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OpenOffice_org 3.0rc2 available

September 24th, 2008 by

I’m happy to announce that OpenOffice.org 3.0.0.3.2 rc2 packages are available in the Build Service OpenOffice:org:UNSTABLE project.

The package still not final and might include even serious bugs. Therefore it is not intended for data-critical usage. A good practice is to archive any important data before an use, …

We kindly ask any interested beta testers to try the package and report bugs.

Note: openSUSE-11.1-beta1 and FACTORY include totaly reworked packages where the build is split into many source packages. It is very broken right now. I would like to put it into the Build Service after I solve the most annoying problems. It might take one or two months. The new packages will also provide some extra OOo extensions.

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Posted in Desktop, OpenOffice.org | Comments Off on OpenOffice_org 3.0rc2 available

Software Management as a Service

September 24th, 2008 by

A couple of days ago I finished my thesis with the topic mentioned above.

It describes the currently used package formats and software management systems within the Linux as also the proprietary world of Microsoft respectively Apple plus the possibilities to reduce those systems and tools to a common denominator.

The prototype of this service, which emerged within the scope of the thesis, consists of the following three parts:

  • PackageKit, which acts as broker between CIM and the local software management system
  • CIM, which provides the standardized data model and communication and a
  • Web-UI, which is more or less only a proof of concept

As the Common Information Model (CIM) is a widespread and well used standard (even Microsoft occupies it with its WMI stuff), its models are used for a common data structure as also for the operating system independent communication.

For implementing a usable service, classes (data structures) for Package, Update and Repository was needed.
These classes are based, out of compatibility reasons, on the already existing WMI implementation of Microsoft. Hence, it is possible with one and the same client to list packages (products in Microsoft speech) and Updates of Linux as also Windows computers.

To connect this CIM-classes to the local software management system it was necessary to develop so called CIM-providers.

The implemented providers communicate with PackageKit and not with the available software management systems (like ZYpp in case of openSUSE) itself. This is beneficial as there is no need anymore to develop a provider for every single software management system. As soon as there is a backend for PackageKit of the specific software management system this service is automatically usable.

Simplified structure of the service

The prototype of the service is fully usable to list, install and remove packages and patches as also to list, disable and enable repositories for all Linux distributions provided by PackageKit.

So, if you are interested and the thesis is accepted and marked (hopefully good) by my examiners, let me know and you’ll get a copy of it (90 pages, english).

Posted in Packaging, Software Management, Systems Management | Comments Off on Software Management as a Service

What should happen happen if I transplant a brain?

September 23rd, 2008 by

I’m currently involved in a discussion on factory about what should happen if I replace the graphics card, or when I move the hard disk from one machine to another one, with different hardware.

I wished SUSE did handle such transplants gracefully, maybe for the same reason I do not wish my 2CV back:

My first car was a Citroën 2CV.

On some summer day I did a very long autobahn trip with it and the engine got real hot as it was air cooled.  When I finally had arrived in my home town late at night, I rolled down a long hill using the engine brake and at the end of hill at a red light I stopped the car — and oops: so did the engine…

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Posted in Base System, Usability, X.org | 5 Comments »

Developing with libyui/libzypp & python – part2

September 23rd, 2008 by

In part 1 we installed and tested libyui and its python binding. Now let’s take a closer look at its usage.


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Posted in YaST | Comments Off on Developing with libyui/libzypp & python – part2

Final Reminder

September 23rd, 2008 by

Yes it is I, FunkyPenguin, on my Party Political Soap Box calling out to all you unbelievers.

You have less than 23hrs till applications for membership for voting purposes is closed; you also have the same small amount of time to notify us of your intention to run for a position for the first community elected Board. I know there are some of you who have been thinking about running – it’s now or never to be part of the 1st. Sure you can go for it next election, but you should really go for it now 😉

Remember you need to be a member before you can run for the Board!

For more info please see my earlier call.

Posted in Board, Elections | Comments Off on Final Reminder

openSUSE 11.1 Beta 1 Installer Screenshots

September 22nd, 2008 by

No spectacular changes, but I wanted to show off a couple of screens.  The only real changes I notice so far is maybe the setup options layout and definitely the partitioner layout.  And a side note on the artifacting on the install status, I believe that’s just VirtualBox.  I’ll install on real hardware before too long.

