Linux Phones on Tap for 2009 from Verizon, Others

Your next cheap phone might be a Linux phone – but you might never know it. The LiMo Foundation announced Monday that Verizon Wireless and other global carriers will be rolling out Linux-based phones in 2009, possibly including low-cost devices capable of running advanced Web apps.

Verizon and a slew of international operators including Vodafone, Orange and Telefonica committed to releasing LiMo-compliant phones in 2009, the foundation said in a press release on Monday.

The LiMo Foundation is a loose association of mobile-phone carriers and manufacturers devoted to coming up with a Linux platform for lower-end phones. They're not aiming to compete with Apple or Android in the smart phone market. They're hoping to displace a lot of operating systems you haven't heard of, things like Nucleus and OSE, by using a variety of platforms based on common Linux building blocks.

"LiMo has the ability to do customization on top of a common middleware platform, so the handset can reflect market requirements while deploying a common platform across different territories," said Andrew Shikiar, LiMo's director of global marketing.

Translation: the LiMo platform, ideally, combines the stability and flexibility of Linux with extreme customizability, so Verizon can have their Verizon phones full of Verizon software.

"I don't think a consumer will be looking for a 'LiMo handset,' but they'll be very impressed by the latest device they get from a Verizon retail store," Shikiar said.

The foundation also announced the release of LiMo Platform R2 and the development of several reference platforms. The basic LiMo platform includes software code for doing things like device management, security, playing multimedia and accessing location-based services, but it isn't a full, retail-ready OS package. A half-dozen different reference designs at next week's Mobile World Congress trade show will show how the LiMo code can be turned into end-user-friendly models.

"The next step is integrating this code into a bundled platform," Shikiar said. "You will see R2 technology in handsets in meaningful scale in Q3 or Q4 of this year."

One of the hottest technologies in the LiMo platform will be BONDI, a new software initiative to create a standard so Web apps on phones can access data on the phone in a consistent way. Right now, different phones have different browsers and different security models, meaning Web apps either have to be tailored to the specific phone or be very, very basic. BONDI aims to change that, and BONDI-compatible LiMo phones will be available by the end of the year, Shikiar said.

"We're meeting leading operators, and they want WAP to go away. They want DHTML support. This is part of that promise. Our objective here is to bring some sanity to an insane situation for Web developers who want to develop for mobile phones," Shikiar said.

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11 reasons to switch to Linux

People like to publish top-10 lists of all sorts. And "reasons to switch to Linux" is no exception. Many of those have been published, and the latest entry is here. However, I think the author completely forgot a very important point. Also, some of the points he makes should be examined a bit more closely and critically. The comments on the original article reflect some valid and some unfounded criticism. Let me just run through those points (italics are quotes from the original 10-point list, my comments are directly below each point) and provide my own take on those:

1. Free: Linux is an open source project. As they say, it is free as in free beer. All you need to install Linux is an Internet connection to download the iso files and a CD where you can burn the iso. Compare this with Windows which costs a lot!

That is of course true. It doesn't cost anything to download a GNU/Linux distro, besides whatever charges you have for bandwidth. Note also that in the case of Ubuntu you don't even need to burn your own CD. They will send you one for free if you request it. On the other hand, most users are not aware of the cost of Windows, since it comes pre-loaded with their PC and is 'just there'. Consequently, for many this is not really a reason to 'switch'. The cost advantage is only relevant if you are installing a new computer from scratch. Also, the author forgot to mention a very aspect of 'free'. See point 11 below.

2. Linux distributions are COMPLETE: All the decent Linux distributions are complete: they include almost all the applications like office applications, pdf reader, web servers, compilers, etc. You don’t have to pay anything to download and install these applications. Ubuntu comes with OpenOffice, which is a perfect substitute for MS Office.

Well, they may not all include them right off the bat, but you can usually install easily whatever is missing through the repository of that distro. This easy and efficient means of installing software is really one of the biggest advantages for the end-user when dealing with modern GNU/Linux distributions. While most of the high-profile FOSS software, such as OpenOffice, Thunderbird and Firefox are also available for Windows, you have this huge selection of FOSS software in the repos, with a very easy management and installation interface. I think the incredible ease of use should have been emphasised more.

3.Virus, Spyware, Adware? None of these can affect a Linux based system. In fact, you don’t even have to install an anti-virus software which bogs down system performance in Windows.

That is an overly optimistic statement. Of course one can write software that takes advantage of vulnerabilities even under Linux, or any other OS, really. But the commenters that complain about this assertion are also missing the point: They talk about how Linux security is based on the fact that there is less of an effort made by the malware authors to exploit Linux, due to its smaller market share. The 'less effort' part might be true, but it is not the complete picture. The Linux OS architecture is more secure and desktops apps are not normally run in admin mode. Exploiting Linux by clickable, executable email attachments is possible, but more complex and requires more steps for the user to go through. If Linux would gain significant market share, we would certainly see an increase in exploit attempts. How effective they would be, however, is another story. For the time being, though, GNU/Linux systems clearly have much less of a risk of being infected by anything than Windows machines.

