Ubuntu-Pakistan Ubuntu-Linux Pakistan Monthly Newsletter September 2005

[Fouad Riaz Bajwa]

Ubuntu-pk.org Monthly Newsletter September 2005.

Note:
Produced and Published by FOSSFP: Free and Open Source Software Foundation
of Pakistan. Provide your feedback at bajwa at fossfp.org

ANNOUNCEMENT:
_____________

Ubuntu-Pakistan Mailing List reaches to 800 subscribed members!
---------------------------------------------------------------
FOSSFP and Ubuntu-Pakistan thanks everyone for participating in making
Ubuntu-Linux Pakistan a success in Pakistan. We encourage you to further
support the Free and Open Source Software Movement. Invite your friends and
family to join us in our mission against piracy and illegal usage of
software. Ubuntu-Linux will always be free for our free nation! Happy Ubuntu
to everyone! Come and join us at:
http://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-pk



About Ubuntu Linux:
-------------------
Ubuntu Linux is a complete desktop Linux operating system, freely available
with both community and professional support. The Ubuntu community is built
on the ideas enshrined in the Ubuntu Manifesto: that software should be
available free of charge, that software tools should be usable by people in
their local language and despite any disabilities, and that people should
have the freedom to customise and alter their software in whatever way they
see fit. "Ubuntu" is an ancient African word, meaning "humanity to others".
The Ubuntu Linux distribution brings the spirit of Ubuntu to the software
world. To download Ubuntu please visit:
http://www.ubuntu-pk.org
http://www.fossfp.org
http://www.ubuntulinux.org/download/
http://mirrors.dotsrc.org/ubuntu-cd/



Get ready for the new release of Ubuntu-Linux in October 2005:
--------------------------------------------------------------
Ubuntu-Linux version 5.10 codenamed the "Breezy Badger" is scheduled to be
released in early October. 5.10 (Breezy Badger) Preview Release The Ubuntu
Team is proud to announce the Preview Release of Ubuntu 5.10 - codenamed
"Breezy Badger". The Preview Release includes both Install CDs and bootable
Live CDs for three architectures.Ubuntu is a Linux distribution for your
desktop or server, with a fast and easy install, regular releases, a tight
selection of excellent packages installed by default, every other package
you can imagine available from the network, a commitment to security updates
for 18 months after each release and professional technical support from
many companies around the world. To Get Ubuntu 5.10 Preview:
http://releases.ubuntu.com/5.10/ 



Book your Ubuntu-Linux version 5.10 codenamed the "Breezy Badger" CD Today!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The final version of Ubuntu 5.10 is expected to be released in October. At
that time, we will mail pressed CDs free of charge. To receive a
complimentary copy of the Official Breezy Badger CD -- or a handful of them
to give to your friends, your school or LUG -- place your request at the URL
below. Remember that these CDs won't ship until after the final release in
October. Register at: http://shipit.ubuntu.com/ 



Screenshots Ubuntu-Linux version 5.10 codenamed the "Breezy Badger"
-------------------------------------------------------------------
View the screenshots here:
http://shots.osdir.com/slideshows/slideshow.php?release=430&slide=1



About Ubuntu 5.10 Preview 
------------------------- 
To see it all, you'll need to try the CD, but the highlights include: 
On the Desktop 
* GNOME 2.12 -- Very fresh...!! 
* OpenOffice.org 2.0 beta 2 
* X.org 6.8.2 with wider hardware support 
* An enhanced tool for easily installing new applications (see "Add/Remove
Programs" in the System Administration menu) 
* A new tool which makes it easy to install support for multiple languages
(Language Selector) 
* Editable GNOME menus 
* Applications are now linked into the Launchpad infrastructure (new entries
on the Help menus for translation and support) 
* Support for writing audio CDs (Serpentine) 
* Graphical boot process with progress bar (USplash) 

On the Server 
* PHP5 
* Support for installing directly onto LVM volumes 
* Built-in thin client functionality produced in cooperation with the LTSP
project (http://wiki.ubuntu.com/ThinClientHowto) 
* Simple NFS root setup with automatic hardware detection through
initramfs-tools 
* Support for up to 4 gigabytes of RAM by default on 32-bit architectures 
* Kernel support for cluster filesystems (OCFS2 and GFS) 

Hardware Support Improvements 
* Linux 2.6.12.5 with many updated drivers from third parties 
* Further enhancements to laptop support (hot keys, and working
suspend/resume on more models) 
* HP all-in-one printer/scanner devices are supported out of the box 
* Bluetooth input devices (such as keyboards and mice) are supported out of
the box 
* Multiple audio devices are handled more gracefully (and one can easily
select the default device) 
* 64-bit PowerPC kernel available 

Installation 
* A new OEM mode to simplify the process of preinstalling Ubuntu on
computers for resale or redistribution 
* Automatically makes existing hard drive partitions available to the
desktop 
* Simple "dual boot" configuration with automatic resizing of an existing
installed OS 
* The second stage of the installation now has a progress bar "Under the
hood" 
* GCC 4.0.1 
* glibc 2.3.5 
* New early userspace infrastructure based on initramfs-tools 
* More modular X.org packaging 

As always, Ubuntu includes the very best of the 100% FREE / LIBRE
application software world, and each new release incorporates countless new
features and bugfixes from the global development community. 



