Show Notes: Episode 90

  • Where the Linux Desktop Leaves Windows in the Dust
    Bruce Byfield
    Contributing Editor, Linux.com

    Points covered:
    - Linux offers multiple desktops: KDE, Xfce, and GNOME are the more common ones. I’ll be focusing on GNOME. Apps for one desktop are usable on other ones.
    - Virtually everything is customizable: Themes, panel options, panel apps.
    - Workspaces (AKA virtual desktops) provide a quick way of increasing space on the monitor.
    - Linux is also close to having workable 3-D desktops like Beryl for high end machines.
    - The Linux desktop is so configurable that some sysadmins have recreated the look of Windows to make users comfortable. Most haven’t noticed the difference.

    RELATED WEBSITE LINKS

    GNOME: www.gnome.org
    KDE: www.kde.org
    Xfce: www.xfce.org
    Art.gnome.org: www.art.gnome.org
    KDE Look: www.kde-look.org
    Xfce-look: www.xfce-look.org

    PRODUCTS SHOWN
    GNOME, KDE, Xfce: all free software

  • Ajax on iPhone
    Andre Charland
    President and Co-Founder, Nitobi

    Although the iPhone is a mobile device software is built for it in much same way software is built for the web today. The iPhone’s web browser, Safari, has nearly all the features found in desktop browser such Internet Explorer, Firefox or Safari. Through the Safari browser developers can build rich internet application specifically for the iPhone using HTML and Ajax skills they already have. This is a significant breakthrough for web developers using Ajax they can build web applications for web browsers, desktop applications using Adobe AIR and mobile applications for the iPhone with the same skills and technologies. A quick overview of similarities and differences from web applications will show you what to expect for features and functionality found in iPhone apps. You’ll see some cool demos of popular online apps that have new versions designed specifically for the iPhone. You’ll learn what types of applications to expect for the iPhone, what the current limitations are and where to go to learn more about developing for the iPhone.

    RELATED WEBSITE LINKS
    -Nitobi www.nitobi.com
    -On Air Bus Tour iPhone Site http://onair.adobe.com/iphone - best used from iPhone
    -Digg for iPhone www.digg.com/iphone
    -iPhone Apps - http://iphoneapplicationlist.com/
    -iPhone SDK on Apple site - http://developer.apple.com/iphone/
    -iPhone Dev camp - http://barcamp.org/iPhoneDevCamp
    -Flickr – www.flickr.com
    -iPhone Chat App - http://www.mundu.com/im/iphone/
    -iUI - http://www.joehewitt.com/iui/

    PRODUCTS SHOWN
    Apple iPhone, 8GB
    $599 USD