Month: September 2023
GNU Celebrates Its 40th Anniversary
Wednesday the Free Software Foundation celebrated “the 40th anniversary of the GNU operating system and the launch of the free software movement,” with an announcement calling it “a turning point in the history of computing.
“Forty years later, GNU and free software are even more relevant. While software has become deeply ingrained into everyday life, the vast majority of users do not have full control over it… “
On September 27, 1983, a computer scientist named Richard Stallman announced the plan to develop a free software Unix-like operating system called GNU, for “GNU’s not Unix.” GNU is the only operating system developed specifically for the sake of users’ freedom, and has remained true to its founding ideals for forty years. Since 1983, the GNU Project has provided a full, ethical replacement for proprietary operating systems. This is thanks to the forty years of tireless work from volunteer GNU developers around the world.
When describing GNU’s history and the background behind its initial announcement, Stallman (often known simply as “RMS”) stated, “with a free operating system, we could again have a community of cooperating hackers — and invite anyone to join. And anyone would be able to use a computer without starting out by conspiring to deprive his or her friends.”
“When we look back at the history of the free software movement — or the idea that users should be in control of their own computing — it starts with GNU,” said Zoë Kooyman, executive director of the FSF, which sponsors GNU’s development. “The GNU System isn’t just the most widely used operating system that is based on free software. GNU is also at the core of a philosophy that has guided the free software movement for forty years.”
Usually combined with the kernel Linux, GNU forms the backbone of the Internet and powers millions of servers, desktops, and embedded computing devices. Aside from its technical advancements, GNU pioneered the concept of “copyleft,” the approach to software licensing that requires the same rights to be preserved in derivative works, and is best exemplified by the GNU General Public License (GPL). As Stallman stated, “The goal of GNU was to give users freedom, not just to be popular. So we needed to use distribution terms that would prevent GNU software from being turned into proprietary software. The method we use is called ‘copyleft.'”
The free software community has held strong for forty years and continues to grow, as exemplified by the FSF’s annual LibrePlanet conference on software freedom and digital ethics.
Kooyman continues, “We hope that the fortieth anniversary will inspire hackers, both old and new, to join GNU in its goal to create, improve, and share free software around the world. Software is controlling our world these days, and GNU is a critique and solution to the status quo that we desperately need in order to not have our technology control us.”
“In honor of GNU’s fortieth anniversary, its organizational sponsor the FSF is organizing a hackday for families, students, and anyone interested in celebrating GNU’s anniversary. It will be held at the FSF’s offices in Boston, MA on October 1.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Wednesday the Free Software Foundation celebrated “the 40th anniversary of the GNU operating system and the launch of the free software movement,” with an announcement calling it “a turning point in the history of computing.
“Forty years later, GNU and free software are even more relevant. While software has become deeply ingrained into everyday life, the vast majority of users do not have full control over it… “
On September 27, 1983, a computer scientist named Richard Stallman announced the plan to develop a free software Unix-like operating system called GNU, for “GNU’s not Unix.” GNU is the only operating system developed specifically for the sake of users’ freedom, and has remained true to its founding ideals for forty years. Since 1983, the GNU Project has provided a full, ethical replacement for proprietary operating systems. This is thanks to the forty years of tireless work from volunteer GNU developers around the world.
When describing GNU’s history and the background behind its initial announcement, Stallman (often known simply as “RMS”) stated, “with a free operating system, we could again have a community of cooperating hackers — and invite anyone to join. And anyone would be able to use a computer without starting out by conspiring to deprive his or her friends.”
“When we look back at the history of the free software movement — or the idea that users should be in control of their own computing — it starts with GNU,” said Zoë Kooyman, executive director of the FSF, which sponsors GNU’s development. “The GNU System isn’t just the most widely used operating system that is based on free software. GNU is also at the core of a philosophy that has guided the free software movement for forty years.”
