This release includes a new kernel, a larger and expanded toolset repository, custom tools that you can only find on BackTrack, and more importantly, fixes to all (well, most) major bugs that are known.
URL: http://www.backtrack-linux.org
