OSWALD Newsletter Archives (by issue #, click to view)
The Open Source Law Weekly Digest or OSWALD first launched late in 2002. Since then it has been regularly providing updates on all things open source related. The focus of this newsletter is on business, rather than technical developments in open source. Another strong component of the newsletter is IP news, as it is of interest to me and has an effect on open source.
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Welcome to the Open Source Law Weekly Open Source Digest (OSWALD)
Lots of stories in this edition, and a lot of off topic stories. There have been a rash of privacy and government surveillance related stories this edition, presumably still off the back of the Swartz incident. One (OT) article talks about the very real difficulties you can encounter when you have problems with one of your online service providers. There's an interesting story about someone exploiting a flaw in a gaming machine's software to get super normal payouts. The fellow involved is being charged with unauthorised access. He is saying his access was authorised by the rules of the machine.
*From my blog: http://brendanscott.wordpress.com/2012/11/16/ip-issues-paper-42-costs/
http://brendanscott.wordpress.com/2012/11/16/ip-issues-paper-42-moral-rights/
http://brendanscott.wordpress.com/2012/11/16/ip-issues-paper-42-reflecting-the-views-of-owners/
Verbatim distribution with attribution ok.
Other distribution - email me.
Regards
Brendan
***** Open Standards/ODF
Internet organizations urge W3C to reject Encrypted Media Extensions http://www.fsf.org/news/coalition-against-drm-in-html
http://www.fsf.org/blogs/rms/w3c-soul-at-stake
The letter argues that "DRM restricts the public's freedom, even beyond what overzealous copyright law requires," and warns that for the W3C, "ratifying EME would be an abdication of responsibility; it would harm interoperability, enshrine nonfree software in W3C standards and perpetuate oppressive business models. It would fly in the face of the principles that the W3C cites as key to its mission and it would cause an array of serious problems for the billions of people who use the Web."
International Day Against DRM is Friday, May 3rd, 2013 http://www.defectivebydesign.org/dayagainstdrm/
http://shop.oreilly.com/category/deals/day-against-drm.do?code=DRM2013
This is a critical moment in the fight against DRM. A proposal currently being considered by the World Wide Web ConsorMillions of Internet users came together to defeat SOPA/PIPA, but now Big Media moguls are going through non-governmental channels to try to sneak digital restrictions into every interaction we have online. Giants like Netflix, Google, Microsoft, and the BBC are all rallying behind this disastrous proposal, which flies in the face of the W3C's mission to "lead the World Wide Web to its full potential." - Defective by Design
***** Off Topic
Censors increasingly take aim at Google content http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i01yf_BmdXBljJI-ntQmkK108Usw?docId=CNG.503a14c2b47645de891f323e828d10f3.671
"In more places than ever, we've been asked by governments to remove political content that people post on our services."
Math on Trial: How Numbers Get Used and Abused in the Courtroom http://www.washingtonindependentreviewofbooks.com/reviews/math-on-trial-how-numbers-get-used-and-abused-in-the-courtroom
mathematicians Leila Schneps and Coralie Colmez argue in Math on Trial that in at least 10 instances over the past century, innocent or wrongly accused defendants have been imprisoned or publicly harassed in part due to simple mathematical errors at trial, such as believing two events are independent (when they are not) or under appreciating the power of exponential growth.
Once Under Wraps, Supreme Court Audio Trove Now Online http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/04/25/178660998/Once-Under-Wraps-Supreme-Court-Audio-Trove-Now-Online
Audio from Wednesday's arguments will be available at week's end at the court's website, but that's a relatively new development at an institution that has historically been somewhat shuttered from public view.
Law Requiring Warrants for E-Mail Wins Senate Committee Approval http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2013/04/email-warrants-bill/
A Senate committee today backed sweeping privacy protections requiring the government, for the first time, to get a probable-cause warrant to obtain e-mail and other content stored in the cloud.
The Wise Way to Crowdsource a Manhunt http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/comment/2013/04/reddit-tsarnaev-marathon-bombers-wisdom-of-crowds.html?mbid=gnep&google_editors_picks=true
After Reddit’s attempt to find the Boston Marathon bombers turned into a major failure (for which Reddit’s general manager Erik Martin publicly apologized Monday), the over-all conclusion seems to be that the whole experiment was misguided from the start, and that the Redditors’ inability to identify the Tsarnaev brothers demonstrates the futility of using an online crowd of amateur sleuths to help with a criminal investigation.
Forget online drives, sync directly with BitTorrent Sync http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-57580924-263/forget-online-drives-sync-directly-with-bittorrent-sync/
The benefits of this technology are that you do not rely on a third-party intermediary as a synchronization medium, and as such the only limit to storage size is the capacity of your systems' hard drives (and perhaps bandwidth limits imposed by your ISP).
Apples R&D Spending Rises, But Its Still Small Change http://www.technologyreview.com/view/514121/apples-rd-spending-rises-but-its-still-small-change/
(In this quarter, for example, it devoted only 2.5 percent of its revenue to R&D versus Google’s 13 percent.)
Dumped! by Google http://www.lastwordonnothing.com/2013/04/22/dumped-by-google/
A few minutes into my Google-less existence, I realized how dependent I had become. I couldn’t finish my work or my taxes, because my notes and expenses were stored in Google Drive, and I didn’t know what else I should work on because my Google calendar had disappeared. I couldn’t publicly gripe about what I was going through, because my Blogger no longer existed. My Picasa albums were gone. I’d lost my contacts and calling plan through Google Voice; otherwise I would have called friends to cry.
European Month of the Brain: the EU and US putting our grey matter together http://blogs.ec.europa.eu/neelie-kroes/eu-us-grey-matter/
You may have seen our recent announcement about the human brain project (HBP). The deserved joint winner of our Future and Emerging Technology scheme; and hence recipient of around €1 billion euros in funding over 10 years.
