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software


14
Apr 07

Linux 3D Desktop: Beryl and Compiz Reunion

    3D desktop is one of the weakest Ubuntu’s spot, besides of course power management and multiple screen support. And having two independent group of developers (Compiz and Beryl) who used to be a single group before, but now working separately, does not really help. But the good news are they decided to reunite!

3Ddesktops: Compiz and Beryl

    After several weeks of discussion the leaders of Compiz and Beryl have agreed that the two communities shall reunite. This decision is supported by both David and Quinn and represents the majority decision of the administrators and developers in each community. At this early stage not a lot has been decided, but these are the main points of the agreement gathered by Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols:

  • Compiz will effectively split in to two divisions: Compiz-core and Compiz-extra.
  • The Compiz-Core division will focus on core functionality. The name of the core package will remain compiz.
  • The Compiz-Extra division, which includes plugins, decorators, settings tools and related applications and their developers, will merge with the Beryl project’s programmers and offerings in these areas to form a new community with the temporary name of "Composite Community".
  • The codebase of the new community will consist of the best plugins, decorators, settings tools and related applications from the Beryl and Compiz communities. We will create a code review panel consisting of the best developers from each community who will see that any code included in a release package meets the highest standards and is suitable for distribution in an officially supported package. Support for existing packages will be continued at least until the first stable release of the new project.
  • The websites of each community will remain up and running until a new, user oriented site is completed. Since the forums are the heart of each community, they will be merged first. Once we have a single community forum we can use it to discuss the additional details, including the name of the new project, as well as setting the goals for the first release.

    The end result of this for Linux desktop users should be a single, united and improved 3D desktop option.


13
Apr 07

Google likes Microsoft more than it likes Google

This is quite interesting how Microsoft can optimize better than Google for Google. Just try to search for a "search" in Google – see who the Google’s favorite is… ;)

google searches, microsoft wins


10
Apr 07

Top 10 Windows XP shortcuts

Always very useful to have/know these if you are using Windows XP. The best and the easiest way to see how useful they are is just to try them out as you go along the list:

windows key – an example of a <Win Key> that is used here in the list

    1. <Win Key> + e = Opens “Windows Explorer”

    2. <Win Key> + r = Opens “Run command” – e.g. where you can type “cmd” and press enter

    3. <Win Key> + Pause/Break key = Opens “System Properties”

    4. <Win Key> + f = Opens “Find Files”

    5. <Win Key> + d = Minimizes all windows – shows desktop – press it again to get back to original state, or try <Win Key> + Ctrl + M

    6. <Win Key> + l = Locks Computer (Keyboard)

    7. <Ctrl> + <Shift> + <Escape> = Opens “Task manager”

    8. <Shift> + <Del> = Removes file(s) without sending to Recycle Bin

    9. <Alt> + <Enter> = Shows file(s)/directory(ies) properties

    10. <Alt> + <Prnt Scrn/SysRq> = Saves snapshot to the clipboard of the current active window only

Extra cool stuff:

    <Alt> + <Esc> = Activates windows in the order that they were opened

Below two shortcuts are not necessarily Windows XP’s – they are for Firefox & IE but very useful:

    <Alt> + d = Selects browser’s Location Bar, now type google and press
    <Ctrl> + <Enter> = Attaches www. and .com to whatever you just typed, and submits it to the browser

Very simple – not for gurus, but very useful!


9
Apr 07

GAIM vs. AOL = Pidgin

GAIM is now Pidgin   Many years ago when GAIM project was first started, it was called “GTK+ AOL Instant Messenger.” AOL naturally complained, and Mark Spencer changed the name to “Gaim.”

A few years later AOL trademarked “AIM,” and started referring to their IM services using that name. They complained.

At long last, GAIM have a signed settlement and can release a new version. There is one catch however: they have had to change the project’s name.

After a long, and secret debate, GAIM’s team settled on the name “Pidgin” for GAIM itself, “libpurple” for “libgaim” (which, as of 2.0.0 beta6, exists), and “Finch” for “gaim-text”. Yes, the spelling of “Pidgin“.

The final Pidgin 2.0.0 will be released late this week or early next week.


1
Apr 07

Mozilla is suing Microsoft over tabs in IE 7

According to the German tech-site heise.de, the Mozilla Foundation is suing Microsoft over the use of tabbed browsing in Internet Explorer 7. The Mozilla Foundation owns the patent 5,160,296 through one of their developers (Solomon Katz, a former Opera dev) and has begun suing Microsoft in Mountainview, California. The Foundation wants that Microsoft immediately ceases to distribute IE 7 and pays 1.4 Billion dollars in damages. Heise reports that Microsoft has issued no official response, but is contemplating to ship IE 7 NT (no tabs).

from slashdot