Linux again

In 2003 I gave up on Microsoft Windows 98. It was old and I was frustrated at having the "Blue Screen of Death" (BSOD) and being unable to turn the thing off properly. 12 months previously I had a conversation with my brother and he introduced me to Linux and the whole open source philosophy. Although I have no background in programming (and still don't) I understood what he was going on about, namely that software which is open for anyone to contribute to is less likely to have security flaws or bugs and, if they do, then they are patched up quickly. Compared this to closed sourced proprietary software, where security flaws and bugs can go unnoticed for months or even years before virus writers begin to take advantage of them, and then being dependent upon the software owner to fix it (which they may not do since such actions might not be profitable and because keeping the bugs and flaws there might force people to buy their brand new software).

My first foray into Linux was Mandrake 9.1. 2003 was still early days for desktop Linux and I found it difficult to work on - which admittedly was also because I had newly migrated from Windows and had to learn a whole new set of tricks to use. While I enjoyed the change, Mandrake didn't suit me and I got frustrated enough to make a wholesale change to Kubuntu - Ubuntu using KDE - in 2006. In 2008 KDE 4 came out and I was one of those who decided to ditch it. I then discovered Xubuntu - Ubuntu running Xfce - and made that my new Linux desktop. Now I have migrated to the most popular Linux distribution - Ubuntu, which runs GNOME.

The great thing about Ubuntu and its various offshoots (Kubuntu, Xubuntu, etc) is that a new distribution is released every six months. So every six months there is an incremental improvement in the Ubuntu operating system - software becomes slightly better, slightly more user friendly, slightly less buggy, and always, always, reliable. The thing is that Linux started off as a creation of engineers - ugly but functional - but has evolved into an easy to use, user-friendly operating system without compromising its structural integrity.

The advantages are:

1. Linux is free. Anyone can legally download and install and copy and modify it. While Linux is based upon the work of many volunteers, most of the work is done professionally by tech companies such as IBM, Sun Microsystems and Google (to name a few). Ubuntu itself was created by Canonical, an organisation created and funded by billionaire Mark Shuttleworth.
2. Linux is widespread and thus reliable. While it is only running on 1% of desktops, Linux forms the backbone of the internet. Most web servers run a Linux/Apache system. All supercomputers run modified Linux operating systems. Even the London Stock Exchange has ditched Microsoft to run a Linux based trading system.
3. Linux is secure. The idea that open source software is more secure than closed source may seem counter-intuitive, but those who program the code are not as affected by profit motives as programmers who work on proprietary software. Security and utility are more important than usability, a fact which kept Linux out of popularity but which has ensured a bullet proof reputation that has had usability built upon it as the years have gone by.

A new version of Ubuntu is ready every six months. The current version is 10.04. The number 10 represents the year, the 04 represents the month. The next version will be out in October, which will naturally be called 10.10. It will be followed by 11.04 next year, and on it will go.

I made the decision this year to delay my upgrade to 10.04. I kept running 9.10 for three months beyond the upgrade date. This was to ensure that when I finally did upgrade, I could also download all the software and security upgrades at once. The fact is that Ubuntu and Canonical are not perfect, and each new release brings a new set of problems - security holes, bugs that need to be fixed, and so on. Despite all the work they do in ensuring that the official release is workable, only once it is out being used by millions of people will the real issues begin to emerge. Since I had a few problems with my previous upgrade (from 9.04 to 9.10), I decided to delay the upgrade for three months. A few weeks ago I finally upgraded to 10.04 (I should call it 10.07 I suppose!).

And what has been the result? It has been a pleasure. I'm finding this the best Ubuntu version yet. The software is usable, there are no bugs annoying me, there are no things that stop me from doing what I used to do in the previous version. Of course it's not perfect and I'm certain that there are some out there who are unhappy, but not me. Moreover I think the choice to delay upgrading for three months has meant that most of the bugs have been ironed out (as soon as I installed Ubuntu, I downloaded a mass of software upgrades and bug fixes). I look forward to upgrading to 10.10 (once January 2011 comes around of course).

