Another typo error from Dell, again, at least according to its website. Ubuntu Operating system from Microsoft if you notice below:

The typo error is still on Dell’s UK website, check out Google cache here.

Via Tuxradar

January

• Internet access and international telephone calls throughout Malaysia and most of Asia were disrupted for weeks due to an earthquake in Taiwan that damaged the underwater Asia Pacific Cable Network 2 link. Everything returned to normal in February after repairs by ship were completed.

• TIME Engineering Bhd signed an agreement with MSC Management Services, a subsidiary of Multimedia Development Corporation, to provide wireless broadband nationwide via WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) and WiFi.

• Malaysia won an award for its eBario Project, which provides information and communications technology to an isolated community in Sarawak. The 2006 International Innovations Gold Award came from a Canada-based non-profit organisation, the Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management.

• The Recording Industry Association of Malaysia moved to stamp out illegal “over-the- counter” sales of song downloads to mobile phones.

• The Multimedia Development Corporation announced that the pilot of the animated series Saladin was ready to be screened.

• A new music download site, www.bimbit.com, was launched. It allows users to buy music using a points system instead of a credit card.

• PC maker Dell Inc announced it was building an 18,600sq m global business centre in Cyberjaya, which will be operational by year end.

• e-Commerce spending in Malaysia grew 70% in 2006 from previous years, announced industry researcher IDC.

February

• After five years of development and several missed deadlines, Microsoft Corp’s Vista operating system was finally launched.

• Trials of Maxis Telecommunications Bhd’s WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) service, with communications infrastructure provider Motorola Inc, began.

• More than 300,000 underprivileged women benefited from the Microsoft Unlimited Potential Grant. The funding is used to train women in the use of information technology to better their lives and livelihood.

• Four local outsourcing companies did the nation proud. They were among 100 global companies selected for the 2007 Global Service 100 list. They were Consulting Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd, Scicom (MSC) Bhd, SnT Global Sdn Bhd, and Vsource Asia Sdn Bhd.

• Despite considerable progress in combating piracy, the International Intellectual Property Alliance recommended that Malaysia remain on the US Trade Representative’s piracy watch list. It has been on this less criticial list since 2001.

• MDeC and Mimos signed another MoU, this time with the Islamic Development Bank for the provision of information and communications technology solutions to member countries of the Organisation of Islamic Conference.

• Malaysia’s first blog advertising network was launched. Nuffnang was introduced.

March

• Advertlets, Malaysia’s second blog advertising network was launched.

• A couple of RFID (radio frequency identification) technology companies in the country announced that the just-launched Malaysian Microchip has the potential give the industry a boost.

• The Motion Picture Association (MPA) strengthened its efforts against movie piracy in the country by coming down harder on websites that hawk pirated DVDs on the global market.

• The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs flew in two specially-trained labrador retrievers to sniff out mailed packages for optical discs – a move to better combat the smuggling of pirated movies, music and software. The initiative was a huge success.

April

• Standards body Sirim Bhd ended a battle between IBM Malaysia and Microsoft Malaysia over competing technologies – the open-source based Open Document Format versus OpenXML, a proprietary solution owned by the software giant.

• A delegation of 27 Malaysian companies from the creative multimedia sector secured RM93mil worth of deals in Hong Kong.

• Applied research and development organisation Mimos Bhd agreed to establish research laboratories with organisations in Taiwan and South Korea.

May

• Telekom Malaysia Bhd and 16 other telecommunications companies in the region signed an agreement to build a US$500mil (RM1.75bil) undersea fibre-optic cable linking Asia to the United States. Called the Asia-American Gateway, it is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2008.

• DELL Inc agreed to work with Microsoft Corp and Novell Inc under an alliance that the rival software developers formed last year, to make it easier for the Windows operating system and the increasingly popular Linux operating system to work together.

• The Government establishes the intellectual property court to specially deal with cases involving music, software and movie piracy.