EFF Gives Twitter High Marks for Protecting Users' Data http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2418462,00.asp
"We remain disappointed by the overall poor showing of ISPs like AT&T and Verizon in our best practice categories," EFF said.
Software engineers and the egalitarian roots of "(Le) Web" http://www.zdnet.com/software-engineers-and-the-egalitarian-roots-of-le-web-7000014728/
If you believe, like I do, that preserving the location of the invention of the web would be a good idea, make yourself heard. Tweet to @CERN with this URL and the hashtag #savetheroom.
So my former employer Opera Software has filed a lawsuit... http://trondblog.tumblr.com/post/49192504201/so-my-former-employer-opera-software-has-filed-a
http://thenextweb.com/insider/2013/04/29/opera-claims-former-employee-gave-away-trade-secrets-to-mozilla-sues-him-for-3-4m/
So my former employer Opera Software has filed a lawsuit against me in Norway for 20 million NOK ($3.4 million), claiming breach of contract and that I must have given Mozilla information that I wasn’t allowed to that has caused severe damage to the company.
What Happened When One Man Pinged the Whole Internet http://www.technologyreview.com/news/514066/what-happened-when-one-man-pinged-the-whole-internet/
On Tuesday, Moore published results on a particularly troubling segment of those vulnerable devices: ones that appear to be used for business and industrial systems. Over 114,000 of those control connections were logged as being on the Internet with known security flaws. Many could be accessed using default passwords and 13,000 offered direct access through a command prompt without a password at all.
***** Government/Policy
Six open source security myths debunked - and eight real challenges to consider http://www.zdnet.com/six-open-source-security-myths-debunked-and-eight-real-challenges-to-consider-7000014225/
Detractors of open source software often point to its broad developer base and open source code as a potential security risk. But that's not a fair assessment, according to Dr Ian Levy, technical director with the CESG, a department of the UK's GCHQ intelligence agency that advises UK government on IT security.
German Parliament Sends Message: Stop Granting Software Patents http://www.ip-watch.org/2013/04/22/german-parliament-sends-message-stop-granting-software-patents/
The German Parliament has held a first reading of [corrected] a joint motion against the growing trend of patent offices to grant patents on software programs. The resolution on “Secure Competition and Innovation in the software development,” obliges the German government to take steps to ensure that software is protected by copyright only and no additional patent protection is granted.
Got Code? App Challenge http://opensource.com/government/13/4/got-code-app-challenge
"Got code?" is the theme of the Alameda County Apps Challenge 2013.1, the second in a series of unique day-long events designed to challenge the public to create web and mobile applications using Alameda County open data sets.
Open source should be used to commoditise government IT http://www.publictechnology.net/news/open-source-should-be-used-commoditise-government-it-says-cabinet-offices-tariq-rashid/37741
"If you can sustain competitive tension beyond the point of purchase, that's the only thing that's going to give you long term value," he said.
Senate To Kill Current Version Of CISPA http://fossforce.com/2013/04/senate-to-kill-current-version-of-cispa/
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/04/why-is-congress-trying-to-make-our-internet-abuse-laws-worse-not-better/275142/
Do You Want the Government Buying Your Data From Corporations? http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/04/do-you-want-the-government-buying-your-data-from-corporations/275431/?google_editors_picks=true
Some of this is collected using National Security Letters (NSLs). These give the government the ability to demand an enormous amount of personal data about people for very speculative reasons, with neither probable cause nor judicial oversight. Data on these secretive orders is obviously scant, but we know that the FBI has issued hundreds of thousands of them in the past decade -- for reasons that go far beyond terrorism.
Smug Red Hat buoyed by UK gov's open-source three-line-whip http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/04/25/red_hat_cabinet_office/
Andrews, who spoke during a roundtable chat in London, would not reveal any sales figures. But he reckoned Linux is infiltrating Blighty's bureaucracy because it is "value for money" against closed-source rivals.
The Internet of Things gets a protocol -- it's called MQTT http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9238726/The_Internet_of_Things_gets_a_protocol_it_s_called_MQTT
"One of the big challenges for right now is that there is not a clear open standard" for message communication with embedded systems, said Mike Riegel, an IBM vice president of mobile and application integration middleware. "We know historically that unless you get to an open standard like this, it is not possible to drive the breakthroughs that are needed."
Second Circuit Victory for Richard Prince and Appropriation Art http://cyberlaw.stanford.edu/blog/2013/04/second-circuit-victory-richard-prince-and-appropriation-art
Transformation can be found where the artist’s expression and “composition, presentation, scale, color palette, and media are fundamentally different and new compared to the photographs.”
Illegal procurement favouring Microsoft in Portugal killed in the courts http://blog.1407.org/2013/04/24/illegal-procurement-favouring-microsoft-in-portugal-killed-in-the-courts/
This is the first judicial decision on this subject matter in Portugal, and it found it was illegal to purchase licensing of software this way, in spite of numerous alerts and complaints by ANSOL and now ESOP as well.
Suggestions for an FTC 6(b) Study on Patent Assertion Entities http://www.patentprogress.org/2013/04/05/suggestions-for-an-ftc-6b-study-on-patent-assertion-entities/
http://essentialpatentblog.com/2013/04/ftcdoj-patent-assertion-entity-workshop-gaming-the-system/#more-1268
We provide below some suggestions on questions the FTC might consider including in a 6(b) study on PAEs.
40,000 Linux Desktops Land in Spain
https://joinup.ec.europa.eu/community/osor/news/spains-extremadura-starts-switch-40000-government-pcs-open-source
The government of Spain's autonomous region of Extremadura has begun the switch to open source of it desktop PCs. The government expects the majority of its 40,000 PCs to be migrated this year, the region's CIO Theodomir Cayetano announced on 18 April. Extremadura estimates that the move to open source will help save 30 million euro per year.
