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OS X

New Fink Binary Distribution 0.5.2 31

Posted by pudge from the making-mac-os-x-better dept.
dmalloc writes "The Fink Project community and contributors announced the availability of the Fink Binary Distribution 0.5.2, which adds binaries for KDE 3.1, Koffice 1.2.1, and Kdevelop 3.0a3, new documentation/manuals, and improved support for Apple's X11 Server along with speed improvements to fink itself. Download instructions are on the Fink site."
Announcements

MadPenguin Announces TykeLinux Project 9

Posted by timothy from the tux-for-tots dept.
TheMadPenguin writes "MadPenguin.org announces today its TykeLinux (current working title) project, a Linux distro geared toward child development and learning. The distribution will be based and built upon Ark Linux 1.0a7.1 and the KDE 3.1.x desktop environment. It will include several educational tools, as well as cross-platform compatible office applications. If you are an interested software developer, please read the full announcement and get on board :)"
Linux

Knoppix 3.2 Available 214

Posted by timothy from the if-pie-were-this-easy dept.
TheCrimsonUnbeliever writes "The latest version of Knoppix (bootable Linux distribution on CD) is out - New features include: KDE 3.1.1 - XFree86 4.3 - Evolution 1.2.1 - OpenOffice 1.0.2 - KOffice 1.2.1 - The ability to create a home directory on a memory stick or similar - More information is available at the KNOPPIX English homepage." If you're getting started with Knoppix (and speak English), you should also check out knoppix.net for the excellent forums hosted there.
Technology

Citrix-Like Server for Linux? 70

Posted by Cliff from the seeking-viable-commercial-like-alternatives dept.
Devil's BSD asks: "My school is planning to add remote desktop access so that people can easily access a school computer from home. However, with the financial situation in our Kentucky being what it is, using Citrix Metaframe for Unix/XP and buying all the software licenses necessary will be extremely hard. And with the state department of education (ironically named KDE) very pro-Microsoft, VNC is out of the question. Is there a free or low cost Citrix-like software suite that can give access to a remote desktop and compress the datastream to be able to work on a 56k modem like Citrix's ICA does?"
X

The Next XFree86 Wars: XFT2 vs STSF 337

Posted by Hemos from the the-war-goes-on dept.
NoSun writes "Sun's latest project is to create a font library for XFree86, named Stsf, that would replace Fontconfig and Xft2. But the big question is: Does the world need yet another X font library that would create more incompatibility and fragmentation? Well known Gnome and GTK+ developers are against this (yet another) X font library which just re-invents the wheel one more time with the result of slowing down KDE and Gnome in the desktop race. "
Education

Linux for the Rest of Us 163

Posted by timothy from the not-just-y'all dept.
alvinc writes "Mark Rais' new book Linux for the Rest of Us is an excellent choice for beginning Linux users. It also has enough solid, fundamental information to be a refresher for experienced Linux users. The book's philosophy is that Linux is a viable alternative OS that is also fun, and this viewpoint is reflected in the narrative's friendly tone." Read on for the rest of Alvin's review. Update: 03/26 20:51 GMT by T : Since bn.com isn't stocking this book, author Marc Rais wrote to suggest that you can order this book straight from the publisher.
Slashback

Slashback: Security, Telephony, Solicitude 255

Posted by timothy from the greetings-from-ft-walton-beach dept.
Slashback with more on Linux telephony, Mailblocks' terms of service, the scary disease known as SARS, the status of civilian GPS accuracy and more -- read on for the details.
Upgrades

Slackware 9 Unleashed to World 351

Posted by CowboyNeal from the bob-dobbs-and-patrick-v dept.
kiltedtaco writes "Slackware Linux 9.0 is out! Based on gcc 3.2, and equipped with kernel 2.4.20 (ptrace-patched), XFree86 4.3, GNOME 2.2 and KDE 3.1. You can read the full announcement, or just go grab a copy for yourself at either the Slackware Store or these lovely mirrors." I know a lot of people who first cut their teeth on Slack when trying Linux. It's cool to see that it's still around.
Apple

TerraSoft Releases YellowDog Linux 3.0 248

Posted by timothy from the go-fetch-boy dept.
chriseh writes "For those of us who prefer Linux to the candydrop OS, good news! YellowDog Linux 3.0 has been released. For those who don't want to wait, you can get an enhanced membership at YDL.net and download ISOs directly. As per other releases, ISOs will be available to everyone/mirrors two weeks after the CDs have been on sale.Finally, I can run Linux on my 12" Powerbook." extrarice amplifies: "New features include: Redesigned installer, a unified KDE 3.1/GNOME 2.2 desktop (both WMs share the same icons and menus), Kernel 2.4.20, and the usual package refinements/updates. More release info can be found here. Note: ISOs are not available yet, and CDs are scheduled to ship in mid-April. I have been running YDL 2.x for about a year now, and it's a fast, stable distro."
GUI

