Issue #155 / Oct 2013

By the time you read this, the world will already know whether Ubuntu has succeeded in raising US$ 32 million in a crowdfunding effort to build a new Ubuntu-based smartphone. The project has been the talk of open source circles since it started. As of now, it looks like they will be around US$ 22 million short, but that’s the glass-half-empty assessment. The other side is: They have already managed to raise nearly US$ 10 million dollars to create a new smartphone – no small feat for a little fish swimming with the sharks in the sea of mobility.

This month we bring you two great desktop distributions: Mageia 3, from the all-volunteer community that forked the commercial Mandriva Linux distribution, and Linux Mint Debian, a semi-rolling distribution based on Debian Testing.

Linux offers some sophisticated tools for understanding how malware can slip through the gaps in an unsuspecting application.

Regularly scanning the ports on your own network prevents intruders from sneaking in, but if you have dozens or hundreds of servers, you'll need professional help: Dr. Portscan to the rescue.

In "The Matrix Reloaded," Trinity uses Nmap to hack into the power grid to pave Neo's way to the architect of the virtual world. However, the port scanner is also ideal for more mundane purposes – such as discovering vulnerabilities in your domestic network.

Six Linux tools reviewed: FISH 2.0.0, BAD 0.0.2, BLINK, FPING 3.5, LNAV 0.5.0, TOMB 1.4

Hand-crafted keyboards, computers, and accessories from the imagination of a retro-Victorian artist.

The Smart Package Manager makes everyday tasks of handling RPM and DEB packages simple but has a full set of controls for experts.

The Scalpel file carver helps users restore what they thought were lost files.

For no particular reason, Charly occasionally patrols his server farm and hunts down attackers. He has put together a neat toolbox for this job.