Practical Technology

for practical people.

June 25, 2012
by sjvn01
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Has Microsoft opened the door to the Linux desktop?

Microsoft has been going out of its way to tick off its partners.

First, Windows 8 has an interface, Metro, that only a mother could love. Metro will require Windows users to re-learn everything they know about how to use Windows. Then, Microsoft announced Surface, a vaporware tablet that leaves all its partners’ Windows 8 tablet plans in disarray. , Finally, adding insult to injury, Microsoft stabbed its smartphone partners in the back by announcing Windows Phone 8, which made all currently shipping Windows phones obsolete. So, if you’re in the PC business do you really want to work with Microsoft or is it finally time to look for a partner that really wants to work with you rather than use you?

I think it’s time for Dell, HP, Lenovo, and all the other big-time PC vendors to finally start taking the Linux desktop seriously. It’s clear that Microsoft’s agenda no longer is running in parallel with their plans.

Shifting to Linux won’t be easy. I’m sorry to say that in 2012 there are only two significant Linux desktop/tablet operating systems for original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to consider for partnering: Canonical of Ubuntu fame, and Google with Android and Chrome OS.

Has Microsoft opened the door to the Linux desktop? More >

June 21, 2012
by sjvn01
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Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.3 is ready today

A day after Red Hat announced great earnings, the billion-dollar Linux company announced the global availability of the next version of its Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) operating system, RHEL 6.3.

While not a major release, RHEL 6.3 does include enhancements to take advantage of the most recent advancement from hardware originial equipment manufacturers (OEMs). This includes updated device drivers for a multitude of peripherals, and also various features like compiler optimization for the Intel Xeon E5 processor family.


Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.3 is ready today. More >

June 21, 2012
by sjvn01
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Microsoft poisons its partners

With friends like Microsoft, who needs enemies?

First, Microsoft announces a vaporware tablet, Surface. On paper Surface is much better than anything its partners were building. Now, Microsoft has announced Windows Phone 8, a smartphone operating system that instantly makes every existing Windows Phone obsolete. On behalf of ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Nokia, thanks for nothing Microsoft!

In the days since Microsoft announced its hybrid tablet/laptop I’ve talked to most of the major PC original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). None of them would go on the record with me on their reaction to the Surface. What I can tell you though is that every last one of them is as angry at Microsoft as a Boston Red Sox fan is at the New York Yankees after being swept at home.

Microsoft poisons its partners. More >

June 21, 2012
by sjvn01
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Tweetless in Seattle, also New York, San Francisco, etc., etc.

Twitter, the popular social network went down with a bang sometime around noon Eastern time. According to the Down For Everyone Not Me site, Twitter was down for everyone. After coming up briefly at about 1:15 Eastern, the site is down again.

Usually, when Twitter fails, which doesn’t happen nearly as often as it used to, the site comes up with its famous, or infamous, fail whale. Not this time. Indeed, many attempts to reach the site aren’t resolving at all.

Tweetless in Seattle, also New York, San Francisco, etc., etc. More >

June 20, 2012
by sjvn01
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3 Ways to Print Over the Internet

It’s easy to print from the office. But, if you’re in Timbuktu and you need to print to the printer in your office in Milwaukee… well, that’s not so easy. Unless you set up an office printer to accept print requests over the Internet. Then it’s a snap.

There are many ways to implement an office Internet printing solution. Not all printers, however, can handle network printing. In particular, low-end Graphics Design Interface (GDI) printers, which depend on the computer’s processor to rasterize the print job, are unlikely to work with any network printing technique. These printers, also known as host-based printers, are designed specifically to work with Windows PCs. You shouldn’t even bother to try to use them as Internet printers even if your clients are all running Windows.

However, beyond GDI printers you have three good choices: Internet Printing Protocol, Jetdirect, and e-mail-based printers.

3 Ways to Print Over the Internet. More >

June 20, 2012
by sjvn01
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Shuttleworth on Ubuntu Linux, Fedora, and the UEFI problem

If you buy a Windows 8 or Windows RT computer or tablet, yes even Surface, it will come with secure boot enabled by default in their replacement for the BIOS, Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI). I doubt that will actually make them more secure, but it’s always crystal clear that it will make it much harder to boot Linux or any other operating system, such as Windows XP or 7, on them. Fedora came up with a way to get around this problem and Ubuntu Linux has come up with its own solution to the Windows 8 lock box as well (PDF Link). Fedora’s developers, however, don’t like Ubuntu’s answer.

In a blog posting Matthew Garrett, a developer for Red Hat, Fedora’s parent company, wrote Ubuntu’s UEFI requirements are “basically the same set of requirements as Microsoft have, except with an Ubuntu key instead of a Microsoft one.”

Shuttleworth on Ubuntu Linux, Fedora, and the UEFI problem. More >