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WASHINGTON D.C – Lawmakers are slated to hold a hearing Tuesday to examine some of the major issues that lie in the nebulous crossroads of technology and government.
With the ambitious title "The Future of the Internet," the hearing before the full Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, will consider the broad themes of "developing applications, consumer expectations and network operation." While an official list of witnesses has not been released yet, the likely participants indicate that the hearing will focus heavily on the issue of Internet neutrality, a hot-button policy debate that the Federal Communications Commission has been considering with its own series of hearings. The most recent FCC hearing was last Thursday at Stanford University. The debate over Net neutrality turns on whether the government needs to legislate or regulate policies over how Internet service providers manage their networks. Many Web companies and public interest groups are concerned that allowing ISPs to manage traffic free from government oversight could lead down a slippery slope where network operators will give preferential treatment to their own services, or those that make side deals with the providers for faster delivery. Industry groups have countered that government oversight would only stifle broadband deployment, and that self-regulation has allowed the Internet to flourish. An aide for Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) told InternetNews.com that the unofficial witness list for Tuesday's hearing includes Stanford professor Lawrence Lessig, an outspoken advocate of Net neutrality legislation, and Kyle McSlarrow, president and CEO of the National Cable and Telecommunications Association. Industry representatives were invited, but none appeared at Thursday's FCC meeting at Stanford. Other likely witnesses are representatives of some of the diverse groups who are becoming increasingly interested in the Net neutrality debate. These include the Christian Coalition, the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild, who is believed to be dispatching actress Justine Bateman, a board member of the guild, to testify. Compensation for online content For the entertainment industry, the debate reopens the issue that was at the heart of the recent writers' strike: compensation and distribution of online content. Dan Glickman, chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America, has already declared his opposition to Net neutrality legislation, warning that it would lead to rampant piracy by giving open license to peer-to-peer file-sharing sites. But some content producers are growing concerned that a non-neutral Internet could lead to network operators brokering sweetheart deals with entertainment companies to choke off distribution of rival artists. The issue was been showcased recently by Comcast's controversial throttling of traffic on the peer-to-peer site BitTorrent, which sparked loud protests from consumer advocacy groups. (Comcast has since made its traffic shaping policy public). Legislative efforts in both branches to codify Net neutrality have stalled. After his first attempt was shot down in June 2006, Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) introduced a milder version of Net neutrality legislation in February with the Internet Freedom Preservation Act. In the Senate, Snowe and Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) introduced a more forceful bill last January, but it has sat in committee since. Snowe is hoping that this Tuesday's hearing will help reinvigorate the issue. "It's certainly still a priority, and I think that given the instances that have occurred last year, that certainly refocuses the tension on the issue," Snowe's aide said. Leading the charge for legislation is the public interest group Free Press, which heads the umbrella organization SaveTheInternet.com. Craig Aaron, communications director for Free Press, is hopeful that the recent evidence of preferential network management from ISPs such as Comcast and AT&T has set the stage for the Dorgan/Snowe bill to begin moving through the Senate. "Since the bill was reintroduced early in this Congress, things have become a lot clearer," Craig Aaron, communications director for Free Press told InternetNews.com "We used to face the argument that Net neutrality is a solution in search of a problem. Well, now we've found the problem." A long, uncertain road Any form of Net neutrality legislation faces a long and uncertain road. The Senate bill is assured of a contentious markup process before it has a chance to emerge from committee. Then, garnering the 60 votes required to pass is a very real challenge, given that Snowe is the lone Republican co-sponsor of a bill along with Dorgan and several other Democrats. Markey's bill in the House is a different version, which means that if both were to pass, the two chambers would have to agree on a common final format, which would then return to the respective floors for another vote. Nevertheless, with discontent still simmering over the Comcast/BitTorrent flap, some lawmakers are ready to renew the fight in Congress. Blogging on the site firedoglake.com on Friday, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) promised that Net neutrality would play a big part in Tuesday's hearing, and sought to defuse the industry's argument that regulation would put unnecessary restraints on a fast-growing economy. "Look, this doesn’t mean we’re going to apply a prescriptive, heavy-handed bureaucratic approach to how network providers are permitted to serve subscribers," Kerry wrote. "But we need to insist on basic fairness and an open, content-neutral approach to how users can access the backbone of our telecommunications system." Original link: http://www.internetnews.com/infr... Access says work has begun adapting its Linux-based mobile phone stack to work with Japanese mobile phone marketshare leader NTT DoCoMo's 3G network. DoCoMo will begin distributing 3G FOMA phones based on Access Linux Platform (ALP) and an operator-specific pack in the second half of 2009, Access said.
