How To Be a Linux/Free Open Source Advocate

FIRSTLY, it's important to realise the distinction between 'Linux' and 'Free Open Source'.
'Linux' actually refers to the kernel – the computer code which acts like the brains, if you like - of a series of operating systems known in the Linux/Free Open Source world as 'distributions'.
The rest of the distribution, handling things like the graphical display, sound or programs, is built around this kernel.
There are many Linux distributions – the most popular are Ubuntu, Fedora, openSUSE, Mandriva, Debian, PCLinuxOS – each offering different things.
'Free Open Source', on the other hand, is a generic term for the computer code on which many Linux distributions and the applications they use are based.
The definition of a Free Open Source operating system or application is one whose source code is open, that is, it can be shared freely and modified by anyone with the desire and skills to do so.
Microsoft's Windows OSes and Apple's Mac OSes are examples of what's known as 'Closed Source' – the source code is jealously and legally guarded by those companies.
But it would be wrong to assume that Free Open Source is exclusive to Linux.
In fact, there are several very good Free Open Source applications which work in a Microsoft Windows environment.
As you read on, the reasons why I consider Free Open Source to be good and Closed Source to be bad should become obvious.
But to give you a hint at just one minor aspect of the argument, fire up Google and search for 'Linux viruses', then do another search for 'Windows viruses'.
Now here are my tips on how to become a successful Linux/Free Open Source advocate. I'd welcome any other suggestions.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

As the former Prime Minister of Britain, Tony Blair, once said: “Education, education, education.”
Linux isn't easy to use at first and anyone who tells you differently is not telling you the whole truth.
The problem is that the majority of people are used to using Microsoft Windows, to doing things a certain way, and Linux does similar things, only in slightly different ways.
So, there's a learning process which must involve reading as much as possible.
Read the wiki, installation and system maintenance documentation of the Linux distribution you plan on trying, read Linux websites, read magazines, books – anything you can lay your hands on.
I keep years-worth of old copies of Linux Format magazine and regularly scour the Q&A section at the back for answers to problems.
Another huge resource for new Linux users is online forums.
Every distribution has at least one and in some cases more, and they're generally populated and policed by helpful people who are only too keen to help new Linux users.
But here's an important tip: If you've got a problem, try to find the solution yourself by reading as much as possible before you post a query on a forum.
Nothing irks forum veterans more than answering questions which have been answered a hundred times before, or are the subject of an FAQ or HowTo posting.
If you're already a Linux veteran, then what about sharing your knowledge and experiences by being one of those very forum veterans passing on what you've learned? Or why not write your own wiki or blog?

KNOW THY ENEMY

It's simply not enough to say 'Microsoft are evil incarnate', because a lot of people – the majority, in fact – use Microsoft products routinely and never give the Open/Closed Source debate a passing thought.
The Linux/Free Open Source advocate must be armed with a cogent, logical and well-reasoned argument if her or she is to attract new users.
The Closed Source approach to software breeds mistrust, confusion and paranoia.
Don't believe me?
Ok, let's do a little test.
Who has recently bought a new computer with Microsoft's Vista operating system installed on it?
Right, those of you with your hands raised – did your PC come with anti-virus/anti-spyware/anti-malware/intrusion detection software installed?
If the answer's 'yes', then I suppose you feel safe venturing online or recklessly opening emails.
You're not.
If the answer's 'no', how much money and time did you spend a) buying and b) installing all those things, because Vista keeps telling you you should?
Here's an example of my own recent experience with Vista Premium on a review machine I was loaned:

The Vista security centre kept telling me I had no anti-virus software installed so, based on previous experience of their product, I downloaded the trial version of AVG 8.0 – and this bit's important, on the day it was released.

I ran the install by double-clicking on the .exe file.

Half-way through it told me I needed a Vista patch, so I cancelled the install.

I located the patch, but before I could download it, I was told I had to have Windows Genuine Advantage installed, which is essentially Microsoft spyware designed to check if your OS is an official, legal copy.

I downloaded/installed WGA, then downloaded the patch.

Then I installed the patch by double-clicking on the .exe file.

Then I rebooted the whole system, as ordered.

Then I re-ran the AVG install routine.

Then I was asked to configure AVG and asked if I wanted a) daily updates, b) daily scans, c) AVG alerts about dodgy websites, d)Yahoo! as my default search engine and e) to check for updates to the program I had just downloaded on the day it was released!

