Technology News: Kernel

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.

Frankencamera Could Herald a New Digital Photography Era
October 20, 2009

There's a pieced-together monster shaking up the campus of Stanford University this fall, and it's named after the legendary, lumbering creature that Halloween nightmares are made of. It's the Frankencamera, and it's here to change the way digital photography is done.

Fat or Fit? The Penguin's Bulging Waistline
September 28, 2009

"The kernel is huge and bloated," said none other than Linus Torvalds during a panel at LinuxCon, triggering a discussion that's still generating heat in the blogosphere. Every time a new feature gets added, the problem gets worse, he reportedly said. It is "frightening that thousands of lines of kernel code are changing daily," said blogger Robert Pogson, but "it works."

The Joy of Linux Myth Debunking
August 24, 2009

Debunking long-held myths is always a gratifying exercise, but never is that more true than when said myths have done our favorite operating system harm. It was with great glee, then, that Linux Girl came across not one but two myth-debunking conversations on the blogs in recent days.

On Bugs, Viruses, Malware and Linux
August 10, 2009

Among all the reasons geeks choose Linux, security is often near the top of the list. And no wonder -- personal preferences aside on all the other many relevant issues, there's plenty of evidence to suggest our favorite operating system really is more impervious.

Coding and the Meaning of Life
August 03, 2009

As the month of July petered out, so did the patience of Alan Cox, who ended his long tenure as maintainer of the Linux kernel's tty subsystem. Following what seemed to be a fairly bitter argument between Cox and Linus Torvalds over a particularly controversial bug, Cox announced that he would not remain in the role any longer.

1 Million Linux Kernels Booted for Vast Botnet Simulation
July 31, 2009

Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories have laid the groundwork for an unprecedented simulation of a large-scale botnet after booting up 1 million Linux kernels as virtual machines. They now are waiting for completion of a new, faster and more capable supercomputer on which they hope to run 10 million kernels in a simulation of the open Internet.

Shill-Shocked: The Dark Side of Community Discussion
July 30, 2009

Name-calling and accusations are nothing new on the Linux blogs, but lately the mud-slinging has become so intense that it seems fair to say a good cleaning is in order, for the walls and floors are covered. Much of the recent ferocity has sprung up over the seemingly never-ending Mono debate.

On Pi Approximation Day, Flying Pigs and DRM
July 27, 2009

America's Independence Day may have come and gone, but that doesn't mean there's been nothing else to celebrate as the summer wears on. No indeed! Last Wednesday was none other than Pi Approximation Day, an event of perhaps even greater import for geeks far and wide. Traditional celebrations include marching in circles and eating pie.

Reflections on a Chrome-Plated World
July 13, 2009

Some weeks, there's just no question what topics need to be covered here on the Linux Blog Safari. Take last week, for example. On blog after blog, our travels throughout the Linux blogosphere revealed countless variations on the same, underlying theme: the announcement of Google's Chrome operating system.

Trolls and Astroturfers and Shills, Oh My!
June 15, 2009

There has been plenty of news and excitement on the Linux blogs in recent days, including the release of Linux kernel 2.6.30 and word that Linux will be the first OS to support USB 3.0. Woohoo! In an ordinary week, such news would be sure to put a smile on any geek's face.

Linux Barbies Battle the Command Line
March 26, 2009

Patents, patents, patents. Ever since Microsoft announced its suit against TomTom a month or so ago, patents have become an increasing focus of conversation on the Linux blogs. We've already discussed some of the rampant speculation about Microsoft's motivation in the case, as well as TomTom's subsequent countersuit.

FOSS Debates, Part 3: Mission Control
March 20, 2009

If the FOSS community is united by its love of passionate debate, it is arguably divided in equal measure by diverging views on the purpose of free and open source software. To some, FOSS means simply software that is intended to be free, or without financial cost; to others, the open availability of its source code is what matters.

FOSS Debates, Part 1: Kernel Truths
March 06, 2009

The free and open source software community is known for many things, but perhaps none more than its propensity for passionate debate. No topic is too small for the community's spirited analysis, so it should come as no surprise that the Linux kernel -- one of the most central elements of the FOSS world -- figures so frequently and so prominently.

Use the Kernel as a Hypervisor - but Trim It Down First
February 11, 2009

Desktop virtualization is entering into the corporate limelight, after many years of existence as a consumer toy. Recently, for example, Citrix and Intel announced a partnership that will deliver an embedded bare-metal client hypervisor by the second half of 2009.

10 Newbie Mistakes, and What's Broken in Linux?
December 08, 2008

There's nothing like the approaching dawn of a new year to make a person sit down and take stock of things. Apparently the folks over at Infoweek were feeling a similar urge last week, if their article titled "Fixing Linux: What's Broken and What To Do About It" is anything to go by.