Preparing Super OS 11.10

October 13, 2011

Hi all, as you might have guessed, I’m already preparing Super OS 11.10…

I can’t advance the final list of feature because that is still subject to change, but I can confirm several new apps will be added, it will have better internationalization/localization and better Virtual Machine support. Of course, as a consequence of this, the ISO will grow, but I can confirm the size will be between 1 GB and 4 GB and it will fit a regular/normal DVD.
In addition to that, I will again make and release Ubuntu extras remix, so you still have a choice if you need a very light system.
As always, the release date is uncertain, however, I expect to release Super OS 11.10 still in October, 2011.
Ubuntu extras remix will be released after Super OS, possibly still this month.

New repository for Super OS

June 02, 2011

I have recently changed the structure of the Super OS repository: on the server-side it means all repositories (10.04, 10.10, 11.04, etc…) are now on the same folder, making it much easier to manage and wasting less space. In addition to that, the repository also has a more standard URL: deb http://hacktolive.org/repo/archive DISTRO_CODENAME

How to make the transition to the new repository:
-Users of Super OS 11.04: you don’t need to do anything, the new repository is already included.
-Users of Super OS 10.04 and Super OS 10.10: you should see a new update called “super-os-repo” (version 0.4.004 or above) and simply need to install that.

If you are using an older version of Super OS, you are not sure if you already installed the new repository, or you had issues upgrading, use the official .deb installer (direct link here).

There shouldn’t be any issues, but if they arise, feel free to report them.

Super OS 11.04 torrents now available

May 31, 2011

Finally it is possible to download Super OS 11.04 using torrents.
While it is true that in the initial hours after release the download is a bit slow, after the releases start spreading the downloads should be much faster than direct HTTP downloads from file-hosting websites (which limit the download bandwidth).
The torrents are being seeded from a dedicated seebox, so there will be always seeds, but if you can also seed yourself, the download speeds will be higher for everybody.

Get them at the official page: http://hacktolive.org/os

Or just use these direct links:
http://hacktolive.org/files/downloads/torrents/Super_OS_11.04_32_bits.torrent
http://hacktolive.org/files/downloads/torrents/Super_OS_11.04_64_bits.torrent

Super OS 11.04 released

May 30, 2011

Super OS 11.04
Here it is, the new Super OS 11.04

New features:
NEW: Based on Ubuntu 11.04 (see the Ubuntu 11.04 release notes and known issues)
NEW: Unity 3D, the new interface introduced in Ubuntu 11.04
NEW: LibreOffice, replacing OpenOffice.org
NEW: Ayatana overlay scrollbars, to reduce used screen space
UPDATED: Firefox 4, Google Chrome 11 and Opera 11, all of them with support for the new webm format (Adobe Flash 10.3 in all of them)
UPDATED: Improved offline installation of drivers, and more drivers added: Nvidia, ATI and Broadcom and others
UPDATED: More software added to the local repository, like wvdial (PPP dialer) and ndiswrapper (installation of Windows WiFi drivers)
UPDATED: All software in the Super OS repository updated to their latest versions

No longer included:
*RealPlayer – the latest version of the program does not seem to run on 64 bits systems
*GParted (“Disk Utility” does essentially the same)

For a full list of features and for the download links, visit:
http://hacktolive.org/os

Super OS 11.04: closer to reality

May 16, 2011

My real life got in the way of Super OS… I got sick, etc… I’m OK now, and back to work!

All known last-minute issues and bugs seems to have been fixed and Super OS 11.04 is nearly finished. All I have to do is to re-make the ISOs and test them… sounds easy… lets just hope no further issues arise…

I think (and hope) Super OS will be made and released still in this month, May…

Update (28th May 2011): Super OS 11.04 is already finished and is being uploaded, expect a release today (28th) or tomorrow (29th)

Update 2: It is now availlable: http://hacktolive.org/blog/2011/super-os-11-04-released/

Super OS 11.04: soon

April 29, 2011

Super OS 11.04 Beta

Development version of Super OS 11.04 (above)

 

Hello all, just want to inform you that Super OS 11.04 is being prepared and most of the work is already done, it should be released in the next 7 days.
Everything in Ubuntu 11.04 will be kept, including Unity, Dash, and all that. All behavior and appearance will remain like in Ubuntu.

