The video was created by Amitay Tweeto who lives in Bet Shemesh, Israel. The 25-year old freelance graphic designer and UI consultant entered this contest because he thinks Linux is suffering from bad PR and when people think of Linux they think “technical,” gray stuff for programmers only. Amitay wants to let people get to know the other side of Linux, the flexibility they can get with no technical background. I think he did a good job

Entries are open NOW for the 2010 competition > CLICK HERE for details.

Check this out, it’s a Windows XP themed Ubuntu distro from China. Microsoft are “apparently” not going to take any legal action against the producers (Ylmf), although I’ll wager that’s said through clenched teeth

So, what’s the lowdown. Well, Ylmf is built on the latest version of Ubuntu (9.10) and includes all the standard goodies + a few extra niceties to compliment the blend. Here’s a brief run through of the install and a few added shots from the end desktop..

Initial splash, already nicely themed..

The disk partitioning & user info request screens are as per a standard Ubuntu installation however once things get rolling it drops back into character (check out the “interesting” English welcome text..!)..

Installation finished..

Log-in screen..

After adjusting screen-res & choosing a wallpaper things are looking familiar. I purposely didn’t go for the default XP desktop “field”, I just couldn’t do it, it’s just not a very good image (it never was). Check out the nicely matched Office icons for Open Office, even the lowest end user has NO excuses..

Open Office Writer, Terminal (of course) + menu..

And how’s this for attention to detail, they’ve even stuck their own Firefox “Google search” home page in the mix as default, comprehensive (and nice) indeed..

WINE is packaged and ready to roll should you wish to install any “real” Microsoft apps (iTunes or Adobe Photoshop perhaps?)..

Movie Player & shutdown panel..

Ylmf is most certainly a fun & comprehensive Ubuntu distro and whilst obviously teetering on the brink of blatant copyright issues it does highlight a most notable point regarding computer operating systems in general – conceptually they all operate in a more or less identical fashion.

All mouse driven operating systems present a graphical structure offering access to disk drives, folders and files. Within this is a “Home” user folder containing Pictures, Documents, Music and Movies. Searching and saving to these folders from menu drop downs again is standard procedure and the applications themselves all function in a statutory manner (Document formatting is document formatting etc). Cross platform apps don’t vary at all (e.g Firefox, Skype) and operating system config (display properties & file/folder display options) generally offer a list, expanding list or icon view (+ a cover flow option under Apple OSX).

With such ubiquitous operationality coupled to what are now fully cross-compatible file formats any intelligent business platform choice should be decided not for aesthetics but around core factors which do differ and which will affect enterprise infrastructure and service delivery – i.e stability, security, performance and cost, because, and as shown, eye candy can quite easily be added later, it’s what’s under the hood that counts.

Linux is a clear winner here on all counts and with an emerging strain of cutting edge Open Source strategy providers* now helping forward thinking businesses realise the alluring benefits of adoption I heartily welcome “left-field” ventures like Ylmf which concurrently raise awareness, irrespective of whatever reasons the Chinese may have had for creating it..

Ylmf (English version) can be downloaded HERE.

*MEBBI™ Solutions can provide a full consultancy and open source solutions service.

TooMuchGreen has officially regressed to it’s former blog status, it likes being a blog and we enjoy blogging through it.

The “business” side of things is now fully re-branded as the wonderful MEBBI™ Solutions.

MEBBI™ Solutions provide all the services previously offered by TooMuchGreen plus a few new additions, why not visit our lovely new website and have a look around..

http://mebbi.net

Sector awareness for the benefits of open source adoption is rapidly growing amongst the forward thinking enterprise. An open source solution provides not only a comprehensive replacement but delivers added security and performance boosts to existing systems whilst offering huge reductions in immediate expenditure and long term cost of ownership.

Perhaps it’s time you spoke to MEBBI™.

We’ll shortly be holding some integration workshops at NTI in Leeds so keep an eye on the TooMuchGreen blog for details. Areas covered will include..