HHS goes open source to build better, more powerful website http://gcn.com/articles/2013/05/01/healthcare-website-overhaul-opensource-cms.aspx
When the Healthcare.gov website re-launches in June, users may not notice much of a change, but on the back end, there is a lot of open-source magic going on that will make content generation and the sharing of information more seamless than it is on perhaps any other government site operating today.
Computer Crime Law Goes to the Casino http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2013/05/computer-crime-law-goes-to-the-casino.html
The sticking point in the charge is whether they “exceeded authorized access.” The government’s theory is that they exceeded their authorization by using the double-up switch to increase the payout from the first win. Their response, as summarized by Poulsen, is that they “played by the rules imposed by the machine.”
Now You Can Buy 3D Printers From Staples http://mashable.com/2013/05/03/staples-3d-printers/
Staples, which announced in November that it planned to bring the devices to its European stores, will be selling the Cube 3D Printer from 3D Systems for $1,299. The printer has built-in WiFi and comes with more than two dozen 3D design templates, with more available to download online. Staples will also sell accessories for the 3D printers like plastic cartridge refills.
DOJ Issues Business Review Letter on a Proposed Innovative IP Exchange http://antitrust.weil.com/articles/doj-issues-business-review-letter-on-a-proposed-innovative-ip-exhange/
While the DOJ declined the opportunity to state affirmatively that it has no intention of enforcing the antitrust laws against IPXI, it also did not state that it finds IPXI likely to violate the laws or create overall anticompetitive effects.
This EULA Will Make You Rethink Every App and Online Service You Use http://www.wired.com/opinion/2013/04/this-eula-was-inspired-by-every-app-store-social-network-search-engine-and-online-payment-service/
The information economy that we are currently building doesn’t really embrace capitalism, but rather a new form of feudalism.
As cyberthreats mount, hackers conviction underscores criticism of government overreach http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/as-cyberthreats-mount-hackers-conviction-fuels-critics-claims-of-government-overreach/2013/04/29/d9430e3c-a1f4-11e2-9c03-6952ff305f35_story.html
Yet only a few, heavily redacted e-mail addresses were published, court documents show. No one’s account was broken into. AT&T fixed the problem in about an hour, and a company official testified that there probably was not enough evidence to sue the hackers.
Disruption in the Legal Industry: A Librarians Perspective http://verdict.justia.com/2013/04/29/disruption-in-the-legal-industry
But that being said, legal publishing needs to be disrupted because legal publishing is broken. In its current state, it only serves to keep information locked away from people. And, given the unique status of legal information (which we can define here as cases, as well as laws and regulations passed by all levels of government bodies), you don’t even have to be one of those “information wants to be free” hippies to agree that there is no reason why this particular subset of the information ecosystem shouldn’t be free, open, accessible and preserved for all.
Government Surveillance and Privacy http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2013/04/25/texas_judge_denies_fbi_request_to_use_trojan_to_infiltrate_unknown_suspect.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22384145
http://blog.simplejustice.us/2013/05/01/posner-on-privacy-who-cares.aspx
http://www.informationweek.com/security/privacy/fbi-seeks-real-time-facebook-google-wire/240154011
http://epic.org/privacy/themepark/
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-57581161-38/u.s-gives-big-secret-push-to-internet-surveillance/
http://www.zdziarski.com/blog/?p=2155
***** Patent/CR/DRM News+Policy
Jack Ohman: The four new bases of DNA http://www.sacbee.com/2013/04/15/5344923/jack-ohman-the-four-new-bases.html
Hollywood Studios Fuming Over Indie Studio Deal With BitTorrent http://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/13/04/26/2237215/hollywood-studios-fuming-over-indie-studio-deal-with-bittorrent
'It's a deal with the devil,' one studio executive [said]. 'Cinedigm is being used as their pawn.'
Apple to challenge $368M patent infringement verdict http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9238718/Apple_to_challenge_368M_patent_infringement_verdict
Apple will challenge a November 2012 jury verdict that awarded $368 million in damages to Nevada patent-holding company VirnetX, a filing with U.S. regulators showed.
The Copyright Lobotomy: How Intellectual Property Makes Us Pretend To Be Stupid http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130410/12051322665/copyright-lobotomy-how-intellectual-property-makes-us-pretend-to-be-stupid.shtml
But here's the real kicker: the moment there might be any benefit to the consumer, the content companies toss the analogy out the window, and suddenly want to talk about reality.
Prendas last stand: threats sprawl from a Minnesota hacking lawsuit http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/04/prendas-last-stand-threats-sprawl-from-a-minnesota-hacking-lawsuit/
http://www.popehat.com/2013/04/21/angry-prenda-is-angry/
To some, Urbancyzk's cases look like they aren't true "defenses" at all, primarily because he has struck deals with Prenda lawyers allowing for broad discovery—and quickly. Getting that kind of discovery basically gives Prenda everything they need to write another batch of threat letters. If the allegations are true, it wouldn't be the first time that Prenda has been accused of colluding with a person who was essentially set up as a "sham" lawsuit in order to lead to more discovery.
Microsoft-Motorola -Wash. court sets RAND royalty for Motorola SEP patents http://essentialpatentblog.com/2013/04/microsoft-motorola-update-washington-court-sets-rand-royalty-for-motorola-802-11-and-h-264-patent-portfolios/
http://essentialpatentblog.com/2013/05/an-annotated-version-of-judge-robarts-microsoft-motorola-rand-royalty-setting-order/
http://www.consortiuminfo.org/standardsblog/article.php?story=20130429084333251
That’s about 4 cents/unit total — and even at the upper bounds, it’s about 36 cents/unit.
