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Filed under: Open Source

Filed under: Internet, OS Updates, Google, Open Source

Google's Chrome and Android operating systems will converge sooner rather than later


Google's co-founder, Sergey Brin, spoke to some reporters yesterday, after the Chrome OS presentation. Citing the common WebKit and Linux code found in both operating systems, he said "Android and Chrome are likely to converge over time."

"We're reaching a perfect storm of converging trends where computers are behaving more like mobile devices, and phones are behaving more like small computers," Google said in a statement responding to questions on if and when the two operating systems would converge.

Sergey's frankness on the matter is a little odd and must be part of a very recent internal about-face, considering Google CEO Eric Schmidt said only a few days ago that there was space for both operating systems and no need for conflict between them.

It would make sense though. Mobile devices are becoming more PC-like. PCs are certainly becoming more mobile (excluding the brick-like gaming laptops of course). With mobile data packages from AT&T, Verizon and other international providers regularly dropping in price, Chrome OS and its fast, easy access to everything in the cloud would make for one, sad, lonely Android.

[via CNET]

Filed under: Windows, Office, Open Source

Open source Adobe Reader alternative Sumatra PDF hits version 1.0

Adobe has done a lot to improve Reader in recent versions. I'm more than happy to run an open source alternative, however. Sumatra PDF is ridiculously small (a 1.2Mb download), lightweight, and handles the PDFs I throw at it without skipping a beat.

Today, Sumatra has finally hit version 1.0. Sumatra's a pretty bare-bones application, so don't expect any mind-blowing changes. What the new update boils down to is better compatibility, bug fixes, and performance tweaks.

Installed, Sumatra barely makes a dent in your drive space (not that you're counting at a few cents per gig), and it's very light on memory usage as well. The 277-page ebook I've got open is using just under 20Mb.

There's also a portable version available - an excellent way to make sure you've got a slim, speedy PDF reader with you wherever you take your flash drive. Both the installer and zip file are available for download from the author's site.

Filed under: Linux, Open Source, Canonical

Canonical working on an iTunes-like music store for Ubuntu?

One program people I know miss when they've tried to switch to Linux is iTunes. Like it or not, Apple's desktop app has gained the reputation of being the place to buy music and video downloads. But iTunes on Linux? Fuhgettaboutit.

That leaves an opportunity for someone in the Linux community to step up and deliver an alternative. Enter Canonical, who may be preparing to do just that in time for the release of Lucid Lynx.

Over at LaunchPad, there's a blueprint called Ubuntu One Music Store which states its goal as "to deliver the ability to purchase music from within a desktop music player." There's nothing much yet for details on the associated wiki, so there's no telling yet what exactly might be in the works.

As Joe Panettieri points out at WorksWithU, Canonical CEO Mark Shuttleworth mentioned Amazon during a press call for the launch of Karmic Koala. Unlike Apple, Amazon was more than happy to show Linux users some love - offering a downloader for purchases from their MP3 store. They're also pretty chummy already thanks to that whole cloud thing.

Even if the Ubuntu One Music Store ends up being an affiliate app powered by Amazon, it could provide a decent revenue stream for Canonical. It's also one more feature that could entice users to give Linux a try on their desktop.

*installer screen cheesily simulated

Filed under: Text, Freeware, Open Source, Web

SimpleText.ws is a dead-simple online text editor

SimpleText.wsKeeping notes, todo lists, or just anything you are writing synchronized between computers can be a hassle. Some solutions, like using DropBox, require you to install software on computers that you regularly use. If your needs aren't that heavy, but you'd like a free way to keep your text available wherever you are, check out SimpleText.ws.

SimpleText.ws is an open-source, very light text editing environment that allows you to create and manage documents in a web service, and access them anywhere. It uses Google for authentication, so if you already have a Google account, signing in is as simple as clicking the Sign In link.

The fact that SimpleText.ws is open source means that if you're not comfortable hosting your text on someone else's server, you can grab the server code and host it yourself.

