Technology News: Collaboration

Open Source Science: A Revolution From Within
November 20, 2009

Ask anyone in the open source science movement what it's all about, and you're likely to come back to the word that's right there in its name: "open." Open source science is all about open access. To research methods. To data. To scholarly publications. And supporters feel that it's vital to the continued growth and evolution of science itself.

FOSS and the Google Question
November 19, 2009

Devices based on Google's Linux-based Android operating system may be dominating headlines in the mobile world, but does the search giant *really* love FOSS? Google's introduction of the open Go programming language, for instance, has attracted considerable notice in the blogosphere, inviting widespread speculation as to how it will compare with competitors.

Microsoft's Patently Absurd 'Sudo Patent'
November 16, 2009

There's just never a dull moment here in the world of FOSS. One minute, we're busy exclaiming our disbelief at the notion of a Microsoft version of Linux. The next minute -- on *Friday the 13th*, no less -- we learn that Redmond has acquired Teamprise, and will soon be shipping the company's Linux tools as part of its upcoming Visual Studio 2010 release.

Clicker Charts the Seas for Online TV Surfers
November 12, 2009

Clicker Media on Thursday publicly launched Clicker.com, its programming guide to Internet television. This comes less than a year after the company began building what it describes as the "ultimate programming guide for Internet television." Clicker catalogs the broadcast-quality movies, music videos and Web videos available online on more than 1,200 networks.

FOSS' Sunny Place in the Cloud
November 12, 2009

Richard Stallman's now-famous warnings about cloud computing (his verdict in a nutshell: It's "marketing hype") sparked a fresh round of debate in the blogosphere this week, along with some outbursts of incredulity. Stallman "is a few bubbles off of plumb and gets weirder every year," Slashdot blogger hairyfeet told LinuxInsider.

Is There Room for Microsoft at the Linux Table?
November 09, 2009

Well, the Karmic Koala may have ruffled a few feathers last week, but already the scales seem to be tipping back toward the positive side. TuxRadar recently put Vista, Windows 7, Ubuntu 9.04 and 9.10 through their paces -- focusing in particular on boot speeds -- and the newborn marsupial proved itself to be a sprightly little thing.

Does Wine Make Linux Too Loose?
November 05, 2009

Following the Karmic Koala's joyful reception last week, sentiments toward the FOSSy marsupial have become distinctly less enthusiastic in recent days -- at least for some. "Early adopters bloodied by Ubuntu's Karmic Koala" was the headline on a piece that ran in The Register on Tuesday, which chronicled multiple cases of frustration among some users upgrading to the new version.

Can the Karmic Koala Take on Win 7?
November 02, 2009

Well the Karmic Koala finally climbed down from its eucalyptus tree last week, and the general result was feverish excitement across the Linux blogs. Reviews of the new release seem highly favorable, on the whole, as does the download process via release mirrors and torrents. However, not everyone is convinced Linux is ready for the mainstream.

FOSS Goes to Washington, and Nvidia Keeps Its Driver Code to Itself
October 29, 2009

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.

Going Microsoft-Free, Saying Buh-Bye to McBride
October 26, 2009

There was a lot of news in the FOSS world last week, and it seems fair to say that the overall atmosphere was positive. First came word that a Microsoft-free desktop package is available for companies in the U.S. from IBM and Canonical. Then, from the ding-dong-the-witch-is-dead department, came news that SCO has fired its wildly litigious CEO Darl McBride.

Choosing a Desktop Linux Distro, Part 2: Installation and Support
October 23, 2009

With more than 200 Linux distributions currently listed at Linux Online, it's perhaps an understatement to say that newcomers to the field face a broad array of choices. In addition to considering their own goals for Linux, however, potential users may also need to take other factors into account. Hardware considerations are often foremost among them.

Biomedical Researchers Experiment With Facebook-Style Network
October 22, 2009

Social networking is coming to the science lab. Cornell University and six other institutions will use a $12.2 million federal stimulus grant from the National Institutes of Health to develop a Facebook-style professional networking system to link biomedical researchers across the country.

Android and Windows, Living Together in Perfect Harmony?
October 22, 2009

Fall may be the season for leaf-gazing and apple cider, but this year there's no doubt it's also the season for Android. Just short of one year after the announcement of the first Android phone -- HTC's Dream, marketed by T-Mobile as G1 -- WiseAndroid proclaimed on Monday that there are no fewer than 50 (yes, five-zero!) Android phones expected in the near future.

Windows 7 and What Comes After the PC
October 19, 2009

Microsoft and Windows go back to the very beginning of the PC -- when people couldn't afford them, when networks were defined by terminal emulators and floppy disks, and when many of the Google pioneers were in diapers. Looking back at what Windows initially did and considering what Windows 7 is capable of, you can certainly say a lot has changed.

Teeth-Gnashing and Tongue-Lashing Over Desktop Linux Foot-Shooting
October 19, 2009

Lack of vendor support, lack of marketing, too much "bad techie attitude," too much infighting and not enough developer cooperation are "Five ways the Linux desktop shoots itself in the foot," contends Computerworld's Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols. "The problems listed here boil down to two basic issues: not enough corporate backing and not enough developer unity in certain areas," said Slashdot blogger Chris Travers.

Choosing a Desktop Linux Distro, Part 1: Getting What You Want
October 16, 2009

That there are many compelling reasons to switch to Linux is no longer a matter of much debate. Excellent security and low -- or nonexistent -- costs, to name just two, have already persuaded countless organizations and individuals around the globe to eschew the world of end-user license agreements and opt for the freedom and openness of Linux instead.