21 Hours Ago - If you weren't already familiar with the likes of GNOME, KDE, XFCE, LXDE, Enlightenment and others, what would you like to see in a Linux User Interface? Whether you call it a desktop manager, a window manager, an XGUI or user interface; what do you think it needs to be successfully adopted for... (Read More)

Aug 19th, 2009 - Nothing gets people in the Linux World riled up like comparing distributions, desktops or editors. But for the new Linux user, the whole thing is a bit confusing. What do we tell them? Do we verbally slug it out in forums or do we offer gentle guidance to those entering the Linux jungle for the... (Read More)

Oct 5th, 2009 - Ubuntu has redeemed itself with its latest version 9.10 (Karmic Koala). I took a look at Ubuntu 9.10 on October 1st and have been playing around with it for a few days. My first impression is that it is good stuff--seriously good stuff. From the new, updated installer to the faster boot times, I'm... (Read More)

32 Days Ago - My "10 Best Linux Distributions of 2009" list drew a bit of disdain from some of my readers, so I thought I'd make it up to them by posting a list of Linux distributions that they like to use. Since I have no way of knowing which of these distributions is better or worse than the others, I've place... (Read More)

26 Days Ago - It's a cell phone for crying out loud. Do you get it? A cell phone. You know, you make and receive phone calls on it. It's a telephone that you carry around in your pocket. Who gives a rip whether it's equipped with a web browser, a file editor or an ice cream dispenser; it's a telephone. People... (Read More)

15 Days Ago - Have you searched for Linux distributions that are 100% free? Did you find more than one that suited your needs? Well, here's a list of nine from which you can choose your favorite. Free means freedom to alter, redistribute, sell or release as a different product with no restrictions on you or your... (Read More)

24 Days Ago - Ubuntu's CEO, Mark Shuttleworth fired one over Microsoft's bow with a statement that the soon to be released Ubuntu 9.10 is ready to go head-to-head with Windows 7 on Netbooks. He also said that Windows XP is still hanging around on some Netbooks as a "ghost." Shuttleworth wants another shot at the... (Read More)

Sep 14th, 2009 - A couple of weeks ago, I wrote, "Has Linux Fallen Into a Well?." It was a tale of two brothers, aka The Cave Dwellers, who had too many complaints and angst concerning the Windows XP installation on my wife's old HP DV-5000 laptop. Reinstalling XP didn't do any good the last time I did it, so I... (Read More)

Sep 27th, 2009 - This is the third entry in the continuing "cave dwellers" saga and their new lives with Ubuntu. Someone posted a comment on the previous cave dwellers entry about iTunes not working on Linux and I was absolutely sure that it did. It doesn't. Much to my surprise (and disappointment), iTunes isn't... (Read More)

Sep 24th, 2009 - I will never again refer to the Linux Desktop in any of my writings beyond this post. From now on, it's the Linux User Interface, which encompasses the likes of GNOME, KDE, LXDE, XFCE, CLI and others. These Linux User Interfaces may be used on any Linux-enabled device. These interfaces are not... (Read More)

Sep 17th, 2009 - All the glass clicking and cheers of late surrounding the apparent conversion of Microsoft to the open source fold needs to stop. We need the Cold War. We need Communism. And, yes, we need the OS Wars. Like any war, the OS Wars stimulate creativity, spark religious battles and divide the wannabes... (Read More)

Sep 8th, 2009 - This year is not the year of the Linux desktop. Next year is not the year of the Linux desktop. In fact, NO year is the year of the Linux desktop. Every year, there are at least ten writers (Ashamedly, I'm included in that ten) who proclaim that the current year or the upcoming year will be the... (Read More)

Apr 18th, 2008 - Neither RedHat nor Novell feel the need to push for a Linux Desktop that competes with the ubiquitous Windows OS. So the two largest commercial Linux vendors are throwing in the towel in the Desktop arena. There it is. Now go by yourselves a copy of Windows Vista--and while you're at it, buy a new... (Read More)

Sep 7th, 2008 - This week my crystal ball tells me that Linux is due for a major makeover and not just another pretty theme: A real makeover. It's time for Linux developers to stop following the Windows and Mac Desktop deveopers and get creative on their own. I understand the argument against this change in... (Read More)

Jun 22nd, 2008 - Welcome to Crystal Ball Sunday #6. This week I'm exploring the possibility of Linux becoming the operating system of choice for virtualization--specifically Desktop Virtualization. Regardless of which operating system or desktop type one uses, Linux will be the underlying operating system that gets... (Read More)

Apr 28th, 2008 - Ever pine away for a car for months, or even years, then when you finally get it—you have buyer’s remorse? You should have taken a test drive. Sure, you say, testing a car with a chatty salesperson next to you isn’t ownership but it does give you an idea of the look and feel of the car from the... (Read More)

Apr 23rd, 2008 - Last night on Craig Crossman’s Computer America, America’s longest-running nationally syndicated radio talk show about computers, Craig and crew interviewed Jason Perlow (rhymes with Merlot) about all things Linux. You may recognize Jason from his long-running stint as a regular columnist for Linux... (Read More)

Apr 20th, 2008 - There is an old saying that goes something like this: If you put 1,000 monkeys in a room with 1,000 typewriters (the things people used before computers), they would come up with the works of Shakespeare. Could the same be true of a great Desktop OS? No, but give me 1,000 well-paid developers and... (Read More)

3 Days Ago - What do you get if you combine a computer company with a group of Vegans and someone who used to present a popular children's TV show? The less than obvious answer is a Linux computer designed especially for old people. But there you have it, and according to the press release that sits before... (Read More)

Dec 29th, 2007 - Things are not looking good for KDE, following the news that KDE will not be getting long term support (LTS) whereas GNOME will according to Canonical. The Hardy Heron will be assured of LTS status it seems, making Ubuntu 8.04 the second version of this Linux distro to get the Canonical commercial... (Read More)

Nov 24th, 2007 - Although the Linux Foundation 2007 Desktop/Client survey does not actually finish until the 30th November, there would seem to be little point adding your opinion to the thousands who have already done so as the results appear to have escaped. The web is already buzzing with reports that... (Read More)

Jan 8th, 2009 - If your company CEO is walking around with bags under eyes, clutching a balance sheet in one hand and a bottle of Chivas in the other, it could be because she can’t get financing to keep the company going. Business Week has a great article on this topic, pointing out that the TARP money that is... (Read More)

Apr 24th, 2008 - The Fedora project team on Tuesday posted a preview edition of Fedora 9, its final stage of development during which users and contributors can provide feedback about bugs missed during beta testing. The latest Fedora distro is based on kernel 2.6.25; more on that later. General release is set for... (Read More)

Jul 11th, 2007 - Over the past few years, 3-D rendering in window managers has become a new trend in the desktop environment. OS X was the first to make fancy visual effects prominent in the way users interact with the windows in their desktop. Windows Vista has also jumped on the bandwagon with its Aero interface,... (Read More)