Ximian XD2: The Way Things Ought to Be

For years, it has seemed that the GNU/Linux desktop was right on the cusp of being ready for the mainstream desktop out of the box. Recent distributions, such as Mandrake Linux 9.2, bring the desktop to the mainstream, but something is still lacking: complete unity.

Desktop FreeBSD Part 1: Installation

What follows is a tutorial aimed specifically at the ordinary desktop user interested in getting started with FreeBSD. Ed provides an easy to understand guide through FreeBSD's Sysinstall installer in part one of this series.

Coming Home

It will always be about freedom. I have long contended that the ordinary desktop user cannot afford to become a partisan for any operating system or software. I don't begrudge partisans their love; we all need a place to call home. What I can never appreciate is the degree to which a vocal minority have so identified themselves with their favorite OS/distro that anything less than worship is taken as a personal insult. My sense is that, thankfully, most Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) users are not there.

Gurus versus Newbies

There is no lack of publicity these days knocking The Redmond Giant for its inherently insecure software. There's even a recently announced lawsuit against them for just that. Those of us who have actively promoted Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) are now hoping that, finally, the balance of perception with the average computer user is in our favor.

Learning to Walk: A Linux User Migrates to FreeBSD

If you haven't read part 1 of this -- "Babe in the Woods: A Linux User Migrates to FreeBSD" -- you may be at a loss. For those who did read it, many are still at a loss. That is, they didn't grasp the subtle purpose behind the article. Of those who commented, most were hardcore geeks, the techies who are in a position to really understand computers.

FIRST LOOK: Mandrake Linux 9.2 Discovery Edition

It's official. By the time you read this, Mandrake Linux 9.2 will be available to Mandrake Club members around the world. Mandrake Linux 9.2 marks the first release from the “big 3” distributors in about six months. If you're wondering whether you should rush out and install it, read on for our first look at a distribution from the Fall 2003 distribution release cycle.

Babe in the Woods: A Linux User Migrates to FreeBSD

Most people know what GNU/Linux is, but fewer know about BSD and fewer still have actually used one of the major BSD variants (other than the highly customized Mac OS X). Ed Hurst, a writer and a long time GNU/Linux user, decided to give FreeBSD a try. Will Ed join the ranks of happy FreeBSD users? Read on to find out.

SCO Goes After SGI

Silicon Graphics Inc says that it has received notice from SCO Group Inc that the Unix vendor intends to terminate its Unix System V license on the basis that SGI has breached the terms of the license.

OfB Open Choice Awards 2003

Choosing the best of the best in different sectors of GNU/Linux products and services is not an easy task. In many cases, there was more than one contender that was worthy of an award in any given category. However, we attempted to select the easiest to use, most robust, most promising, and - when possible - most free (as in freedom) products for the Open Choice Awards 2003.

Mandrake 9.1 Tips & Tricks

Here
is a brief list of some useful suggestions for any user

interested in getting a better use of a Mandrake installation.

These are derived mainly from my own personal experience, so

use at your own risk.