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LWN Comdex 2000 - Sunday and Monday coverage

Sunday Nov. 12

Monday Nov. 13

Here's Rebecca with the SuSE chameleon.

• At the Penguin Computing booth we stopped to see Nick Carr from Mission Critical Linux give a short talk on Linux clusters. He gave an overview of three different kinds of clusters; Beowulf systems, Load balancing systems and commercial application systems. He showed clusters that work with a 3 tier systems with web servers, file servers and databases as the respective tiers.

• Transvirtual Technologies demonstrated its PocketLinux system running on the Compaq iPAQ color palmtop. The demo system was running with a wireless network card. Numerous impressive multimedia applications were shown running on this pint-sized machine including a movie viewer and an mp3 player.

  The graphical user interface uses a simple Java based framebuffer that offers decent performance without the overhead of X. Programs are fired up from a simple icon based user interface that was explicitly designed not to have an excess of cascading menus. The applications are WAP-XML based and run with the Jabber protocol. PocketLinux is being licensed to several palmtop hardware companies. The iPAQ platform has a beautiful color display, but runs fairly hot, especially with a wireless network card, ensuring rather short battery life.

• LinuxWizardry provides Linux desktop PCs in an attractive Penguin case. They also sell a VPN networking box that runs uCLinux under the hood. The box is intended for home network connectivity and features a web-based Java interface for configuration from hosts running on a variety of platforms.

  When asked about why embedded Linux was used instead of a proprietary system, the LinuxWizardry rep said that they simply could not afford to hire enough programmers to build a similarly powerful system using proprietary software. Lack of software royalty charges is, of course, also a critical factor. LinuxWizardry is a Lineo partner, working most closely with Lineo's Moreton Bay subsidiary.

• MontaVista showed off an impressive pen-based plotter that was made entirely of Lego blocks. The plotter was running Hard Hat Linux.

  

• At the Helix Code booth we spoke with CEO Nat Friedman. Helix Code is an open source desktop company working on GNOME. Many of the primary architects of GNOME are full-time Helix Code employees, including GNOME founder and leader Miguel de Icaza.

  We asked Nat why someone who is already using GNOME on their desktop would want to download and install Helix Code GNOME. The answer is that Helix Code GNOME is a more mature product than the older versions of GNOME that are shipped with most major Linux distributions. Helix Code is working on a "holistic desktop environment" that puts GNOME on nine Linux distributions, Solaris, and HPUX. Helix GNOME is, of course, the same GNOME that graces many Linux desktops, but its a more mature and stable version, with better functionality as well as more flash and glitter. And Helix Code has worked hard to make Helix Code GNOME easy to install. So if you are using an older version of GNOME you might want to check out Helix Code's GNOME. The upgrade looks to be fairly easy, the Helix Code people were passing out business card promos with a one-step installation:

  lynx -source http://go-gnome.com | sh
  

  Although easy, one might cringe when they consider the security implications of feeding output from a web site directly into a local root shell. It would be safer to get the official CD and install from it.

  Installation documentation is also available online.

  Since Helix Code GNOME is a free, open source product, we asked Nat what Helix Code was doing to make money. Nat told us about Helix Code's Red Carpet program. Red Carpet is a new network based software distribution system supporting various "channels", or sources of software updates. The Channel concept allows for open source software to be distributed freely on some channels and closed source software to be distributed with a commission other channels.

  Commercial software providers can work with Helix Code to provide updates via the channel system. This co-existence of open and closed source software looks like it could prove to be a good method for making money from proprietary software while supporting open source software at the same time. Helix Code plans on building the number of available channels as a means for increasing profits.

  Red Carpet allows Linux users to easily install new software and software updates. Red Hat's RPM format and the Debian dpkg format are supported.

  Helix Code has employed a full-time documentation specialist who is busy writing documentation for Evolution. Around 90 pages are currently available. Documentation starts as SGML/Docbook and is turned into XML for display.

  Evolution is another Helix Code project. We talked with Evolution developer JP Rosevear to learn more. The Evolution desktop suite is designed with a focus on using the desktop as a communication tool. The main components of Evolution are email, calendar, and address book. The components communicate with each other. For example, vcard-vcf formatted business cards can be easily saved from email messages into the address book. LDAP connectivity is provided for interoperability with directory servers.

  The calendar uses the itip format internally. The itip format is also used by the ical program, so ical calendar data can be easily entered into the Evolution calendar. The vCalendar format is also supported. Evolution includes tools for communicating with palmtops and can upload and download palmtop data. Evolution can also handle the job of archiving palmtop data. Addresses and calendar events can be shared between Evolution and the palmtop, or emailed to others. Data can also be transferred between Evolution and cell phones. It's a full-featured suite that rivals Microsoft Outlook and Lotus notes.

• To round out the day we decided to visit the KDE booth where SuSE's Waldo Bastian discussed KDE2 with us. The KDE philosophy is to build small, modular component pieces that interconnect with each other. The components are built with solid reliability in mind. KDE2 is currently delivering on the object model for window systems. The KDE2 rollout has had a few inevitable bugs, but in general, it has been going smoothly.

  KDE2 brings some fancier graphics and more configurable toolbars and icons to the system. Many of the basic KDE tools have been embellished and renamed under KDE2. The Konqueror is a multi-purpose file manager and web browser that also serves up the Konsole help system. KDE2 has a full office suite with KWord, KSpread, KPresenter, KChart, KIllustrator and various audio toys. In summary, KDE2 provides plenty of functionality in a good, reliable desktop.

  Friendly competition, or shall we say coopetition, between Gnome and KDE can only help to strengthen each of the desktop systems. Its good to have choices.