Open Source Society

OSS Kubuntu Installation Guide may be Part of Official Kubuntu Documentation

I have been contacted by a member of the Ubuntu Documentation team, who proposed that the installation guide posted here be included in the official documentation distributed with the Live Installation CD for Kubuntu!  There is also a proposal to include the guide in the wiki on Kubuntu’s main page.  I have submitted the guide for review to the entire documentation team, and begun the process of converting it to the proper format.  Hopefully this writeup will help people get through one of the most difficult stages of switching to Linux, which is getting it on a computer in the first place. I can definitely promise there will be guides for other distributions in the near future, including SuSE, PCLinux OS, and others as our team has time to review them.  Thanks to everyone who read the guide, and a special thanks to the Ubuntu team for even considering our humble submission.

Posted in News | No Comments »

The Easiest Installation Guide Ever

Following the interview with Kim Brebach, I took a look at the installation guides available for several flavors of Linux, and found them to be a bit lacking, as he had stated. It was difficult to pin down exactly what was missing from the thousands of guides already in existence. It’s hard to put myself in the shoes of someone who has never installed an operating system before, let alone repartitioned hard drives or installed a boot loader. This is not meant to be a condescending statement, merely a comment on my own inability to overcome a strong tendency to assume a certain amount of prior knowledge based on my own experience. To un-learn what I’d already learned was a far greater challenge than I initially thought, but what resulted was this guide, which is still far from perfect.

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Posted in Hardware, Howtos, Linux, My Favorite Open-Source Apps | 1 Comment »

The Future of Linux: An Interview with Kim Brebach

Recently I had the unique pleasure of communicating with Kim Brebach. You may recognize him as the author of “13 Reasons Why Linux Won’t Make It to the Desktop“, and “13 Reasons Linux Should be on Your Desktop“, as well as a series of insightful articles on the state of Linux as a desktop operating system for DesktopLinux.com. He is a technology consultant with Technoledge, a technology marketing group based in Sydney, Australia. I contacted him to see if he would participate in a short email interview for OSS, and he very graciously agreed. Here are his thoughts on some of my questions.

OSS: Do you feel that most people know that Linux is available, but don’t know enough about it, or do you feel that many people aren’t even aware that Linux exists?

Kim: Ordinary people are blissfully unaware of Linux, Open Office etc.

OSS: What is the single biggest obstacle people new to Linux must overcome?

Kim: Finding their way into this strange world without a map or a simple user guide.

OSS: If you had to pick one thing that the open source community needs to focus on to make Linux more user-friendly from install onwards, what would that be?

Kim: An Introduction to Linux written in plain language, with a step-by-step example install. I have seen a couple of packages at newsagents (done by PC mag publishers) which did a pretty good job of this. The package includes the CD/DVD and a magazine-style manual. Being on the shelves of newsagents also helps raise the profile of Linux.

OSS: Are projects like Ubuntu making any progress towards a newbie-friendly Linux?

Kim: Absolutely!

OSS: Do you feel more users are going to start considering Linux now that some have found Vista to be a bit of a disappointment?

Kim: Only some of the tech-savvy might do that. Ordinary users will just complain or buy a Mac.

OSS: In what ways can the open source community reach out to potential users?

Kim: Marketing, Advertising and PR. Okay, so there’s no money. Linux has distinct advantages over Windows (cost, package management, no disk defrag needed etc). How about going to community markets and setting up Linux stands with demos and penguin T-shirts and toys for the kids? Linux for the community, by the community.

OSS: Do you think companies like Novell and Red Hat are helping or hurting open source by using a semi-commercial business model?

Kim: They help raise the exposure of Linux in the corporate world. They hurt by compromising the model of freely shared code.

OSS: Could producers of video games, financial software, and office software have a positive impact if they allocated resources for developing Linux applications?

Kim: Of course. Ordinary people buy PCs to run certain apps and to play games.

