August 2002

Linuxathome.net Box is now available !!! Posted Friday, August 30, 2002 @ 3:36 PM by mayhem

Well after weeks of talking about it, we finally got around to building and testing a Linuxathome.net Box. The following are the specifications of this low cost Home Linux Server: AMD Duron 1.2 GHz CPU Gigabyte GA-7VKML DDR Motherboard 128MB PC2100 DDR Memory 40GB Seagate 5400RPM Hard Disk 1.44MB Panasonic Floppy Drive Aopen 52x CD-ROM Drive Aopen KF45E/A 250Watt Midi Tower On-board 32MB ProSavage 8 2D/3D Video (AGP Slot Available) On-board Realtek AC97 Sound On-board Realtek 10/100 NIC (Setup for WAN - eth0) D-Link SN5200TX Network Card (Setup for LAN - eth1) Pre-Installled Red Hat 7.3 (Using Default Config) 2 Years Return-To-Base Parts & Labour Warranty Price: $615 (inc. GST) The box will come completely installed with Red Hat 7.3, with DNS, Apache, MRTG, KDE (possibly 3.x), MySQL, Webmin etc so it will be good for both server or workstation use. We are looking into an office suite to install also, and possibly some other software. Please note: No keyboard, mouse or monitor. If you would like to order one, please click here, or you can go here to view more information about the system in our on-line shop.

Netscape 7.0 is Out Posted Friday, August 30, 2002 @ 11:53 AM by mayhem

MrJones was one of many many users to submit that Netscape has released Navigator 7.0 unto the world. With their dwindling market share, it'll be interesting to see what affect this has on internet users. But here's hoping it makes a dent. (Source: Slashdot)

AMD's Athlon XP 2700+ Posted Friday, August 30, 2002 @ 11:51 AM by mayhem

According to some Taiwanese sources, AMD will officially reveal its Athlon XP 2700+ processor on the 7th of October. Most interesting is that this CPU will have a 333 MHz FSB. The first implementation of this increased FSB on Athlon platform. It is expected that the novelty will be based on the latest Thoroughbred core stepping 1, just like the current Athlon XP 2400+ and 2600+, and will work at 2.17GHz. (Source: Slashdot)

Why Xbox Linux founder left the project Posted Thursday, August 29, 2002 @ 3:25 PM by mayhem

The founder of the high-profile Xbox Linux Project has left the group over concerns about the direction of the project and disagreements with the anonymous donor who's contributed $200,000 to port Linux to the Microsoft gaming device. (Source: Linux.com)

Linux Kernel 2.4.20-pre5 Now Available For Download Posted Thursday, August 29, 2002 @ 2:35 PM by mayhem

You can now download the 2.4.20-pre5 Linux Kernel from here, or any of the www.kernel.org mirrors here, full changelog information is available here.

OpenPKG 1.1 released Posted Thursday, August 29, 2002 @ 2:25 PM by mayhem

The OpenPKG project released version 1.1 of the unique cross-platform software packaging facility. The number of packages were increased by 60% to 274. Officially supported platforms are FreeBSD 4, RedHat Linux 7, Debian GNU/Linux 2, Debian GNU/Linux 3, Sun Solaris 8 and Sun Solaris 9. Highlights in this version are additional user/groups to better abstract security-sensitive code from generic functionality and the new proxy packaging functionality. (Source: NewsForge)

Another free shell server! Posted Thursday, August 29, 2002 @ 1:27 AM by mayhem

Jay writes "I recently came across an article on slashdot where soemone has created they're own free shell server run on openbsd. Well I thought this was a great idea, so I decided to create my own free shell server located at http://freeshells.linuxhelpnetwork.net and base it on linux, because linux just rocks :). I am providing this service 100% free, as a learning experience for both me and you :)"

Linux Kernel 2.5.32 Now Available For Download Posted Wednesday, August 28, 2002 @ 8:21 AM by mayhem

You can now download the 2.5.32 Linux Kernel from here, or any of the www.kernel.org mirrors here, full changelog information is available here.

Mozilla 1.1 Hits The Street Posted Tuesday, August 27, 2002 @ 11:32 PM by mayhem

Mozilla 1.1 has arrived!. This release has many new features including full-screen mode for Linux, Mac MathML support, a redesigned JavaScript Debugger, new window icons for the different Mozilla applications, view selection source, display HTML mail as plaintext, and much more. Along with all the new features, Mozilla 1.1 also contains many improvements to performance, stability, standards support, and web site compatibility. You can get Mozilla 1.1 by visiting the mozilla.org releases page or directly from ftp at ftp.mozilla.org. Now that 1.1 is out the door, the focus moves to 1.2 alpha, and beyond. If you're confused as to how all of these releases relate to each other, be sure to check out the Mozilla Roadmap and the community hub over at mozillaZine.org. (Source: Slashdot)

Is Red Hat the Microsoft of Linux? Posted Tuesday, August 27, 2002 @ 11:30 PM by mayhem

This article featured on eWeek asks the question 'Red Hat: Next Redmond?' It quotes an IBM VP who says, 'There is a backlash against Red Hat from many consumers and government agencies, who fear it is increasingly becoming the Microsoft of the Linux world with respect to its dominance and attitude,' while Red Hat states: 'Our commitment to open source remains absolute, no matter what our competitors are saying.' Is this just some pro-UnitedLinux spin, or a valid concern? What do you think? (Source: Slashdot)

Lindows.com, Inc. Signs Premiere System Builder In Southern California, Datel Posted Tuesday, August 27, 2002 @ 11:18 AM by mayhem

