[wplug-announce] The Open Pitt, Issue 2

[Beth Lynn]

The second issue of "The Open Pitt" is available in plain text and pdf
form at http://www.wplug.org

Please send all comments to the editors top at wplug.org

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THE OPEN PITT
      What's cooking in Linux and Open Source in Western Pennsylvania

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Issue 2                         July 2004
www.wplug.org
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In this issue:
  Switching to Open Source on the Desktop, Part 1
  June Roundup
  Novell, IBM Sponsor Workshops
  From the Editors: Why Linux is Unstoppable
  Announcement: 3rd Annual Open Source Picnic

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                              Coming Events

Jul. 10: Installfest.  10am to 5pm, 1507 Newell-Simon Hall, CMU
Jul. 17: General User Meeting, Topic: Cheesy Backups with rsync.  10am to
         2pm, 1507 Newell-Simon Hall, CMU
Aug. 8:  3rd Annual WPLUG Open Source Picnic.  1pm to 6pm, Snyder Park,
         Whitehall
Aug. 14: General User Meeting.  10am to 2pm, 1507 Newell-Simon Hall, CMU

                    The public is welcome at all events
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Switching to Open Source on the Desktop, Part 1
by Carl Benedict

Whether you are just thinking about making the switch to Linux or are
already a long-time user, it's not always easy to switch completely to
open
source.  This article will cover some of the challenges of taking the
plunge into the Windows-free world.  In this month's part, we'll look at
some common software applications so that you have an idea of what's out
there.  We'll assume you've researched the available Linux distributions
and selected one for this undertaking.

Begin at the Beginning
First things first.  What applications will you need?  What environment
will you be operating in?  The first order of business will be to identify
the applications and tools that you use on a day-to-day basis.  To help
lead you through this step, we'll use my transition process as an example.

Application Overview
During my transition to a Linux desktop, I had a fairly typical set of
requirements.  Let's take a look at what I chose to handle common tasks.
We'll also list alternatives for each.

Web Browser: Mozilla has become a well-used browser in the open-source
world.  It supports common plug-ins like Java and Flash and has built-in
pop-up blocking.  The full suite has an e-mail and newsgroups client, IRC
client, HTML editor, and address book.  Other choices are Konqueror,
Galeon, Firefox, and Opera.

Office Suite: OpenOffice.org is a suite of applications comparable to
Microsoft Office.  It includes word processing, spreadsheet, presentation,
and drawing software.  It can read and write many common Microsoft file
formats.  Other good picks are KOffice, AbiWord, and Gnumeric.

Music Player: XMMS-The X MultiMedia System is a music player modeled after
WinAmp.  It plays many popular music file formats and can be extended to
handle others through plug-ins.  Another choice is Rhythmbox.

Movie Player: Mplayer works with most video formats.  Related applications
are Xine and Realplayer.

E-mail Client: Evolution is an e-mail client, contact manager, and task
scheduler all in one.  The interface is much like Microsoft Outlook.
Alternatives include Mozilla Mail, KMail, Thunderbird, and Balsa.

Instant Messaging: Gaim supports the most popular IM networks, including
AOL IM, ICQ, Yahoo!, and MSN.  Other choices are Kopete and naim.

Graphic Editor: Often described as the first "killer app" for Linux, the
GIMP supports a wide array of raster graphics formats, and also reads
Adobe Photoshop project (PSD) files.  Other options include Sodipodi and
Moonlight|3d.

CD Burning: X-CD-Roast is a graphical front-end to the cdrecord package.
Also good choices are K3b and GNOME Toaster.

Most of these applications are already included with the major Linux
distributions.

Other Choices
Of course, the list above is not comprehensive.  What if you need an
application for a specific task I haven't covered?  First and foremost,
check SourceForge <http://sourceforge.net/>.  It is home to a large number
of open source projects.  Freshmeat <http://www.freshmeat.net/> is also a
great place to search.

Stay Tuned...
Next month, I'll cover concerns about interoperability with other systems
and how to obtain support.

Carl Benedict is the owner/operator of Pittsburgh Techs in Cranberry
Township <http://www.pittsburghtechs.com/>.

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June Roundup

Jun. 5 General User Meeting: Bryan Mills and David Watson of Cobind
demonstrated their web-based tools for building customized Linux
distributions.  They also previewed their new Cobind Desktop 0.2 and
graphical front-end for the YUM package manager.  Their distribution was
released on June 23 and highlights their philosophy of a lightweight,
simplified desktop system <http://cobind.com/desktop.html>.