This incredibly laborious routine was punctuated, of course, by Vista's frequent, loathsome nag-box asking me if I was really, really sure I wanted to install this or that piece of software!
By this point I was repeatedly looking over my shoulder in case they were watching and thinking about stockpiling canned goods for the coming apocalypse.
Microsoft really should call their latest OS Windows Paranoia.
Now here's a comparison.
I recently installed Parsix Linux 1.0 on my production machine.
It took about 20 minutes to install and configure it and I've been using it ever since without once thinking about viruses, spyware, malware, intrusions, nag-boxes or wondering if they are out to get me.
If I tried to explain here why Linux is more secure and far easier to maintain than Windows, we'd be at it for hours.
I simply refer you back to my first point. Do your own research... Google is your friend.

WALK THE WALK

By that, I mean it's not enough to just 'Talk the Talk'.
If you're not using Linux, how can you convince other people that they should?
To be a successful Linux/Free Open Source advocate you must show the strength of your convictions.
We have five computers in our house.
An old Dell laptop runs Vector Linux 5.9, my test machine runs Mandriva 2008.1, my laptop and production machine run Parsix Linux 1.0 and the final one, the 'family' PC, runs Microsoft Windows XP Pro.
My eight-year-old twins use the Vector Linux laptop and the Windows XP machine, but on the Windows machine, most of the programs they use are Free Open Source – Firefox, OpenOffice and Tuxpaint.
I readily accept that switching to Linux/Free Open Source can involve troublesome compromises: I'm no longer able to use iTunes, haven't yet got my USB TV tuner working under Linux and can no longer play most of the PC games I once enjoyed.
But to me these are worthwhile sacrifices if it means I'm close to being totally Linux and totally Free Open Source.

TALK SOFTLY AND CARRY A BIG MEMORY STICK

No one likes zealots, so if you're to be a successful Linux/Free Open Source advocate, learn when to shut up.
If someone says they're happy using Microsoft products, fine, let them get on with it.
However, there's nothing wrong with reminding people there are free alternatives – in the both the philosophical sense and the 'beer' sense (most Linux distributions cost nothing, as do the applications that run on them!).
I find a useful way of attracting attention to Linux/Free Open Source is to always have a USB memory stick or Live CD with me which contains a complete Linux distribution, which I can run on friends' or family members' computers without ever affecting their installed OS.
Sometimes, it's better to see something is good, rather than just be told it's good.
You should have seen my father-in-law's face the first time he saw Mandriva with the wobbly windows and spinning desktop that Compiz-Fusion provides.
And my Windows game-playing brother-in-law was so impressed by PCLinuxOS he went home and installed it on his super-powerful gaming rig!

CHILDREN ARE THE FUTURE

My two, as I mentioned, are only eight so they don't know or care whether they're using Microsoft or Linux – they just like stuff to work.
And because their dad loves Linux/Free Open Source programs, and spends time on getting things working, stuff does just work.
When they're old enough to understand the concepts, I'll explain to them why Free Open Source is the way to go.
Interestingly, here in the UK the media trade union, Bectu, has been encouraging schools to look at the cost-saving benefits of using Free Open Source software, so many of our children may increasingly become Free Open Source users without ever realising it.

MONEY TALKS

By which, I mean that if a company supports Linux or Free Open Source, support them right back.
Dell and Shuttle, to name but two, have started selling computers with Linux pre-installed – and they're rather good, so why not by one instead of a machine with Vista installed?
Nvidia have excellent Linux drivers for their video cards.
Asus have captured the world's imagination with their Eee sub-notebook... running a Linux OS.
There are loads of other companies who are working with the Linux/Free Open Source world rather than against it, so support them with your pounds, dollars or whatever.
And if your hardware manufacturer doesn't provide Linux/Free Open Source drivers, ask them why not, and keep asking them until they do.

THE ROAD IS LONG

And there'll be many a winding turn before the battle is won.
But take heart from the Firefox example.
A few years ago, when it first began to attract attention, the Mozilla Corporation's web browser trembled in the shadow of Microsoft's mighty Internet Explorer.
Now, Firefox has something in the region of a 30% market share.
Yes, it's a long battle against a wealthy, dominant opponent but, and I hate to quote George W Bush, if you stay the course, it's a battle that can be won.

