Canonical have reversed their decision to remove Java from Ubuntu users' machines. Oracle, the owners of Sun Java, retired the 'distributor license' that allows operating system vendors to provide the package to users in August of last year. This change in terms forced Ubuntu's security board to announce that it would be removing Sun JDK package from its 'Partner' repository, and 'upgrading' the official Java release on Ubuntu 10.04, 10.10 and 11.04 with an 'empty' package, thus disabling it. as a 'security measure'.
GNOME's work on a revamped and repurposed 'Epiphany' web browser - which seeks to make the browser a core part of the GNOME experience - is coming along nicely. The redesign of Epiphany, which is relabelled 'Web' in the app itself, seeks to to offer GNOME users a 'simple, clean, beautiful view of the [internet].'
If there is one thing that most people agree on about the wallpapers it's that no one likes looking at bad looking wallpaper. "Four Seasons" is a wallpaper pack I created inspired by the diversity of the four seasons of our planet. The pack includes wallpapers for each each season - Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, and a "Four Seasons" wallpaper which represents all of the seasons in a unified image.
In a turn of events not unlike we've seen before, Valve has posted a job listing for a Senior Software Engineer to work on their "highly available digital distribution platform" Steam. However, unlike past job postings which have mentioned Linux and left some ambiguity as to what exactly Valve might be working on in this area, this posting clearly says the word "games" in one of the responsibilities out of the six listed.
With the move to "the cloud", increasing numbers of internet and mobile phone users, renewable resources on the decline, and a focus on green solutions to current problems, server rooms are getting more and more expensive to maintain and run.
Innovative YouTube music player 'Musictube' has a new release out - but is it a hit?
Support for accessing bookmarked folders through the Nautilus Quicklist in Ubuntu 12.04 has finally arrived. The feature, one long overdue, lists user's bookmarks - both custom and default - alongside a static entry for opening a new Nautilus window. Which is all very handy.
Measuring at less than 100mm wide and 17mm thick with a dinky 3" screen, the Ben NanoNote might just be the world's smallest Linux laptop for the traditional definition of the word. While pulling this out in public might get you a few odd looks, the Ben NanoNote actually runs a relatively feature rich piece of software called OpenWRT. It also happens to boast entirely open hardware and software, which not only makes it crazy small, but also Stallman-approved.
Wearing a suit when the rest of the 500-strong lecture theatre were dressed in shorts, jandals, and old conference T Shirts, Bruce Perens introduced himself by announcing his clothes as a lesson: Linux needs to be more outward facing. Perens is described as an open source luminary, the founder of a number of non-profits, groups and Open Source initiatives and projects including the well-renowned and globally used Busybox. A former Debian Project Leader, he represented Open Source at the United Nations World Summit on the Information Society in 2005. Perens is often quoted in the press, advocating for open source and the reform of national and international technology policy.
If you've downloaded a good-looking GNOME-Shell theme in the past year then there's a good chance that the following 25-year-old Algerian designer was the hands behind it. Reda Lazri, or 0rax0 as he is better known online, is a prolific designer. GTK, Metacity and GNOME-Shell themes; application icons, wallpapers and a multitude of mock-ups line the walls of his DeviantArt Gallery. But it's not the quantity and variety that makes Reda's work so notable - it's the sheer quality.
America's contentious SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) bill has been shelved until "greater consensus" on its scope can be reached. But don't celebrate just yet.
Recent updates to the Ubuntu One Files application for Android have added some welcome features. You can now sign up for an Ubuntu One account within the application itself. Prior to this one had to use the Ubuntu One website.