I have been horribly preoccupied with family issues, and the like, since last year; and have not been as involved with my favorite Linux distribution as I want to be. While I hope that can change, I have been keeping up on posting the current '.iso' files to the download directory of
http://mepis.gabston-howell.org/. I do, however, encourage you to visit the
MEPIS Store to support the continued development and availability of the distribution.
For those who may not be aware of it, SimplyMEPIS 8.0 is now in its third beta release iteration:
Morgantown, WV, Oct 20, 2008 -- The third beta of of SimplyMEPIS 8.0 has been released for 32 and 64 bit processors. It is available in the testing directory at MEPIS download sites as SimplyMEPIS-CD_7.9.90-beta_32.iso and SimplyMEPIS-CD_7.9.90-beta_64.iso.
Testing and debugging of minor issues continues. The only major change for this release is a switch to the recently released 2.6.27 kernel. Warren Woodford of MEPIS explains this unexpected move, "In general, the 2.6.26 kernel was working well, but we knew of a couple of problems. The Intel e01000 series drivers needed to be updated and aufs seemed to be a bit unstable. In 2.6.27 the Intel and kernel teams have addressed several Intel driver issues and, in my personal experience, aufs seems to be stable again. As a bonus, 2.6.27 enhances support for IPv6, which we think will become more and more important during the lifecycle of the 8.0 release. Plus, Adrian Bunk at kernel.org has announced that the 2.6.27 kernel will get long term support."
ISO images of new MEPIS beta releases are published to the 'testing' subdirectory at the MEPIS Subscriber's Site and at MEPIS public mirrors. To support the ongoing development of MEPIS, new users are encouraged go to the MEPIS store at http://www.mepis.org and become MEPIS subscribers.
About SimplyMEPIS
SimplyMEPIS is a mature and ready to use desktop operating system for PCs and Apple computers that have Intel or AMD 32 or 64 bit processors. It is easier than Vista and intuitive for XP and Win98 users. SimplyMEPIS includes all of the applications that most users need and want. SimplyMEPIS is designed to replace or work side by side with Vista or XP on PCs and OSX on Apple computers.
About MEPIS LLC
MEPIS LLC was founded in 2002 by computer industry veteran Warren Woodford. In addition to developing MEPIS Linux, MEPIS provides senior consulting servcies for product strategy, architecture design, business and systems analysis; and cross-platform software development assistance.
For those of you familiar with my MEPIS mirror, the new testing '.iso' files are now up and available for you to download,
here.
Again, though, please allow me to highly recommend that you support MEPIS by buying a
Gold Download Subscription from the
MEPIS Store.
Now, I really don't know how you feel about the idea of supporting the development and availability of an Open Source Linux Distribution like SimplyMEPIS; and, within that day-to-day existence of guiding the kids through their homeschooling and making sure the family has something to eat, and wear, I probably don't think very much about it--and probably couldn't care less when it's time to keep dinner from burning, or keep the kids up on two wheels and out of traffic--but I am going to attempt to reason with you for a sec, here.
You are free to believe that Open Source Software of the lowest quality, is the antithesis of Capitalism, and is poised to unhinge the world economic system and put everyone out of work. You are free to believe whatever lies you want..and you are just as free not to use Linux. Just don't spend your time spreading disinformation about Open Source (which would probably mean that you should never quote the likes of Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer, Rob Enderle and David Coursey).
It's a "Lead, follow, or get out of the way!" kind of thing.
On the other hand, if you use Open Source Software, you have derived a benefit from the work of your fellow human beings. The question then becomes one of offering just compensation for the benefits you have received, or taking advantage of others.
You can call me idealistic, but I really do want us to live in the kind of world where the Honor System works, and I do want to believe that there are more people out there who would support the work of others than not:
David Drumlin: I know you must think this is all very unfair. Maybe that's an understatement. What you don't know is I agree. I wish the world was a place where fair was the bottom line, where the kind of idealism you showed at the hearing was rewarded, not taken advantage of. Unfortunately, we don't live in that world.
Ellie Arroway: Funny, I've always believed that the world is what we make of it.
Open Source does--largely--work on the Honor Principle; which means that, if you take, you should give back.
A Gold Download Subscription is only $49.91 (US) per year, and I know most of you can afford that easily. Two or three CDs, a (really cheap) dinner for two, less than a tank-full of gasoline ("Petrol" for those of you on the other side of the pond), three pounds of whole coffee beans...the list goes on and on, but the point is this: Are you seriously THAT strapped that you can't cut-loose with that kind of loose change?
OK...I'll admit that this year has been bad. Very Bad. We're all hurting, and many of us are hurting in big ways that you'll never hear about. So are the folks who worked so hard to provide you with Open Source Software--they have bills to pay, too, you know.
If you can't let go of the fifty bucks, at least try to do something within your means...even five bucks helps, if there are enough of you doing it.
To preempt the inevitable questioner who WILL crop-up:
NO. I have no financial involvement with MEPIS, LLC or Warren Woodford; nor do I work for either entity. I will derive no benefit from your paying for what you use.
The world is what we make of it.
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OK, kids. That's the sermon for today, and I'm sorry for rambling-on that way.
We return you to your previously-programmed channel.
