Michael Calore is also blogging from Ubuntu Live. I also wanted to thank Christer for the detailed updates 🙂
via Digg
Archives de catégorie : GNU/Linux
Nokia’s Internet tablets don’t support open multimedia formats
Apparently Nokia’s Internet tablets (770 or n800) don’t support Ogg Theora / Vorbis open formats. It’s too bad, since the 700 has dropped in price and is now available around U$140. In a 2005 Linux Journal interview, Dr. Ari Jaaksi of Nokia had an interesting answer to LJ’s question about open formats support:
LJ: Given the proclivities of the Linux community, it has to be asked: will Ogg Vorbis and Ogg Theora be supported on the 770?
AJ: There’s nothing technical that prevents it. However, the 770 is a consumer device. The challenge is that there is not much [Ogg Vorbis and Ogg Theora] content right now.
So if I understand correctly, there was a decision from Nokia to actually drop support for open formats on their Internet tablet because it’s a consumer product.
I am left wondering why they didn’t use WinCE in the first place. And no, the n800 that was recenly released still does not support Ogg open formats for audio and video.
InfraRecorder: the Free CD/DVD burning solution for Windows
Burning an ISO image of your favorite Gnu/Linux distribution to a CD or DVD is often one of the first steps one goes through when switching from another operating systems or simply wanting to try a Live CD.
If you are ever in a situation where you need to burn an ISO image on Windows, or if you’re providing someone with information on how to do so, you may want to consider adding InfraRecorder (released under GPL) to your toolbox. Infrarecorder will be featured in one of the upcoming self-learning videos from ILearnLinux.com.
From the website:
InfraRecorder is a free CD/DVD burning solution for Microsoft Windows. It offers a wide range of powerful features; all through an easy to use application interface and Windows Explorer integration.
Features:
- Create custom data, audio and mixed-mode projects and record them to physical discs as well as disc images.
- Supports recording to dual-layer DVDs.
- Blank (erase) rewritable discs using four different methods.
- Record disc images (ISO and BIN/CUE).
- Fixate discs (write lead-out information to prevent further data from being added to the disc).
- Scan the SCSI/IDE bus for devices and collect information about their capabilities.
- Create disc copies, on the fly and using a temporary disc image.
- Import session data from multi-session discs and add more sessions to them.
- Display disc information.
- Save audio and data tracks to files (.wav, .wma, .ogg, .mp3 and .iso).
Finally, I can order an IPhone
Warning: Parent advisory – strong content
My colleague Kurt just let me know about this IPhone review that will supposedly convince anyone not sure about getting an IPhone to do so.
I could not wait until I read this review before I shared it, so here it is, the only IPhone review you will ever need (and I trust Kurt).
Now back to http://www.apple.com
PCs with Ubuntu should be much more expensive
A few days ago a friend asked me « How come Dell PCs with Ubuntu are only 50$ less than Windows ? ». I was actually suprised by his question and I thought I would share my answer.
If I apply the closed, non-free business models around proprietary software, I really think Ubuntu PCs should be much more expensive (like U$1000 more) than any Windows comparable machine. After explaining all you would need to add to a Windows install in order to make it comparable to Gnu/Linux, we actually agreed… I was then wondering what would happen if a tiny portion of Ubuntu users would contribute a portion of the U$1000 saved towards local development and advocacy efforts. Well, « finders, keepers » also works for me.
Think about it, I am sure you can come with more than this short list but… since being an Ubuntu user at home and at work,
- I don’t need antivirus, firewall, cleanup, anti-spyware or other such » security » software. This may require a bit more explanation, but what can I say. I my personal experience, I really don’t need any of this.
- As a result of #1, I don’t actually need to waste a dual-core’s machine power so I can be « running a virus scan and management agent in the background« . I’d rather put that to good video transcoding use 🙂
- As a result of #1, current sub U$500 cheap Celeron based laptops run just fine with only 512MB of RAM – they’re not » useless » as I was told at the store
- I can choose and download a healthy few thousands applications (including many servers like web, voip, etc.) from one central package/repository management application. Like, say, Windows update but for all applications. Multi-lingual, and including security updates, unlike Windows Marketplace. I do happen to work in spanish and french too.
- I can have my systems (and all included applications) available in several languages at once.
- I don’t worry about manual security updates, except for software I have decided to manually download and install from other sites (a rarity, but happens)
- I don’t reinstall! Well, my work consists of advocacy and consulting / coaching / providing tech support so my main laptop does get reinstalled often. Home PC hasn’t had a reinstall for 3 years though.
- I can keep using the oldest, crapiest hardware I love, like that PCMCIA reader or the « Windows 98-only » webcam, along the newer one
- When I come across a missing feature / problem / documentation omission or translation problem I take the opportunity to contribute back and learn in the process
- I can copy all this to any amount of people around me, without restrictions or underground illegal activities – the only limit being my bandwidth, and ability to give out CDs or other media. In fact I am often asked if the software I used is legal, as I seem to have a little or big app for most any use.
So how much is that worth to you ? I was thinking I would need to talk about the freedom, the formats, the licences, patent problems, etc., I guess that’s for another afternoon when I chat again with my friend.