Linux News Weekly Round-up 7

This is our seventh Linux news weekly round-up. Enjoy!

1. Steam’d Penguins
   The Steam gaming platform has officially been brought to Linux! Valve, the maker of Steam, is currently in the process of porting games to the Steam Linux gaming platform.
2. Demand rises for Raspberry Pi’s $35 Linux computer
   It is nice to see demand growing for this ARM-based Linux system. And now, you can now order these Raspberry Pi’s in bulk. The Raspberry Pi enables people to build their own Linux system at a small cost.
3. Dell’s Ubuntu Laptop Program Enters Beta, ‘Blows Away’ Expectations
   Dell is helping to make Canonical founder Mark Shuttleworth’s expectations of shipping Ubuntu on 5% of PCs worldwide a reality. The project, dubbed by Dell as “Project Sputnik”, has just entered beta: according to Dell’s website, a “limited number of applicants will be selected to receive a discounted, beta version solution” with the Ubuntu operating system pre-loaded.
4. Linux Mint 13 “Maya” KDE RC released
   A lightweight KDE-based version of the popular Linux Mint operating system has just been released.
5. Firefox 14 Released With New Security Features
   Mozilla has just announced a new version of their Firefox browser. Some of the most notable changes have to do with protecting the user and identifying secure and insecure sites.
6. MeeGo Startup Jolla Signs Deal
   Jolla is on a mission to revive the Linux-based open-source operating system for phones: they are expected to release at least two new Meego-powered smartphones later this year. They have taken the first step by signing a deal with China’s D.Phone.
7. The Linux desktop, thanks to Chromebooks, goes retail
   The Chromebook, a PC geared toward people who “live on the web” has just made its way into Best Buy in the United States. Google’s Chrome OS is based on Linux.

A note about our current non-profit status

Linux4Hope is an organization dedicated to serving our community by providing Linux-powered computers to those in need. You may have seen on websites (including our own), social media outlets, and flyers saying that we are a non-profit organization. Although this is true, as we use our resources to improve the organization and help others, we currently have not officially achieved 501(c)(3) non-profit status.

Achieving our 501(c)(3) is our number one goal at the moment. We have begun the process of registering as an official non-profit; although we have come across a few obstacles, we hope we can be registered soon.

It is important for us to be officially registered as it will open opportunities for Linux4Hope. This will enable those who donate to us to have the ability to claim a federal income tax deduction. It is our hope that that will convince more individuals to look in their sheds or garages for old computers and/or computer accessories that may be beneficial to our cause. Companies will be able to ask us for our tax ID number, and we will be able to receive donations from them as well. Having 501(c)(3) status will also allow us to receive both private and public grants, as well as special discounts on mailing.

In summary, achieving 501(c)(3) status will truly benefit this organization and will help us serve our communities more effectively. I would like to thank those of you who have supported us from the beginning and for your continued support. Take care.

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Jaylen Wimbish, losangelesca@linux4hope.org

How to start a Linux4Hope branch in your area

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We have seen an increased interest in people wanting to start a Linux4Hope branch in their city, so here’s a short guide on how to do that.

Running a Linux4Hope branch takes dedication and a desire to help those in need. Before committing to this, be sure that you can make the time each week to do what needs to be done with your branch.

First and foremost, you’ll need to contact Jaylen Wimbish at losangelesca@linux4hope.org, stating your interest in starting a branch. For now, we are focusing on increasing our number of branches in the United States.

Once you are given the “go-ahead”, we will list you on this site. You will then need to follow these tips to get started:

• We strongly recommend having a team in your branch to ensure that the handling of applications and delivering of computers is handled efficiently and in a timely manner.
• The first step in running your branch is to, of course, receive computers that can be donated. This is more of an active process than a passive process. We recommend that you post flyers about Linux4Hope in your area  to encourage people to donate used computers to our cause, and to encourage those-in-need to apply.
• Once you start receiving computers, you will need to install a Linux operating system on them (not a dual-boot). We recommend the Ubuntu operating system or one of its official derivatives; choose the operating system carefully- consider the capabilities of the computer in your choice. You will, effectively, wipe out all pre-existing data on the computer while providing applicants with a safe-and-secure operating system.
• Applicants are to receive, at minimum, the PC, a monitor, a keyboard, and a mouse. We encourage you to help them set up their computer in their house, and answer any questions they may have about the computer or about Linux4Hope. 
• It is your responsibility to check your Linux4Hope account frequently for any new applications for your branch. Instructions on how to do this will be given in detail once you request to start a branch.

We want to thank you for your interest in Linux4Hope. Our current goal is to expand our cause and reach non-profit 501(c)(3) status, and with your help, we can do that.