More articles by Bruce Byfield
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Ubuntu and the Missing Community Link By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published May 14, 2013 Small events can have big consequences. Debian 7: The New Upstream By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published May 7, 2013 Just because the new Debian release isn't focused on the desktop doesn't mean it won't be influential. Raving Ringtail: The Mixed Motives of Ubuntu 13.04 By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published April 24, 2013 The latest version of Unity mirrors the increasing conflicts within Canonical and Ubuntu. GNOME 3 and Unity Alternatives: Cinnamon vs. Mate By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published April 16, 2013 Looking for the GNOME 2 experience? Linux Mint is the obvious choice. But how do its two desktops--Cinnamon and Mate--compare? GNOME or KDE? The Old Question Is New Today By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published April 9, 2013 Despite the growing number of choices, the question on the desktop today remains "GNOME or KDE?" Nine Myths That Shouldn't Stop You From Trying Debian By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published April 2, 2013 Debian's reputation is out of keeping with what it actually offers. The Incremental GNOME 3.8: Doing What the Project Does Best By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published March 26, 2013 GNOME 3 isn't for everyone. But for those who like it, the latest release is the most usable yet. Ubuntu, openSUSE and the Definition of Easy By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published March 19, 2013 There's less difference between Ubuntu and a traditional distro than many often claim. Ubuntu's Community Problem By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published March 12, 2013 Are the interests of Canonical and Ubuntu identical? Some Ubuntu contributors are starting to question that assumption. GNOME Classic Repeats History By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published March 5, 2013 Considering the discussion that preceded its creation, GNOME Classic looks likely to disappointment users. How Ubuntu Turned Search in the Dash into a PR Crisis By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published February 26, 2013 Sometimes, how you handle a feature's criticisms is as important as its specs. Ubuntu Pros and Cons By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published February 19, 2013 Is Ubuntu the last, best hope of Linux? Or the betrayer of everything that open source stands for? Seven Features I Fantasize About Seeing on the Linux Desktop By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published February 12, 2013 Which innovations might improve the free desktop without scaring users away? Why the Linux Desktop Needs More Usability Testing By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published February 5, 2013 The open source community often neglects usability testing—and projects can suffer as a result. Nine Improvements Overdue in LibreOffice Writer By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published January 29, 2013 The latest version adds some welcome new features, but LibreOffice Writer has some legacy issues that should have been addressed years ago. 9 Things That Are Never Admitted About Open Source By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published January 22, 2013 What are the taboo subjects in open source today? You might guess some of them, but others might surprise you. Can the Ubuntu Phone Succeed? By Bruce Byfield | Mobile/Wireless Article Published January 8, 2013 The Ubuntu phone faces significant challenges on its way to market. 9 Major 2012 Events That Will Influence the Linux Desktop in Coming Years By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published December 27, 2012 2012 was a lively year on the Linux Desktop, with the promise of more to come next year. 10 Linux Live Disks Worth Exploring By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published December 18, 2012 Live Disks are an essential part of open source culture. Top Linux Trends 2012-2013 By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published December 11, 2012 What stories trended in 2012? Which ones will affect open source next year? The answer is not always obvious -- and some stories have been under-reported. GNOME's Next Step By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published December 4, 2012 OK, GNOME has listened -- once. But that is only the beginning of the recovery process it needs to go through. The Cost of Ubuntu By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published November 26, 2012 It seems unlikely that the Ubuntu desktop will ever turn a profit. Dropping GNOME Fallback Mode: The Right Decision, Wrongly Handled By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published November 13, 2012 In dropping fallback mode, GNOME made the right decision -- and utterly failed to communicate that fact. Experimentation vs. Tradition: The Future of Innovation on the Linux Desktop By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published November 8, 2012 The new diversity of Linux desktop choices could actually hinder innovation. Choosing a Desktop: Mate vs Xfce By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published October 31, 2012 Trying to decide between Mate and Xfce as your Linux desktop? Although both come from a similar tradition, the two are more than just equivalents. State of Sexism in FOSS By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published October 23, 2012 Women's issues have become accepted concerns in open source. What is there to show for all the effort? Ubuntu 12.10: The Controversies Continue By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published October 16, 2012 The latest version of Ubuntu is showing the first signs of conflicting design goals. Desktop Linux: Diversity is the New Reality By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published October 9, 2012 Diversity on the Linux desktop? It's extensive and it's here to stay -- and it's just what the desktop needs. 