Re: [Dorset] Research assistance requested
A PhD student at Bournemouth University Business School is looking for help. The PhD topic is concerning legal aspects of lock-in and interoperability restrictions. As part of her current work she would like some leads on research in the impact of open standards on: # reuse of and sharing ICT solutions across departments # reduction in the size and duration of ICT projects. Any suggestions for articles, authors, etc that she might follow up? If you can help, please contact me off list and I will forward your contact details. Regards, Peter Merchant Peter Better late than never as just going through unread emails This recent stuff should be useful and of general interest to DLUG http://www.opensourceconsortium.org/content/view/195/91/ A few leads here: http://fsfe.org/news/2012/news-20120425-02.en.html Cheers Mark Elkins -- Next meeting: Bournemouth, Tuesday 2012-06-12 20:00 Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ New thread on mailing list: mailto:dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://goo.gl/4Xue
Re: [Dorset] OT: Cabinet Office Ditches Open Standards in IT
Importantly as a result of :http://digital.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/2012/04/26/open-standards-consultation- important-update/ the time limit for responses for the Cabinet Office Open Standards Consultation has now been extended to 4th June 2012. I was at one of the Cabinet Office Consultations on Open Standards on Friday (27/04/12) and was told the whole meeting was being recorded and will be available shortly to the Public and that the weighting being given to the meetings on Open Standards in the consultation period was no less and no more than that given to the online responses. Therefore the assumption is that the meetings are important. I would also say that the meeting on Friday, which included discussing FRAND, was not dominated by the views of pro-FRAND advocates. Mark Elkins Chair OSSG -- Next meeting: Bournemouth, Tuesday 2012-05-01 20:00 Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ New thread on mailing list: mailto:dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://goo.gl/4Xue
Re: [Dorset] OT: Cabinet Office Ditches Open Standards in IT
Terry I'll be interested to see the outcome. An unedited streamed MP3 recording of the Open Standards, FRAND, and FOSS event held on Thursday 29th March is now available at: http://ossg.bcs.org/2012/02/25/open-standards-frand-and-foss-london-290312/#comments Mark Elkins Chair OSSG From: dorset-requ...@mailman.lug.org.uk dorset-requ...@mailman.lug.org.uk To: dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk Sent: Tuesday, 27 March 2012, 13:00 Subject: dorset Digest, Vol 429, Issue 2 Send dorset mailing list submissions to dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/dorset or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to dorset-requ...@mailman.lug.org.uk You can reach the person managing the list at dorset-ow...@mailman.lug.org.uk When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than Re: Contents of dorset digest... Today's Topics: 1. Re: OT: Cabinet Office Ditches Open Standards in IT (Terry Coles) 2. Re: OT: Cabinet Office Ditches Open Standards in IT (c...@pampru.org) -- Message: 1 Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2012 16:42:45 +0100 From: Terry Coles d-...@hadrian-way.co.uk Subject: Re: [Dorset] OT: Cabinet Office Ditches Open Standards in IT To: Dorset Linux User Group dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk Message-ID: 6471691.jZCUBdry2V@beige Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 On Monday 26 Mar 2012 12:13:37 Mark Elkins wrote: The Open Source Consortium (OSC) http://www.opensourceconsortium.org/ are mentioning the http://www.computerweekly.com/blogs/public-sector/2012/01/microsoft-hustled -uk-retreat-o.html again in their blog. Just a thought but you might find this blog good reading if you want to join it - which can be done for free. I'll keep an eye on this as I work through the responses. Also rather timely OSSG are on the case of FRAND etc this Thursday eve http://ossg.bcs.org/2012/03/29/ I'll be interested to see the outcome. In all this I see two distinct camps in the Government side: 1. The people who genuinely want to get it right and understand the issues. In other words they know what is needed to ensure that citizens and UK companies get the best chance of reading and using government documents. 2. The people who listen to 'Industry' and believe that they have to keep the likes of Microsoft and Oracle 'happy'. Quite why they might have that belief is open to interpretation (and vested interests). We live in interesting times ;-) -- Terry Coles 64 bit computing with Kubuntu Linux -- Message: 2 Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2012 11:10:27 +0100 From: c...@pampru.org Subject: Re: [Dorset] OT: Cabinet Office Ditches Open Standards in IT To: Dorset Linux User Group dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk Message-ID: 20120327111027.1334392hhoaf6...@mail.pampru.org Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; DelSp=Yes; format=flowed There is one reliable rule when judging which way these things go - look for where the money is! There is no cashflow from Open Document Format. There is, however, 'lobbying' (and all that entails!) from the big commercial companies, so the result is entirely predictable. I downloaded the Consultation Document. The bureaucratic obfuscation it contains, and the frequent inclusion of external references (FRAND being one example) ensures that understanding the document would be such a massive task that so few would be able to do it and mount an effective challenge that the big players will be assured of victory (as usual!). Although Linux, and other Open Source software which use ODF, seems to be growing in market share, it is nowhere near stable or usable enough for the main market drivers, business, to rely upon. Producing stable and reliable office software that business can use with confidence - an equivalent to the full MS-Office suit - that doesn't suffer from frequent upgrades or patches (a version that runs for a decade without changes would be a good target) is what is sorely needed. I know many MS-based business who deliberately do not upgrade for as long as they can, and I ran XP-Pro and Office-Pro for about that long on that very basis - that plan only went wrong when new PCs only came with Vista and XP was not available. I am using Linux now for as much of work as I can, but it is the 'office' applications that enable the power giants to rule in business and in government, and it is here that Linux has a long way to go. Only when Linux is good and stable enough to attract business, most of whom require no more than MS-Office suit's offerings for their normal daily internal and external work and inter-business communications, will the uptake be strong enough to starve the lobby-supported giants. Make them wither on the vine
Re: [Dorset] OT: Cabinet Office Ditches Open Standards in IT