Here is a short list of free, open source software that I use on Ubuntu:

• Email Client: Mozilla Thunderbird.
• Web Browser: Mozilla Firefox.
• Office Software: OpenOffice.org (word processor, spreadsheet and others).
• Media Player: VLC Media Player.
• Text Editor: gedit.
• Digital Audio Editor: Audacity.
• Turn based stategy game: Freeciv.
• Freecell/Spider/Klondike games: Kpat.
  

In short: consider moving to Ubuntu Linux. It really is a better alternative to Microsoft in my opinion.

The Operating Systems of Supercomputers

Another reason to use Linux!

Link.

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Moron Ubuntu Names

Confirming the fact that I am lacking basic skills, a commenter on my Ubuntu names post pointed out that Ubuntu 10.04 should actually be the letter "L", not "M" as I posted.

(puts head in hands, groans in frustration, kicks self in shins)

Anyway, I began checking out the "L" names and eventually worked out that there are some great adjectives and animal names that Ubuntu should NEVER put together. These are:

• Lazy Lemur
• Lethal Lemming
• Large Lice
• Lewd Leech
• Ludicrous Louse
  

Imagine Ubuntu 10.04 Lethal Lemming being released to universal horror and amusement.

Ubuntu names

Ubuntu is the most popular Linux distribution and deserves to be. It is the most user-friendly desktop version of Linux. Of course it has its problems, but I switched over from Mandriva to Kubuntu (Ubuntu using KDE) and found it very useful. I now use Xubuntu (Ubuntu running Xfce).

One of the great things about Ubuntu is that there is a major software release every six months. This allows incremental improvements and additions to the software, ensuring that any bugs get fixed up or new features added quickly.

Unlike other software releases, the version number is based not upon an ascending order but upon the release date. The latest version is 8.10, which means it was released in October 2008.

Like a lot of free software, Ubuntu has quirky names for each release. These names are definitely not created by a mainstream marketing department, as you can see:

• 4.10 - Warty Warthog
• 5.04 - Hoary Hedgehog
• 5.10 - Breezy Badger
• 6.06 - Dapper Drake
• 6.10 - Edgy Eft
• 7.04 - Feisty Fawn
• 7.10 - Gutsy Gibbon
• 8.04 - Hardy Heron
• 8.10 - Intrepid Ibex
  

The names for the next two releases have already been released:

• 9.04 - Jaunty Jackalope
• 9.10 - Karmic Koala
  

Ha! I can't wait for Karmic Koala. What a name.

As far as 10.04 is concerned, here's a list of adjectives and Animal nouns.

• Mysterious Minnow
• Mighty Monkey
• Mystical Magpie
• Magic Manta
  
• Merry Mantis
  
• Magnificent Mockingbird
  
• Maximum Mouse
  
• Major Moose
  

I like "Magnificent Mockingbird". "Mighty Monkey" could result in the version being dubbed "King Kong".

So what are you waiting for? Come on people, ditch Windows and install Ubuntu Linux! (and that includes you Sam Norton).

Kubuntu 8.10 now out

I'm downloading it now as I type this.

Kubuntu is a version of the popular Linux operating system Ubuntu. I have been using Linux since 2003 and Kubuntu Linux since 2005.

Armed with an obsolete computer running an increasing buggy and annoying Windows 98, I took the plunge and installed Mandrake Linux into my computer. Because of problems with Mandrake, the growing popularity of Ubuntu and my brother's expertise with Debian (he can help me fix things up when they break or when I break them) I bit the bullet in 2005 and began using Kubuntu.