4.Low system requirements: I have a tough time running Windows XP on my system and Vista needs 1-2 GB RAM to work properly. On the other hand, Ubuntu boots and runs perfectly fast on this low configuration PC.

Ok, let's not get carried away here. A full blown Gnome or KDE desktop will chew up a pretty astonishing amount of memory. The good thing is, however, that there are smaller, compact desktops (xfce, and others) available, which result in significantly smaller system requirements. Also, it is possible to produce distros with incredibly small footprint for embedded systems or small servers, especially if you forgo the graphical desktop. So, the correct thing to say would be that 'it is possible' to create very small footprint Linux systems. The flexibility to do so is a huge plus for Linux. But we should also admit that modern, full-blown GNU/Linux desktop distros will very happily use up gigabytes of memory as well.

5.Much Stability: Linux is much more stable when compared with Windows. This is the reason most of the web servers are run using Linux. Forget about the blue screen of death [BSOD]!

GNU/Linux can be very stable, especially in a server environment. I have had lockups in the graphical desktop, though. That desktop is a complex piece of software, apparently, and I find it disturbing that applications can screw it up in such a way that it locks me out. That doesn't happen often, but it has happened. The legendary reputation for stability of GNU/Linux was build in server environments. In general, the core of the OS is very stable. But while the desktop is quite good, it is not perfect. Maybe a bit more comparable to the typical Windows user experience? Your mileage may vary, though. If you don't try experimental 3D features in the desktop, or use a well-supported graphic card, or have your standard set of apps that you use every day, you may experience very good stability from the Linux desktop as well.

6.Programming tools: If you want to learn programming, Linux is the best for you. Linux distributions come with many compilers and other tools to write and execute code. For example, I use gcc to compile C files which I write using the vi editor. I also have python IDLE installed which I use to learn programming in python.

I can only agree here. The amount of available software development tools and languages, all for no cost at all, makes a Linux system a dream for any student of programming languages and software development. Combine that with a huge number of ready-made server packages, libraries, etc., and you can see how putting together complex, working software systems is quite a joy.

7.Faster release cycles: Linux distributions are upgraded very fast. New versions of most Linux distributions are released once in every 6 months.

True. It's important to point out that the improvements and updates are incremental and thus aide in the stability of the overall distro. See also what I wrote about that yesterday.

8.Helpful community: Linux has a large fan-following. There are many forums and blogs which can help you if you have any problem. Millions of people cannot be wrong!

Well, even millions of people can be wrong as history has shown over and over again. However, the point about the helpful community is of course a valid one. While this same community also has a problem with prick-ish elitists and fanboys, there is indeed a very large community of helpful and very nice individuals out there. And with popular distros a solution to a problem is often just a quick search away. It should also be pointed out that for those who want commercial support it is available as well through support contracts with the large Linux vendors (RedHat, Novell, Oracle, Canonical, etc.).

9.You can run Linux along with Windows: You can run Linux along with Windows on a different partition. You can boot to Windows wherever you want. It is also possible to run Linux in Windows using emulator software like VMWare or MS Virtual PC. Likewise, it is also possible to run Windows applications in Linux using emulators like Wine (This Wine is different!).

That's all true. Even though your mileage may vary when trying to run Windows software under Wine.

10.A new learning experience: Install Linux on your computer and you will learn many new things. Linux does have a point and click interface, but you can use the command line or “Terminal” as it is called to completely unleash the power of Linux. This way you will learn many cool and new things.

Yes, learning a bit about the command line and looking under the hood is a rewarding experience. GNU/Linux (and BSD and most other *nix OSs) wear their hearts on their sleeves. You can see and experience what's going on. A wonderful way to learn. But one more point: 'Linux' doesn't have a point and click interface, it's the graphical desktops you have in many distros with the point and click interface. Contrary to Windows, the desktop and the underlying OS are well separated. Linux as a server doesn't have a point and click interface. Ok, maybe I'm picky, but I think that is an important strength that shouldn't be left unmentioned: No unnecessary weight if you don't want to.

