Welcome to the Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter, Issue 72 for the weeks December 30th - January 5th, 2008. In this issue: Alpha 3 Freeze, Kubuntu Tutorials Day, Ubuntu Live Conference videos, a new Kubuntu member, the success of Inkscape with Launchpad, Ubuntu Forum News, Ubuntu Tutorial of the Week, and much, much more!
UWN Translations
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Français - https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuWeeklyNewsletter/Issue72/Fr
Italiano - http://wiki.ubuntu-it.org/NewsletterItaliana
Português - Start one! https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuWeeklyNewsletter/IssueXX/Pt
In This Issue
- Alpha 3 Freeze: Bug Time
- Kubuntu Tutorials Day
- New Kubuntu Member
- Ubuntu Live Conference - A Look Back and Ahead
- Launchpad News
- Ubuntu Forum News
- Ubuntu Tutorial of the Week
In The Press & Blogosphere
- In Other News
Meetings & Events
Security & Updates
Bugs & Translations
General Community News
Kubuntu Tutorials Day - Bugs
This is an in depth look at the process of Bug Triage used by the Kubuntu Development Team. It covers who the team works with, why bug triage is important, what skills are needed, bug reporting, the triage process, testing and sorting the reported bugs, duplicates, working upstream, and much more. To learn more about the bug process for Kubuntu, or to get involved, visit the link. Help make every version bug free by squashing a few yourself. http://people.ubuntuwire.com/~jpatrick/tutorials/kubuntu-tutorials-day-bugs.pdf
Ubuntu Live Conference - A Look Back and Ahead
With the announcement of the the 2008 Ubuntu Conference, taking place on July 21-22, 2008 in Portland, Oregon, it seems fitting to look back at some of the highlights of the 2007 conference. By following the link to these videos, you can get a feel for how the conference works, or whet your appetite for the upcoming get together. Reminisce, or see what you missed, but make plans to attend the next conference. http://ubuntulive.blip.tv/
New Kubuntu Member
Yuriy Kozlov started the Massachusetts LoCo (Team was approved in November). He also did a summer of code project in 2006 — the Guidance configuration module for Wine. Most recently he has been working on porting Adept to KDE 4. https://launchpad.net/~yuriy-kozlov
Alpha 3 Freeze Ahead, Time to Squash Bugs
This developer milestone is intended to be used for tracking bugs that must be fixed in order for the alpha release to happen. To figure out whether a bug should block the alpha, developers will err on the side of caution by using the milestone for the bug so that the release team can review it. The number of bugs blocking the alpha is expected to be relatively small, so developers without any milestoned bugs will help with the list of bugs that are listed as release-critical for Hardy as a whole: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/hardy/+bugs. Read more at https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-devel-announce/2008-January/000363.html
Launchpad News
A fantastic result for Inkscape with Launchpad
Just a couple weeks after Inkscape moved its bug tracker to Launchpad (see https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuWeeklyNewsletter/Issue67), the results are impressive! The Inkscape community has been working very hard, and the number of new bugs has decreased from about 1800 to 1500 within a week. Mark Shuttleworth elaborates on the strength of the Open Source community in his article: http://www.markshuttleworth.com/archives/135
Ubuntu Forum News
Ubuntu Forums Interview
So, K.Mandla, dedicated interviewer, UF moderator and so much more (running half-marathons, speaking four languages, etc), has finally answered the "Nine Simple Questions." You can read the article here: http://kmandla.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/an-interview-with-kmandla/
Ubuntu Tutorial of the Week
The idea is to highlight a Tutorial every week, as an example, and maybe improve the quality of the Tutorial & Tips sub-forum.
