This is great news for the ToriOS team, we have now been mentioned on the Softpedia website
http://linux.softpedia.com/get/Linux-Distributions/ToriOS-103625.shtml
If you want to join the ToriOS team and help out please go to the website below and get in touch
The Debian Installer team[1] is pleased to announce the second beta
release of the installer for Debian 8 "Jessie".
Important changes in this release of the installer
==================================================
* Gnome is now the default desktop environment on Linux again.
* A list of desktop environments is displayed in tasksel, making it
easy to install another desktop environment (or several of them).
Unfortunately that is currently a bit underdocumented (#764026).
* Preliminary support for the arm64 and ppc64el architectures has been
added.
Other changes in this release of the installer
==============================================
* brltty: Append the configuration inherited from d-i to the end of
brltty.conf instead of overwriting it (which was thus losing the
documentation for the user).
* brltty: Enable accessibility in XFCE, LXDE and MATE sessions too.
* busybox: Add support for /32 subnets in udhcpc script (#652573).
* choose-mirror: Strip off any scheme part found at the start of
mirror/*/hostname (#706191).
* console-setup: Correct default keymap for South Korea (#756052).
* console-setup: Use nepali keymap for Nepali and Tharu by default.
* debian-installer:
- Fix the PXE boot images built for kfreebsd, hurd (#759686).
- Add fonts-lohit-guru-udeb to gtk images, fixing rendering for
Punjabi (#761573).
- Remove desktop selection from syslinux; now available in
tasksel.
- Keep Linux modules.builtin file in the initrd.
- Fix lib location and search path for syslinux >= 5 (#756275).
* fontconfig: Add conf.avail directory to the udeb, fixing broken
Monospace font in graphical installer (#739011).
* hw-detect: Improve driver injection disk support.
* hw-detect: Move firmware installation code to pre-pkgsel.d
* hw-detect: Correct detection of Macs needing to blacklist snd-aoa
modules (#650588).
* iso-scan: Do not error out when searching in folders with
shell-special characters in their name (#640789).
* lowmem: Update lowmem limits for linux-x86.
* lowmem: Make the / ramfs fill the whole memory again (#759336).
* netcfg: Do not kill_dhcp_client after setting the hostname and
domain, otherwise Linux udhcpc will stop renewing its lease, and on
other platforms dhclient will de-configure the network interface
(#757711, #757988).
* netcfg: Don't copy /etc/network/interfaces to /target if
netcfg/target_network_config=ifupdown (#709017).
* netcfg: Fix support for entering an ESSID manually, it was
previously getting ignored (#757478).
* preseed: Update auto-install/defaultroot for jessie.
* preseed: Always disable locale & keyboard question when auto is
enabled, even if no preseed file was given on boot, in case the dhcp
server provides it (#759290).
* rootskel: Update lowmem limit for gtk on linux-x86.
* rootskel: Use a tmpfs for some directories to avoid running out of
space in the fixed-size initrd on kfreebsd-* (#757985).
* rootskel-gtk: Update gtk-set-font to learn a new mapping (Lohit
Punjabi).
Hardware support changes
========================
* libdebian-installer: arm64: Detect UEFI based systems as "efi"
subarch.
* libdebian-installer: Add ppc64 and ppc64el support.
* linux:
- Include preliminary support for arm64 and ppc64el.
- udeb: Add ccm, ctr to crypto-modules (#761902).
- [armhf] udeb: Add ehci-platform, ohci-platform and phy-sun4i-usb
to usb-modules (#761591).
- udeb: Add rsi_usb to nic-wireless-modules
- udeb: Add ath6kl_sdio, libertas_cs, libertas_sdio, mwifiex_sdio,
r8192u_usb, r8723au, rtl8188eu, rtl818x_pci, rtl8723be,
rtl8821ae, spectrum_cs to nic-wireless-modules.
- [armel/orion5x] udeb: Include mvmdio in nic-modules udeb.
- udeb: Add new sound drivers to sound-modules (#756998).
Known bugs in this release
==========================
* Firmware handling: udev no longer reports missing firmware
(#725714), and patches for the kernel need polishing before we are
able to restore support for loading missing firmware.
* CD-ROM modules are missing on ppc64el, but the netboot flavour is
working correctly. This will be fixed in the next release.
Feedback for this release
=========================
We need your help to find bugs and further improve the installer, so
please try it. Installer CDs, other media and everything else you will
need are available at our web site[3].
Thanks
======
The Debian Installer team thanks everybody who has contributed to this
release.