I have not used Microsoft Windows regularly now for over 5 years. That has not been to my detriment at all for the following reasons:

1. Kubuntu, like all Linux versions, is free to download, copy and distribute. I therefore have an up to date software package that did not cost me any money to get.
2. I was prepared to work at my relationship with Linux. I knew it wasn't Microsoft and there were some behaviours I needed to change. It took time, but I am now used to Linux.
3. I'm not a PC gamer, which means I don't need the latest and greatest hi-performance hardware, which is expensive. You can't really be a hard-core PC gamer without Windows anyway.
4. I don't need to spend hundreds of dollars buying office software. OpenOffice.org is just as good as Microsoft Word, Excel and the others.
5. I do not miss Internet Explorer - not after my Firefox experience. I don't miss Outlook Express either - Thunderbird is enough for me.
6. I don't run any anti-virus programs. Though Linux has a few viruses, I do not have any problems with spyware or malware or virus scanners chewing up processor speed. Simply having a strong root password keeps things secure. Since 2003 I have not had any problem with viruses or security.
7. The Graphical User Interface is reasonably clean and user-friendly these days. Click here to see a screenshot of my own computer running Kubuntu 8.4.
8. The people who run Ubuntu/Kubuntu release a new version every six months. Imagine if Microsoft did that! No - Vista users are stuck with their version for years but with Ubuntu you get a totally new version available every six months. This means a few new features, but mostly less buggy and more user friendly software that you were using before. Every six months you get to own and run an operating system that is improving incrementally and effectively.
9. Adept Manager allows you to download all available free and open source software (and more) from a central software repository. Most Ubuntu/Kubuntu users run Adept (or its equivalent) a few times every month to get software updates. Bugs and security patches get fixed up quickly and easily and don't crash your operating system like Microsoft ones do.
   
10. Wine allows an ever increasing amount of Windows software that can be emulated on Linux.
    

Yes, I am trying to sell you on Linux. It is the future of software. If you doubt the power and ability of open source software, look no further than Firefox, which is software owned by no one and everyone. If you've been using Firefox for two or more years, you would know just how much better it has become over time. Well - that's how it gets with Linux.

My preferred "distro" is Kubuntu. If you choose something else, like Ubuntu or Debian or SuSE or Fedora or Mandriva, you will still be able to enjoy the benefits of Linux.

One last thing - I have always maintained that the popularity of Linux will increase once the recession begins to hit. Read here for why.

AAAAAAAAA

A blog post with every single category marked (I'm doing this for scribefire)

Conversion

It was after the church service when there was a tap on my shoulder.

"Hey Neil, just letting you know that you converted me" said the voice.

I turned around. There before me was Gary (not his real name), a member of our church. Before I had the brainpower to wonder why it was that a Christian in our church had just announced that I had converted him, he continued.

"I'm using Linux"

Gary continued the story. A month or so ago our two families had lunch after church together and we got talking about operating systems. Gary, a doctor, had an Mac Laptop running Leopard and a desktop running Windows XP. I remember him complaining about how difficult XP was getting for him, how frustrated he was at how slow it was running, how annoyed he was at certain programs.

At this point I naturally began talking about Linux and my own experiences. Gary listened and asked questions - he had heard about Linux and had considered running it in the past - but had never gotten around to doing it because he didn't have much information.

Having both a Mac and a Windows PC meant that he could see the massive problems with Windows XP in comparison with his Mac. He wasn't about to go off and buy himself a Mac desktop and replace his Windows machine just yet.

After that lunch I didn't give it another thought, but Gary obviously did. The other day he upgraded to Ubuntu 8.04, the most popular Linux distro.

"I'm loving it" he said to me at church, "it does exactly what I want it to do with a minimum of fuss. Actually, the person who seems to enjoy it more is Larissa (wife)."

Another person joined us in our Linux conversation. He mentioned just how hard it would be for him to stop using Windows and to use something else. Gary and I both agreed that any move to Linux requires a re-learning and settling in period, but once you have gotten over that hump, you never look back.

While talking to Gary I mentioned what a unique position he was in - he had experience in both Mac and Windows before removing Windows and replacing it with Linux. Here is a man who can use three different operating systems - and who waxes lyrical about Linux.