Usually combined with the kernel Linux, GNU forms the backbone of the Internet and powers millions of servers, desktops, and embedded computing devices. Aside from its technical advancements, GNU pioneered the concept of “copyleft,” the approach to software licensing that requires the same rights to be preserved in derivative works, and is best exemplified by the GNU General Public License (GPL). As Stallman stated, “The goal of GNU was to give users freedom, not just to be popular. So we needed to use distribution terms that would prevent GNU software from being turned into proprietary software. The method we use is called ‘copyleft.'”
The free software community has held strong for forty years and continues to grow, as exemplified by the FSF’s annual LibrePlanet conference on software freedom and digital ethics.
Kooyman continues, “We hope that the fortieth anniversary will inspire hackers, both old and new, to join GNU in its goal to create, improve, and share free software around the world. Software is controlling our world these days, and GNU is a critique and solution to the status quo that we desperately need in order to not have our technology control us.”
“In honor of GNU’s fortieth anniversary, its organizational sponsor the FSF is organizing a hackday for families, students, and anyone interested in celebrating GNU’s anniversary. It will be held at the FSF’s offices in Boston, MA on October 1.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Apple will issue a software update to address iPhone 15 overheating complaints
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Apple Says iPhone 15 Pro’s Titanium Frame Does Not Contribute to Overheating Issue
Apple today said it plans to release an iOS 17 software update with a bug fix for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max overheating issue, and the company has since shared additional details about the matter with MacRumors.
Importantly, Apple said the issue is not related to hardware. Contrary to a report this week, Apple said the iPhone 15 Pro’s design does not contribute to overheating. In fact, Apple said the titanium frame and aluminum substructure provide better heat dissipation than any previous-generation Pro models with stainless steel frames.
Apple said some third-party apps have overloaded the A17 Pro chip for unknown reasons, including Instagram, Uber, and racing game Asphalt 9: Legends, and it is working with the developers of these apps to address the matter. Apple said its bug fix will not involve reducing the chip’s performance in order to address the temperature-related issue, and it ensured that long-term performance will not be impacted.
To reiterate Apple’s statement:We have identified a few conditions which can cause iPhone to run warmer than expected. The device may feel warmer during the first few days after setting up or restoring the device because of increased background activity. We have also found a bug in iOS 17 that is impacting some users and will be addressed in a software update. Another issue involves some recent updates to third-party apps that are causing them to overload the system. We’re working with these app developers on fixes that are in the process of rolling out.More details are available in our initial coverage of Apple’s statement.Related Roundups: iOS 17, iPadOS 17, iPhone 15 ProBuyer’s Guide: iPhone 15 Pro (Buy Now)Related Forums: iOS 17, iPadOS 17This article, “Apple Says iPhone 15 Pro’s Titanium Frame Does Not Contribute to Overheating Issue” first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple today said it plans to release an iOS 17 software update with a bug fix for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max overheating issue, and the company has since shared additional details about the matter with MacRumors.
Importantly, Apple said the issue is not related to hardware. Contrary to a report this week, Apple said the iPhone 15 Pro’s design does not contribute to overheating. In fact, Apple said the titanium frame and aluminum substructure provide better heat dissipation than any previous-generation Pro models with stainless steel frames.
Apple said some third-party apps have overloaded the A17 Pro chip for unknown reasons, including Instagram, Uber, and racing game Asphalt 9: Legends, and it is working with the developers of these apps to address the matter. Apple said its bug fix will not involve reducing the chip’s performance in order to address the temperature-related issue, and it ensured that long-term performance will not be impacted.
To reiterate Apple’s statement:We have identified a few conditions which can cause iPhone to run warmer than expected. The device may feel warmer during the first few days after setting up or restoring the device because of increased background activity. We have also found a bug in iOS 17 that is impacting some users and will be addressed in a software update. Another issue involves some recent updates to third-party apps that are causing them to overload the system. We’re working with these app developers on fixes that are in the process of rolling out.More details are available in our initial coverage of Apple’s statement.
