Monthly Archives: September 2013

French Gendarmerie Goes To GNU/Linux: Progress Report

Posted on September 30, 2013 by Robert Pogson

Long ago the French national police converted to FLOSS applications. They are phasing in GNU/Linux too: “The direct benefits of saving on licences are the tip of the iceberg. An industrialised open source desktop is a powerful lever for IT … Continue reading →

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Another Monopoly Bites The Dust

Posted on September 30, 2013 by Robert Pogson

When Nathan Myhrvold wrote that monopolies in IT were “natural” and that it was natural that M$ have a monopoly in desktop OS, he was clueless. Two decades later people were saying that about Apple and tablets but “During the … Continue reading →

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Debian GNU/Linux Works In Education

Posted on September 28, 2013 by Robert Pogson

It’s good to see that the satisfying results of using Debian GNU/Linux in schools that I experienced continue to please teachers around the world. “Giorgio Pioda, system administrator, who is using Debian Edu at SPSE (Scuola per Sportivi d’Élite) in … Continue reading →

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M$ Does Less

Posted on September 28, 2013 by Robert Pogson

Steve Ballmer said, “Apple, Ballmer said, is about being "fashionable," while Amazon is about being "cheap," and Google is about "knowing more." Microsoft, Ballmer said, is about "doing more."” see In last company meeting, Ballmer calls Apple 'fashionable,' says Microsoft … Continue reading →

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FLOSS Spreads In Government

Posted on September 27, 2013 by Robert Pogson

Clearly, paying monopoly prices for software is ridiculous for governments which have the resources to use FLOSS and talyor it to their specific needs. “The newly created Hungarian government’s open source resource centre is piloting the use of Wollmux, a … Continue reading →

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Ubuntu GNU/Linux Selling in 2500 Chinese Stores

Posted on September 26, 2013 by Robert Pogson

Not only did Dell ramp up the number of its stores selling Ubuntu GNU/Linux but HP “began stocking two new Ubuntu laptops in over 1,500 of its Chinese stores as of September 16th.” see HP to Stock Ubuntu Laptops in … Continue reading →

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Defending Soft Targets

Posted on September 25, 2013 by Robert Pogson

The recent attack by terrorists on a shopping mall in Nairobi shows why soft targets are important. Once inside, the terrorists have numerous defenceless high-value targets. The bad guys, having automatic weapons and explosives can do a lot of damage … Continue reading →

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Nvidia – Linux Ice-jam Melts

Posted on September 24, 2013 by Robert Pogson

Nvidia’s devices have been a sore point for Linux development for a decade or longer. Reverse-engineering works but it’s not perfect. Nvidia has promised to be more forthcoming in the future. “Torvalds has responded to Ars, saying he’s optimistic but … Continue reading →

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EU-Parliament Has Its Heart In The Right Place But Is Still Awkward

Posted on September 24, 2013 by Robert Pogson

Unlike every organization moving to FLOSS that I have ever seen, the EU-Parliament is doing the hard stuff first and leaving the easy stuff to last… They have done nothing to convert their infrastructure to FLOSS, not the networking, not … Continue reading →

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Tegra Note, The World’s Fastest 7-inch Tablet.

Posted on September 24, 2013 by Robert Pogson

Just when you thought $500 tablets were the cream of the crop and tablets were becoming a boring commodity about to litter the world, Nvidia picks up its game and designs a CPU and tablet that bring a powerful package … Continue reading →

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A Tale Of Two British Schools And GNU/Linux

Posted on September 23, 2013 by Robert Pogson

In both schools, GNU/Linux exceeded expectations but in one the PHBs (Pointy Headed Bosses) gave the go-ahead and in the other heads were in a dark place with M$ and the migration died. Read about it and weep at the … Continue reading →

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GNU/Linux Has Done Well In Germany Under Merkel

Posted on September 22, 2013 by Robert Pogson

(StatCounter’s data) So, her coalition’s goal to expand use of open standards and Free Software has born fruit. GNU/Linux’s share of page-views from Germany has tripled under her reign. Early news is that she has a slim lead as a … Continue reading →

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