SAN DIEGO – August 26, 2002 - Lindows.com, Inc. today announced an agreement with Datel System Incorporated, a San Diego-based system builder and retail store operator. Datel will offer, starting immediately, LindowsOS PCs in their stores. “Datel has always been in tune with their customers’ needs,” said Michael Robertson, chief executive officer and founder of Lindows.com, Inc. “Now for $299, Datel customers get a powerful desktop computer with LindowsOS and 10 free software applications, and for just an additional $99, access to hundreds of ready-to-go software applications via the Click-N-Run Warehouse.” The Click-N-Run Warehouse also includes StarOffice, from Sun Microsystems, (NASDAQ: SUN) a complete productivity suite that normally costs $75 alone. Computer users who sign-up for the Click-N-Run Warehouse membership receive StarOffice at no additional charge. 299 Datel/LindowsOS Specifications: AMD 850 MHz 128 MB RAM 20 GB Hard Disk Drive 52X CD Rom On board Audio/Video/LAN Stereo Speakers Keyboard and Mouse

Adding New Hardware Guide Posted Monday, August 26, 2002 @ 8:33 PM by mayhem

There is now a new section on the site, titled "Adding New Hardware", this new addition to the site details a few ways of setting up new hardware on your Linux sytem, including Memory and Hard Disk's, with more upgrades to come. Any comments, or feedback can be sent to me.

The Linux Fragmentation Grenade Posted Monday, August 26, 2002 @ 11:43 AM by mayhem

From the Orange Corner: "Yet another column this month predicted the "fragmentation" of Linux. The article by Keith Denton, will probably get a lot of "airtime" because of the popularity of the ZDNet boards, yet I would like to take this article to task on some of its underlying assumptions." More information is available here. (Source: NewsForge)

KDE Gets The Hat Posted Sunday, August 25, 2002 @ 8:57 PM by mayhem

Tension is currently rising between the KDE and GNOME followers, following the release of the new beta to Red Hat's upcoming distribution. Neither group appears to be satisfied with the fact that Red Hat has null-ified the difference between the two desktop environments. (Source: Slashdot)

Medicine for a Sick Linux Box Posted Sunday, August 25, 2002 @ 8:56 PM by mayhem

This is the site for "LIAP: Linux In A Pillbox". It is an interesting recovery distro made in the vein of pharmaceuticals; each floppy based 'minidistro' cures one specific Linux ailment. Or, as Luke Komasta (The creator of LIAP) puts it: "My Linux project contains "pills". Each of them is good for one disease, but it doesn't work good enough for another. When you know what you need a Linux for, you may choose a good pill. And of course, as you know, there is no drug which is good for treating all diseases." It's an extremely interesting approach to Linux recovery, and one that appears to be more effective than the other varieties of floppy/mini-cd based recovery systems. Worth downloading in case you ever need it! (Source: Slashdot)

Easily Compile and Configure Samba Posted Sunday, August 25, 2002 @ 8:04 PM by mayhem

Jay writes "Easily learn how to setup filesharing in linux using samba. Just read this great tutorial title Easily Compile and Configure Samba. It will touch base on how to compile samba, create your own configuration file, how to secure your samba server, and how to activate swat."

CompactBSD for Embedded Projects Posted Sunday, August 25, 2002 @ 2:07 AM by mayhem

FatPort (a wireless Internet service provider in Vancouver, BC) just released CompactBSD. It's a set of tools that allow you to build your own customized, lightweight distribution of OpenBSD and then burns it onto compact flash (or similar) so that it can be run on an embedded PC platform (like FatPort's own FatPoint). CompactBSD takes the security and networking features of OpenBSD that we know and love, and combines them with ease-of-build and small footprint, which is great for embedded devices. Check out the project on SourceForge. (Source: Slashdot)

Netscape 7.0 final coming any day now Posted Sunday, August 25, 2002 @ 1:47 AM by mayhem

After reading the post about Netscape 4.8 being released, I went to their FTP site to check things out. I noticed that in their "/pub/netscape7/english/" folder that there is a new entry besides 7.0PR1. The new entry is 7.0, but you can't get into the folder with an anonymous name and password. I've done a search on google for "netscape 7.0 final" and sure enough, there's two sites reporting something about the 7.0 final being released very soon! I suspect that it "might" be within this next week or so. Netscape's site is still referencing the PR1 release. Here's the url from google for the site(s) talking about it: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF -8&q=%22netscape+7.0+final%22&btnG=Google+Search (Source: NewsForge)

KDE 3.1 Beta Released Posted Friday, August 23, 2002 @ 12:59 PM by mayhem

KDE 3.1 beta has been released. There are numerous improvements, including tabbed browsing with Konqueror. August 22, 2002 (The INTERNET). The KDE Project today announced the immediate availability of KDE 3.1 beta1, the second development release of KDE 3.1, which follows 6 weeks after the release of KDE 3.1 alpha1, a significant feature upgrade for KDE 3 (screenshots). KDE 3 is the third generation of KDE's free, powerful and easy-to-use Internet-enabled desktop for Linux and other UNIXes. KDE 3.1, scheduled for final release in October 2002, will provide substantial improvements to the KDE desktop experience. As the KDE 3 API is frozen for binary compatibility, KDE 3.1 will be binary compatible with KDE 3.0. (Source: Slashdot)

CD Copy Stopper Posted Friday, August 23, 2002 @ 12:58 PM by mayhem

Technology Review has an article about a new CD and DVD copy protection system by Doc-Witness, where the disc itself has a smart card on it. The card checks if a request is valid, and then returns a key to decrypt the contents of the disc. It apparently works with standard drives. (Source: Slashdot)

AMD's 2700+ to use 333MHz FSB Posted Friday, August 23, 2002 @ 12:54 AM by mayhem

