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Posts published in “Video”

How to Install Ubuntu on a Chromebook Pixel

By Phil Shapiro on August 16, 2016 |

Distros, Hardware, Tutorial and Video

How to Install Ubuntu on a Chromebook PixelChromebook Pixel with Ubuntu

Chromebooks are really nice laptops, except for one tiny problem which is…well, Chrome OS. This week, our contributing video editor found an easy to follow step-by-step guide for installing Ubuntu on a Chromebook Pixel. Problem solved.

The Video Screening Room

The Chromebook Pixel of 2013 is a lovely computer. Want to make it even lovelier? Install Ubuntu on it. This well-done tutorial video shows and explains all the steps.

In three years time, the Chromebook Pixels of 2013 will be six years old and you’ll be able to buy one quite affordably on eBay.

Continue readingHow to Install Ubuntu on a Chromebook Pixel
$5 Omega2 SBC Beats $300K Stretch GoalOmega2 SBC

$5 Omega2 SBC Beats $300K Stretch Goal

By Phil Shapiro on August 12, 2016 |

Hardware, Operating Systems and Video

The Omega2 is a quarter of the size of a credit card with a 580MH processor, 64MB RAM, 16MB flash, built-in Wi-Fi, a $5 price and with Linux preinstalled. What’s not to like about that?

The Video Screening Room

The most exciting developments in maker movement electronics is happening with low-cost Linux devices. In case you might not have heard of it, the Omega2 is a very small, very low-cost IoT Linux computer that you can program using many of the programming languages you already know. Check out the compelling Kickstarter video here.

Phil Shapiro

For the past 10 years, Phil has been working at a public library in the Washington D.C.-area, helping youth and adults use the 28 public Linux stations the library offers seven days a week. He also writes for MAKE magazine, Opensource.com and TechSoup Libraries. Suggest videos by contacting Phil on Twitter or at pshapiro@his.com.

Continue reading$5 Omega2 SBC Beats $300K Stretch Goal
How FOSS Influences All Aspects of Our CulturePaul Jones talks FOSS

How FOSS Influences All Aspects of Our Culture

By Robin "Roblimo" Miller on August 11, 2016 |

Community, Interview and Video

In this fascinating interview, UNC’s professor Paul Jones explains that the concept of “free and open source” was a part of our culture long before there were computers, or even electronic technology, and that it’s actually a rich part of our heritage. As for FOSS, he makes the case that it’s now an ingrained part of the digital infrastructure.

The FOSS Force Video Interview

“Paul Jones,” according to the University of North Carolina, “is the director of ibiblio, a contributor-run, digital library of public domain and creative commons media in the Office of Information Technology Service at UNC. He is also a clinical professor in the UNC School of Information and Library Science.” He’s also been known to write erotic poetry, but we didn’t discuss that in this interview — which isn’t so much an “interview” in the traditional sense as it is a 24 minute soliloquy by professor “call me Paul” Jones on the nature of free/libre and open source software (FLOSS; his preferred term) and its relationship with other forms of human intellectual endeavor ranging from academic research to folk music.

Robin "Roblimo" Miller

Robin “Roblimo” Miller is a freelance writer and former editor-in-chief at Open Source Technology Group, the company that owned SourceForge, freshmeat, Linux.com, NewsForge, ThinkGeek and Slashdot, and until recently served as a video editor at Slashdot. Now he’s mostly retired, but still works part-time as an editorial consultant for Grid Dynamics, and (obviously) writes for FOSS Force.

Continue readingHow FOSS Influences All Aspects of Our Culture
Airbnb’s Brenden Matthews on HadoopHadoop on Mesos

Airbnb’s Brenden Matthews on Hadoop

By Phil Shapiro on August 5, 2016 |

Software and Video

Want to learn more about big data? This video by Brenden Matthews on running Hadoop on Mesos will be a good start.