Gary, of course, is not about to ditch his Mac laptop. He's very happy with the Mac software and knows enough about it to realise how similar it is to Linux (both are based upon Unix). He also knows that there are things that Macs do which Linux can't do yet... which is another reason why he is happy to keep both computers running different operating systems.

Of course, Gary is still new to the Linux world and is bound to experience some ups and downs. Nevertheless I am reasonably confident that he, like me, won't regret the move at all.

PC Gaming, Recessions and Linux

I'm not a gamer - never have been. It's not that I don't enjoy playing computer games, it's just that I have never been able to afford having a PC that is powerful enough to run the latest and greatest PC games.

My son, however, has a PS2 - but the games that he likes playing are not the sort that I like playing.

From my standpoint, there seems to be two different sorts of gamers out there - the PC gamer (who plays shoot-em up 3D games) and console gamers (like X-Box, Playstation and Wii). It seems that the console gamers are winning - more and more people are turning to console gaming in front of their Televisions instead of sitting in front of their PCs.

Of course, there are still a huge amount of PC gamers out there - the problem is that they seem to be getting fewer. Console games seem to be getting more popular.

And this, of course, will make it harder for people to seriously consider using Microsoft Windows any more.

You see, there is a link between PC gaming and Microsoft Windows - you cannot have the latest PC game without having Windows. Linux and Mac users are automatically shut out of this process. But with the upcoming demise of Windows XP, and the major problems people are having with Windows Vista, and with a recession occurring, people will be unwilling to spend the bucks required to both have the latest and greatest games as well as having a PC system capable of running Vista properly.

And without gaming, people might as well keep using obsolete computers running older software - or obsolete computers running backwards compatible software.

And this is where Linux comes in. With people no longer willing to spend the money to upgrade their systems, and no gaming needs to speak of (the majority of PC users), switching to Linux will be a serious attraction. Combine this with the ever growing user friendliness of Ubuntu Linux, and the stage is set.

But what will the numbers be? One thing is for sure and that is that 2008 and 2009 will not see a major stampede of Windows users becoming Linux users. You're not going to see Linux suddenly command 10% or more of the PC market.

But what you will see is Linux commanding a smaller percentage of the PC market. I would guestimate that 5% of the PC market by the end of 2009 would still be wildly optimistic - yet it is entirely possible that this will occur.

Why do people have computers? A lot of people use them for internet surfing, emailing and word processing and occasionally have a need for spreadsheets. All of that can be done more than adequately with Ubuntu (or Kubuntu) currently, and with zero direct software costs. Switching over to Linux will, of course, be "costly", but once that initial learning curve has been overcome, the user is unlikely to look back.

Ubuntu, of all the Linux distributions, has the advantage of running a six-month release schedule. Ubuntu 8.4, "Hardy Heron", is about to be released. I'm still using Kubuntu 7.10, "Gutsy Gibbon", but when the new release is available I will be able to seamlessly upgrade my operating system. While Microsoft takes years to release new operating systems and releases only the occasional "patch", Ubuntu Linux users can upgrade to a new version every six months and have software upgrades (to fix bugs or security) available every week.

And, of course, Ubuntu Linux (like all Linux distributions) is free to download and distribute. Once a PC user is able to accept the one-off indirect costs of moving from Windows to Linux, the long term costs shrink considerably. I have personally saved thousands of dollars in not having to purchase new computers and new software over the last 5 years because I have been able to use Linux on obsolete PCs.

Linux at 2%

Will 2008 be the year of Linux? Of course not. And neither will 2009. Nevertheless, Linux usage seems to be growing. According to W3 counter, 2.01% of PCs have Linux installed.

Why not try it on your PC? I use Kubuntu.

My Brother is in the news

Farmer gives low-cost laptop a proper field test.

The problem is, of course, that he ain't a farmer - he's a programmer who owns a large block of land out in the country.

The article also suggests that bro has a "fear of travel" but all he said was that doesn't like flying. The guy travels all around Australia in a car with his wife when he has time off.

Linux increasing market share!!