IT'S GOOD TO GIVE

We Linux/Free Open Source users receive an awful lot from the developers who work, often for free, on the software and distributions we use.
Think about giving something back.
You can usually donate money via your distribution's website.
Alternatively, offer to work as a tester, seeking out bugs and suggesting improvements – this is the kind of thing that makes the Free Open Source community so strong and vibrant.
If you can write code, offer to help, if you can't, help out new users on forums or write guides and HowTos on a blog.
Just do what you can.
It's in all our interests.
Spread the word.

Hardware Review: Shuttle LinuXPC SD3002Q

Small form factor PC with Linux pre-installed
PERSONAL computers with Linux pre-installed have been springing up all over the place in recent months.
Now Shuttle, the Taiwanese company famous for making small but perfectly formed PCs, have got in on the act.
I’ve been spending some time in the company of their LinuXPC SD3002Q, which is sold with openSUSE 10.3 Linux pre-installed.
Before I give you my impressions of the Shuttle, here’s the technical run-down on what you’d get if you bought a LinuXPC:

Shuttle LinuXPC SD3002Q is based on the XPC Barebone SD30G2
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E4500
Memory: 1GB DDR2-800
HDD: 1x 250GB SATA2
Intel GMA 950 onboard graphics with DVI add-on card for dual monitor support
Memory Card reader (MS/SD/MMC/CF/SM)
Optical drive: DVD writer
6 USB ports (2 front, 4 rear)
Firewire and wired Ethernet connection
openSUSE 10.3

Bear in mind that you are able to change the configuration of your LinuXPC before you buy by using the online configurator at http://sys.eu.shuttle.com/home.jsf?showProduct=s

Now, to give you an idea of how diminutive the LinuXPC is, imagine one of those ludicrously expensive, two-slice toasters built by Dualit and you’ll not be far off.
That’s actually a reasonable visual comparison because the LinuXPC looks lovely in its Apple-like brushed aluminium casing – it wouldn’t be out of place in the trendiest of lounges alongside a plasma TV and hi-fi.
It’s also possible to have the LinuXPC case in black, if that’s to your taste.
Further enhancing the LinuXPC’s claim to being a lifestyle machine is the fact that it’s whisper quiet and, thanks to efficient cooling, never gets more than moderately warm.
For this review I paired the LinuXPC with a Fujitsu Siemens USB keyboard/mouse and speakers, and an Acer AL1912 19inch LCD monitor with 1280x1024 resolution.
The LinuXPC was hard-wired to my Netgear broadband modem/router – there is no Wi-Fi in the LinuXPC although, with six USB ports, it’s easy to add an adaptor if you need it.
Upon first switching on the LinuXPC, you’re asked to complete a few simple administration tasks – set your root and user details, locale etc – before the default openSUSE 10.3 desktop loads.
Take a look at the screenshot of the default desktop and, apart from being an unsettling shade of green, it’s a pretty standard KDE 3.5.7 desktop environment – solid, functional and professional.KDE 4 is available in the openSUSE repositories, but I’ll come back to that later.
By default the LinuXPC comes with an 8GB root partition and the rest of that 250GB drive is devoted to /home, which means the user can try other Linux distributions later without affecting all their data on the /home partition.
All my hardware was detected and correctly configured – I had sound and network access without any manual intervention, plus all the memory card slots worked as expected.
You don’t get Compiz with the LinuXPC and, with such limited case space, there’s no option to add a more powerful graphics setup, so if 3D desktop functionality or hardcore gaming is important to you, better look elsewhere.
Nevertheless, I found the Shuttle’s Core 2 Duo processor and onboard Intel graphics chip pushed things along at a really brisk pace – heavyweight image editing tasks using the included GIMP application were quick and easy and multi-tasking was a breeze.
The LinuXPC’s default software selection is modest but enough to get you going – there’s Mozilla Firefox, Kmail, Amarok (which, incidentally, played my MP3s flawlessly, OpenOffice, GIMP, digiKam, K3b, Kaffeine and RealPlayer 10.
And that brings me to my major criticism of the Shuttle machine – the lack of guidance for new users wishing to install more software.
The Shuttle came to me with nothing in the way of a paper user guide, nor is there anything on the default desktop apart from a link to online openSUSE help.
I don’t think that’s enough for a new Linux user – there really ought to be a desktop link to a user guide which explains basic system and software management.
I put these concerns to Christian Scheibel of the Shuttle marketing team in Germany, and here’s what he said: “If a first-time Linux user opts for one of our LinuXPCs we and our network of resellers don't leave him groping around in the dark, but make sure he knows what he is about to purchase.
“Unlike Windows, open source Linux requires browsing the web and searching communities for additional software and advice.
“As for software-related support of the SD3002Q, consumers can always turn to us via our online support form and we will try to find an answer.
“On the other hand, we also encourage them to refer to Linux communities for workarounds.”
OK, but I still maintain that a simple desktop guide, ready and waiting for the user on first boot, would be immensely helpful, particularly if PC manufacturers are serious about attracting new users to Linux systems.
To be fair to Shuttle and openSUSE, this is something many Linux systems lack.
Anyway, to return to my test.
In openSUSE all the system configuration and software management is done through the Yast utility (Yet Another Setup Tool), which to my mind is overly-complex.
The LinuXPC came with Yast configured to use the included Restore DVD as the only source for software.
This is despite the fact that, within the Community repositories in Yast’s software management section, all the main openSUSE repositories were listed, along with the useful Packman repository.
For an experienced openSUSE (and Linux) user, this is easily resolved but a first time Linux user needs more guidance, and in this the Shuttle’s default setup is lacking.
Once I had enabled the required repositories and updated Yast, I was able to download and install several other useful programs and utilities.
Returning to my earlier point about KDE, version 4 is available in the repositories if you want to take it for a spin but – be warned – it requires a lot of MBs of downloads and is not yet considered stable enough to be a default desktop by many Linux developers.
What the Shuttle LinuXPC boils down to is this: A degree of compromise is required.
On the plus side, it’s a superbly built, highly polished small form factor PC with a stable, professional Linux operating system.
There’s enough hardware and software included to make you highly productive, and with the included two-year, pick-up-and-return free warranty and official openSUSE support, it’s remarkably good value at around £500 (626 Euros, inc 17.5% VAT).
On the negative side, that small form factor means there’s little room for upgrades or expansion if your needs change in the future.
And I’d really like to see both Shuttle and openSUSE do more to help new users manage their system.
That said, the Shuttle LinuXPC still comes highly recommended and is a very welcome addition to the growing ranks of Linux-based PCs hitting the market.

