Cover Theme: New Start for Android Security

DVD Theme: Oracle Linux 7 and KaOS 2014.08

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This month we offer a sneak peek at security features in the upcoming Android L release.

Cover Theme: YouTube Jukebox

DVD Theme: Knoppix 7.4 and PCLinuxOS

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If you want to listen to music without the complications and performance penalty of a web browser, consider using a streaming music video player.

Cover Theme: Intrusion Detection

DVD Theme: Deepin 2014 and Ubuntu 14.04.01

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This month we look at two intrusion detection tools to help keep your systems safe.

Cover Theme: Cinnamon vs. Mate

DVD Theme: CentOS 7 and Fedora 20

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You don’t have to settle for KDE or Gnome anymore. Linux offers a variety of powerful alternative desktops.

Cover Theme: Choose a Filesystem

DVD Theme: Linux Mint 17

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This month, we compare some leading Linux filesystems. We also show how to set up a storage cluster in the cloud, and we explore the userspace filesystem SSHFS.

Cover Theme: Interoperability

DVD Theme: Ubuntu Monster Pack

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In this issue, we look at Cygwin, a run-time environment that allows you to run and compile Linux programs in Windows. Then, we test various Linux distros to see how they handle the controversial UEFI Secure Boot feature that locks out “unauthorized” operating systems.

Cover Stories:

• Cygwin: The Cygwin environment lets you run Linux applications on a Windows system.
• The State of Secure Boot UEFI: Secure Boot is here to stay. We thought it was time to ask, “How hard is it to boot a popular Linux distribution in a UEFI Secure Boot environment?”

Also in this issue:

• Comment: If You Build It
• On the DVD: Ubuntu Monster Pack
• News
• Migrating to an SSD: Speed your system with an SSD.
• Bitwig Studio: This professional music workstation for Linux compares favorably with other commercial DAWs.
• ThinkUp: ThinkUp helps active social media users gauge the effects their messages have on followers.
• Bash History Suggest Box: Bash history improved.
• Master PDF Editor: Edit and protect PDF documents.
• Charly’s Column – Miniflux: Minimalist news reader.
• Ask Klaus! Your Linux questions answered.
• Security Lessons – Cryptographic Agility: Changing horses midstream.
• Perl – Neo4j: Evaluate network paths in Neo4j.
• Visual Programming: We investigate five free visual programming environments.
• Inxi: Hardware overview with lightweight command-line tool.
• Command Line – MultiTail: MultiTail is not only more powerful than tail, it’s also easier to use.
• Workspace – Booktype: A complete cloud-based e-book authoring and publishing environment.
• GCstar_ The smart GCstar collection tool can help you keep track of your treasures.
• Oculus Rift: Virtual reality glasses for Linux users and developers.
• Kernel News: A POSIX violation in the kernel, tracking CPU events, making stack dumps pretty, and imperfect patches.
• Doghouse – Artificial Intelligence: “maddog” ponders the rise of intelligent machines.

Cover Theme: Coding Tools

DVD Theme: Light Distro Sampler

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Cool tools that will change the way you think about programming.

Cover Stories:

• Reactive Programming: Reactive programming brings together known programming concepts to create code that responds gracefully to events, load, and unexpected occurrences.
• Java 8: The long-awaited eighth version of Java extends the core language, adding elements of functional programming.
• Clojure: Lisp-like syntax, a JVM implementation, practical tools, and sophisticated libraries provide the underpinnings for rapid development of modern web applications.
• OCaml Programming Basics: Easy to learn and suitable for rapid development, OCaml shines with static typing, type checking, and low memory usage.