• Industry regulator the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission announced a plan to create a database of lost handphones, to aid the recovery of such devices and to discourage cellphone thieves.

July

• Popular computer game Tomb Raider, starring heroine Lara Croft, celebrated its 10th anniversary. To mark the occasion, developer Crystal Dynamics released Tomb Raider: Anniversary, which pleased local fans of the game.

• Standards body Sirim Bhd was handed the new task of helping local universities to research and develop products or services that could be marketed internationally.

• DELL Malaysia unveiled a range of colourful notebooks in a bid to take back its lead from rival Hewlett-Packard Co.

• An upgraded PlayStation3 console, with a bigger (80GB) hard drive for storing more videogames and high-definition movies, showed up in local stores.

• Alam Teknokrat founder and chief executive officer Tengku Farith Rithaudeen unveils his book about how to be successful in the local IT market.

• Microsoft Malaysia unleashes a new server operating system, Windows Server 2008.

• The Government revised the household broadband penetration target from 75% by 2010 to 50% by the same year.

August

• The Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) and India’s Satyam Computer Services Ltd launched Campus Link, a programme to turn local graduates in knowledge workers.

• Malaysian Skype users were among the 220 million worldwide that experienced a breakdown in the popular and free Internet-based phone service. Skype said the failure was not due to any malicious activity.

• MDeC upped its efforts to develop the local creative content industry by holding the first buyer fly-in programme in the country. About RM385mil worth of content was sold.

• The Halal Industry Development Corp teamed up with Microsoft Malaysia to come up with an online halal certification and processing application service called Remote Halal Certification.

September

• Nokia launched its Ovi digital media portal, which includes the Nokia Music Store – a virtual music shop offering downloadable tracks.

• Registration for the World Congress on Information Technology 2008, which will be hosted by Malaysia in May 2008, was opened.

October

• Sony put its 12-megapixel Alpha 700 DSLR camera on local shelves, marking its second foray into the DSLR camera market.

• Local Macintosh fans get Apple’s OS X Leopard operating system, which boasted more than 300 new features.

• MDeC announced a plan to build a Cyberjaya training facility to train local graduates to work in the information technology industry.

November

• The Entertainment Software Association launched “Operation Games Attack” to eradicate videogame piracy in Malaysia.

• Asus’ Eee PC ultra-portable notebook, weighing less than 1kg and features a 4GB solid state drive, WiFi connectivity and integrated card reader, makes an impact on local computer users. Stores reported that the first batch of 200 units sold out quickly.

• Google offers US$10mil (RM35mil) in prizes for developers worldwide to build software for its mobile phone operating system, Android.

• MakCik PC introduced. Claimed as the world’s slimmest PC.

• Third blog advertising network was launched—-GradMyAds

December

• The Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit launched two new products – MyMeeting and MyWorkspace – at the Malaysian Government Open-Source Software Conference 2007. Both applications were designed as office productivity tools.

• Fourth advertising network was launched. Called Nufflets, it targets the Asia market and it is the first to use CPC text ads similar to Goolge in Malaysia.

Other source

“The stereotype for each OS is well known: Mac OS X is elegant, easy-to-use, and intuitive, while Ubuntu is stable, secure, and getting better all the time. Both have come a long way in a short time, and both make excellent desktops. So we have two great desktop operating systems out at roughly the same time. Let’s see how they stack up against each other.”

Read the review here

The Ubuntu Dell systems deal with the “Home and Home Office” category and only that. According to cosborn72, an Ubuntu Forums user, Dell refused selling him one of its Ubuntu Dell systems because he intended to buy it for his business and not for personal use only.

After contacting Dell’s small business departments, the above mentioned user, (cosborn72) found out it could not order one of the Ubuntu computers through that department, which is not actually surprisingly at all so far, as the respective systems were placed to the “Home and Home Office” category. Therefore the client went to the home department. Here is where the surprise was to come. The Dell representative the man contacted responded: “these Dell computers are designed for personal use only, as long as you use it for personal use, you can purchase one.”

