OSWALD Newsletter Archives (by issue #, click to view)
The Open Source Law Weekly Digest or OSWALD first launched late in 2002. Since then it has been regularly providing updates on all things open source related. The focus of this newsletter is on business, rather than technical developments in open source. Another strong component of the newsletter is IP news, as it is of interest to me and has an effect on open source.
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Welcome to the Open Source Law Weekly Open Source Digest (OSWALD)
Lots of OT stories about NSA still. The first Firefox OS phones are making their appearance and some punditry about the upcoming Linux based SteamBox.
*From my blog: http://brendanscott.wordpress.com/2013/07/29/it-pricing-report-available/
http://brendanscott.wordpress.com/2013/06/14/should-governments-specify-licence-conditions/
http://brendanscott.wordpress.com/2012/11/16/ip-issues-paper-42-costs/
Verbatim distribution with attribution ok.
Other distribution - email me.
Regards
Brendan
***** OT
NSA Stuff http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/27/barack-obama-nsa-angela-merkel-germany
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2058560/human-rights-commission-questions-nsa-surveillance.html
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/26/nsa-surveillance-brazil-germany-un-resolution
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/25/nsa-surveillance-more-revelations-spying-eu
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/25/david-cameron-agrees-eu-concern-nsa-surveillance
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/10/26/justice/foreign-surveillance-program-terror-case/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/27/mike-rogers-nsa-surveillance_n_4167901.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57609690/obama-administration-tight-lipped-on-nsa-surveillance-of-allies/
http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2013/10/23/240239062/five-things-to-know-about-the-nsas-surveillance-activities
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/nsa-surveillance-threatens-u-s-efforts-abroad
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/28/nsa-surveillance-dianne-feinstein-opposed-allies
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/nsa-surveillance-creeps-onto-techs-lobbying-agenda-98706.html
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-57609238-83/stop-watching-us-eyes-big-rally-against-nsa-surveillance-q-a/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24708410
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jasperhamill/2013/10/22/french-nsa-surveillance-scandal-jeopardises-transatlantic-relations/
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/23/hollywood-stars-ask-n-s-a-to-stop-mass-surveillance/?_r=0
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/10/26/nsa-dc-rally/3241417/
***** Government/Policy
Obamacare's Open Source Project Lives On - Even After White House Kills It http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2013/10/obamacare-github/
http://www.itworld.com/cloud-computing/379451/governments-get-open-github
But ultimately, outside coders showed the federal government just how powerful open source code can be.
Open-source hardware hacking effort 'smacked down' by USB overlords http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/10/24/usb_overlord_threatens_open_source_hardware_initiative/
Johnson wrote to the forum to ask how he should go about “licensing a vendor ID. . . explicitly for the purpose of enabling small developers producing open=source hardware to more easily produce USB devices”.
***** Applications/Gadgets
Soft radio dev kits run Linux on ARM/FPGA SoCs http://linuxgizmos.com/sdr-dev-kits-run-linux-on-arm-fpga-socs/
The $3,595 AD9361 “Software-Defined Radio Systems Development Kit,” meanwhile, is equipped with Xilinx’s own feature-rich $2,495 ZC706 reference board.
Liferay Releases Major Update To Liferay Portal http://ostatic.com/blog/liferay-releases-major-update-to-liferay-portal
The open source enterprise collaboration software has quickly become central to our team workflow, and daily keeps us organized and on task.
Asterid Open Source 3D Printer Hits Kickstarter http://www.webpronews.com/asterid-open-source-3d-printer-hits-kickstarter-2013-10
So, how much is this going to cost you? The Asterid 1000S will set you back $489 whereas the 1000HB will cost $549.
Portable file sharing backup charger runs Linux http://linuxgizmos.com/portable-file-sharing-and-backup-charger-device-runs-linux/
The SmartBox lacks its own internal storage or Internet access, but can wirelessly stream SD card content to up to six mobile devices via WiFi.
First Tizen tablet ships to developers http://linuxgizmos.com/first-tizen-tablet-ships/
Aimed at developers in Japan, the Systena tablet runs Tizen 2. 1 on a quad-core, 1. 4GHz Cortex-A9 system-on-chip, features a 10. 1-inch (1920 x 1200) display, and offers 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage.
***** Reports
John Carmack thinks the Steam Machine's biggest problem is Linux http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/169021-john-carmack-thinks-the-steam-machines-biggest-problem-is-linux
http://www.pcworld.com/article/2056894/steamos-could-really-help-desktop-linux-adoption-says-torvalds.html
However, as Carmack specifically noted, Linux might be the Steam Machine’s downfall — not because an optimized, specialized distro couldn’t handle games well, but because developers may not flock to the platform.
Firefox OS advances, as LG Fireweb phone debuts http://linuxgizmos.com/firefox-os-advances-as-lg-fireweb-phone-debuts/
Telefonica announced the launch of Firefox OS 1. 1 phones in Brazil, including the debut of LG’s first Firefox OS phone.