Besides the big changes introduced to Ubuntu, Super OS will have an improved local repository, with easy offline installation of drivers (nvidia, ati/amd, broadcom), which will now be even more useful, since many computers require additional drivers to make Unity work.

I also hope to include and improved version of a program I have been working on… lets see…

More news soon!

Update: It is now availlable: http://hacktolive.org/blog/2011/super-os-11-04-released/

WWF format: DRM to save trees? No thanks.

January 01, 2011

The news are a bit old, but it seems the WWF has introduced a “new” format that “cannot be printed”.

Well, lets look into the technical aspects of the format:

-A .wwf file is in reality a .pdf file (with added restrictions)
-The “no printing” restriction is a flag inside the PDF file, which means the document is still “open” and standards-based (as far as I can tell)
-The DRM is implemented on the PDF reader, which chooses either to respect the  flag (and forbid printing), or simply ignore it.

This is a bad idea on so many levels:

-It prevents printing at all times, even when printing would be really important
-What if someone has problems in the eyes and need to print lots of files, even trivial ones, just to be able to read them?
-What if you have problems in your computer screen, making documents hard to read? (My old laptop has a this problem)
-How about creating paper “backups” of documents?
-How about the preservation of documents for the future, by having them on paper?
-Computers use a lot of energy, are made with several dangerous chemicals and require lots of resources to produce them, do we really want to encourage the reading on PCs, as a REPLACEMENT of the good old paper? (yes, because with that DRM, you are forced to read those things on the PC)
-etc, etc…

As an open-source supporter and a pseudo-historian interested in data preservation, I only have to conclude this format should be avoided and I have to oppose it, even if the intentions behind it are noble. In my opinion, the solution for the waste/pollution problem would first be education and secondly, why not also promote fonts/software that reduce ink usage? Or promote the usage of “save as PDF” as a way to have a easy-to-share file, instead of just printing to paper? Or even promote open-source systems (Linux or others) that give new life to old computers?

By the way, here is an easy way to break the DRM

Humble Indie Bundle 2: Pay what you want for 5 games

December 20, 2010

Hey people, we have another great bundle of games!

Humble Bundle 2

In case you are not familiar with the “humble bundle” concept, they simply let you pay whatever you want for a collection of games, even 1$ or even just a penny.

Games in this bundle:
Braid
Cortex Command
Machinarium
Osmos
Revenge of the Titans

The games are DRM-free, are available for Windows/Mac/Linux and are fully usable offline (the only downside is really the lack of source-code).

On a personal note, I had already been interested in Machinarium, Osmos and Braid, so this was really a great way to grab those games in a legal and clean way, while at the same time contributing back to the developers. This time I even doubled my offer and gave away 20$.

Grab them here: www.humblebundle.com
Hurry up!  This offer expires in about 24 hours!

App Runner 0.4.9 released

October 13, 2010

New minor version of the graphical utility to run programs, App Runner, has been released. Version: 0.4.9

Changes:
*Fixed packaging issue that prevented installation on Ubuntu 10.10
*Minor cosmetic fix: changed “run” to “Run”

The update as already been added to the repositories of Super OS 9.10, 10.04 and 10.10

You can also get it for Debian/Ubuntu at the homepage:
http://hacktolive.org/wiki/App_Runner

Call to all fans! Seeders needed!

October 12, 2010

Hello to all.

I would like to suggest to all Super OS “fans and friends” to seed the Super OS 10.10 ISOs for a few days, if possible.
The first hours/days of every new release are critical, with many users trying to download and very few initial seeders/uploaders.
In about a week, the torrents will probably have gained “critical mass” and won’t need seeds so badly, but for now, that is important.
And the longer you seed, the better, since it ensures fast downloads for all of us ;)

Thank you,
hacktolive