The Video Screening Room

Apache Hadoop is open source software for handling large data sets using distributed computing. This engaging video by Airbnb engineer Brenden Matthews explains Hadoop in historical context. I found it useful for familiarizing myself with general Hadoop terminology and concepts.

Phil Shapiro

For the past 10 years, Phil has been working at a public library in the Washington D.C.-area, helping youth and adults use the 28 public Linux stations the library offers seven days a week. He also writes for MAKE magazine, Opensource.com and TechSoup Libraries. Suggest videos by contacting Phil on Twitter or at pshapiro@his.com.

Continue readingAirbnb’s Brenden Matthews on Hadoop
When Slashdot Was the Hub for FOSS News and DiscussionSlashdot Timothy Lord

When Slashdot Was the Hub for FOSS News and Discussion

By Robin "Roblimo" Miller on August 4, 2016 |

Community, Distros, Internet, Media and Video

The original Slashdot crew was declared redundant in early 2016 by the site’s latest owner, Slashdot Media. Timothy Lord was the last of the early Slashdot editors to be let go, and has posted more stories on Slashdot than anyone else, ever, so we turned to him to learn how and why Slashdot helped the FOSS movement grow and eventually infiltrate mainstream IT.

The FOSS Force Video Interview

Starting in the last years of the last century, when Linux and free software were first making their mark on the world, a website called Slashdot was the king-hell news and discussion site for such things, along with a variety of other topics that interested the kind of people you might meet at a LUG meeting or in the CS department of your local university. The original Slashdot tagline (no longer visible on the site) was “News for nerds, stuff that matters.” And one of the people who worked on Slashdot during those heady days was Timothy Lord, who is such a devout Linux person that he has a Tux tattoo (which we forgot to have him show in the video, darn it).

Robin "Roblimo" Miller

Robin “Roblimo” Miller is a freelance writer and former editor-in-chief at Open Source Technology Group, the company that owned SourceForge, freshmeat, Linux.com, NewsForge, ThinkGeek and Slashdot, and until recently served as a video editor at Slashdot. Now he’s mostly retired, but still works part-time as an editorial consultant for Grid Dynamics, and (obviously) writes for FOSS Force.

Continue readingWhen Slashdot Was the Hub for FOSS News and Discussion
A Review of the Pocket CHIP ComputerPocket CHIP computer

A Review of the Pocket CHIP Computer

By Phil Shapiro on August 2, 2016 |

Hardware, Reviews and Video

The CHIP computer, a SBC that runs on Debian and is billed as “the world’s first $9 computer,” has been released. This video review of the Pocket CHIP offers a good preview of what it’s about.

The Video Screening Room

The runaway Kickstarter success CHIP computer is now shipping, both the computer motherboard itself and the neat Pocket CHIP handheld device. A thorough video review of the device was created by gadget reviewer Lon Seidman.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnDbB6YlPvo?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

To remind you what the CHIP Kickstarter campaign looked like on its first day, here is a screencast I made showing the contributions coming in on the first evening. This 30 second video is sped up to show several hours of Kickstarter contributions.

Phil Shapiro

For the past 10 years, Phil has been working at a public library in the Washington D.C.-area, helping youth and adults use the 28 public Linux stations the library offers seven days a week. He also writes for MAKE magazine, Opensource.com and TechSoup Libraries. Suggest videos by contacting Phil on Twitter or at pshapiro@his.com.

Continue readingA Review of the Pocket CHIP Computer
Facebook Surround 360 Plans Released to GitHubFacebook Surround 360

Facebook Surround 360 Plans Released to GitHub

By Phil Shapiro on July 29, 2016 |

Hardware and Video

Facebook’s open sourced plans for the Facebook Surround 360 camera system isn’t destined to be a boom for DIY enthusiasts, as it’s estimated that the cost to build one will weigh in at about 30 grand.

The Video Screening Room

Open source does not necessarily mean free or cheap. This week Facebook open sourced plans for an immersive 360 video camera system, Facebook Surround 360, whose component parts cost about $30,000. The plans for the camera are free, though. See the video here and the news story on TechCrunch.