You can subscribe to the closed thread to get the notifications each week: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=655207. The discussion thread regarding the Tutorial of the Week can be found here: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=655209
In The Press
OpenVZ to release pre-made Ubuntu VMs - The OpenVZ Project will release on Jan. 8th, pre-made Ubuntu 7.10 server and desktop virtual machines. The OpenVZ Project is an open source community branch of SWsoft, the virtualization company behind Parallels and Virtuozzo. Here's how it works: users will download an Ubuntu software template from OpenVZ. With this template, they can then set up OpenVZ VMs (virtual machines) of either Ubuntu server or desktop on an existing Linux system. This software represents a combined effort by OpenVZ and Canonical, Ubuntu's commercial sponsor, to make it easier for administrators to quickly deploy Ubuntu desktops or servers. How quick? OpenVZ claims that a system manager will be able to set up a new Ubuntu server in about a minute. http://www.linux-watch.com/news/NS7601019362.html
When Enlightenment met Ubuntu - Many Linux distributions try to be visually appealing. Some use Beryl-Compiz for cool 3-D effects on resource-laden boxes, while others turn to desktops like Enlightenment for a little bit of gloss at the expense of functionality. Geubuntu is a new distro that combines the best of those two worlds, equipping Enlightenment with bits from GNOME and Xfce on top of Ubuntu. Geubuntu 7.10 "Luna Nuova" is only the second release of the distro, which seems to trace Ubuntu's release cycle. Despite being a young distro with just two releases under its belt, Geubuntu delivers a visually stunning desktop without compromising functionality. Built atop Ubuntu, the distro has a solid, well-tested base. http://www.linux.com/feature/123494
7 Months with Ubuntu - In early June 2007, Mark Joseph Edwards finally got around to giving Ubuntu another look (using a bootable Live CD) and was pleasantly surprised. The new OS recognized all his hardware immediately, including his printers, wired Ethernet cards, and half a dozen different Wi-Fi cards. He then poked around the desktop a little bit and discovered that almost all the tools he needed for day-to-day work were either already installed by default or were available for easy Internet-based installation with a few clicks of the mouse. It was at that point that Ubuntu really got his attention. He found myself thinking that he could quickly install Ubuntu along with all the tools he need and take the OS for an extended long-term test drive. He found that Ubuntu is reasonably secure, has decent desktop controls that help prevent unwanted access (similar to Vista's User Access Control--UAC), and is relatively quickly patched when security problems appear in various OS components. Installing those patches is easy too--a bit easier than typical desktop updates on Windows platforms. http://www.windowsitpro.com/Article/ArticleID/97912/Windows_97912.html
In The Blogosphere
Built-in apps get an "A", wireless support an "F" - Dennis O'Reilly at cnet.com blogs has tested Ubuntu. He is very impressed with the overall distribution, and all the applications bundled in Ubuntu, especially the ones he did not expect: F-Spot Photo Manager, GIMP Image Editor, Open Office.org Drawing app, XSane Image Scanner, Movie Player, Rhythmbox Music Player, Serpentine Audio CD-Creator, Sound Juicer CD Extractor, Sound Recorder, Ekiga, Evolution, Pidgin client (previously known as Gaim). He also enjoyed the games: "Blackjack, Sudoku, and a Tetris knockoff; there's even a version of my favorite time-waster, Mahjongg". But did not manage to make the wireless work out of the box or with ndiswrapper. The comments on the article offer different solutions. http://www.cnet.com/8301-13880_1-9838468-68.html
How I Spent My Christmas Vacation - Craig Mathias loaded up Ubuntu, and came away very impressed. It installs like a breeze, it's easy to use (OK, a little background in UNIX is required, but this can be fixed over time), it's fast, and it includes everything one might need - the Firefox browser, Open Office, and a Virtual Network Computing (VNC) client. VNC is particularly important here because one can access other VNC-equipped machines, of any form, and control them remotely - just like Microsoft Remote Desktop, but platform-independent. His company, Farpoint Group, may be done purchasing new Microsoft operating systems and PCs to run them, and that is a thrilling prospect for the bottom line. http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/23420
Ubuntu: Beyond the Hype - This is not the first time this author had a look at Ubuntu. Though many (often as baseless as they are bold) claims are still repeated all around, Ubuntu has come a long way. Perhaps there's a strong self-fulfilling prophecy going on. With lots of users flocking to Ubuntu, the user base has really taken off. The Ubuntu forums he checked out were filled with useful comments, and the wikis and other kind of websites are likewise full of useful information, not just about Ubuntu and derivatives, but also Linux in general. Today there's surely much more substance to at least some of the claims: Ubuntu is easy to install, easy to use, easy to manage. Please visit the link for a more in depth look at this author's recent experience with Ubuntu. http://www.mandrake.tips.4.free.fr/ubuntubeyondthehype.html
For 2008 Media Will Create Red Hat-Ubuntu War - Here’s an easy prediction to make. In 2008 the media will gin up a “war” between Red Hat and Ubuntu for “control” of Linux. It’s already started. The latest distribution of Red Hat Fedora, Fedora 8, is called “an assault” on Ubuntu at Mad Penguin. The new Fedora 8 has improved support for notebooks, for gamers, and for programs like Pulse Audio. These are good things, and it will be interesting to see how Ubuntu raises the bar in 2008. Another way in which the media will crank up the Red Hat-Ubuntu “war” theme involves the hiring of Jim Whitehurst as CEO, replacing Matthew Szulik. You’re going to see a host of articles over the next two weeks contrasting Mark Shuttleworth’s entrepreneurial flair with Whitehurst’s button-down mind. But the competition is a good thing. It means new features, new options, and new possibilities for all Linux users in 2008. The more successful businesses we have based on Linux, and the more money they make, the better for everyone. http://blogs.zdnet.com/open-source/?p=1848