There is also a public API available for SimpleText.ws, which means that developers can write applications that synchronize with it. Currently there is only one, but it's a good one: Hog Bay Software's WriteRoom for iPhone.

How do you keep your text files available no matter what computer you're working on?

Filed under: News, Google, Open Source, Browsers

Google preparing to launch Chrome Extensions gallery?

A few months back, the new tab page in Chrome tipped us off to the impending launch of Google's theme gallery. Tonight, there's a new change that could very well mean that Google is getting ready to open the doors to a similar gallery - for Chrome extensions.


Up until now, the corner of the page featured a small graphic which linked to the Themes Gallery. Today, that image was replaced with the puzzle pieces you see above which links to https://chrome.google.com/extensions. Don't get too excited, though. As with the themes gallery thumbnail in July, the link doesn't go where it's supposed to yet. You'll be redirected to Google's search page.

According to a recent posting on Google Groups by Chrome team member Neil Baum, extensions are set to hit Chrome's beta channel in early December. The plan may well be to launch both the updated beta and extension gallery at the same time.

With extensions one step closer to landing on the stable version, it will be important to provide a centralized location where willing testers can find and install them.

While you wait for the doors to open, you can always check out our list of 15+ great Chrome extensions and Chromeextensions.org's massive collection.

Filed under: Linux, Google, Open Source, Browsers

Chromium bookmark sync now cross-platform, lands on Linux


Jay posted yesterday about the arrival of bookmark sync on Chromium for Mac, and it appears as though Linux users have been invited to the dance as well.

After finishing the updates on my Ubuntu 9.10 dual-boot, I gave the --enable-sync command line switch a go on my 64-bit Chromium install. Sure enough, sync is now working on Linux. Head to the wrench menu and press "Synchronize my bookmarks," enter your credentials, and within a few seconds your bookmarks appear.

The change is certainly making my work day a heck of a lot easier. With the LastPass extension already handling my logins and passwords and Chromium now providing cross-platform access to my bookmarks, jumping back and forth between Linux and Windows is a much smoother process.

Chromium (and Chrome) on Linux is shaping up rather nicely. I'm in agreement with the devs on this thread - it feels speedier than its Windows counterpart. With about 80% of my computing time spent in a web browser, Linux is becoming a more compelling option for me - thanks to the Chromium project.

Filed under: Utilities, Macintosh, Google, Open Source, Browsers

Bookmark sync arrives on Chromium for Mac - here's how to make it work

We've told you before about Google Chrome's slick new bookmark syncing feature, available in the Windows beta version of Chrome 4. It automatically keeps your bookmarks synced across multiple Chrome installations, using your Google Account. Well, this feature has landed in recent builds of Chromium for Mac (that's the open-source project Chrome is based on). To enable it, you'll first need to grab the latest version of Chromium.

Bookmark sync isn't on by default. To use it, you'll have to pop open your Terminal and do a little command-line magic. You'll want to right-click Chromium, show package contents, and then find Chromium inside the MacOS folder. Drag that to the Terminal, and then add the argument --enable-sync. Chromium should open, and you should see bookmarking syncing in your preferences.

Sign in with your Google account, and your bookmarks will be synced automatically to any other Chromium/Chrome browsers that you sign into. If you want to see where they're stored on the web, check a slightly strange location: a Chrome folder in your Google Docs account.

I know it seems like a lot of trouble to go through for bookmark syncing, but such is the peril of being on the bleeding edge of browser development. Bookmark syncing will very likely pop up officially in the Chrome Mac beta scheduled for early December.

Filed under: OS Updates, Linux, Open Source

Linux Mint 8 RC1 brings a kicked-up Karmic Koala to your desktop


There's no denying Ubuntu's popularity when it comes to Linux on the desktop. It's also the foundation for a number of other excellent distributions, including one of my favorites - Linux Mint - and I was pleased to see some big news on the Mint blog early this morning.

Linux Mint 8 RC1 has arrived (codenamed Helena), bundling Ubuntu 9.10's updated core with the usual Mint enhancements like a more customizable Mint Menu, enhanced MintUpload (a slick drag-and-drop FTP app) and Updater, and a good selection of preinstalled apps. For more details about what's new, check the official blog post.