11.Linux is truly free, as in freedom: As promised, there is at least one more point. The original article completely forgot to mention this one, which I personally think is the most important one of them all: GNU/Linux is free, as in freedom! The first point alluded to free as in beer (price) only. But I think the freedom aspect is much more important. Computers run our lives, they store our data and our most intimate secrets and communications. How can we give up control over this data to proprietary, closed software that was developed by corporations with the single, overriding motive of increasing their profits? Nothing wrong with making a profit, but the goals of those corporations are often directly opposite to our goals as consumers and users. How can we not demand complete transparency in the software that runs and manages our lives? How can we allow software that puts artificial restrictions on us to have any control over our lives and data? To put it in the words of the Free Software Foundation: Free software is the answer to a world built in code.

So, this is my comment on that most recent "10 reasons to switch to Linux" post. A bit too much enthusiasm and the most important point was forgotten. But I think the points provide a good basis at least for a more differentiated discussion.

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Have Something You Want to Say?

If you have written a good article on Linux or Open source, Send it to blake@thelinuxnewb.com and I will post it up here giving you full credit. If things work out I may invite you to be a full time blogger with The Linux Newb!!

Cheers,
Blake

14 of the Best Free Linux Wiki Engines

A Wiki engine is a type of collaborative software that runs a wiki system. This facilitates web pages being created and edited using a web browser. This type of software is usually implemented as an application server that runs on one or more web servers.
The content is stored in a file system, and changes to the content are typically stored in a relational database management system (such as MySQL), although some simple wiki engines use text files instead.

Wikis try to make it as simple as possible to write and share useful content, using intuitive page naming and text formatting conventions. Wikis are usually (but not always) wide open and assume a cooperating community. However, with spam bots prevalent, most wiki engines have lots of anti-spam measures such as page permissions, Access Control Lists, host blocking, blacklists, and CAPTCHAs in place.

TikiWiki is a very powerful content management system, which just missed out on being included in our 21 of the Best Free Web Content Management Systems. However, it merits a mention in this feature, as it is a very popular wiki engine.

To provide an insight into the quality of software that is available, we have compiled a list of 14 high quality free Linux wiki engines. Hopefully, there will be something of interest for anyone who wishes to share information with others.

Now, let's explore the 14 wiki engines at hand. For each title we have compiled its own portal page, a full description with an in-depth analysis of its features, together with links to relevant resources and reviews.


MediaWiki - Collaborative editing software that runs Wikipedia


DokuWiki - Targeted at developer teams, workgroups and small companies

MoinMoin - Advanced, easy to use and extensible wiki engine implemented in Python

PmWiki - Offers a simple-to-install system

PhpWiki - Wiki engine written in PHP

Zwiki - Powerful, innovative engine based on the Zope web application server

XWiki - Enterprise wiki written in Java

MindTouch Deki - Web-based enterprise collaboration, wiki software and mashup platform

Foswiki - Supports the embedding of active and passive macros

JSPWiki - Built around the standard J2EE components of Java, servlets and JSP

WackoWiki - Small, lightweight, handy, expandable, multilingual written in PHP

Triki-Wiki - Simple, robust, flat-file XHTML-Wiki in PHP

WikkaWiki - Flexible, lightweight, standards-compliant wiki engine

TWiki - Easy to use enterprise wiki and collaboration platform


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Second Netbook Wave Begins

Asus is taking pre-orders for a netbook based on Intel's second-generation netbook platform, the secret-shrouded N280/GN40 chipset. Early product specs confirm that the second wave of netbooks are likely to offer faster graphics and lower power use, along with room for much, much larger batteries.

(Click here for a large view of the Asus PC 1000HE)

Asus is the company that arguably touched off the netbook craze with its original Eee PC, originally launched in July 2007. The little Eee PCs started out with Intel Celeron processors, but switched last June to Intel's 1.6GHz Atom .

Now, according to Asus's website and a promotional Facebook group, the company is set to ship a netbook based on Intel's next-generation Atom N280, reportedly codenamed "Pineview." Thus far, Intel has made next-to-no information on this CPU public, beyond referencing a GN40 companion chip and a miniscule 0.06GHz increase in clock speed compared to the N270. However, it's widely believed that Pineview -- like Intel's forthcoming "Moorestown" platform -- will integrate northbridge functionality. The N280's IGP (integrated graphics processor) will clock at 200MHz, and may be capable of HD video playback. For more details, see later in this story.

Asus touts the N280 in its new Eee PC 1000HE netbook as providing "better performance at only 2.5 Watts of power." Taking no chances, the company has equipped the device with a massive 8700mAh battery, which is claimed to allow "up to 9.5 hours of run time."

Despite its power, the battery "sits flush with the chassis," claims Asus. Indeed, photos of the device (above) reveal a tidy footprint, and with a cited weight of 3.2 pounds, the PC 1000HE isn't significantly heftier than the netbook norm, either.

Asus says the netbook will provide "fast bootup and shutdown times." The device will also sport a new "chiclet" keyboard design, as pictured, plus a "multitouch keypad [that] allows two-fingered zooming and scrolling," according to the company.

