Articles about Open Source

The technology may exist that allows for ultra-fast transfer of very large files, but the efficient storage of data remains important in many circumstances. Streaming video is one area in which efficiency is particularly important, and the codec used to encode footage has a large bearing on performance.

With the launch of Windows 10, Microsoft took the opportunity to unleash a new web browser on the world -- Microsoft Edge. Today the company reveals that it is working to bring WebM/VP9 to the browser. Initially destined for Windows Insiders in Windows 10 Preview builds, VP9 support will improve Edge's ability to stream HD videos at lower bitrates.

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Bcache was first announced by ex-Google engineer Kent Overstreet a little over five years ago. Now the Linux kernel block layer cache is being used as the basis for a new open source filesystem. The focus is on speed, but it is also hoped that the file system could be used for servers and storage arrays because of its reliability.

At this stage, Overstreet describes Bcachefs as "more or less feature complete" and says that even at this early stage performance numbers are "good enough to be interesting". At the moment, features such as replication, caching, and compression are supported, and there is the promise of snapshotting in future releases.

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As more and more of our data gets stored in digital format, keeping it secure becomes a bigger challenge. One possible solution is User Managed Access (UMA) which gives a web user a unified control point for authorizing who and what can get access to their online personal data.

The UMA standard has already received support from major organizations such as Philips and the New Zealand government. Access management company ForgeRock along with a number of open-source technology companies and experts, is announcing a new digital consent and privacy initiative to help accelerate developer adoption of UMA.

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It's not that we're (necessarily) lazy, but technology entices us all to find quicker ways of doing things. The internet is something of a behemoth and there are plenty of tools out there that aim to tame it -- one of which is automation service IFTTT.

Harnessing the power of apps, devices, and the cloud, IFTTT has just unveiled five open source projects. Now available on GitHub, the projects can be used by anyone to integrate IFTTT automation in their apps and services.

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Whether you are a beginner or expert, Linux Mint is a great distribution. Not only is it very easy to use, but beautiful too. It is quite apparent that the developers care for the operating system.

The two default desktop environments for Linux Mint -- MATE and Cinnamon -- are both wonderful, but I prefer the latter. A short period after the launch of a new version of the OS -- this time 17.2 Rafaela -- the Mint Team also releases KDE and Xfce editions as alternatives. Today, the release candidates for those environments become available, with Xfce updated to 4.12, and KDE brought to 4.14.2.

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The OpenSSL Project team has issued a warning about a new "high severity" flaw. More details about it will be released on Thursday.

"The OpenSSL project team would like to announce the forthcoming release of OpenSSL versions 1.0.2d and 1.0.1p. These releases will be made available on 9th July. They will fix a single security defect classified as 'high' severity. This defect does not affect the 1.0.0 or 0.9.8 releases". This alert and update information was released on Monday.

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If you have never tried Linux Mint, you are doing yourself a huge disservice. It is a fantastically refreshing distribution -- built on the dependable Ubuntu -- that makes using a Linux-based operating system an absolute treat.

Typically featuring two desktop environments -- Mate and Cinnamon -- users can select an interface that meets their needs. Cinnamon in particular is very pretty, and has a traditional start menu that Windows defectors will appreciate. Today, Linux Mint 17.2 'Rafaela' reaches a "final" release. If you are using Linux Mint already, you should definitely upgrade, while Linux-curious outsiders should consider it too.

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Ubuntu is one of the most popular Linux distributions -- arguably the most popular -- which is very much deserved. Canonical has taken the complicated and intimidating world of Linux and transformed it into an inviting operating system for the masses. While not as user-friendly as Windows or OS X, Ubuntu is certainly easier to use than Fedora or the dreaded Arch.

Today, Canonical announces that the next version of Ubuntu -- 15.10 'Wily Werewolf' -- reaches Alpha status. If you are a fan of the Unity desktop environment, however, you are not in luck. Alpha releases only represent the other flavors of the distro. Sadly, Ubuntu GNOME (my favorite) and Xubuntu are not yet available.