Terry The Open Source Consortium (OSC) http://www.opensourceconsortium.org/ are mentioning the http://www.computerweekly.com/blogs/public-sector/2012/01/microsoft-hustled-uk-retreat-o.html again in their blog. Just a thought but you might find this blog good reading if you want to join it - which can be done for free. Also rather timely OSSG are on the case of FRAND etc this Thursday eve http://ossg.bcs.org/2012/03/29/ Cheers Mark From: Terry Coles d-...@hadrian-way.co.uk To: Mark Elkins mark_elk...@bcs.org; Dorset Linux User Group dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk Sent: Sunday, 25 March 2012, 9:09 Subject: Re: [Dorset] OT: Cabinet Office Ditches Open Standards in IT On Saturday 24 Mar 2012 21:04:39 Mark Elkins wrote: From what I can make out - the pressure for further consultation on Open Standards actually originated in part from BIS (Vince Cable's Dept) if this is correct: http://www.computerweekly.com/blogs/public-sector/2012/01/microsoft-hustled- uk-retreat-o.html I was aware of the Microsoft intervention from reading Glynn Moody's blog on the subject, but I hadn't seen this item. From the article: 'Microsoft said it supported the aims of UK open standards policy - specifically that government systems should be interoperable, that it should be possible for government to re-use purchased software components, and that government should not be locked-in to using particular technologies.' How they have the bare-faced gall to use lock-in as a reason to *avoid* Open Standards I'll never know. I've now got a bit further through the Consultation Document and there is no doubt that whoever was responsible for producing it 'got it'. Open Source Software is specifically mentioned as a good reason for FRAND licensing terms and 'Royalty Free' is also covered in the context of the payment of Royalties being a show stopper for FLOSS tools. However, someone in BIS 'drank the Kool Aid' as the Yanks would say and believed all this guff, which is why the original Policy was overturned. Whether it was believed due to ignorance or payola is open to question. Previously I would have said the former with a healthy dose of party funding, but after this morning's revelations about Tory funding methods, I would reverse that and think maybe that someone was paid to be ignorant. (Yes I am aware that Vince Cable isn't a Tory, but he is a politician.) -- Terry Coles 64 bit computing with Kubuntu Linux -- Next meeting: Bournemouth, Tuesday 2012-04-03 20:00 Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ New thread on mailing list: mailto:dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://goo.gl/4Xue
Re: [Dorset] OT: Cabinet Office Ditches Open Standards in IT
Terry From what I can make out - the pressure for further consultation on Open Standards actually originated in part from BIS (Vince Cable's Dept) if this is correct: http://www.computerweekly.com/blogs/public-sector/2012/01/microsoft-hustled-uk-retreat-o.html Mark Elkins -- Next meeting: Bournemouth, Tuesday 2012-04-03 20:00 Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ New thread on mailing list: mailto:dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://goo.gl/4Xue
[Dorset] OSSG/HMG Open Source Awareness Events
This might be of interest http://www.linuxformat.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=14680 in that at the very least it shows HMG is taking Open Source seriously. Just in case anyone gets the wrong idea I wasn't posting this as an exercise in self-gratification. The reason is to spread awareness that these events are happening. Mark Elkins Chair OSSG http://ossg.bcs.org/ -- Next meeting: Bournemouth, Tuesday 2012-04-03 20:00 Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ New thread on mailing list: mailto:dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://goo.gl/4Xue
Re: [Dorset] OT: Cabinet Office Ditches Open Standards in IT
This perhaps shows the difference in philosophy of some in the private sector to those in perhaps another part of the private sector who support FOSS: http://www.bsa.org/country/News%20and%20Events/News%20Archives/enGB/2010/enGB-10072010-endorsement.aspx In a way I might suggest we are into an argument about what are meaning of the terms private sector and free market. Mark Elkins From: dorset-requ...@mailman.lug.org.uk dorset-requ...@mailman.lug.org.uk To: dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk Sent: Sunday, 1 January 2012, 12:00 Subject: dorset Digest, Vol 416, Issue 4 Send dorset mailing list submissions to dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/dorset or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to dorset-requ...@mailman.lug.org.uk You can reach the person managing the list at dorset-ow...@mailman.lug.org.uk When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than Re: Contents of dorset digest... Today's Topics: 1. Re: OT: Cabinet Office Ditches Open Standards in IT (Mark Elkins) 2. Re: Wimborne networking event. (c...@pampru.org) 3. Re: Wimborne networking event. (C A Wills) -- Message: 1 Date: Sat, 31 Dec 2011 15:40:52 + (GMT) From: Mark Elkins markelkins...@yahoo.co.uk Subject: Re: [Dorset] OT: Cabinet Office Ditches Open Standards in IT To: Simon P Smith simon.sm...@askitsdone.co.uk, Mark Elkins mark_elk...@bcs.org Cc: dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk Message-ID: 1325346052.53240.yahoomail...@web27404.mail.ukl.yahoo.com Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Simon Apologies for not replying sooner. I know some progress has been made with regard to CESG and Open Source and will dig out a few links on this. Enterprise Architect civil servants for info. Sounds good. I'll send you details across next week once I'm back in contact with HMG about this. Cheers Mark From: Simon P Smith simon.sm...@askitsdone.co.uk To: Mark Elkins mark_elk...@bcs.org Cc: Mark Elkins markelkins...@yahoo.co.uk; dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk Sent: Wednesday, 28 December 2011, 13:56 Subject: Re: OT: Cabinet Office Ditches Open Standards in IT Mark, On 28/12/11 13:31, Mark Elkins wrote: Are you willing to supply some more info about this because as far as I know HMG still want to use Open Source? For example I am organizing a series of internal HM Government events for Senior Civil servants on Open Source as Chair of the BCS Open Source SG (OSSG). The first of which will take place in February 2012. Therefore your experience sounds like it would be of interest to the HMG staff I am dealing with setting up these events. In other words they want to know examples about barriers to adoption of Open Source by HMG. One of the main issues in this department is the insistence on security accreditation and the push to use CESG approved products.? The problem with OS is that you need time and money to submit the product for evaluation and gain some meaningful EAL certification; individual projects cannot afford this.? SUSE enterprise and RedHat Enterprise are listed there albeit older versions as those organisations can see some benefit of funding this.? I wanted to pilot a system on Ubunutu LTS with SE and use MySQL (or Postgres) instead of MSSQ;? you end up spending a great deal of time showing how it can be (1) secure (2) supportable.? We are in a laughable position where people will, when faced with a need for a routing MTA in a DMZ, select exchange and have to put in 2 ADs and and exchange box just to provide the MTA; just because you never get sacked for usign M$. I am interested in your BCS events and if you send me the programme I will forward it to the Enterprise Architect civil servants for info. Just for the record I've looked at this recent statement about Open Standards and feel its more about getting the statement bullet proof as opposed to actually dropping intention to make greater use of (Free and) Open Source. Or also allowing the vested interests to lobby it more to water it down - perhaps I am cynical. Cheers, Simon -- Message: 2 Date: Sat, 31 Dec 2011 09:54:38 -0600 From: c...@pampru.org Subject: Re: [Dorset] Wimborne networking event. To: dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk Message-ID: 20111231095438.14992xtys6muc...@mail.pampru.org Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; DelSp=Yes; format=flowed Clive, Peter, Walter, I would be interested in learning about setting up a network, and especially in joining in to create a self-help group. Please count me in. Regards, Charles Miller Wareham My setup:- * New Aleutia PC with Ubuntu 11.04