Review: V-Moda Vibe Duo

iPhone/iPod headphones, £69.95 from John Lewis or Apple stores

EVERYONE who owns an iPod or an iPhone knows what great quality sound they produce.
But how many people quickly switch their included Apple headphones for a better set of cans?
That's where these V-Moda Vibe Duo earbuds come in.
Targeted specifically at the iPhone, there’s an in-line microphone included which means you can make and take calls without removing your ‘phones.
Headphones are a really personal thing: From a comfort point of view I prefer big ones that envelope my lugs, but they’re so impractical to carry.
From a sound quality point of view I’ve found the type that sit right in your ear canal work best – if you don’t mind listening to cable noise every time the cable brushes against anything.
These Vibe Duos are in-your-ear ‘phones but there’s less of that cable noise than most others I’ve tried, because the cable is covered in a cloth, rather than the rubberised covering used by many manufacturers.
It could also be because the sound quality is so deep and rich it makes your eyes water.
The Vibe Duo also look terrific – a perfect match for your iPhone in black and silver.
The headphones’ unique features are their iPhone-fitting miniplug and inline microphone.
The miniplug is thin enough to slot into the iPhone's recessed headphone jack without needing an adapter.
The mic is located in a thin, one-inch-long pod integrated into the cable for the right earbud.
When a call comes in (or when you make a call), the iPhone fades out any music or video audio and then pipes the phone's audio into the buds; the inline microphone picks up your voice as you talk normally.
What you can’t do, however, with the Vibe Duo set that you can with the stock plugs, is play/pause playback or skip to the next track using a button on the cable – you have to use the iPhone's screen.
Still, a very good set of headphones, at a reasonable price and with added iPhone functionality – well worth a look.

First Look at Fedora 9 Preview

I’VE spent a few of days in the company of Fedora 9 Preview and my first impressions are very favourable.
Installed into an 8GB Virtualbox virtual machine, it’s a snappy release with a high degree of consistency and stability throughout.
A lot of the hard work has been done on background stuff – those items mentioned in my ‘Big Stuff’ list below.
But that’s not to ignore the importance of visual appeal, where Fedora 9 scores very highly too.
Anyway, here’s my early impressions and a few screenshots to whet your appetites.