1. http://wiki.debian.org/DebianInstaller/Team
2. http://www.debian.org/devel/debian-installer/errata
3. http://www.debian.org/devel/debian-installer
A School in Canada has saved thousands of dollars by ditching Windows 7 and adopting Linux
DATES FOR THE SPACE APPS CHALLENGE 2015 ANNOUNCED
This came through on e-mail today
Free & Open Source Software Outreach Program for Women ====================================================== The GNOME Foundation started the Free & Open Source Software Outreach Program for Women, OPW, in 2006. It was quite successful, and in the January-April 2013 round, many other FOSS organizations joined the program. We are happy to announce that Debian will participate in the next round (December '14-March '15) and, pending sponsorship, we'll offer up to three internships. You can find more details about the program: * http://wiki.debian.org/OutreachProgramForWomen with details about Debian's participation. * http://live.gnome.org/OutreachProgramForWomen with details about the program in general. Call for mentors and projects ============================= OPW allows applicants to work on any kind of project, including coding, design, marketing, web development... If you have any idea for a project and you want to mentor it, please contact us at opw@debian.org and we'll guide you through the process. OPW provides a lot of useful information for mentors on the GNOME Wiki at https://wiki.gnome.org/OutreachProgramForWomen/Admin/InfoForMentors. Please have a look, and don't hesitate to contact us if you have any question. Call for participants ===================== The main goal of this program is to increase the number of women in FOSS, so all women who are not yet a Debian Developer or a Debian Maintainer are encouraged to apply. There are no age restrictions and applicants don't need to be a student. If you want to apply, you must follow three steps: 1. Choose a project from the list of proposed projects on http://wiki.debian.org/OutreachProgramForWomen. Those lists may change as mentors add themselves over the next few weeks. 2. Make a small contribution to Debian. Projects will add a task the applicant must complete as part of the pre-selection process. If no task is provided, you are welcome to ask the mentors of the project. You can also make a different extra task of the one listed to show your skills and interest. 3. Create a page in the Debian wiki with your application. You can do so under pseudonym, but in that case, please give us information about yourself privately by email to the people below! The Debian OPW coordinators <opw@debian.org> Tom Marble Nicolas Dandrimont
On Friday 10th October Rick Timmis of the Exeter Linux user group will be presenting a talk on Rapid Application Development with Quickly (this comes with ubuntu or can be installed on ubuntu)
Meeting starts a 19:30
Exwick Old School -> Map
Exwick Road
Exeter
Devon
EX4 2AT
The first of our new format meetings, The kitchen will be open, for squash, tea and coffee.
There WILL be the opportunity for a “Fish n Chip” run, to the Exwick Fish and Chip shop, just around the corner.
Meet at the Exwick Ark Pre School (i.e LUG HQ) at 7:30pm
7:30 pm Arrival
7:45 – 8:30 pm Keynote session – Rapid Application Development with Quickly – Rick Timmis
Final reminder, Exeter Raspberry Pi jam Saturday 4th October 2014 : 10 – 12 at Exeter Library
Another opportunity for anyone who has the right skills and is willing to get involved
We're launching an emergency response "hackathon" this weekend to help Medecins sans Frontieres with a specific problem they're having in responding to the Ebola outbreak. They need a way to track patient information and more quickly find individual patients in their Emergency Treatment Centres. (more info in this Google Doc <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iv5VFdSsPnYyM7DcSrO8SoMMYsKov_8MhpJMi-6njNY/edit> ) *The solution may include a Raspberry Pi or Arduino Nano element which is why I wanted to ask you if you can help or know any really good developers who we should invite to the team?* We're forming a tight team of people from the Geeklist Corps of Developers + others in our networks who we know are good, to get together and work with MSF to build a solution that works and can be rapidly deployed. So far on the team we have Pim de Witte on back-end/Java, Gil Julio on Android app, and me on UX. We're going to have a kick-off call at 9pm BST / 10pm CEST tonight (Friday) to discuss more and form the team, then we'll likely get together in London this weekend. Can you help? - Dan
## Free Software Foundation statement on the GNU Bash "shellshock" vulnerability *This post can be viewed online at <https://fsf.org/news/free-software-foundation-statement-on-the-gnu-bash-shellshock-vulnerability>.