Re: [Dorset] OT: Cabinet Office Ditches Open Standards in IT
Simon Few recent links on CESG and Open Source http://www.guardian.co.uk/government-computing-network/2011/nov/08/cesg-open-source-security However in http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/open-source-procurement-toolkit as of yet no public access to https://cesgiap.gsi.gov.uk/ia-policy-portfolio/good-practice-guides.shtml Not being a civil servant I can't access this but you (Simon) may be able to (although I'm not requesting any infringements). Finally a story of success? for Bristol City Council with regard to CESG and Open Source http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240105786/Bristol-Council-gets-open-source-go-ahead-after-CESG-discussions Mark Elkins From: Mark Elkins markelkins...@yahoo.co.uk To: Simon P Smith simon.sm...@askitsdone.co.uk; Mark Elkins mark_elk...@bcs.org Cc: dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk Sent: Saturday, 31 December 2011, 15:40 Subject: Re: OT: Cabinet Office Ditches Open Standards in IT Simon Apologies for not replying sooner. I know some progress has been made with regard to CESG and Open Source and will dig out a few links on this. Enterprise Architect civil servants for info. Sounds good. I'll send you details across next week once I'm back in contact with HMG about this. Cheers Mark From: Simon P Smith simon.sm...@askitsdone.co.uk To: Mark Elkins mark_elk...@bcs.org Cc: Mark Elkins markelkins...@yahoo.co.uk; dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk Sent: Wednesday, 28 December 2011, 13:56 Subject: Re: OT: Cabinet Office Ditches Open Standards in IT Mark, On 28/12/11 13:31, Mark Elkins wrote: Are you willing to supply some more info about this because as far as I know HMG still want to use Open Source? For example I am organizing a series of internal HM Government events for Senior Civil servants on Open Source as Chair of the BCS Open Source SG (OSSG). The first of which will take place in February 2012. Therefore your experience sounds like it would be of interest to the HMG staff I am dealing with setting up these events. In other words they want to know examples about barriers to adoption of Open Source by HMG. One of the main issues in this department is the insistence on security accreditation and the push to use CESG approved products. The problem with OS is that you need time and money to submit the product for evaluation and gain some meaningful EAL certification; individual projects cannot afford this. SUSE enterprise and RedHat Enterprise are listed there albeit older versions as those organisations can see some benefit of funding this. I wanted to pilot a system on Ubunutu LTS with SE and use MySQL (or Postgres) instead of MSSQ; you end up spending a great deal of time showing how it can be (1) secure (2) supportable. We are in a laughable position where people will, when faced with a need for a routing MTA in a DMZ, select exchange and have to put in 2 ADs and and exchange box just to provide the MTA; just because you never get sacked for usign M$. I am interested in your BCS events and if you send me the programme I will forward it to the Enterprise Architect civil servants for info. Just for the record I've looked at this recent statement about Open Standards and feel its more about getting the statement bullet proof as opposed to actually dropping intention to make greater use of (Free and) Open Source. Or also allowing the vested interests to lobby it more to water it down - perhaps I am cynical. Cheers, Simon -- Next meeting: Bournemouth, second Tuesday 2012-01-10 20:00 Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ New thread on mailing list: mailto:dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://goo.gl/4Xue
Re: [Dorset] OT: Cabinet Office Ditches Open Standards in IT
Simon Apologies for not replying sooner. I know some progress has been made with regard to CESG and Open Source and will dig out a few links on this. Enterprise Architect civil servants for info. Sounds good. I'll send you details across next week once I'm back in contact with HMG about this. Cheers Mark From: Simon P Smith simon.sm...@askitsdone.co.uk To: Mark Elkins mark_elk...@bcs.org Cc: Mark Elkins markelkins...@yahoo.co.uk; dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk Sent: Wednesday, 28 December 2011, 13:56 Subject: Re: OT: Cabinet Office Ditches Open Standards in IT Mark, On 28/12/11 13:31, Mark Elkins wrote: Are you willing to supply some more info about this because as far as I know HMG still want to use Open Source? For example I am organizing a series of internal HM Government events for Senior Civil servants on Open Source as Chair of the BCS Open Source SG (OSSG). The first of which will take place in February 2012. Therefore your experience sounds like it would be of interest to the HMG staff I am dealing with setting up these events. In other words they want to know examples about barriers to adoption of Open Source by HMG. One of the main issues in this department is the insistence on security accreditation and the push to use CESG approved products. The problem with OS is that you need time and money to submit the product for evaluation and gain some meaningful EAL certification; individual projects cannot afford this. SUSE enterprise and RedHat Enterprise are listed there albeit older versions as those organisations can see some benefit of funding this. I wanted to pilot a system on Ubunutu LTS with SE and use MySQL (or Postgres) instead of MSSQ; you end up spending a great deal of time showing how it can be (1) secure (2) supportable. We are in a laughable position where people will, when faced with a need for a routing MTA in a DMZ, select exchange and have to put in 2 ADs and and exchange box just to provide the MTA; just because you never get sacked for usign M$. I am interested in your BCS events and if you send me the programme I will forward it to the Enterprise Architect civil servants for info. Just for the record I've looked at this recent statement about Open Standards and feel its more about getting the statement bullet proof as opposed to actually dropping intention to make greater use of (Free and) Open Source. Or also allowing the vested interests to lobby it more to water it down - perhaps I am cynical. Cheers, Simon -- Next meeting: Bournemouth, second Tuesday 2012-01-10 20:00 Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ New thread on mailing list: mailto:dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://goo.gl/4Xue
Re: [Dorset] OT: Cabinet Office Ditches Open Standards in IT
Simon From: Simon P Smith simon.sm...@askitsdone.co.uk Subject: Re: [Dorset] OT: Cabinet Office Ditches Open Standards in IT To: dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk Message-ID: 4efafa16.6000...@askitsdone.co.uk Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed The withdrawal of PPN 3/11 is a scandal! I was using it to try and get some non-M$ products into a government project - looks like that particular prop to my case has been well and truly kicked out :( Are you willing to supply some more info about this because as far as I know HMG still want to use Open Source? For example I am organizing a series of internal HM Government events for Senior Civil servants on Open Source as Chair of the BCS Open Source SG (OSSG). The first of which will take place in February 2012. Therefore your experience sounds like it would be of interest to the HMG staff I am dealing with setting up these events. In other words they want to know examples about barriers to adoption of Open Source by HMG. Just for the record I've looked at this recent statement about Open Standards and feel its more about getting the statement bullet proof as opposed to actually dropping intention to make greater use of (Free and) Open Source. Mark Elkins -- Next meeting: Bournemouth, second Tuesday 2012-01-10 20:00 Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ New thread on mailing list: mailto:dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://goo.gl/4Xue