Sources said that AMD's next speed step, after today's announcement of the 2400+ and 2600+ Athlon XPs, will be a 2700+ which will use a 333MHz front side bus (FSB). But AMD may also attempt to introduce other features into the 2700+ if engineers can make that work. Those could include Barton like elements such as SOI (silicon on insulator) and a 512K cache but that's dependent on whether the designers can make these elements work in a 2700+ chip. The target date now for the 2700+ is October but while the engineers can introduce a 333 FSB with few if any problems, we understand that they are having difficulties making the SOI process work. As there are only a few weeks to go before the marketeers want to run the 2700+ into the marketplace, it would seem to us touch and go whether those problems can be safely ironed out before the launch date. AMD's processor cup and roadmaps rather overfloweth. Not only is the firm re-engineering its Dresden fab ready for the launch of 64-bit Hammer processors, it also has mobile chips and MP (multiprocessing) chips to make. Full story is available here. (Source: AusPCWorld)

"Fastest Browser On Earth" Cuts Crud Posted Thursday, August 22, 2002 @ 1:21 PM by mayhem

The guys at Opera have been rewriting their rendering engine over the past 18 months, tossing out legacy code and making the browser more DOM compliant with the intention of making the self-proclaimed "fastest browser on earth" even faster. They claim to have succeeded, according to this article on ZDNet.. Fun stuff.. ;) (Source: Slashdot)

The Uber-Linux Box Project Posted Thursday, August 22, 2002 @ 12:10 PM by mayhem

Atomic Magazine Issue 20 (Sept 02) has a nice article on setting up a Linux Box at home as a server. It is definately worth a read: "Wondering what to do with the spare parts from yoiur last upgrade? Why, build a server box of course! Ashton Mills wants you to round em' up, thwo em' togetheer, grab a seat and ponder these penguinferious words - we're going to build you a boom box. But not just any box, no no - the Atmonic uber-Linux server box of joy!"

Telstra may be turning to Linux! Posted Thursday, August 22, 2002 @ 11:53 AM by mayhem

Telstra will explore using the open source Linux OS as part of a new standard operating platform being scoped by the telecommunications giant as it looks to reduce its $1.5 billion annual IT budget. More information is available here. (Source: Overclockers Australia)

AMD working on new PC rating method Posted Thursday, August 22, 2002 @ 11:04 AM by mayhem

Chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices is continuing its fight against the most common way of rating computer performance--a method that relies on what AMD calls the "megahertz myth." The chipmaker expands its fight against the "fastest chip equals best PC" approach, moving from a consumer-education effort to developing a new way of judging performance. Full story available here. (Source: CNET News)

Microsoft talks up Xbox online service Posted Thursday, August 22, 2002 @ 11:03 AM by mayhem

The Xbox Live service, set to debut online Nov. 15, will include voice chat in every game, said John O'Rourke, worldwide marketing director for Microsoft's Xbox video game console, as he promoted the upcoming online service for the console Wednesday. That contrasts with Sony's online approach for its PlayStation 2 console, which initially will offer voice capability in only one game. "The online gaming service will include voice chat in every game, while Sony's online approach for its PlayStation 2 console will initially offer voice capability in only one game." Full story available here. (Source: CNET News)

It's Reality Check Time for Lindows Posted Thursday, August 22, 2002 @ 9:26 AM by mayhem

Lindows.com, the operating system maker, is being forced to re-evaluate its strategy to lure the average consumer away from Windows. The company has increasingly moved away from its original claim to fame--running popular Windows applications on a non-Microsoft platform... Complete story is available here. (Source: Linux Today)

AMD to cut prices as well! Posted Thursday, August 22, 2002 @ 9:22 AM by mayhem

With the release of the well needed refresh of their AthlonXP line, AMD has also introduced price cuts to coincide with the launch of the AthlonXP 2400+ and 2600+. "AMD's latest chip to this point, the Athlon XP 2200+, came out in June and could be bought the same day it was announced on computers from Hewlett-Packard, among others. The Athlon XP 2600+ will run at 2.133GHz; the 2400+ will run at 2GHz, said Nathan Brookwood, an analyst at Insight 64. Although slower in terms of megahertz, the upcoming Athlons boast performance that's roughly comparable to that of Intel's best chips. "(AMD) had fallen behind, but they have closed the gap to a certain degree," Brookwood said. The two new Athlon chips will list for $297 and $193, respectively. And given a new round of price cuts, the 2400+ chip will list for only slightly more than the 2200+, which was lowered 20 percent from $230 to $183. AMD also reduced prices by between 3 percent and 12 percent on the rest of its desktop Athlon XP models. It cut the price of the 2100+ chip from $180 to $174; the 2000+ chip from $163 to $155; the 1900+ chip from $150 to $139; the 1800+ from $142 to $130; and the 1700+ from $130 to $114." Full story is available here. (Source: AusPCWorld)

AMD Opteron "Hammer" Preview Posted Wednesday, August 21, 2002 @ 11:27 PM by mayhem

Hardware Extreme has posted a preview of AMD's 8th-generation processor that AMD is currently developing with a few exclusive pics of the mechanical sample. AMD Athlon processors based on Hammer technology are expected to ship in the forth quater of 2002. The preview is located over at HW Extreme. (Source: Slashdot)

Power-Linux embedded chip warm boots Opteron Posted Wednesday, August 21, 2002 @ 11:25 PM by mayhem

