Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter #70

[Nick Ali]

Welcome to the Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter, Issue 70 for the week
December 9th - December 15th, 2007. In this issue we cover the
countdown to Hardy Alpha 2, new MOTU & community members, Ubuntu
Forums interview, Bazaar 1.0 release, and as always, much, much more.


== In This Issue ==

 * Countdown To Hardy Alpha 2
 * New MOTU & Community Members
 * Ubuntu Forums Interview
 * In The Press & Blogosphere
 * Bazaar 1.0 Control Tool Released
 * eeeXubuntu
 * Meetings & Events
 * Updates & Security
 * Bug & Translation Stats

== General Community News ==

=== Countdown To Hardy Alpha 2 ===

The second alpha for Hardy Heron is scheduled for Thursday, December
20. Given the success of the self-imposed freeze used for Alpha 1,
Ubuntu will continue with this policy for Alpha 2. This milestone is
intended to be used for tracking bugs that must be fixed in order for
the alpha release to happen. As with previous Alpha version from
Ubuntu, this release version is not intended for production machines.
Developers are encouraged to visit the link to find out more about the
schedule and bug assignments.
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-devel-announce/2007-December/000361.html

=== New MOTU Member ===

Till Kamppeter is Ubuntu's resident printing guru and newest MOTU
member. He also participates on the following teams: Launchpad Beta
Testers, Ubuntu Bug Control Team and the Ubuntu Printing Team. MOTU
welcomes Till and looks forward to working with him.
http://launchpad.net/~till-kamppeter

=== New Kubuntu Members ===

Ian MacGregor volunteers his time in #ubuntu, #kubuntu, and other
channels, on the Freenode irc network. He also provides support on the
Ubuntu Forums, submit bugs to launchpad, and edit/proofread articles
on the Ubuntu Wiki and Ubuntu Documentation websites. Spending a bit
of time promoting Ubuntu/Kubuntu has helped over 200 people and
businesses in his area switch to Linux from other operating systems
since 2003. https://launchpad.net/~ardchoille42

Jussi Kekkonen, Tm_T, helps out in #kubuntu and is an IRC admin for
Kubuntu channels. He is also part of the Finnish Team.
https://wiki.kubuntu.org/JussiKekkonen

=== Kubuntu Tutorials Day ===

Kubuntu Tutorials day included sessions on programming in PyQt, using
Bazaar for revision control, Packaging and Getting Your Work into
Kubuntu.  Over 100 people attended the tutorials.  Logs are available
now.

https://wiki.kubuntu.org/KubuntuTutorialsDay


== Ubuntu Forum News ==

=== Ubuntu Forums Interview ===
Mike Basinger is one of the forums admins and a Ubuntu Forums Council
and Community Council member. He's worked on outlining the Forums
Council, merging ubuntuforums into the official Ubuntu framework and
is among some of the most influential people in the Ubuntu structure.
Please read the complete interview here :
http://kmandla.wordpress.com/2007/12/14/an-interview-with-mike/


== In The Press ==

 * Get started with Linux - In the past, if you didn't want to buy a
computer with Windows installed, your choices were rather limited.
Specifically, there was a choice between buying an Apple Mac and
installing Linux on a bare PC. If the idea of a Mac didn't appeal,
then a fair amount of technical knowledge and nerve was needed to
install Linux. However, this has changed. Not only is Linux a lot more
user-friendly, but some companies, including Dell, now sell PCs with
Linux instead of Windows pre-installed. Switching on a Linux PC for
the first time may be a little disorientating as many options are in
different places. Follow this guide and find your feet quickly and
easily with the Ubuntu version of Linux.
http://www.itweek.co.uk/computeractive/features/2205367/box-linux-pc

 * An Introduction to Ubuntu: Could this free, open-source operating
system be in your nonprofit's future? - A free, stable, and secure
operating system that you can try out risk-free? Open-source operating
system Ubuntu comes at a tempting price and offers many of the
advantages of popular commercial operating systems such as Windows and
OS X. But do its potential drawbacks — manual installation and
possible compatibility issues — outweigh its many benefits? Ubuntu is
equally well-suited to the server as it is to the desktop or laptop.
It can very capably perform a variety of functions, including:
everyday office tasks, web development, and server tasks. How do you
determine if Ubuntu is right for your organization? First, consider
what you would like to improve about your current IT setup. If the
answer is nothing, then there is no reason to switch. However, if
cutting licensing cost or an interest in functionality, flexibility.
or stability are important, you might consider trying Ubuntu.
http://www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/software/page7858.cfm