45 Free Android Apps for Productivity By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published October 2, 2012 Free Android apps can turn your tablet into a mini-office. Desktop Dis-Unity: Ubuntu Adds Web-Search to the Desktop By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published September 25, 2012 The problem isn't that Ubuntu introduced an affiliate program. It's the program's implementation that is attracting criticism. Desktop Linux: Has Ubuntu's Unity Surpassed the Mac? By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published September 18, 2012 Shuttleworth claims to have made good on his challenge to provide a better desktop than OS X. Can his claim survive a close scrutiny? Desktop Linux: The GNOME 3 Release Series Extensions By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published September 11, 2012 The GNOME Shell Extensions may be just what the Linux desktop needs to end its user revolt. Desktop Linux Revolt: How KDE Survived Its User Backlash By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published September 5, 2012 How does a Linux desktop survive a user revolt? The recent history of KDE suggests some answers. GNOME Answers Criticisms By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published August 28, 2012 Key personnel in the GNOME Project respond to the Linux desktop's highly vocal critics. Is GNOME Still Needed? By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published August 21, 2012 What happens to GNOME is going to have consequences beyond the immediate project. GNOME: Seven Possible Recovery Strategies By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published August 17, 2012 Okay, GNOME is in trouble. What are its options for the future? Which Linux Desktop Will Dominate in the Future? By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published August 7, 2012 Will KDE, GNOME, Xfce, Unity, Cinnamon or Mate hold the lead in the years ahead? Seven Expectations of Linux Users By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published July 24, 2012 The assumptions built in to Linux accustom its users to taking charge of their computing. KDE 4.9: More Change Than You'd Expect By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published July 17, 2012 The upcoming KDE 4.9 Software Compilation offers improvements in Activities, along with a slew of minor refinements. Copyleft.next and the Future of GNU General Public Licenses By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published July 10, 2012 A bigwig at Red Hat launches a new licensing project, fueling major speculation. Nine Ways to Make KDE Activities More Useful By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published July 3, 2012 With a few small improvements, KDE Activities would be recognized as the innovative tool it is. Nine Reasons to Choose GNOME 2 Clones By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published June 26, 2012 A GNOME 2 clone will never be the most innovative of desktops, yet it gets the job done without fuss. Linux Desktops and Linux Personalities: What's Your Perfect Match? By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published June 19, 2012 Finding your perfect match with a Linux desktop environment can be worse than using an online dating site. Here are some suggestions to clarify the process. The GNOME Exodus and KDE By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published June 12, 2012 KDE is a mature desktop. So why aren't users who are fleeing Unity and the GNOME Shell considering it as an alternative? LibreOffice vs. MS Office: Spreadsheets and Slide Shows By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published June 6, 2012 How do LibreOffice's slide show and spreadsheet apps stack up against their equivalents in Microsoft Office? Is Xfce a GNOME and Unity Replacement? By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published May 30, 2012 The new Xfce just might be a refuge for users fleeing GNOME and Unity. Fragmentation on the Linux Desktop (Is it Normal?) By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published May 8, 2012 The Linux desktop's many choices may make it appear chaotic. 