[wplug] [wplug-announce] The Open Pitt, Issue 28
Vance Kochenderfer
vkochend at nyx.net
Tue Oct 3 14:25:15 EDT 2006
[Apologies for the delay in posting this, I was off at Ohio LinuxFest - VK]
PDF version: <http://www.wplug.org/top/wplug-top028.pdf>
THE OPEN PITT
What's cooking in Linux and Open Source in Western Pennsylvania
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Issue 28 September 2006 www.wplug.org
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In this issue:
From the Editors: Can Linux be Too Easy?
August Roundup
Announcement: WPLUG Annual Meeting
Links of the Month
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Coming Events
Sep. 30: Ohio LinuxFest. Greater Columbus Convention Center (pre-
registration required at <http://www.ohiolinux.org/>)
Oct. 21: General User Meeting/Election Meeting. 12:30pm to 4:30pm,
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh--Squirrel Hill
The public is welcome at all events
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From the Editors: Can Linux be Too Easy?
>From the very beginning, the concept of Linux distributions was to make it
easier to install and manage a Linux system. Recently Linspire, creator of
a commercial distribution with the goal of extreme ease-of-use has released
Freespire, a zero-cost version. It has also made its basic "click and run"
software download service free.
One corresponding community effort to streamline and simplify Linux on the
desktop is Ubuntu. Using the tag line "Linux for Human Beings," it seeks
to produce a distribution which doesn't present the user with too much
complexity. The GNOME desktop environment is also increasingly pursuing
this goal.
Nobody (well, almost) wants to do more work than necessary, so this would
seem to be only good. But are there any downsides to making Linux easier?
It is clear that there are those with an elitist attitude who worry that
giving inexperienced users an easy path into Linux will ruin their private
playground. But there are more legitimate reasons to look before you leap
into making or supporting certain changes to Linux-based operating systems.
Freedom or Compromise?
As we briefly touched on in these pages last month, Eric Raymond recently
called for Linux distributions to provide support for more hardware devices
and file formats. One quickly runs into issues of proprietary drivers and
legally-encumbered media formats such as MP3 files and DVDs. Raymond
advocates the pragmatic approach of obtaining licenses for these and
therefore adding new capabilities that users want to Linux.
Fans of Richard Stallman will counter with the argument that the legal
restrictions in this software limit the user's freedom. By giving in and
accepting these proprietary formats and devices, they say, manufacturers
and content creators will never be pressured into moving toward open
formats and specifications.
Authors of Free and Open Source software have a history of creating
alternatives to proprietary formats; when Unisys asserted that GIF files
were covered by one of its patents, the PNG format was created in response.
A more recent example is the Ogg Vorbis audio format created to counter the
patent-encumbered MP3. And programmers try their best to write Open Source
device drivers for network adapters, cameras, scanners, and printers for
which manufacturers refuse to provide specifications.
Some software authors have created a way to reach these proprietary formats
and hardware devices without obtaining a license, but these programs
(depending on the jurisdiction) often violate one or more laws and so are
not a viable option for any distributor who wants to stay in business.
Creating Islands
As distributors modify and customize their offerings to make them easier to
use, they run the risk of diverging from the appearance and behavior of
other Linux distributions. On a purely technical level this can cause
problems with compatibility, although this is minimized if the distribution
still adheres to the Linux Standard Base.
A more subtle yet extremely important issue is that of support. A
distributor who, in the name of ease-of-use, radically alters the
appearance and behavior of applications and administrative tools creates an
island inhabited only by the users of that distribution. This makes it
difficult for them to talk to and obtain support from other Linux users,
since their frame of reference is so different. And if that distributor
should cease producing the distribution, these users are effectively
stranded unless somebody comes along to continue to maintain the
distribution or migrate them to another.
Living on an island is also troublesome for the distributor. Unless
changes are contributed back and merged into the upstream project, the
effort required to maintain custom versions of the software increases
dramatically.