Access first announced more than a year ago that its ALP phone stack was being considered as a replacement for the common Linux-based MOAP (Mobile Oriented Application Platform) software stack jointly developed by Panasonic and NEC, and maintained by their Esteemo joint venture. Today, the companies announced that work has indeed commenced on an "operator pack" comprised of carrier-specific applications enabling ALP-based phones to be used with DoCoMo "FOMA" (Freedom of Mobile Access) 3G services. To be built collaboratively by Access and DoCoMo, the pack will foster "greater development efficiency" and faster market launches for high-end handsets, Access said. The pack -- and ALP -- are expected to see use in handsets in the second half of fiscal 2009, Access said. Kiyohito Nagata, managing director of products and services at NTT DoCoMo, stated, "The development by ACCESS of a global shared platform that conforms to the LiMo specification is significant. The operator pack promoted by NTT DoCoMo also conforms to the LiMo platform specification; we expect it to aid not only NTT DoCoMo's business, but also global development by ACCESS and handset makers, as well as the creation of an ecosystem." Toru Arakawa, Access president and co-founder, stated, "NTT DoCoMo's selection of ACCESS Linux Platform will promote growth in next-generation Linux handsets -- not only in Japan, but in the global market as well." European carrier Orange has also approved ALP as a supported OS on its 3G network. Access is the primary sponsor of a large mobile Linux conference to be held in conjunction with this year's LinuxWorld Expo in San Francisco this August. Another big win for Access came earlier this year, with the launch of the Amazon Kindle eBook reader. Original link: http://www.linuxdevices.com/news... Red Hat's announcement that it would give up its pursuit of the consumer desktop with a Linux-based operating system started quite a buzz on the Linux blogs this week. The acceptance of Linux as a consumer alternative to Windows and Mac OS X is a perennial issue in the open source community.
What’s Linux with a Lineage? Verio Linux VPS delivers root access, advanced FairShare technology for better performance, and support that's actually supportive. It's all from Verio, the Virtual Private Server technology pioneer with over 500,000 customers. Test-drive Linux VPS here. You know it's a good week on the Linux blogs when there are topics that draw more than a thousand comments on Slashdot. Indeed, such was the case last week. To start with the most obvious, Red Hat's (NYSE: RHT) Latest News about Red Hat announcement that it would not develop a desktop version of Linux for the consumer market in the near future made quite a stir on the Linux blogs, with conversations on Slashdot, Foogazi and LXer, to name just a few. "Red Hat is concentrating too much on the short term," charged deragon on Slashdot, where more than 400 comments followed that news. "Yes, they should not spend too much money marketing a desktop version or polishing it. Canonical barely does any marketing (ever saw an ad from Ubuntu?). But Red Hat should have a presence on the desktop to remain in the race in the long term." No Year of the Linux Desktop? Then again: "RedHat has ALWAYS focused on the server/workstation market," countered Constantine XVI. "They're not focusing on the desktop because the backroom is what they're best at." And another view: "Why do you think Red Hat spun Fedora off, and have set them up as mostly self sufficient?" wrote peragrin. "The personal desktop market isn't profitable when you have to compete against an illegal monopoly. Even with Free software as a base. "The year of the Linux desktop isn't going to happen," peragrin added. "The year of the Linux mobile, the Linux server and the Linux hand-held computer, however, are fast approaching. Linux will take the desktop market through the back door. By getting in on every other device first." No Big Deal "I don't think it's a big issue at all," Foogazi blogger Adam Kane told LinuxInsider. "Red Hat provides a ton of contributions for the Linux kernel, but as a business they understand that there is too much work and too much money involved in battling the two powerhouse consumer desktops, MacOSX and Microsoft Windows. "I think if there was not already a Linux leader charging to the front of the Linux desktop consumer lines (Ubuntu), Red Hat may have rethought their decision," Kane added. "In some ways, this kind of validates that Red Hat believes in Ubuntu." Indeed, "I think that it's probably a situation where financial concerns have trumped any sort of visionary thought of how exactly Linux is going to play on the desktop," Charles King, president and principal analyst with Pund-IT, told LinuxInsider. "The way Linux has evolved over the years, you could probably call it a bellwether event." Not too long ago, "people assumed that as Linux developed, it would eventually offer a true competitor for Microsoft Windows and Office, but that just hasn't happened," King explained. "It's done well in the data center, but the desktop has been just a tiny portion of that." There is cause for optimism, however, from the standpoint of what companies like are Ubuntu doing, King added. Ready for the Masses? Speaking of Ubuntu, the aforementioned 1,000 (and more) comments on Slashdot followed the posting of a Computerworld article that suggested Hardy Heron may be the version that finally gets Linux right for the masses. It does, agreed markdavis on Slashdot, "but no