Linux Articles

The Elive Team announced the release of a new development version of their Linux distribution, which includes a new kernel, an improved installer, Firefox 3, an autoeject function, Madwifi driver and more.

The kernel version used is 2.6.24.7, updated for a better configuration of IDE/SATA/SCSI chipsets. If it doesn’t work on your computer, you can report it on the Elive channel; in fact, it is highly recommended you do so.

The new installer, with improved and more user-friendly features, allows the installation of a recent version on the computer. However, you cannot update your old Elite system to the current version; this feature is not yet implemented in the installer so, for now, you have to be content with a fresh installation.

This version includes Firefox 3, also with new and more user friendly features, and now better looking and apparently faster. The Elive bookmarks are updated with better ones as well.

Hal detects and entirely manages the eject button in this version of Elive, which uses an autoeject system without unmount being needed.

By including the new Madwifi WLAN driver updated with the new hal version, the latest cards (with Atheros chipsets) are supported.

Skype has been moved to the static, larger in size version, in which bugs in the interface, like buttons and widgets, have been fixed.

You can now choose your console keymap in console mode; this is possible only in installed mode, though. There is an improvement in the QT/KDE segment as well, allowing users to install this kind of application for a more integrated look with the rest.

Other fixes are present in this version. For instance, a small bug with the boot resolutions selector has been removed and readahead has been implemented, speeding up the system's throughput.

Download Elive 1.8.2 right now from here.
By: Mihai Mircea, Linux Editor (http://news.softpedia.com)

After two hard and long years of development, the CCux Linux team proudly announced last night a new version of their Linux-based operating system. Powered by the final version of Linux kernel 2.6.26, CCux Linux 0.9.9 is the first stable distribution injected with the freshly released KDE 4.1.0 desktop environment. Unfortunately, this version is available only as a DVD ISO image of about 4 GB in size. "We want to thank all Developers, Testers and all loyal users who have helped and supported us on the long way to a new releasable version. Thank you guys!" - said Christian Metzen in the release announcement.

Highlights of CCux Linux 0.9.9:
• KDE 4.1.0
• Kernel 2.6.26
• OpenOffice 2.4
• VDR integration

Moreover, the GNOME, Xfce and Fluxbox window managers are now selectable as Desktop environments via the installer, which was completely reworked, along with the installation system.

CCux Linux is one of the fastest operating systems in this solar system, as the developers like to describe it. It is an up-to-date, RPM-based Linux distribution for all ages, nationalities and races. The following applications and technologies are part of the CCux Linux:
• AbiWord
• Ardour
• Audacious
• Audacity
• Avidemux
• Banshee
• Bluefish
• Blender
• Cinepaint
• Cinelerra
• ClamAV and ClamTK
• Claws Mail
• Compiz Fusion
• DeVeDe
• DirectFB
• Digikam
• DosBox
• DVDStyler
• Eagle
• Eclipse
• eMovix
• Enlightenment DR17
• Mozilla Firefox
• GCC
• Geany
• Gajim
• GIMP
• GParted and QtParted
• ImageMagick
• Inkscape
• Sun JRE • K3b
• K9copy
• Kaffeine
• Kino
• KOffice
• LiVES
• LMMS
• MadWiFi
• Mono Runtime
• MPlayer
• MySQL
• Ndiswrapper
• Netbeans
• NTFS-3G
• OpenOffice.org
• Pidgin
• Privoxy
• PulseAudio
• Putty
• recordMyDesktop
• Rawstudio
• Samba
• SpamAssassin
• Stellarium
• StreamRipper
• VCDImager
• VirtualBox
• Wine
• Xine
• XMMS
• YaKuake

...and many games, such as BosWars, AssaultCube, SuperTux, Nessus, Tremulous, Scorched3D, Chromium, LMarbles, FreeCiv, Frozen Bubble, CriticalMass or FooBillard! Download CCux Linux right now from here.
By: Marius Nestor, Linux Editor (http://news.softpedia.com)

Musix Linux 1.0 R2R5, a 100% free operating system based on Debian GNU/Linux and Knoppix, and meant for artists focused on music production, has been announced a few days ago by the Brazilian music teacher Gilberto Borges.

In this version of Musix, Brazilian Portuguese and English have full support, while Italian, Spanish, French, German and many others languages have only partial support. However, the former can be added using Synaptic or apt-get.

With this version, developers hope to provide good support for Brazilian users, and to update and improve Musix 1.0 R3 CD and R4 DVD by using the feedback received during these months from various places, such as schools or homes. The first Brazilian version, having being tested for the last six months, generated no report of a major bug in the system.

The author's comment upon the release of this stable version was that it’s a source of pride and satisfaction for the Brazilian Musix community. At the same time, he also highlighted certain packages that were updated in this version, like:
• Muse 0.8.1a-6 (light Audio & MIDI sequencer)
• Muse Score 0.9.2.2+musix (score editor)
• Painel Musix 1.7 (control panel)
• Rosegarden 1.7.0-1 (MIDI and Audio seq + score editor ++)
• knx-installer 0.3.19.90 (a bug fix for the ugly fonts)

Some packages were added, like Rakarrack (a real-time effects processor for guitarists, which was already on Musix 1.0 R4 DVD) and Partitura (a simple application to make blank score sheets), while others were removed, like a-Mule and Terminator-X, which can be reinstalled at a root terminal.

To install Musix 1.0 R2R5 you can download it from here and burn it onto a CD, then reboot. At this stage, you have a fully operational OS running from Live CD, which can be easily installed on the local hard drive, if you so choose.
By: Mihai Mircea, Linux Editor (http://news.softpedia.com)

The ClarkConnect developers are proud to announce a new stable version of their Enterprise Linux distribution. ClarkConnect 4.3 brigs a new kernel with support for SMP processors, Groupware support in WebMail, a mail queue and RAID manager, OpenVPN for road warriors, and many other new and updated applications. Let's have a quick look at some of the main features of ClarkConnect 4.3:
• WebMail has Groupware support
• Road warriors with OpenVPN
• A new system processes viewer
• Mail queue manager
• RAID manager
• Default security/keys for users
• Remote backup support (in beta stage)

Upgrading the system is possible only if ClarkConnect 3.0 or a later version is currently installed, computers with versions like 2.x not being eligible for upgrade to 4.x. Upgrading from 4.0/4.1/4.2 involves a series of terminal commands which should raise no difficulties, granted that an Internet connection is available, followed by a reboot:
• apt-get update
• apt-get install cc-upgradeto43
• apt-get clean
• apt-get update
• apt-get dist-upgrade

The upgrade to ClarkConnect 4.3 could have an impact on the OpenVPN settings, so users who experimented with OpenVPN in previous versions should check their configuration after the upgrade.

The kernel upgrade from 4.2 is optional, but it can easily be performed using the commands:
• apt-get update
• apt-get install kernel

the former opening a list of available kernels, from which a certain version can be selected and installed, such as:
• apt-get install kernel#2.6.18-93.cc

However, ClarkConnect 4.3 has some known issues, such as the blank screens bug encountered with some types of hardware on first boot, some legacy Megaraid/Dell RAID cards are not yet supported and the localization is unfinished.

Get ClarkConnect 4.3 right now from here.
By: Mihai Mircea, Linux Editor (http://news.softpedia.com)