August 2007 - wlug - list.wlug.org.nz

First alpha of Python 3 out
by Ian McDonald 31 Aug '07

31 Aug '07

http://lwn.net/Articles/247689/rss -- Web1: http://wand.net.nz/~iam4/ Web2: http://www.jandi.co.nz Blog: http://iansblog.jandi.co.nz

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WLUG Fixit Meeting is today!
by Meeting Reminder bot 31 Aug '07

31 Aug '07

A reminder, the WLUG Fixit Meeting is today. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Saturday September 1st, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm We will be holding our SaturdayWorkshop at Te Whanau Pūtahi (http://zoomin.co.nz/nz/hamilton/enderley/-te+whanau+ptahi/?place/full_map) the community church at the end of Oxford Street. We'll have the usual tables, power, various ISO's, LAN, coffee and light lunch, etc. I'm not sure at this time if we'll have a broadband internet connection but we're working on it.

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Brand new notebooks for $498 for next 2 days
by Ian McDonald 31 Aug '07

31 Aug '07

Folks, We just got a new notebook today from Dick Smith Powerhouse on very good special and would make good Linux box. Acer Aspire 5310-300508 Celeron M 520 512 MB RAM Intel 950 graphics Broadcom wireless 80 GB Hard drive Vista Basic (Will use our Vista Ultimate won at WLUG meeting!) $598 paid and $100 cashback by redemption. We upgraded with another 1 GB SODIMM to 1.5 GB from PBTech for just over $100. There are 20 per day available on Saturday and Sunday - opening 8:30 am. I got there before 7 am this morning and got it. I was number 15 in queue but #7 for laptop. It's not a particularly powerful machine but if you want a good price then get in quick (and early!) Other deals: Saturday only 10 Toshiba 37" LCD TV $1549 Sunday only 20 PS3 with 2 games/extra controller $999 (also a good Linux box!) and heaps of other specials. e.g 10 c per photo (limit 100 per customer) Ian -- Web1: http://wand.net.nz/~iam4/ Web2: http://www.jandi.co.nz Blog: http://iansblog.jandi.co.nz

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NZ Votes no to OOXML
by David 30 Aug '07

30 Aug '07

I see we have voted _NO http://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?ContentId=7322 _ -- Some people say that if you run a windows installer cd backwards it commands you to worship the devil... But its worse if you run it forwards, then it installs windows!

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Nominations for next committee
by Ian McDonald 30 Aug '07

30 Aug '07

Folks, We are calling for nominations for the next committee at this page: http://wlug.org.nz/WlugElections Please feel free to put yourself, or someone else (with their approval) onto this page. Current committee members - please update your status for next year (if you know what you wish to do!) Please note that this does not preclude nominations on the night which usually occur also. This page just helps us plan a little in advance. Regards, Ian -- Web1: http://wand.net.nz/~iam4/ Web2: http://www.jandi.co.nz Blog: http://iansblog.jandi.co.nz

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Introducing the Hardy Heron
by Simon Green 30 Aug '07

30 Aug '07

Gutsy is still a month and a half away and they have already announced the next LTS release of Ubuntu. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Jono Bacon <jono(a)ubuntu.com> Date: 29 Aug 2007 23:15 Subject: Introducing the Hardy Heron Hi Folks, I am delighted to have the pleasure of announcing the Hardy Heron (Ubuntu 8.04), the next version of Ubuntu that will succeed Gutsy Gibbon (Ubuntu 7.10, due for release in October 2007). Not only will the Ubuntu community continue to do what it does best, produce an easy-to-use, reliable, free software platform, but this release will proudly wear the badge of Long Term Support (LTS) and be supported with security updates for five years on the server and three years on the desktop. We look forward to releasing the Hardy Heron in April 2008. With the opening of each new release cycle of Ubuntu, we have more and more opportunity at our fingertips. Not only are our friends in the upstream world constantly innovating and extending their applications and software, but the Ubuntu community continues to see incredible growth in its diverse range of areas such as packaging, development, documentation, quality assurance, translations, LoCo teams and more. Each new release gives us all an opportunity to shine, irrespective of which bricks in the project we are laying, and this is at the heart of our belief - working together to produce an Operating System that will empower its users and shape the IT industry, putting free software at the corner-stone of our direction.

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Standards NZ notes "No"
by Michael McDonald 30 Aug '07

30 Aug '07

The voting has taken place. http://www.standards.org.nz/news-and-seminars/current-news/New+Zealand+cast… Michael

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Microsoft's Open XML
by Shannon Skinner 30 Aug '07

30 Aug '07

Did anyone else notice the Microsoft advertisement placed in yesterdays Waikato Times (Wed, Aug 29, page 8)? It was basically a PR piece lobbying Standards NZ to accept Open XML as an ISO standard, disguised as an open letter to all New Zealanders. Using such emotive headings as, "Protecting our heritage, our future....", and "This is about much more than technology - it is about New Zealand", it also gives these bullet points: - Protect our heritage - Provide choice - Secure our future - Foster innovation - Give confidence I'm surprised they didn't continue with the following: - Cures global warming - Ends world hunger - Saves the whales ;P There's been quite a bit of coverage of this on the usual tech sites, but here's one that popped up this morning for me: Linux Foundation Urges 'No' Vote On Microsoft's Open XML Format http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=201803012 "Microsoft Office's Open XML or OOXML is the default file format for documents built and used by Office applications. The Linux Foundation says the format "is specific to Windows and other Microsoft products," it relies on references to "many Microsoft proprietary specifications" that are not publicly available and it is uncertain whether Open XML "can be used with other operating systems, like Linux."" For the pro-Open XML lobby group: http://www.openxmlcommunity.org/ Given Microsofts history of "embrace and extend" when it comes to standards, is there an expectation that they will behave differently this time? If you feel so inclined, you could send Standards NZ an email with your views on the matter: http://www.standards.co.nz/about/contact-us/default.htm Cheers Shannon

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Gnash 0.8.1 released
by Ian McDonald 30 Aug '07

30 Aug '07

Those of you are interested in open source flash players might be interested in: http://gnashdev.org/?q=node/42 >From my experience Gnash is slowly getting better - my two test sites are Hell Pizza and You Tube and with each release more gets displayed! This project is well worth supporting as Flash is one of the last proprietary things needed to browse the web, now Java is going open source. Ian -- Web1: http://wand.net.nz/~iam4/ Web2: http://www.jandi.co.nz Blog: http://iansblog.jandi.co.nz

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Re: [wlug] Saturday Workshop.
by jaytee＠clear.net.nz 29 Aug '07

29 Aug '07

Hi All, If any one who is going to the fixit meeting has a Feisty 64bit install disc it would be helpful as I downloaded a 64 bit version of Feisty .ISO and saved it to my windows ntfs partition then burned it with my Gnomebaker in Dapper only to find the CD had two file errors on it. Maybe dragging it across to Ubuntu corrupted them. Also if I can get a successful install(64 or 32 bit) I would probably need a help with my broadcom wireless card set up. Regards John ----- Original Message Follows ----- > We will be holding a Saturday Workshop on Sept 1st at > Oxford St Church. > > Bring your computer along, and we'll try to help with any > issues you may be having. Or you may be able to help > someone else. > > Full details are on the wiki: > http://wlug.org.nz//SaturdayWorkshop.2007-09-01 > > > _______________________________________________ > wlug mailing list | wlug(a)list.waikato.ac.nz > Unsubscribe: > http://list.waikato.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/wlug

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