7 Reasons to Like and Dislike Ubuntu Unity By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published May 1, 2012 In its latest release, Unity is neither as hopeless as its detractors insist nor as extraordinary as its supporters claim. How Microsoft Office Tops LibreOffice: 11 Features By Bruce Byfield | Applications Article Published April 23, 2012 LibreOffice is developing rapidly, but Office still outclasses it in some areas. Linux Mint's Mate: GNOME 2 Lives Again By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published April 17, 2012 Linux Mint's Mate is the most successful of all the efforts to keep GNOME 2 alive. How LibreOffice Writer Tops MS Word: 12 Features By Bruce Byfield | Applications Article Published April 10, 2012 If you think LibreOffice Writer is outclassed by MS Word, you need to take another look. GNOME 3.4: A Question Searching for an Answer By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published April 3, 2012 GNOME 3.4 is full of small changes. But what these changes add up to is open to debate. Linux Mint's Cinnamon Recreates GNOME 2 By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published March 27, 2012 With some needed improvements Cinnamon might become the main GNOME desktop. But it's not there yet. GNOME 2 vs. GNOME 3 By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published March 19, 2012 Is GNOME 3 really an improvement over GNOME 2? Seven Tools for Improving Ubuntu Unity By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published March 13, 2012 Those who dislike Unity are finding ways to make it more like its ancestor GNOME 2. The GNOME 2 Zombie By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published March 5, 2012 Disappointment with GNOME 3 has users pining for GNOME 2. But it's not always wise to resurrect the dead. Why Distros Are (or Aren't) Using Ubuntu's Unity By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published February 28, 2012 Why do distributions decide to use or not use Unity? The answers aren't what you'd expect. The KDE Death Watch By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published February 20, 2012 Ever since Kubuntu lost its funding from Canonical, people have been talking about the decline of KDE. Is the concern real? Why Isn't GNOME Listening? By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published February 13, 2012 What has GNOME learned from user reactions to GNOME 3? Apparently, only how to ignore feedback. Nine Rules for Designing a Linux Desktop By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published February 7, 2012 The Linux user revolts of recent times could be avoided by following these guidelines. The Dilemma of the Linux Desktop By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published January 31, 2012 Between Ubuntu's Unity and Linux Mint's Cinnamon, we have a snapshot of the Linux desktop in crisis. KDE vs. Windows 7 By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published January 23, 2012 Can a free Linux desktop actually rival Windows 7? The Fragmentation of the Linux Desktop By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published January 17, 2012 Dissatisfaction with Unity and GNOME, among other factors, is wreaking havoc on the Linux desktop. The Mystery of KDE Activities By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published January 11, 2012 Activities are one of KDE's best features. So why do so many users know nothing about them? Nine Open Source Discoveries I Made in 2011 By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published December 19, 2011 A Linux pundit discusses the choice open source software and solutions he started using this past year. 2011: The Year of Linux Disappointments By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published December 13, 2011 As years go, 2011 was a kidney stone of a year for free and open source software. KDE Widgets: Why They Matter By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published December 6, 2011 KDE offers a broad array of widgets to make your daily work easier and faster. Is Linux Mint an Ubuntu-Killer? By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published December 1, 2011 User traffic and key design changes suggest that Mint is a serious challenger to the King of Linux. 7 Reasons Why Free Software Is Losing Influence By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published November 22, 2011 Why are free software ideals less popular than they were five years ago? The answer's complicated and perhaps a bit controversial. KDE vs. Trinity: Is One Really Better? By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published November 15, 2011 How does KDE 4 compare with Trinity, the fork based on KDE 3? The advantages are not as one-side as you might think. GNOME vs. KDE vs. Unity: Performing Seven Basic Tasks By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published November 8, 2011 How do the top Linux desktops compare when you're doing basic tasks? The answers may surprise you. Is the Linux Desktop Dead? By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published November 1, 2011 The increased importance of mobile computing raises questions about the Linux desktop's future. Judging Ubuntu: Failures and Successes By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published October 25, 2011 On Ubuntu's seventh anniversary, the dominant Linux distribution has a mixed record. Which Ubuntu Variant is Right For You? By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published October 18, 2011 Ubuntu variants allow you to remain within Ubuntu while finding the exact options and sub-community you prefer. KDE's 'Plasma Active' Tops GNOME 3 and Unity By Bruce Byfield | Open Source Article Published October 11, 2011 Designed for touch screen tablets, KDE's Plasma Active is clearly superior to its rivals. |
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