China court fines Apple $118K for copyright breach http://www.zdnet.com/cn/china-court-fines-apple-118k-for-copyright-breach-7000014487/
Apple will have to compensate three Chinese writers for infringing their copyright rights when it sold their books online without first seeking permission.
Chairman Goodlatte Announces Comprehensive Review of Copyright Law http://judiciary.house.gov/news/2013/04242013_2.html
it is my belief that a wide review of our nation’s copyright laws and related enforcement mechanisms is timely. I am announcing today that the House Judiciary Committee will hold a comprehensive series of hearings on U.S. copyright law in the months ahead. The goal of these hearings will be to determine whether the laws are still working in the digital age. I welcome all interested parties to submit their views and concerns to the Committee.
Nokia did not obtain injunction against HTC, HTC One mics good to go for now http://www.zdnet.com/nokia-did-not-obtain-injunction-against-htc-htc-one-mics-good-to-go-for-now-7000014485/
http://www.zdnet.com/nokia-awarded-injunction-against-htc-for-microphone-components-7000014362/
In light of several misleading stories regarding a recent injunction obtained by Nokia against STM (a supplier of components to HTC in the Netherlands), HTC looks to clarify the following points:
Microsoft signs patent deal with Chinese phone maker ZTE http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57581081-75/microsoft-signs-patent-deal-with-chinese-phone-maker-zte/
The deal grants ZTE a license to Microsoft's worldwide patent portfolio for ZTE phones, tablets, computers, and other devices that run Android and Chrome OS. Microsoft did not disclose if ZTE would pay royalties, or the amount it would pay, under the agreement.
Prenda Law's Trip To San Francisco Turns Out Badly http://www.popehat.com/2013/04/23/prenda-law-trip-to-san-francisco-turns-out-badly/
Prenda did get the order it sought to drop the case — but not on terms it asked for, and certainly not on terms it's going to like.
After $200M patent settlement with Microsoft, VirnetX sues for more http://arstechnica.com/apple/2013/04/after-200m-patent-settlement-with-microsoft-virnetx-sues-for-more/
A patent-holding company that already won a $200 million patent settlement from Microsoft in 2010 is going after the software giant again. Yesterday, VirnetX filed suit in the East Texas judicial district that it favors, seeking another patent win against Redmond.
HTC hits back at Nokia with legal win in Germany http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2263508/htc-hits-back-at-nokia-with-legal-win-in-germany
HTC said that on Tuesday the District Court of Mannheim, Germany dismissed a Nokia patent claim, ruling the complaint was "too poor."
Fed. Circuit denies Motorolas motion to dismiss/transfer Apple FRAND appeal to 7th Cir. for now http://essentialpatentblog.com/2013/05/federal-circuit-denies-motorolas-motion-to-dismiss-or-transfer-apple-frand-appeal-to-7th-circuit-for-now/
Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit denied Motorola’s motion to dismiss Apple’s FRAND appeal (or transfer the case to the 7th Circuit)
Pirate Site Blocking Legislation Approved By Norwegian Parliament http://torrentfreak.com/pirate-site-blocking-legislation-approved-by-norwegian-parliament-130501/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
Proposed amendments to the Copyright Act, which will make it easier for rightsholders to monitor file-sharers and have sites such as The Pirate Bay blocked at the ISP level, received broad support in parliament this week and look almost certain to be passed into law.
Senator Charles Schumer Targets Patent Trolls, Wants USPTO To Review Infringement Suits Before T http://techcrunch.com/2013/05/01/senator-charles-schumer-plans-bill-for-uspto-to-review-patent-troll-suits-before-they-head-to-court/
Companies like Google, BlackBerry, Earthlink, Red Hat, and others in the tech community, have been piling pressure on the U.S. government to take a stronger stand against companies that file patent suits but don’t actually make any products themselves — known formally as “patent assertion entities” but more commonly as patent trolls and patent privateers (a term favored by Google)
Authors, composers want 3.4% of every Belgians Internet bill http://arstechnica.com/apple/2013/05/authors-composers-want-3-4-of-every-belgians-internet-bill/
The lawsuit has been brought by the Belgian Society of Authors, Composers, and Publishers, known as Sabam. The group's claim is similar to the blank-media levy that exists in Canada.
Craigslists hacking, copyright claims against rival PadMapper hold up for now http://gigaom.com/2013/04/30/court-says-craigslists-hacking-copyright-claims-against-padmapper-and-rivals-hold-up-for-now/
In a key part of Tuesday’s highly-technical decision, the judge examined whether Craigslist’s terms of service meant that users had given the site permission to use their ads as the basis for copyright lawsuits. The judge said Craigslist didn’t obtain such permission, except for a short period in the summer of 2012 when the site changed its terms of service — before backing down in the face of a popular backlash.
Nine Reasons why the Supreme Court Should Side with Myriad and Affirm Patenting Isolated Genes http://www.patentlyo.com/patent/2013/04/guest-post-nine-reasons-why-the-supreme-court-should-side-with-myriad-and-affirm-the-patenting-of-isolated-human-genes.html
Innovatio, WiFi suppliers clash over over essentiality of Innovatio 802.11 patents http://essentialpatentblog.com/2013/04/innovatio-wifi-suppliers-clash-over-over-essentiality-of-innovatio-802-11-patents/#more-1292
An issue that often comes up in standard-essential patent litigation is “essentiality” — whether the asserted claims are actually necessary to practice the technological standard that forms the basis of the infringement allegations.
