Practical Technology

for practical people.

January 21, 2013
by sjvn01
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Review: What to expect from Mega’s free 50GB of cloud storage

Who wouldn’t want 50GB of free Internet storage? Dropbox is all fine and well, but it starts with a mere 2GB of free space. Kim Dotcom’s newly launched Mega cloud storage service with its free 50GB of storage sounds much better, but how well does it really work? Let me open by saying it’s a long, long way from perfect.

To get your free 50GBs of storage, you first must register your account with a valid e-mail address. Once you’ve done this — and it may take a while, since the system is heavily over-burdened — you’ll get a link to use to log in to Mega.

You can use any Web browser to access your new storage so long as its actively supporting JavaScript. Mega recommends Chrome, but I was also able to use it with Firefox. However, Internet Explorer 10, Windows 8’s default browser, is known to freeze up after uploading approximately 100MB of files.

Review: What to expect from Mega’s free 50GB of cloud storage. More >

January 14, 2013
by sjvn01
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Vendors just can’t stop trying to lock us all in

What do Apple’s iOS, Microsoft’s Windows 8 and Google’s Android all have in common? None of them works that well without the Internet. This trend has been developing for years and is now accelerating.

Don’t get me wrong. I love the Internet and I like operating systems, such as Google Chrome OS, that require it. But I like having true platform choice even more. I was there for the PC revolution of the ’70s and ’80s, and I well remember how it undermined the ability of the IT department to control every last bit and byte. I don’t want to go back to the days when users had no control — but I’m afraid that’s exactly what’s happening.

Today, it’s the big vendors that are taking control. Using an iPhone or iPad locks you into the Apple ecosystem. Want to use Adobe Flash? Too bad. Steve Jobs decided he didn’t want you to have it, and that was that.

It’s not much different with other technology choices. From time to time, things might happen that give the impression that everyone is trying to get along. Google, for instance, has got its maps working on iOS devices again, something that also required the goodwill of the keepers of the Apple App Store. Meanwhile, though, Google has decided to pull the rug out from underneath Microsoft.

Vendors just can’t stop trying to lock us all in

January 4, 2013
by sjvn01
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No, Google is not making the Android SDK proprietary. What’s the fuss about?

Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) member Torsten Grote claims that Google’s “Android SDK [Software Development Kit] is now non-free software.“On Twitter, Grote summed up his position as “#Android SDK is no longer #FreeSoftware. Is #Google turning evil?“

Grote’s solution is not to drop Android. Rather, he suggests developers use “the truly Free Software version of Android called Replicant.”

The particular clauses that Grote seems to object to is the restrictions in the Android SDK license in section 3.3 and 3.4:  

3.3 You may not use the SDK for any purpose not expressly permitted by this License Agreement. Except to the extent required by applicable third party licenses, you may not: (a) copy (except for backup purposes), modify, adapt, redistribute, decompile, reverse engineer, disassemble, or create derivative works of the SDK or any part of the SDK; or (b) load any part of the SDK onto a mobile handset or any other hardware device except a personal computer, combine any part of the SDK with other software, or distribute any software or device incorporating a part of the SDK.

This clause applies to the SDK binary, not the SDK source code files, and it has been around for years. The SDK source code, like almost all of Android, is covered by the Apache Software License 2 (ASLv2).

No, Google is not making the Android SDK proprietary. What’s the fuss about? More >

January 3, 2013
by sjvn01
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The 5 things you need to know now about Ubuntu on phones

So, Canonical is bringing Ubuntu Linux to smartphones, but what does that really mean? I’ve seen a lot of confusion about this new offering, even from other Linux and device pros, so, here’s my quick guide to what’s what with Ubuntu on phones. 

1) It’s Ubuntu, not Ubuntu for phones.

Yes, Canonical will be releasing Ubuntu for smartphones, but, unlike Microsoft with Windows RT for ARM-powered devices and Windows Windows Phone 8 for smartphones, there will be no separate version for each device. If all goes as planned when Ubuntu 14.04 rolls out in April 2014 one Ubuntu image will support smartphones, smart TVs, and computers. 

2) You won’t be buying an Ubuntu phone anytime soon.

Ubuntu founder Mark Shuttleworth said yesterday in the news conference announcing Ubuntu Linux on phones that the soonest it would arrive in late 2013 or 2014. I’m voting for 2014.

Don’t get me wrong. The technology will be there. The problem is getting the carriers on board.

The 5 things you need to know now about Ubuntu on phones. More >

January 2, 2013
by sjvn01
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The Web browser wars continue, and #1 is… well, that depends on whom you ask

In some ways, the “winner” of the top desktop browser wars doesn’t really matter. As end users, as long as we have a choice of Web browser, we can pick the one whose interface works for us. But browser numbers matter a lot more when you’re a software developer trying to understand who’s most likely to use your Web application – or to complain about it not working right. That’s especially true, too, when you support business users inside a company, since there’s just so many desktop configurations any sane sysadmin can maintain.

 Which makes these two competing desktop Web browser market share reports all the more confounding.

If you buy Net Market Share’s desktop Web browser numbers, then in December 2012 Internet Explorer (IE) was still in first with 55% of the market with Firefox leading Google Chrome 20% to 18% for second place. But, if you put your faith in StatCounter‘s browser statistics, then Chrome ended 2012 as the top browser with 36% and IE is number two, 31%, with Firefox lagging behind at 22%. What’s going on here?

The Web browser wars continue, and #1 is… well, that depends on whom you ask. More >

January 2, 2013
by sjvn01
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Ubuntu Linux enters the smartphone wars

Instead of going after both the tablet and smartphone with a newly-improved touch-enabled version of Ubuntu Linux, Canonical will be focusing its efforts in 2013 on smartphones.

While the smartphone interface is clearly based on Ubuntu’s Unity interface, it’s not just the same old desktop shrunk down to a smartphone. According to Canonical, the smartphone Ubuntu will use “all four edges of the screen for a more immersive experience. Ubuntu uniquely gives handset OEMs and mobile operators the ability to converge phone, PC and thin client into a single enterprise superphone.”
 
“We expect Ubuntu to be popular in the enterprise market, enabling customers to provision a single secure device for all PC, thin client and phone functions. Ubuntu is already the most widely used Linux enterprise desktop, with customers in a wide range of sectors focused on security, cost and manageability” said Jane Silber, Canonical’s CEO in a statement. “We also see an opportunity in basic smartphones that are used for the phone, SMS, web and email, where Ubuntu outperforms thanks to its native core apps and stylish presentation.”

Ubuntu Linux enters the smartphone wars. More >