nixCraft Linux Sys Admin Blog

HP 2133 Mini-Notebook PC - Full-function Priced Starting Under $500

Posted: 08 Apr 2008 12:55 PM CDT

To help schools offer affordable computing to every student, HP today introduced a full-function, mini-notebook Linux powered PC priced starting under $500. HP will join a fledgling market already populated with products from Intel Corp., the world's largest semiconductor company, and Asustek Computers Inc., the world's largest maker of computer motherboards.

The only way to keep cost is use Linux and create network only computer for everybody. Windows vista cannot be installed because of price tag and higher hardware requirements.

Notebook features

Simple, refined design and anodized aluminum shell that is sleek and sturdy yet lightweight;
HP DuraKeys, featuring a clear coating applied over the notebook keyboard that protects the finish and printed letters and characters;
An HP 3D DriveGuard, which sends a signal to shut down the hard drive upon sudden movement or shock by using a three-axis digital accelerometer chip
Scratch-resistant display and magnesium hinge bracket
A large 8.9-inch diagonal WXGA display, user-friendly full keyboard (QWERTY) and touchpad;
Ability to view video, still-image capture, web conferencing or video-enhanced instant messaging with no additional hardware to buy or carry. An optional integrated VGA webcam enables video and still-image capture to allow the addition of photos and video clips to presentations, documents and email;
Two battery solutions â€" three-cell for lightest-weight configurations or optional six-cell for longer battery life;
Wireless technologies such as integrated Wi-Fi Certified WLAN(3) and optional Bluetoothâ„¢, allowing students to access the Internet as well as communicate via email, IM, chat, VOIP and blogging. The wireless technologies also enable connections at hotspots as well as with Bluetooth devices such as printers, mice and headsets; and
The processors HP is using are made by Via Technologies Inc., the distant third-ranked player in the microprocessor space, and come in clock speeds up to 1.6 gigahertz.

=> More information available here and here.

Red Hat Asks Court To Limit Patents On Software

Posted: 08 Apr 2008 08:59 AM CDT

Red hat's Open Source Assurance program is already used to safeguard customers developing and deploying open source solutions. Red hat now asking court to limit patents on software:

Open source software is one of the most dynamic, innovative sectors of the U.S. economy, but the U.S. patent system is a costly hindrance to open source innovation. We believe that although the patent system was created to foster innovation, itâ€™s simply not an engine for innovation for open source. Software patents were barely recognized when open source began, and so the hope of obtaining a patent did not motivate the first developers. Those pioneers were generally opposed to software patents. The open, collaborative activity at the heart of open source is at odds with the patent system, which excludes the public from making, using or selling a patented invention. Open source developers seek to contribute code to the community â€" not to exclude others from using the code.

There is also Open Invention Network (OIN) backed by IBN, Red Hat, Novell, Sony and others. OIN is a company that acquires patents and offers them royalty free "to any company, institution or individual that agrees not to assert its patents against the Linux operating system or certain Linux-related applications". On a related note, Microsoft has claimed that free software such as OpenOffice.org and the Linux kernel violate 235 Microsoft patents and said that it will seek license fees.

Download of the Day: OpenSSH Server 5.0 ( security fix release )

Posted: 08 Apr 2008 07:48 AM CDT

One of the most popular remote server management service has just released security fix version. This version avoid possible hijacking of X11-forwarded connections by refusing to listen on a port unless all address families bind successfully. You can download OpenSHH Server from official project web site or wait for your distro to release updated version.

Download of the day: Asus EEEPC Linux Software Development Kit ( SDK )

Posted: 08 Apr 2008 06:55 AM CDT

Asus has launched an open-source project for its cheap ASUS Eee laptop PC . You can download SDK and start developing more applications. It is a collection of programming tools, utilities, documentation, and libraries for Asus Linux EEEPc.

From the project home page:

This is an open-source project for ASUS Eee PC series. It provides a center for the community of Eee PC users and developers, including source code, documentation and experience sharing. The project is officially supported by ASUS.

=> Download Asus EEEPC SDK [ ISO / Vmware Images - 885 megabytes)