China DOS Union

The operating system is no longer up to Microsoft
Source: PConline
Editor in charge: adrian

Author: McKen Fish


As for the current mainstream desktop operating systems, Windows is of course the unshakable boss, MacOS also holds a place thanks to fanatical Apple fans, and in recent years the suddenly rising Linux is even more a newborn calf that fears no tiger. So what exactly is the current state of these three types of desktop operating systems?

Recently an international research organization released a survey report pointing out that Apple's MacOS x is currently at the peak of its popularization, while Linux applications are also in full swing. The combined force of these two has given Windows an unprecedentedly powerful shock. Among them, MacOS x is loved by a group of users who need an ultra-stable system for complex image processing; Linux, on the other hand, has become popular as the first choice for non-Windows users who are dissatisfied with the complicated structure of Microsoft's systems.




According to analysis results from senior analysts, even so, Linux and OS x can still only continue maintaining their current trend of slowly expanding market share, because Microsoft's desktop products are already intricately tied to enterprise operations. Even if you have the money, energy, and resources, trying to replace Windows and push it out in a short time is probably no easy matter.



Gentlemen of insight, what are your views?

Air New Zealand: Linux replaces Microsoft
Source: PConline
Editor in charge: adrian

Author: McKen Fish

Air New Zealand recently formally announced that it has abandoned Windows NT servers and begun using IBM hosts running Linux. As more and more Linux enthusiasts enter company leadership and management, is this trend already irreversible? According to the New Zealand Herald, Air New Zealand is replacing 150 Compaq NT servers with two IBM hosts running Linux, and licensing fees alone can save the company 600,000 New Zealand dollars. The company will use Bynari—an open-source email application—to replace Microsoft's Exchange. IBM Z800 hosts will run Linux, the Websphere application server, the DB2 database, and Tivoli software.

Air New Zealand spokesman Cameron Hill told reporters that the company believes the era when major IT users use Linux has arrived, because the Linux operating system can save costs. Of IBM's two hosts, one handles real-time transactions, while the other provides disaster prevention and recovery as well as system redundancy processing.

According to other related reports, many large companies are making the shift to Linux systems with real action. Recently, SUN Microsystems released a new low-cost Linux-based server, and at the same time hinted that it is developing a low-cost Linux PC for Staroffice users, posing a challenge to Microsoft's currently dominant Windows operating system and Office series. Dell Computer is also developing alternatives to Windows for its business desktop computers. Next month, the personal computer market will introduce N-series Dell desktops and workstations without Microsoft's Windows or other operating systems preinstalled.

Sun is going to release Linux too?
Source: PConline
Editor in charge: adrian

Author: Gu Yatao
　　Recently many people have been talking about Sun making a Linux distribution, but authoritative people at Sun told us that "Sun Linux" (it may also be called by some other name) is actually only a repackaged Red Hat, just with support for some special hardware, and for some time to come it will not be available to the public for download or sold in CD form.

　　There is internal news from Sun saying that although no one fully knows what CEO Scott McNealy will say at the LinuxWorld conference on August 13, whether he will give a speech like “The role of Linux in capitalist society”? or make a Sun work briefing, one thing is certain: McNealy definitely will not announce a Sun-branded, independent Linux distribution.

　　Sun's purpose in doing this is obviously to regain the Solaris server market that Sun lost in the past because vendors one after another turned to preinstalling Linux. In other words, people at Sun have already seen all the articles in various media over the past few years saying “Linux has hurt Sun in the server market far more than it has hurt Microsoft,” and they intend to do something about it. That is: “If you can't beat it, join it.” This is Sun's cautious first step after thinking its way into the Linux market.

What is Dell's Linux server management software like?
Source: PConline
Author: pconline Tech News Team

As part of its comprehensive system management strategy, Dell Computer recently launched brand-new enterprise-level support services and native Linux server management software. Dell's strategy is to combine Dell OpenManage( system management software, hardware, support services, and third-party integrated management tools to further simplify management of customers' enterprise computing platforms and improve their level of automation. The strategy is designed to help save resources, increase productivity, and reduce total cost of ownership.

Support services

Dell's new support services enable customers, either through self-operation or by directly contacting Dell, to remotely monitor, detect, diagnose, and repair systems more effectively. These tools can be obtained by signing a Dell enterprise advanced support agreement, and installed on servers, desktops, notebooks, or storage systems to monitor the customer environment. Alerts and logs will then be sent to the customer's help center for fault diagnosis and solution planning. Customers can choose from two levels of automation to select the service or repair option that suits them.