Re: [Dorset] Ubuntu 11.04 - from Charles Mille
Charles I'll try and attend the 4th Dec meeting. On the question of Excel one major problem is that it seems to be almost a game in the Office world of creating complicated elaborate spreadsheets, which different versions of MS Office have difficulty with dealing with let alone any chance that Open/LibreOffice has of dealing with. Cheers Mark Elkins -- Next meeting: Bournemouth, Tuesday 2011-12-06 20:00 Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ New thread on mailing list: mailto:dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://goo.gl/4Xue
[Dorset] Open Source Government Policy - New Version Released
Terry http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/open-source-procurement-toolkit Now that is a step forward, if nothing else is :-) Another possible step is the planned internal HMG Open Source events highlighted here: http://ossg.bcs.org/wp-content/uploads/Issue-2-Oct-11.pdf I'll try and get along to the next DLUG meeting about this as a detailed explanation to Civil Servants about what a LUG can offer maybe could be incorporated intp one of these planned internal HMG events. Cheers Mark Elkins From: dorset-requ...@mailman.lug.org.uk dorset-requ...@mailman.lug.org.uk To: dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk Sent: Saturday, 5 November 2011, 12:00 Subject: dorset Digest, Vol 408, Issue 4 Send dorset mailing list submissions to dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/dorset or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to dorset-requ...@mailman.lug.org.uk You can reach the person managing the list at dorset-ow...@mailman.lug.org.uk When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than Re: Contents of dorset digest... Today's Topics: 1. Open Source Government Policy - New Version Released (Terry Coles) 2. Encrypted DVDs in Ubuntu (CPK Smithies) -- Message: 1 Date: Fri, 04 Nov 2011 14:42:16 + From: Terry Coles d-...@hadrian-way.co.uk Subject: [Dorset] Open Source Government Policy - New Version Released To: dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk Message-ID: 2411253.71VMoiTSbQ@beige Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Hi, The cabinet office have just released an updated policy about OSS see http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/open-source-procurement- toolkit. In short, they have strengthened the requirement to use OSS rather than proprietary solutions, although they don't go as far as saying OSS is better. What they do say is that if a proprietary solution is no better than an OSS alternative, after taking into account TCO and other factors, then the OSS solution must be selected. At the link there is a toolkit of documents to help departments make the decision. Of particular interest is that the documents are provided in PDF and ODF formats, but not doc or docx. Now that is a step forward, if nothing else is :-) -- Terry Coles 64 bit computing with Kubuntu Linux -- Message: 2 Date: Fri, 04 Nov 2011 16:45:31 + From: CPK Smithies c...@smithies.org Subject: [Dorset] Encrypted DVDs in Ubuntu To: dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk Message-ID: 1320425131.29988.6.camel@p2cs Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Thanks to Andrew Morgan for mention of vobcopy. Ubuntu users are probably used to the chore of reinstalling libdvdcss2 after each system upgrade. In case it is of wider utility, I offer below a shell script that I have in my personal bin directory: ((begins)) #! /bin/bash sudo wget --output-document=/etc/apt/sources.list.d/medibuntu.list \ http://www.medibuntu.org/sources.list.d/$(lsb_release -cs).list \ sudo apt-get --quiet update sudo apt-get --yes --quiet \ --allow-unauthenticated install medibuntu-keyring \ sudo apt-get --quiet update sudo apt-get --yes install w64codecs libdvdcss2 ((ends)) Regards to all, CPKS -- ___ dorset mailing list dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/dorset End of dorset Digest, Vol 408, Issue 4 ** -- Next meeting: Bournemouth, Tuesday 2011-12-06 20:00 Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ New thread on mailing list: mailto:dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://goo.gl/4Xue
Re: [Dorset] Asterisk
Has anyone on the list any experience of Asterisk? I was thinking of using it to set up a PBX, using wireless VOIP phones, and would be interested in knowing how anyone else has got on with it. Cheers Tim Those at Open Source Hardware Users Group (OSHUG) http://oshug.org/ should be able to help you via their discussion group. I happen to know one of the organizers of OSHUG and know that they have definite knowledge about Asterisk, PBX etc. Its also possible someone listed here might be able to help: http://ossg.bcs.org/2010/04/15/open-source-in-telecommunications-london-220410/ Cheers Mark Elkins -- Next meeting: Bournemouth, Tuesday 2011-10-04 20:00 Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://goo.gl/4Xue
Re: [Dorset] Linux Limitations
Peter and Google earth - I did have it working a couple of versions ago of Kubuntu, but not any more. Something for me to occupy my time with when the kids have gone back home on Tuesday. See Google Earth offers 32 and 64 bit downloads for Debian/Ubuntu and Fedora/OpenSUSE as default Linux options. So I guess maybe issues with other distros? Cheers Mark -- Next meeting: Bournemouth, Tuesday 2011-09-06 20:00 Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://goo.gl/4Xue
[Dorset] July issue of ITNOW Focus on desktops
Wondered if anyone in DLUG was interested in putting forward an article for the BCS ITNow publication July Edition. Seem to remember more than a few DLUG debates on this. Should you go Ubuntu and Fedora? What do proprietary systems offer you? Can Apple break into the Enterprise ? Can mobile devices desktops be up to the job? What will be the impact of the tablet form factor? Will Google get a hold on desktops? Articles required by June 3rd, published 15 July. Please Email: edi...@bcs.org Brian Runciman Managing Editor BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT First Floor, Block D, North Star House, North Star Avenue, Swindon SN2 1FA Cheers Mark Elkins DLUG member and Chair BCS OSSG -- Next meeting: Bournemouth, Tuesday 2011-06-07 20:00 Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://goo.gl/4Xue
Re: [Dorset] Free Dell SC420
John In excellent condition, 80GB SATA, 1GB RAM, onboard video PowerEdge SC420 - SATA - Celeron 326, 2.53GHz/256K, 533FSB~PowerEdge SC420 - SATA - Celeron 326, 2.53GHz/256K, 533FSB Definitely take it off you if still have. Cheers Mark Elkins -- Next meeting: Blandford Forum, Wednesday 2011-05-04 20:00 Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://goo.gl/4Xue
Re: [Dorset] Which Linux Distro for old laptop?
Brian Had a lot of trouble putting Puppy on it, had to use an old build as the latest would not go on. That indicates a defect in Puppy not the laptop. I doubt you would have had this trouble with Ubuntu 10.04 and with 512mb it would have run fine. Mark Elkins -- Next meeting: Blandford Forum, Wednesday 2011-05-04 20:00 Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://goo.gl/4Xue
Re: [Dorset] Which Linux Distro for old laptop?