Click on the thumbnails below for the full sized picture.

Posted in Distribution, Miscellaneous | 5 Comments »

Opensuse-Nicaragua in Software Freedom Day

September 21st, 2008 by

in the community of opensuse-Nicaragua, we have organized together with NI-LUG (Linux user group for Nicaragua) theSoftware freedom day, an event in which we celebrate the freedoms of free software, and we know the alternative to free we have the unique program, in which case I am proud to say that in the area of facilities were installed 17 machines with 11.0 opensuse already acada a promoDVD them a gift, like all people asking q arrived on opensuse, they were promoDVD a gift.

There was an area of sales of T-shirts, where we make shirts for sale along with the shirts and gave a promoDVD.sfdsfd2sfd4sfd5sfd6

Software Freedom Day was a success!

Posted in Events | 3 Comments »

openSUSE-GNOME Wiki Cleanup

September 18th, 2008 by

Greetings!

As a side note, I’ll be posting my openSUSE/SLE related writings from http://altbit.org here on Lizards from now on.  I think this is a great service to the openSUSE community and I’m appreciative for it.  With that out of the way, on to the topic at hand…

We’ve had some discussion over the past few GNOME meetings (and a little banter on the mailing list) about cleaning up the /GNOME section of the wiki.  In today’s GNOME meeting, I announced that I’d like to organize a meeting to get some open discussion for potential wiki changes.  You can view the thread here.

Please hop in and get involved if you have any ideas for the GNOME section of the wiki.  You’re welcome to chime in on the mailing list or stop by #openSUSE-GNOME on Freenode.  So far here are some ideas we’ve come up with:

  • Assign a maintainer/janitor (likely myself) to periodically check for broken links and out of date or irrelevant pages.
  • Re-organize the opening /GNOME page.
  • Produce a ‘quick links’ section at the top of the page, with more detailed information (such as what is already availalbe) below.
  • Provide a basic calendar of openSUSE-GNOME events.
  • Create a tips/tricks section (perhaps to assist with Helping Hands).

I’ll follow up to this post as more information (and a meeting time) is available.  We’d like your input, feel free to join the discussion!

cmh

Posted in Documentation, Events, GNOME | Comments Off on openSUSE-GNOME Wiki Cleanup

160hrs Till Notifications And Applications Close

September 17th, 2008 by

OK people listen up… please?

Thanks! OK, just a reminder that you have less than 160 hours to register for the openSUSE board election if you haven’t done so already.

For the mathematically challenged, 160 hours is just under seven full days! Yes, that is how long you have left to get your membership application in to be able to vote on the upcoming board election. It is also the amount of time you have left to get your notification of intention to run for the first community elected Board.

You can only run for the board if you hold openSUSE Membership, you can only vote for your favourite candidates if you have openSUSE Membership. Do you see a pattern here? Good!

Also it would be good if all of the current candidates could ensure that they have filled in their platforms on the openSUSE wiki as requested before then. Some have already, I appreciate that people are busy, but if you want to be on the Board (or vote for the board) you have to be prompt. Slackers will not be tolerated! 😉

Geeko wants you

Obligatory Political Image

Tags: ,
Posted in Board, Elections | 1 Comment »

Introductions

September 16th, 2008 by

I recently became an openSUSE member and good manners dictate that I introduce myself.

My name is Johan Kotze and I work as a pre-sales engineer for Novell. I live in Paarl, South Africa – a beautiful town in the Cape winelands. I am married and have a 5 year old daugther (yes she does have her daddy wrapped around her little finger )

Like all geeks I like to play with new stuff, so my primary contribution to openSUSE is to try out all the new releases and file bug reports. I run openSUSE on all of my machines at work and at home and spread the word whenever I can.

My other interests include programming (pascal and C#) and bird watching (the feathered kind) and traveling. I’ll gladly give advice to anyone wanting travel info on Souther Africa.

I am currently running openSUSE 11 with KDE 4.1 on my primary laptop (a Lenovo T61p). It took me a while to figure out that you  to have to click on the little kidney thing in the right corner before you can move plasmoids around on the taskbar.

I will try (no promises) to blog about my experiences with openSUSE and other open source software.

Posted in KDE, Miscellaneous | 2 Comments »

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