 * The World Series of Linux: Round 3, The Championship - CMP Channel
Test Center conducted its first-ever World Series of Linux, looking at
six desktop distributions of the Open Source OS. In the final smack
down, it was Ubuntu vs. Fedora. The final round went through seven
innings: installation, networking, creating and managing users,
accessing networked Windows shares using Samba, installing third-party
software, accessing a handheld device, and connecting to a wireless
network. Both distro's passed every test but connecting to the
network. But because Ubuntu was able to install the ndiswrapper and
connect to the network in an easy fashion, it won the smack down.
Please read the whole article to get a more in depth look at this
battle of the Linux distro's.
http://www.crn.com/software/204802209?pgno=1

 * Review: Ubuntu Gutsy Gibbon takes on Mac OS X Leopard for the OS of
the Year - The stereotype for each OS is well known: Mac OS X is
elegant, easy-to-use, and intuitive, while Ubuntu is stable, secure,
and getting better all the time. Both have come a long way in a short
time, and both make excellent desktops. So we have two great desktop
operating systems out at roughly the same time. So does Leopard eat up
Ubuntu? Or does Ubuntu trounce Leopard? It depends on your needs. If
you're a student with no money, go for a decent cheap PC and put
Ubuntu on it. If you value freedom above all else, then it's obvious--
Linux is the only way to go. If you're heading into a future in
multimedia, you will want a Mac. If your life revolves around your
iPod and your iPhone, you need a Mac. If you have the money, buy a Mac
with at least 2 GB of RAM and then immediately installing a
virtualization solution that will let you run Ubuntu along with any
other OS you might want. http://www.linux-mag.com/id/4641/

== In The Blogosphere ==

 * Hands-On With Everex's $200 gPC - Everex's stock in trade is
delivering decent technology at rock-bottom prices. Its $200 gPC,
available immediately, offers a no-gimmicks machine for a song. But is
it any good? gOS is based on the most recent distribution of Ubuntu
Linux, and runs well on the gPC, which has a 1.5GHz Via C7 CPU, an
80GB hard drive and 512MB of RAM. In a couple of hours of use, no
stability problems presented themselves, and the Unix underbelly
stayed more or less out of sight, save for the occasional information
pop-up. First impressions are of a serviceable desktop PC with
bulletproof security and a pleasant, simplified feel. For those
wanting to do more with their computer than surf the web, check e-mail
and basic productivity, however, it's obviously won't be of much
interest. http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2007/11/hands-on-with-e.html

 *  Top 10 New and Improved Apps of 2007 - There's no better time than
now to switch to a free operating system with the latest release of
"Linux for humans," Ubuntu 7.10. The best Ubuntu yet for average
users, Ubuntu 7.10 includes built-in WPA detection, the ability to
read/write Windows drives (hello dual boot), quick multimedia setup
and built-in Compiz Fusion for customizing your desktop. Coming in at
#4, Ubuntu 7.10 gets a "Most Improved Operating System"
acknowledgement.
http://lifehacker.com/software/lifehacker-top-10/top-10-new-and-improved-apps-of-2007-332617.php

 * Five days of Ubuntu Linux - This author takes on the ins and outs
of his Ubuntu experience. Covered are installation, boot up, hardware,
software, the desktop, and emulation. Everything received high marks,
except emulation which had mixed results. Daniel's verdict: "I'm
definitely going to stick with it. The impression I definitely get is
that although it may not be the best OS for gaming - or, the limited
retro gaming I've tried so far - it certainly beats Windows in terms
of speed, reliability and aesthetics. There seemed to be open source
software for everything I needed to do, and I didn't have to compile
or manually install once. If you've been avoiding Linux for the
'gurus-only' stereotype, now may be a good time to try a distribution
like Ubuntu. It's not perfect quite yet - but it's a damned good
alternative to Windows, at any rate."
http://bluesuncorp.co.uk/2007/12/04/five-days-of-ubuntu-linux

 *  The Big Three of Linux: Looking ahead to 2008 - Ubuntu has become
the desktop user's Linux of choice in the past three years and shows
no signs of slowing down. Canonical understands what Novell does not,
and that is marketing. The marketing machine behind Ubuntu has been
working non-stop. Additionally, it does not hurt that Mark
Shuttleworth, Canonical's founder and CEO, is as charismatic as Steve
Jobs and is forming deals with independent hardware vendors that
results in Ubuntu being offered by the likes of Dell on their laptops
and desktops.  Canonical is correct in that their next move should be
to penetrate the server market. The ultimate achievement would be when
Canonical finally creates an Active Directory-like system to integrate
its server OS and desktop OS into a single, manageable environment.
http://enterpriselinuxlog.blogs.techtarget.com/2007/12/12/the-big-three-of-linux-a-52-week-view/