more so than Mandriva 2008.1. "I installed it this past weekend and it is about as slick as I have seen any Linux installation thus far. Everything just 'works,' and works well," markdavis added. "It is gorgeous, fast, easy to use, seamlessly knit together, simple to update, loaded with helpful admin tools, and full of packages. It is nice to know there are many decent choices for a high quality Linux desktop experience!" Not everyone, however, was quite so optimistic. "I think that in order for Linux to be really ready, someone has to suck it up, and include mp3 and DVD playing out of the box," wrote prockcore. "Stop playing it safe and force Fraunhofer's hand. Make them come out as bad guys and demand you remove mp3 support. "I understand there are scary legal reasons for not having mp3/DVD support," prockcore added. "But as a user, I don't care what they are." OK, Now *This* Is the Year ... Foogazi's Kane had a different take. "I definitely think that Hardy Heron may finally give Linux the boost it needs to make Linux ready for the masses," he said. "With Wubi, Ubuntu has taken the step of making it even easier to install Ubuntu as a Windows user. Wubi eliminates any risk of losing information because you don't have to format or partition any disks. "However, without proper marketing and advertising, Linux may never reach the masses," Kane noted. Of all the many comments on the topic, Anonymous Coward may have summed it up best on Slashdot: "This year's the Year... I can feel it! (Not like all those other years -- those were totally different.)" As the saying goes, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Til next week! Original link: http://linuxinsider.com/story/Wi... Once relegated to the data center and the personal machines of IT pros who were the only ones able to use it, Linux has come a long way as an operating system. It's making its way into mainstream use, and it's a viable option for small businesses looking to keep their IT costs down.
What’s Linux with a Lineage? Verio Linux VPS delivers root access, advanced FairShare technology for better performance, and support that's actually supportive. It's all from Verio, the Virtual Private Server technology pioneer with over 500,000 customers. Test-drive Linux VPS here. We've been hearing about an open source revolution for years now. Although "revolution" might be an overstatement, the Linux operating system is emerging as a formidable player. Until recently, Linux was used mainly by IT pros and PC hobbyists and enthusiasts, safely cementing its geek reputation. But with consumer perceptions of existing operating systems as bloated and costly, this just might be Linux's time to shine. Released to the public in 1991 and derived from the mainframe-era technology Unix, Linux is today the best example of "free" or open source software Blackberry Professional Software from AT&T. Save up to 57% until June 6th. Click to learn more., which can be changed, updated and redistributed by anyone. Freedom Is Attractive Reuben Davis, a consultant for Affiliated Computer Services (NYSE: ACS) Latest News about Affiliated Computer Services, a large IT services Latest News about IT services outsourcer, began experimenting with Linux about four years ago, installing it on old computers and stacking software on the machines. The main draws for Davis: no licensing restrictions and an open source code. "There's always been sort of a geek factor to Linux," Davis admits. "While it's not usually as easy yet as just putting in a disc and [installing] your OS ... it can be practical and certainly way less expensive than Windows; in most cases, free." Linux also powers the PlayStation game system and a host of other devices. Davis made another interesting discovery: large tech firms such as Dell (Nasdaq: DELL) Latest News about Dell are beginning to leverage the power and flexibility of Linux. And in late 2007, Everex began selling its Linux-based "gPC" at Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) Latest News about Wal-Mart for US$200, billing it as an alternative to more costly machines anchored by Microsoft's (Nasdaq: MSFT) Free Trial. Security Software As A Service From Webroot. Latest News about Microsoft and Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL) Latest News about Apple operating systems. Price Is Right Dell has also rolled out Linux PCs in limited release in the U.S., and several Chinese firms are building Linux PCs poised to sell at $100. Thus, Linux could be a nifty proposition for individuals getting their first computer or small businesses using multiple workstations. Moreover, in an increasingly boxless, Web-based software realm, applications such as Sun Microsystems' (Nasdaq: JAVA) Latest News about Sun Microsystems OpenOffice and Mozilla's Latest News about Mozilla Foundation Firefox can run on Linux. Even Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) Latest News about Google is developing a suite of office Save up to $500 off top-selling HP printers. applications for Linux PCs. Indeed, for companies with fewer than 50 workstations that use computers mainly for the Web, word processing, and spreadsheets, getting multiple licenses for each computer using Windows can add up. Windows Vista Ultimate is listed at $399 for one PC (and $259 for an upgrade); Vista Home Premium is $239 (with a $159 upgrade). Apple's Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard is priced at $129 ($199 for the Family Pack). Coming of Age "When you think about the basic things that businesses do: surf