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Filed under: Linux, Novell, Open Source

openSUSE 11.0 Beta 1 released

ScreenshotThe openSUSE team has released the first beta of their popular but controversial Linux distribution, and it has some spiffy features that make it worth checking out.

The most exciting improvements are in the area of speed, as this is one OS that is often ridiculed by reviewers, mainly for its historically sluggish boot times and sloth-like package system. In contrast, openSUSE now uses an improved version of "zipper", which, long story short, makes incredibly quick package installation possible, much faster than Ubuntu or PCLinuxOS. Not only that, the system installation has been trimmed to 60%, meaning that it only takes about 24 minutes on typical hardware, which is damn fast for Suse.

There are still way too many bugs for you distro-shufflers to start revving your DVD burners, but if you would like to help with testing, check out the download page.

Filed under: Features, Linux, Productivity, Open Source, Beta

Flipping the Linux switch: Forgetful penguins love Tasque

Tasque notesDo you forget stuff? Do you wonder where the heck you put the keys when they're in your right hand? Do you get in the shower with your socks still on? Do you ever get to the bus stop, and realize you can't recall if you've put on pants? We're the only ones? Really? Damn.

We're willing to bet you can still benefit from Tasque, even if you just need reminders about the things normal people put on their to-do lists.

There are a few other to-do list applications in Linux, but most lack the finesse that Tasque is already bringing to the table. Tasque is a newcomer (it got its start at last year's Hackweek), and seems well on its way to becoming a big player.

Tasque (pronounced "Task") is a unified frontend for a number of backends. Honest to god, we don't mean anything obscene by that. What we mean is, it's a very standard graphical interface that works with a number of to-do and database types to make your to-do list dynamic.

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Filed under: OS Updates, Features, Linux, Open Source, How-Tos

Flipping the Linux switch: Package management 101

Synaptic Package ManagerYour shiny new Linux system has it all -- except that one program you really needed it to install. You get online, you find the program's website, and click 'download'. Except there's not just a link to the program there.

There are four, or five, or more links to the program. Each has a slightly different format, ending with .rpm, .deb, .tgz, or possibly even .ebuild.

Some include x86 in the name, while others say ppc or amd64. What's the difference? What's actually included in these packages?

Packages are pre-compiled programs for your system (the exception being Gentoo's .ebuild). You've got to know a bit about your system to install them.

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Featured Time Waster

The World's Hardest Game 2.0 - Time Waster

So, just how good at time waster games are you? Think you've got the stuff? Well, The World's Hardest Game 2.0 doesn't think you do. Yes, amazingly, it's possible to have a sequel to a game called "The World's Hardest Game". It doesn't seem logically possible, since if the first one was actually the world's hardest, how could another one come along and share the moniker? It made me doubt the name in the first place. That is, until I tried the game. The mechanics of the game are very simple. You are a small red square, ...

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