Also in this issue:

• Comment: Privacy and P2P
• On the DVD: Light Distro Sampler
• News
• KDE Framework 5: KDE developers turn to a new framework to create distroindependent and modular KDE libraries with standardized development guidelines and Qtlike tools.
• Netrw: Netrw transfers data between two computers and avoids the complications of an intervening server infrastructure.
• Survey Tools: We find which tools are suitable for online surveys and which will best help you analyze your results.
• NixOS: The innovative NixOS makes it easy to test and deploy new configurations – on the hardware and in the cloud.
• Ask Klaus! Klaus Knopper answers your Linux questions.
• Charly – SSLScan: SSLScan determines whether security is up to date on SSLsecured servers.
• Tripwire IDS: Tripwire is a powerful tool that watches for intruders by identifying suspicious changes to system files.
• Perl – Testing Modules with Docker: Exploit Linux container technology with resourceconserving Docker in Perl.
• Workspace – Remote Control: Control your Linux PC with an Android phone.
• Scribus Desktop Publishing: A comprehensive desktop publishing program for professional layout.
• Calcurse: A calendar and a task list help you keep track of the day’s events in the terminal.
• Command Line – tree: The tree command provides a clear view of all your files and directories.
• Speech Recognition: The Open Speech Initiative seeks to bring advanced speech processing to free software.
• Kernel News: Zack Brown reports on the latest news, views, dilemmas, and developments within the Linux community.
• Doghouse – Open Source: “maddog” examines the real meaning and ramifications of the term “Open Source.”

Cover Theme: A Smarter Network

DVD Theme: Mageia 4 and openSUSE 13.1

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Globalization, increasing numbers of devices, virtualization, the cloud, and BYOD are changing the face of networks.

Cover Stories:

• SDN Up Close: A number of factors make classically organized IP networks difficult to plan and manage. Some admins address these problems with a radically new approach: software-defined networking.
• OpenFlow: The OpenFlow protocol and its surrounding technologies are bringing the promise of SDN to real networks – and it might be coming soon to yours.
• OpenDaylight: Several well-known players in the networking industry are collaborating on the foundations of future SDN products under the umbrella of the OpenDaylight open source project.
• Mininet: Mininet lets you construct software-defined networking topologies in a sandbox before you release them onto your network.

Also in this issue:

• Comment: Coins and Trains
• On the DVD: Mageia 4 and openSUSE 13.1
• News
• Survey Tools: We find which tools are suitable for online surveys and which will best help you analyze your results.
• Samba 4: New features in Samba 4.
• Ask Klaus! Klaus Knopper answers your Linux questions.
• ATA over Ethernet: Build a network-based virtual RAID solution using AoE.
• USB Multiboot: Tools MultiBootUSB and MultiSystem tools transfer multiple Live systems to a USB flash drive and even install a matching boot manager automatically.
• Security Lessons – Logging DNS Replies: Kurt explains how to capture DNS replies and keep them forever.
• Charly – Mod_bw: Mod_bw throttles the big data hogs when too many users are competing for bandwidth.
• Go Programming: Go combines type safety with manageable syntax and an extensive library.
• Perl – Elasticsearch: The Elasticsearch Lucene-based search engine quickly finds text expressions in a large, distributed database.
• Workspace: Text Expander Two utilities and a dash of Bash let you create a simple yet flexible text expander.
• Downloading Web Video: Store YouTube movies on your hard disk and view them when you’re offline.
• 4MLinux: A choice of feature-oriented Linux variants without the bulk.
• Command Line – Fish: Feature-rich Friendly Interactive Shell (Fish).
• Doghouse – Happy Anniversary: “maddog” remembers 20 years of association with Linux, CeBIT, and open source.
• Kernel News: Zack Brown looks at kernel developer activity, problems with kernel test bloat, and assembler in the kernel.

Cover Theme: The Trouble with Home Routers

DVD Theme: Knoppix 7.3

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Discover the vulnerabilities of typical home and small office routers, and consider the SafeSquid filter proxy for secure home surfing.

Cover Stories:

• Security and SOHO Routers: Home and small office networks typically place their security in the hands of an inexpensive device that serves as a router. How secure are these SOHO router devices?
• SafeSquid: If you are looking to secure your home surfing against questionable web content, you need a filtering proxy. SafeSquid filters content as it moves between the browser and the Internet.