But that’s not all. If you lie and say you buy the system for yourself and not for your business you’ll stumble upon another problem at pay time, in case you intend using the business credit card. Dell would accept only personal cards. What a shame.

A while ago, Dell Inc. company made an announcement according to which it would start releasing desktop computers and notebook systems with pre-installed Linux as an option. At the time Dell said it did not decide on what Linux distro would be shipped with their systems. In the end, after the suspense and rumors reached a really high quota, Canonical broke the silence and stated that its brand new Ubuntu 7.04, Feisty Fawn, was the chosen Linux version to run on Dell’s computers. The open source fans got so excited with the idea that they even set up online motions to convince Dell to start selling the systems outside the US too.

Open Source applications can bring unique value to business owners. Since the base application development costs of open source applications is free, small and medium business owners are able to leverage previously unobtainable technolgies against their sales objectives, operational costs and customer satisfaction levels.

Most small and medium businesses cannot afford the typical IT infrastructure model – nor does it make sense even if it is within their budget. Consider the following expenses:

* Hardware Infrastructure (Servers, Routers, etc)
* Bandwith
* Software licenses
* Software maintenance
* IT Staff

The creation, countinued adoption and proliferation of Linux (Open Source Operating System) in many server installations across the world has changed the way businesses run their IT operations. Although Linux is not yet a viable technolgy in the workstation model, it most certainly has gained a large market share in the server/application world. Companies adopting Linux into their server environment have realized the decreased costs, increased efficiency and increased security associated with this platform. The secret is now out and organizations are jumping the Microsoft ship at an ever increasing rate. This trend has not been lost on the major players in the IT industry, as IBM and Novell have been furiously waving the Linux banner and adopting the Linux penguin into all their marketing efforts over the last 12-24 months.

What does this mean to the typical Small & Medium Business Owner?

Since the proliferation of Linux, many applications have been developed by programmers from around the world to run on this platform. Pretty much any application a business could require, no matter how specialized, can now be found in the Open Source community. By choosing an ASP (Application Service Provider) provider that has experience with these applications, and the necessary infrastructure to host, manage & support these applications for you, a business owner can now leverage core business applications at a fraction of traditional, “expected” costs. Although IBM has never been able to capitalize or deliver on their now famous marketing slogan “Pay like a little guy, Play like a big guy” – Savy business owners are learning how to accomplish this, even if it isn’t by calling IBM.

Enterprise level applications such as eCommerce, CRM, Content Management and Portals are now available for 100′s of dollars setup, not 10′s of thousands or 100′s of thousands dollars. Combine this with low, fixed operational monthly hosting and support fees – effectively eliminating infrastructure, IT staff, software and bandwith expenses – and the value statement becomes VERY strong for the typical business owners.

Other advantages with Open Source applications:

* Real time updates and upgrades. No more waiting for your vendor to release the next version before bugs &/or security holes are patched.
* Once a bug is identified and validated, the Open Source community is quick to release a fix.
* Open source means open and available code – unlike various proprietary systems, where source code is not available – application integration is now affordable and possible, even for small business.

It all started from a low level tool, used to install, remove, update or provide information about the .deb packages, called dpkg (which is the short for Debian package). As the system started to catch a more Gordian aspect, a higher tool was needed, so that it could be able to fetch packages from remote locations or deal with labyrinthian package relations. The APT (Advanced Package Manager) came then to make easier the process of managing software on the Debian GNU/Linux- powered machines. APT was automatically retrieving, configuring and installing software packages from binary files or even by compiling the source code. It could also work with the RPM Package Manager system through the apt-rpm version. APT is actually just a C++ library of functions (known as libapt). Based on this library, Conectiva company considered the development of a tool that should fuse the point-and-click simplicity of a graphical UI with the power of the apt-get command line. And that’s how the Synaptic graphical front-end for APT took shape. There is also a “brother” of Synaptic, which runs on the KDE desktops and which is called Adept.