Last week at Linuxworld there was a stall showing off a dual Opteron server. the motherboard uses PC2100 registered ECC DDR also on the board was a IBM Power CPU running at 90MHz, together with Flash memory holding a Linux micro kernel for BIOS functions and processor failover and replacement. The idea seemed to be that using this, Opterons can be warm rebooted in just a few seconds. But other tasks it looks after include remote administration even when there's a complete system crash. Although DDR 333 is not ECC registered yet, the impression he got from this partner was that support for it, and for DDR-II memory, was on the way as well. The machine only used two memory slots out of four, but uses 2GB modules – currently they are apparently very expensive compared to 1GB modules, but the price may come down when this dual Hammer/Opteron launches in February Full story is available here. (Source: AusPCWorld)

The Kernel Hacker's Guide to Source Code Control Posted Wednesday, August 21, 2002 @ 11:23 PM by mayhem

In this article, I explain some of the tools I used in the past to do this work and show how some new tools have enhanced my ability to keep on top of changes in the kernel and let me do my job with less effort..." You can read the article here. (Source: NewsForge)

Open Source software adoption in Australian government Posted Wednesday, August 21, 2002 @ 11:22 PM by mayhem

Highlighting recent Government sector progress AUUG Inc., the Australian UNIX and Open Systems group, calls on Federal and State agencies to further accelerate the adoption of Open Source software deployment within the Government sector. More information is available here. (Source: NewsForge)

New AMD Athlon 2600 Processor Released Posted Wednesday, August 21, 2002 @ 11:20 PM by mayhem

Looks like the latest AMD processor is out today, and is taking it right to Intel! Running at 2.13 GHz, the Athlon XP 2600+ is reviewed at Amdmb.com. The benchmarks show that the new Athlon on a 'revision B' Thoroughbred core with the frequency increase is able to beat out the Pentium 4 2.53 GHz processor on almost every test. Not only that, but it is a good overclocker as well! Check it out. AMD's press release on the topic also notes a Athlon 2400 was released as well. (Source: Slashdot)

Linux Security Week for August 19, 2002 Posted Tuesday, August 20, 2002 @ 2:50 PM by mayhem

LinuxSecurity Contributors writes: "LinuxSecurity.com reports on the most interesting security news this week, including 'Intrusion detection: Too Much Information,' 'Secure Infrastructure Design,' 'Secure Remote Workstations With Integrated VPNs,' and 'Unlocking the Secrets of Crypto: Cryptography, Encryption, and Cryptology Explained.'" (Source: Slashdot)

Linux Kernel 2.4.20-pre4 Now Available For Download Posted Tuesday, August 20, 2002 @ 2:45 PM by mayhem

You can now download the 2.4.20-pre4 Linux Kernel from here, or any of the www.kernel.org mirrors here, full changelog information is available here.

ATi Radeon 9700 Full Release Review w/ Benchmarks Posted Tuesday, August 20, 2002 @ 10:21 AM by mayhem

ATi Technologies has officially released their new Radeon 9700 Pro today. Real benchmark numbers and a full review can be found here. The card is impressive for sure and should have NVIDIA on the ropes for a while, as it beats out a GeForce 4 Ti 4600 handily, especially with Anti-Aliasing and Anisotropic Filtering enabled. Image quality is also top notch for this new high end DX9 compliant product from ATi." Here are some more links to reviews of the new high-end Radeon at AnandTech's and Tom's Hardware. (Source: Slashdot)

A Linux you can try before you even install it Posted Tuesday, August 20, 2002 @ 10:14 AM by mayhem

Anonymous Reader writes: "Knoppix is an 'instant demo' distribution. You make (or buy if you don't have a CD burner or the bandwidth to download the ISO image) a bootable CD, plop it in your CD drive (for you newbies, CD drive is the technical name for the coffee cup holder that slides in and out on the front of your computer), and reboot." Full story can be found here. (Source: NewsForge)

KDE 3.0.3 Released Posted Tuesday, August 20, 2002 @ 10:11 AM by mayhem

The KDE Project today announced the immediate availability of KDE 3.0.3, the third generation of KDE's free, powerful desktop for Linux and other UNIXes. KDE 3.0.3 is available in 50 languages and ships with the core KDE libraries, the base desktop environment, an integrated development environment, and hundreds of applications and other desktop enhancements from the other KDE base packages (PIM, administration, network, edutainment, development, utilities, multimedia, games, artwork, and others). KDE 3.0.3 primarily provides stability enhancements over KDE 3.0.2, which shipped in eary July 2002, and also contains a security correction for SSL (Internet security) certificate handling. For a list of some changes since KDE 3.0.2, please see the change log, and for additional information about the SSL certificate handling, please see the separate security advisory. "KDE 3.0.3 contains an important fix for handling SSL certificates," explained Waldo Bastian, the KDE developer responsible for implementing a fix shortly after the KDE Project became aware of the issue. "Anyone who uses Konqueror for secure transactions on the Internet is strongly urged to upgrade. Users of Internet Explorer, which suffers from the same problem but which does not yet have a fix available, are also encouraged to switch to KDE 3.0.3." You can download the stable 3.0.3 release here, and the changelog is available here. (Source: AusPCWorld)

RIP: The Perl Journal Posted Tuesday, August 20, 2002 @ 12:15 AM by mayhem

I'm surprised this hasn't been reported yet. Over at use.perl they're reporting that when the current issue of SysAdmin comes out, this will be the last installment of The Perl Journal. It's a shame. TPJ originally was stopped as a stand-alone, but was then included into Sysadmin. Now that's going too. We all owe a big thanks to all the contributers, and to Jon Orwant, for providing us a great resource in TPJ over the years. (Source: Slashdot)

