1. It Doesn't Crash

Linux has been time-proven to be a reliable operating system. Although the desktop is not a new place for Linux, most Linux-based systems have been used as servers and embedded systems. High-visibility Web sites such as Google use Linux-based systems, but you also can find Linux inside the TiVo set-top box in many livingrooms.

Linux has proved to be so reliable and secure that it is commonly found in dedicated firewall and router systems used by high-profile companies to secure their networks. For more than ten years, it has not been uncommon for Linux systems to run for months or years without needing a single reboot.

On the most basic level, KAlarm is an alarm clock with multiple alarms. It goes way beyond that but this is a good place to start. Unlike organizer tools such as KOrganizer, it just deals with alarms.

Let's look at some possible applications. My trash day is Thursday. If I get to the computer before I take out the trash (a common event) then I typically forget until I hear the truck coming down the street. What I need is a big red flag and a constant beep that come on on Thurday at 7AM and doesn't go away until I tell them to go away.

This is a perfect KAlarm job. Here is what I need to do to set this up.

Linux Storefront Opens in Savannah
Savannah's newest computer store doesn't sell any Microsoft products. The Open Store on the corner of Abercorn and 33rd deals exclusively in Linux. The store, like the software, is open, visit www.theopenstore.net.


Linux Goes Big
Linux drew the attention of giants like IBM, Novell, Hewlett Packard, Intel, AMD, and Sun last this week at LinuxWorld Expo in Boston, MA. Over 180 vendors showed off their latest Linux solutions. TUX's sister publication, Linux Journal features a show report. Read more.

If you are thinking we have some fancy screen capture program that we use to add screenshots to Tux articles, think again. There are actually quite a few capture programs included with most Linux distributions. One such program is Ksnapshot which is part of the KDE distribution itself.

Just like other programs, KSnapshot can be started from the menus (it appears in Utilities->Desktop on SUSE) or the Run Box by typing Alt-F2 and then entering ksnapshot as the command. When started, it displays a small window that looks like:

A Linux laptop for just $498
Linare Corporation just unveiled an AMD 1800+ processor featuring a 40 GB hard drive, 128 MB RAM, CD ROM drive, Ethernet Interface, and the Linare Linux OS. It also comes with Open Office suite, a full office suite compatible with Microsoft Office documents, which includes word processing, spreadsheet and presentation tools. The laptop will be distributed through Linare's partner companies, including popular retail outlets Amazon.com and Wal-Mart.

The iPod of digital audio hubs
The Sonos ZonePlayer ZP100 digital music hub was released at the Consumer Electronic Show this January. Why might you want one? It plays the same music simultaneously
in multiple rooms, or different music in different rooms, reading directly from network hard disks. Did we mention it's running Linux? PC Magazine raves about the easy-to-use Zoneplayer, calling it "the best and easiest audio-only media hub we've seen". Read the full review on PC Magazine's web site.

This article, written by Taran Rampersad, originally appeared on LinuxGazette.com, a community site dedicated to "making Linux just a little more fun". Linux Gazette, an SSC sister publication of TUX, sees nearly 600,000 visitors every month.

As I pack whatever I think is worth keeping into a few bags and a shipping box, I realized that I needed a laptop - again. As I leave Trinidad behind, heading to LinuxWorld and ending up in the Dominican Republic, a laptop becomes important. It also saves me from lugging around a 19" monitor and an array of CPUs which has an inefficient weight to value ratio - at least for being mobile.

Konqueror, the KDE web browser/file manager, offers a whole host of tools to make your like accessing the web easier. They are located within the Tools menu. One such tool allows you to translate web pages into different languages.

Konqueror itself does not have the translators built in but takes advantage of services available on the web itself. The richest set of translations is from English to other languages but there are quite a few other translations available.

The translation process is very simple. First, load the web page you want to translate. In my example, I have loaded Announcing the First Issue of TUX which is the From the Publisher column of the first issue of TUX. Then you just click on the Tools menu, go down to the Translate Web Page submenu, move down to the desired source language, over to the destination language and click. The translated page will appear shortly.

Issue number one of TUX is now available.  Subscribers, you can download this issue here or simply follow the Download TUX button on the right to download the current issue. If you're not yet a TUX subscriber, consider subscribing today for instant access to this issue and many more! 

Free long distance
Skype is an up and coming popular Voice over Internet Product (VoIP). The software application is an easy install and runs on various different Linux distributions including SuSE 9, Gentoo 1.4, Fedora Core 2, and Xandros. Previously available in beta versions, Skype for Linux 1.0 includes free Skype to Skype calling and conference calling for up to 5 participants, cross-platform communications, rich presence and personalization features, and the pre-pay SkypeOut service, allowing users to call any landline or mobile worldwide for the price of a local call. Many on the TUX staff have installed and played with Skype quite a bit. We love it.

The first issue of TUX will be released February 14. If you've yet to subscribe to this new digital magazine, please hurry and do so now. Subscriptions are FREE! If you have already subscribed, we thank you and hope you enjoy your soon to be delivered first issue of TUX.

The following article is featured in the premier issue of TUX and is written by our publisher, Phil Hughes.

Welcome to the first issue of TUX. Twelve years ago, I was the Editor putting together the first issue of Linux Journal. At that time, the biggest criticism of the idea for starting a Linux magazine was that all the information was available on the Internet. That was true, but the reason for a magazine was that someone needed to organize that information and present it in a convenient format.