26 tips to help you get the most from free software
Back to Slack - why Slackware is more awesome than ever
Keep track of your pennies with HomeBank
Triple-booting DVD with PCLinuxOS 2009, Mepis 8 and Zenwalk 6
Tutorials on making slideshows, exploring hidden Gimp features, VNC remote desktops and bandwidth shaping
Features
Work smarter with Linux
We take a tour of the best, most innovative and gosh-darned coolest ways to get more productive on your Linux desktop. (Graham Morrison) Available as a PDF to subscribers.
Caveat browser
Few people like paying for content on the web, but are free services 'free'? JavaScript brings the fight for freedom to the forefront... (Paul Hudson) Available as a PDF to subscribers.
Slack to the future
It's the longest-running Linux distribution in existence, but just what is it that makes Slackware so popular among hardcore Linux fans? (Mike Saunders) Click here to read!
HomeBank
Are you in charge of your money, or is your money in charge of you? Here's how to look after the pennies with HomeBank. (Shashank Sharma) Available as a PDF to subscribers.
Dr Brown's Administeria
Deliver online training with Moodle, understand the structure of Debian/Ubuntu package repositories, and use those repos via proxies and mirrors. (Chris Brown) Click here to read!
Interview: Zeev Suraski
We talk to Zend's CTO about Zend Server, taking on Java and the approach of the long-awaited PHP 6. (Paul Hudson) Available as a PDF to subscribers.
Coverdisc
Triple-booting DVD
PCLinuxOS 2009, Mepis 8 and Zenwalk 6. Plus: Mono 2.4, MonoDevelop 2.0, Ardour 2.8, games, newbie guides... (Mike Saunders) Available as a PDF to subscribers.
HotPicks
Python Machine, GSmartControl, MindRaider, LuckyBackup, Toy Cards, Nv@derz!, aTunes, Task Coach, UNetbootin, KMess. (Andy Hudson) Available as a PDF to subscribers.
Tutorials
Smile: Create a slideshow
Andy whips out his pointer and shows you how to raise your slideshow delivery above the ranks of the mundane with the brilliant Smile. Plus: hosting videos on YouTube. (Andy Channelle) Available as a PDF to subscribers.
Gimp: Enhance the interface
Gimp contains a little-known back door to some powerful layour and preset features. We pick the lock and root through the stack. (Michael J Hammel) Available as a PDF to subscribers.
FFmpeg: Clean up your music
Mayank makes up for missing South by Southwest by encoding his entire audio and video collection - and Robbie never sounded so good. (Mayank Sharma) Available as a PDF to subscribers.
OOo: Automate spreadsheets
We show you how to transform obscure raw numbers into normal spreadsheets with charts and formulas that will look good in any office. (Marco Fioretti) Available as a PDF to subscribers.
SSH and VNC: work remotely
Do you need to access your home computer while at work? We explain how SSH and VNC can do this, and keep it all secure. (Neil Bothwick) Available as a PDF to subscribers.
Trickle: Control network traffic
Learn how to control network bandwidth available to individual applications with Trickle and a very sharp, very tiny sword.
(Shashank Sharma) Available as a PDF to subscribers.
Reviews
SUSE Linux Enterprise 11
We discover how Novell's latest enterprise Linux distribution is shapeshifting more and more into a Windows-like operating system. (Koen Vervloesem) Available as a PDF to subscribers.
BitDefender
There aren't many viruses on Linux, but that doesn't mean you can ignore them, as we discover with this free-as-in-beer app.
(Mayank Sharma) Available as a PDF to subscribers.
CrossOver Games 7.2
Windows games are the last piece in the puzzle for many Linux users. Can CodeWeavers slay the dragon? (Andy Channelle) Available as a PDF to subscribers.
Qt Creator
The first release of the Qt toolkit under the auspices of Nokia has some excellen bonus features. (Graham Morrison) Available as a PDF to subscribers.
PCLinuxOS 2009
Can a single-CD distro produced by a tiny developer community keep up with the big boys? (Neil Bothwick) Available as a PDF to subscribers.
Orthodox file managers
On test: Krusader, EmelFM2, Gnome Commander, MuCommander, Midnight Commander, Beesoft Commander. (Mayank Sharma) Available as a PDF to subscribers.
More
News: A new patent war?
TomTom case may embolden Microsoft to take on other FAT21 'infringers'. Also: IBM's withdraws offer for Sun; Novell releases SUSE Linux Enterprise 11; strong growth for Red Hat; Hadoop; SGI acquired. (Andy Channelle) Available as a PDF to subscribers.
Distrowatch: Slack attack
Two Slackware derivatives hit the version 6.0 milestone. Plus: SimplyMepis 8, PCLinuxOS 2009.1, Xfce 4.6 released. (Susan Linton) Available as a PDF to subscribers.
