Archive for the ‘Software’ Category
Designed For … Linux?
Source … Linux.com
The last Linux Foundation meeting in Austin brought representatives from Asus, Lenovo, Dell, and and HP who said they would be telling their hardware vendors to start designing their components with Linux in mind. That means supplying drivers openly with full source code, a strategy that wasn’t considered economically viable until the multi-billion dollar computer makers deemed it necessary.
During the next round of contracts between the big computer houses and OEM hardware suppliers, language will be inserted to require the OEMs to deliver Linux drivers or open APIs in which to build the drivers. One company, VIA, didn’t wait for any such encouragement. They’ve got the VIA Linux Portal web site, complete with a bug tracker and forums, through which they’re already supplying graphics drivers for use with Ubuntu and Suse.
Atheros and Broadcom, big names in Wi-Fi chip suppliers, have privately agreed to change their ways in how they support Linux. This may be due in large part to Intel’s support of Linux helping them gain more of the Wi-Fi marketshare.
If you’ve been resourceful enough to install a Linux distribution of your own and feel the “Made For Windows” badge is now out of place, look to TuxMobil for instructions on how to remove it. The best thing about removing the old Windows badge is putting a Linux badge in its place. It was one of the first “upgrades” I performed on my Eee PC after installing Ubuntu.
