Found a neat add-on for FireFox that integrates HTML Tidy directly into FireFox. A yellow warning triangle or green checkbox appears in your status bar to let you know how valid the current HTML page is. Clicking on the status bar icon brings up a source code viewer with questionable lines highlighted, and details on the problems in a three-pane view. Another option will generate the Tidy-cleaned page for you. An added benefit is that the code never leaves your machine, handy when you’re dealing with sensitive data or are off the grid. Neat stuff. Mozilla’s secure add-on site is located here.
Archive | OpenSource
Open Source means that users have the freedom to see how software works, adapt it for the own needs, fix bugs and limitations and contribute back to the community.
SeaMonkey 1.0 released
OSNews reports SeaMonkey 1.0 Released. “The first end-user release of SeaMonkey is now available. Seamonkey is the continuation of what used to be known as the Mozilla Suite; this release incorporates a number of features that we could get to know from the new releases of Firefox and Thunderbird. However, the integration between the applications is as tight as it has always been, for those who prefer this approach.”
I’m looking forward to checking out the web page editor, as I’ve always found it an easy-to-use tool, although the HTML could use some tightening up. Also, don’t overlook the hidden jem of “Venkman” the JavaScript debugger, with call stacks, stepping, value windows and so forth.
Give Upgrades A Chance
Over at Resigned to the Bittersweet Truth, Bill McGonigle posts Call To Action – Upgrading. “I spoke to Tim Burke, Director Emerging Technologies (including the Linux kernel and Fedora) at RedHat about the state of upgrading this past Tuesday at the GNHLUG meeting in Manchester…”
“So, I issue a challenge to all package maintainers out there who have their projects integrated into distributions like Fedora – give upgrades a chance.”
It’s a tough challenge, but a necessary one. Upgrading is inevitable, and the costs of updating/upgrading are becoming an increasingly important factor in calculating the total costs of owning a system.
New Hampshire Considers Considering Open Source
New Hampshire House Representatives Sam A. Cataldo and Roy D. Maxfield have sponsored a bill to establish a study committee to determine if state agencies should have to consider Open Source alternatives when obtaining software. Should choice be mandatory? I think so. No business case should be presented claiming that alternatives have been considered if they haven’t.
Is Wine really faster than Windows?
Over at Linux-Watch.com, Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols asks: Is Wine really faster than Windows? and comes up with the right answer: It doesn’t really matter.
Fortune 500 may be liable for millions of postcards…
Now here’s a silly headline: OSNews purports that Linux Users May Be Violating Sarbanes-Oxley. A brief read of the article will tell you that a corporation is likely violating its obligations to its shareholders if it is failing to audit, track, monitor and closely examine the copyright, license and patent requirements of ALL of the products they use. There may be just as much liability from the shareware, freeware, postcardware and every-ware installed willy-nilly inside a company. Developers, consultants, IT personnel and users are notorious for bringing in a little utility from home on floppy, USB tab or download and spreading it around the office. It may be that the Fortune 500 is liable for thousands of postcards for EditPad as well.
The solution is to follow the law, even one as obnoxious as SOX (and complain to your legislator if this is burdensome), with an audit and a compliance plan. The inflamatory headline that “Linux users are bringing chaos to the world” is just insulting. Any company using software needs to do their best to ensure they are not violating copyright, patents or licenses. No news here, move along.
Free Software support for the MacBook lags…
Cool at the MacBook is, Bill says he’ll be waiting a while before he buys his: Free Software for Intel-based Macs. “I’ve been considering getting a new MacBook Pro – the specs are very nice, it’s a real desktop replacement, and even though there are some weird things like a slower DVD drive and a lower-res screen it would be a good computer… But there’s one thing that’s ruled it out…”
[Resigned to the Bittersweet Truth]
Chandler releases public 0.6 preview
Ars Technica posts: Chandler, an open-source personal information manager, hits its first public release. “Chandler, the brainchild of the first Macintosh programmer, Andy Hertzfeld, has hit its first “usable” public release milestone. Is this an application worth watching?”