Also in this issue:

• Comment: The New Kid
• On the DVD: Knoppix 7.3
• News
• SuperCollider: SuperCollider is a versatile and powerful sound generator.
• EncFS: The EncFS virtual filesystem reduces the configuration overhead of encrypting data on Linux.
• Meteor: Build interactive web apps the easy way with this sensible JavaScript development tool.
• Knoppix 7.3: Learn about the latest Knoppix Live Linux distro.
• Ask Klaus! Klaus Knopper answers your Linux questions.
• Areca Backup: Hassle-free backups of individual hard drives.
• Charly – Fish: The tasty Friendly Interactive Shell.
• Security Lessons – DNS: Keep bad guys out of your network with targeted filtering.
• SHC – Bash Script Compiler: Convert shell scripts directly into binaries.
• Perl – Cucumber: Natural language test framework for developers.
• Command Line – Vundle: Manage Vim plugins.
• F3 – Testing Flash Memory: Check flash sticks for defects.
• Workspace – HTML-Based Presentations: Great-looking presentations in a browser.
• Giada: Process sound loops and more.
• Labyrinth: Mind mapping software.
• PiCam Surveillance: Video surveillance with the new Raspberry Pi camera.
• openSUSE 13.1: Inside the newest version.
• Gluglug: Laptop 100% free and open source.
• Doghouse – Pay It Forward: “maddog” reflects on ways people can contribute to the present as well as the future of software development.
• Kernel News: Chronicler Zack Brown reports on the latest news, views, dilemmas, and developments within the Linux kernel community.

Cover Theme: SteamOS

DVD Theme: Fedora 20

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Linux gaming has emerged from the shadows with the arrival of the popular Steam platform. We look at the latest developments for Steam on Linux.

Cover Stories:

• SteamOS: Valve has big plans for SteamOS, the new Linux that will run on the first generation of Steam machine gaming consoles.
• Portspoof: The Internet is a tough place to live – especially for publicly accessible computers. A small tool called Portspoof makes port scanning a real challenge for attackers.
• Software-Defined Radio: Glean radio-transmitted data from a weather station with inexpensive hardware and a free software-defined radio tool.

Also in this issue:

• Comment: The New Kid
• On the DVD: Fedora 20
• News
• PiCam Surveillance: Video surveillance with the new Raspberry Pi camera.
• Ask Klaus! Klaus Knopper answers your Linux questions.
• Building an IRC Bot: Access an IRC channel using an automated bot.
• Charly – Trickle: Shoot down resource-heavy applications to free up bandwidth.
• Security Lessons – Tuf: A software update system with built-in security.
• PDF Tools: Testing PDF readers and editors with PDF crash test dummies.
• TV-Browser: The Java-based TV-Browser is your digital television guide.
• Perl – CPAN Additions: It lives! CPAN keeps the aging Perl programming language relevant.
• DNF: Behind the scenes of Fedora’s future package manager.
• Command Line – Partitioning: We provide tips you should consider before choosing a partitioning scheme.
• Workspace – Piggydb: Piggydb helps you turn a collection of data morsels into a flexible knowledgebase.
• Urban Lightscape: Adjust local brightness levels within an image to enhance a simple snapshot.
• Make Play Live SBC: The KDE Vivaldi tablet isn’t here yet, but its development team is proposing cooperative businesses and open hardware as the future of free software.
• Doghouse – Computer Services: Business opportunities to earn money for education.
• The Internet of Things: The Internet of Things takes the dumb objects around us and makes them data-noisy.

Cover Theme: Firefox OS vs. Android

DVD Theme: Linux Mint 16

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This month we size up the new Firefox OS mobile system and study some techniques for data recovery.