Of course don't forget if you are keen on running Libre or Open Office you still might struggle a bit with the latest versions of these on low spec machines. For example see http://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/system-requirements/ Mark Elkins --- On Sat, 2/4/11, dorset-requ...@mailman.lug.org.uk dorset-requ...@mailman.lug.org.uk wrote: From: dorset-requ...@mailman.lug.org.uk dorset-requ...@mailman.lug.org.uk Subject: dorset Digest, Vol 378, Issue 5 To: dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk Date: Saturday, 2 April, 2011, 13:00 Send dorset mailing list submissions to dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/dorset or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to dorset-requ...@mailman.lug.org.uk You can reach the person managing the list at dorset-ow...@mailman.lug.org.uk When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than Re: Contents of dorset digest... Today's Topics: 1. Re: Which Linux Distro for old laptop? (CPK Smithies) -- Message: 1 Date: Sat, 02 Apr 2011 12:40:42 +0100 From: CPK Smithies c...@smithies.org Subject: Re: [Dorset] Which Linux Distro for old laptop? To: dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk Message-ID: 130172.6477.5.camel@p2cs Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 I recommend you have a look at SliTaz, http://www.slitaz.org/en/get/ . The Cooking distribution has Audacity. I have installed SliTaz on an old laptop with only 128Mb RAM and it was fine. The GUI is impressive for its size and the package handling intuitive. SliTaz is under active development. CPKS -- ___ dorset mailing list dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/dorset End of dorset Digest, Vol 378, Issue 5 ** -- Next meeting: Bournemouth, Tuesday 2011-04-05 20:00 Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://goo.gl/4Xue
Re: [Dorset] Which Linux Distro for old laptop?
(The system is a Toshiba 1000 with 384MB ram 120GB disk) Ubuntu Lucid Lynx (10.04) will run on this at a respectable speed. What you might find is that after you've downloaded and installed updates it runs slow until you reboot it again - that's install reboot and then reboot again. Surely though it can't be a big deal just to buy a bit more memory - undo a few screws and put that in. I reckon if you shop around on the net you'll get 1gb for under £20. Unfortunately I can't make the next LUG meeting otherwise I would have brought along a few screwdrivers. I'm assuming the processor is something around 1Ghz with above. Alternatively if you don't want to upgrade the memory you could try Ubuntu Light (Lite?). Cheers Mark Elkins -- Next meeting: Bournemouth, Tuesday 2011-04-05 20:00 Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://goo.gl/4Xue
Re: [Dorset] Bournemouth Pub Meet Tonight, Tuesday 2011-02-01 20:00.
OpenOffice/LibreOffice Discussed OpenOffice in that may have issues with finer points of formatting. This could be an issue when trying to convince organizations to install Linux on the desktop. Downloaded and installed LibreOffice from LibreOffice site on Ubuntu 10.04 LTS following discussion of. Seems to work Ok side-by-side OpenOffice. Only issue in install was instructions, which said right click one of the folders and then would automatically get Terminal up. Only way I could see was to install via command line after unzipping install files. LibreOffice command line instructions given worked out ok. Suggested UK Government fork its own version of OpenOffice to assist in moving to Linux Desktop. FOSS Licences Also discussed OSI licences. Seems to me that having two Microsoft OSI approved licences could be seen as licence prolification. Also discussed whether or not some OSI and FSF licences which allowed to turn code into closed source did in fact contradict the ethos of FOSS. 32 bit programs on 64 bit machine Some doubts expressed about this. However would seem that not an issue. Mark Elkins -- Next meeting: Blandford Forum, Wednesday 2011-03-02 20:00 Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://goo.gl/4Xue
Re: [Dorset] Next Bournemouth meet?
Just an idea but the Sir Percy Shelley in Boscombe has free Wi-fi and good public transport links eg Pokesdown Rail Stn and good bus links. Also as is a Weatherspoons pub has cheap but good quality ale etc. Was in there briefly last night (Wednesday) and seemed to have enough space and a quiet enough atmosphere for a DLUG meeting. Mark Elkins --- On Wed, 24/11/10, dorset-requ...@mailman.lug.org.uk dorset-requ...@mailman.lug.org.uk wrote: From: dorset-requ...@mailman.lug.org.uk dorset-requ...@mailman.lug.org.uk Subject: dorset Digest, Vol 360, Issue 3 To: dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk Date: Wednesday, 24 November, 2010, 12:00 Send dorset mailing list submissions to dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/dorset or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to dorset-requ...@mailman.lug.org.uk You can reach the person managing the list at dorset-ow...@mailman.lug.org.uk When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than Re: Contents of dorset digest... Today's Topics: 1. Re: cd question (Chris Dennis) 2. Re: cd question (Andrew R Paterson) 3. Re: cd question (Andrew R Paterson) 4. Re: cd question (Keith Edmunds) 5. Re: cd question (Sean Gibbins) 6. Next Bournemouth meet? (Natalie Hooper) 7. Re: Next Bournemouth meet? (Victor Churchill) -- Message: 1 Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2010 16:49:54 + From: Chris Dennis cgden...@btinternet.com Subject: Re: [Dorset] cd question To: Dorset Linux User Group dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk Cc: Tim xendis...@gmx.com Message-ID: 4cebf0b2.4080...@btinternet.com Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed On 22/11/10 18:05, Tim wrote: I am a cli dunce so please bear with me. Lets say I am working in the terminal screen in the following folder m...@computer:~#/folder1/folder2/folder3/folder4/folder5 mv blah blah. Now I want to go back to work in folder2, what the easy command to get me back there?? I have to move a lot of files (1 and 2) between a lot of folders and retyping the full path everytime is wearing my keyboard out!! I use MidnightCommander (aka mc) for that sort of thing. See http://www.midnight-commander.org/ Install with aptitude install mc or equivalent. cheers Chris -- Chris Dennis cgden...@btinternet.com Fordingbridge, Hampshire, UK -- Message: 2 Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2010 19:08:40 + From: Andrew R Paterson andy.pater...@ntlworld.com Subject: Re: [Dorset] cd question To: Dorset Linux User Group dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk Message-ID: 201011231908.40342.andy.pater...@ntlworld.com Content-Type: Text/Plain; charset=iso-8859-1 On Monday 22 November 2010, Peter Merchant wrote: On Mon, 2010-11-22 at 19:30 +, John Carlyle-Clarke wrote: On 22/11/10 18:05, Tim wrote: I am a cli dunce so please bear with me. Lets say I am working in the terminal screen in the following folder m...