the net, use e-mail E-Mail Marketing Software - Free Trial. Click Here., write notes, it's really a solid and viable platform," says Judy Chavis, director of business Over 800,000 High Quality Domains Available For Your Business. Click Here. development for Dell. Chavis has worked in the open source community for 10 years and has done stints at IBM (NYSE: IBM) Latest News about IBM, Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ) Latest News about Hewlett-Packard, and Compaq. She says her sons even use Linux at home. Further, she adds that the open source mentality, along with the impending virtual machine trend -- allowing users to have both Windows and other systems on their PCs -- is creating choices for consumers. Thus far, Dell has shipped fewer than 50,000 PCs, proving that Linux is still in its nascent stages in the mass market. And there are drawbacks: For starters, there's the time spent learning an alternative OS, which may lead to additional costs in training users. "For now, it's really still a second PC in the home, but perhaps a good alternative at work" says Chavis. "The Linux PC has come of age." Original link: http://linuxinsider.com/story/Li... |
For the last two years Vyatta has been offering a Linux based alternative to proprietary routing technology. Today Vyatta is upping the ante with a new release, Vyatta Community Edition 4 (VC4). The new version scales up the Linux network operating system to 10GbE and adds new functionally that complements its scale upstream.
Vyatta isn't being shy about who the competition is, and is taking direct aim at networking industry Goliath Cisco for a piece of the multi-billion dollar routing market. "We're breaking out from being router software to being an open network operation system where routing is just one of the features," Kelly Herrell, CEO of Vyatta, told InternetNews.com. "On one hand, we're scaling out in terms of the functionality with more security and more traffic management. It's also about scale up and scale down. With this release, we go all the way down to DSL and all the way up to 10GbE." Herrell explained that Vyatta is introducing features in VC4 that will benefit both service providers and enterprise users alike. Vyatta has brought in a more advanced command line interface (CLI) called Fusion CLI. The new CLI enables users to handle all of their networking and Linux commands from one place, making both traditional network and Linux admins more comfortable with the interface. "We have really enhanced routing scalability and performance," Herrell noted. "We are now very comfortable going up against the 7200 class of Cisco product which is an important product for the service provider arena." Additionally Vyatta has improved role based access control and WAN load balancing. The balancing feature allows network administrators to load balance traffic across multiple broadband links at the same time which provides the benefit of increased network availability and performance. As opposed to Cisco, which has its own branded hardware equipment, Vyatta for the most part relies on hardware partners including Dell and IBM, though Herrell indicated that Vyatta is being deployed on all types of hardware vendor platforms. "We don't see a definitive brand on the hardware yet, actually we see the opposite, everything from HP to IBM to Dell," Herrell commented. Vyatta does have a small form factor branded appliance with it own Vyatta 514 router, and Harrell noted that other Vyatta branded hardware may well be forthcoming. Dell has been a hardware partner for Vyatta for more than a year, though to date it has been Vyatta reselling Dell hardware as opposed to the other way around. Herrell did state however that in addition to Dell, Vyatta is now also orderable on IBM hardware through an IBM reseller. Herrell noted that Vyatta has been able to dispel the misconception that you need to have specialized hardware to for networking by using x86 based technology. Cisco, Juniper and Alcatel-Lucent all have their own respective proprietary ASICs (application specific integrated circuits) (define). Herrell himself is no stranger to Linux, Herrell was the SVP of Strategic Operations at embedded Linux vendor MontaVista Software before joining Vyatta. There are some things are the same at Vyatta and some things that are different. "The main thing is making sure you leverage and contribute back to the community," Herrell said. "It's something MontaVista is good at and we're good at too." The business models are a little different though in that MontaVista is an embedded software play whereas Vyatta is an end user facing product. Herrell noted that the way you package and make Vyatta's technology easy to use and service is what he needs to deliver day in and day out. Vyatta is a venture backed enterprise and it's not yet clear at this point if the exit strategy involves an IPO. "The smartest thing you can do is run your business for high growth and profitability," Herrell said. "Until you get to the point you should keep your head down and hands on the wheel, because if you try and manipulate a company for a short term exit you can make bad decisions, so we don't do that." Original link: http://www.internetnews.com/infr... CodeSourcery has updated its commercially supported versions of the GNU C/C Toolchain and Eclipse IDE (integrated development environment). The "spring release" of Sourcery G adds support for Linux ELF binaries on the MIPS architecture, and Windows binaries on x86, along with a QEMU-based simulator for PowerPC.
