FOSS Force

Another OpenToonz Tutorial Video

By Phil Shapiro on April 12, 2016 |

The Video Screening Room

The studio quality 2D animation software, OpenToonz, which was recently open sourced continues to find adopters. Luckily for those trying to figure out how to use it, there are plenty of videos.

OpenToonz was released as open source less than a month ago and the quality of tutorials for it on YouTube continues growing. I was especially pleased to run across a series of tutorials created by Alon Dan, who has a Patreon account to fund further tutorial creation. I learned a lot watching this tutorial – OpenToonz Painting Tricks and Color Model.

Teaching New Linux on Old Hardware

Teaching New Linux on Old Hardware

By Ken Starks on April 12, 2016 |

Community, Hardware and Humor

The Heart of Linux

It seems, according to this, that the customer service offered by Reglue far exceeds that offered by any big box retail outlet — and the clients get preinstalled Linux to boot.

In 2005, I found myself at a career crossroad. A career-ending injury threw the biggest of monkey wrenches into the works for me. I owned my own business and business was good, but it was only good with a maximum of four employees, counting myself. I attempted to become a “gentleman” owner but I found that paying the extra man proved to be costly as well as difficult to administer. That injury led to me doing what I do now.

I give computers to kids who cannot afford one.

The decision I faced was life-changing either way I went. My inclination was to go back to school and get the certs I needed to work in the Linux administration field. I already had the base knowledge and experience; it was just a matter of jumping through the hoops to get a piece of paper saying I already knew what I was learning. Not that I wouldn’t learn a thing or two along the way.

Chariot Solutions Partners with Open Source Hazelcast

By FOSS Force on April 11, 2016 |

Business, News and Software

The software development specialist Chariot adds open source Hazelcast 3.6 to its enterprise portfolio as the two companies announce partnership at the Philly ETE 2016 conference.

Hazelcast, a leading provider of open source operational in-memory computing, today announced a partnership with Chariot Solutions, a leading enterprise application and mobile development consulting firm, at the Philly Emerging Technologies for the Enterprise 2016 conference.

Chariot has extensive open source experience, with many of its consultants actively contributing to key OS Java projects. Working with partners, the company advises clients on the evolving open source Java landscape, delivering tailored solutions which incorporate frameworks and tools that are commercially viable due to established community support and enhancement. Prior to signing an official partnership agreement, the two companies had worked together on several projects in telecoms and media.

Software Patents: Is the Threat to FOSS Declining?

Software Patents: Is the Threat to FOSS Declining?

By FOSS Force on April 10, 2016 |

Business, Patents and Polls

Software patent abuse would seem to be on the decline if the amount of ink being given to the subject in the open source press is used as a metric. But as the old TV commercial used to ask: Is it live, or is it Memorex?

Five or six years ago the major GNU/Linux and FOSS news aggregators were filled with stories about software patents. These days, not so much. Does this mean that the threat posed by patents is actually less now than in 2010, or have patents simply not been getting the coverage they once did?

OSVDB Shuts Down, Firefox Add-ons Unsafe & More…

OSVDB Shuts Down, Firefox Add-ons Unsafe & More…

By Christine Hall on April 8, 2016 |

Community, Distros, News, Operating Systems, Security and Software

FOSS Week in Review

Bubbling beneath the headlines in this week’s FOSS news review: ownCloud gets a new release, the Linux kernel grows by a half million lines since January 1, a new OS for the Pi 3 and FOSS Force welcomes a new columnist.

It seems as if even some FOSS writers have been buying into “Microsoft luvs Linux” this week, as some have been been bending over backwards to applaud the Ubuntu connection with bash on Windows. I only have one thing to say about that: Windows with bash support is still Windows.

In the real FOSS news this week…

Looking at the $15 PINE 64 Single Board

Looking at the $15 PINE 64 Single Board

By Phil Shapiro on April 8, 2016 |

Distros, Hardware and Video

The Video Screening Room

These days you don’t have to spend much money to get impressive specs on a new computer, as long as you’re willing to do a little DIY work.

A German fellow with the YouTube username Rhymoore shows his PINE 64, the 64 bit single board computer that’s been taking preorders for $15 on Kickstarter, booting the Android based Remix OS on his 4K monitor. Glitches still exist, but those will likely get ironed out.

Poll: Don’t Help Government Unencrypt Devices

Poll: Don’t Help Government Unencrypt Devices

By FOSS Force on April 7, 2016 |

Politics, Polls and Security

The FOSS Force Poll

The results of our “Apple vs. the FBI” encryption poll are in. Most of our readers agree with Apple CEO Tim Cook’s decision to stand up to the FBI.

Often when we run a poll on FOSS Force, the results only go to confirm what we already know. Our latest completed poll is an example. What we got was exactly what we expected. You don’t think the makers of encrypted devices, or encryption software, should help the G-Men get inside — not even with a warrant.