The amount of people using Linux on the internet has grown by 6.35% in one month! What an achievement! Woo hoo etcetera.

And, um, well, yes, the actual figures show that Linux has grown from 0.63% of internet users to 0.67% from December to January. Oh, and Apple Macs have gone from 7.31% to 7.57% in that same period (obviously people have been buying new computers at Christmas). Windows users decreased from 91.79% to 91.46%.

Ah yes, but once that recession hits hard we'll see Windows drop.

Virtual Cricket on Linux

Virtual Cricket can now be played on Linux by using WINE. Click here for more details. Thanks to Tony Lambregts for his work in this area!

Open Source in the workplace

By one measurement increased by 26% last year.

Firefox - the killer ap

Back in the heady days of the internet - say, between 1995 and 1998 - the browser of choice was Netscape Navigator (or just "Netscape"). But even in those days, the power of Microsoft was rising, and as more and more people purchased Windows 95 and 98, Internet Explorer became the most popular. It was sad for many to see the demise of Netscape, but, what was a person to do? Netscape became "bloated" with features that slowed things down, and Internet Explorer was supplied free with Windows.

The die was cast. After a few short years, the growing net community had embraced IE and ignored Netscape. A Browser that commanded 90% of the market had been reduced to around 10% by the year 2000. This was a clear and significant victory for the software behemoth Microsoft. The Browser Wars had finished with Bill Gates on top.

So what happened to Netscape?

Faced with potential annihilation, the source code of Netscape was opened in 1998. While the Netscape company faced financial losses, they turned to the small open source community for help. In doing so, they created the first truly "free" web browser - software that was not just free to download and use, but also to modify. This decision did not really help the company financially, but it was a momentous occasion nonetheless which has reverberated ever since.

Netscape's early "in-house" name for its product was "Mozilla", so when the browser was made open source, it was released under that name. The people who worked on Mozilla were open-source programmers who realised that they had a potentially good product on hand. Despite the fact that Internet Explorer was the dominant browser, problems with Microsoft's browser began to emerge - specifically security. The Mozilla programmers realised that if their browser was to compete properly, it had to be superior to Internet Explorer in all the ways that count - security, usability and flexibility.

During the process of developing, releasing, developing again and releasing again, Mozilla became more "mature". Eventually a split emerged between the programmers - those who wished to keep email a feature of the browser (as Netscape did originally) and those who wanted a more lightweight email-free browser. As a result, the project "forked" into two different software projects. Those who wanted an email feature in the browser continued the "Mozilla" name. Those who wanted a stand-alone browser called their project "Phoenix" - with the idea of the Netscape browser emerging from the ashes to begin anew. It was a good name, but they had some copyright problems with it so they changed it to Firefox.

Firefox now commands a significant minority of the world browser market. According to the always trustworthy Wikipedia, Firefox and Mozilla users now comprise between 13-20% of the total. Internet Explorer, which reached about 97% at its height, now hovers around 80%. There is no doubt that IE still rules the roost by a significant margin, but ever since Firefox was released in November 2004, this margin has been slowly chipped away.

Since Firefox is not marketed like other software - by being open source there is no profit to be made by marketing it in the traditional sense - its growth has been the result of the social networks that typifies today's internet. As a result, Firefox's growth was never as fast as Netscape and Internet Explorer were in their prime, and will never be. Instead, the growth has been slow, steady and permanent - those who switch to Firefox rarely go back to IE.

I have titled this post "Firefox - the killer ap". Killer ap is short for "Killer Application", a historical way of looking at popular and important software and their effects. The original Lotus 1-2-3 software, for example, convinced many businesses in the 1980s to purchase IBM Compatible computers. WordPerfect convinced businesses to replace typewriters with PCs.

For many years now, Linux fans like myself have wondered when the world will embrace Linux and open source software. "Is 2005 the 'year of Linux?' " is one headline I saw. Of course, ditching Windows and embracing Linux is a difficult and potentially dangerous thing to do. Most people are not geeks or nerds, so the thought of moving on from Windows into something totally different frightens them.

