Matt Hartley

I have been using Ubuntu full time for a few years now and Linux as a whole, for much longer. So realize I am writing this as a guy who uses the desktop - not a Windows using hack trying to stick up for Windows 7.
The above being said, Ubuntu us not really something that [...]

Skype is one of those applications available for Linux that I love to hate. It’s annoying because of its proprietary nature. So when it craps out, too bad. Yet at the same time, it remains the best VoIP app I have ever used.
But it appears that there may be a new day for this telephony [...]

It sounds impossible at first pass. Yet as you read on through this article, you slowly begin to realize something. Drivers made for specific hardware is done largely for the benefit of Microsoft’s OS. Same goes for software. But what about proprietary software, Linux doesn’t allow it? Hogwash - I use proprietary programs on Linux [...]

I remember the first time I used Ubuntu. Already being a Simply Mepis and Linspire user at the time, the jump to Ubuntu was only odd based on the use of the GNOME desktop over that of KDE. A few weeks of use later, I found myself loving GNOME vastly more than my info overload [...]

For many new and even some existing Linux users, finding the kind of support they are looking for is a bit of a challenge. Not that it is unavailable, rather if it is being offered in such a way as meeting the needs for someone that wants support beyond email.
The idea is a common request [...]

My bank, along with other banks out there fully realize the importance of being accessible to their customers. And this means not actively blocking Linux users trying to login to your banking website!
Not even sure how businesses are still getting away with this, but thankfully there are a couple of easy options to get around [...]

With the proper know how or at least a willingness to take a day to learn about a new operating system, yes, Ubuntu is a solid alternative to Windows. But not without taking time to get yourself out of the Windows mindset. I have used Ubuntu and Linux in general, for years. Today I use [...]

Assuming you buy into this article’s statement that somehow Adobe likes Open Source, you might find yourself wondering why everything they produce seems to be proprietary! Flash, Photoshop, you name it, it’s not open source.
Despite my skepticism, it does look like on the back end of things, Adobe does have some open source code rolling [...]

Purists must be screaming at their screens when watching Shuttleworth explaining why he thinks that in many ways, desktop Linux holds itself back significantly. Despite highlighting progress made, he is still bent on Ubuntu being more like the Mac.
Better cooperation is certainly a fair statement to consider, but is making things feel more like OS [...]

At first I thought the news of IBM and Canonical working together to deliver cloud based Linux desktops to the businesses out there sounded like a great idea. But then I remembered just how awful Lotus really is. Do we really want IBM doing anything with software these days?
My objections aside with regard to IBM, [...]

Investment and reward. It’s a concept that is clearly paying off nicely for Red Hat as their stock price overtook that of Microsoft on one fine day in October. And where Red Hat is playing it smart is by sticking to a proven market that has yielded them a lot of success - enterprise IT.
Microsoft [...]

In the past, I have been a fan of video editors such as Kdenlive, Kino and to a more advanced extent, Cinelerra. But to be totally honest, all of them leave something to be desired for various reasons. Kdenlive would be good, if it was not KDE based and not so easy to crash on [...]

I remember when Mandriva (then Mandrake), was THE newbie friendly distro to try merely a few years ago here in the States. Today, most new Linux users have no idea what Mandriva even is thanks to other friendly distros such as Ubuntu.
But it should be noted that we live in a wide world. And Mandriva [...]

First off I would say more power to it. I think this is great if this is what it takes for the project to continue. Clearly using Ubuntu as a base is not perfect for all projects, so it makes sense to use the tools that best meet the needs of the developers.
As long as [...]

Oftentimes it is difficult to explain the importance of JACK audio to those who are not doing something specific with audio editing. However, Guitarix is one such app that provides a clear demonstration of just how effective JACK can be when it comes to providing a rock guitar amp with your computer.
Definitely not an application [...]

Say what you will, but the Linux Foundation is nothing if not creative. This latest effort by the Foundation to get new members sounds pretty cool, but I am a bit confused about the companies being promoted.
Dell’s Ubuntu offerings are a joke, both in quality and selection. And HP does fantastic with their all-in-one printer [...]

I have been using Clonezilla off and on for a few years now. And with that, I would put myself into the category of people who are interested in using alterantives to Norton Ghost. For me, Clonezilla fits the bill nicely.
Not this is not to say that it might feel as GUI friendly as say [...]

I have read countless bug reports, forum posts and other rants about how much people hate PulseAudio. And despite only EVER seeing an issue with the now older version of Skype (today’s beta works fine), I cannot help but wonder if the biggest problem PulseAudio faces are the whining trolls that provide no usable info [...]

I have had a love/hate relationship with WINE for a number of years now. I have watched it mature, off-shoot projects such as Crossover Office make things with WINE easier to use. So when I heard that version 1.1.31 was out, I had to pay my respects.
Despite being a die-hard advocate for simply opting to [...]

Open source soda pop? Seriously? Yes, there really is such a thing. But unlike its software cousins, OpenCola is clearly not seeing anything close to the level of success seen with the various open source programs out there.
So what do open source apps and drinks have in common? The fact that the recipes/code are totally [...]