• Ubuntu Linux client builds
• Network & domain configuration
• User account creation and access
  
• Microsoft application optional installs
• Network share (SAMBA) connectivity & mappings
• Microsoft Exchange eMail & groupware integration with Evolution
• Microsoft Active Directory connectivity & authentication with Likewise
• Active directory enterprise user account management (GUID & OU configurations)

One of the easiest and most popular cost saving routes into Open Source is a simple “Open Office >  MS Office” replacement. Open Office is a free and completely compatible alternative which even across a relatively small enterprise network can contribute substantially to major reductions in T.C.O through negating one area of software licensing expenditure. Compatible as it is, though, reluctancy for change at operational level is a big one, even more so at the user end as they’re the ones who like (?) to complain about the minutiae (of document formatting?).

There is a flip side however, a flip side which leaves *them* with their nice familiar Outlook & MS Word environment but provides even more secure stability & cost effective choice offered by open source. The answer? Simply migrate the operating system platform to Ubuntu.

Ubuntu is a free computer operating system with a 6 monthly upgrade cycle, it’s built on Linux so is inherently stable and incredibly secure (no virus checker required..!). For incorporated user account authentication into your Microsoft Active directory network the latest version (10.04 – Lucid Lynx) includes Likewise Open v5.4 pre-packaged (see previous post) whilst installation of the free WINE utility provides a seamless portal under which to install Microsoft Office (or any other Microsoft application), user & departmental shares are accessible for simple bookmarking and it’s all fluid and easy (click above screenshot for large version).

Operating an Ubuntu OS platform provides most alluring benefits for any pressured user support department..

• Ubuntu LTS releases offer a guaranteed 5 year support cycle
• Ubuntu runs efficiently and revitalises existing hardware
• Ubuntu is built on Linux so is inherently stable
• Ubuntu will not catch any PC viruses
• Ubuntu is licence-free

And last (but by no means least) – users can’t tinker or try to install their latest game or program as “.exe” files just don’t exist in Ubuntu. Yes, it is also possible to tie Windows down to prevent “tinkering” but have to do so is is yet another admin overhead, Ubuntu is nailed down out of the box and with a default Likewise logon even a knowing Linux geek has no privileges from the word go.

The inclusion of Likewise Open 5.4 in Ubuntu 10.04 LTS is a logical and forward thinking industry first, even Suse Linux Enterprise Desktop doesn’t include such ease of AD integration O.O.T.B. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge Novell & SUSE fan but I have to question their self proclaimed tag as “the leading alternative to Microsoft Windows” (for business).

Lucid Lynx (final version) is due for release later this year in April and will be the market leading enterprise desktop replacement for Windows.

If you are interested in re-enabling and re-vitalising your existing I.T infrastructure through Linux & Open Source TooMuchGreen are your one stop shop from consultancy to migration..

Give us a call.

With more and more SPAM eMail being created each day it’s increasingly difficult for many SME’s to not only manage their incoming flows but in many cases to communicate with clients increasingly tightening SPAM filters at the other end. If your website and eMail platform emanates from a poorly managed and resultantly blacklisted host you quite quickly find yourself cut off with an inbox full of “mail delivery failed” messages, not at all conducive to fluid business.

So what’s the answer?

Well you could try another host but who’s to say it’ll be any better (I speak from experience), you could self host from a virtual server if you have the skills (I like self hosting) which at least nails things down to only you using your IP & server as oppose to sharing it with God knows how many other numptys, porn sites, torrent shares and W.H.Y – or – you could migrate your eMail platform to Google Apps.

The standard edition of Google Apps is free and offers up to 50 mail boxes (user accounts), it’s configured to enable working use of your existing domain name for eMail (enabled by altering the MX records on your host to point @ Google) and offers all the benefits, security and stability of high end business class group-mail. One thing is for sure – Google ‘aint gonna get labeled as a spammer, as if.

Allowing the Big G to manage your business mail isn’t everyone’s ideal and I totally agree, however there are much worse options, remaining blacklisted is one of them with a painful & lengthy domain migration to another host only to discover they’re just as bad being another.