Asus says the PC 1000HE includes a 160GB hard disk drive and a 10-inch display with LED backlighting. The device also offers 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth, according to the company.

Though further technical details weren't revealed, it's clear from the released photos of the PC 1000HE's left and right sides (above) that it will offer three USB ports, a VGA output, an Ethernet port, and either a memory card reader or an ExpressCard slot. The device also appears to include a webcam, like most other netbooks.

Which OS for the Asus: XP, Linux, Moblin, Android?

Asus has not revealed whether the PC 1000HE will be offered with both Linux and Windows XP, like its predecessors. Earlier EEE PCs used a version of Xandros Linux built with Intel's Moblin toolset (Xandros claimed a 25 percent increase in battery life with the switch to Moblin last summer). More recently, Intel last week released an alpha of Moblin V2.

Another possibility may be Android. A netbook version has been rumored to be under development by Google, and VentureBeat recently reported that a "reliable source" has informed them that Intel is "preparing for the mass production of Google Android-based netbooks." Meanwhile, The Girvan Institute has stated that it will present a conference on Android development for the Intel Atom, as part of its "Mobile Internet Developers Conference" series this year.

The Atom N280

With the "Pineview" N280, Intel is apparently set to integrate northbridge functionality onto the CPU itself, though it has said little officially. Last month, we found a document on the chipmaker's website that confirmed the N280's name, clock speed, and use of the GN40 companion chip, but revealed little else. Now, that document has been taken down, leaving Asus and other netbook manufacturers as the only source of information leaks.

On its own, the N280's miniscule clock speed increase compared to the N270 will do little to cheer those who were hoping for faster netbook performance. However, both Asus and Digitimes claim the N280 will ramp DDR2 memory speed up to 667MHz, compared to the N270's 533MHz. Additionally, some northbridge processing, such as graphics, could benefit from the move to smaller process technology. The effective "front-side bus" speed between CPU and northbridge components should also increase significantly, because on-chip interconnects are typically much faster than off-. However, highly integrated designs sometimes use the main CPU for on-chip peripheral processing functions, resulting in a performance wash or even a slow-down.

According to a story published last month in the Taiwanese publication Digitimes, Pineview's integrated CPU+northbridge design will substantially reduce the amount of motherboard real estate required by the Atom, from a total of 2174mm square for the N270/945GSE combo, to just 773mm square for the N280/GN40 combo. Although Pineview's graphics core will still be Intel's GMA 950, the GPU's core frequencies will be increased from 133MHz to 200MHz, Digitimes claims.

As most readers will now be well aware, Intel first released its Atom processors -- targeting low-cost devices that previously used its Celeron -- in April of last year. The initial Z5xx series of Atoms, also known as "Silverthorne," featured a 13mm x 13mm package, clock speeds from 800MHz to 1.86GHz, and a northbridge/southbridge companion chip known as the SCH US15W (aka "Poulsbo").

The second series of Atoms, announced in June 2008, includes the N270 and 230, aka "Diamondville." Architecturally identical to the Z5xx series, they come in 22mm x 22mm packages designed to be more affordable. Hence, they rely on separate northbridge and southbridge chips -- Intel's 945GSE is commonly paired with the N270; the 945GC with its desktop cousin, the 230.

Further Information

According to Asus, the PC 1000HE will be available "soon" for approximately $400. More information may be found on the manufacturer's website, here, and on a related Facebook group, here.

To read the Digitimes report referred to in this story, see the publication's website, here.

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Torvalds: Linux and OpenSolaris a tough mix

It should be obvious, but the more I talk to people about open source, and where and how it's useful, the more I'm surprised by how overinflated (or underinflated) expectations often are for open source.

One case in point is with the utility of source code as a way to save time and money, rather than reinventing the wheel. For example, Alfresco, my employer, was able to get its initial content management product to a 1.0 state in less than six months because it heavily borrowed from successful open-source projects such as Hibernate, Spring, PDFbox, and others.

However, as Linux kernel creator Linus Torvalds notes in a recent interview, it's not always that easy. Speaking of the possibility of including Sun's OpenSolaris code in Linux, the Torvalds remarks:

"One of the problems is that taking code from other projects is hard. You can't take the code as is, right? Solaris is very different in many areas from Linux, so if you take Solaris code, you have to fix it for all the differences. "

"Quite often, it's actually more work to try to take code from another project than it would be to just write it yourself from the start, from scratch."

In some cases, it's worth the effort, but it is effort. For those who think that adopting open-source software is easy, you clearly haven't been involved in it for very long.

Open source doesn't make development or business easier. It's a different way of doing development that has its own significant benefits and some downsides. I think that it leads to superior code, but don't expect the road to be smooth.

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