Tags: fixstars | linux | Press Release | software | yellow dog

Fixstars is releasing their first version of Yellow Dog Linux after their recent asset purchase of Terrasoft.  Yellow Dog Linux v6.1 brings a bevy of updates to the table from the Linux PPC/Cell specialty shop including newer stock versions of Xorg, GCC, and the Linux kernel.  Read on for Fixstars full press release.

YELLOW DOG LINUX v6.1 OFFERS ADVANCED CELL EXPERIENCE

AUSTIN, Texas - 19 November 2008 - From the show floor of SuperComputing 2008, 
booth #1915, Fixstars today released Yellow Dog Linux v6.1 for Apple G4/G5, 
Sony PLAYSTATION3, PowerStation, and IBM Power Systems. Built upon the CentOS 
foundation, a derivative of Red Hat Enterprise Linux, YDL v6.1 offers several 
end-user and development tool improvements over the previous v6.0.

"This marks the final release of Yellow Dog Linux by Terra Soft and the first 
by Fixstars," states Owen Stampflee, Fixstars Solutions' Director of 
Engineering, "In the past five years we have made incremental improvements 
with each release, always pressing for a higher quality end user experience. 
In some updates, we focus on the desktop; in others the development 
environment. With version 6.1 we have accomplished a unique blend of both. I 
am personally proud of what we offer with this version of Yellow Dog, and 
believe our users will enjoy it as well."

Satoshi Miki, Fixstars Chief Executive Officer states, "We are proud to not 
only acquire and tightly integrate YDL into our product and service 
offerings, but to be a part of this particular release which intentionally 
addresses the needs of the Cell developer. Having been a YDL user for more 
than two years, to launch our first Fixstars' branded YDL distribution is a 
proud moment for my company."

For end users, Yellow Dog Linux v6.1 offers an updated Firefox and 
OpenOffice.org, a vastly improved graphical wireless configuration tool, and 
the introduction of ps3vram functionality which enables use of PS3 video RAM 
for temporary storage or swap.

For developers, v6.1 offers the latest stable kernel, an updated GCC, the open 
portion of the IBM Cell SDK v3.1, and through a working relationship with the 
Barcelona Supercomputing Center, YDL v6.1 now ships with the new Cell 
Superscalar.

With the appearance of new multicore processor architectures, the Cell 
Broadband Engine included, there is a need for new programming paradigms. 
CellSs is a programming model that addresses the automatic exploitation of 
functional parallelism from a sequential application with annotations.

Yellow Dog Linux v6.1 supports:
 - Sony PS3.
 - Apple PowerPC G4, G5.
 - YDL PowerStation.
 - IBM System p (JS2x, 510, 520, 540).

Yellow Dog Linux v6.1 offers these updates over v6.0:
 - Kernel 2.6.27
 - GCC 4.1.2
 - Cell SDK 3.1
 - Firefox 3.0
 - OpenOffice 2.3 (v3.0 coming to YDL.net Enhanced soon!)
 - X.org 1.4.999 with xrandr 1.2.2
 - Dramatically improved, automated wireless config.
 - GUI configuration tool for YDL.net.
 - Bluetooth support for the PS3 Sixaxis controller.
 - Barcelona Supercomputing Center CellSs.
 - ps3vram for fast, temp file storage or swap using video RAM.

Users often state that YDL is the simplest to install of any distribution. 
Post-installation, the default applications are a makes-sense offering of the 
industry standards: Firefox web browser, Thunderbird email, Pidgin IM/IRC 
client, Ekiga voice over IP, OpenOffice, gThumb and GIMP, the Fluendo 
multimedia player installer, and a suite of personal accessories.

	To learn more about the default installed applications, visit:
	http://us.fixstars.com/products/ydl/apps.shtml

	The FireFox home page offers a tutorial for YDL and E17:
	http://us.fixstars.com/support/configuration/

	YDL v6.1 will be available by the close of today via YDL.net 
	Enhanced accounts which may be purchased at:
	http://us.fixstars.com/store/

The physical DVD sets will ship from Fixstars in 2 weeks. The public mirrors 
will offer v6.1 downloads in one month.

To speak with Satoshi Miki, CEO of Fixstars; Kai Staats, COO of Fixstars 
Solutions; or Owen Stampflee, Director of Engineering and lead Yellow Dog 
Linux engineer, please stop by booth #1915 at SC08:
http://sc08.supercomputing.org/


About Fixstars, Inc.
Fixstars is the pioneering company of the Cell Broadband Engine, high 
performance multi-core processor. Fixstars enables the increase in 
performance of Cell based operations through provision of a complete, 
integrated ecosystem with specific turn-key products for Finance, Medical, 
Manufacturing, and Digital media markets. Founded in 2002, Fixstars is 
headquartered in Tokyo, Japan and in October of 2008 acquired Terra Soft 
Solutions and the world renowned Yellow Dog Linux.

For more information, visit us.fixstars.com


GigaAccel, Yellow Dog Linux, YDL, Y-HPC, and Y-Film are registered trademarks 
of Fixstars Corporation. IBM, PXCAB, and POWER are trademarks of IBM 
Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. PS3, ZEGO, and 
BCU-100 are trademarks of Sony. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus 
Torvalds. Additional product and company names mentioned may be trademarks 
and/or registered trademarks of their respective holders.