OSS: Even if Linux isn’t ready for home desktops just yet, can it hold up in a corporate office environment, especially given its greater security and cost effectiveness compared to Windows?

Kim: Linux can hold up anywhere, as long as there is some tech support, because it’s inherently more stable and secure than Windows.

OSS: Any advice you’d like to give to people who are thinking about trying an open operating system but not quite sure if they should?

Kim: Try Ubuntu or one of its derivatives (Mepis or Linux Mint) on a second PC. Play with it!

Kim raises some excellent points. Maybe what the Linux community needs is an open source marketing project, whose goal is to promote Linux and open source software in general. Part of the goal of Open Source Society dot org is to raise awareness of the availability and the viability of Linux and the open source movement as a whole, but a dedicated group of individuals whose sole purpose is to spread the word could accomplish far more. This, coupled with a concentrated effort among developers and testers to incorporate the opinions and experiences of everyday users, might just take Linux beyond the level of cult obsession to serious alternative in the minds of mainstream users.

I would like to extend my personal thanks to Mr. Brebach for taking the time to talk with me and answer my questions. He has made a valuable effort to put forth a perspective that Linux junkies like myself, from fans and users on up to developers and project leaders, would do well to take heed of.

Posted in Interviews, Linux, News | 2 Comments »

VirtualBox: Emancipation for Virtual Machines

If you’re scared of trying a new operating system because some of your programs won’t work, or if you want a way to try out a new system without changing your existing setup, then let me introduce you to virtual machines. A virtual machine allows you to emulate an entire computer within your existing operating system. I’m sure you, my imaginative reader, can imagine all sorts of ways this would be useful. Some of you may already be familiar with commercial virtual machine software. Luckily for those of us who are open source enthusiasts, or just plain broke, there is an open alternative to high-priced commercial emulators. VirtualBox is that alternative.

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Posted in General, Linux, My Favorite Open-Source Apps, Reviews, Windows | No Comments »

Digital Rebels: Using Thunderbird in an Exchange Environment

If you work in a medium or large office, chances are you use Microsoft’s Exchange Server to access your email, contacts, and calendars. For years, Exchange has been the de-facto standard in collaborative email and contact management for corporate environments, and rightfully so. Microsoft outdid themselves in designing a system that is both easy to use and easy to administer (most of the time).

So where does that leave open source computer users? Outlook does not run on Linux, and although it does run on Mac OS and Windows, we wouldn’t exactly be true to our open source ideals if we didn’t try to find an open alternative that runs on all of the above, would we? Enter the Thunderbird.

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Posted in Howtos, Linux, My Favorite Open-Source Apps, Windows | 1 Comment »

Is Linux Right For Me?

These days there is a lot of talk about how disappointing the latest incarnation of Microsoft’s operating system has been. There are all sorts of complaints and gripes, which have been hashed out enough that I don’t need to repeat them here. A lot of people are complaining that this is going to drive people to using Macs in droves. So far I haven’t seen this to be the case. Most people are simply choosing to stick with XP, or downgrade back to it. There have been a few losses to Mac, but I hardly think it’s enough to call a mass exodus. For right now people seem happy to stay with XP for the time being.

That won’t be true forever, however. Eventually users are going to go looking for an operating system that can take advantage of advances in hardware and that has a slicker looking interface. For some people this is going to be Mac OS, but those people are in for quite a bit of culture shock. Coming from a Windows environment, Mac OS is very different, and be extremely difficult to adjust to. So should they wait for Microsoft to come out with its next OS in five to ten years? No!

Linux has a nasty reputation as being unfriendly to new users. This was very true until recently. Over the past two years Linux has gone a long way towards becoming even easier to use than Windows or Mac OS. To make things better, Linux desktops like KDE can be configured to behave exactly like your previous OS right down to the number of mouse buttons to recognize. Beyond that Linux offers far more options to customize and modify the look, feel, and behavior of your whole system to your exact demands.