Ubuntu wins TUX award 
----------------------
Ubuntu and Kubuntu have been awarded the TUX Magazine Readers Choice Award
for 2005. TUX Magazine is aimed at the new Linux user, and currently has
over 50,000 registered readers. Firefox and OpenOffice.org also won in their
categories, of which there were 14 in total. "We were amazed by both the
quantity and quality of the choices that were available for TUX's inaugural
Readers' Choice Awards," commented Carlie Fairchild, SSC Publications' VP of
Marketing and Sales. "Not only are the most popular applications getting
ever more, but many new entrants keep arriving to push the market forward by
leaps and bounds. It's clear that desktop Linux has arrived."
See the press release from TUX Magazine here:
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/09-01
-2005/0004098632&EDATE=



EU rejects Software Patents 
---------------------------
The European Parliament has voted against a bill that would have allowed the
patenting of software by 648 votes to 14.This result is good news for Free
Software projects like Ubuntu, although patent law that explicitly excluded
software idea patents would have been better. Read more at 
BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4655955.stm
Forbes:
http://www.forbes.com/technology/feeds/afx/2005/07/06/afx2125054.html
FFII: http://www.ffii.org/


Side-by-side screenshots compare Windows XP, Ubuntu, SuSE
---------------------------------------------------------
Simple ignorance hampers the growth of desktop Linux. Few even recognize the
name. Of those, some mistakenly believe Linux is as cold and utilitarian as
the command line. But people who really know Linux, know that Linux can be
warm and friendly like any other OS. And now, there's photographic proof.

The crew at OpenSourceVersus.com have assembled a collection of screenshots
displaying the core functions of Windows XP, Ubuntu 5.04, and SuSE 9.3 (both
run from LiveCDs) side by side. This useful collection of images illustrates
that Linux is not just a toy for the slide rule set; normal people will want
to use it, too. See the screen shots and compare Windows XP, Ubuntu, and
SuSE -- from the boot screen, to the trash can -- at:
 


New Ubuntu Foundation Announced 
-------------------------------
Mark Shuttleworth and Canonical Ltd, founders of the popular Ubuntu
Linux-based operating system, have today announced the creation of The
Ubuntu Foundation with an initial funding commitment of US$10m.The Ubuntu
Foundation will employ core Ubuntu community members to ensure that Ubuntu
(www.ubuntu.com) will remain fully supported for an extended period of time,
and continue to produce new releases of the distribution. As a first step,
the Foundation announces that Ubuntu version 6.04, due for release in April
2006, will be supported for three years on the desktop and five years on the
server.

The Foundation was established on July 1st 2005 with an initial funding
commitment of US$10 million, to ensure the continuity of the Ubuntu project
and create a legal vehicle that represents the community structures of the
project."It's important for us to distinguish the philanthropic and
non-commercial work that is at the heart of the Ubuntu project, from the
commercial support and certification programs that are the focus of
Canonical Ltd." said Mark Shuttleworth, who is founder of the project and is
making the initial $10m commitment to the Foundation. "The core team members
employed by the Ubuntu Foundation will ensure that we can meet public
commitments to keep Ubuntu entirely free of charge, as well as meeting
commitments of support for extended periods. I'm very excited at the
progress that has been made in bringing free software to the global
marketplace, and pleased to continue my support for the project in this
way."

Ubuntu has quickly become a leading distribution in the free software world,
taking the #1 place in DistroWatch popularity rankings over all timescales
which are published. The distribution focuses on usability, security and
stability on desktops and servers, and on making free software widely
available for individuals and organisations who are ready to switch from
proprietary platforms, such as Microsoft Windows.



A quick take on Ubuntu Linux
-----------------------------
Source: http://www.desktoplinux.com/news/NS9817597705.html

If you're a watcher of the world of Linux distributions, you've likely been
hearing about Ubuntu, a relatively new entrant that's managed to win the
devotion of many Linux users by augmenting the solid and popular Debian
GNU/Linux with up-to-date software components and slick packaging.

eWEEK Labs tested Ubuntu Linux 5.04 (which became available last month under
the colorful code name The Hoary Hedgehog), and we can report that the buzz
surrounding this distribution is well-warranted.

Ubuntu is an excellent choice as a desktop or notebook operating system: It
includes the latest GNOME and KDE versions, and it requires less
post-install configuration than does Fedora Core or Debian on its own. For
instance, we found that, unlike with Fedora, laptop hibernation worked out
of the box.

