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Thursday, March 8, 2012

NVIDIA joins Linux Foundation, doesn't mention driver development

It's a big day for open source fans now that NVIDIA, the last member of the "big three" chip makers with AMD and Intel, has signed on with the Linux foundation. The company has previously kept the system at arms length, with users relying on reverse-engineering to get things working nicely with Linus' baby. It's joining Fluenco, Lineo and Mocana, three companies who also became signatories to the foundation at the same time. Whilst there's no commitment to provide drivers for its chipsets, at least there's a glimmer of hope that the company will contribute -- especially given the growing popularity of its mobile platforms.

credits : http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/08/nvidia-linux-foundation/

Linux Foundation's Collaboration Summit Coming in April

The Linux Foundation, which has emerged as a true leader in encouraging technology companies, open source community members, developers and others to work together to brighten Linux's future, is holding its sixth annual Linux Foundation Collaboration Summit in April. The event will take place at the Nikko Hotel in San Francisco from April 3 to 5, and if you're able to make it, the roundup of speakers is particularly notable this time around.
Keynote speakers at the Collaboration Summit will include Facebook's Frank Frankovsky, Huawei's Timo Jokiaho, Intel's Imad Sousou and NYSE Technology's Feargal O'Sullivan. Among the keynote topics:

Full story:  http://ostatic.com/blog/linux-foundations-collaboration-summit-coming-in-april

