Windows 7 endless reboot answer evades Microsoft

Microsoft support offers ideas, but some PCs still crippled after upgrade attempt.

Computerworld – Users remained stymied today by endless reboots after trying to upgrade their PCs to Windows 7, according to messages posted on Microsoft’s support forum.

An answer has yet to be found for all users, who began reporting the problem last Friday after watching the upgrade stall two-thirds of the way through the process. Most users said that their PCs had displayed an error that claimed the upgrade had been unsuccessful and that Vista would be restored. Instead, their PCs again booted to the Windows 7 setup process, failed, then restarted the vicious cycle.

Several Microsoft engineers, including the company’s senior group manager for Windows supportability, have offered advice, but on Monday users continued to publish complaints on a growing forum thread.

Começamos bem Windows 7 – seja como for o Windows 8 resolverá estes problemas!

Read the full Article @ ComputerWorld

Kubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala) Released

Kubuntu is built with the latest KDE desktop on top of a solid Ubuntu core. We believe this combination delivers a fantastic all-round home desktop experience. Our selection of tools and applications will provide you with all that you need for most of your tasks, with many more available just a few clicks away! Whether browsing the web, playing your music, composing an e-mail or connecting with your friends on social networks, Kubuntu 9.10 brings you an innovative and attractive platform for all your desktop needs.

Read on for information on how to get Kubuntu and what is new in Karmic.

Installing 9.10

• Download CD image
• Upgrade from Kubuntu 9.04
• Upgrade from Kubuntu 8.04

Full Release announcement

Esperem um minuto!

A Microsoft vai lançar o Windows 7 já no próximo dia 22, mas então o que aconteceu ao Longhorn de 2003. Este parecia muito mais avançado que o Vista ou o próprio Windows 7?

Este que aparentava ser o melhor Windows de todos os tempos simplesmente sumiu do mapa?

Estou chocado!!! deixo aqui o vídeo para os mais distraídos saberem o que perderam, afinal não era mais que apenas vaporware?

Nem ao fim de 9 anos conseguiram reproduzir o conceito que desenharam!

KDE 4.3.2 Release Announcement

KDE Community Ships Second Translation and Service Release of the 4.3 Free Desktop, Containing Numerous Bugfixes, Performance Improvements and Translation Updates

October 6th, 2009. Another month has passed since the release of KDE 4.3.0, so today the KDE Community announces the immediate availability of KDE 4.3.2, a bugfix, translation and maintenance update for the latest generation of the most advanced and powerful free desktop. KDE 4.3.2 is a monthly update to KDE 4.3. It ships with a desktop workspace and many cross-platform applications such as administration programs, network tools, educational applications, utilities, multimedia software, games, artwork, development tools and more. KDE’s award-winning tools and applications are available in more than 50 languages.

Enhancements

KDE 4.3.2 brings a nice numer of bugfixes, some critical, some just fixing small annoyances:

• Many crashers have been fixed in KDE’s core libraries, bringing more stability to all applications
• KWin’s window compositing effects have been further stabilized by fixing a number of bugs in effect plugins such as the famous coverswitch window switcher
• The biggest number of bugs for this release has been fixed in KMail, KDE’s email client, making it more reliable and usable by correcting a number of display issues
• Saving files over themselves works again in Okular, KDE’s document viewer

As usual, the changelog provides more — if not exhaustive — information about improvements in KDE 4.3.2. The KDE team recommends KDE 4.3.2 for everyone running an earlier version of KDE.

Read the full announcement

Utilidades do GNU/Linux

A vida é feita de mudança

Encerrei hoje mais um capitulo na minha vida. Não posso dizer que foi positivo, mas espera-me uma nova etapa.

Para trás ficaram 2 anos e meio que não direi perdidos, mas muito mal passados pelo menos no que respeita a dificuldades. Fiz bons amigos, praticamente todos os que tenho hoje em dia fiz-os na empresa de onde saí hoje. Saio de consciência tranquila, não podia ter feito muito mais, pelo menos algo que pudesse mudar de alguma forma o destino da mesma.

Por mim passaram dezasseis pessoas, todas elas saíram antes de mim e todas elas saíram pela mesma razão, já faço parte do clube dos Ex-Xafariqueiros.

Para quem fica para trás desejo muita sorte, talvez um dia isso se endireite, mas não creio.

Adeus Xafarica, até nunca!

Mensagem da Linux Foundation para a Microsoft – Parem de atacar o Linux

Jim Zemlim, o director executivo da Linux Foundation deixa um aviso para a Microsoft. Parem de atacar o Linux. Zemlin afirma que a gigante do Software está a usar de um tipo de guerrilha contra o GNU/Linux e que este comportamento está a ser negativo para o crescente número de clientes Microsoft que usam ambientes mistos Windows/Linux.

Estes comentários de Zemlin vêm a propósito do facto de a Microsoft ter recentemente vendido a uma empresa algumas patentes originais da SGI, patentes estas que estariam no lote das que a Microsoft acusa de serem infrigidas pelo Linux. A empresa que comprou as acções é uma empresa que normalmente compra e revende acções a outras empresas que as usam para atacar produtos concorrentes da 1ª.

Zemlin na sua acusação sugere que as intenções da Microsoft seriam desviar as atenções para um ataque ao Linux usando outra empresa como queixosa desviando de si as atenções, normalmente este tipo de ataque é denominado attack by proxy.