Firefox is Linux's killer ap. Firefox has shown to a significant amount of people that free, open-source software can be superior to proprietary software. Linux users like myself represent probably less than 0.5% of all PC users around the world, which means that the majority of Firefox users are Windows users as well. Moreover, these Firefox users (the 13-20% of people browsing online) are probably aware of what open source software is and are also aware of Linux.

I have been arguing to friends for a long time that the only way Linux will penetrate the marketplace and take away Microsoft's monopoly is for a major recession to hit. Faced with the desire to save money, alternatives to expensive proprietary software will be taken seriously. Already, OpenOffice is providing Linux with another killer ap - a completely free and reliable alternative to Microsoft Office.

Even now there are some interesting signs - especially in Europe. As I stated before, Firefox commands between 13-20% of the world browser market, but in Europe this figure is much higher. A recent report shows that Firefox is used on 28% of European computers - much higher than the average. Moreover, some countries such as Finland, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary have usage rates above 40%. It would not be outrageous to predict that Firefox will be the majority browser in these countries within a few years.

Both Firefox and OpenOffice will, I believe, lead many people and businesses to embrace Linux as time goes by. As more and more ordinary people experience the power and pleasure of well-made open source software, resistance to using Linux will begin to crumble. Moreover, the bloated monopoly that is Microsoft, which created the much-derided Windows Vista, will continue to annoy its customers with sloppy programming and arrogant methods of doing business.

There are two areas, however, that Linux will find it very difficult to compete in.

The first area is in hardcore gaming. These are the people who spend hours playing online death matches with 3D shooting games, or World of Warcraft or similar. The games software is not free, but people are willing to pay through the nose to play it. The vast majority of these games can only be played in Windows XP or Vista. For these gaming companies to create versions of their software for Linux is not exactly profitable. To be sure, there are gamers out there who play death matches with Linux 3D games, but they are a very small minority. Until the greatest and newest games come out on Linux as well, gamers will remain faithful to Windows.

The second area is in graphic design. My friend Dave and his wife run a graphic design business and the fact is that this industry is dominated by Apple Macs. As far as I know, there is neither proprietary design software that will use Linux, not is there open-source design software of the quality needed by this industry. This is not to say that they won't be developed, but there is another hurdle that Linux faces in getting this crowd - their fanatical love of Macs. Mac users, like Linux users, are a minority in the computing world but they are louder and more noticeable. Their belief in the superiority of their computer and its software is not without reason. As far as I understand, those who take the step to ditch their Windows PC and buy a Mac are almost always exceptionally happy with their choice. I have never used a Mac, but it seems that those who do are quite willing to extol its virtues. Mac users will be very unlikely to embrace Linux in the short to medium term simply because their product works and because Linux does not offer them what they need (especially the design industry). Once Linux does, we might see some crossover - but not for some time.

So long as the world economy keeps growing, people and businesses will
be happy to spend money buying Microsoft software. But, since a
recession is brewing, I predict that there will be a significant
increase in the amount of people using Linux and open source software
in general. This won't be enough to unseat Microsoft's dominance, but
it will affect it.

NYSE adopts Linux

From the department of it-makes-perfect -business-sense:

The New York Stock Exchange is investing heavily in x86-based Linux systems and blade servers as it builds out the NYSE Hybrid Market trading system that it launched last year. Flexibility and lower cost are among the goals. But one of the things that NYSE Euronext CIO Steve Rubinow says he most wants from the new computing architecture is technology independence.

"What we want is to be able to take advantage of technology advances when they happen," Rubinow said. "We're trying to be as independent of any technologies as we can be."

The Hybrid Market system lets NYSE traders buy and sell stocks electronically or on the exchange's trading floor. The NYSE has been turning to x86 technology to power the trading system, largely using servers from Hewlett-Packard Co., the two companies announced this week.