GCC 3.2 out Posted Monday, August 19, 2002 @ 3:05 PM by mayhem

GCC 3.2 is out. The focus for this release is the C++ ABI and some small bugfixes for the C++ standard library. No significant changes have been made to the other compilers (C, Objective-C, Java, Ada and Fortran) since the 3.1.1 release a few weeks ago. You might want to read this warning about C++ ABI compatability, if you plan on installing GCC 3.2 (mirrors). (Source: KernelTrap)

FreeBSD 4.6.2 released Posted Monday, August 19, 2002 @ 3:00 PM by mayhem

FreeBSD 4.6.2 has been released. This is a fixpoint release that resolves several ATA-issues and addresses security problems such as the recent sshd, openssl and zlib vulnerabilities, aswell as some bugs in the syncookie and resolver code. A more complete list of changes can be found in the release notes (i386, alpha) on the FreeBSD website. You can download it from the official FreeBSD ftp server, or even better (and faster) from one of the mirrors. (Source: KernelTrap)

Mandrake Linux 9.0 Beta 3 now available for download Posted Monday, August 19, 2002 @ 2:58 PM by mayhem

The third Beta of the upcoming Mandrake Linux 9.0 is now available. Thanks to many helpful suggestions and reports, Beta 3 contains numerous corrections and improvements to the DrakX installer and assorted software. The third Beta also introduces new features, including: The first release of 'drakcronat'. Drakcronat is a utility for configuring 'at' and 'cron' jobs. WebDAV file system support has been integrated into the kernel and in drakconf. WebDAV allows users to collaboratively edit and manage files on remote web servers. koffice 1.2rc1, an office productivity suite from KDE, is now available in a new fully- functional version. i845 support for 2D in XFree86 appears with this third Beta. For more information and a full list of changes, please go here. (Source: LinuxDailyNews)

Where's GNU/Linux Usage Headed? Posted Monday, August 19, 2002 @ 2:43 PM by mayhem

Here are the plots of GNU/Linux number of users, on a regular scale, and on a log scale. Though projections have no real bearing on what actually turns out to be the numbers, they are fun :). The final projections from the two plots would seem to be a bit different to the naked eye. So, is GNU/Linx usage asymptotically headed towards, say 'all users' (first plot), or 'half a billion users' (second plot)? (Source: Slashdot)

Xbox for Linux released? Posted Monday, August 19, 2002 @ 10:54 AM by mayhem

It's been a while in the waiting but the Xbox Linux site says version 0.1 for the console is now available for download. The site says the version has limited functionality so far, but includes telnet and http, and also has information on TCP/IP configuration. This is not a video, say the developers. Steve Ballmer and Bill Gates of Microsoft will be ever so pleased. According to the site, there is still a way to go, including development of replacement ROMs, a boot loader, drivers for the hardware, and development of a FATX file system component. The reason for the project? The site says it wants to provide a version of GNU/Linux so that the machine can be used as an ordinary computer and run standard i386 Linux distros. It says an Xbox running Linux would be useful as a desktop computer, as a web server or as a node in a Linux cluster. And this is where you'll find out more. (Source: AusPCWorld)

KT 400 will support faster AMD front side bus Posted Monday, August 19, 2002 @ 10:53 AM by mayhem

The minute we heard AMD might actually adopt a 333MHz front side bus (FSB) we started to nose about a bit. So we asked Via whether its KT400 will support such an FSB and we got a straight reply that "The KT400 supports all existing and future AMD Athlon processor FSB speeds". So if, rather when, AMD decides to go-go for an FSB higher than the current 266 bus, Via will support it. According to other sources, even the KT333 or the widely accepted KT333CE will have support for this speed meaning that users with these boards will be able to use all the benefits of Athlons with a 333 MHz. As we noted elsewhere, the cunning plan seems to be that AMD will eventually offer all XPs it will still carry with that bus. It also means that if you buy a KT400 or an Nvidia based Nforce 2, board, life will be, as the saying goes, "just a bowl of cherries". Which led me to remember, if my memory serves me well, that the good old Alpha EV6 bus of blessed memory is physically capable of supporting a 400MHz front side bus. Not that AMD cares about that any more, of course. The intro of Athlon XPs with 333MHz support will once more give the Pentium 4 a run for its money. The chip wars have started again, in earnest! Now we need to find out what the other third party chipset manufacturers feel about this move. (Source: AusPCWorld)

MySQL and other Open Source databases getting important Posted Sunday, August 18, 2002 @ 10:48 PM by mayhem

MySQL and others are starting to eat into the $8.8 billion market for database software dominated by Oracle, International Business Machines Corp. and Microsoft Corp., users said. Yahoo, which uses MySQL to run the Yahoo! Finance Web site, may replace some Oracle databases with MySQL, said Jeremy Zawodny, a computer engineer at the Internet company." Full story at Bloomberg.com (Source: AusPCWorld)

AMD's Athlon plays catch-up with Intel Posted Sunday, August 18, 2002 @ 10:38 PM by mayhem

Advanced Micro Devices will rev up the performance of its Athlon XP processor with new models, due later this month. The chipmaker will introduce, at a minimum, an Athlon XP 2400+ and an Athlon XP 2600+ for desktop PCs toward the end of the month, sources familiar with AMD's plans said. AMD is also evaluating whether to increase the speed of the chip's front-side bus--the pathway used to shuttle data between the processor and PC memory. Doing so would boost the performance of future Athlon-based PCs. The newest Athlon XPs will help AMD increase its competitiveness with archrival Intel's Pentium 4. The Pentium 4 currently tops out at 2.53GHz, while AMD's highest performance Athlon XP is a 2200+ model, which runs at 1.8GHz. To get there, AMD moved up the launch of the 2600+ chip, which was not expected until the fourth quarter, to this month. The move helps AMD combat Intel's imminent 2.8GHz Pentium 4 launch. Intel moved the chip forward to this month from the fourth quarter to help stimulate demand, analysts said. Both companies are expected to cut chip prices as the new chips become available. Full story is available here. (Source: AusPCWorld)

