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Linux is all about choices. More often then not there are those that disagree with some of those choices.

Ubuntu 12.10 includes features that are supposed to make it easier for users to find the stuff they want. One example is the Amazon integration which helps users by showing them stuff they might want if they are searching. According to Free Software Foundation   (FSF)  Founder Richard Stallman (RMS), Ubuntu is actually 'spying' on users.

"When the user searches her own local files for a string using the Ubuntu desktop, Ubuntu sends that string to one of Canonical's servers," Stallman wrote.

In Stallman's view this is happening without user consent, even though there is the clear option for any user to simply turn the 'feature' off.

"Even if it were disabled by default, the feature would still be dangerous: "opt in, once and for all" for a risky practice, where the risk varies depending on details, invites carelessness," Stallman stated. "To protect users' privacy, systems should make prudence easy: when a local search program has a network search feature, it should be up to the user to choose network search explicitly each time."

Going a step further, Stallman wants Free Software advocates to avoid Ubuntu all together now, and not install or recommend it to others.

While RMS might not be rushing to try out the latest version of Ubuntu, many others likely still are.

This past week the first Alpha for what will become Ubuntu 13.04, the Raring Ringtail was officially released. The Alpha though is only available with Kubuntu and Edubuntu images for now.

"At the end of the 12.10 development cycle, the Ubuntu flavour decided that it would reduce the number of milestone images going forward and the focus would concentrate on daily quality and fortnightly testing rounds known as cadence testing," Ubuntu developers Stephane Graber wrote in a mailing list posting. "Based on that change, The Ubuntu product itself will not have an Alpha-1 release."

Grabe added that the first milestone release for Ubuntu 13.04 will be the Final Beta, set for release on March 28th, 2013.

Red Hat is also busy working on its next generation of Linux. This past week, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.4 (RHEL) was released, providing new virtualization and Microsoft interoperability features.

On the interoperability side the System Security Services Daemon (SSSD) has been enhanced to work with Microsoft Active Directory. Support for Microsoft Hyper-v virtualization has also been extended.

Sean Michael Kerner is a senior editor at InternetNews.com, the news service of the IT Business Edge Network, the network for technology professionals Follow him on Twitter @TechJournalist.

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Linux is all about options. More often and not there are those who do not agree with some of these options.

Ubuntu 12.10 includes features that are supposed to make it easier for users to find what they want. An example is the Amazon integration that helps users showing them things want to if you are looking for. According to the Free Software Foundation (FSF) founder Richard Stallman (RMS), Ubuntu is really 'spying' on the users.

"When the user searches local files for a string using the Ubuntu desktop, Ubuntu sends that string to one of Canonical servers," Stallman wrote.

In view of Stallman this happens without the user's consent, although there is the clear choice for any user to simply turn off the 'function'.

"" Even if they were disabled by default, the function would still be dangerous: "once for all" for choose either a risky practice, where the risk varies depending on details, invites neglect, "Stallman said."To protect the privacy of users, systems should make easy caution: when a local search program has a function of network search, must be the user must choose the network search explicitly every time. "

Goes a step further, Stallman wants free software advocates to prevent Ubuntu all together now and do not install or recommend to others.

While RMS could not be running to test the latest version of Ubuntu, many others who are probably still.

Last week was officially released the first alpha for what will become Ubuntu 13.04, the Ringtail workouts. Alpha though it is only available with images of Kubuntu and Edubuntu by now.

"At the end of the cycle of 12.10 development, the Ubuntu flavor decided that it would reduce the number of images of milestone in the future and focus concentrates on the quality daily and fortnightly testing rounds known as proof of the Cadence," the developers of Ubuntu Stéphane Graber wrote in a mailing list publication. "Based on that change, Ubuntu the product itself does not have an Alpha-1 version."

Record added that the first version of Ubuntu 13.04 milestone will be the Final Beta, scheduled for release on March 28, 2013.

He is also busy working on their next generation of Red Hat Linux. Last week, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 6.4 was released, providing interoperability of Microsoft and new virtualization features.

On the side of interoperability system security services Daemon (SSSD) has been enhanced to work with Microsoft Active Directory. Support for virtualization of Microsoft Hyper - v has also been extended.

Sean Michael Kerner is a senior editor at InternetNews.com, the news service of the network of edge of business IT, the network for technology professionals to follow on Twitter @TechJournalist.

View the original article here