The NYSE has installed about 200 of HP's ProLiant DL585 four-processor servers and 400 of its ProLiant BL685c blades, all running Linux and based on dual-core Opteron processors from Advanced Micro Devices Inc. In addition, the stock exchange is using HP's Integrity NonStop servers, which are based on Intel Corp.'s Itanium processors and run the fault-tolerant NonStop OS operating system, as well as its OpenView management software.

Of course it'll be wonderfully ironic if Microsoft Shares are bought and sold on Linux software, but they list on the Nasdaq.

Gutsy Gibbon

I'm currently upgrading to Kubuntu 7.10 - Gutsy Gibbon. Downloading 800+ megabytes over a 64kbps connection takes a loooooong time. Will be back blogging once 7.10 is safely installed.

Update:
Done well. It took about 24 hours to completely download and another hour to install itself. Everything seems to be working fine at the moment.

Excel 2007 multiplication bug

From the department of 1 + 1 = 3:

The example that first came to light is =850*77.1 — which gives a result of 100,000 instead of the correct 65,535. It seems that any formula that should evaluate to 65,535 will act strangely.

So. Microsoft can't write software to do basic mathematics. Why am I not surprised?


Hubris Warning! Hubris Warning!

Linux beats SCO

Just like one of those stories in which the good guys finally triumph over the bad guys, we now see this:

The SCO Group, Inc. ("SCO") (Nasdaq: SCOX - News), a leading provider of UNIX® software technology and mobile services, today announced that it filed a voluntary petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. SCO's subsidiary, SCO Operations, Inc., has also filed a petition for reorganization. The Board of Directors of The SCO Group have unanimously determined that Chapter 11 reorganization is in the best long-term interest of SCO and its subsidiaries, as well as its customers, shareholders, and employees.

Let me offer a brief explanation. Way back in 2003, the tech company SCO made a public announcement that said that Linux was based upon Unix (which it sort of is) and, since SCO held the copyright for Unix, large portions of Linux software code was actually owned by SCO. The upshot of which was the danger that Linux was actually not free, and people who used it were actually violating copyright. Linux programmers responded by saying "show us the code and we will change it". SCO said that it couldn't do that since to reveal the code would be tantamount to revealing trade secrets. Duh. SCO went to court against IBM and a number of other software companies and the case has been bogged down since then. Recently the judge in the case ruled that SCO didn't own the copyright. Since then SCO's share price plunged about 70% and is now seeking chapter 11 bankrupt protection. Read the details of the sordid case here.

Ubuntu World domination?

From the department of that-is-the-sound-of-inevitability-Mr-Anderson:

The old question always used to be if linux will ever be as widely used as Windows. For years there were always comments on how Linux was ready for the desktop and getting more and more popular.

Well, Ubuntu is clearly the Borg of Linux, users are being converted quicker than a Scientology rally.

...

I must admit that I am in awe of Ubuntu's popularity and how it appears to be gathering speed and storming the Desktop market at the moment. If this continues, especially in businesses worldwide, Microsoft will finally have something to worry about.

I use Kubuntu - which is essentially the same as Ubuntu except it uses KDE instead of Gnome. Although it has a way to go to seriously compete with Windows, I have found it to be a very user-friendly operating system, light years better than Mandriva (my first Linux distro) and more reliable and safer than Windows 98. Moreover, I am not a technology maven - I'm just someone who uses his computer a lot.

If you are seriously contemplating leaving Microsoft behind, and can't afford a Mac, then consider installing Ubuntu Linux.

Firefox passes 400 million downloads

From the department of the-best-things-in-life-are-free:

"Firefox hit another milestone this past Friday, when it passed the 400 million download mark. From its launch in 2004 it took one year to reach 100 million downloads, hitting 200 million downloads just one year later. According to figures released by US consultancy firm Janco and the IT Productivity Center, Firefox currently has 17.4 percent of the browser market — up 5.6 percentage points in the last year. Also within the last year, Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser dropped 9.6 percentage points to a market share of 63.9 percent."