Posts about Open Source Software as of October 29, 2009

After the dust from the Snow Leopard and Windows 7 launch has settled, we have another important OS launch: the new version of one of the most popular Linux distributions, Ubuntu 9.10 , is available for download. Named Karmic Koala, the new Ubuntu – as always – promises to be faster and easier to use, bringing version 2.6.31 of the Linux kernel, latest version of GNOME, and Firefox 3.5. The biggest news, however, is Ubuntu One, a web sync service that gives you 2 GB of online disk space and lets you synchronize notes and contacts, as well as share files between several computers.

After the dust from the Snow Leopard and Windows 7 launch has settled, we have another important OS launch: the new version of one of the most popular Linux distributions, Ubuntu 9.10 , is available for download. Named Karmic Koala, the new Ubuntu – as always – promises to be faster and easier to use, bringing version 2.6.31 of the Linux kernel, latest version of GNOME, and Firefox 3.5. The biggest news, however, is Ubuntu One, a web sync service that gives you 2 GB of online disk space and lets you synchronize notes and contacts, as well as share files between several computers.

pdfsizeopt is open source project hosting on Google Code, the main feature is PDF file size optimizer.Aboutpdfsizeopt is a collection of best practices and scripts for Unix to optimize the size of PDF files, with focus on PDFs created from TeX and LaTeX documents. pdfsizeopt is developed on a Linux system, and it depends on existing tools such as Python 2.4, Ghostscript 8.50, jbig2enc (optional), sam2p, pngtopnm, pngout (optional), and the Multivalent PDF compressor (optional) written in Java.The author says it is A Linux solution, and I have test it on my DreamHost, it works.

The Symbian Foundation announced the addition of two new (and important) members to its board of directors: Qualcomm and Fujitsu . Qualcomm joined the Symbian Foundation through its wholly owned subsidiary Qualcomm Innovation Center (QuIC), which will have the role of “optimizing open source software for use with Qualcomm technology.” Fujitsu, which sold more than 40 million Symbian-based phones in Japan ( 1.2 million in Q2 2009 only ), “will work with foundation members to contribute to

If you have not yet heard of the Open Source desktop publishing software Scribus , well then this will be a pleasant surprise. Scribus, licensed under the GNU General Public License, is a completely free and open source alternative to Adobe’s Pagemaker and Apple’s Pages. With it you can create a variety of different documents that for one reason or the other, need to look good! Here is a screenshot of what the software looks like: Scribus runs on Windows, Linux, and Mac and can be downloaded here.

Qualcomm Innovation Center, Inc. (QuIC) and the Symbian Foundation, today announced that QuIC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, has joined the Symbian Foundation and has been appointed to the Symbian Foundation board of directors. QuIC will support the Symbian Foundation with active participation on the board of directors and each of the four councils that govern the development of the Symbian platform.QuIC’s charter is to focus on optimizing open source software for use with Qualcomm technology.

The Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Networks and Information Integration, the Deputy CIO of the Department of Defense, has authored a memo for the Department of Defense that outlines the technical and logistical advantages of adopting open source software within the military. It includes a guidance document that aims to clarify how and when open source software can be deployed and selected. We have been following the DoD’s growing open source enthusiasm for several years.

Microsoft Office is a wonderful suite of programs, but it’s not cheap. And some people I’ve talked to just can’t get used to the 2007 version and don’t want to. If you’re looking for free alternatives, you’re in luck – there are several options out there, and they will replace all but a couple of Outlook features. Open Office Open Office is a completely free, open-source software suite that handles “word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, databases and more.” That means it handles everything Office does except email and OneNote, and has the addition of a very decent graphics program for editing images.

# “ U.S. Continues Quagmire-Building Effort In Afghanistan ” # Troubled L.A. Laker star Ron Artest releases a hip-hop ode “ to my Afghan women ” # Pentagon: open source software just as good as commercial code, maybe better # Germany to use Israeli drones in Afghanistan # Anti-missile porn

You know it’s going to be a good week when it kicks off with news that the Obama administration has officially embraced the open source content management system Drupal. Just a few days later, the Department of Defense issued an almost glowingly positive memo on open source software. “The government is acting intelligently. I feel strange,” quipped Zarf on Slashdot. “And thus another chair is thrown in Redmond,” wrote hrimhari. Just goes to show, never underestimate the power of freedom!