Fixing FRAND: A Pseudo-Pool Approach to Standards-Based Patent Licensing http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2232515
While, at first blush, FRAND commitments seem to assure product vendors that patents will not obstruct the manufacture and sale of standards-compliant products, in reality these commitments are vague and unreliable
***** Applications/Gadgets
CrazyFlie 6-DOF Review ??? Fly away now, fly away http://www.linuxuser.co.uk/reviews/crazyflie-6-dof-review-fly-away-now-fly-away
One of the smallest quadrotors in the world is also fully open source.
Raspberry Pi Case by SB Components Review http://www.linuxuser.co.uk/reviews/raspberry-pi-case-by-sb-components-review
TheLittleBlackBox: An ARM-based, open source XBMC media center http://liliputing.com/2013/04/thelittleblackbox-an-arm-based-open-source-xbmc-media-center.html
XBMC is a media center application that started its life as a project to turn the first-generation Xbox into an audio and video powerhouse. The project has since been ported to run on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and other platforms, and we’ve even seen it running on low-power devices with ARM processors such as the Pivos XIOS DS Media Play.
Android Phones Pinpoint Snipers http://mashable.com/2013/04/27/android-snipers/
The military has high-tech equipment to track sniper fire, using microphones carried by soldiers or stationary mics mounted at strategic points. Now that technology is getting shrunk so it can be used in the hands of civilian bodyguards with Android phones.
Download Lightworks Linux Public Beta [Professional Video Editor] http://www.webupd8.org/2013/04/download-lightworks-linux-public-beta.html
Lightworks, a professional video editing and mastering software, is finally available for Linux, as a public beta.
ARM-based EMB-2500: Like Raspberry Pi, but much better http://www.linuxbsdos.com/2013/04/30/arm-based-emb-2500-like-raspberry-pi-but-much-better/
The EMB-2500 is the latest single-board, SoC computer to be released this year. Ever since the Raspberry Pi hit the streets and became hugely popular with its target audience, there has been several similar attempts to outdo it, but none has shipped with standard storage connectivity that the average computer user can use.
Adobe contributes font rasterizer technology to FreeType http://blogs.adobe.com/typblography/2013/05/adobe-contributes-cff-rasterizer-to-freetype.html
Today we are pleased to announce that Adobe has contributed its CFF rasterizer to FreeType. The code is now available for testing in the latest beta version of FreeType. This open source project, aimed at improving CFF rasterization in devices and environments that use FreeType, is a collaboration between Adobe, Google and FreeType.
For your robot-building needs, $45 BeagleBone Linux PC goes on sale http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2013/04/for-your-robot-building-needs-the-45-beaglebone-linux-pc-goes-on-sale/
On sale now for $45, BeagleBone Black sports a 1GHz Sitara AM335x ARM Cortex-A8 processor from Texas Instruments, up from the 720MHz processor used in the previous $90 BeagleBone released in 2011.
***** Reports
The biggest cloud app of all: Netflix http://www.zdnet.com/the-biggest-cloud-app-of-all-netflix-7000014298/
Specifically, depending on customer demand, Netflix's front-end services are running on 500 to 1,000 Linux-based Tomcat JavaServer and NGINX web servers.
Ubuntu Touch betas are ready for testing http://www.zdnet.com/ubuntu-touch-betas-are-ready-for-testing-7000014281/
How does Ubuntu Touch, the version of Ubuntu Linux, compare to Android? Well, you can finally find out for yourself.
Red Hat Sets JBoss Free with WildFly Application Server http://www.serverwatch.com/server-news/red-hat-sets-jboss-free-with-wildfly-application-server.html
"So WildFly will be our upstream project and it will continue to be the leading edge of what ends up in the JBoss Enterprise Application Platform," Andersen said. WildFly
IBM Falls Short of the Goal Line in 1Q13: Will Linux Save Big Blue? http://www.datamation.com/data-center/ibm-falls-short-of-the-goal-line-in-1q13.html
While POWER based systems are often associated with IBM's AIX UNIX operating system, it can also be used for Linux workloads. Loughridge said that IBM's plan is to expand the POWER platform to go after the Linux opportunity.
Open Source MySQL REDUX as MariaDB merges with SkySQL for Commercial Support http://www.internetnews.com/blog/skerner/open-source-mysql-redux-as-mariadb-merges-with-skysql-for-commercial-support.html
http://techcrunch.com/2013/04/23/skysql-merges-with-mariadb-to-solidify-its-open-source-database-position/
Now flash forward to 2013 and MariaDB has its own open source Foundation and today is announcing a merger between SkySQL (a commercial service vendor staffed by lots of former MySQL AB types) and MariaDB's primary development team at Monty Program AB.
Facebook confirms its $300M open-source data center in Iowa http://venturebeat.com/2013/04/23/facebook-confirms-its-300m-open-source-data-center-in-iowa/
Facebook has just confirmed that it is, in fact, building a new, fancy, open-source data center in Altoona, Iowa.
Sony Launches An Android Open Source Project For The Xperia Z Smartphone http://techcrunch.com/2013/04/23/sony-launches-an-android-open-source-project-for-the-xperia-z-smartphone/
which means that the company’s water resistant flagship phone will get to participate in the kind of Android development work more often reserved for Google-blessed Nexus devices.
1,000 Firefox Phones In the Wild! http://fossforce.com/2013/04/1000-firefox-phones-in-the-wild/
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57580893-94/firefox-os-developer-phones-already-sold-out/
They were scheduled to be released by GeeksPhone, a young Spanish start-up mobile telephony company. “Geeksphone started selling them yesterday and went ‘sold out’ in few hours. Let’s see if this will be the OSource alternative to Android and iOS.”
VMware Sees OpenStack as an Opportunity as Revenues Grow http://www.serverwatch.com/server-news/vmware-sees-openstack-as-an-opportunity-as-revenues-grow.html#
Looking forward, VMware provided second quarter guidance for revenue to range from $1.21 billion to $1.24 billion, representing growth of between approximately 8 percent to 10 percent.