Three Major Linux Distributions Certified LSB Compliant Posted Sunday, August 18, 2002 @ 10:04 PM by mayhem

RedHat, Mandrake, and SuSE are now certified LSB compliant!" Here's the announcement on the Free Standards Group's site. The Linux Standards Base (check out these related Slashdot posts) has been working for years to perhaps tame the what-lives-where cross-distro craziness. (Of course, distro makers are under no obligation to comply with the LSB's choices.) (Source: Slashdot)

Linux Kernel 2.4.20-pre3 Now Available For Download Posted Sunday, August 18, 2002 @ 9:50 PM by mayhem

You can now download the 2.4.20-pre3 Linux Kernel from here, or any of the www.kernel.org mirrors here, full changelog information is available here.

Official Windows XP Products IDs That Wont Install SP1 Posted Friday, August 16, 2002 @ 2:01 PM by mayhem

This is an official system builder newsletter from Microsoft: "Windows XP SP1 Will Not Install on Known Pirated Installations When released, Service Pack 1 for Microsoft Windows XP will not install if it identifies the underlying Windows XP installation as a known pirated installation. SP1 identifies known pirated installations by their Product IDs. The Product ID is generated from the Product Key used during install and can be found by choosing My Computer, then Properties, and viewing the General tab. SP1 will not install on installations with the following product IDs containing the following serial numbers (note that X takes the place of any other value): XXXXX-640-0000356-23XXX, & XXXXX-640-2001765-23XXX. Users of licensed Microsoft software will be unaffected. If SP1 is installed on a Windows XP installation with one of the above product IDs, SP1 installation will fail and error with the following message: Service Pack 1 Setup Error: The product key used to install Windows is invalid. Please contact your system administrator or retailer immediately to obtain a valid product key. You may also contact Microsoft Corporation’s Anti-Piracy Team by emailing piracy@microsoft.com if you think you have purchased pirated Microsoft software. Please be assured that any personal information you send to the Microsoft Anti-Piracy team will be kept in strict confidence."

Is it time to start running Linux? Posted Friday, August 16, 2002 @ 12:53 PM by mayhem

IDG.net has the column. "... many CIOs have deep reservations about Linux. They worry about the availability of support for Linux, as well as its security. And so the vast majority of IT execs are holding off on Linux, opting to go another year or two or three with proprietary software, despite the higher costs." Ummmm, worried about security? As opposed to, say, Microsoft spotless security record? (Source: NewsForge)

Lindows.com Hypes An Upcoming $199 PC Posted Friday, August 16, 2002 @ 11:27 AM by mayhem

After having struck a deal with Walmart on $299 PC, Lindows is planning to introduce $199 PC. ExtremeTech has the story, the official message from Michael Robertson, CEO of Lindows, is posted on Lindows.com. Robertson claims that "for under 200 dollars, you’ll be able to browse the Internet, check email and run a variety of software products for far less than the price of most handheld devices! A certified version of LindowsOS will come bundled with the PC". (Source: Slashdot)

How to find Linux software Posted Friday, August 16, 2002 @ 11:00 AM by mayhem

Proprietary software is easy to find. You can wander down to any computer store -- or even office superstores -- and find software for most common tasks. Want to research your family tree? Plan your holiday? Organize your office? There's probably something to do it at the local office super-store Full article is available here. (Source: AusPCWorld)

AMD to intro 2400+, 2600+ on 21st Posted Friday, August 16, 2002 @ 10:47 AM by mayhem

A shocked silence greeted the INQUIRER this morning when we asked AMD UK to either confirm or deny it was introducing its 2400+ and 2600+ Athlon XPs on the 21st of August next. Whole seconds later, AMD said it never commented on unannounced products. System integrators close to AMD in Taipei suggest that the 2600+ has a raw MHz speed of 2.133GHz, while the 2400+ clocks 2GHz. But, nevertheless, neither of these chipolatas has a 333MHz front side bus (FSB), although we do know for a fact that the little gnomes in the back room are tapping away at such a system as we write this. In fact, leprechauns close to those gnomes say that AMD will eventually migrate the 333MHz FSB to all of them thar Athlon XPs eventually. Meanwhile, the Taiwanese system integrator tells the INQ that the new Thoroughbred processors are running much cooler than the old ones. As we revealed yesterday, Intel has shuffled its 2.80GHz Pentium 4 processor launch up to the 26th of August, a few days ahead of the expected time of arrival. (Source: AusPCWorld)

SticksWALL has gone Version 3.0 Posted Thursday, August 15, 2002 @ 11:41 PM by mayhem

Just to inform you that the SticksWALL Project has now gone to Version 3.0, to download or for more information, click here. New Features include: - Seperate Config file. All changes by users are made HERE to reduce inadverant errors messing up the execution of the entire script. - Enhanced Logging Features - Seperate logfile [if desired] - Easy to use port forwarding features. - Module checking - won't try to reload the modules if they're already loaded. - IP Autodetection - You simply define the External and Internal Interfaces, the script grabs the IP itself. - Kernel Version autodetection. No more editing the config once you upgrade your kernel. - Enable Transparent Proxying with redirections of LAN port 80 calls to 3128 to FORCE use of your proxy server.

