UK government turns to cloud computing (read: Linux)

There's not much to add to this excellent news from Charles Arthur, which signals a "push for 'open source' software to be used more widely among central and local governments' 4m desktop computers." It'll be very interesting to see what Microsoft has to say about that, particularly as the NHS is one of its biggest customers in Europe.

Now that it has been recognised that open source solutions represents a viable alternative to propriety software for governments, this paves the way for business to change the way they think about collaboration, and their processes.

How to make a basic html page

Beginner geek and text-only kind of guy that I am, I don't even know how to make a Powerpoint slide, let alone a page of html. But thanks to Kompozer (for Linux, but also Windows and Mac), I'm giving it a go. Judging by the tutorial above y'all, it shouldn't be too difficult. I look forward to showing you the results on the Home page of this site.

Google to launch own Linux-based operating system

As a Linux user, Microsoft hater and believer in the open-source movement, it is with great joy I read of Google's announcement to launch its own operating system Chrome OS, via its blog, of course. Not only will the code be Linux-based and opened up to developers, the marketing might of Google will allow free software to at last be pitched up against Microsoft's propriety offering in the collective consciousness. As Google say themselves:

We hear a lot from our users and their message is clear — computers need to get better. People want to get to their email instantly, without wasting time waiting for their computers to boot and browsers to start up. They want their computers to always run as fast as when they first bought them. They want their data to be accessible to them wherever they are and not have to worry about losing their computer or forgetting to back up files. Even more importantly, they don't want to spend hours configuring their computers to work with every new piece of hardware, or have to worry about constant software updates. And any time our users have a better computing experience, Google benefits as well by having happier users who are more likely to spend time on the Internet.

Great news for everyone - except Microsoft.

Scratch that, Linux is still for geeks - but geeks are people, too

This from the blog of Linux "inventor" Linus Thorvalds:

This is a public service announcement for all geeks.

Are you tired of people pointing out that you shouldn't use socks and sandals? I know, it really annoyed me too. It's like they are trying to take away your geek card.

But there's a solution.

For a year now, I've been avoiding the fashion police by instead of "sandals" wearing "shoes with holes in their sides". I've got these Keen's that look enough like shoes that nobody ever bats an eye at you wearing them with socks (Ok, by "nobody", I mean my wife, but that's all that matters, right?).

The problem is that it looks like the fashion police may be starting to figure it out. The model I have seems to be no longer in production, and now all the new ones I find are pretty obviously sandals (toes and/or heel showing).

So when I wear out my current ones, I'm going to be in trouble again. Damn.

LOL.

Multitouch capability now native on Linux

It is only a matter of time before public opinion shifts away from Microsoft - already a brand in the gutter - and Apple - too expensive by half - to Linux, which takes all the best bits of both and is absolutely free to use and develop further. And although Linux already offers a desktop environment (actually several desktop environments) to rival and surpass both, development is ongoing, as the above demo of native touchscreen capability shows. (Native means it is part of the operating system, you don't need to install any additional software to make it do all of the above, all you need is a touchscreen.) The only thing missing is marketing and machines that come with it pre-installed (Microsoft coerces manufacturers to have Windows installed on new machines), but the word of mouth buzz is building.

P.S.: Linux Mint is a good place to get started when your Windows machine finally grinds to a halt.

Open-source movement set to finally join the mainstream

As a Linux desktop user (download and try the wonderful Linux Mint for free here) for almost a year now, I am a convert and an evangelist to the open-source cause having witnessed the enormous strides the operating systems has made in that period. With this in mind, it was great to see it mentioned not once, but twice in The Economist this week, albeit in a more "corporate" tone than I am used to on the Internet.

Open source is not as simple an idea as it sounds (there are all sorts of licensing and legal complications involved with keeping software and information open source), but it could become the great buzzword of the next decade - and not just in the world of software. What's more, it applies equally to the freedom of information as it does to lines of code - Wikipedia is essentially, but not quite, an open-source project, for example.

The not quite bit is crucial as CNET explains:

"Open source," at least the way it's been used in tech circles over the years, usually connotes successful, volunteer projects like the Linux operating system, which has strict controls and is monitored by a handful of people who make the call on what is handed over to the public.

Including this from Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales:

"I would say we are absolutely, definitely, open source, by what people mean (when they use the term)," said Wales. "But I don't use that term. Instead, I would say that we are part of the free culture movement" that also includes Creative Commons, the nonprofit organization that has created a licensing framework that allows for broad noncommercial use of copyrighted material.

This successful model for getting things done is the key reason conventional businesses should and no doubt will look to open source as a model for managing their products, ideas and brands. Sadly, traditional advertising agencies, newspapers (see free culture) and corporations are among the most closed organisations around - while claiming to be the opposite, of course. On the bright side, as Google has shown time and again, there has never been a better time for innovators that are a little less evil.

Social networking overload with Ping.fm

Holy updates, this integrated messaging is just getting too much. I just checked out Ping.fm, and can't believe anyone but a 24-7 chatterer will even understand what it does. From what I can tell, it lets you update the world of your progress across social networking platforms (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) from a single website.

Then again, I just installed Gwibber on my Linux box.