The Big Stuff
Let’s start at the beginning, with the installation.
Anaconda, the Fedora installer, has always been one of my favourites – it’s simple to use, even for beginners, is polished and highly professional.In F9 it has been improved: It now has the ability to resize Ext 2, Ext 3 and NTFS partitions; there’s support for dealing with encrypted partitions; hardware probing is dealt with by HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer) and udev rather than kudzu; and there’s now support for persistence if you’re installing on a USB flash drive.
PackageKit has been introduced: This is a new graphical/console tool for cross-distribution software management and is installed by default.
The PackageKit graphical updater replaces Pup and behind-the-scenes YUM has been tweaked for more efficient performance, while Pup and Pirut remain available on the repository.
System updates have been waiting for me on all my post-install reboots, further enhancing the Fedora reputation for rapid-fire upgrade cycles.Compiz is installed by default and Compiz-Fusion, marrying Compiz with Beryl, is in the repository. If you’ve got the required 3D graphics drivers installed, enabling a 3D desktop is simple via the “Desktop Effects” panel.
Work has been done to improve Network Manager, notably through support for more mobile devices and mobile broadband support.

The GNOME and Small Stuff

GNOME 2.22 comes with a new world clock applet that displays the time and weather conditions for multiple time zones simultaneously.
This new feature was created by the Fedora community itself, and contributed upstream.
There’s also a new GNOME Display Manager by default, which includes the ability to take advantage of power management at the login screen and the ability to dynamically configure displays.The Fedora team promise improvements in the way F9 handles Bluetooth devices, though as I was running F9 in a virtual machine I was unable to test this.
On the Multimedia front it’s business as usual for one of the strictest of FOSS distributions – ie. not a proprietary codec anywhere in sight.
Firefox 3 Beta 5 web browser is included by default, with a native look and desktop integration.
Thanks to swfdec changing to a GStreamer backend, Fedora have been able to include a FOSS browser plugin capable of playing Flash content like videos, animation and games, but you’ll still need to make a decision about various multimedia codecs to get full use out of it.
What might seem like a small feature is actually very useful: Consolidated Dictionary Support.
For some time, several Fedora applications, including OpenOffice.org, Firefox, Thunderbird, GNOME and KDE, have each had their own set of dictionaries.
This problem is now fixed by consolidating all the dictionaries.
Aesthetics have been well catered for in F9.
DejaVu full replaces DejaVu LGC as the default font set, while the Luxi font has been dropped since its license does not allow modifications.
DejaVu and Liberation have both been updated to new versions with more coverage.The general look and feel of F9 is actually very nice, with a tasteful, stylish default desktop wallpaper and well co-ordinated Nodoko window borders and controls.

I'm sure there's a lot in the forthcoming full release of Fedora 9 for both new and experienced Linux users alike though, as always, the distribution's leaders' aversion to anything proprietary is an obvious obstacle for those completely new to Linux and Open Source.
Nonetheless, there's a lot here to commend them on and I, for one, can't wait to give the full release a try when it hits the mirrors in a few weeks' time.
Good job guys.

Tips & Tricks: Getting the Mplayer Mozilla Plugin Working

Many Linux distributions have Mplayer in their repositories – it’s a really flexible multimedia application useful for playing video and music files.
What adds to its usefulness is the Mplayer Mozilla plugin, primarily aimed at Firefox users, which allows you to watch video streamed online and listen to live radio broadcasts over the internet.
I’ve used the plugin for some years now to watch movie trailers on the Apple website (http://www.apple.com/trailers/) and listen to my favourite news channel, BBC Radio 5 Live, in the UK.
But while many repositories contain the plugin, it doesn’t always work ‘out-of-the-box’.
The most common problem I’ve found is that, when you click on a movie trailer and the plugin starts to load the video, it then stops at 99% and the film never runs.There’s a simple reason for this: The plugin hasn’t been configured yet.
Here’s what to do.
With the plugin window showing in your browser, right click anywhere over the screen and select ‘Configure’.You’ll notice that the entries for video and audio output are blank, and this is the source of your problem.
All you need to do is click on the down arrows next to each window and select ‘X11’ and ‘Alsa’ output (these obviously depend on how your machine is set up, but play around with the various options until you find the one that works for you.Now click ‘OK’ and try again – the film should run, audio and all.
Hope that helps!

