Linux vs Windows vs Mac

The brand new 2.6.26 Linux kernel comes with support for read-only bind mounts, x86 Page Attribute Tables (PAT), improved webcam support with the help of a driver for UVC devices, and many other improvements.

Linus Torvalds: "So it’s been almost three months since 2.6.25 (87 days to be exact, I think), making this a longer-than-usual release cycle. Or maybe it just feels that way, and we’re always getting close to three months these days."

The most important features introduced in this release:

• Read-only bind mounts
• KVM ported to IA64, PPC and S390
• Improved webcam support
• Wireless mesh networking (802.11s) draft support
• x86 PAT support
• Per-process securebits
• KGDB
• Device whitelist on cgroups
• Memtest
• Export BDI attributes in sysfs
• /proc/pid/mountinfo
• Generic semaphores

The new drivers introduced in this release:

Networking:
• ssb: add a new Gigabit Ethernet driver to the ssb core • New driver "sfc" for Solarstorm SFC4000 controller
• Add support the Korina (IDT RC32434) Ethernet MAC
• pasemi_mac: jumbo frame support, enable GSO by default, basic ethtool support
• ehea: Add DLPAR memory remove support
• Driver for IXP4xx built-in Ethernet ports

Graphics:
• radeon: Initial r500 support
• intel_agp: Add support for Intel 4 series chipsets
• i915: Add support for Intel series 4 chipsets
• pxafb: preliminary smart panel interface support
• Add support for Blackfin/Linux logo for framebuffer console

Sound:
• hda-codec - Allow multiple SPDIF devices, add SI HDMI codec support, add support of Zepto laptops, add model=mobile for AD1884A & co, add support for Toshiba Equium L30, etc.
• Davinci ASoC support
• Emagic Audiowerk 2 ALSA driver
• oxygen: add monitor controls
• pxa2xx-ac97: Support PXA3xx AC97

V4L/ DVB
• V4L2 soc_camera driver for PXA270
• Add support for the MT9M001 camera
• Add support for the MT9V022 camera
• Add support for the ISL6405 dual LNB supply chip
• Initial DVB-S support for MD8800 /CTX948
• cx23885: Add support for the Hauppauge HVR1400, add generic cx23417 hardware encoder support
• Add mxl5505s driver for MaxiLinear 5505 chipsets, basic digital support

SCSI
• zfcp: Add trace records for recovery thread and its queues
• qla2xxx: Add support for host supported speeds FC transport attribute
• scsi_debug: support large non-fake virtual disk
• m68k: new mac_esp scsi driver
• Add support for variable length extended commands
• Firmware: add iSCSI iBFT Support

Slowly but surely, the last major update of the Immortal OS, Windows XP is becoming available via almost every method, with the last thing that needs to be checked by Microsoft being Automatic Updates. The Redmond company will roll out XP SP3 through Automatic Updates ’shortly,’ thus making the 1000+ updates-including package available to practically anyone with XP installed (and an internet connection).

Hopefully ’shortly’ in MS talk means before the end of this week.

Windows® XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) includes all previously released updates for the operating system. This update also includes a small number of new functionalities, which do not significantly change customers’ experience with the operating system. This white paper summarizes what is new in Windows XP SP3.

Blizzard Entertainment has announced a new patch for Warcraft III for Mac - new features, a slew of fixes and new maps.

The new Warcraft III update is aimed at both the standalone game and its expansion, The Frozen Throne. This latest update brings the game to version 1.22 introducing the following feature additions and bug fixes:

What’s new:

• A replay auto-save feature in the options menu. Replays are automatically saved to the "replay" folder.
• The game is now automatically saved in the event of a potential disconnect. These saved games are placed in the "save" folder.

Bug fixes:

• The cooldown on unlimited usable items (example: the staff of preservation) now persists after the item is dropped or traded.
• A cooldown exploit with potions has been fixed.
• When you unburrow a Crypt Fiend, its auto-cast will no longer be toggled off.
• An exploit bug in which items could lose their cooldowns when transferred between heroes has been fixed.
• Fixed DotA-specific sound effects on Intel Macs.
• Fixed sound falloff on Intel Macs. Distant sounds should now still be audible.