The hardest part about a new operating system is the installation, and figuring out where things are.  Some distributions make this easier than others.  By far the easiest distributions for those unfamiliar with Linux are (K)Ubuntu and OpenSuse.  The Buntu distributions are geared towards new Linux users, and OpenSuse is focused on being a good all-around desktop OS.  Both distributions have a relatively painless install process and dirt simple configuration.

But is Linux the right choice for you?  If you use your computer purely for playing games, the answer is probably not.  There are quite a few games for Linux, and ports of some popular games, but Windows pretty much has the game market cornered.  However, if you are a software developer, a web designer, a writer, a music or movie lover, a massive emailer or web surfer, a digital shutterbug, if you use a computer in your office, or if you use a computer at all, Linux is perfect for you.

Look, you’re really got nothing to lose.  If you’re still using XP download and try a Live CD without touching your existing data.  Vista users thinking of going back to XP should give Linux a try first.  Linux has better security and a much better-looking interface than Vista, without the annoying access control prompts every five minutes and impossible to navigate configuration.  Once you take an hour or so to get used to the new way of doing things, I think you’ll find that Linux removes a lot of the headaches Windows users suffer from, if for no other reason than the fact that all the software you need to do just about anything you can imagine with your computer is built into Linux and completely free.  If you get stuck or have questions, there is a huge community of other users who are more than willing to answer questions and lend a helping hand.

If you want to try Linux, but you have some questions before you make the switch, send me an email.  I am more than happy to personally answer any questions about Linux or any other open-source software, and eventually I’ll put together a Linux Newbie FAQ. What are you waiting for?  Start enjoying your computer!

Posted in Linux, My Favorite Open-Source Apps | No Comments »

Simple Steps to Protect Your Data

Maybe you’ve never given much thought to your online security, or maybe you only think about it when you’re pulling out your credit card to buy something on eBay. It’s enough just to shop at reputable sites and not email your credit card or social security numbers to people, right? Wrong. Let me show you something you have probably never seen before:

Response: +OK POP3 server ready <32ac45f8-deb7-4cde-a94b-96910799aa9e>17

Request: USER josh@fakeserver.com

Response: +OK User:’josh@fakeserver.com’ ok

Request: PASS my_password

Response: +OK Password ok

Request: LIST

Response: +OK 2 messages (24390 octets)

Continuation

Request: UIDL

Response: +OK 2 messages (24390 octets)

Continuation

Request: QUIT

Response: +OK POP3 server signing off

Can you see what this is? This is the actual exchange that happens between my mail client and my mail server every 10 minutes, sniffed off the network using a program called Wireshark. Anyone on my network could use a program like this to see my email username and password, as well as the text of any of my emails, without breaking a sweat. The same goes for IM conversations, website form data (including search engines!), basically all the traffic between my computer and the rest of the internet is wide open and in plain text for anyone with eyes to see. Still feeling safe?

Well my goal is not to scare you. I have an incredible amount of control over who has access to my network, and lucky for me the packet dump above is staged using a fake email server. Most people know who is using their network, but there is always a risk that someone may compromise your security and gain access, especially if you have wireless access. Given that the worst has happened, however, there are still a few steps you can take to ensure that your data is still secure from prying eyes.

• Use an email service that allows encrypted communication. Gmail is one example, however Google has been accused of several privacy violations.
• Encrypt your email yourself. The GnuPG project has a plugin for almost every mail client that will sign and encrypt your email. See the complete list here.
• Use IM clients and protocols that support encryption. Pidgin supports PGP encryption of conversations through a plugin over any protocol that will carry it, but only when talking to other Pidgin users. There are add-ons for the standard AIM client that will also encrypt your conversations.
• Always check the URL before you enter sensitive data. Some phishing sites have gotten smarter now and are using fake security certificates to provide a link that looks secure when it is not.