Review: Mandriva 2008 Spring

UNLIKE the Scottish weather, I’ve warmed a lot toward Mandriva in recent months.
The thaw in relations began when I reviewed Mandriva’s excellent 2008 Flash distribution (read it here) and has continued with their just-released desktop offering, Mandriva 2008 Spring.
There are three editions of Mandriva 2008 Spring: One, Powerpack and Free.
‘One’ comes on an installable live CD which contains non-free drivers, firmware and browser plugins.
‘Powerpack’ is the commercial DVD edition, complete with traditional installer.
It contains some commercial software the other editions don't have, but no free/open source software you can't get in the other editions.
‘Free’ is the version aimed primarily at FOSS diehards.
It's a DVD or 3-CD set with a traditional installer and only contains free/open source software.
That means no NVIDIA or ATI drivers, no Intel wireless firmware, no Java, no Flash, none of that really useful but morally problematical stuff.
If you install Free then have a sudden moral collapse, all that useful stuff can be installed later.
I think it would be appropriate to mention here, too, that Mandriva claim 2008 Spring is the first mainstream Linux distribution to come with extensive customised support for the hugely popular Asus Eee PC.
Bear in mind that I haven’t personally tried this, but Mandriva say:
“If you install 2008 Spring on an Eee, it will work really well without any messing around.
“The wireless will work (with One or Powerpack), suspend and resume will work, sound will work, webcam will work, the screen resolution will be correct, the special keys will work, and all the Mandriva tools have been checked and tweaked where necessary to make sure they play nicely with the low-resolution screen.”
Mandriva also promise improved support for synchronisation with Windows Mobile 5, 6 and 6.1 devices, Blackberries and most Nokia phones – again, I don’t own any such devices so I can’t comment on the veracity of these claims.
For my review of 2008 Spring ‘One’, I was using a Fujitsu Siemens Scaleo P computer with a 3.4Ghz P4 processor, 250GB hard drive, 1024MB of RAM, ATI X600 Radeon graphics card with 256MB of dedicated memory, DVD and DVDRW drives, an Acer AL1912 19inch LCD monitor and wired networking.
Mandriva have both KDE and Gnome versions of 2008 Spring available – I’d gone with the international KDE version, which uses KDE 3.5.9.
Once you’ve installed 2008 Spring to hard drive, it’s possible to install KDE 4 from the Mandriva repository – just grab the ‘task-kde4’ package – but 4 isn’t yet considered stable enough to be the default desktop environment.
As mentioned earlier, my 2008 Spring One install came with the latest ATI proprietary drivers included, which meant that once I had the live CD running, I was able to switch on the Compiz-Fusion 3D desktop effects (you also get the option to use Metisse, or no 3D).
I don’t need a 3D desktop but it’s good to know it’s available for those who like that kind of thing.
My network had been automatically detected and configured by the live CD, as had my sound card.
Ah, the sound – I must applaud Mandriva for tweaking KDE’s default start-up and shutdown sounds, they’re very tasteful and distinctive.
2008 Spring also uses the PulseAudio sound system, the most apparent benefit of which is the ability to have different sound settings for different applications.
Kudos, also, to the Mandriva art team.
2008 Spring looks lovely, from the initial stylish boot screen to the restrained but effective desktop, elements of which change colour as the day progresses.Mandriva have gone with the Crystal SVG iconset, married to La Ora Windows decorations and widgets, which work nicely with the default wallpaper.
I’d seen enough of the live CD to want to go ahead and install to hard drive.
The installer is a very polished piece of work with little in the way of complex options for new users to stumble upon.
It’s also very quick – about 15 minutes from start to finish. Now to the nuts and bolts.
Strangely, once I’d rebooted into the hard drive install, Mandriva went straight to my KDE desktop – I hadn’t asked it to, so what happened to the login panel?
This happened several times until I manually switched off ‘auto-login’ - easily solved, but bizarre nonetheless.
Equally strange, each time I selected ‘End session’ from the logout panel, my screen went blank and hung like that, forcing me to do a hard re-boot.