@computer:~#/folder1/folder2/folder3/folder4/folder5 mv blah blah. Now I want to go back to work in folder2, what the easy command to get me back there?? I have to move a lot of files (1 and 2) between a lot of folders and retyping the full path everytime is wearing my keyboard out!! All the other suggestions are excellent, but let's have some more ;) You could use shell variables to remember the paths: src=/folder1/folder2/folder3/folder4/folder5 dst=/folder1/folder2 Then use cd $src and cd $dst as required, or mv somefile $dst (The quotes stop things breaking if the paths have spaces in them.) Or, how about doing (in folder5):- ls files vim files (OR nano files, OR gedit files, as you prefer) Delete the ones you don't want to move, then save the file and: dest=/folder1/folder2; while read -r file; do mv $file $dest; done files (That's all on one line but it may wrap here) That should do a move for each filename, one per line, in files. Another way is with find, if the files have some criteria you can define. Find has a lot of options, and can be a bit daunting, but a good pattern to remember is:- find [paths] [tests] [actions] The default path is . and the default action is print, so just typing find will recursively list files in the current directory and subdirectories. For example, find -mtime -1 -maxdepth 1 Will print file names of files modified more recently than 24 hours ago in this directory only (will not go into subdirectories). There are many ways to use this. You could do:- find -mtime -2 -iname 'foo*' files To send all files modified in the last two days matching foo* to a file called files, and then use the mechanism above. Another way is to use the pattern
Re: [Dorset] study material
Nicky These people should be able to help you: http://www.linuxit.com/services/delivery-services/training They had an article about training in the Linux Advantage, which made me aware of this. I've no idea what costs are involved though. Mark Elkins -- Next meeting: Somewhere quiet, Bournemouth, ???day 2010-12-?? 20:00 Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://goo.gl/4Xue
Re: [Dorset] Possible Bournemouth Meeting place
Ralph Reply to your post set out below. I have a contact there as well, but maybe Peter is better placed to know the right venue to get. I guess it would be possible to have a mini-like DLUG Unconference in an evening. I know someone in BCS Dorset who is also involved with the BCS Young professional group who might also be interested in such a thing. However depends on the view of others in the DLUG. Cheers Mark Elkins Message: 3 Date: Mon, 08 Nov 2010 10:40:29 + From: Ralph Corderoy ra...@inputplus.co.uk Subject: Re: [Dorset] Possible Bournemouth Meeting place (Natalie Hooper) To: Dorset Linux User Group dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk Message-ID: 20101108104029.2cb1d4...@blake.inputplus.co.uk Hi, Mark Elkins wrote: Although I still think Bournemouth or Poole would be better for a meet this side of Dorset. Is Bournemouth University well-served by frequent busses late into the evening? Is there the option of getting a room there? I've an idea someone, Peter?, thought it may not be too hard after all. No beer, but quietness, power, Internet?, perhaps even the ability to put on five-minute talks on things. Cheers, Ralph. -- Next meeting: Somewhere quiet, Bournemouth, ???day 2010-12-?? 20:00 Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://goo.gl/4Xue
Re: [Dorset] Possible Bournemouth Meeting place
I'd say that as nice a place as Wimborne is that there would be little point meeting there if most people live in Bournemouth/Poole on this side of the County of Dorset. Maybe also wherever the meeting is that where possible an attempt might be made for several attendees to make use of one car rather than one (each attendee ) to many (cars). Mark Elkins -- Next meeting: Crown Hotel, Blandford Forum, Tuesday 2010-11-02 20:00 Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://goo.gl/4Xue
Re: [Dorset] Anyone in or near Melksham?
Philip Might be worth getting in touch with the Open Source Hardware User Group mentioned below in a post I sent out for them 2 days ago. Cheers Mark Elkins --- On Thu, 14/10/10, Mark Elkins markelkins...@yahoo.co.uk wrote: From: Mark Elkins markelkins...@yahoo.co.uk Subject: [Ossg-announcements] Open source hardware software event. To: ossg-announceme...@ossg.bcs.org Date: Thursday, 14 October, 2010, 8:42 OSSG members may well be interested an event next week (on 21/10/10 in London) being run by the Open Source Hardware User Group, on a cutting edge software-defined radio platform. This is a comprehensive project that combines open source software and open source hardware, and SDR technology is at the forefront of research in radio systems. Full details including registration are at: http://oshug.org/event/5 Mark Elkins Chair OSSG Date: Sat, 9 Oct 2010 22:40:03 +0100 From: Philip Vossler philvoss...@googlemail.com Subject: [Dorset] Anyone in or near Melksham? To: Dorset Linux User Group dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk Message-ID: aanlktim8rqwrx0d8zaz_ryvr745dlsj+4n2o_ed8f...@mail.gmail.com Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Are there any Dorset members at all close to Melksham? I'd like to run an install day here in Melksham - maybe at the old Wiltshire College Campus (if I can gain access), or possibly at the company I work for. Hopefully this would be the start of a regular group that are into hacking hardware and Linux (not quite a LUG). I know very few people in the area and am keen to meet like minded engineers that would like to take technology into the community. I need a few people to form a core group and hatch a solid proposal before going public with the idea. Any comments or suggestions very welcome! regards Phil Vossler -- -- ___ dorset mailing list dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/dorset End of dorset Digest, Vol 353, Issue 15 *** -- Next meeting: Crown Hotel, Blandford Forum, Tuesday 2010-11-02 20:00 Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://goo.gl/4Xue
Re: [Dorset] Bournemouth Pub Meet Tonight, Wednesday 2010-10-06 20:00.
Peter Strange comment and link. Would you care to elaborate? Mark --- On Wed, 6/10/10, Peter Merchant madsmad...@netscape.net wrote: From: Peter Merchant madsmad...@netscape.net Subject: Re: [Dorset] Bournemouth Pub Meet Tonight, Wednesday 2010-10-06 20:00. To: mark_elk...@bcs.org, Dorset Linux User Group dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk Date: Wednesday, 6 October, 2010, 20:33 On Wed, 2010-10-06 at 20:20 +0100, Mark Elkins wrote: Victor It's ok I know where it is - will be with you in next 20 minutes I estimate. Cheers Mark --- On Wed, 6/10/10, Victor Churchill victorchurch...@gmail.com wrote: From: Victor Churchill victorchurch...@gmail.com Subject: Re: [Dorset] Bournemouth Pub Meet Tonight, Wednesday 2010-10-06 20:00. To: mark_elk...@bcs.org, Dorset Linux User Group dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk Date: Wednesday, 6 October, 2010, 18:08 On 6 October 2010 17:01, Mark Elkins markelkins...@yahoo.co.uk wrote: I'll try and drag myself away from writing up my PhD thesis and attend as the Broadway not too far away from me on the Boscombe/Springbourne border. Obviously not 6 1/2 years into it yet then. http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=1366 Peter -- Next meeting: The Broadway, Bournemouth, Wednesday 2010-10-06 20:00 Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://goo.gl/4Xue
Re: [Dorset] Bournemouth Pub Meet Tonight, Wednesday 2010-10-06 20:00.