Phil Shapiro

For the past 10 years, Phil has been working at a public library in the Washington D.C.-area, helping youth and adults use the 28 public Linux stations the library offers seven days a week. He also writes for MAKE magazine, Opensource.com and TechSoup Libraries. Suggest videos by contacting Phil on Twitter or at pshapiro@his.com.

Continue readingFacebook Surround 360 Plans Released to GitHub
Jono Bacon on Life After (and Before) GitHubJono Bacon

Jono Bacon on Life After (and Before) GitHub

By Robin "Roblimo" Miller on July 28, 2016 |

Community, Interview and Video

It caused a bit of a splash in May when Jono Bacon abruptly left GitHub after serving as community manager for only six months. As we predicted at the time, he’s landed on his feet.

The FOSS Force Video Interview

Do you want to know what it takes to be a professional community manager? This interview will show you the kind of personality that does well at it, and how Jono Bacon, one of the world’s finest community managers, discovered Linux and later found his way into community management.

Robin "Roblimo" Miller

Robin “Roblimo” Miller is a freelance writer and former editor-in-chief at Open Source Technology Group, the company that owned SourceForge, freshmeat, Linux.com, NewsForge, ThinkGeek and Slashdot, and until recently served as a video editor at Slashdot. Now he’s mostly retired, but still works part-time as an editorial consultant for Grid Dynamics, and (obviously) writes for FOSS Force.

Continue readingJono Bacon on Life After (and Before) GitHub
Need Linux or FOSS Help? Ways to Make Sure You Don’t Get ItFOSS Linux help

Need Linux or FOSS Help? Ways to Make Sure You Don’t Get It

By Phil Shapiro on July 26, 2016 |

Community and Video

One of the great things about free and open source hardware is the availability of help online. There are ways, however, to make sure that help is never forthcoming.

The Video Screening Room

Emily Dunham delivers these nuggets of wisdom in an entertaining way in this four minute lightning talk at this year’s Great Wide Open conference in Atlanta. Watching this I laughed and learned — and laughed some more.

Phil Shapiro

For the past 10 years, Phil has been working at a public library in the Washington D.C.-area, helping youth and adults use the 28 public Linux stations the library offers seven days a week. He also writes for MAKE magazine, Opensource.com and TechSoup Libraries. Suggest videos by contacting Phil on Twitter or at pshapiro@his.com.

Continue readingNeed Linux or FOSS Help? Ways to Make Sure You Don’t Get It
Conversation With Jonathan Thomas of OpenShotOpenShot logo

Conversation With Jonathan Thomas of OpenShot

By Ken Starks on July 26, 2016 |

Community, Interview, Software and Video

The OpenShot Video Editor has had over a million downloads and might seem like the work of a large corporation. In reality, the founder, CEO and lead developer of the project works out of his home in rural Texas.

The Heart of Linux

One of the main benefits of having a booth at a conference like Texas Linux Fest is having the opportunity to hobnob with the people behind or inside some fairly impressive organizations. This year I had the good fortune to meet Jonathan Thomas, who has provided the world with OpenShot, a premiere video editing tool available for Linux, Mac and Windows.

OpenShot logoThe meeting came about because Reglue’s booth was right across the aisle from OpenShot’s booth. and their display caught my eye immediately. I’ve worked with many video editing tools over the years, and frankly, I’ve usually ended up paying someone to do the work for me because I found the level of complexity and the learning curve to be insurmountable. So being placed this closely to the OpenShot Studios booth rang out as a golden opportunity, which indeed it was.

Ken Starks

Ken Starks is the founder of the Helios Project and Reglue, which for 20 years provided refurbished older computers running Linux to disadvantaged school kids, as well as providing digital help for senior citizens, in the Austin, Texas area. He was a columnist for FOSS Force from 2013-2016, and remains part of our family. Follow him on Twitter: @Reglue

linuxlock.blogspot.com/
Continue readingConversation With Jonathan Thomas of OpenShot
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