More intelligent computing

Dell's system management strategy aims to help customers identify which areas in their existing computing infrastructure can benefit from a higher degree of automation. Customers can then accordingly select software tools from Dell OpenManage system management components, other management tools, and Dell enterprise advanced services to achieve their goals. For example, some customers want to reduce downtime caused by server repair, so they can choose more predictive support services to reduce server shipping and storage losses, save IT staff resources, and improve server productivity.

By simplifying system management across the entire enterprise and improving automation throughout the whole system life cycle—from planning to deployment, and then to replacement—customers will be able to gain more return from their investment in computing infrastructure.

Amit Midiha, Dell's Marketing Director for Asia Pacific and Japan, pointed out: “CIOs are seeking ways to simplify IT infrastructure and improve automation. Dell is helping them reduce costs by increasing the automation of routine work, extend system uptime through tighter integration with Dell support services, and improve the efficiency of IT staff by simplifying end-to-end system management. At the same time, customers will also gain greater flexibility and cost-effectiveness from standards-based technology.”

Joining hands for the spirit of freedom, UnitedLinux is about to be released
Source: PConline
Editor in charge: adrian

Author: vikki
Overseas news says that the four Linux giants joining hands to build UnitedLinux will launch the first beta test version of UnitedLinux 1.0 for users in two weeks.

“UnitedLinux,” this standardized Linux system alliance bringing together four major vendors—America's Caldera International and Turbolinux, Germany's SuSE Linux, and Brazil's Conectiva—announced that it will conduct its first beta test in two weeks, and also announced concrete plans for taking in new application providers and software developers.

It is said that this beta test version will be shared open test software—aimed at all partners in the alliance who have recently come together because of “UnitedLinux.” However, since the testing is divided into two stages (the first stage lasts until the end of this month, and the whole test will be completed in September), this means that the product originally scheduled to appear in the fourth quarter will be delayed, really whetting everyone's appetite.

What exactly UnitedLinux will be like, please keep a close eye on Pcnews's follow-up reports.

The student surpasses the master: Linux has become Unix's savior
Source: Sohu IT
Editor in charge: adrianAccording to Gartner, in the Unix market Linux is gradually gaining momentum, and will push this operating system market into three major camps: IBM AIX, Sun Solaris, and HP-UX. Last week in Auckland, Gartner hardware analyst Matthew Boon told 80 attendees that by 2006, Linux server sales revenue would account for a very important share of the overall server market.
　　
　　 “But it won't take a large amount of market share away from Unix. The ones facing the greatest danger will be low-end Windows systems, especially the share at the network edge. By 2006, Linux will begin moving into the midrange market and even the enterprise market.” Boon believes Linux will be Unix's savior; otherwise Windows would take away the entire market. “Linux will hold Windows in check, giving the other three enough room to develop. Windows will continue to develop, but not as rapidly as it would without Linux.”
　　
　　 Two years ago, Gartner conducted a survey on whether Linux had the same capabilities as other mainstream operating systems. As a result, very few people held a positive opinion. But this year, 40% of the feedback believes Linux has the same capabilities. According to Boon, Linux will have a major impact on low-end Windows, but the future release of Windows .Net will prevent Linux from making inroads into the enterprise market.
　　
　　 In hardware, servers are very likely to shift toward a modular-component architecture. Boon said: “Take a look at blade servers. Right now they are still in the stage of heavy promotion, but in another 24 months they will be widely accepted.” Gartner believes future servers will become a virtual resource utilization tool determined by need.
　　
　　 “This will be the next push from vendors. Servers will become a kind of general utility, like electricity or water. There is still a long way to go, but vendors have already begun making every effort to provide this technology.”

Bluefish: a powerful HTML editing tool under Linux
Source: PConline
Editor in charge: adrian

Author: Gu Yatao
The reason everyone still can't completely give up Windows is that under Windows there really are many extremely excellent development tools. For example, for website developers, Dreamweaver, UltraEdit, and the like really are indispensable. If Linux could have equally excellent development tools, then the day when we move away from Windows will not be far off.

Now there is exactly such an excellent website development tool under Linux, Bluefish. Not only does it have a nice name, its functions are also very powerful. Its current latest version is 0.7.2, but the latest RPM version released in Mandrake is 0.7.1, so you can install it very conveniently. Hurry up and install it and give it a try—you'll find that it has many nice features.

1. Convenient creation wizards for tables, Frame, and many other things.