Smartphones outpace feature phones for first time ever http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57581566-94/smartphones-outpace-feature-phones-for-first-time-ever/
The gains by the Android device makers didn't do any favors for Apple's global smartphone market share during the first quarter, which declined to 17.3 percent from 23 percent in the year-earlier quarter. Samsung's market share rose to 32.7 percent (up from 28.8 percent), while LG, Huawei, and ZTE saw their slices of the market inch up into the 4 percent range.
Google accelerates push to replace passwords by joining FIDO Alliance http://www.theverge.com/policy/2013/4/23/4258684/google-accelerates-push-to-replace-passwords-by-joining-fido-alliance
The goal is to create a standards-based specification for password alternatives that work with internet services and with one another.
Linux User Experience Levels http://ostatic.com/blog/linux-user-experience-levels
Sometimes I wonder about the experience level of all us Linux users. Are we mostly a collection of new users or are most Linux users hard core geeks?
>From MySQL to SkySQL to NewSQL http://www.computerweekly.com/blogs/open-source-insider/2013/04/from-mysql-to-skysql-to-newsql.html
SkySQL last week signed a merger agreement with Monty Program Ab forming one of the industry's newest and perhaps most logical business agreements.
Trisquel GNU/Linux flies the flag for software freedom http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/460211/trisquel_gnu_linux_flies_flag_software_freedom/
Trisquel strips out non-free software from Ubuntu and its package repositories. In addition to not recommending the installation of non-free software, other packages are modified to make them free.
Announcing Outreach Program for Women Internships for the Linux Kernel: Please Apply http://www.linux.com/news/featured-blogs/167-amanda-mcpherson/716409-announcing-outreach-program-for-women-internships-for-the-linux-kernel-please-apply
These internships have a $5,000 stipend and come with a $500 travel grant to attend and speak at LinuxCon this fall. This is a great opportunity to work with a mentor and get started with kernel development, which as many articles report, is a great way to land a high-paying job.
Control and security of corporate open-source projects proves difficult http://www.networkworld.com/news/2013/043013-opensource-survey-269264.html
In spite what is clearly considerable open-source usage -- for example 80% of a typical Java application is now assembled from open-source components and frameworks -- 57% said their companies "lack any policy governing open-source usage" and 76% indicated lack of meaningful controls related to software typically obtained at no cost though licensed.
iPad dominates, but low-end Android tablets the real growth story http://gadgets.ndtv.com/tablets/news/ipad-dominates-but-low-end-android-tablets-the-real-growth-story-as-quarterly-shipments-top-49-milli-361713#;
Global tablet shipments more than doubled in the first quarter and while Apple remained the top seller, Asian manufacturers making low-end gadgets accounted for a major chunk of the growth, according to a report.
Open Source Still Key as Windows Azure Platform Goes General Availability http://www.openlogic.com/blog/bid/288184/Open-Source-Still-Key-as-Windows-Azure-Platform-Goes-General-Availability
. It has been about a year since we started collaborating with Microsoft to provide the CentOS image for Windows Azure.
Windows 8: The most important reason to switch to Linux http://www.linuxbsdos.com/2013/05/01/windows-8-the-most-important-reason-to-switch-to-linux/
Previous versions of Windows were bad enough, but Windows 8, with its Restricted Boot requirements, have made dual-booting a Linux distribution with Windows 8 on store-bought computers a royal pain in the rear end.
Open or die: Innovation led by open source http://www.osbc.com/
In 2013, how the enterprise gathers, mines, analyzes and puts data to work separates winners from losers in the market. Major enterprises have long used sophisticated data warehousing and data mining strategies, built on complex and expensive proprietary software and hardware, to gain competitive advantage.
Red Hat's Gluster community adds new open-source projects http://www.zdnet.com/red-hats-gluster-community-adds-new-open-source-projects-7000014791/
Red Hat's Gluster open-source community has been all about its namesake, the GlusterFS, but now it's expanding to cover other open-source, software-defined storage technologies.
Mozilla: Look ma, no plug-in for video, apps http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-57582743-92/mozilla-look-ma-no-plug-in-for-video-apps/
A new codec from Mozilla and OTOY will let browsers run high-performance rendering apps like Autodesk and high-definition video without plug-ins, the companies unveiled Friday.
Android Tablets Edge Out iPad: IDC http://www.informationweek.com/hardware/handheld/android-tablets-edge-out-ipad-idc/240154083?cid=RSSfeed_IWK_All
iOS's dominant position in the tablet market crashed from 58.1% to 39.6%.
Red Hat: The Software Industry's Choice Is 'Open or Die' http://readwrite.com/2013/04/29/red-hat-the-industrys-choice-is-open-or-die
As Whitehurst argues, commoditization of technology changes the way innovation occurs, moving from vendor-led to user-led.
Linux World Embraces Google Chromebooks http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2013/04/linux-kernel-chromebooks/
The latest incarnation of the Linux Kernel was released this week, and for the first time, it includes code for running Linux on Google Chromebooks. Chromebooks come loaded with Chrome OS — a web-happy, Linux-based operating system designed by Google — but the new kernel code will make it easier to run other versions of the popular open source operating system on these machines.
Android notebooks? Yep, Intel says, and they'll only cost $200 http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-57581500-92/android-notebooks-yep-intel-says-and-theyll-only-cost-$200/
Notebook prices should soon hit $200, but most of those will be Android-based devices, not Windows 8, an Intel executive said.
'Wintel' on the wane: Intel goes Google http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-57581751-92/wintel-on-the-wane-intel-goes-google/
So Intel is turning to Google. I've been hearing from sources at Intel for a long time that Android is the future. And Intel said as much to CNET this week.