Other touted new features include:
Mark Mitchell, Chief Sourcerer, stated, "We've made Sourcery G even easier to use -- including the Eclipse/CDT upgrade, new tools for GNU/Linux application developers, a streamlined installation process, and more comprehensive documentation. We've also improved the performance of GCC and GDB on a number of popular embedded architectures. We're pleased to have been chosen by several leading companies in this market, including ARM, Freescale, and MIPS, to implement new features and optimizations in the GNU Toolchain." Availability The spring release is available now. It encludes an "enhanced" Eclipse-based IDE, the "entire" GNU toolchain with JTAG/BDM and simulator support. It supports GNU/Linux or Windows hosts, and targets running GNU/Linux, uClinux, or Windows, as well as "bare boards." Supported target architectures are listed below.
Sourcery G supported target configurations Original link: http://www.linuxdevices.com/news... Handset maker Motorola has taken an equity investment in VirtualLogix, a vendor of virtualization technology for handsets and telecom infrastructure equipment. The move could help Motorola push its Linux-based mobile phone OS into lower-cost handsets, while helping operators consolidate infrastructure and expand dynamic service offerings.
The deal was arranged through Motorola's strategic venture capital arm, Motorola Ventures. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Previous VirtualLogix investors include Atlas Ventures, Cisco Systems, DFJ Esprit, Index Ventures, Intel Capital, and Texas Instruments. VirtualLogix's VLX technology has been described as a "real-time" version of familiar desktop virtualization technologies like VMware, Xen, and others. The company was founded in mid-2002 by former members of Chorus Systems, a company acquired by Sun in 1997 for its ChorusOS real-time embedded operating system for telecom. VirtualLogix's flagship VLX product comprises a small scheduler that, once configured, lets guest OSes access physical hardware subsystems directly, rather than through the emulated hardware devices used by many desktop and server virtualization technologies. VirtualLogix last week demonstrated a PowerPC version of its VLX-NI (network infrastructure), the version of its real-time, embedded virtualization technology targeting carrier infrastructure. Initially supported chips include PowerQUICC processors from Motorola chip spinout Freescale, as well as IBM PowerPC 750 CPUs.
