The Linux Distillery

Could Ubuntu Linux 12.04 turn Canonical into the new Apple?

David M Williams — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:42:30 +0000

Xerox PARC, Apple, Microsoft: these companies and more have contributed to the ubiquitous but evolving WIMP (windows, icons, menus, pointers) user interface. According to Mark Shuttleworth Ubuntu is poised to revolutionise the menu this April.

Linux all-in-one phone and computer so near, so far

David M Williams — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 17:20:21 +0000

For six months I longed for the Motorola Atrix Android smartphone first announced in January. That was, until I got one and reality fell short of my utopian vision. Now I must beseech Motorola, telcos and Linux hackers alike to bring my dream to fruition.

Linux, powering that incredible Android

David M Williams — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 09:36:45 +0000

Chances are you or someone you know is carrying around a Linux-powered mobile device in their pocket. Thanks to the clout offered by Google Android is on its way to being the ubiquitous smartphone and tablet platform.

The Linux Distillery RSS feed

David M Williams — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 05:07:46 +0000

The Linux Distillery now has its own RSS feed. Subscribe to keep up to date with the latest in Linux news and views!

Set up your own virtual Linux LAMP server on Windows

David M Williams — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 18:43:41 +0000

Even the most Microsoft-ardent developer will know web hosts favour Linux, Apache, MySQL and PHP over Windows, IIS, ASP.NET and SQL Server. Thanks to virtualisation the days of dual booting are over. Here is how to set up a streamlined LAMP development environment on any Windows PC.

Cheap Linux wall warts small on size, big on possibilities

David M Williams — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 19:23:53 +0000

Every geek and technology lover will undoubtedly have stumbled across online adverts for tiny headless Linux-powered devices that are barely larger than the power point they plug into. What can you actually do with them? Plenty, it seems!

Simple Linux word processing with WordGrinder

David M Williams — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 05:56:33 +0000

Sometimes you just need to write text! You don't need rich formatting and you most definitely don't want Microsoft Word HTML markup. The text console open source WordGrinder app makes word processing as straightforward as you can get.

This damn Linux has more holes than swiss cheese

David M Williams — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 07:38:06 +0000

Unlike Microsoft Windows, Linux has a deserved reputation as a bullet-proof operating system. To teach computer security a University lecturer has deliberately produced the most damn vulnerable Linux you’ll ever see.

This damn Linux has more holes than swiss cheese

David M Williams — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 07:38:06 +0000

Be a pal; share Linux with your friends and family

David M Williams — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 06:04:11 +0000

Are you the local computer boffin in your social circle? Tired of forever having to clean off that annoying fake super anti-virus 2010 trojan? Well, friends shouldn’t let friends run Windows. Be a friend to your friends.

Is Telstra's DNS server borked?

David M Williams — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 07:07:41 +0000

My company uses a wide-area Telstra private network. This is Australia's largest telecommunications carrier but maybe they don't visit their own site. As far as I can tell, Telstra's DNS server is not giving out any addresses for telstra.com – but differing Telstra departments say it's not their problem.

Apple iPad leaves me iWanting

David M Williams — Mon, 31 May 2010 06:55:49 +0000

Like many others outside the United States I patiently lined up to buy my very own Apple iPad on Friday 28th May. It certainly is a beautiful device. Yet, it falls short of being an exemplary business device.

UCK your own Linux distro!

David M Williams — Tue, 25 May 2010 10:05:02 +0000

Linux distros come in all forms and sizes, and you can make your own too. A dead easy way is to UCK Linux! You heard me, use the Ubuntu Customisation Kit. Here’s how.

CarsGuide honeypot for scammers?

David M Williams — Wed, 19 May 2010 06:22:18 +0000

When Karen listed her seven year old Ford Focus on carsguide.com.au, part of the prominent News network devoted to buying and selling cars, she hoped for interested buyers. Instead, all she got was the tired old overpayment scam.

Is the second coming of DNS Y2K all over again?

David M Williams — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 11:45:07 +0000

DNS is the Domain Name System and is the central postmaster of the Internet. Changes are coming to add security, but naysayers would have you believe it is Y2K all over again.

Rate your inner Linux geek as easy as ABC ...

David M Williams — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 08:03:26 +0000

Think you know Linux? Test out your geek street-cred and that of your friends in this test!

Ubuntu 10.04 good buddy; the Lucid Lynx is here!

David M Williams — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 06:07:21 +0000

Canonical just managed to squeeze it in before the end of the month, but the long-awaited latest edition of Ubuntu Linux is now online and available for free download.

IPFire brings super secure Linux to the masses

David M Williams — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 10:24:07 +0000

Most folk know if they want a secure gateway between the Internet and their home or business they should use Linux for maximum protection. The new IPFire distribution seeks to take security to the highest level while also making things a breeze for the less experienced to set up.

No iPad for Australian journo while NAB has daylight savings shutdown

David M Williams — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 10:12:10 +0000

Clock-related issues are a scourge of sysadmins worldwide. Even so, who would have expected the National Australia Bank (NAB) needed scheduled downtime to cope with the regular annual ending of daylight savings time?

Linus Torvalds joins Microsoft next-gen OS team, quits Linux

David M Williams — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 02:28:17 +0000

In a move certain to surprise, shock and even anger many, the creator of the Linux kernel, Linus Torvalds, today signed up as Chief Software Architect with Microsoft to work on the Redmond Giant’s next-generation operating system with Dave Cutler.