== In Other News ==

=== Canonical Releases Version 1.0 of Bazaar Version Control Tool for
Efficient Developer Collaboration ===

Canonical Ltd., the commercial sponsor of the Ubuntu and Bazaar
projects, today announced the general availability of Bazaar 1.0, a
version control system enabling multiple, distributed developers to
contribute to software projects independently in a controlled, managed
way. "Bazaar is designed for global teams of collaborating
developers," said Mark Shuttleworth, founder of the Ubuntu project. "A
large open source project like Ubuntu requires an extremely intuitive,
robust and flexible version control system to accommodate hundreds of
people working on shared code." "Bazaar is designed to support models
of collaboration that have emerged since the Internet came to dominate
software development practices," said Martin Pool, project leader of
Bazaar. "We set ourselves the challenge of creating a tool that open
source developers will love to use, and have been delighted with the
reception Bazaar is getting in both the commercial and free software
communities."

http://www.ubuntu.com/news/bazaar-v1-release

=== eeeXubuntu ===

eeePC is all the rage. The small, portable system that comes bundled
with an Xandros Linux derivative has made the headlines. According to
Assus, the producer of the eeePC, an eeePC is sold every six seconds
and the eeePC is the most wanted gift for Christmas in America. For
many people, the eeePC may be the their first exposure to the
wonderful world of Linux.

Recently, Nick Hatch has developed a custom version of Xubuntu 7.10 to
include fully-integrated hardware support and customization for the
eeePC. Christening the remix as eeeXubuntu, Hatch has already made two
releases and is working furiously to bring us the third. Cody
Somerville of the Xubuntu Team reports that they've made contact with
the eeeXubuntu developers and are looking forward to developing a
healthy working relationship to bring the best of Xubuntu to eeePC
users.

For more information, see
http://wiki.eeeuser.com/ubuntu:eeexubuntu:home and
http://wiki.eeeuser.com/ubuntu:eeexubuntu:development

See http://eeepc.asus.com/global/ for more information on the eeePC.

== Meetings and Events ==

=== Tuesday, December 18, 2007 ===

==== Server Team meeting ====
 * Start: 15:00 UTC
 * End: Not Specified
 * Location: IRC channel #ubuntu-meeting
 * Agenda: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ServerTeam/Meeting

=== Thursday, December 20, 2007 ===

==== Desktop Team Development Meeting ====
 * Start: 14:00 UTC
 * End: 15:00 UTC
 * Location: IRC channel #ubuntu-meeting
 * Agenda: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DesktopTeam/Meeting

=== Friday, December 21, 2007 ===

==== MOTU Q&A session ====
 * Start: 13:00 UTC
 * End: 14:00 UTC
 * Location: IRC channel #ubuntu-classroom
 * Agenda: No agenda listed as of the publication

== Updates and security for 6.06, 6.10, 7.04, and 7.10 ==

=== Security Updates ===

 * [USN-550-2] Cairo regression -
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-security-announce/2007-December/000640.html
 * [USN-550-3] Cairo regression -
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-security-announce/2007-December/000641.html

=== Ubuntu 6.06 LTS Updates ===

 * Accepted: smokeping 2.0.5-2ubuntu0.1 (source) -
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/dapper-changes/2007-December/012578.html
 * Accepted: flashplugin-nonfree 9.0.115.0ubuntu0.6.06 (source) -
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/dapper-changes/2007-December/012579.html
 * Accepted: libcairo, libcairo, libcairo, libcairo, libcairo,
libcairo, libcairo 1.0.4-0ubuntu1.2 (source, amd64, hppa, i386, ia64,
powerpc, sparc) -
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/dapper-changes/2007-December/012580.html

=== Ubuntu 6.10 Updates ===

 * Accepted: smokeping 2.0.8-3ubuntu0.1 (source) -
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/edgy-changes/2007-December/008454.html
 * Accepted: ldap2dns 0.3.1-3ubuntu0.6.10 (source) -
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/edgy-changes/2007-December/008455.html
 * Accepted: ivtools 1.1.3-5.3ubuntu1.1 (source) -
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/edgy-changes/2007-December/008456.html
 * Accepted: flashplugin-nonfree 9.0.115.0ubuntu0.6.10 (source) -
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/edgy-changes/2007-December/008457.html
 * Accepted: libcairo, libcairo, libcairo, libcairo, libcairo
1.2.4-1ubuntu2.2 (source, amd64, i386, powerpc, sparc) -
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/edgy-changes/2007-December/008458.html