The Definite Desktop Environment Comparison 633

Posted by CowboyNeal from the prancing-in-a-row dept.
Gentu writes "OSNews posted a very long and interesting comparison between the most popular desktop environments today: Windows XP Luna, Mac OS X Aqua, BeOS/Zeta and Unix's KDE and Gnome. Some of the points in the article can be thought to be 'subjective', but overall many good points are made and it seems that there is room for improvement for all DEs."
SuSE

SuSE 8.2 Announced 496

Posted by CowboyNeal from the yast-and-sax dept.
Venotar writes "It looks like SuSE's once more setting the bar pretty high. According to their recent announcement, SuSE 8.2's release date is set for April 12th. Amongst other nifty features, KDE 3.1 apparently includes tabbed browsing, the ability to sync with Exchange servers, a new administration tool called "Desktop sharing" that allows remote control of other desktops, and several interesting new crypto/security features. Gnome 2.2 is also included, as well as a profile manager for mobile users, and gcc 3.3. Have a lot of fun!"
GUI

KDE & Gnome Usability Engineers Interviewed 382

Posted by Hemos from the talking-with-the-men-with-the-plan dept.
Gentu writes "After the recent flamewar between the KDE and Gnome user camps, OSNews brings together the most influencial KDE and Gnome usability engineers to talk about how they will be able to overcome a number of obstacles in order to 'unify' KDE and Gnome in ways that could bring to the Unix desktop an easy to use, integrated and fully interoperated DE to better compete with the commercial alternatives. Waldo from SuSE and Havoc from Red Hat are taking part to the interview, and also Aaron, the head of KDE's usability."
Linux

Distros To Try: Slackware 9.0-rc1 And Yoper 1.0 403

Posted by timothy from the invited-abuse dept.
FrosGate writes "Slackware 9.0-rc1 is now available for public consumption over at www.slackware.com. From the site: 'Some of the main components included are the 2.4.20 Linux kernel, KDE 3.1, GNOME 2.2, and XFree86 4.3.0, as well as gcc-3.2.2 and the latest development libraries. Enjoy!' Enjoy is right!" And Scorchen writes "YOPER has released Version 1.0 of their increasingly popular distro. This is the their first stable release." Here's the announcment. The website claims "With Yoper it is possible to import packages from all the other major distros including rpm's, deb's, and tgz packages."
Slashback

Slashback: Humility, Patents. Vapor.com 598

Posted by timothy from the hey-why-not-florida dept.
Slashback brings updates on Salon's quest for money, Miguel de Icaza's thoughts on the most recent KDE vs. GNOME critique, bad news for anyone who wants a cute Windows-free laptop from Lindows.com, and more -- read on for more details.
GNOME

Has GNOME Become LAME? 866

Posted by michael from the minus-one-flamebait dept.
auferstehung writes "Nicholas Petreley (should that be KNicholas KPetreley) of LinuxWorld and VarLinux.org has taken his gloves off in the latest article in his KDE vs Gnome series. An unabashed KDE supporter, Petreley uses some choice fighting words in re-acronymizing GNOME as the Language Agnostic Morphable Environment (LAME) Franken-GUI. Despite the sensationalistic flamage throughout the article, several of his GNOME criticisms (Gconf, file selector, features) echo those already voiced within the GNOME community itself. A happy GNOME user myself, please someone...tell me it isn't so."
KDE

How Configurable Should a Desktop User Interface be? 550

Posted by CowboyNeal from the hold-the-pickles-and-the-lettuce dept.
The Original Yama writes "In the world of user interface design there are two main schools of thought. The former maintains that the environment must be flexible and configurable enough to adjust to a user's needs. The latter takes the opposite perspective, arguing that many of today's user interfaces have become bloated and overloaded with features, and consequently have become difficult to maintain and use. KDE developer Mosfet shows how the KDE Project has managed to bridge the gap between the 'highly configurable' and 'less is more' camps."
Slashback

Slashback: Cooperation, Gravity, Petite 199

Posted by timothy from the all-good-things dept.
Slashback with more (below) on KDE/GNOME cooperation (hint -- they're not renaming it "GNOMKDE"); the desert parachute nuts, a tiny P4 machine, and another chance to Ask Kevin Mitnick, at least if you're near Pittsburgh. Enjoy!
GNU is Not Unix

KDE And Gnome Cooperate On Interface Guidelines 317

Posted by timothy from the which-is-smart dept.
An anonymous reader submits "Competing infrastructures may foster improvement in each desktop, but the Gnome and KDE hackers still know how to work together when needed. The Free *nix desktop has been improving quickly. Red Hat's unified desktop was controversial, but obviously the right decision for regular users. Now that KDE and Gnome have decided to combine their Human Interface Guides, it can be done right--by the developers themselves. Note: they also want to involve 'people working on other non-KDE non-GNOME HIGs.'" Update: 02/03 20:19 GMT by T : Apparently not everyone's browser can read http://freedesktop.org, so the initial link up there now sports a "www" as well. And it's .org -- sorry.
KDE

Corporate KDE 283

Posted by michael from the tired-of-outlook-viruses dept.
roomisigloomis writes "This article at CNET shows some headway being made in KDE development with aims at the corporate desktop. It's cool that it's funded by the German government."

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