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Google has removed an extension from its open source browser Chromium after people complained that it had been downloaded without permission and then listened to users through their microphones. The Chrome Hotword extension was used by Chromium to offer "OK, Google" voice activation to the browser.

Privacy advocates were concerned about the potential for eavesdropping, particularly in light of the fact that users were not warned of the presence of the extension. There was also concern that the extension is not open source, so it was not possible to see exactly what it was doing. In response to complaints, Chrome Hotword has now been made an optional component.

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Not all partnerships and alliances are created equal. Some are superficial, some are one-sided, and some are actually balanced and meaningful. A balanced partnership is the rarer of those types, but when they happen, magic can happen.

Today, a partnership comes to light that has many in both the Enterprise and open source communities excited. Two powerhouses -- Red Hat and Samsung -- are forming an alliance for mobile Enterprise solutions. Will this partnership be balanced and meaningful? It looks very likely.

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Ubuntu is one of the best overall Linux distributions, but it does have its fair share of detractors. Many people dislike the direction Canonical takes sometimes, including the much-maligned Unity desktop environment. Truth be told, I rather like Unity, but I can understand why some people prefer different desktop environments.

If you like the Ubuntu base, but dislike Canonical and Unity, there is a very easy solution -- use Mint instead. Linux Mint is Ubuntu at heart, with different tweaks and desktop environments, such as Cinnamon, Mate and KDE. Today, the Mint team releases a release candidate for the upcoming version -- 17.2 'Rafaela'.

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Are you happy with your life? Maybe you are stuck in a dead-end job. Maybe you are unemployed and living on your mom's couch. Hell, maybe you just need to enhance your skills for your current job. You know you need to make a change, but you keep putting it off. What is a smart path to take?

Linux. Yes, careers involved in Linux are in high demand. Getting certified in some way is not only personally rewarding, but also improves your employment potential by bolstering your resume. If you do not have money for such a thing, I have good news -- you could get a scholarship from The Linux Foundation. In other words, you can get a free education and certification. Will you improve your life by applying?

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If you are a Linux desktop user, you probably have a favorite distribution. Sticking to one distro is a good option, as it is generally less stressful and easier to master. With that said, however, some people are distro hoppers; constantly trying new Linux-based operating systems. This can be fun too, but the downside is that you are in a constant state of change -- a solid foundation has its benefits.

There are pros and cons to both practices, but I would suggest a happy medium; stick with the operating system you love, but try other ones -- on the side -- to remain knowledgeable on the state of the Linux community. One such distro I suggest trying -- on a VM or separate partition -- is Manjaro. Hell, if you like the Arch-based OS, you may just commit to it full time. Today, the newest version, 0.8.13, sees release, featuring two of the best desktop environments -- XFCE 4.12 and KDE Plasma 5.3.1.

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Apple is a company that embraces closed ideology. Its operating systems only work on certain hardware which it selects and sells. Its App Store features our-way-or-the-highway guidelines. Worst of all, on iOS, the user cannot even choose a default browser or email client. Hell, even when you use a browser other than Safari, it must use WebKit.

Today, however, this archaic ideology may be softening -- slightly. Among the hubbub of all the flashier WWDC announcements, Apple announced something miraculous -- its Swift 2.0 programming language is going open source. Yes, really.

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PC gaming has historically been a Windows-affair. For the most part, this works rather well. After all, Microsoft's operating system is easy to use and has incredible hardware compatibility. With that said, Windows does have a fair bit of overhead both from a performance and price perspective.

For many people, a Linux-based operating system makes more sense as it is free in cost while being lightweight from a performance perspective. In other words, the modular nature makes Linux ideal for focusing on gaming. Valve's long-promised Steam Machine concept was designed with this in mind, and after a long wait, you can finally order one.

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