Unlike Ubuntu 9.10 - which switched to Empathy as the default IM client - Mint 8 still includes the more popular Pidgin. finding and loading other software in Mint is as about as easy as it gets on Linux since you can install Ubuntu-compatible .debs. Want to try out Google Chrome on Mint? No problem.

One thing to note: if you plan on using Ubuntu PPAs (like the Chromium nightly project), you'll need to first add the PPA to your repositories then edit its details - changing helena to karmic under distribution.

Even though Mint 8 is still an RC, I found it stable, fast, and every bit as easy to use as previous versions.

Filed under: Developer, Google, Open Source, Beta, Browsers

Kiosk mode added in Chromium nightly build


Developers have a number of features they still want implemented in Google Chrome. In a recent nightly build of Chromium, one that I've seen requested numerous times on the official mailing lists has finally landed.

Kiosk mode has arrived in Chromium, though it's an awful lot like full screen mode. In fact, Mohamed Mansour says as much in his note on the source: "Kiosk mode will just hide the status bar and initially set it as full screen. "

You're left to your new tab page and bookmarks bar to navigate. As in full screen mode, control-L doesn't bring up an address bar, nor does hovering near the top edge of the browser. That's something I'd like to see addressed in future builds.

If you've been waiting to see what kiosk mode in Chrome would look like, grab a current build from the Chromium server and append the --kiosk command line switch.

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Open Source, Troubleshooting, Windows x64

SheepDog rounds up stray application windows on multi-monitor setups

It doesn't happen often, but every now and then I receive a customer's laptop which just doesn't want to believe it's no longer attached to an external monitor. And it never fails - some important app is going to appear in the display Twilight Zone.

If only there was some kind of digital shepherd to corral those errant windows. Hey, if not a shepherd, why not SheepDog?

It's a tiny, portable application whose sole purpose is to bring apps that have wandered back to the primary display. Fire it up, and the tray icon listens for a hotket combination to be pressed. In the options screen you can customize your key combo and also change the system tray icon.

Hit the hotkey (or right click the system tray icon and select reposition) and any offending application windows are instantly moved.

At only 20Kb, this baby is going straight on my USB flash drive with all the other handy utilities I need once in a blue moon.

Filed under: Utilities, Microsoft, Open Source

Microsoft accused of poaching GPL code used in Windows 7 USB download tool

When I wrote up Microsoft's free tool to copy downloaded Windows 7 images to USB flash drives or burn then to DVD, I thought the app seemed like a great idea. After all, it provided student downloaders an easy way to get their cheapo upgrades copied onto install media.

Rafael Rivera was doing his usual Columbo routine on the MS tool's source when he found something in the code which struck him. A section relating to UDF handling appears to have been "borrowed" from ImageMaster - an open source project hosted on Microsoft's own CodePlex service. An by "appears" I mean Rivera's checks with the Reflector .Net code inspector set off the alarms.

As Rivera points out, it's not just the use of the code that is the issue here. It's also the fact that Microsoft has added their own licensing terms.

I'm sure there's some kind of saying about not doing something where you eat, and it certainly sounds like that's what Microsoft has done in this case. Innocent until proven guilty, of course - so we'll wait to see what Microsoft has to say in response in the coming days. For now, they've removed all links to the download tool.

If you're not too concerned with the hullabaloo over the code, you might still be able to find the download on some other sites. A little birdy told me MajorGeeks still has a copy...

Filed under: Internet, Mozilla, Open Source, Browsers

Mobile Firefox has a new logo: Furry fetishists rejoice!

You are looking at the new logo for Firefox Mobile: The Pocketfox!

It looks more like some Harry Potter fan-art in my opinion -- someone with a Fawkes the Phoenix fetish -- but no matter! It's cute and very vibrant. It will certainly stand out, and ultimately that's what matters.