Again, puzzling, but not a deal breaker.
Now let’s take a look at 2008 Spring’s default software selection.
It’s good, but not exceptional. You get: Firefox, OpenOffice, GIMP, digiKam, Amarok, Kaffeine, K3b, KPDF, Akregator (RSS feeds), Kopete and the usual K-prefixed KDE applications.
There’s an interesting little item in the K Menu called ‘Codeina’ which launches a link to the website of Barcelona-based codecs/plugins outfit Fluendo.
If you’re OK with spending some cash, this is where you can get all the multimedia plugins you’ll need to play MP3s, Windows-based media and the like.
Of course, all of these plugins and codecs can be freely obtained from third-party sites, of which more later.
Whether you like the idea of Codeina will depend on how you view the media codec issue.
Some see it as a philosophical, free software argument, but there’s the parallel view which focuses on convenience and ease of use.
You decide, because Mandriva allows you to take either approach.
The release notes for 2008 Spring claimed it includes all the browser plugins you’ll need, and by that they mean just Java and Flash.
The reason I know this is that I was able to watch YouTube videos, but unable to play any movie trailers on the Apple website or BBC radio streams – both of which I regard as fairly critical online activities.
Which brings me to the 2008 Spring package manager, Rpmdrake.
One of my previous Mandriva gripes focused on the problem of knowing which repositories to enable in Rpmdrake.
In 2008 Spring this is handled much better.
The official Main, Contrib, and Non-Free repositories are added to the media manager when you answer ‘yes’ to the dialogue which appears the first time you run Rpmdrake.
It’s wonderfully simple and efficient.
With the repos loaded, I set about installing Virtualbox OSE 1.5.6, Mozilla Thunderbird, Elisa (a new media center app written in Python) and the VLC media player.
I knew from previous Mandriva experience that the best way to solve my browser plugin problem was to visit the Easyurpmi website, where it’s a breeze to enable the Penguin Liberation Front repositories.
From the PLF repo I installed Mplayer and the Mplayer browser plugin, which fixed both my movie trailers and radio streams problems, along with a host of multimedia codecs.
Mandriva’s system updater keeps right on top of things – Day 2 of my Mandriva experience saw it reporting a few dozen programs which needed updating... I happily let it do it’s thing.
My experience with Firefox plugins leaves me a little concerned as to 2008 Spring’s suitability for new Linux users.
How are they to know how to go about solving this issue, with little or no guidance other than on Mandriva websites?
Plus, there are plenty of Linux distros already out there that come with these plugins pre-installed.
I couldn’t let this review pass without mentioning how impressed I am by Mandriva Control Centre.If you’ve used PCLinuxOS, you’ll already be familiar with much of what’s in MCC as Texstar and his team have been using it as the basis for their control centre for some time.
It’s far better suited to the job than, for example, openSUSE’S Yast – just three simple software management options guys, this is how it’s done! - and as a one-stop shop for system management it’s hard to fault.
One new item in 2008 Spring’s control centre is drakguard, a parental control tool which lets you block access to certain websites, and disable your internet connection at specific times – very handy if you share your PC with your kids.
The one task I’ve still to take care of is configuring my printer, though I’m assured by Mandriva that in Spring 2008 most USB printers are automagically detected and configured by printerdrake.
To conclude, Mandriva 2008 Spring came like a breath of fresh air at the end of a long, cold winter.
It’s a stylish, professional-looking operating system that’s easy to manage, with a great selection of software available for download.
I really like the new look and sound of this distribution, and with the added functionality offered by official downloads like Virtualbox, I can see it making a very useful workhorse.
There’s still a little work to be done on clarifying the plugins/codecs issue for new users.
But then Mandriva scores points for including things like Windows migration tools and integral NTFS-3G support, allowing for easy access to Windows partitions.
Don’t be surprised if this particular Spring starts breaking out all over...

