Laptops for crew use on the International Space Station (ISS) are being migrated from Windows to Linux, the Linux Foundation reports. The reason for the migration, given by Keith Chuvala of United Space Alliance, a NASA contractor deeply involved in Space Shuttle and ISS operations was as follows: We migrated key functions from Windows to […]
From the heart of Leipzig in Germany, news reaches the lab of the establishment of Open Source Solar, a place for collaborative development of open source hardware for small photovoltaic systems, with the aim of assisting the construction of the highest quality, affordable solar systems. To quote: Photovoltaic power supplies are very useful if grid […]
Here at Bristol Wireless we’re keen advocates on green ICT and have many times experienced the delights of providing off-mains event ICT powered by renewables (news passim), so were overjoyed to hear of a recent development in India. India’s Simmtronics Semiconductors recently announced the launch of a solar-powered desktop. What’s more, it’s running Linux, making […]
On Monday the advance crew – by now known as the tat-down team and consisting mostly of Bristol Wireless volunteers – arrived back tired but satisfied from the rural Barncamp site up the Wye Valley. Our journey began the previous Wednesday afternoon, when the advance crew got to site after a frantic best part of […]
Our old friend John Palfrey has emailed us with an update and picture of his Linux Lounge bus, which is gradually coming together as a showcase for open source IT and green energy technologies. The bus is a 1984 MCW Mk11 Metrobus, 9.5m in length and is powered by a 10.5L 6 cylinder Gardner engine. […]
On 31st July our mobile Internet suite set out from St Werburgh’s Bristol en route to this year’s Camp for Climate Action, pitched up near Hoo St Werburgh, on the Hoo Peninsula betwixt the Thames estuary and Medway river in a great big 30′ x 45′ marquee that would be the camp’s Be The Media […]
Saturday at the Ragged Hedge Fair started bright and sunny, but to misquote the late Larry Grayson: “What a grey day”. As we’re running off solar, that’s not working at its full capacity due to cloud cover, although Clive, our power supplier, still has the wind. The free first hour of internet access for kids […]
It’s Friday lunchtime and the Bristol Wireless/Psand cybertent at the Ragged Hedge Fair at Abbey Farm near Cirencester has running for about 2 hours now; the suite and the site wireless access (which I’m using) are all running off wind and solar power kindly provided by Magrec Ltd., next to whom we’re pitched. The advance […]
Our correspondent in a field in Cullompton writes: Bristol Wireless’ old friends, the Easton Cowboys, have all deserted their usual Bristol haunts (including the Plough and other watering holes, green flat places suited to the beautiful game and the like) and toddled to Cullompton, where they’re camping and playing football on the edge of the […]
Our annual jaunt to the BGG geared up in July. We had plenty of volunteers and despite several weeks of unremitting rain, we were confident that the weather would be fine and that we would be having a wonderful bus persons holiday. Mike from Psand was on site several days (weeks?) before the rest of […]
Festival time is upon us again: we’ve already had the quagmire of Glastonbury and last weekend saw the delights of Womud. Coming up this week is the Big Green Gathering, where Bristol Wireless are once again providing internet access, using renewable energy. A full report will follow after the event, even if yours truly has […]
Meraki Networks, pioneer of the first consumer wireless mesh internet network designed to “unwire the world”, today announced the new Meraki Outdoor repeater and the Meraki Solar accessory, that together can cover entire neighbourhoods with wifi access. Priced at $99 (that’s £50 in real money), Meraki Outdoor can transmit a signal up to 700 feet. […]