* A major security vulnerability has been discovered in the free software shell GNU Bash. The most serious issues have already been fixed, and a complete fix is well underway. GNU/Linux distributions are working quickly to release updated packages for their users. All Bash users should upgrade immediately, and audit the list of remote network services running on their systems. Bash is the [GNU Project's][1] shell; it is part of the suite of software that makes up the GNU operating system. The GNU programs plus the kernel Linux form a commonly used complete [free software][2] operating system, called GNU/Linux. The bug, which is being referred to as "shellshock," can allow, in some circumstances, attackers to remotely access and control systems using Bash (and programs that call Bash) as an attack vector, regardless of what kernel they are running. The bug probably affects many GNU/Linux users, along with those using Bash on proprietary operating systems like Apple's OS X and Microsoft Windows. Additional technical details about the issue can be found [at CVE-2014-6271][3] and [CVE-2014-7169][4]. [GNU Bash][5] has been widely adopted because it is a free (as in freedom), reliable, and featureful shell. This popularity means the serious bug that was published yesterday is just as widespread. Fortunately, GNU Bash's license, the [GNU General Public License version 3][6], has facilitated a rapid response. It allowed [Red Hat][7] to develop and share patches in conjunction with Bash upstream developers efforts to fix the bug, which anyone can download and apply themselves. Everyone using Bash has the freedom to download, inspect, and modify the code -- unlike with Microsoft, Apple, or other proprietary software. Software freedom is a precondition for secure computing; it guarantees everyone the ability to examine the code to detect vulnerabilities, and to create new and safe versions if a vulnerability is discovered. Your software freedom does not guarantee bug-free code, and neither does proprietary software: bugs happen no matter how the software is licensed. But when a bug is discovered in free software, everyone has the permission, rights, and source code to expose and fix the problem. That fix can then be immediately freely distributed to everyone who needs it. Thus, [these freedoms][2] are crucial for ethical, secure computing. Proprietary, (aka nonfree) software relies on an unjust development model that denies users the basic freedom to control their computers. When software's code is kept hidden, it is vulnerable not only to bugs that go undetected, but to the easier deliberate addition and maintenance of [malicious features][8]. Companies can use the obscurity of their code to hide serious problems, and it has been documented that [Microsoft provides intelligence agencies with information about security vulnerabilities before fixing them][9]. Free software cannot guarantee your security, and in certain situations may appear less secure on specific vectors than some proprietary programs. As was widely agreed in the aftermath of the OpenSSL "Heartbleed" bug, the solution is not to trade one security bug for the very deep insecurity inherently created by proprietary software -- the solution is to put energy and resources into auditing and improving free programs. Development of Bash, and GNU in general, is almost exclusively a volunteer effort, and [you can contribute][5]. We are reviewing Bash development, to see if increased funding can help prevent future problems. If you or your organization use Bash and are potentially interested in supporting its development, please [contact us](donate@fsf.org). The patches to fix this issue can be obtained directly at <http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/bash/>. ### Media Contacts John Sullivan Executive Director Free Software Foundation +1 (617) 542 5942 <campaigns@fsf.org> [1]: https://www.gnu.org [2]: https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw [3]: https://web.nvd.nist.gov/view/vuln/detail?vulnId=CVE-2014-6271 [4]: https://web.nvd.nist.gov/view/vuln/detail?vulnId=CVE-2014-7169 [5]: https://www.gnu.org/software/bash/ [6]: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl [7]: https://securityblog.redhat.com/2014/09/24/bash-specially-crafted-environment-variables-code-injection-attack/ [8]: https://gnu.org/philosophy/proprietary [9]: http://www.computerworlduk.com/blogs/open-enterprise/how-can-any-company-ever-trust-microsoft-again-3569376/
With monthly Raspberry Pi jams in Paignton, what would you like to see at these jams. Given they are now more about just raspberry
At present we :
Help on how to get started, what you need to get started, what to buy etc
Show you some of the many add on boards etc available for the pi
Demonstrate projects based on the PI AND Arduino systems (which will hopefully inspire your projects)
Help with getting started with programming or provide advice on the next step for example where to go after using scratch.
We have a few laptops (with Linux)
Help with hardware projects (either stand along or linked to Pi , Arduino and similar devices)
Networking with other users
We would like to encourage young people to network with other young people and advocate collaboration and peer supported learning
We sometimes invite people in, for example in September we had the virtually safe team in who spent some time discussing the concerns of the young people at the jam
We also try and advocate other groups and initiatives that may be of interest to young people: for example Young rewired state, coder dojos, after school clubs. Promote events for adults for example hack4good events or hackathons on services such as geekli.stWe can also help with Linux user group related activities such as install and set up help for Linux. Advice on software or general discussion on related issues.Promote and advocate the use of free and open source software and the work of the Free software foundation Europe..Advocate and promote the new school Computer science curriculum. Enguage with parents, students and teachers in order to facilitate support if needed.Promote STEMnet and Stem activities. Free giveaways such as stickers if available, copies of Linux cd’s again when / where available.