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Ken Hess's Linux Blog

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All About khess (Ken Hess)

My new book, Practical Virtualization Solutions, is out.

Catch my radio talk show with co-host Jason Perlow The Frugal Tech Show, every Friday at 6:30pm Eastern. You can call in or just listen in. Live Interviews with Today's Technology Leaders (C-Level Executives) whose products and services save money for businesses.

And check out my columns, Cover Your Assets, at ServerWatch.com helps you with more money-saving tips for your IT infrastructure and Linux Magazine's Virtual Reality at linux-mag.com.

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Window and Desktop Managers

9 Free Linux Distributions: A Linux Free For All

1 Day 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)

It's On! Ubuntu and Microsoft Going to the Mat

11 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)

Android Shmandroid, Who Cares?

12 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)

2009's Top 10 Reader's Choice Linux Distributions

19 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)

Ubuntu 9.10: First Impressions

32 Days Ago - 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)

Ubuntu Spelunkers Need Help

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)

That Dream Formerly Known as the Linux Desktop

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)

Please Reinstate the OS Wars

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)

Cave Dwellers Give Ubuntu Two Thumbs Up

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)

Year X is NOT the Year of the Linux Desktop

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)

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Windows Vista and Windows 7

5 Reasons Why You Should Switch to Windows 7 (And 5 More Reasons Why You Shouldn't)

15 Days Ago - Yesterday was Microsoft's big day. Windows 7 was released. Did you go buy your copy already? Are you waiting? Whether you have or haven't doesn't really matter but I'm going to give you my five reasons why you should switch to Windows 7 and five more why you shouldn't. Both are compelling and... (Read More)

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Linux Servers and Apache

The 10 Best Linux Distributions of 2009

26 Days Ago - It was exactly one year ago today that I published my original "The 10 Best Linux Distributions" and it's time to put forth a new list for this year's best. Without looking at the old list, I've decided to compile this one from scratch. This 2009 list takes several factors into account for... (Read More)

One For All and All For One: A Single Linux Distribution

Sep 29th, 2009 - Since I check my linkbacks religiously, I noticed one of the comments over at linsux.org (An anti-Linux rant site) on my recent post, "5 Things You Can Do to Put Linux in the Driver Seat" and thought I would share one of the entries with you. He wants us Linux types to stop work on so many... (Read More)

5 Things You Can Do to Put Linux in the Driver Seat

Sep 28th, 2009 - This is a plea to all hardware manufacturers: Please create Linux drivers for your hardware. OK, so Linux isn't the Stormin' Norman of the Desktop arena but that doesn't mean its users don't want or need drivers for hardware. I don't blame the kind volunteers that donate their time to program bits... (Read More)

Mr. Torvalds, Shrink That Kernel

Sep 22nd, 2009 - Linus Torvalds, creator of the Linux kernel, said at the LinuxCon in Portland yesterday that, "We are not the streamlined, small, hyper-efficient kernel I envisioned 15 years ago," he said. "Our kernel is huge and bloated. Whenever we add a new feature, it only gets worse." It's time to put Linux... (Read More)

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*nix Software

Richard Stallman Speaks

29 Days Ago - I had the honor and pleasure of speaking to Richard Stallman a few days ago while he was in New Zealand on a speaking tour. I had been in an email conversation with him over several days asking about which software programs he uses and I finally connected with him for some clarification and more... (Read More)

What Free Software Means

33 Days Ago - You often hear the terms 'free software' and open source used interchangeably but they're not the same. In fact, true free software zealots launch into a fiery diatribe on the issue should you even utter the words "open source" when speaking of free software. Free software is not related to the... (Read More)

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Apple Hardware

Warning: Apple Hardware in Danger from the DOJ

29 Days Ago - The Department of Justice (DOJ) is investigating IBM's computer market conduct and, depending on the outcome, it might just affect your beloved Apple computers. As everyone knows, IBM is the major player in the mainframe computer market but now their business practice of not licensing other... (Read More)

Has Linux Fallen into a Well?

Aug 31st, 2009 - Does it seem to you that Linux distributions have fallen into to a well or other deep support chasm that defies the space-time continuum? It seems so to me. Linux distributions are lagging behind Windows and Mac in significant ways. Well, it doesn't work for this chipset. Well, it works but you... (Read More)

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Viruses, Spyware and other Nasties

WWIII Coming to a Computer Near You?

31 Days Ago - No, I'm not talking about a Linux vs. Microsoft or Apple vs Microsoft but rather a prediction by UN Telecommunications Agency Chief Hamadoun Toure'. Apparently, the U.S. Homeland Security and other U.S.-based paranoia groups agree since US Secretary for Homeland Security Janet Napolitano said that... (Read More)

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Windows Software

Is Microsoft the Newest Free Software Advocate?

Sep 29th, 2009 - What the heck is happening in Redmond? Is Microsoft really giving away antivirus software? Yes, friends, it appears that they are. Come on Microsoft, we really want to hate you. I've carried this Microsoft voodoo doll* around with me for years--stabbing it every time I have to pay money for one of... (Read More)

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Windows NT / 2000 / XP

Will Microsoft's Open Source Initiative Kill Linux?

Sep 11th, 2009 - Yesterday, September 10, 2009, the announcement came that Microsoft launched and is funding a new open source organization named CodePlex Foundation. The major players in the new organization are from Microsoft, Novell and DotNetNuke. Does this mean that a brave new Microsoft is beating its... (Read More)

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Novell

The Late Great Mythical SCO

Aug 29th, 2009 - OK, I can't resist this whole SCO thing, since it has again raised its ugly head. My previous post on the subject the other day drew a lot of attention from a diverse gaggle of readers and commenters so I thought I'd go back to the well at least once more for good measure. Here's the real shocker... (Read More)

SCO vs. Linux Again--You've Got to be Kidding.

Aug 26th, 2009 - Just when you thought it was safe to return to those keyboards knowing that all is well with the world and the ownership of Unix is happy with its rightful owner, Novell; he's baaaack. I'm sure that I'm not the first to look at this latest news and say "WHAA? AGAIN? I thought we had this settled."... (Read More)

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Ad Space for Sale

The Ubuntu Welfare Program

Aug 24th, 2009 - Since its inception in 2004, Ubuntu has been the beneficiary in what seems like a bottomless money pit for South African entrepreneur, Mark Shuttleworth via his commercial support and development venture, Canonical. Since Canonical, Ltd. isn't an American publicly-owned company (and I don't know... (Read More)

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