Felizmente a Microsoft foi apanhada e a Open Invention Network (OIN) estava atenta e conseguiu adquirir estas patentes. A OIN é uma empresa que adquire patentes e as licenceia sem custos para entidades que em troca aceitem não usar as suas patentes contra o Linux ou aplicações relacionadas com o software Livre. A OIN foi fundada em 2005 pela IBM, Novell, Philips, Red Hat e a Sony.

Excerto da noticia original

Linux Foundation executive director Jim Zemlin has a message for Microsoft: he wants the software giant to stop attacking Linux. Zemlin contends that Microsoft is engaged in a covert war against the open source operating system and that the company’s hostile behavior is detrimental to the growing number of Microsoft customers who deploy mixed Windows and Linux environments.

Zemlin’s comments about Microsoft are a response to a patent auction carried out by Microsoft to sell a number of patents that the company allegedly said were related to Linux. The patents, which were originally obtained by Microsoft from SGI, were sold to Allied Security Trust (AST), a patent-holding group that grants its members perpetual licenses before reselling the patents.

Zemlin suggests that Microsoft’s intention was to surreptitiously slip the intellectual property to a patent troll that would then go after Linux companies. This tactic would allow Microsoft to launch an indirect assault against the open source operating system while largely insulating the company from retaliatory patent litigation by The Open Invention Network (OIN), a patent-holding group that uses its intellectual property portfolio to protect Linux. Zemlin says that the plot was thwarted, however, because “Microsoft got caught.”

Ler artigo completo

Microsoft “doutrina” empregados das lojas Best Buy com mentiras sobre Linux

A Microsoft anda a “doutrinar” os empregados da cadeia de lojas “Best Buy” usando mentiras e alguns mitos que tem vindo a espalhar sobre o Linux. Como se isto não violasse as leis de antitrust?

Estão aqui os slides da apresentação noutro servidor.

Excerto do artigo

Microsoft (MFST) is “indoctrinating” Best Buy (BBY) workers to sell its highly anticipated Windows 7 operating system using outright lies about the performance of open-source competitor Linux, according to Linux experts and at least one Best Buy employee who has seen the alleged Microsoft training slides.

“Linux does not support many common applications and online services like iTunes, Zune, Quicken, Photoshop, and Office 2007,” asserts one slide in the now-leaked Microsoft ExpertZone training module designed for Best Buy employees preparing to sell Windows 7, which will be released in October. Another slide calls the statement “Linux is safer than Windows,” a “myth.”

But when I went into my local Best Buy on Houston Street in New York on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, I was informed that the chain does not carry Linux-equipped laptops or net-books. So why would Microsoft be teaching Best Buy employees to counsel customers to avoid Linux? Why indeed.

Ler artigo completo

Também na ZDNet

Sharp lança Smartbook com GNU/Linux no mercado japonês

A Sharp vai lançar já este mês de Setembro no mercado Japonês um Smartbook com o nome de PC-Z1.

Publicitado como um dispositivo tão fácil de usar como um telemóvel mas com a capacidade de processamento similar ao de um PC só me traz à memória os modelos da Asus, os “Eee PC”.

São pequeninos, leves e aparentemente não existe qualquer referencia a uma ligação Ethernet ou ficha VGA/DVI, pelo menos na Press Release oficial. Em relação ao preço este continua por anunciar.

Sendo um dispositivo móvel,  com a proliferação de HotSpots e  banda larga móvel, talvez tenham sido alguns dos factores a levar que a Sharp tenha optado por excluir o suporte Ethernet.

Estão previstos para este ano lançamentos de muitos dispositivos similares a este a correrem GNU/Linux e baseados em arquitectura ARM. Todos estes prometem longevidades de bateria até 10H, tempos de arranque muito baixos e a correr em SSD’s na sua maioria.

Algumas das características do produto:

• Installed OS:   Linux/Ubuntu 9.04 (Smartbook Remix for ARM-based systems, Sharp customized version)
• LCD:   5-inch, widescreen TFT LCD (Wide-SVGA resolution, LED backlit, touch-screen)
• CPU:  ARM i.MX51 multimedia applications processor manufactured by Freescale Semiconductor
• Main memory:  512 MB (fixed)
• Input devices: 68-key keyboard (key pitch: approx. 14 mm; key stroke: approx. 0.8 mm),
• Quick Launch button
• Pointing device:  Optical pointer (optical pointing device), touch-screen
• Card slot:  microSD Memory Card/microSDHC Memory Card x 1 (16 GB max.)
• nterfaces  Headphone output (3.5 mm-dia. stereo mini-jack) x 1,
  USB (USB 2.0 compatible) x 1,
  miniUSB (USB 2.0 compatible; miniAB connector) x 1
• Storage memory:  Approx. 4 GB flash memory (user area: approx. 2 GB)
• Battery operating time:  Approx. 10 hours
• Communications function:  Wireless LAN (IEEE 802.11 b/g compatible)

Ler a press release oficial

KDE 4.3.1 Release Announcement

KDE Community Ships Fourth Translation and Service Release of the 4.3 Free Desktop, Containing Numerous Bugfixes, Performance Improvements and Translation Updates

Enhancements

As a service release, the changelog contains a list of bugfixes and improvements. Notable improvements include, but are not limited to:

• KDE 4.3 is now also available in Croatian
• A crash when editing toolbar setup has been fixed
• Support for transferring files through SSH using KIO::Fish has been fixed
• A number of bugs in KWin, KDE’s window and compositing manager has been fixed
• A large number of bugs in KMail, KDE’s email client are now gone

Full Release anouncement