Why Hasn't Open Source Taken Over Storage? http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/technology/chi-nsc-why-hasnt-open-source-taken-over-storage-20131022,0,2202327.story
if you look at the market for ERP software or for storage systems, open source hasn't made much of a dent.
Mirantis Fuels New OpenStack Cloud Distribution http://www.eweek.com/cloud/mirantis-fuels-new-openstack-cloud-distribution.html
The open-source OpenStack cloud platform distribution landscape is getting a bit more crowded today with the announcement of the new Mirantis OpenStack distribution.
Apple's free OS is no threat to Linux at all, Torvalds says http://www.networkworld.com/news/2013/102313-apple39s-free-os-is-no-275143.html
http://hothardware.com/News/BOO-Linus-Torvalds-Says-Linux-Aint-Afraid-of-No-Free-Apple-OS-X-Mavericks/
Torvalds said he has no idea where Linux will end up in five years. "I never had a plan. I still don't have a plan. It is kind of evolution in biology: there is no end plan. It is just that what works survives," he said. Linux will keep on evolving and improving in the same way, he said.
SkySQL Raises $20M To Support Open-Source Relational Database MariaDB http://techcrunch.com/2013/10/22/skysql-raises-20m-to-support-open-source-relational-database-mariadb/
The round was led by Intel Capital with participation from California Technology Ventures, Finnish Industry Investment, Open Ocean Capital and Spintop Private Partners.
Firefox community roiled by Java crackdown http://www.networkworld.com/news/2013/102213-firefox-java-275087.html
The Firefox web browser will, henceforth, require users to manually activate Java objects on sites that they visit, Mozilla has confirmed. The change is aimed at improving security and moving away from a dependence on proprietary plug-ins, but critics say it will cause untold headaches for developers, admins and less-technical end-users.
Linux-based bike computer tracks stats, deters theft http://linuxgizmos.com/linux-based-bicycle-computer-tracks-stats-and-deters-theft/
A startup called Wi-MM is prepping a bicycle computer that promises to notify users if their bike is stolen, then sound an alarm and track it down via GPS.
Twitter turns to open source to prevent service disruptions http://www.pcworld.com/article/2056460/twitter-turns-to-open-source-to-prevent-service-disruptions.html
To prevent disruptions and scale up its service while keeping costs down, Twitter has had to drastically change its core infrastructure, taking up open source tools while doing so.
Linux is king *nix of the data center—but Unix may live on forever http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2013/10/linux-is-king-nix-of-the-data-center-but-unix-may-live-on-forever/
And in IDC's most recent report covering Q2 2013, Linux was up to 23. 2 percent of all revenue with $2. 8 billion, while Unix fell 21 percent year over year to $1. 8 billion.
OpenStack Cloud Business Tops $600M in 2013, Over $1B by 2015 http://www.eweek.com/cloud/openstack-cloud-business-tops-600m-in-2013-over-1b-by-2015.html
A new market sizing report from analyst firm 451 Research pegs the OpenStack market as being on track to generate $600 million in revenue in 2013, with more than $1 billion in revenue forecast by 2015.
10 Best Quotes from Linus Torvalds' Keynote at LinuxCon Europe http://www.linux.com/news/featured-blogs/200-libby-clark/744744-10-best-quotes-from-linus-torvalds-keynote-at-linuxcon-europe
Linus Torvalds and Dirk Hohndel on stage at LinuxCon Europe. Linux creator Linus Torvalds took the stage today at LinuxCon Europe in Edinburgh with Intel’s Chief Linux and Open Source Technologist Dirk Hohndel to discuss the present and future of Linux and answer questions from the community.
Firefox’s Australis design won’t ship until March 2014 http://www.ghacks.net/2013/10/24/firefoxs-australis-design-wont-ship-march-2014/
Monster RPG 2 To Go Non-Free After Succesfully Crowdfunding To Become Open Source http://www.gamingonlinux.com/articles/monster-rpg-2-to-go-nonfree-after-succesfully-crowdfunding-to-become-open-source.2624
I do regret that I was so far off in estimates, but I think everyone has got their dues from this campaign. Certainly 250,000 free downloads amounts to something as well. So with bills piling up again and no income to pay them (and no money left from the campaign,) I have decided to put Monster RPG 2 back on sale on the anniversary of the end of the campaign last year, November 6th 2013.
SalesAgility Sweetens CRM With Open Source Sugar http://www.crmbuyer.com/story/SalesAgility-Sweetens-CRM-With-Open-Source-Sugar-79279.html
"Sugar has abandoned open source completely in recent years," Greg Soper, SalesAgility's CEO, told CRM Buyer. "What we have done is taken the open source components of SugarCRM and added components that we wrote to offer something that is very similar to SugarCRM Professional Edition. "
Hardware is now open (sourced) for business http://www.cnbc.com/id/101133560
The open-source hardware movement is migrating from the garage to the marketplace. Companies that follow an open-source philosophy make their physical designs and software code available to the public. By doing so, these companies engage a wave of makers, hobbyists and designers who don't just want to buy products, but have a hand in developing them.