Today, with the exception of the Purple Magic (which appears not to be widely distributed so far) and the Toshiba W47T handset based on similar virtualization software from Open Kernel Labs, all "smart" phones that run a complex OS like Linux, Windows, or Symbian do so on a dual-processor or at least a dual-core architecture. One processor core runs the complex OS -- think of it as the "control plane" -- while another runs a real-time OS (VRTX, in the case of Motorola phones) that handles "data plane" processing such as the software-defined radio stack and voice signal transcoding. Splitting control and data processing onto separate cores is a time-honored tradition in networking equipment of all kinds. However, in mobile devices, there's a cost in terms of power efficiency and physical footprint, because each core typically needs its own memory, storage, and other supporting circuitry. Thus, a single-core design, while saving on parts cost, could also improve battery life, security, investments in legacy software, license segregation, and quality-of-service in IP applications, according to VirtualLogix. Reese Schroeder, Motorola Ventures managing director, stated, "Demand for simplified product designs that allow dynamic mobile experiences to run across multiple platforms will intensify. Our investment in VirtualLogix will help accelerate the delivery of their technology to next-generation communications devices and infrastructure equipment." Peter Richards, CEO of VirtualLogix, said, "As virtualization moves out from the datacenter and into everyday front-end connected devices, our connected world will require the delivery of efficient, secure and customizable user experiences." Original link: http://www.linuxdevices.com/news...  Fabless audio chipmaker SigmaTel is shipping a highly integrated system-on-chip (SoC) for personal navigation devices (PNDs). Available with a Linux BSP and support from Embedded Alley, the ARM9-based STMP3738 reduces BOM costs 15 percent, and will ship in finished products by July, the companies said. (Click for larger view of the STMP3738 PND reference design) The 90nm-fabricated STMP3700 family is based on a 360MHz ARM9 core. The SoC is said to replace up to a dozen discreet ICs found in typical PNDs, by integrating a NOR boot ROM, power management chip, battery charger, audio circuitry, and other analog and power management functions. That saves 15 percent on parts costs, and 30 percent on board real estate, while also enabling thinner designs, SigmaTel said.  STMP3738 reference design block diagram (Crossed out boxes in red represent typical PND ICs that are not needed with SigmaTel's SoC.) (Click to enlarge) The STMP3700 design does not incorporate the GPS itself, but it supports integration with GPS chips from Broadcom, SiRF, and NXP, says SigmaTel. It is also compatible with "all popular map application software and map databases," says the company.  STMP3700 block diagram (Click to enlarge) SigmaTel is known for its mixed-signal ICs for the consumer electronics market, primarily audio codecs, which have been used in x86 Linux desktops shipped by Dell. In recent years its chipsets for MP3 players have comprised about 70 percent of revenues, estimated director of marketing Glenn Burchers, in an interview. The STMP3738 is based on the company's flagship 3700 processor, which has shipped in "millions" of MP3 devices, he said. With their integrated audio, PNDs are a logical new market for the company, said Burchers. "The PND market is growing quickly, and 85 percent of volume is in the entry-level," said Burchers. "Today, the most affordable PNDs cost about $150, but by the end of the year you'll see devices using the STMP3738 selling for under $100." According to Burchers, his devices will also reduce power consumption and help to extend battery life -- a major problem with PNDs -- but only up to a point. Burchers says that battery power on PNDs is primarily consumed by backlit displays. SigmaTel is a member of the Silicon Vendor Partner Program (SVPP) recently introduced by Linux consulting and services company Embedded Alley (EA), which is supporting the STMP3738. The program offers customized software development kits (SDKs) that vendors can freely distribute, and includes mainline Linux kernel maintenance and regression testing. In a statement, Embedded Alley CEO Pete Popov said, "With the investment made by SigmaTel, we can cost-effectively assist any customer using their silicon and expedite end product development." "Embedded Alley has been on time and on budget for us, and they have great engineers," said Burchers. "We can support our large customers on our own just fine, but as you get down to the second and third tier, EA can do it more quickly and at a better cost. Each implementation is slightly different, and that's where their services really pay off." Availability The STMP3738 is now shipping to SigmaTel's consumer electronics customers, says the company, with support for both Linux and Windows Embedded (Windows CE) 5 and 6. Pricing is set at $4.50 per SoC in 10K volumes shipped in a 169-pin BGA package, says the company. Original link: http://www.linuxdevices.com/news... Asustek Computer plans to share its experience with open-source software in its popular Eee PC low-cost laptop at the OpenTechSummit Taiwan 2008, which runs from April 25 to 29, the company said.
