A Quick Word On OpenSolaris

So, recently I installed OpenSolaris (the 2nd release candidate), version 2008.11.  Running the system was rather interesting.  It ran well, but was still rather sluggish on my mediocre hardware.  The applications that came preinstalled were impressive, and comparitive to your average Linux distribution.   An office suite did not come preinstalled, however it was with a quick search in a package manager that I was able to find the OpenOffice.org office suite.  Being created by Sun Microsytems, it was clear that there were a lot of Sun applications… especially in the package manager.  The updated applications had that level of preference, being an Sun Microsystems product, so that they were available soon after the products release.

Overall, the next release is looking very promising.  OpenSolaris has turned into a distribution of software comparable to many Linux distributions available.  All the competition is in good spirit however, since a Linux desktop and an OpenSolaris desktop is yet another Microsoft-free PC.

A Sneak Peek

OpenSolaris 2008.11 RC2 has just installed!

Here’s a quick screenshot:

OpenSolaris is looking good!

I am currently installing the release candidate of OpenSolaris 2008.11 (RC2).  The system looks far more polished, is faster, works on my computer, and the installer has information flash cards shown during the installation.  That’s all I know at the moment, and as small as they may be, it shows a major improvement in the usability of the system.  I plan to do some java work on the machine, so hopefully using OpenSolaris will give me quick access to the tools I need.   I’ll write up a review after I get finished installing the system.  So far, all I can say is OpenSolaris 2008.11 looks like it will be a good release, and OpenSolaris may be turning into a viable Linux competitor.

Fedora Has More Users?

According to this article, Fedora has somewhere around 9.5 million users.  That put’s it 1.5 million above Ubuntu, who’s claimed user base is at around 8 million people.

The way the Fedora project tallies it’s users is apparently through IP addresses gathered during updates.  The article notes that it can be flawed… in which it might very well be.  I believe that tallying the total number of users is difficult, if possible at best.  For example, I use Ubuntu, but I also have a Fedora computer sitting on my desk.  I also do not run into too many users, who are Linux users, that run Fedora.  I know of several, but most Linux users I know run a version of Ubuntu (or a derivative).

Paul Frields, the project manager of Fedora, took a moment to rip Ubuntu for not disclosing where it gets the stats for it’s user base.   However, it has been disclosed, although the process is not as open as Fedora’s own.

Either way, even if Fedora does have 9.5 million users (or more), it can only be a good thing for Linux.

Internet Explorer: Between a Rock and a Hard Place

From this article on AppleInsider, Steve Ballmer mentioned that WebKit, the open source web engine, was considered for the next version of Internet Explorer, and may still be looked at.  WebKit, built of the KHTML engine used in KDE’s Konqueror web browser, is fully open source, and has the ability to incorporate new web standards faster than would a proprietary base, such as Internet Explorer 7 and 8.

What Mr. Ballmer missed however, is the point.  The article states of the question posed by a student:

“That’s cheeky, but a good question, but cheeky,” Ballmer replied, according to a report by TechWorld. Ballmer explained that Microsoft would need to consider the future of the browser and determine if there is any lack of innovation for the company to capitalize upon with ‘proprietary extensions that broaden its functionality.’

Laughably, Microsoft still doesn’t get it.  Proprietary extensions are only used to lock down the web, so only certain people can see all the content.  Microsoft is now stuck between a rock and a hard place, as Firefox and Safari both gaining ground on the browser.  So, their last move is to lock in the browser with proprietary extensions to render the other browsers obsolete.  The only problem — those proprietary standards must be used by web services, something most are not wanting to do, with open source browsers becoming ever more popular.

Keeping Ubuntu Family Friendly

This post is a good example as to why Ubuntu events need to be family friendly.

As someone who, when I first joined the project, was only 16, I can attest that it was quite a daunting place to be in.  I wanted to help, and I wanted to meet fellow Ubuntu users, but with the first meeting at a bar, I was very cautious.  Given, I don’t have a problem with people drinking alcohol, or being around them during events.   It’s their decision (and theirs to deal with down the road).   However, a bar is just not the place for me, and I don’t feel comfortable in that environment.  From the post above and from my own reaction, a quick conclusion can be drawn:

Ubuntu events need to be and should be family friendly.  Otherwise, some folks get left out.