Microsoft's open source subsidiary celebrates its first year http://www.infoworld.com/t/open-source-software/microsofts-open-source-subsidiary-celebrates-its-first-year-217411
MOT (Microsoft Open Technologies) was established last year under the leadership of standards veteran Jean Paoli as a vehicle for Microsoft's open source ambitions. Back then, I surmised its main role would be to act as a firewall to isolate Microsoft from the risks of open source the company has long alleged.
***** Snippets
How OpenStack Should Prepare Itself for the Enterprise http://www.cio.com/article/732123/How_OpenStack_Should_Prepare_Itself_for_the_Enterprise
Open Source Music Service Napster.fm Changes Its Name To Peer.fm http://techcrunch.com/2013/04/21/open-source-music-service-napster-fm-changes-its-name-to-peer-fm-will-be-translating-the-app-into-more-languages/
KDE's Future Will be Wayland http://ostatic.com/blog/kdes-future-will-be-wayland
Linux 3.9 rc8
https://lkml.org/lkml/2013/4/21/89
The Connected Desktop -- With Ubuntu Linux http://pinehead.tv/linux/the-connected-desktop-with-ubuntu-linux/
Open Source Software Isn't Just Code. It's Your Resume http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2013/04/openstack-india/
Debian 7 is Nearly Here http://ostatic.com/blog/debian-7-is-nearly-here
Project Savanna to Create Bridges Between Hadoop and OpenStack http://ostatic.com/blog/project-savanna-to-create-bridges-between-hadoop-and-openstack
Mageia 3 RC out now http://www.linuxuser.co.uk/news/mageia-3-rc-out-now
What Is To Become Of The Litte Guy...? http://linuxlock.blogspot.com/2013/04/what-is-to-become-of-little-guy.html
Mark Shuttleworth 'Chillin' on Ubuntu 13.04 [VIDEO] http://www.datamation.com/osrc/article.php/3909806/Ubuntu-Aims-for-Linux-Desktop-Unity.htm
Would You Pay to Play Linux? http://ostatic.com/blog/would-you-pay-to-play-linux
Fedora 19 Sneak Peek http://eyeonlinux.com/2013/04/23/fedora-19-sneak-peek/
Fedora 19 Alpha Version Arrives http://ostatic.com/blog/fedora-19-alpha-version-arrives
ConVirt: the New Tool in Your Virtual Toolbox http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/convirt-new-tool-your-virtual-toolbox
Open source potential in capital markets http://www.opengamma.com/
The Kernel Column: 3.9 draws near http://www.linuxuser.co.uk/opinion/the-kernel-column-3-9-draws-near
Linux? Chances are you've never suffered from Tennis Elbow??? http://www.thepowerbase.com/2013/04/tennis-elbow-2013-now-available-for-linux/
Exploring SmartOS http://ostatic.com/blog/exploring-smartos
Open Recall: Wheezy is coming, ownCloud joins Linux Foundation http://www.h-online.com/open/news/item/Open-Recall-Wheezy-is-coming-ownCloud-joins-Linux-Foundation-1850591.html
Oracle's closed approach keeps Java at risk http://www.infoworld.com/d/open-source-software/oracles-closed-approach-keeps-java-risk-217297
Mandriva Business Server gets new apps and security fixes
https://www.mandriva.com/en/products-services/mbs/
Ubuntu 13.04 Review: Linux for the average Joe or Jane http://www.zdnet.com/ubuntu-13-04-review-linux-for-the-average-joe-or-jane-7000014521/
Where Red Hat CEO's pay ranks among top techie execs http://www.networkworld.com/slideshow/97303/ceo-pay-cash-stock-awards-perks-add-up-to-big-pay-packages.html#slide13
Debian 7.0 Wheezy Will Be Officially Released on May 5 http://news.softpedia.com/news/Debian-7-0-Wheezy-Will-Be-Officially-Released-on-May-5-348550.shtml
Is there an easier transition to Linux from Windows? http://www.everydaylinuxuser.com/2013/04/is-there-easier-transition-to-linux.html
Ubuntu 13.04 Linux Server Debuts. Should You Upgrade? http://www.serverwatch.com/server-news/ubuntu-13.04-linux-server-debuts-should-you-upgrade.html
Schmidt: Google Glass Critics Afraid of Change, Society Will Adapt http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2013/04/26/schmidt-google-glass-critics-afraid-of-change-society-will-adapt/
Google's Schmidt says talking to glasses can be weird, inappropriate http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/25/us-google-harvard-idUSBRE93O1FF20130425
Jim Zemlin at TEDx: What We've Learned from Linus Torvalds http://www.linux.com/news/featured-blogs/185-jennifer-cloer/715856-jim-zemlin-at-tedx-what-weve-learned-from-linus-torvalds
Apple Inc. Q2 2013 Unaudited Summary Data http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/320193/000119312513167458/d525779dex992.htm
http://techcrunch.com/2013/04/23/apple-international-sales-q2-2013-china/
Google buys Wavii for $30 million, mirroring Yahoo's deal http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/24/google-acquisition-wavii-idUSL2N0DA2VX20130424
How to Bring More Women to Free and Open Source Software http://www.linux.com/news/featured-blogs/200-libby-clark/714599-women-in-free-open-source-software
Why I love Raspberry Pi http://betanews.com/2013/04/23/why-i-love-raspberry-pi/
Jon Corbet's Linux Forecast, Netflix and More from Collaboration Summit http://www.linux.com/news/featured-blogs/200-libby-clark/713704-collaboration-summit-2013-afternoon-keynotes