If you don’t think you’re up to the stress of MX record re-direction or mailbox transfer TooMuchGreen provide full Google Apps migration assistance, give us a call if you’re getting “bounced” and we’ll sort you out, we can usually get things going in a day.

They have a great website too – http://opensourceforamerica.org/ (I do think they missed a trick though, I’d have gone for “opensourceforus”, much more fun)

Obviously the UK are correspondingly on the ball (!). For information regarding open source in relation to the “Digital Britain” report you’ll need to download the PDF, you’ll find open source mentioned under chapter 8, section 19. However if you can’t be bothered (which of course you can’t, who would) here’s the extensive and inspiring text (yawn) >

“The CIO Council has also been laying the foundations for Digital Public Services by standardising on the desktop computer designs and approaches; the use of openstandards and reuse – ensuring all parties reuse the IP created by the Public Sector; the green ICT Strategy to drive sustainability as well as efficient and effective infrastructures”.

How many computers do you think run Word, Excel, Powerpoint etc (MS Office, basically) at what – around £50-£100/$50-$100 a pop with discount & volume licencing? Now imagine how many billions could be saved globally if nobody had to pay licence fees for their Office Software Suite, that’s at least 90% of all computers in the world (and which is why Microsoft are so rich). Here’s a thought, Firefox is already established to let’s switch to Open Office, one stage at a time, we can easily migrate the operating system to Ubuntu later.

Convinced yet? Back at OSFA, they have a superb 4 Point “Benefits of Open Source Software” page which highlights the advantages in a single concise hit, and as they say –


Open Source? There’s no reason not to.

For any business network security at the client end is the most vulnerable area and the most difficult to “police”. Even with a rigid and up-to-date AD policy & virus checking software update system implemented you’ve still got the userbase to “manage”. Running an I.T department is certainly not just about fixing computers and making sure eMail flows smoothly, this is something I know all too well from many years of experience (or should I say “exposure”).

The vast majority of users run Microsoft software on their personal computers and the vast majority of  businesses also run Microsoft software on their office computers, this is where the boundaries become blurred. Users think their computer operating system at work offers them the same degree of control and freedom they enjoy in their bedrooms or studies at home, they think they should be able to install this little program here and that little application there, and why shouldn’t they be able to check what their Facebook friends are up to or buy and sell those kids toys on eBay? After all the computer is networked to the internet right?

I believe this issue is substantially more of a problem than fully realised with who knows how many man hours lost each week/month/year due to either employees aimlessly browsing the internet from the comfort of their own desks or from support staff having to spend time rebuilding corrupted machines. Excessive browsing is an area easily addressed by installing a proxy server (every company should have one, have you? Why not? – Contact us for details) and to tie down each computer with a rigorous Active Directory policy is of course one way to deal with things at the sharp end (so to speak) but the blurred perception is still present, a separation is needed between computer systems at work and home, and why shouldn’t there be, after all the two serve different purposes (in most cases). It’s here where an Ubuntu Linux configuration can supply the ideal solution.

Everyone knows that Microsoft rule the world of office I.T, both Exchange eMail and the Active Directory network management system are ubiquitous across business (albeit at cost of course, substantial) however both platforms function at server level managed closely by system admins who have no desire to browse Facebook or install the latest game of the week (you would hope). The big two at the back end are not going to lose their grip for sometime, and there is no need for this to be so thanks to cross platform integration offered by utilities such as Likewise.

Likewise is a superb, quick and easy utility for both Linux and Mac which allows authentication (single sign on) to a Microsoft Active Directory network, couple this with the built in Ubuntu Terminal services client (yes, it comes as standard), Exchange connectivity via the Evolution mail suite, a Firefox browser with Open Office and you have a completely “user proof” business desktop client, even if you do get a Linux-savvy office geek he’s not going to be able to dick about as domain log-in accounts offer no “sudo” option (super user). You get all this, with the performance, stability and security benefits of Linux – and all for no charge.