I can't help but wonder if the 'What's that in your pocket?' double entendre was intentional or not. I'd like to think the Mozilla developers have a sense of humor! If you want to find out more about Firefox Mobile (I don't think many people have heard of it), check out its 'Coming Soon...' page, which is full of juicy details about the new browser.

Mozilla have held a few contests recently. The one that's open at the moment -- 'Five years of Firefox' -- is open until December 9th. They're looking for poster ideas to celebrate their birthday. It feels like only yesterday that I held my Firefox 1.0 launch party...

What do you think of the new logo? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Filed under: Games, Windows, Open Source

Max out your World of Warcraft character with a free, open-source application called Rawr

This is one of the most popular and effective tools to improving your WoW gameplay. No, it's not the Peggle add-on (though that is very cool) -- I'm actually talking about an external application! Something you can use in the office, away from your gaming PC!

This tool is very popular amongst the serious World of Warcraft players but chances are, if you're a little more casual, you've probably never used it, let alone heard of it.

I'm about to tell you how all of those weak, made-of-paper mages do so much more damage than you and your rusty, rogue swords. You've probably wondered how -- try as you might -- one particular player always does more damage or heals more. "They must be cheating, damnit!" Well... almost! They're actually using an application called Rawr.

Rawr lets you experiment with different weapons and armor, upgrades, sidegrades -- you name it, Rawr lets you do it. We WoW players call it 'theorycrafting': it's like... Warcraft only... in theory. You don't have to actually be playing WoW to theorycraft. In fact, many people theorycraft in a loud and excited manner, often in public, on the back of napkins (it can be very embarrassing). The term itself predates World of Warcraft incidentally, originally coming from the Starcraft days of yore.

If I haven't sold it to you yet and you need further proof as to why Rawr is awesome, just watch the video after the break.

Read more →

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Productivity, Open Source

Pick up where you left off before a reboot with Cache My Work

Getting your desktop situated "just so" following a reboot can be a hassle. As with so many other Windows annoyances, there's a handy little application which can help.

Cache My Work was created to tackle the task of restoring your windows following a restart. Launch the app and a list of your cacheable programs is displayed - you also have the option of re-opening all your open Explorer windows. Check off what you want restored, click save, and reboot.

Once Windows is up and running again, Cache My Work's preparations make your programs reappear. It's a simple but effective little app - all it really does is zap a few lines into your registry under the Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce key.

You'll still need to re-open your files -- except, of course, in apps like Firefox where you have the option to restore your previous session automatically.

While the project hasn't seen an update in just over a year, it still works nicely - even on WIndows 7 (both 32 and 64-bit builds).

Filed under: Google, Open Source, Browsers

Embed a (very) basic Twitter client in Google Chrome with the ChromedBird extension

Hot on the heels of my roundup of 15+ great extensions for Google Chrome, I've already found some more that deserve to be mentioned. First on the list: ChromedBird.

You probably guessed from the name, but yes, it's a minimal Twitter client which you can access from Chrome's main toolbar. It hides inside a little birdie button until you want to check your stream or post an update.

ChromedBird displays the last 5 tweets in your stream and allows you to post updates - and that's it. Links you paste into your updates are automatically shortened using bit.ly. Sure, it's a pretty stripped-down Twitter experience, but it's still nice to have close at hand when browsing with Chrome.

ChromeBird is a little buggy, but it's a very early build. I'll turn a blind eye, since we only get extension support in somewhat buggy dev builds (click here to download) of Chrome (or Chromium) right now anyway.

You can find the ChromedBird .crx over at ChromeExtensions.

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The World's Hardest Game 2.0 - Time Waster

So, just how good at time waster games are you? Think you've got the stuff? Well, The World's Hardest Game 2.0 doesn't think you do. Yes, amazingly, it's possible to have a sequel to a game called "The World's Hardest Game". It doesn't seem logically possible, since if the first one was actually the world's hardest, how could another one come along and share the moniker? It made me doubt the name in the first place. That is, until I tried the game. The mechanics of the game are very simple. You are a small red square, ...

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