Victor It's ok I know where it is - will be with you in next 20 minutes I estimate. Cheers Mark --- On Wed, 6/10/10, Victor Churchill victorchurch...@gmail.com wrote: From: Victor Churchill victorchurch...@gmail.com Subject: Re: [Dorset] Bournemouth Pub Meet Tonight, Wednesday 2010-10-06 20:00. To: mark_elk...@bcs.org, Dorset Linux User Group dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk Date: Wednesday, 6 October, 2010, 18:08 On 6 October 2010 17:01, Mark Elkins markelkins...@yahoo.co.uk wrote: I'll try and drag myself away from writing up my PhD thesis and attend as the Broadway not too far away from me on the Boscombe/Springbourne border. Caution: 'The Broadway' pub =/= [The?] Broadway road. The Broadway pub (used to be called 'The Broadway tavern' back in the day) is on the roundabout where Broadway Lane, Charminster Road, and Castle Lane meet, just up from Charminster; a bit of a step from Springbourne/Boscombe ;-( http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=50.7545047,-1.8570274f=qspn=0.002525,0.004823t=hz=18 -- Next meeting: The Broadway, Bournemouth, Wednesday 2010-10-06 20:00 Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://goo.gl/4Xue
Re: [Dorset] Source for new Netbook with Linux or no OS?
There's are few angles to this. (1) It might be better to get a not too old 2nd hand one, because if its not pre-loaded there may be some rather time consuming technical issues lurking within the new hardware (possibly even deliberately so, but that's another argument). For example my Sony Vaio bought end 2007 is now running fine on Ubuntu 10.04, but with the Hardy Heron there were always some rather annoying issues. In other words let the software catch up with the hardware. (2) If its pre-loaded with Windows(/Apple?) and you object to this why give the Laptop manufacturer your money? But there again I suppose if the person you bought it from then bought a new laptop loaded with Windows(/Apple?) with some of your money I guess you might not be too happy. (3) I guess if you do manage to buy a new machine without an OS or one pre-loaded with LInux you've still got to consider the financial bottom line in that just because it meets that criteria are you actually paying a reasonable rate for it. (4) Green issues about constantly buying new. Mark Elkins Note: Only part of the above posted at the first attempt for some reason onto the DLUG -- Next meeting: Bournemouth? TBD, Wednesday 2010-10-06 20:00 Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://bit.ly/4sACa
Re: [Dorset] Source for new Netbook with Linux or no OS?
There's are few angles to this. (1) It might be better to get a not too old 2nd hand one, because if its not pre-loaded there may be some rather time consuming technical issues lurking within the new hardware (possibly even deliberately -- Next meeting: Bournemouth? TBD, Wednesday 2010-10-06 20:00 Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://bit.ly/4sACa
[Dorset] Penguin torch
This is slightly off the type of info usually discussed on the Dorset LUG but I found it somewhat amusing on a trip to my local Boscombe Wilko branch today that they currently have in stock - Wind-up torches in the shape of a Linux looking Penguin. Mark Elkins -- Next meeting: Blandford Forum, Tuesday 2010-09-07 20:00 http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ -- Meets, Mailing list, IRC, LinkedIn, ... How to Report Bugs Effectively: http://bit.ly/4sACa
Re: [Dorset] C4L Tour and Pub Meet Tonight
Might be able to make pub meet - but what pub is it at? I guess I'm too late to book a place on the C4L tour? Mark Elkins -- Next meeting: C4L and Bournemouth, Wednesday 2010-06-02 19:00 http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2645413 Chat: http://www.mibbit.com/?server=irc.blitzed.orgchannel=%23dorset List info: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/dorset
[Dorset] 10.04? Not bloody likely
Read this thread at the time and kind of thought I'd would stick to the Hardy Heron. However someone gave me a laptop which had an amusing black screen when XP was booted up because it went wrong a few years back and the costs quoted to fix put them off fixing it. So they stored this Pentium 4 circa 2005 Compaq in the loft for a few years - there must be thousands who have taken this view. Anyhow decided to use it as test bed for Ubuntu 10.04 running off the dvd/cd drive a few days back and I thought this looks good. So today I installed on my Sony Vaio VGN-NR11M/S circa late 2007 in place of the Hardy Heron. (1) The install took about 30 minutes. However carting data off and and back on the partition I used took a bit longer. I guess with regard to the data is that the sliver lining in the cloud is that it kind of forces you to have a clear out of stuff you don't want. I gave up long ago with trying upgrade versions of linux as there always seemed to problems, but maybe I'm being too conservative in still holding that view perhaps. (2) The Atheros wireless card inside works - which it never did with the Hardy Heron. (3) The brightness and volume function keys work - which it never did with the Hardy Heron. (4) It seems more responsive than the Hardy Heron - it runs quicker basically. (5) Somehow the battery time has increased by about 1 hour 20 minutes according to the ubuntu app on battery life - although I've not tested to this in action. (6) The Oracle logo on the installed OpenOffice kind of took a bit of getting used too, but the Ubuntu version shipped with 10.04 seemed good to me. (7) I like the default colour scheme. (8) I guess for the beginner user there are a few things that might confuse them on the install such what file system to use but it seems easier to follow than previous versions. All in all then I would think 10.04 is probably going to be close to as good as it gets for the Linux desktop from what I've seen so far, Mark Elkins Ps In my capacity as Chair of OSSG I'm told by BCS Dorset that the recording of the Open Source Question Time event at Bournemouth Uni a few months back is on its way at last, which quite a few from the LUG attended and asked questions at. -- Next meeting: C4L and Bournemouth, Wednesday 2010-06-02 19:00 http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2645413 Chat: http://www.mibbit.com/?server=irc.blitzed.orgchannel=%23dorset List info: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/dorset
[Dorset] Vote Geek Campaign
Heres something from recent dealings I've had with other Free and Open Source groups that LUG members might find interesting: http://votegeek.org.uk/ Cheers Mark Elkins Chair Open Source SG --- On Sat, 3/4/10, dorset-requ...@mailman.lug.org.uk dorset-requ...@mailman.lug.org.uk wrote: From: dorset-requ...@mailman.lug.org.uk dorset-requ...@mailman.lug.org.uk Subject: dorset Digest, Vol 326, Issue 7 To: dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk Date: Saturday, 3 April, 2010, 13:00 Send dorset mailing list submissions to dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/dorset or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to dorset-requ...@mailman.lug.org.uk You can reach the person managing the list at dorset-ow...@mailman.lug.org.uk When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than Re: Contents of dorset digest... Today's Topics: 1. Re: Next Meeting: Bournemouth - One Week Tonight (Ralph Corderoy) 2. Re: Next Meeting: Bournemouth - One Week Tonight (Terry Coles) 3. Linux Course (Juan Reyes) 4. Re: Linux Course (John Cooper) -- Message: 1 Date: Fri, 02 Apr 2010 16:03:11 +0100 From: Ralph Corderoy ra...