Stories about: VarLinux.org

The SCO Group vs. IBM lawsuit gives off a subtle, unpleasant odor I couldn't quite place. When SCO set its sights on Linux distributors and even Linux itself, the source of the stench became unmistakable -- Redmond. It was too early to make an accusation when the suit was filed since any such claim lacking even circumstantial evidence would be nothing more than a conspiracy rant.

To each his own, but I like eye candy. For all their benefits and power, X11 and X Window System managers have been among the most drab and poorly rendered graphical environments for years. Recent versions of XFree86 began to support anti-aliased fonts, which helped. But that's pure protein. It's good for you, and it helps you get your work done. Only recently has XFree86 begun to add the sugary content that we shallow folks crave.

I believe I have stumbled upon two of Microsoft's most-startling and best-kept secrets, the ramifications of which for Linux and open source are profound.

Mono, which is Ximian Inc.'s open source implementation of some of the Microsoft Corp. .Net development framework, seems to be a hot button for both fans and critics of .Net. Just bringing up the topic of Mono also seems to generate a surprising degree of animosity toward Sun and Java. These passionate reactions inspired me to embark on a project to develop several Web applications using Java, Mono, and possibly other alternatives to provide readers with a first-hand view.

One of my non-profit Web sites, VarLinux.org, ran on my modified version of the PHP-Nuke weblog package from the site's inception in March 2001 until late November 2002. I chose PHP-Nuke as a starting point because I was very impressed with it. However, the more I learned how to use PHP, the more I realized that PHP-Nuke was not only a tangled mess but that I had made it even worse with my modifications.

Reiserfs is fast and reliable. The new ext3 is an easy upgrade. Both journal metadata, but ext3 journals data too, but at a big price. Which journaling filesystem is right for you?

People have been confused about the economics of open source since they first heard of the concept of free software.

LinuxWorld's own version of the Weakest Link game show, The Golden Penguin Bowl, proves that knowing the difference between TCPIP and CPIP as well as the breed of parrot in Monty Python's Dead Parrot sketch can come in handy.

Nicolas Petreley is now free to whatever he wants about Linux distributions and avoid conflicts of interest. His connections with a Linux distributor are now dissolved.

This week Nick talks about modifying PHP-Nuke for use as the publishing system for the VarLinux.org site and for Petreley.org, which is a he is doing on the side.

This week Nick continues his commentary on setting up VarLinux.org with some of the problems associated with kernel 2.4 and various Network Interface Cards (NICs).