Linux Kernel Module For Nintendo Powerglove Posted Wednesday, August 14, 2002 @ 12:48 PM by mayhem

I've dusted off some schematics for a simple parallel interface to the nintendo powerglove (circa 1990), and have written a linux kernel module for the device since none of the old code works anymore. I'm hoping to generate some interest in homebrew vr: the gloves are cheap, and can be used for things like controlling midi synthesizers with the wave of your hand (a demo of which I've included on the project page)." (Source: Slashdot)

Red Hat 7.3 downloadable manuals Posted Wednesday, August 14, 2002 @ 12:46 PM by mayhem

This is the page where you'll find all the documentation for Red Hat 7.3, downloadable as PDF, RPM or tarballed HTML files. These are the same texts that come with the retail version of Red Hat 7.3. (Source: Linux.com)

Red Hat unfurls Hammer plans Posted Wednesday, August 14, 2002 @ 12:42 PM by mayhem

Red Hat Software will bring out a version of its server software for the Hammer processor family from Advanced Micro Devices, as momentum for the chip builds. Raleigh, N.C.-based Red Hat, the dominant seller of the Linux operating system, said that it would bring out a copy of Red Hat Linux Advanced Server for Hammer, the code name for a family of desktops and server processors that will begin to hit the shelves in the first quarter next year. Red Hat will come out with a 64-bit version of its software for Hammer and ensure that its 32-bit version will work on the chip as well. The company will demonstrate a 32-bit version of its software running on a Hammer server at LinuxWorld on Tuesday. Software makers and others have lined up behind Hammer since the beginning of the year. In April, Microsoft said it would tune Windows to run on Hammer, while German Linux distributor SuSE said in March that it would come out with software. More recently, IBM said it would release a version of DB2 version 8 database for Hammer and Linux. Hardware manufacturers are evaluating whether and how to include the chip in products, according to AMD executives and other sources. "Red Hat is the biggest name in Linux software, so it is a big deal for AMD," said Kevin Krewell, an analyst with The Microprocessor Report, an industry newsletter. "They are starting to pick up the right support." Full story available here. (Source: AusPCWorld)

One Step Closer to NWN for Linux Posted Tuesday, August 13, 2002 @ 3:43 PM by mayhem

It's been a long, long road for those of us awaiting the oft-delayed Linux Client of BioWare's NeverWinter Nights, but finally there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel. BioWare has put up a Linux Client page which will specifically inform eager beavers on how things are progressing, and it now states a Fall 2002 release. (Source: Slashdot)

Getting Started with freeVSD Posted Tuesday, August 13, 2002 @ 3:36 PM by mayhem

"This article... looks at freeVSD, a 'virtual server daemon' for Linux that allows multiple virtual servers to operate on one physical machine. Each virtual server has its own separate Web-hosting environment. This is typically used for hosting, but it can also be deployed to allow one machine to serve as a development testbed for several developers..." (Source: Linux Today)

A real look at serial ATA Posted Tuesday, August 13, 2002 @ 3:34 PM by mayhem

Well, Tom's a lucky chappy. Some how, he's managed to blag a Serial ATA Western Digital Hard-drive, a RocketRAID 1520 Serial ATA control from Highpoint, an ABit IT7 MAX2 (onboard serial ata connectors), and a highpoint ide serial ata convertor! "At last - a year after the standard was finalized, the first Serial ATA products are about to hit the stores. Practically all controller card producers already have compatible products ready to go, but hard disk manufacturers are waiting until fall before they release the hard drives. In this article, we take a look at a number of devices to give you our first impression of Serial ATA. " Go take a look - some nice shots atleast. (Source: AusPCWorld)

Sun gambles on new Linux computer Posted Tuesday, August 13, 2002 @ 11:13 AM by mayhem

Sun Microsystems on Monday unveiled its first general-purpose computer running the free Linux operating system in what is seen as both a turning point for the company and a potential threat to its traditional products. Known for its million-dollar machines that powered dot-coms during the Internet boom years, Sun aims to grab a piece of the market for cheap, commodity servers, but analysts say it runs the risk of hurting its higher-margin business if it embraces Linux too fully. Sun's LX50 computer holds up to two Pentium III microchips from Intel, runs a Sun version of Linux and will start at a price of $2,795. Sun already uses Linux on low-end special-purpose servers, but those do not have the flexibility to compete with its main product line, analyst have said. The low end is squarely where Sun is positioning its new machine. It argues that Solaris development will pace Linux, so the two can coexist under the umbrella of Sun's middleware software, which binds networks together and acts as an operating system for the entire network. Rivals hope Linux will eviscerate Sun's high-profit business for bigger machines as it becomes more powerful. Full story is available here. (Source: AusPCWorld)

Linux Kernel 2.4.20-pre2 Now Available For Download Posted Tuesday, August 13, 2002 @ 10:48 AM by mayhem

You can now download the 2.4.20-pre2 Linux Kernel from here, or any of the www.kernel.org mirrors here, full changelog information is available here.

Is Linux or Windows Easier To Install? Posted Tuesday, August 13, 2002 @ 10:47 AM by mayhem

Joe Barr, a LinuxWorld.com columnist, compares Linux and Windows installations. He expected Windows to be faster and easier since Microsoft has been at it for 21 years. (DOS 1.0 was released 21 years ago today.) It turns out Red Hat is quicker and less manually intensive. (Source: Slashdot)

Telstra and NETGEAR team up to drive broadband for small business Posted Monday, August 12, 2002 @ 9:49 PM by mayhem

Sydney, Australia (August 12, 2002) Telstra and networking specialist NETGEAR have joined forces to provide the 900,000-plus small and medium business (SMB) market with easily accessible and cost-effective broadband solutions. The initiative, the first of its kind between Telstra and NETGEAR, will continue to help customers understand the benefits of high-speed broadband, with NETGEAR offering a $60 rebate to customers who sign up for Telstra BigPond Broadband Cable. To find out more, visit http://www.netgear.com.au/bigpond.

