2009: A Look Back

by Paul Arnote (parnote)

With the arrival of 2010, it's a good time to take a look back at all that has gone on, both with PCLinuxOS and Linux, during 2009. Without a doubt, 2009 had seen many events related to both, large and small. Let's take a look, month by month, at all that has transpired. My list is not all-inclusive, and only scratches the surface. However, I've included a lot of "highlights" of development that's flying along with many popular packages. It does seem that development is alive and well with PCLinuxOS, and with FOSS in general.

JANUARY, 2009

Moblin 2.0 Alpha released by Intel, based on an Ubuntu core.

OpenOffice 3.0.1 released.

Mozilla backs open video for the web.

Linux Foundation kicks off "We're Linux" video contest.

VirtualBox 2.1.2 released.

FEBRUARY, 2009

PCLinuxOS N1PTT TR6 Released

Microsoft files suit against TomTom for patent infringement over the use of VFAT in their GPS systems.

World of Goo for Linux released.

VirtualBox 2.1.4 released.

Android 1.1 released.

MARCH, 2009

Texstar returns to the helm, after taking a leave to deal with personal business.

PCLinuxOS 2009.1 Released

TomTom and Microsoft settle patent dispute, after TomTom counter-sues Microsoft for violating 4 of it's patents with MS Streets & Maps.

Linux kernel 2.6.29 released.

Gnome 2.26.0 released.

KDE 4.2.1 released.

Qt 4.5 released.

APRIL, 2009

VirtualBox 2.2.2 released.

XFCE 4.6.1 released.

Oracle buys Sun.

Gnome 2.26.1 released.

VirtualBox 2.2.0 released.

KDE 4.2.2 released.

MAY, 2009

Moblin 2.0 Beta released by Intel. This time, it's based off a Fedora core, instead of an Ubuntu core. Specifically designed for Intel's Atom processor, and for use on netbooks using said processor.

Gnome 2.26.2 released.

SourceForge's 2009 Community Choice Awards announced.

Nokia opens Qt tool kit source code repositories to the public.

OpenOffice 3.1 released.

KDE 4.2.3 released.

Linux achieves 1% market share on desktop.

JUNE, 2009

PCLinuxOS AppStore announced.

Addlocale released for PCLinuxOS, allowing users to run PCLinuxOS in 82 different languages.

GetOpenOffice released for PCLinuxOS, allowing easy, automated installation of OpenOffice in PCLinuxOS.

Firefox 3.5 released.

VirtualBox 3.0.0 released.

Python 3.1 released.

Qt 4.5.2 released.

Intel develops a simpler alternative to ACPI for Linux, called Simple Firmware Interface, or SFI. A patch has been developed and submitted for the 2.6.32 kernel.

First USB 3.0 drivers emerge for Linux.

Linux kernel 2.6.30 released.

Amarok 2.1 released.

KDE 4.2.4 released.

JULY, 2009

PCLinuxOS 2009.2 Released

PCLinuxOS Minime KDE3 2009.1 Released

The NEW PCLinuxOS Magazine is revived and reborn.

Paul Arnote named Chief Editor of the magazine.

Firefox reaches 1 billion downloads.

PortableApps.com reaches 100 million downloads.

BBC begins work on a 4-part, 4-hour documentary on the World Wide Web. The working title is "Digital Revolution," and is slated to air on BBC Two sometime in 2010. Included in the documentary will be an interview with Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of HTML and the World Wide Web.

VLC 1.0.0 released.

Gnome 2.26.3 released.

AUGUST, 2009

PCLXDE PCLinuxOS LXDE Remaster, 2009.4 Released

Andrew Strick named Assistant Editor of the magazine.

OpenOffice 3.1.1 released.

KDE 4.3.1 released.

SEPTEMBER, 2009

Linux Kernel 2.6.31 released.

Phoenix, PCLinuxOS XFCE Remaster, 2009.4 Released

Linus Torvalds, at LinuxCon 2009 in Portland, OR: "Linux 'Bloated and Huge.'"

Moblin 2.0 released.

Gnome 2.28 released, with release of Gnome 3.0 announced for September, 2010.

OCTOBER, 2009

Windows 7 released.

KDE 4.3.2 released.

NOVEMBER, 2009

Google Chrome OS Beta released.

KDE 4.3.3 released.

VirtualBox 3.1.0 released.

KOffice 2.1 released.

Android 2.0 source code released.

Microsoft admits to violation of the GPL license by including GPL'd code in Windows 7 USB tool.

DECEMBER, 2009

PCLinuxOS Minime KDE 3 2009.2 Released

KDE 4.3.4 released.

Linux Kernel 2.6.32 released.

Google Chrome (Browser) Linux Beta released.

KDE 4.4 Beta 1 released.