Dec
29
2008
The past year saw several noteworthy developments in the field of free computer software. Here are some of the more significant events of 2008:
- The free Linux operating system gained more widespread implementation in 2008, perhaps with the help of Windows Vista’s poor performance. According to W3Schools.com, it was being used on about 3.6% of computers in January and 3.8% by December, reaching 3.9% during some months.
- Last summer Google announced its “Chrome” web browser, which has had to compete with several already established browsers like MSIE, Opera, AOL Explorer, Firefox, and Safari. Since then, the browser’s “Beta” stage has come to an end and new versions were released.
- Major computer manufacturers have gotten more involved in creating and distributing free software, particularly IBM, Compaq, and Hewlett-Packard. New computers with free software on them can be sold at a lower price than those with commercial applications installed.
Dec
16
2008
Despite numerous security updates recently issued by Microsoft, various news outlets are reporting that a security flaw in Internet Explorer has allowed hackers to compromise countless computers and websites. A warning about the flaw even appeared on national television this morning, suggesting that WWW users avoid the browser until this problem is corrected.
Here are some free alternatives to IE…
Opera: A fast browser with all the features of IE 7.0 and built-in email software. I’m using it right now - see my review of v9.26. Download it here
FireFox: The 2nd most common browser among Windows and Linux users, which is compatible with many web sites. Takes a bit longer to download than Opera. Download
Chrome: The new web browser from Google that has attracted a lot of publicity in recent months. Currently Windows XP/Vista only. Download
Other free alternatives include Netscape, Lynx, and Arachne.
Nov
05
2008
Here are some of the latest developments in the world of freeware and open-source computer software…
FireFox Web Browser Now at Twenty Percent Global Market Share (Yahoo)
IBM’s Free “Lotus Symphony” Word Processor Now Available For Linux, Macintosh (Daily Herald)
Linux Fedora 9 Operating System Valued at $10.8 Billion Dollars (National Post)
Improvements to Latest Version of the Opera Mobile Web Browser (PC World)
Linux Operating Systems Now Common on “Netbook” Portable Computers (Bloomberg)
Also, some free software that isn’t considered freeware and is only available to some small companies…
Microsoft Begins Giving Free Software To Recently Started Small Businesses (vnunet)