A-Z Bash commands

A-Z Bash commands
 
  alias    Create an alias
  apropos  Search Help manual pages (man -k)
  apt-get  Search for and install software packages (Debian)
  aspell   Spell Checker
  awk      Find and Replace text, database sort/validate/index
b
  bash     GNU Bourne-Again SHell 
  bc       Arbitrary precision calculator language 
  bg       Send to background
  break    Exit from a loop
  builtin  Run a shell builtin
  bzip2    Compress or decompress named file(s)
c
  cal      Display a calendar
  case     Conditionally perform a command
  cat      Display the contents of a file
  cd       Change Directory
  cfdisk   Partition table manipulator for Linux
  chgrp    Change group ownership
  chmod    Change access permissions
  chown    Change file owner and group
  chroot   Run a command with a different root directory
  chkconfig System services (runlevel)
  cksum    Print CRC checksum and byte counts
  clear    Clear terminal screen
  cmp      Compare two files
  comm     Compare two sorted files line by line
  command  Run a command - ignoring shell functions
  continue Resume the next iteration of a loop
  cp       Copy one or more files to another location
  cron     Daemon to execute scheduled commands
  crontab  Schedule a command to run at a later time
  csplit   Split a file into context-determined pieces
  cut      Divide a file into several parts
d
  date     Display or change the date & time
  dc       Desk Calculator
  dd       Convert and copy a file, write disk headers, boot records
  ddrescue Data recovery tool
  declare  Declare variables and give them attributes
  df       Display free disk space
  diff     Display the differences between two files
  diff3    Show differences among three files
  dig      DNS lookup
  dir      Briefly list directory contents
  dircolors Colour setup for `ls'
  dirname  Convert a full pathname to just a path
  dirs     Display list of remembered directories
  dmesg    Print kernel & driver messages 
  du       Estimate file space usage
e
  echo     Display message on screen
  egrep    Search file(s) for lines that match an extended expression
  eject    Eject removable media
  enable   Enable and disable builtin shell commands
  env      Environment variables
  ethtool  Ethernet card settings
  eval     Evaluate several commands/arguments
  exec     Execute a command
  exit     Exit the shell
  expect   Automate arbitrary applications accessed over a terminal
  expand   Convert tabs to spaces
  export   Set an environment variable
  expr     Evaluate expressions
f
  false    Do nothing, unsuccessfully
  fdformat Low-level format a floppy disk
  fdisk    Partition table manipulator for Linux
  fg       Send job to foreground 
  fgrep    Search file(s) for lines that match a fixed string
  file     Determine file type
  find     Search for files that meet a desired criteria
  fmt      Reformat paragraph text
  fold     Wrap text to fit a specified width.
  for      Expand words, and execute commands
  format   Format disks or tapes
  free     Display memory usage
  fsck     File system consistency check and repair
  ftp      File Transfer Protocol
  function Define Function Macros
  fuser    Identify/kill the process that is accessing a file
g
  gawk     Find and Replace text within file(s)
  getopts  Parse positional parameters
  grep     Search file(s) for lines that match a given pattern
  groups   Print group names a user is in
  gzip     Compress or decompress named file(s)
h
  hash     Remember the full pathname of a name argument
  head     Output the first part of file(s)
  history  Command History
  hostname Print or set system name
i
  id       Print user and group id's
  if       Conditionally perform a command
  ifconfig Configure a network interface
  ifdown   Stop a network interface 
  ifup     Start a network interface up
  import   Capture an X server screen and save the image to file
  install  Copy files and set attributes
j
  join     Join lines on a common field
k
  kill     Stop a process from running
  killall  Kill processes by name
l
  less     Display output one screen at a time
  let      Perform arithmetic on shell variables
  ln       Make links between files
  local    Create variables
  locate   Find files
  logname  Print current login name
  logout   Exit a login shell
  look     Display lines beginning with a given string
  lpc      Line printer control program
  lpr      Off line print
  lprint   Print a file
  lprintd  Abort a print job
  lprintq  List the print queue
  lprm     Remove jobs from the print queue
  ls       List information about file(s)
  lsof     List open files
m
  make     Recompile a group of programs
  man      Help manual
  mkdir    Create new folder(s)
  mkfifo   Make FIFOs (named pipes)
  mkisofs  Create an hybrid ISO9660/JOLIET/HFS filesystem
  mknod    Make block or character special files
  more     Display output one screen at a time
  mount    Mount a file system
  mtools   Manipulate MS-DOS files
  mv       Move or rename files or directories
  mmv      Mass Move and rename (files)
n
  netstat  Networking information
  nice     Set the priority of a command or job
  nl       Number lines and write files
  nohup    Run a command immune to hangups
  nslookup Query Internet name servers interactively
o
  open     Open a file in its default application
  op       Operator access 
p
  passwd   Modify a user password
  paste    Merge lines of files
  pathchk  Check file name portability
  ping     Test a network connection
  pkill    Stop processes from running
  popd     Restore the previous value of the current directory
  pr       Prepare files for printing
  printcap Printer capability database
  printenv Print environment variables
  printf   Format and print data
  ps       Process status
  pushd    Save and then change the current directory
  pwd      Print Working Directory
q
  quota    Display disk usage and limits
  quotacheck Scan a file system for disk usage
  quotactl Set disk quotas
r
  ram      ram disk device
  rcp      Copy files between two machines
  read     read a line from standard input
  readonly Mark variables/functions as readonly
  reboot   Reboot the system
  renice   Alter priority of running processes 
  remsync  Synchronize remote files via email
  return   Exit a shell function
  rev      Reverse lines of a file
  rm       Remove files
  rmdir    Remove folder(s)
  rsync    Remote file copy (Synchronize file trees)
s
  screen   Multiplex terminal, run remote shells via ssh
  scp      Secure copy (remote file copy)
  sdiff    Merge two files interactively
  sed      Stream Editor
  select   Accept keyboard input
  seq      Print numeric sequences
  set      Manipulate shell variables and functions
  sftp     Secure File Transfer Program
  shift    Shift positional parameters
  shopt    Shell Options
  shutdown Shutdown or restart linux
  sleep    Delay for a specified time
  slocate  Find files
  sort     Sort text files
  source   Run commands from a file `.'
  split    Split a file into fixed-size pieces
  ssh      Secure Shell client (remote login program)
  strace   Trace system calls and signals
  su       Substitute user identity
  sudo     Execute a command as another user
  sum      Print a checksum for a file
  symlink  Make a new name for a file
  sync     Synchronize data on disk with memory
t
  tail     Output the last part of files
  tar      Tape ARchiver
  tee      Redirect output to multiple files
  test     Evaluate a conditional expression
  time     Measure Program running time
  times    User and system times
  touch    Change file timestamps
  top      List processes running on the system
  traceroute Trace Route to Host
  trap     Run a command when a signal is set(bourne)
  tr       Translate, squeeze, and/or delete characters
  true     Do nothing, successfully
  tsort    Topological sort
  tty      Print filename of terminal on stdin
  type     Describe a command
u
  ulimit   Limit user resources
  umask    Users file creation mask
  umount   Unmount a device
  unalias  Remove an alias
  uname    Print system information
  unexpand Convert spaces to tabs
  uniq     Uniquify files
  units    Convert units from one scale to another
  unset    Remove variable or function names
  unshar   Unpack shell archive scripts
  until    Execute commands (until error)
  useradd  Create new user account
  usermod  Modify user account
  users    List users currently logged in
  uuencode Encode a binary file 
  uudecode Decode a file created by uuencode
v
  v        Verbosely list directory contents (`ls -l -b')
  vdir     Verbosely list directory contents (`ls -l -b')
  vi       Text Editor
  vmstat   Report virtual memory statistics
w
  watch    Execute/display a program periodically
  wc       Print byte, word, and line counts
  whereis  Report all known instances of a command    
  which    Locate a program file in the user's path. 
  while    Execute commands
  who      Print all usernames currently logged in
  whoami   Print the current user id and name (`id -un')
  Wget     Retrieve web pages or files via HTTP, HTTPS or FTP
  write    Send a message to another user 
x
  xargs    Execute utility, passing constructed argument list(s)
  yes      Print a string until interrupted
  .        Run a command script in the current shell
  ###      Comment / Remark