That was a pretty long history lesson indeed, but I think it was worth remembered, for a better understanding of Synaptic’s purpose and how it actually works. As it comes as default once with the 4.0 version of the Debian based systems, Synaptic can be easily found by following the System > Administration > Synaptic Package Manager menu path. Do not panic when you’ll be asked for password at start-up. It’s natural to go this way in order to prevent possible hacking attempts over the system from some potential malicious “friends” of yours using the computer while you’re away. This password requirement might also be there to discourage the newbies from damaging their system by accidentally removing the important packages. However, the later scenario is less probable, as Synaptic’ s GTK+ user interface is probably the most user-friendly UI I’ve ever encountered that even the most occasional Linux user can figure his/hers way through Synaptic’ s pallet of functionalities and features. Let’s stick our nose a little inside the mind-boggling package database. But this shouldn’t be confusing, as it benefits of a very clever and well-organized
management. One can choose the way the packages are grouped according to criteria related to the section they belong, or category, the package status, custom filters, or recent search. Also if you’re interested in some specific details such as its size, its dependencies, recommended or suggested additional packages, or a short description of a package, you’ll just have to take a look at the lower right window pane, where you will see such a details list. You can also examine these details with a simple right-click on the package and then choose the Properties option. Installing packages through Synaptic is also piece of cake. After you’ve selected the package(s) you want to install, just press the right mouse button and a context menu will pop-up where you can choose to mark the package(s). After you’ve completed the marking you can press the Apply button in the toolbar, or you can press the Ctrl + P keys combination. And here comes in action an interesting feature provided by this application. Synaptic has the ability to warn you if your choices conflict with packages that are already installed on your system. In this unfortunate case, a dialog box should show you the packages that need to be removed. Also, if the package you want to install needs other dependencies, Synaptic will let you know about them and will install those dependencies for you.

Things go the same way in case you want to remove any package. When it comes to removing, Synaptic also provides you with a more powerful option, Mark for Complete Removal, which will also remove the configuration files associated with the package. The list of repositories or software channels can also be easily managed from the Software Preferences Panel. The software preferences panel can be accessed by selecting Repositories from the Settings menu. Synaptic uses the system list of software from: /etc/apt/sources.list. If you alter your sources.list, you should then click on the Reload button at the top left of the screen to sync your repositories with the Package Manager. You can also do that by using the Ctrl+R key shortcut. The Settings menu offers another handful tool, Filters, which can create new filters for better managing the packages. Let’s have a word about the incommode broken packages. I’m sure most of you have already met them, and I don’t think you were too pleased with the message warning you about those unsatisfied dependencies. Well, Synaptic brings in the solution to this messy problem. A Fix Broken Packages tool. Moreover, Synaptic will not allow any further changes to the system until all broken packages are fixed.

The Good

For all you Debian-like users, Synaptic was created to give you a hand with all those packages and dependencies. Once Synaptic is running, dealing with system and application upgrades becomes as easy as abc. It finds, downloads, and installs all the upgrades.

The Bad

The “I haven’t encountered any unpleasant situation since I’ve started working with this application” statement applies in Synaptic’s case too. Besides the large official (and also unofficial) maintained packages, it also comes with many handy features and functionalities, easy to use by any user, no matter how limited his Linux knowledge would be.

The Truth

Synaptic is a graphical package management frontend for apt. It provides the same features as the apt-get command line utility but through a nice and ease-to-use GUI based on Gtk+.

by  Alfredo K. Kojima

Sichuan based computer maker Sinomanic launched production of a series of low-end computers for the less developed regions in China. Priced as low as 998RMB ($130), these computers will include a Linux operating system, MIPS processor, multimedia and network supports. Internet browsing and document processing software will also be packaged into these systems.

In addition, the company also announced partnerships with computer parts manufacturers such as injection molding company Changhong to further reduce the production costs of these computers. Pearl Research, parent company of Redline China, believes the launch of low-cost computing solutions will speed up the rapidly growing adoption of the Internet in China. Source: 163.com

What are the differences between three models of “free” software, and why does it matter?