Like Fedora, Ubuntu enjoys the sponsorship of a corporate entity --
Canonical Ltd., which sells paid technical support for Ubuntu. However,
Ubuntu depends most heavily on its association with Debian: Ubuntu releases
begin as snapshots of a core portion of the unstable branch of Debian, and
undergo testing and tweaking before they ship.

The Ubuntu project plans to ship a new version of Ubuntu every six months
and provide security updates for at least 18 months after each version
ships. Ubuntu 5.04 (the version numbers refer to release year and month) is
only the second release so far, so time will tell how well the project
executes on its road map.

Ubuntu supports Intel's x86, AMD's AMD64, and IBM's PowerPC architectures.

We tested the x86 and AMD64 versions of Ubuntu with success, but we found
that Ubuntu doesn't provide as seamless an experience managing and running
32-bit code on its 64-bit version as SuSE does.

Ubuntu's otherwise very good graphical software package management
application, Synaptic, doesn't do a good job of supporting multiple
architectures.

With the assistance of a how-to from the Ubuntu Web site, we set up a
separate environment for 32-bit applications using chroot, which worked well
for us.

Multi-architecture issues aside, Ubuntu's software package management is a
real strength of this distribution. Debian's apt-get application does a good
job of resolving package dependencies, and Debian's dpkg component -- which
underlies apt just as Red Hat's Red Hat Package Manager underlies Red Hat's
up2date tool -- provides for install-time package configuration.




Ubuntu 5.10 (Breezy Badger) Preview Review 
------------------------------------------
Source: http://debcentral.org/modules/news/article.php?storyid=11
OK, the Ubuntu 5.10 preview (Breezy Badger) has been released. Let's have a
quick look at how it is progressing. The final release is scheduled for
early October. This review is a first look at the OS and won't go into too
much detail this time. Watch out for updates and a full review of the
finished product.

First here is a list of some of the goodies provided.
Linux Kernel 2.6.12.5 with added drivers.
Gnome 2.12 
OpenOffice.org 2.0 beta 2
X.org 6.8.2
New Add/Remove programs application
Gnome menu editor
Graphical boot splash. (Usplash)
And many more below and above the surface enhancements.

1. Installation
The installation process is still text based but has been greatly improved
to keep user input to a minimum. After you have chosen your language and
keyboard layout (which can be guessed by pressing a few keys if not listed)
the installation carries on through the partitioning wizard until coming to
setting up computer name and main user account. It is all pretty straight
forward just not pretty! The second stage install now has a progress bar
instead of the white on black output of apt-get. One good improvement is
that other partitions are found and auto mounted for you so you don't have
to configure fstab manually.
Overall the installation is painless and you aren't overwhelmed by many
options and configuration choices etc.

2. First boot
After the installation has finished you are presented with the same gdm
login screen as in Hoary.
On logging in you would be excused for thinking you've burned the wrong iso.
It does look like Hoary, in fact identical to Hoary, except for the
notification bubble for the update manager. For me I think this is a good
thing and won't go into this here. It's nice to see they have fixed the
bubble when the panel is not at the top as the arrow used to still point
towards the top of the screen.

3. Applications
Compared to Hoary the same basic selection of applications are available but
are obviously newer versions. It is good to see Openoffice.org 2.0 beta 2
installed as default. Let's hope Openoffice.org can get the final version
released for inclusion into Breezy. There is still no word on the
Openoffice.org website as to the expected date of release, well I say no
word actually it says ??? 2005!
Gnome 2.12 has had a few changes since 2.10 most noticeably in nautilus. If
you shout loud enough people do listen. I personally didn't care for
nautilus in 2.10 but the changes in this release make me happy again .
Ubuntu have opted to use file browsing by default, also a choice of mine.
The panel can now be placed vertically. No longer do you have a 6 inch wide
panel if you have it at the side. (Shame the clock can't be vertical.)
Finally a menu editor! I know you can do it manually but why should you? And
a nice services admin tool too. Gnome is looking better.
The Add/Remove programs has been greatly improved. Simple way to install
apps. Of course Synaptic is still available.

4. Conclusion
Overall this is a great improvement over Hoary. It feels better, plays
better. I am a little disappointed that amaroK is not 1.3.1 but 1.2.4, ah
well. One thing I have noticed, and this also serves as a word of warning,
the Ubuntu team is working really hard to get this thing finished. Now that
in itself is a good thing but the warning is that there are hundreds of
updates available as soon as you have installed and this number increases
every day. So be warned. All in all a good and quite stable preview and is
usable in it's current state for day to day use.





More Information 
---------------- 
You can find out more about Ubuntu on our website http://www.fossfp.org. If
you're new to Ubuntu, please visit: http://www.ubuntu-pk.org

To sign up for future Ubuntu announcements, please subscribe to Ubuntu's
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