• Open Office is free to download and use
• Ubuntu Linux is free to download and use
• Likewise Open is free to download and use
• The Firefox browser is free to download and use

Opting for Ubuntu Linux is not just about saving money. If you would like to find out more about intelligently managing your network infrastructure TooMuchGreen would be happy to advise.

Feel free to contact us or pre-book a consultancy visit from the service page.

TooMuchGreen are not only staunch advocates of everything Linux and open source, we also firmly believe in superior solutions from our other favourite computer company – Apple. The above table illustrates one such shining example.

The Apple OSX operating system is far superior to Microsoft Windows in many ways (security, stability etc) and as this comparison chart clearly highlights, the perception that Apple products are expensive is simply not true, in fact quite the opposite. Aside from licencing costs the TCO drop resulting from reduced admin overhead* further adds to the equation, also bear in mind that here we are comparing the Mini Server to the lowest spec PC available, PC based server class hardware is substantially more expensive.

It is also worth noting that the Mac Mini is presently the worlds most energy efficient computer, again, more cost savings.

Integration is of course a concern for every IT manager however this is less than a problem, OSX Leopard Server actually makes it easier to manage your existing network infrastructure, such is the polished and intuitive nature of an Apple software solutions.

*Apple OSX is inherently stable and immune to all PC viruses, without exception.

So, another government organisation was brought to it’s knees on New Years Day by the W32 Conficker worm virus (professional etiquette prevents me from revealing my source and the institution in question), nice timing, and a happy new year.

The result of the attack was a 100% national lockout of all computer user accounts & till systems, quite something and a nice introduction to 2010 for the poor I.T staff who had to drop their games consoles to tackle a major security breach whilst the rest of the UK were sat finishing off the Christmas chocolates and watching TV with their feet up.

It’s both amusing and bemusing for me as a staunch Linux advocate that mainstream business enterprise still choose to live in the grip of such crushing potential by continually opting for a flawed and insecure Microsoft platform, not only do they choose to do so, they also pay extensively for the privilege. Aside from the obvious base licence fees the extra security patching & associated strategies require further funding, which would be all well and good if the outcome provided a secure and stable result, however it only takes one un-patched machine or insecure network share to bring on the carnage, as was obviously the case here, had Conficker dropped onto a Linux infrastructure (or tried to) the day would have most certainly been a more relaxed and less confusing affair for all concerned.

Us humans posses a quite staggering trait for amazing lack of common sense and contributory direction toward self harm on a huge scale, this on-going situation surrounding software security and data integrity in the modern age is definitely up there with the best of the ever increasing insanity. We’re taught “common sense” from an early age in nursery rhymes and children’s stories but perhaps we don’t think they’re relevant to the “grown up” world?

There’s an example I use for descriptive comparison which pulls on the classic fable “The Three Little Pigs”, we all know the story, the straw house, the wooden house, the brick house etc so it’s going to be no surprise a freshly built un-patched Microsoft computer enjoys the resultant instability of straw, however at the other end a Linux platform is not only more secure than the brick house, it’s virtually impenetrable. Unlike the wooden house (the analogy for a “patched” MS system) the Linux house comes pre-built with all it’s doors and windows firmly shuttered and bolted, the virus-ridden old wolf doesn’t stand a chance.

I purposely try to avoid “Microsoft bashing” as it’s just not productive however I am increasingly confused as to why any “intelligent” business decision would involve opting for a product which is more expensive, inherently insecure and one which requires substantially higher on-going maintenance than a visibly more suitable and completely compatible alternative, especially as the potential shortfalls can not only contribute to time, effort and resulting well being for the people involved in maintaining these products but given the worst case scenario could irrevocably damage a business beyond redemption.

Choosing Linux is NOT just about saving a few pounds here and there, it could quite literally save your livelihood. Computer hackers are getting cleverer, why “choose” to make it easy for them?

If you would like to find out more about the security advantages of migrating to a Linux platform TooMuchGreen are specialists in this area and would be more than happy to visit you to discuss options.

Feel free to get in touch via the contact page. Be SECURE in 2010.