With all the excitement, many people are actually confusing open source software with two other models of “free” software–with potentially serious consequences. Here, we’ll try to clear it up.

Freeware

The word “freeware” has been so overused, its meaning is no longer clear. Today it is often synonymous with “shareware,” but for our purposes, I will define “freeware” as “software which can be downloaded, used, and copied without restrictions.” (See this definition.)

Legally, the difference between freeware and open source is that you do not have access to the source code. Organizationally, this makes a big difference: There is no community and no development infrastructure around “freeware” as there is around open source software. Thus, while you can use freeware “as is,” there is no real way to improve upon it or obtain support for it.

Thus, freeware is “free” as in those “Free Treadmill” classified advertisements.

Shareware

Shareware is a different concept. You can download and try shareware for free, but if you use it, you are supposed to pay for it. It is developed and released by someone who keeps full control of the intellectual property. The user does not have access to the source code and cannot modify it. There is also no collaboration or community around shareware.

In the end, the only difference between shareware and commercial software is that you can download and try shareware for free. Like commercial software, you are utlimately dependent on the developer of shareware for enhancements and support.

Thus, shareware is “free” as in “Free Sample” at restaurants or grocery stores.

Open Source

Open source means that the source code is available to all potential users, and they are free to use, modify, and re-distribute the source code. (For more details, see the Open Source Definition.) Legally, the “free” of open source refers exclusively to the source code, and it is possible to have support, services, documentation, and even binary versions which are not monetarily free. (Although some licenses, notably the GPL, requires that the source code always be freely available in such cases.)

In practice, open source usually means that the application is free to users as well as developers. Furthermore, most open source software have communities that support each other and collaborate on development. Therefore, unlike freeware, there are future enhancements, and, unlike shareware, users are not dependent on a single organization.

Open source advocates like to say that open source software is “free” as in “free speech,” which is true. Since the user has the source code, it’s also usually “free” as in “free lunch,” even if sometimes you’d have to tip the waiter to get good service or pay for the wine.

In the Real World

The differences between the three models can be clearly seen in the kind of software that is available as freeware, shareware, or open source:

• Freeware is usually a very small program, released by a student or enthusiast.
• Shareware is usually a mid-sized utility or application, written by a professional developer or small software company. The developer or publisher does not have the resources to market it, so they release it as shareware with a “try-before-you-buy” business model.
• Open source spans the gamut, but the largest “free” software out there are all open source–Linux, FreeBSD, PostgreSQL, Apache. Before the advent of VCs in the “free software industry,” collaborative development around a shared code base was the only way a large free application could be built.

Does It Matter?

At first sight, these differences may seem like legal subtleties. In reality, though, misunderstandings about the true nature of open source can be a serious hurdle to the adoption and development of open source software.

For example, corporate users often confuse “open source” with “freeware.” Thus, when we talk to them about “open source,” they immediately think of the little utilities that they can download for free. Nice to have, of course, but without support or enhancements, they are dead ends for enterprise users.

(In addition, users confusing “open source” with “freeware” probably contributes to the concerns about the security of open source software. “Freeware” and “shareware” often come bundled with adware or spyware, which is actually not possible with “open source” software: see Is Open Source Secure?)

On the other hand, investors often confuse “open source” with “shareware.” Thus, they are investing in companies which engage in the “free sample” business model. Many of these companies try to enforce some form of de facto if not de jure protection of their source code. Their investors may be able to reap the rewards of cheaper distribution, but, in the end, they are still investing in a traditional software vendor, with all the same risks and rewards as before.

Thus, for enterprise users to adopt open source software, they must understand the advantages of open source software over freeware. Only then will they understand that open source software does not share the same security and support problems as freeware.

Similarly, for investors to become really comfortable funding “open source business models,” they will have to appreciate the potential of open collaboration in producing better software–and how it improves their risk/return tradeoffs.