A Young Linux-Loving Singer-Songwriter

A Young Linux-Loving Singer-Songwriter

By Phil Shapiro on April 5, 2016 |

Media and Video

The Video Screening Room

What’s a young lass from the UK who writes songs, makes videos and sells her albums online doing being featured on a FOSS site? Maybe it’s that penguin on the wall.

Emily Fox is a talented musician and Linux-loving youth in the United Kingdom. Her musical talent is enormous and she produces all her music videos using open source software.

Maybe It’s Time to Trust Microsoft — Maybe Not

Maybe It’s Time to Trust Microsoft — Maybe Not

By Ken Starks on April 5, 2016 |

Business and Software

The Heart of Linux

In this story, Microsoft is the cunning spider and Linux the intended victim, the fly. Everyone knows how the story begins. ‘Will you walk into my parlour?’ said the Spider to the Fly.

The punishment needs to fit the crime, but in Microsoft’s case, it never has. The punishments that have been meted out to Redmond for their civil and criminal asshattery over the years have been almost laughable. From the ridiculously small punishment for obvious antitrust violations at the turn of the century when the company was convicted as a monopolist, to the law seemingly turning it’s blind eyes away from Microsoft for their blatant patent-slinging abuses.

What it all boils down to is Microsoft being fined millions while making billions.

If Penfield Jackson, the initial judge in the Microsoft antitrust case, hadn’t gotten himself thrown off the case for discussing it with the press, the Microsoft of today would look much different. The pieces of it anyway. Personally, I think I would like that Microsoft much better than the one today.

Five Linux Distros that Break the Mold

Five Linux Distros that Break the Mold

By Christine Hall on April 4, 2016 |

Distros and Software

Do you want to try something completely different? Here are five Linux distros that are most likely different than anything you’ve taken for a spin.

One of the complaints we hear sometimes about the plethora of GNU/Linux distributions is that they’re all “cookie cutters.” One is just like the other, we’re told, so why have so many versions of the same thing? For starters, except for a couple of rare instances, no two Linux distros are exactly alike, not even when they start with the same base. The most obvious example here would be Ubuntu, which although based on Debian, offers the user an experience completely different from the parent distro. Likewise, Linux Mint is built with Ubuntu under the hood, but as many Mint users will attest, the distro is hardly just a rebranded *buntu.

Here’s a brief look at five distros that really break the mold. A few of them are the result of some out-of-the-box thinking. Others are designed for specific purposes. What they all have in common is that they’re not your daddy’s Linux distro.

Spacewalk 2026

Everything Open 2026

FOSDEM ’26

SCaLE 23X

HPSF Conference 2026 (High Performance Software Foundation)

Another OpenToonz Tutorial Video

The Video Screening Room

The studio quality 2D animation software, OpenToonz, which was recently open sourced continues to find adopters. Luckily for those trying to figure out how to use it, there are plenty of videos.

Teaching New Linux on Old Hardware

The Heart of Linux

It seems, according to this, that the customer service offered by Reglue far exceeds that offered by any big box retail outlet — and the clients get preinstalled Linux to boot.

Chariot Solutions Partners with Open Source Hazelcast

The software development specialist Chariot adds open source Hazelcast 3.6 to its enterprise portfolio as the two companies announce partnership at the Philly ETE 2016 conference.

Software Patents: Is the Threat to FOSS Declining?

Software patent abuse would seem to be on the decline if the amount of ink being given to the subject in the open source press is used as a metric. But as the old TV commercial used to ask: Is it live, or is it Memorex?

OSVDB Shuts Down, Firefox Add-ons Unsafe & More…

FOSS Week in Review

Bubbling beneath the headlines in this week’s FOSS news review: ownCloud gets a new release, the Linux kernel grows by a half million lines since January 1, a new OS for the Pi 3 and FOSS Force welcomes a new columnist.

Looking at the $15 PINE 64 Single Board

The Video Screening Room

These days you don’t have to spend much money to get impressive specs on a new computer, as long as you’re willing to do a little DIY work.

Poll: Don’t Help Government Unencrypt Devices

The FOSS Force Poll

The results of our “Apple vs. the FBI” encryption poll are in. Most of our readers agree with Apple CEO Tim Cook’s decision to stand up to the FBI.

A Young Linux-Loving Singer-Songwriter

The Video Screening Room

What’s a young lass from the UK who writes songs, makes videos and sells her albums online doing being featured on a FOSS site? Maybe it’s that penguin on the wall.

Maybe It’s Time to Trust Microsoft — Maybe Not

The Heart of Linux

In this story, Microsoft is the cunning spider and Linux the intended victim, the fly. Everyone knows how the story begins. ‘Will you walk into my parlour?’ said the Spider to the Fly.

Five Linux Distros that Break the Mold

Do you want to try something completely different? Here are five Linux distros that are most likely different than anything you’ve taken for a spin.