@inputplus.co.uk Subject: Re: [Dorset] Next Meeting: Bournemouth - One Week Tonight To: Dorset Linux User Group dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk Message-ID: 20100402150311.4e84f5...@blake.inputplus.co.uk Hi Terry wrote: The next meeting will be held at 8pm in The King's Arms Wallisdown on Wednesday 7th April see: http://www.dorset.lug.org.uk/doku.php?id=meetings:pub#the_king_s_arms. Given that the Weymouth contingent that used to attend Dorchester pub meets now work away, the Dorchester attendance has dropped. I was wondering if May's pub meet, the one after next week's Bournmouth one mentioned above, should be held somewhere other than Dorchester. Seems silly if the majority of attendees are from Bournemouth/Poole conurbation. How does Blandford Forum sound? It looks centralish to Dorchester, Yeovil, Salisbury, and Bournemouth. Anyone know a suitable pub? Quiet enough to hear yourself talk, wi-fi a plus. Any better location suggestions? We've a month to come up with something but, given our track record on decision making isn't great, I thought I'd raise the idea in plenty of time. Sprung should have springed by then so it might make a pleasant drive out there. Cheers, Ralph. -- Message: 2 Date: Fri, 2 Apr 2010 18:09:48 +0100 From: Terry Coles d-...@hadrian-way.co.uk Subject: Re: [Dorset] Next Meeting: Bournemouth - One Week Tonight To: Dorset Linux User Group dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk Message-ID: 201004021809.48364.d-...@hadrian-way.co.uk Content-Type: Text/Plain; charset=iso-8859-1 On Friday 02 Apr 2010, Ralph Corderoy wrote: Given that the Weymouth contingent that used to attend Dorchester pub meets now work away, the Dorchester attendance has dropped. I was wondering if May's pub meet, the one after next week's Bournmouth one mentioned above, should be held somewhere other than Dorchester. Seems silly if the majority of attendees are from Bournemouth/Poole conurbation. How does Blandford Forum sound? It looks centralish to Dorchester, Yeovil, Salisbury, and Bournemouth. Anyone know a suitable pub? Quiet enough to hear yourself talk, wi-fi a plus. Any better location suggestions? How about this one: http://railwayblandford.com/default.aspx ? I've never been there, but this website: http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/43/4367/Railway_Hotel/Blandford_Forum says it has wireless. I don't think it has a car park, but Blandford is no worse, and probably better than Dorchester. Anyone ever been there? We've a month to come up with something but, given our track record on decision making isn't great, I thought I'd raise the idea in plenty of time. Sprung should have springed by then so it might make a pleasant drive out there. I'm sure it would, but make our mind up in a month? That's asking something. -- Terry Coles 64 bit computing with Kubuntu Linux -- Message: 3 Date: Fri, 2 Apr 2010 22:09:35 +0100 From: Juan Reyes tempelw...@googlemail.com Subject: [Dorset] Linux Course To: Dorset Linux User Group dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk Message-ID: dc15ccc7-382a-40be-bcdb-c23fab168...@googlemail.com Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Hello all, I'm a novice user of Linux, and I'm thinking to do a course with the Open University called T155. Reading the course content I believe it would give me a good foundation about Linux. Although I have few doubts about this course; Is this a good course to understand linux? Is it worth taking the CompTIA Linux+ certification, once the course has finished? http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/course/t155.htm Thank you very much
Re: [Dorset] Wi-Fi in Pubs
Message: 1 Date: Sun, 29 Nov 2009 09:19:20 + From: Terry Coles d-...@hadrian-way.co.uk Subject: [Dorset] Wi-Fi in Pubs To: Dorset Linux User Group dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk Message-ID: 200911290919.20159.d-...@hadrian-way.co.uk Content-Type: Text/Plain; charset=utf-8 It may be that our discussions about finding pubs which provide Wi-Fi may be pointless if the pup operators take the next logical step after this case: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10405824-83.html?part=rsssubj=newstag=2547-1_3-0-5 'A pub owner in the U.K. has been fined ?8,000 (about $13,183) because someone unlawfully downloaded copyrighted material over its open Wi-Fi hotspot, according to the managing director of hotspot provider The Cloud.' There is nothing in the article about what the operators might do about it, but if I was a pub landlord, I'd think twice about offering this. -- Terry Coles 64 bit computing with Kubuntu Linux Terry From reading the two articles pointed to at the end of this article http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10405824-83.html?part=rsssubj=newstag=2547-1_3-0-5 things appear very unclear. In theory UK law decisions apply a test of reasonableness to them. Therefore is it reasonable for those supplying any form of open public internet access such as pubs, universities etc to be prey to fines for unlawful downloads? The recent decision to give everyone in Swindon some form of free internet access would appear in theory to mean that those supplying that internet access may be prey to fines as mentioned in the above article. I think something is not right here - perhaps the pub itself has been downloading loads of copyrighted material - maybe music for example. Otherwise why would there be no appeal against the decision of the court involved mentioned in the above article? Mark Elkins -- Next meeting: Bournemouth, Wednesday 2009-12-02 20:00 Dorset LUG: http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ Chat: http://www.mibbit.com/?server=irc.blitzed.orgchannel=%23dorset List info: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/dorset
Re: [Dorset] Microsoft Vista Refund
John I beg to disagree with your statement although I would agree that things are improving all the time. Mark --- On Tue, 24/3/09, John Cooper l...@discoverlinux.co.uk wrote: From: John Cooper l...@discoverlinux.co.uk Subject: Re: [Dorset] Microsoft Vista Refund To: mark_elk...@bcs.org, Dorset Linux User Group dorset@mailman.lug.org.uk Date: Tuesday, 24 March, 2009, 6:59 PM Mark Elkins wrote: Sean Even though a staff discount is available is this Acer laptop the best you can buy to run Ubuntu? It might actually be a better to buy a Dell (or other make if you can get it) with Ubuntu pre-installed. The reason for this advice has been covered on the Dorset LUG before - basically that it can be very time consuming and close on impossible to get everything working - due to the complex components used in laptops as opposed to desktop pcs. For example internal wireless cards on laptops are a particular problem. Mark Elkins Chair and Treasurer OSSG This is not true anymore. I haven't seen Ubuntu fail to discover all the components and configure them correctly. They really have spent much time sorting the wireless side. The worst case scenario for wireless is you pay $15 to linuxant for their excellent driverloader software and it just works. There are still too many people spreading the FUD (fear, uncertainly, doubt) even with the Linux community which doesn't actually match the reality of a modern Linux distro. John. -- -- Discover Linux - Open Source Solutions to Business and Schools http://discoverlinux.co.uk -- -- Dorset LUG: http://dorset.lug.org.uk/ irc://irc.blitzed.org:6667/dorset List info: https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/dorset Next meeting: Bournemouth, Wednesday 2009-04-01 20:00
