The Ohio State University Band Video Game Field Show

The Ohio State University Band Video Game Field Show

This has been making the rounds for a few days now and its pretty amazing. Normally I cringe when someone links me a Youtube video and I see that its 10 minutes long, but this was pretty entertaining.

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The State of Linux on ARM

The State of Linux on ARM

Linux was designed to be a platform with freedom in mind. This freedom created in the computer industry something all humans should have - the power of choice.

ARM is often touted as one of Linuxs largest successes. Thanks to Googles Android platform it is true that a penguin powers at least half of the worlds mobile devices today.

Is this a bit of a hollow victory though?

Even with Android being as rampant as it is, if you have been by my blog here before you know I am not a fan of it.  Earlier this year I described six reasons why I believe Android is fairly separated from Linux.

It appears I am not alone in my line on thinking here. Richard Stallman, the father of free software, himself appears to also agree (at least somewhat) with me:

"Google has complied with the requirements of the GNU General Public Licence for Linux, but the Apache licence on the rest of Android does not require source release. Google has said it will never publish the source code of Android 3.0 (aside from Linux), even though executables have been released to the public. Android 3.1 source code is also being withheld. Thus, Android 3, apart from Linux, is non-free software, pure and simple."

I said earlier Linux is all about choice though - so there have to be other mobile choices right? Well... There are some. In fact over a year ago I wrote why I was hoping for the Meego platform to take off.

Some thirteen months later it appears that the Meego project is waning in supporters though. While Nokia will be releasing the Meego powered N9 (not to mention the N9 is deb based, so its not fully Meego), they have basically abandoned free software for the long haul. The other partner behind Meego, Intel, appears to be splitting their focus as well.

So where does that leave Linux on ARM? As far as production devices go, it doesnt leave much of anything. Debian, Ubuntu and even Bodhi have ARM builds, but we have yet to see any of these options taken and mass produced successfully as of yet.

Only time will tell where Linux will end up in the world of mobile devices. It is fairly obvious though if you are a true free software supporter - You should not be one of the people hoping for Android to dominate.

~Jeff Hoogland

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The Newtsters Pick for Secretary of State Endorses the Mittster

The Newtsters Pick for Secretary of State Endorses the Mittster

Image via WikipediaRemember last December when I blogged about Newt Gingrichs pick for Secretary of State? He told some crowd that he would appoint former United Nations Representative John Bolton as his Secretary of State.

But Ambassador Bolton had somebody else in mind. On January 11, Ambassador Bolton announced his endorsement of Mitt Romney on Fox News� �On the Record� with Greta van Susteren. He called the Mittster �the person who can best lead the party, best articulate our conservative principles, and is most likely to beat Barack Obama.�

What took you so long, John B.? Iowa by eight votes? Check.  NH by 39.3%? Check. A 32% projected vote range in the Palmetto state? 

WaPos Jennifer Rubin may have the answer:

"I spoke to former U.N. ambassador John Bolton this morning about his endorsement last night of Mitt Romney. He said he has been contemplating for some time whether to endorse a GOP candidate. �I just thought you oughta decide at some point,� he said. He said it was critical that he back someone who could beat President Obama. �I do think Governor Romney is the best candidate to defeat Obama. Jim Baker [former secretary of Treasury and state] gave me some great advice: �Keep your eye on the prize.�?�

By Friday the 13th, the former U.N. ambassador has showed that can be one of the Mittsters fiercest attack dogs of President Obamas foreign policy. Via CBS:

"Hes not only the most radical president in history domestically; he is the first president, Republican or Democrat, at least since Franklin Roosevelt, who didnt get up every morning thinking first about what threats the United States faces. [...] He just doesnt care about national security the way other presidents did,"  Bolton said of President Obama to an audience (in Hilton Head, South Carolina).

Keeping his eye on the prize, no doubt. Maybe hell be able to parachute to Foggy Bottom from a Romney plane ...   

Related articles

• John Bolton Endorses Mitt Romney (whitehouse12.com)
• Bolton to Back Romney (blogs.wsj.com)
• Romneys newest big-name supporter comes out swinging - CBS News (cbsnews.com)
• John Bolton backs Mitt Romney (politico.com)
• John Bolton Endorses Mitt Romney: Romneys Conservative Enough For Me (thinkprogress.org)

 

 

 

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