The Taiwanese PC vendor is the largest corporate sponsor of the event and is currently selling the most popular laptop that carries an open source OS, the Eee PC. The company officially started selling the Eee PC last October in Taiwan, offering four different configurations from NT$7,000 (US$231) for the 2G-byte "Surf." They all run a Linux OS from Xandros of New York. So far, Asustek said it has sold a million of the low-cost laptops, but it declined to break down the number of Linux versions sold versus the number of Eee PCs sold with Microsoft Windows XP. The Linux OS has allowed the company to keep prices down on the laptops in two ways. First, open-source software comes at little or no cost, and second because the streamlined OS requires a bare minimum of hardware to run. It's been the same story as for the One Laptop Per Child Foundation (OLPC), which also uses a Linux OS in its XO laptop. The foundation has been working with Microsoft to develop a streamlined version of XP that can be used in the XO with lower hardware requirements than full XP. Microsoft earlier this month published new guidelines for designing ultra low-cost laptops for Windows XP. Asustek launched its first Eee PC with Windows XP earlier this year, and said the OS had a big impact on sales. The company has forecast that two-thirds of the 5 million Eee PCs it expects to sell this year will run Windows XP, while the remainder will run a Linux OS. Sales of the Eee PC have been strongest so far in Europe, where around 40 percent of all of the low-cost laptops have been shipped. The company expects that figure to rise to 50 percent later this year. Original link: http://www.linuxworld.com/news/2... By Todd R. Weiss, Computerworld, 04/21/08
With its release today of its Ubuntu 8.04 Long Term Support (LTS) Server Edition, Linux vendor Ubuntu is firmly aiming its long-awaited, enterprise-ready server operating system at the world of business computing. Technically, this isn't Ubuntu's first server release -- that one came two and a half years ago -- but this is the first one that is truly enterprise-ready, with a full specification sheet of features needed in complex business IT shops, including support for virtualization, enhanced performance and certification on an assortment of hardware from Sun Microsystems Inc. And despite his excitement about the possibilities now that the operating system is done, Ubuntu Linux founder Mark Shuttleworth said he knows there's a lot of competition in the enterprise marketplace. We're modest about where we stand," Shuttleworth said. "We know we're a new entrant in that game and that we have a long way to go still." In addition to releasing the new server edition of the operating system, Ubuntu also today released Version 8.04 desktop Linux . Both versions are now available for free download at Ubuntu's Web site. Both are LTS releases and will be supported by Ubuntu's commercial sponsor, Canonical Ltd., for five years, much longer than Ubuntu's standard 18-month support cycle, he said. "The LTS [does] appeal to those who are making larger scale deployments," such as businesses, that want to replace their systems again for a long time," he said. "I think this is our most significant release ever." The enterprise version is certified for use on a host of Sun x86 servers, Shuttleworth said, though it will not be offered as a preinstalled operating system by Sun. Other vendors have provided hardware for certification compatibility and other testing, which is pending. We're truly not yet seen by the hardware community as a preload candidate," Shuttleworth said, but the company is working with hardware vendors to try to encourage such partnerships. Two key features in the new server release are built-in support for two virtualization platforms, the free software KVM platform and VMware 's platform, as well as a "significant uptake in [independent software vendor] certifications" for enterprise applications that will run on the new operating system. There's a great portfolio of ISVs on the server side who've all indicated to us that they will certify on this release," he said, including Zend, Zimbra, Alfresco, VMware and others. That's a very encouraging story. Perhaps the most important thing from my perspective is the fact that all of those ISVs are saying that they are now hearing quite consistently from customers that Ubuntu is now a very serious option for them both on the desktop and on the server." So now that Ubuntu has an enterprise-ready server operating system, will the company begin following the model of other Linux vendors, such as Red Hat Inc., and create an offering for enterprise applications as well? "No, I think I can categorically rule out ... any sort of shift from Canonical into the application space," Shuttleworth said. "We far prefer to partner with vendors of open-source and proprietary applications. That's been a key driver, for example, of strategy with virtualization. We've partnered with VMware. We make sure that Ubuntu meets their standards, that it is the most optimized and tested platform that we can make ... on their virtualization infrastructure." Ubuntu's focus will continue to be on the operating systems ... instead of eating away up the stack as other companies have done," he said. Instead, he said, Ubuntu will continue to work with partner ISVs that are the true creators of application innovations. "These are companies that are investing in the actual innovation itself, the evolution of the key components in that platform. It's very clear to me that we should not pursue a path that would put us in opposition or contention with those key partners. I would much rather learn how Ubuntu can be a sales channel for them, how Ubuntu could help drive their revenue rather than trying to identify the key pieces of the stack and try to acquire those." It's a very clear difference in our stated strategies between Ubuntu and some of the other players in the Linux space," he said. "I think that will deliver a more vibrant result for end users." Dell Inc. continues to offer Ubuntu desktop Linux on several of its consumer laptop and desktop computers. Original link: http://www.linuxworld.com/news/2... |
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Senate to Tackle Net Neutrality This Week
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