20 Results for Apple

Applied Filters

apple

Filter Results

Click a filter below to apply it to results

AUTHOR
Sam Dean (12)
Lisa Hoover (4)
Kristin Shoemaker (3)
Guest Editor (1)
SUBMITTED
Mar-2008 (6)
Apr-2008 (3)
Nov-2008 (3)
Jun-2008 (2)
view more
TAG
linux (9)
mac (3)
microsoft (3)
android (2)
view more

Linux Kernel Ported to iPhone

Sometimes porting a bit of code to another platform or piece of hardware isn't about the ported code delivering new features to the device. Sure, sometimes it's about opening the device to a specific application, and sometimes it's just about opening the device up to a new development approach. Sometimes the idea is to push the code (and the device) further, to learn -- because you can.

Sometimes these ports don't get all that far. Four years ago I managed to get Linux running on an iPAQ through online tutorials. I've long since sold the hardware, and running Linux meant a command line, and a basic X windows environment. Functional? Not really. Fun? Wouldn't have done it otherwise.

More recently, the 2.6 Linux kernel has been ported, and is running with some basic functionality on the iPhone. The Linux on the iPhone Project says that while this port is a first draft missing many drivers, the kernel boots on first and second generation iPhones and first generation iPod Touches.



The Electronic Frontier Foundation Doesn't Like Apple's Attitude

Who knows why many open source users are also Macintosh users, but I've noticed a correlation there for years. Maybe it's because open source, like the Mac, rings of rebellion against the status quo. Nevertheless, if you think the love always flows in two directions, check out this post from the Electronic Frontier Foundation. According to the EFF, Apple's lawyers recently put the kibosh on an online discussion of open source software, dubbed iPodhash, which the lawyers perceived as designed to circumvent aspects of Apple's FairPlay digital rights management (DRM), used in iTunes. (The original discussion is removed.) The key word there is discussion --there was no fully realized application that actually cracked Apple's encryption.


Boxee Media Center App Gets $4 Million in Funding

A few days ago, in a roundup of open source media center applications, I covered Boxee. It's an open source mashup of a sophisticated media center application that can run and organize videos, photos and more on the Mac, AppleTV, Windows (soon) and Linux, and a social networking application. I mentioned that it's one of the most compelling media center applications I've seen, and it appears I'm not alone. Boxee has announced that it has secured $4 million in first round funding, led by Union Square Ventures and Spark Capital. Here's why I think Boxee is going to become a household name.


Pigs Taking Flight? Office Web For Mac and Linux?

When Microsoft announced it was planning to offer lightweight, web-based versions of some of its Office components, there was some speculation that maybe it could be used with alternate browsers. It seemed Firefox would be a likely candidate beyond IE, and some ventured to wonder about Safari.

Even if Firefox was supported, it didn't seem likely this suite would be specifically web based, so it would need Windows, right? According to a few sources it seems as if that might not be the case. Though the source is a Microsoft Community member blog (and not a pronouncement from corporate sources) the concept of this service on Mac and Linux is fascinating because it suggests so much about what Microsoft might be thinking.



Apple Squashes the iPhone SDK NDA: What's the OSS Impact?

After much teeth-gnashing from the developer community, Apple has finally dropped its draconian and restrictive non-disclosure agreement (NDA) on the iPhone software development kit (SDK). In the seven months since the SDK showed up, Apple has taken much heat from developers and iPhone users alike over its lack of platfrom openness. The platform still isn't open, but it is a step in the right direction for Apple to eliminate this NDA. Here's what this means for the open source phones that will be competing with the iPhone.


OStatic Buffer Overflow.....

The Wiz and Pandora: Open source gaming handhelds squaring off.....

Linux-based netbook prices dropping now that the Intel Atom shortage is disappearing.....

Cleversafe, maker of open source dispersed storage software, wins a Wall Street Journal Innovation award.....

LinuxCon will not be a tradeshow.....



Comparing Apples to Jackalopes

Mark Shuttleworth, the man at the helm of Canonical and Ubuntu, went into greater detail last week about his thoughts on making future Ubuntu releases more user-focused. In the past, Shuttleworth has made no pretense that he feels Apple has, historically, offered a superior user experience.

Shuttleworth's comments have elicited striking reactions, ranging from enthusiastic support to concern about what innovation really means.



Apple's 2.1 Update Shuts Down OpenClip Copy-and-Paste

Only a few days ago, we covered OpenClip, an open source copy-and-paste system designed to fill in for the complete absence of one on Apple's iPhone. Now, in one of the fastest kill shots in recent memory, Apple has shut it down with its new 2.1 firmware. OpenClip's founder has some interesting thoughts on the whole kerfuffle.


The iPhone Apps Look Good: Spend Some Money Google!

At yesterday's Apple Worldwide Developer Conference, where Steve Jobs unveiled the iPhone 3G and numerous other initiatives, it became very clear that the coming battle among smartphones will be largely decided onﾠ the basis of who gets the best applications. Applications built with the upcoming iPhone 2.0 SDK looked very mature, and there were many demonstrations showing how easy they were to create. What does this mean for Google's Linux-based Android mobile platform and the wave of Linux-based phones expected later this year?


The Business Prospects for Open Source: What's Needed?

I've just been reading through a report from Olliance Group (a consulting firm for open source companies), and it contains some good material about companies and projects focused on open source. The report is a summary of the 2008 Open Source Think Tank from February, where 120 leading pundits came together. Quite a bit of the report contains familiar rah-rah material about Yahoo buying Zimbra and Sun buying MySQL, but the most interesting thoughts are about how open source software vendors can benefit from imitating some of the practices of mature software companies. Here's why some of this makes sense.


View Page: 12