Different flavours of linux?

Debian
Debian is regarded as the largest Linux distribution to date in terms of users. It is renowned for its stability and quality and its interoperability with other software. It has a very large following and over 28,000 packages you can add to it. It is very stable and newbie friendly. The community is knowledgeable and helpful and most of the questions you may have will have been asked before on their forums. Debian seems somewhat over engineered to me, which isn’t a bad thing. It just means that it is never the latest and greatest, but is very, very stable. Currently on Debian Version 5, Lenny.
Ubuntu
Seemingly the most popular distro out in the world right now, since its release five years ago. Some suggest it has as much as 40% of Linux desktops. It is another good quality, stable release that is very newbie friendly. It even has a migration assistant for Windows refugees. This eases the pain a little by helping you in your first steps. Another distro that works with most hardware straight out of the box. Current version 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope.
Fedora
This is a distribution with a long history. Once part of Red Hat, Fedora was launched for the ‘Linux Hobbyist’. It is very secure and has a large number of packages available for it. This one seemed to be less newbie friendly than others, with not so many options for desktop users. If you want to run a web server or something then this would be ideal. Current version is Fedora 10, new version shortly
OpenSUSE
This is another distro with a rich history, now owned by Novell. It is a comprehensive package with some good documentation. The following is helpful and informative and there are lots of packages available for it. There is however some controversy over a deal it has with Microsoft, something about use of patents. This doesn’t detract from the usability of the product though. It does have graphical tools for an administrator. Current release is 11.1
Mandriva
Mandriva used to be Mandrake, and even as a Windows user back then I knew what that was. It is one of the distributions that offer both free and commercial versions of the software. The commercial version is regarded as one of the best distros for newbies. Although I don’t see that it has much that Ubuntu or Debian doesn’t offer and for free. Current version is Mandriva 2009.1.
Slackware
This is allegedly the oldest Linux distribution still around today. It is supposed to be the cleanest and most bug free edition available, but seems quite hard core. You definitely need skills to get into Slackware. It lags a little behind other distributions and doesn’t have all the cool bits to make your desktop smart. Current version 12.2
FreeBSD
Yes I know…it is not Linux but it is worth mentioning. It is primarily directed a server applications and is rated as one of the most stable. It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles that some of the more popular distros have but if you need something to run a server, you can’t go wrong with this. Current version 7.2.
Mint
This is my personal favorite, and not only for its cool name. It is based on Ubuntu, but is developed mainly ‘on demand’. The programmers have forums and feedback loops which they subscribe to. They listen and try to implement the best suggestions into the distribution. It has many specific tools, and to my mind is the most useable out of the box. Current version is Mint 6 Felicia.
PCLinuxOS
Despite the not so catchy name this distribution is supposed to be very good for the Linux newcomer. Another distro that works out of the box, natively supporting lots of hardware. The documentation and website are pretty good if a little disorganized. This one also seems to be English only, so if you speak something other, then you had best look elsewhere. Current version is PCLinuxOS 2009.

credits:beginlinux.wordpress.com/2009/05/13/the-many-flavors-of-linux/