OwnCloud Documents to bring Open Document Format editing to private cloud http://www.zdnet.com/owncloud-documents-to-bring-open-document-format-editing-to-private-cloud-7000022454/
Put all this together and, according to Frank Karlitschek, ownCloud founder, what you get is: "collaborative editing! This feature is implemented in an app called "ownCloud Documents" and will be part of ownCloud 6.
***** Snippets
Review: Ubuntu Touch on a Nexus 7 is almost awesome http://www.networkworld.com/community/blog/review-ubuntu-touch-nexus-7-almost-awesome
Ubuntu Touch: The next hot smartphone operating system http://www.zdnet.com/ubuntu-touch-the-next-hot-smartphone-operating-system-7000022156/
http://www.zdnet.com/ubuntu-touch-the-smartphone-ubuntu-linux-arrives-7000022221/
GLib 2.38.1 Fixes Support for GNU Hurd http://news.softpedia.com/news/GLib-2-38-1-Fixes-Support-for-GNU-Hurd-392975.shtml
Oracle Updates Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel for Linux Servers http://www.serverwatch.com/server-news/oracle-updates-unbreakable-enterprise-kernel-for-linux-servers.html
New Kernel Vulnerability Affects Ubuntu 12.10 http://news.softpedia.com/news/New-Kernel-Vulnerability-Affects-Ubuntu-12-10-393659.shtml
77 Open Source Replacements for Expensive Applications http://www.datamation.com/open-source/77-open-source-replacements-for-expensive-applications-1.html
Linux Foundation adopts Open Virtualization Alliance and KVM http://www.zdnet.com/linux-foundation-adopts-open-virtualization-alliance-and-kvm-7000022281/
iMac as a Linux Workstation http://www.unixmen.com/imac-linux-workstation/
SolusOS Linux Will No Longer Be Developed http://news.softpedia.com/news/SolusOS-Linux-Will-No-Longer-be-Developed-393905.shtml
Linux Lite Is Heavy on Features and Usability http://www.linuxinsider.com/story/Linux-Lite-Is-Heavy-on-Features-and-Usability-79257.html
Intranet on your phone: Launch of Open Atrium 2, open source collaboration solution http://opensource.com/business/13/10/open-atrium-mobile-intranet-launch
Everything Wrong With Ubuntu http://ostatic.com/blog/everything-wrong-with-ubuntu
Evolution 3.11.1 Is Now Available for Testing http://news.softpedia.com/news/Evolution-3-11-1-Is-Now-Available-for-Testing-393999.shtml
Xubuntu 13.10 Review: A Great Choice for Minimalists http://desktoplinuxreviews.com/xubuntu-reviews/xubuntu-13-10/
New Kernel Vulnerability Affects Ubuntu 12.04 LTS http://news.softpedia.com/news/New-Kernel-Vulnerability-Affects-Ubuntu-12-04-LTS-393648.shtml
GNUPanel: The free software web control panel http://www.examiner.com/article/gnupanel-the-free-software-web-control-panel
Eucalyptus 3.4 Arrives, Emphasizes Private Clouds, AWS Compatibility http://ostatic.com/blog/eucalyptus-3-4-arrives-emphasizes-private-clouds-aws-compatibility
GNOME Software 3.10.2 Fixes More Bugs http://news.softpedia.com/news/GNOME-Software-3-10-2-Fixes-More-Bugs-393821.shtml
GNOME 3.12 Release Schedule http://news.softpedia.com/news/GNOME-3-12-Release-Schedule-394451.shtml
SolusOS: Life Happens...Distros Die http://fossforce.com/2013/10/solusos-life-happensdistros-die/
Linux 3.12 rc7 https://lkml.org/lkml/2013/10/27/195
Don't be fooled by phony 'open source' http://www.infoworld.com/d/open-source-software/github-finally-takes-open-source-licenses-seriously-222708
Fedora 21 Drops Support For A Bunch Of Old GPUs http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=search&q=Fedora+20
Why children should learn to code, even if they don't have a future in IT http://opensource.com/education/13/10/burr-sutter-interview
AOSP code commits hint at Linux kernel 3.10 in the near future http://androidcommunity.com/aosp-code-commits-hint-at-linux-kernel-3-10-in-the-near-future-20131027/
WordPress 3.7 Debuts, Improving Security for Millions http://www.eweek.com/enterprise-apps/wordpress-3.7-debuts-improving-security-for-millions.html
OpenMandriva Lx preview http://www.linuxbsdos.com/2013/10/21/openmandriva-lx-preview/
Interview: The Fedora Project's Máirín Duffy http://www.montanalinux.org/interview-mairin-duffy-oct2013.html
Grsync : Graphical rsync backup tool on Ubuntu ( 12.10 / 13.04 / 13.10) http://www.nextstep4it.com/categories/how-to/grsync/
How non-programmers can contribute to open source projects http://opensource.com/life/13/10/contribute-open-source-project-no-code
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