Jun. 12 New User Tutorial: Beth Lynn Eicher presented an introduction to
the basics of using Linux, from choosing a distribution to installation to
essential commands.  Her slides are available online at
<http://www.wplug.org/meetings/one-meeting?wp_meeting_id=3006>.

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Novell, IBM Sponsor Workshops
by Beth Lynn Eicher

Riverhead Training in downtown Pittsburgh hosted four introductory Linux
workshops sponsored by Novell and IBM.  The first of these was attended by
over 100 people from Pittsburgh, Western Pennsylvania, Boston, and
Cleveland.  Each attendee received a 202-page Linux training book and
Novell SUSE Linux Standard Server 8 CD-ROM.

Topics covered included SUSE Linux installation and desktop basics, system
administration fundamentals, and a preview of Novell's Nterprise
management tools.  Novell and Riverhead promise that this is only the
beginning of their investment in Linux here in Pittsburgh.  Look for more
advanced Linux classes and certification offerings this summer.

Riverhead Training currently provides courses in Novell Nterprise Linux
Services and CompTIA Linux+ preparation.

Novell on Linux - <http://www.novell.com/linux/>
Linux at IBM - <http://www.ibm.com/linux/>
Riverhead Training - <http://www.riverheadtraining.com/>

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 From the Editors: Why Linux is Unstoppable

The past few years have seen more and more Linux use.  It is already a top
choice on the server.  Embedded device makers are increasingly turning
away
from proprietary alternatives.  And the first large-scale desktop
deployments are hitting the news.

But there is other news as well.  The SCO Group has brought several
lawsuits around the country and is trying to collect fees from Linux
users.
Microsoft is assembling a huge patent portfolio that some think will be
used as a weapon against Open Source.

If there is a strategy to destroy Linux, it is doomed to fail.  The basic
reason is that Open Source software puts control into the hands of users.

Back in days of yore, computers were giant expensive beasts guarded by a
priesthood of programmers and operators.  Mainframes generally worked only
with hardware sold by the same manufacturer.

The personal computer changed all that.  Users now had direct contact with
machines.  The IBM PC's standard interfaces meant that you could mix and
match hardware, adapting it to your exact needs.  New manufacturers sprang
up like weeds.  The motherboard itself was cloned by Compaq and others.  A
true revolution had begun; the hardware market now responded to the users'
desires, not the dictates of the big manufacturers.

Microsoft's Bill Gates realized just how important this was.  In 1985, he
wrote a strategy memo to John Sculley and Jean-Louis Gassee of Apple,
trying to convince them to license the Macintosh to other companies:

  Any deficiencies in the IBM architecture are quickly eliminated...  The
  closed architecture prevents similar independent investment in the
  Macintosh.  The IBM architecture, when compared to the Macintosh,
  probably has more than 100 times the engineering resources applied to
  it when investment of compatible manufacturers is included.  The ratio
  becomes even greater when the manufacturers of expansion cards are
  included.
                                            --from _Apple_ by Jim Carlton

Apple chose not to take this advice, and the IBM PC took the lion's share
of the market.  Heavy-duty tasks once reserved for mainframes and
minicomputers are now done by clusters of PCs.  The open architecture won.

What Gates did not admit then or now is that the same lesson can apply to
software.  Linux and other Open Source software benefits from the
contributions of people all over the world, assembling resources that
dwarf even Microsoft's.  (In an ironic twist, Apple's Mac OS X has
open-source BSD at its core.)

Best of all, Open Source licensing guarantees that each user is forever
free to adapt the software to his or her own needs.  That freedom will
carry Open Source through any obstacles, be they technical, legal, or
political.

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Quick Tip

Running "man hier" on most UNIX-like systems will display the filesystem
hierarchy and where you can expect to find various types of files.

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Save the Date - August 8, 1 to 6pm

WPLUG will hold its third annual Open Source Picnic at Snyder Park in
Whitehall Borough (in the South Hills).

The reason why we call it "Open Source" because everyone who attends is to
contribute by bringing food, helping out, or organizing activities.  It
will be as good as the community makes it!

Check the mailing list for updates or to suggest activities.  Plan to
bring the whole family!

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The Open Pitt is published by the Western Pennsylvania Linux Users Group
<http://www.wplug.org/>

Editors: Elwin Green, Vance Kochenderfer

Copyright 2004 Western Pennsylvania Linux Users Group.  Any article in
this newsletter may be reprinted elsewhere in any medium, provided it is
not changed and attribution is given to the author and WPLUG.