This article, “Apple Says iPhone 15 Pro’s Titanium Frame Does Not Contribute to Overheating Issue” first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
Your next laptop could run faster, last longer and pack more memory thanks to Samsung’s revolutionary new technology — but it won’t be cheap
Samsung’s LPDDR-based LPCAMM memory will offer 50% greater performance in the next generation of PCs and laptops.
Samsung has devised a new kind of memory that adopts a low-power compression attached memory module (LPCAMM) form factor to replace the RAM currently found in the best laptops and PCs.
LPDDR and SODIMM RAM are the prevailing form factors in today’s computers. While the former is compact, it’s fixed the the motherboard, meaning replacing it can be difficult. The latter, meanwhile, normally fitted into laptops, can be detached easily, but they have other limitations in terms of performance.
Samsung’s LPCAMM memory, by contrast, is a staggering 60% smaller than SODIMM-based memory. It also boosts performance by up to 50% and power efficiency by up to 70%, the company claims.
Could LPCAMM be a game changer for servers?
With power efficiency and sustainability especially becoming a concern among device manufacturers, Samsung is hoping its LPCAMM form factor can be a solution to both issues. It’s a good thing, then that it’s completed system verification via Intel.
Given it’s so much more power efficient than conventional memory, such as LPDDR5 RAM, and it can swapped in/out with ease, Samsung is hoping this technology can entice the industry to adopt it on a widespread basis in the coming years.
The firm is also hoping its power-saving features make it a great choice for servers and IT infrastructure more broadly.
LPDDR RAM has power-saving features, which work to improve the total cost of operation for data center operators, but using this kind of RAM can lead to other difficulties. Replacing it, for example, means ripping out the entire motherboard if improving the DRAM specification.
Given its modular nature, LPCAMM may be a solid alternative for data center operators who want to cut down on energy consumption and easily replace the components that power their servers.
Samsung will test LPCAMM in next-generation systems with its customers this year, with the hope to commercialize the technology next year.
More from TechRadar Pro
Check out our list of the best RAM modules out there right nowWhat is non-binary memory: the new RAM configurations explainedDDR5 vs DDR4 RAM: what’s the difference?
Heat Pumps Twice As Efficient As Fossil Fuel Systems In Cold Weather
Long-time Slashdot reader AmiMoJo shared this report from the Guardian:
Heat pumps are more than twice as efficient as fossil fuel heating systems in cold temperatures, research shows. Even at temperatures approaching -30C, heat pumps outperform oil and gas heating systems, according to the research from Oxford University and the Regulatory Assistance Project thinktank…
Reports have spread that they do not work well in low temperatures despite their increasing use in Scandinavia and other cold climates. The research, published in the specialist energy research journal Joule, used data from seven field studies in North America, Asia and Europe. It found that at temperatures below zero, heat pumps were between two and three times more efficient than oil and gas heating systems.
The authors said the findings showed that heat pumps were suitable for almost all homes in Europe, including the UK, and should provide policymakers with the impetus to bring in new measures to roll them out as rapidly as possible.
“The Guardian and the investigative journalism organisation DeSmog recently revealed that lobbyists associated with the gas boiler sector had attempted to delay a key government measure to increase the uptake of heat pumps.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Long-time Slashdot reader AmiMoJo shared this report from the Guardian:
Heat pumps are more than twice as efficient as fossil fuel heating systems in cold temperatures, research shows. Even at temperatures approaching -30C, heat pumps outperform oil and gas heating systems, according to the research from Oxford University and the Regulatory Assistance Project thinktank…
Reports have spread that they do not work well in low temperatures despite their increasing use in Scandinavia and other cold climates. The research, published in the specialist energy research journal Joule, used data from seven field studies in North America, Asia and Europe. It found that at temperatures below zero, heat pumps were between two and three times more efficient than oil and gas heating systems.
The authors said the findings showed that heat pumps were suitable for almost all homes in Europe, including the UK, and should provide policymakers with the impetus to bring in new measures to roll them out as rapidly as possible.
“The Guardian and the investigative journalism organisation DeSmog recently revealed that lobbyists associated with the gas boiler sector had attempted to delay a key government measure to increase the uptake of heat pumps.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.