YES! An open-source, secure PIM written in Python, runs cross-platform, backed by Mitch Kapor, partly written by Andy Hertzfeld. What’s not to like?
Speaking of great GNHLUG meetings….
… as I mentioned GNHLUG’s next quarterly meeting, DLSLUG organizer Bill McGonigle posts the audio, slides and video from the last quarterly presentation, featuring Doug McIlroy, an instructor at Dartmouth and a retired manager from AT&T Bell Labs where he worked with Kernighan, Ritchie and other lights of the era. Thanks to Bill for the hard work of taking sub-optimal audio and video and preserving this very special presentation!
Slides are in OpenOffice format. Audio is a 64 Mb MP3 file, Video is a 348 Mb MP4 file suitable for playing with VLC or QuickTime. Thanks to the Internet Archive for hosting the video!
Yet another very cool GNHLUG meeting…
What : Open Source Development and Productization
Who : Tim Burke, Director of Fedora Project and Kernel Development at Red Hat
When : Tue, 24 Jan 2006, at 5:00 PM
Where: Walker Auditorium, Robert Frost Hall, SNHU
GNHLUG, NH IEEE/ACM, and SwANH are privileged to host a joint presentation: Tim Burke, Director of Kernel Development for Red Hat Software, and Director of the Fedora Linux Project. He will be speaking on how Red Hat balances its role as community steward and purveyor of enterprise products. The event will take place at 5:00 PM, on Tuesday, January 24th, 2006. It will be in the Walker Auditorium, in Robert Frost Hall, at Southern New Hampshire University.
GETTING THERE
Campus Map: http://www.snhu.edu/212.asp
Robert Frost Hall is #2 on the map.
Directions: http://www.snhu.edu/209.asp
ABOUT THE PRESENTATION
Open source development is rapidly gaining momentum due to developer interest as well as empowerment to end users. This presentation will describe Red Hat’s approach to balancing the interests of community, customers, and business partners. We will see how open source projects are integrated to form our distribution and how Red Hat fosters and contributes to the community development process. This approach can serve as a model to others who are trying to understand the intersection of free open source software and business.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Tim Burke is the Director of Kernel Development at Red Hat, the world’s leading provider of open source solutions to the enterprise. The Kernel Development team is responsible for the core kernel portion of Red Hat Enterprise Linux. Burke is also the Director of the Fedora Project, an open source project sponsored by Red Hat and supported by the Fedora community. In his role as Fedora Director, Tim leads both internal and external community projects with the ultimate goal of product incorporation. Prior to becoming a manager, Tim earned an honest living developing Linux high available cluster solutions and Unix kernel technology. When not juggling bugs, features and schedules, he enjoys running, rock climbing, bicycling, and paintball.
ABOUT GNHLUG
GNHLUG, the Greater New Hampshire Linux User Group, is a not-for-profit organization committed to furthering the cause of Linux and Free/Open Source Software in and around the Granite State. GNHLUG has chapters and regular meetings in Nashua, Durham/UNH, Concord, Peterborough/Monadnock, Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee, and Manchester, as well as a state-wide online community. http://www.gnhlug.org
ABOUT NH IEEE/ACM
The IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) promotes the engineering process of creating, developing, integrating, sharing, and applying knowledge about electro and information technologies and sciences for the benefit of humanity and the profession. The New Hampshire Section of the IEEE hosts periodic technical and professional talks, and provides professional networking for technology professionals. http://acadweb.snhu.edu/Isaak_James/ITseminars/
The ACM (Association for Computing Machinery) is a non-profit educational and scientific society dedicated to advancing the arts, sciences, and applications of information technology. The Greater Boston Chapter of the ACM (GBC/ACM) is a sponsor of monthly meetings, full-day professional development seminars, and publisher of The Real Times. http://www.gbcacm.org/
ABOUT SwANH
The Software Association of New Hampshire (SwANH) promotes and supports the software and information technology industries throughout the State. SwANH sponsors networking events, educational programs through its SIGs and affiliates, and discount programs that provide members with opportunities to gain information, connect with resources, grow their businesses, and succeed. http://www.swanh.org