Cover Stories:

• Firefox OS vs. Android: The Mozilla foundation is on a mission to bring open platforms into the mobile space.
• Data Recovery Services: Nothing protects your data like a wellconceived system of backups. However, no backup system is perfect. If all else fails, send your disk to a data recovery service.
• Data Rescue:  Armed with just standard Linux tools, users can recover files, resurrect partitions, and rescue damaged media.

Also in this issue:

• Comment: Beyond the Edge
• On the DVD: Linux Mint 16
• News
• DHCP and DNS on Rasp Pi: Set up the versatile Raspberry Pi to provide important home network services.
• Duplicati: The free backup tool Duplicati simplifies cloud backup and provides strong cryptography.
• Perl – Arduino Project: The Perlmeister trains a Linux computer with an Arduino board to switch electrical equipment.
• Charly – Backup2l: Charly use to use backup2l to back up the family data. Now he has something manageable.
• Security Lessons: Tips and tools to help you detect intrusion and data corruption.
• Ask Klaus! Klaus Knopper answers your Linux questions.
• SDL 2.0: Simple DirectMedia Layer (SDL) underpins many games and multimedia applications.
• Qubes OS: Experts have tried many approaches for creating a secure operating system. Newcomer Qubes OS relies on a microkernel and pervasive virtualization.
• Wifislax 4.6: The Wifislax Slackware derivative helps detect wifi vulnerabilities.
• Media Sharing with MediaCrush: MediaCrush offers anonymous video and image uploads.
• Workspace – WordPress: Transform WordPress into a powerful writing environment.
• Shotcut Video Editor: Edit videos, add effects, and stitch material together to create a new movie.
• Command Line – KDE Kiosk: KDE Kiosk lets administrators control user environments, including settings, themes, and access to the command shell.
• Kernel News: Switching user creds, make menuconfig, VFS attacks, chroot breakouts, and trusted computing maintainers.
• Doghouse – Twenty Years: maddog reflects on his 20 years as an advocate for Linux and open source.

Cover Theme: Living with Windows

DVD Theme: Ubuntu 13.10

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This month we look at virtual Linux on Windows and virtual Windows on Linux.

Cover Stories:

• Linux Integration: Microsoft provides a collection of tools for faster and more efficient Linux virtualization in the Hyper-V environment.
• Virtual Windows 8.1 on Linux: For occasional Windows users, a virtual machine is the ideal solution. But will Windows 8.1 work in VirtualBox and VMware?

Also in this issue:

• Comment: Cookies and Cream
• On the DVD: Ubuntu 13.10
• News
• Tool Tips: Tool review: Dialog 0.7, virtenv 0.8.6, collectd 5.4.0, convmv 1.15, Drukkar 1.11, and ngIRCd 20.3.
• Android Remote: We look at some smartphone and tablet apps for remote Linux admins.
• Xeon Phi: Instead of GPUs, the Xeon Phi accelerator card from Intel features a cluster of CPUs for easier programming.
• Incron: This helpful utility initiates commands and scripts triggered by filesystem events.
• Csound: The powerful Csound audio production environment provides an impressive set of features. We walk you through the entire system.
• Perl – Security Snapshots: Store snapshots from a home security camera with just two scripts and the Tumblr API.
• Charly – Go Access: Charly is lured by the charms of a new logfile tool.
• Security Lessons – Squid Filtering: Limiting access to web content.
• Bitparade: Pomodoro Tools Learn how four nifty tools can improve your concentration.
• Workspace – Taskwarrior: Organize your life with this command-line task manager.
• Command Line – Pass: Manage passwords with the powerful Pass utility.
• UberWriter: Professional publishing with this Markdown markup tool.
• Linux-libre Project: How free is the Linux kernel? Some Free software advocates want to make it freer.
• LinuxCon Europe 2013: LinuxCon Europe – one of the best GNU/ Linux events of 2013.
• Doghouse – Showing Respect: “maddog” laments yet another instance where GNU/Linux fails to get a mention.
• Kernel News: Bug hunts and programmable instruction sets.