Only shop on sites you trust, and if possible use a service like PayPal which provides some fraud protection. Avoid entering your social security number online if at all possible. No amount of encryption or security certificates can protect you from yourself. Use common sense and if in doubt, put that card away and go somewhere else.

Posted in My Favorite Open-Source Apps | 1 Comment »

15 Signs You are Addicted to Linux

I saw this on Foogazi and had to share this here. Original article is here.

Here are 15 signs that you are addicted to Linux…

1. You bring a live CD with you whenever you’ll be using a computer away from your house.
2. You subscribe to a Linux magazine such as Linux Journal, Linux Mag, or Linux Format
3. Every time a friend or relative complains about their computer being slow due to spyware, adware and viruses, you tell them to install Linux.
4. You want a Penguin for a pet.
5. You understand what the command “mv windows /dev/null” means.
6. Your home page is http://www.google.com/linux
7. You subscribe to my RSS feed.
8. You own a RTFM coffee mug.
9. You participate in System Administrator Appreciation Day.
10. You hang out on Freenode.
11. You are a member of a local Linux User Group.
12. You have installed Linux on your mom and dads computers.
13. You know the African definition of the word Ubuntu.
14. You know who Linus Torvalds is.
15. You know who Hans Reiser is, and what he is accused of.

Posted in Funny Stuff | 1 Comment »

A Media Center for the Masses

Picture this:

You come home from a hard day’s work and all you want to do is relax and watch a movie or listen to your favorite music. Now where did you put that DVD? It’s not in its case, and the huge box of movies in the corner looks daunting. Do you really want to sift through all those? Forget it, you’ll just watch your favorite TV show. So you put on the tube, only to find your show has been pre-empted by the football game in overtime. Just can’t catch a break, can ya?

Everyone has heard of TiVo, and the DVR services that cable and satellite companies have been pushing. Who wants to shell out hundreds of dollars for these things though? The DVR services even have the gall to charge you a monthly fee for what amounts to a computerized VCR! Your other option is to purchase a ready-made home theater computer with Microsoft’s Media Center loaded on, but this is an extremely expensive proposition.

Until now. There have been leaps and bounds in the development of open-source media servers, and we finally have two that are very close to being polished end products. I’m talking of course about Freevo and MythTV. I’ve got a clear favorite among these too so far, but we’ll go over the pros and cons of both.

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Posted in Hardware, Linux, Reviews | 1 Comment »

A Safer Home Network For Under $100

Stop! Don’t buy that cheap router! So-called “plug ‘n play” routers are the cause of more home network problems and security holes than anything else. Why would you pay $50 or more for a migraine in a square box? I’ll show you how to build your own router from scratch that is far more powerful, far more secure, and far cheaper than that store bought hunk of junk you’re looking at in another browser tab right now. Yeah, that’s right, close that out right now, and relax. This isn’t going to be nearly as painful as you think.

The first thing we need to do is take a quick crash course in what a router does. Most people want to treat a router like a phone jack splitter, but if you do this you’re going to run into a lot of problems without having the faintest clue why. The truth is a router does far more than just split up your DSL or cable connection to several computers. It also has to assign unique addresses to each computer on your network, determine which computers are actually on and active on the network, and act as a postmaster delivering data to and from the right computers. If you have wireless it maintains and (hopefully) encrypts the connection, and in some instances your router also initiates the connection to your internet provider.

Any cheap router off the shelf will do all these things. Some will do these things better than others, and toss in a few neat features, but at a higher price. I’m going to show you how to build a firewall with features and functionality that would cost you several hundred dollars, for just the price of a very low performance computer, a cd-rom, and a couple network cards. I was fortunate enough to have an old Pentium 2 given to me, and to have a couple network cards laying around, so I was able to purchase a wireless card and have a working wireless router and firewall within an hour for $40.

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Posted in Hardware, Howtos, Linux, My Favorite Open-Source Apps, Reviews | 2 Comments »