=== Ubuntu 7.04 Updates ===

 * Accepted: libcairo, libcairo, libcairo, libcairo, libcairo,
libcairo 1.4.2-0ubuntu1.2 (source, amd64, i386, ia64, powerpc, sparc)
- https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/feisty-changes/2007-December/008794.html
 * Accepted: ldap2dns 0.3.1-3ubuntu0.7.04 (source) -
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/feisty-changes/2007-December/008795.html
 * Accepted: savant 20060129-4ubuntu0.1 (source) -
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/feisty-changes/2007-December/008796.html
 * Accepted: flashplugin-nonfree 9.0.115.0ubuntu0.7.04 (source) -
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/feisty-changes/2007-December/008797.html
 * Accepted: libcairo, libcairo, libcairo, libcairo, libcairo,
libcairo 1.4.2-0ubuntu1.3 (source, amd64, i386, ia64, powerpc, sparc)
- https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/feisty-changes/2007-December/008798.html

=== Ubuntu 7.10 Updates ===

 * Accepted: finish-install 2.11ubuntu1 (source) -
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/gutsy-changes/2007-December/010050.html
 * Accepted: libcairo, libcairo, libcairo, libcairo, libcairo,
libcairo, libcairo, libcairo 1.4.10-1ubuntu4.2 (source, amd64, hppa,
i386, ia64, lpia, powerpc, sparc) -
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/gutsy-changes/2007-December/010051.html
 * Accepted: libcairo 1.4.10-1ubuntu4.3 (source) -
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/gutsy-changes/2007-December/010052.html
 * Accepted: findutils 4.2.31-1ubuntu2.1 (source) -
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/gutsy-changes/2007-December/010053.html
 * Accepted: ldap2dns 0.3.1-3ubuntu0.7.10 (source) -
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/gutsy-changes/2007-December/010054.html
 * Accepted: deskbar-applet 2.20.1-0ubuntu1 (source) -
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/gutsy-changes/2007-December/010055.html
 * Accepted: flashplugin-nonfree 9.0.115.0ubuntu0.7.10 (source) -
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/gutsy-changes/2007-December/010056.html
 * Accepted: libcairo, libcairo, libcairo, libcairo, libcairo,
libcairo, libcairo, libcairo 1.4.10-1ubuntu4.4 (source, amd64, hppa,
i386, ia64, lpia, powerpc, sparc) -
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/gutsy-changes/2007-December/010057.html

== Bug Stats ==

 * Open (38046) +50 # over last week
 * Critical (20) +/-0 # over last week
 * Unconfirmed (19393) -28 # over last week
 * Unassigned (28433) -142 # over last week
 * All bugs ever reported (140246) +1088 # over last week

As always, the Bug Squad needs more help. If you want to get started,
please see  https://wiki.ubuntu.com/BugSquad

== Translation Stats ==

 1. Spanish (27845) -280 # over last week
 2. French (40844) +/-0 # over last week
 3. Swedish (55305) +/-0 # over last week
 4. English-UK (46909) -5 # over last week
 5. German (67398) +4 # over last week

Remaining string to translate in Ubuntu 7.10 "Gutsy Gibbon", see more
at: https://translations.launchpad.net/ubuntu/gutsy/

== Archives and RSS Feed ==

You can always find older Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter issues at:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuWeeklyNewsletter

You can subscribe to the Ubuntu Weekly News via RSS at:
http://fridge.ubuntu.com/uwn/feed

== Additional Ubuntu News ==

As always you can find more news and announcements at:

 http://www.ubuntu.com/news

and

 http://fridge.ubuntu.com/

== Conclusion ==

Thank you for reading the Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter.

See you next week!

== Credits ==

The Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter is brought to you by:

 * Nick Ali
 * John Crawford
 * Craig A. Eddy
 * Isabelle Duchatelle
 * Cody A.W. Somerville
 * And many others

== Glossary of Terms ==

 * eee - The Eee PC is a line of inexpensive ultraportable notebook
computers released by ASUS Computer Inc. in late 2007. Eee PCs follow
a design philosophy that ASUS dubs "the three Es": "Easy to learn,
Easy to work, and Easy to play".

== Feedback ==

If you would like to submit an idea or story you think is worth
appearing on the UWN, please send them to
ubuntu-marketing-submissions at lists.ubuntu.com.
This document is maintained by the Ubuntu Marketing Team. Please feel
free to contact us regarding any concerns or suggestions by either
sending an email to ubuntu-marketing at lists.ubuntu.com or by using any
of the other methods on the Ubuntu Marketing Team Contact Information
Page (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/MarketingTeam). If you'd like to
contribute to a future issue of the Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter, please
feel free to edit the appropriate wiki page. If you have any technical
support questions, please send then ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com.