Shooting Users in the Foot
It is also important to avoid negative side effects when aiming for
ease-of-use. By default, the aforementioned Linspire logs in and runs the
desktop environment as the root user, which has full administrative
privileges over the system. This simplifies matters somewhat since the
user can perform actions like installing hardware and changing system
settings without entering another password. However, it opens a path for
users to accidentally cause major damage to the system, or for malicious
software attached to an e-mail message or web page to infect and take over
the entire machine.
Most Linux distributions get this right by strongly encouraging or even
requiring you to create a normal user account when installing and by
warning against logging in as the root user except when necessary. It is
important that issues like security are not thrown to the wind in the
pursuit of simplicity.
How to Do It
Anyone looking to create a friendly new Linux distribution needs to prevent
unintended consequences and avoid isolating themselves and their users from
the rest of the community. Any choice to include proprietary software
should be with the goal of moving users away from locked-in formats and
hardware onto free alternatives. By taking the long view when deciding how
to serve your customers' needs, you will benefit them, yourself, and Linux
as a whole.
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August Roundup
Aug. 5 General User Meeting: Brian Seklecki and Ted Rodgers spoke about
their efforts to produce a Linux distribution tailored specifically for
local college students. Their intent is to make a live CD and an
installable operating system that includes the features and applications
desired by students and that will also connect easily to the University of
Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University networks. The goal of the
project is to introduce students to Linux in a way that is easy to use and
addresses their needs. The CDs are to be distributed on move-in day, and
web space is being sought to provide a downloadable version as well. It
will include customized artwork and handy local reference information.
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Announcement: WPLUG Annual Meeting
WPLUG's annual meeting will take place on October 21 at the Squirrel Hill
branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. There will be a series of
five- to ten-minute lightning talks on various topics.
Votes will also be counted at this meeting for the Board of Directors
election and two amendments to the bylaws. For more details on the
candidates and the voting process, see <http://www.wplug.org/vote/>. The
following members were nominated for the Board at the last meeting:
* Beth Lynn Eicher
* Judi Galardi
* Michael Hansell
* Vance Kochenderfer
* Bill Moran
* David Ostroske
* Ted Rodgers
* Brian Seklecki
* Greg Simkins
* Chris Teodorski
* Patrick Wagstrom
Once again, it is critical to have enough members attend this meeting to
have a quorum, so plan to be there. We'll have a potluck lunch and some
cool swag to give away, so be sure to come out and join in the fun!
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Links of the Month
by Michael P. O'Connor
Sorry about the lack of the links for the newsletter in recent months, but
I have been busy with many other projects. One of these is that I am
learning a musical instrument and that, my dear reader, is the inspiration
for this month's set of links.
First, I have found that I like to share my attempts at playing my tin
whistle with family and friends. This could not be done without a good
sound recording program, and for my needs I have found Audacity
<http://audacity.sourceforge.net/> more than fits the bill here. It will
record sound and let me do some minor edits such as taking the sound of my
aquarium out of the background with its noise removal function. Then it
will encode the music into MP3 or OGG format so I can send it off to my
friends and family.
No set of audio links would be complete without some way to play your
music. For MP3s and OGGs, XMMS <http://www.xmms.org/> does a very fine
job. Small, light, and does not take up much screen space on the desktop.
But let's admit it, we have all run across that one Internet radio station
that just does not use these formats but instead uses the technology out of
Redmond, and for these streams you can use MPlayer
<http://www.mplayerhq.hu/> to listen in.
Finally with many stations, radio shows, and individuals producing a
plethora of great podcasts, you might want a nice program to catch all
these great shows. One popular choice, gPodder
<http://perli.net/projekte/gpodder/> can do this for you.
As always, if you have any links to suggest, send them in to me at
<wplug at mikeoconnor.net>.
Till next month, enjoy these links!
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The Open Pitt is published by the Western Pennsylvania Linux Users Group
<http://www.wplug.org/top/>
Editors: Elwin Green, Vance Kochenderfer
Copyright 2006 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.
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