Linux Kernel 2.5.31 Now Available For Download Posted Sunday, August 11, 2002 @ 5:32 PM by mayhem

You can now download the 2.5.31 Linux Kernel from here, or any of the www.kernel.org mirrors here, full changelog information is available here.

Linux Kernel 2.4.20-pre1 Now Available For Download Posted Tuesday, August 6, 2002 @ 11:42 PM by mayhem

You can now download the 2.4.20-pre1 Linux Kernel from here, or any of the www.kernel.org mirrors here, full changelog information is available here.

XBox DivX Player 5 Has Been Released Posted Monday, August 5, 2002 @ 8:31 PM by mayhem

The player no longer only supports DivX, but also VidX, MP3 and VCD: Here's what's new in this release: New GUI (from contest winner!) A/V sync no longer drifts. Divx3.11 support Divx4.xx support XviD support (this is new and is probably going to have some problems) VCD (mpeg1) support MP3 support More info: XBox DivX Player 5, Download it here. (Source: AusPCWorld)

XBox Gets Linux BIOS Posted Monday, August 5, 2002 @ 8:29 PM by mayhem

The XBox Linux Project team seem to have released a new pre-alpha XBox BIOS. Here's what they got to say about it: This is the first release of the replacement BIOS. It initializes all PCI peripherals and performs the PIC watchdog challenge, so that we have full and stable control of the machine. No Microsoft code or keys are used. Download the source Here. (Source: AusPCWorld)

Netscape Communicator v7.0 PR1 Posted Monday, August 5, 2002 @ 8:23 PM by mayhem

Netscape Communicator 7.0 Preview Release 1 is now available to download. Here is a list of the new stuff: Netscape Navigator Netscape Mail Integrated AOL Instant Messenger One-Click Radio Download Netscape Communicator v7.0 PR1 Full version (31.3Mb) Download Netscape Communicator v7.0 PR1 Webinstaller (28Mb - 31Mb) Full information on this release is available here. (Source: AusPCWorld)

Easily Recompile Your Kernel Posted Monday, August 5, 2002 @ 12:55 AM by mayhem

Jay writes: "Take all the pain out of compiling a kernel with this tutorial. It will show you how to recompile the kernel, or patch it. A very good read, if you want to learn how to recomple your kernel."

Mandrake 9.0 Beta 2 Available Posted Sunday, August 4, 2002 @ 4:42 AM by mayhem

Mandrake Linux is a powerful operating system that is available for many platforms: 32 bit processors such as Intel Pentium®, AMD Athlon®, PowerPC®; and 64 bit processors such as Intel Itanium®, SPARC®, AXP®. Mandrake Linux includes many graphical administration assistants & wizards that make it intuitive and fun to use while providing all the power and robustness of other Linux systems. Hundreds of included applications make it an ideal solution for both enterprises and individual users. Download: Mandrake 9.0 Beta 2 (Worldwide Mirrors) Download: Mandrake 9.0 Beta 2 CD1 | CD2 | CD3 (Source: AusPCWorld)

Linux Kernel 2.4.19 Now Available For Download Posted Sunday, August 4, 2002 @ 4:32 AM by mayhem

You can now download the 2.4.19 Linux Kernel from here, or any of the www.kernel.org mirrors here, full changelog information is available here.

Linux Kernel 2.5.30 Now Available For Download Posted Friday, August 2, 2002 @ 12:03 PM by mayhem

You can now download the 2.5.30 Linux Kernel from here, or any of the www.kernel.org mirrors here, full changelog information is available here.

Linux Kernel 2.4.19-rc5 Now Available For Download Posted Friday, August 2, 2002 @ 12:02 PM by mayhem

You can now download the 2.4.19-rc5 Linux Kernel from here, or any of the www.kernel.org mirrors here, full changelog information is available here.

Using RAID in Linux Posted Friday, August 2, 2002 @ 9:24 AM by mayhem

The concept of RAID, so often put aside in Linux documentation for all those smart systems administrators, is actually not something that takes a lot of special knowledge to understand. As Alexander Prohorenko explains, all you need is a little common sense and a good plan to implement RAID on your systems. Complete story is available here. (Source: Linux Today)

Linux Kernel 2.4.19-rc4 Now Available For Download Posted Thursday, August 1, 2002 @ 11:14 AM by mayhem

You can now download the 2.4.19-rc4 Linux Kernel from here, or any of the www.kernel.org mirrors here, full changelog information is available here.

Avocent Partners with IBM on IBM Advanced Connectivity Technology Posted Thursday, August 1, 2002 @ 11:10 AM by mayhem

Avocent Corporation announced the first OEM shipment to IBM of its KVM over IP(tm) switching system which is integrated into IBM's ACT Interconnect. The IBM ACT Interconnect consists of the Local Console Manager (LCM) and Remote Console Manager (RCM). ACT utilizes CAT5 cabling rather than bulky KVM cables to transmit keyboard, video and mouse data from the servers. ACT is designed to provide IT administrators with remote console connectivity over IP (RCM) as well as local rack-level accessibility (LCM) to the eServer xSeries family of servers.

Case Mods Gallery Update Posted Thursday, August 1, 2002 @ 12:31 AM by mayhem

Well the Case Mods Gallery has been updated again, but we are always looking for more entries in the list (everyone likes to see and appreciate the hard work of others). If you would like to add your machine to our gallery please send an email to mayhem@linuxathome.net (I am working on an automatic submission page), please include all the details necessary (name, nick, email, website, description and two decent quality jpgs) in order to assure your system is added.