Read more on Mandriva 2008 Spring at the community wiki

Postscript
I mentioned in my review that I had downloaded and installed Virtualbox 1.5.6 OSE (Open Source Edition) from the Mandriva repository and just wanted to add that it works flawlessly.
In an earlier blog post (here) I reported running into all sorts of problems when trying to get Virtualbox running on openSUSE and Windows systems, so it made a refreshing change to have it all done and dusted with just a couple of clicks.
Although the OSE version doesn't include USB device support, I've now got a Linux Mint 4.0 virtual machine running at full screen, 1280x1024 resolution (after installing the Virtualbox Guest Additions and editing my xorg.conf according to the excellent Virtualbox user manual).
The ease of installing Virtualbox alone is enough to make Mandriva 2008 Spring worth a look!

Damn Minuscule Linux: A First Look At SliTaz 1.0

25MB... surely this is a mistake?
A Linux distribution which includes Firefox, an audio player, a CD ripper/encoder, email, FTP client and lots more... with a 25MB ISO footprint?
Someone’s having a laugh, aren’t they?
Er, actually, no they’re not, although I guarantee – yes, guarantee – you’ll be smiling if you try this amazing little live CD.
SliTaz uses what I’d call a ‘fringe’ desktop manager, JWM (Joe’s Window Manager) which, while being super-quick, isn’t as easy to manage as more popular WMs.
Still, it gets the job done and, anyway, it’s always nice to play around with a new working environment – that’s a large part of what makes Linux so interesting.
Once you run the live CD (get I here) that 25MB ISO expands to a root filesystem of around 80MB.
SliTaz is designed to run from RAM on any machine with 128MB or more (my test machine has 1024MB) but with the addition of a [slitaz-loram] boot cheat code you can get by on just 64MB.
Before I cover my first impressions of SliTaz (which, incidentally, has French roots so although English is available, French is its default language), let me run you through what’s included in more detail.
It is based on the latest Linux kernel 2.6.24, glibc 2.3.6, X.Org 7.2 and GTK+ libraries. On top of those solid foundations you also get:
The lighttpd web server, SQLite database, IRC client, SSH client and server via Dropbear, gFTP, Ghost In The Mail, Transmission, Geany IDE, Mozilla Firefox, AlsaPlayer, GParted, ePDFView, ISO Master, Burnbox, Leafpad, GPicView, mtPaint, Asunder, Alsaplayer, mhWaveEdit, Geany, and a few games.
Additional packages can be downloaded and installed using the text-based Tazpkg manager, which I’ll come back to.
SliTaz’s boot sequence is one of the slickest I’ve come across: Being so small, it loads in seconds then, after four quick configuration options – language, keymap, sound and video (both my soundcard and 1280x1024 resolution were detected) – you’re into the login screen.
Here, your choices are ‘Hacker’ (user) or ‘Root’.
The JWM desktop is set up with an Xfce-like panel at the top sporting just a few applications, one of which is Emelfm, the file manager.
I’d run into this file manager a few years ago, in early versions of Zenwalk Linux, and wasn’t hugely impressed with it, although its dual-pane function can be very useful and, if you don’t like it, you can always get Thunar from the SliTaz repository.The default desktop isn’t all that pretty but you have to bear in mind the compact size of this distribution.
One seriously good thing to point out here is that my broadband network was instantly available to me in the live CD environment, with no input needed from me - impressive indeed.
SliTaz comes with a few really useful utilities.
There’s a hard disk installer (still under heavy development, and in French only), a build tool (tazwok), a program to remaster the CD image (tazlito) and another for creating an image for installation on bootable USB storage devices (tazusb).
That bootable USB stick option means the hard drive installation isn’t much of an issue and, anyway, I’d bet the project’s founder, Christophe Lincoln, will have that install routine cracked quickly.
If you’re running SliTaz on a decent sized USB stick, and on a more powerful computer, then you’ve a whole other world of software options available to you.
The project's download server includes heavyweights like The GIMP, Kino, AbiWord, Inkscape, and the Enlightenment 17 window manager.
It’s here we return to SliTaz’s package manager, an APT-like system known as ‘tazpkg’.
Using it is as simple as using APT: "tazpkg recharge" updates the list of available packages and "tazpkg install package" installs them and their dependencies.
Tazpkg also lets you list, remove, extract, pack, search, repack, upgrade, or get information about available or installed packages – it’s really rather good.
Having said that, SliTaz won’t suit everyone’s needs.
Its window manager, while interesting and functional, simply isn’t mainstream enough and requires a fair bit of learning before you can get it to look and work how you like.
But if you’ve an old laptop gathering dust under your desk, and you’re looking for an interesting, fun project SliTaz is a great choice.
There’s a solid base to it, with well-chosen default software and a reasonable downloadable selection to complement it, all wrapped up in a mini-marvel of a distro.
Give SliTaz a try – you won’t be disappointed, and its cleverness will make you smile. And that’s a promise!
SliTaz Forum