In Other News
Rocket Linux To Launch At CES
The startup that used Linux on the fast-selling $199 Wal-Mart PC last November will launch version 2.0 of its gOS operating system, dubbed Rocket, Monday in Las Vegas. Rocket will add new Google-based applications and features as it debuts at the Consumer Electronics Show. It will also be available as a free download at www.thinkgos.com. A Google search function is built into the center of the gOS 2.0 desktop. The operating system already works with Google's online applications, such as Gmail, Google Docs & Spreadsheets, and Google Maps. Rocket, like the first version of gOS, is based on Ubuntu, but has a desktop workspace based on the Enlightenment 17. Rocket will come with its first custom application, gBooth, a browser-based webcam application that can capture photos and video, add special effects, and share the results across Facebook, You Tube, and other web services. http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=205208008
Meetings and Events
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Edubuntu meeting
- Start: 20:00 UTC
- End: 22:00 UTC
- Location: IRC channel #ubuntu-meeting
- Agenda: No agenda listed as of the publication
US Team Meeting
- Start: 20:00 US/Pacific
- End: 21:00 US/Pacific
- Location: IRC channel #ubuntu-us
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Desktop Team Development Meeting
- Start: 14:00 UTC
- End: 15:00 UTC
- Location: IRC channel #ubuntu-meeting
Agenda: Beyond the normal reporting by each team member, additional agenda items will be listed on the Meeting wikipage
Updates and security for 6.06, 6.10, 7.04, and 7.10
Security Updates
- None Reported
Ubuntu 6.06 LTS Updates
Accepted: langpack-locales 2.3.18.8 (source) - https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/dapper-changes/2008-January/012586.html
Accepted: wesnoth_1.1+reverted+to+1.0.2-0ubuntu1.2 - https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/dapper-changes/2008-January/012587.html
Accepted: opera 9.25-20071214.6dapper1 (source) - https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/dapper-changes/2008-January/012588.html
Ubuntu 6.10 Updates
Accepted: tzdata 2007k-0ubuntu0.6.10 (source) - https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/edgy-changes/2008-January/008465.html
Accepted: wesnoth_1.1.8-1ubuntu0.2 - https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/edgy-changes/2008-January/008466.html
Accepted: opera 9.25-20071214.6edgy1 (source) - https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/edgy-changes/2008-January/008467.html
Ubuntu 7.04 Updates
Accepted: tzdata 2007k-0ubuntu0.7.04 (source) - https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/feisty-changes/2008-January/008807.html
Accepted: wesnoth_1.2.3-0ubuntu1.3 - https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/feisty-changes/2008-January/008808.html
Accepted: opera 9.25-20071214.6feisty1 (source) - https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/feisty-changes/2008-January/008809.html
Ubuntu 7.10 Updates
Accepted: tzdata 2007k-0ubuntu0.7.10 (source) - https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/gutsy-changes/2008-January/010068.html
Accepted: avahi 0.6.20-2ubuntu3.1 (source) - https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/gutsy-changes/2008-January/010069.html
Accepted: wesnoth_1.2.6-1ubuntu2.4 - https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/gutsy-changes/2008-January/010070.html
Accepted: opera 9.25-20071214.6gutsy1 (source) - https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/gutsy-changes/2008-January/010071.html
Bug Stats
- Open (38776) +124 # over last week
- Critical (19) +/-0 # over last week
- Unconfirmed (19820) +41 # over last week
- Unassigned (29119) +135 # over last week
- All bugs ever reported (143449) +1089 # over last week
As always, the Bug Squad needs more help. If you want to get started, please see https://wiki.ubuntu.com/BugSquad
Translation Stats
- Spanish (12589) -780 # over last week
- French (37728) +/-0 # over last week
- Swedish (49184) -73 # over last week
- English-UK (27547) -11532 # over last week
- German (66656) +/-0 # over last week
Remaining string to translate in Ubuntu 7.10 "Gutsy Gibbon", see more at: https://translations.launchpad.net/ubuntu/gutsy/
Archives and RSS Feed
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Additional Ubuntu News
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Conclusion
Thank you for reading the Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter.
See you next week!
Credits
The Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter is brought to you by:
- Nick Ali
- Craig A. Eddy
- John Crawford
- Isabelle Duchatelle
- And many others
Feedback
If you would like to submit an idea or story you think is worth appearing on the UWN, please send them to ubuntu-marketing-submissions@lists.ubuntu.com. This document is maintained by the Ubuntu Marketing Team. Please feel free to contact us regarding any concerns or suggestions by either sending an email to ubuntu-marketing@lists.ubuntu.com or by using any of the other methods on the Ubuntu Marketing Team Contact Information Page (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/MarketingTeam). If you'd like to contribute to a future issue of the Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter, please feel free to edit the appropriate wiki page. If you have any technical support questions, please send then ubuntu-users@lists.ubuntu.com.