Samsung vs. Google: an Interview with Rafael Barbosa Barifouse of Redacao Epoca http://www.asymco.com/2013/04/07/samsung-vs-google-an-interview-with-rafael-barbosa-barifouse-of-redacao-epoca/
Nouveau In Linux 3.10 Kernel Isn't Too Exciting http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=search&q=Linux+3.10
Jim Zemlin at TEDx: What We've Learned from Linus Torvalds
https://www.linux.com/news/featured-blogs/185-jennifer-cloer/715856-jim-zemlin-at-tedx-what-weve-learned-from-linus-torvalds
Content Management Framework Kajona released in version 4.1 http://www.kajona.de/en/News/newsdetails..newsDetail.699cc50517bf546666cc.html
Ubuntu Server 13.04 Advances with OpenStack http://ostatic.com/blog/ubuntu-server-13-04-advances-with-openstack
Linux saved my life http://linuxblog.darkduck.com/2013/04/linux-saved-my-life.html
Why Open Source Software Is Like Burning Man (Only Better) http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2013/04/new-hackers-taylor/
Linux 3.9 Clamps Down on Power Speeds Up with SSD http://www.serverwatch.com/server-news/linux-3.9-clamps-down-on-power-speeds-up-with-ssds.html
OpenWRT Attitude Adjustment (12.09 final)
https://dev.openwrt.org/wiki/GetSource
KDevelop 4.5.0 Released http://kdevelop.org/45/kdevelop-450-released
Wikipedia Migrates to MariaDB http://ostatic.com/blog/wikipedia-migrates-to-mariadb
Router Linux OpenWRT 12.09 released http://www.h-online.com/open/news/item/Router-Linux-OpenWRT-12-09-released-1852859.html
Fuduntu Done Now, All Hail FuSE http://ostatic.com/blog/fuduntu-done-now-all-hail-fuse
Interfacing a sensor with an Arduino http://www.linuxuser.co.uk/tutorials/interfacing-a-sensor-with-an-arduino
Linux Kernel 3.9 on Ubuntu http://blog.avirtualhome.com/linux-kernel-3-9-on-ubuntu/
OpenFlow Inventor Martin Casado on SDN, VMware, and Software Defined Networking Hype [VIDEO] http://www.enterprisenetworkingplanet.com/netsp/openflow-inventor-martin-casado-sdn-vmware-software-defined-networking-video.html
gThumb 3.2.1 Fixes Facebook Authentication http://news.softpedia.com/news/gThumb-3-2-1-Fixes-Facebook-Authentication-350049.shtml
Ubuntu Drivers http://www.datamation.com/open-source/ubuntu-drivers.html
Donay Launches A New Way For Businesses And Users To Incentivize And Reward Open Source Programmers http://techcrunch.com/2013/04/30/donay-launches-a-new-way-for-businesses-and-users-to-incentivize-and-reward-open-source-programmers-at-disrupt-ny/
4 Hot Open Source Big Data Projects http://hadoop.apache.org/
Which Linux distribution would you save? http://www.everydaylinuxuser.com/2013/04/which-distros-would-you-save.html
All Good Things Come in 3's, and Great Things are 3 Dot 3 http://www.eucalyptus.com/blog/2013/04/29/all-good-things-come-3s-and-great-things-are-3-dot-3
Oracle VM: Past, Present and Future of Xen-based Virtualization Platform http://thevarguy.com/virtualization-applications-and-technologies/oracle-vm-past-present-and-future-oracle-virtualization
Apache servers ambushed by sophisticated backdoor attacks http://www.networkworld.com/news/2013/043013-apache-servers-ambushed-by-sophisticated-269252.html
50 Free Awesome Android Apps http://www.datamation.com/mobile-wireless/50-free-awesome-android-apps.html
Shuttleworth: Ubuntu Cloud, Mobile Equally Important; Android Battle Looms http://thevarguy.com/cloud-computing-services-and-business-solutions/shuttleworth-ubuntu-cloud-mobile-equally-important-a
Digium Positions Asterisk, Open Source PBX for Mid-Size Customers http://thevarguy.com/business-technology-solution-sales/digium-switchvox-400-targets-midsize-unified-communications-marke
Ubuntu 13.10 Daily Builds Are Now Available for Download http://news.softpedia.com/news/Ubuntu-13-10-Daily-Builds-Are-Now-Available-for-Download-350227.shtml
Ubuntu 13.10 Release Schedule http://news.softpedia.com/news/Ubuntu-13-10-Release-Schedule-349878.shtml
Arch Linux on Raspberry Pi Running XFCE [Version 2] http://blog.adityapatawari.com/2013/05/arch-linux-on-raspberry-pi-running-xfce.html
>From GNOME Linux Desktop to OpenStack Cloud [VIDEO] http://www.datamation.com/cloud-computing/what-is-private-cloud.html
Mageia 3 Delayed Again a Bit http://ostatic.com/blog/mageia-3-delayed-again-a-bit
Spy vs. Spy; Wikipedia Sports New DB & More??? http://fossforce.com/2013/05/spy-vs-spy-wikipedia-sports-new-db-more/
Red Hat's Gluster gets a community project forge http://www.h-online.com/open/news/item/Red-Hat-s-Gluster-gets-a-community-project-forge-1855728.html
Andreessen: Android poised to explode in emerging markets http://www.androidcentral.com/andreessen-android-looks-explode-emerging-markets
Apple, AT&T and Verizon receive lowest marks in EFF privacy report http://blog.sfgate.com/techchron/2013/04/30/apple-att-and-verizon-receive-lowest-marks-in-eff-privacy-report/
How A 17-Year-Old Girl Won a Hackathon And What It Means for Women in Tech http://evolver.fm/2013/04/30/how-a-17-year-old-girl-won-a-hackathon-and-what-it-means-for-women-in-tech/
Google's Eric Schmidt and the New Digital Age http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-3445_162-57581733/googles-eric-schmidt-and-the-new-digital-age/?pageNum=2
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