Tuquito 5

Mario Colque has announced the release of Tuquito 5, an Argentinian distribution based on the latest stable Ubuntu. This is a CD edition that includes the most commonly used applications, the LibreOffice office suite, an audio player, and printer drivers. Missing from the CD (but installable with just one click) are audio and video codecs, the GIMP, VLC and many other software applications. It is also possible to upgrade to the "DVD" edition - there is a menu item for this under the Administration submenu. Major components: Linux kernel 2.6.38, GNOME 2.32.1, X.Org 7.6, Nautilus 2.32.2 Elementary. Other new features and programs include the Déjà Dup backup utility, F-Spot and gThumb (replacing Shotwell), significant performance improvements in Tuquito Control Center and Program Manager, new start-up theme. Read the full release announcement (in Spanish) for further details and some screenshots. Download (MD5): tuquito-5-gnome-cd-nocodecs-32bit.iso (661MB), tuquito-5-gnome-cd-nocodecs-64bit.iso (682MB).

ConnochaetOS 0.9.0

Henry Jensen has announced the release of ConnochaetOS 0.9.0, a lightweight desktop distribution, formerly known as DeLi Linux, designed for old and low-resource computers (Pentium I, 64 MB of RAM): "I am pleased to announce the release of ConnochaetOS 0.9.0. After one year of development and after three years after the last release of its predecessor, DeLi Linux, this is the first stable release of ConnochaetOS. In the last weeks since RC1 we simplified the installer once again, fixed some more bugs and updated the kernel, the web browser XXXTerm and other packages, and produced some documentation. ConnochaetOS 0.9.0 provides: kernel Linux-Libre 2.6.32.43, the IceWM desktop 1.3.7, a lightweight WebKit-based web browser - XXXTerm, GOffice...." See the release announcement for more information. Download the installation CD image: connos-0.9.0.iso (391MB, MD5).

Gentoo Linux 11.2

David Abbott has announced the release of Gentoo Linux 11.2, a live DVD (with several desktop environments) that can be used to install Gentoo Linux to a hard disk using Gentoo "stages": "Gentoo Linux is proud to announce the availability of a new live DVD to celebrate the continued collaboration between Gentoo users and developers. The live DVD features a superb list of packages, some of which are listed below. System packages include Linux kernel 3.0 (with Gentoo patches), accessibility support with Speakup, Bash 4.2, glibc 2.13, GCC 4.5.2, Binutils 2.21.1, Python 2.7.2 and 3.2, Perl 5.12.4. Desktop environments and window managers include KDE 4.7.0, GNOME 3.0.0, Xfce 4.8, Enlightenment 1.0.8, Openbox 3.5.0, Fluxbox 1.3.1, XBMC 10.1 Awesome 3.4.10 and LXDE-Meta 0.5.5. Office, graphics, and productivity applications include: LibreOffice 3.3.3, Abiword 2.8.6, Scribus 1.3.9...." See the full release announcement for more information. Download (mirrors): livedvd-x86-amd64-32ul-11.2.iso (2,657MB, SHA256, torrent), livedvd-amd64-multilib-11.2.iso (2,840MB, SHA256, torrent).

KNOPPIX 6.7

Klaus Knopper has announced the release of KNOPPIX 6.7, a new version of the Debian-based live CD and DVD with LXDE as the default desktop, accompanied by a special edition for visually impaired users: "During the past days, version 6.7 of KNOPPIX has found its way to the mirrors and is now available as DVD and CD image, including the blind-friendly ADRIANE edition." What's new? "Updated from Debian 'Squeeze' with the usual picks from Debian 'testing' and 'unstable'; uses Linux kernel 2.6.39.3 and X.Org 7.6 for supporting most current computer hardware; experimental free Nouveau graphics modules supporting NVIDIA cards, acellerated graphics via kernel mode settings (KMS); LibreOffice 3.3.3; Chromium 12.0.742.112 web browser; optional 64-bit kernel via 'knoppix64' boot option...." Read the detailed release notes for additional information. Links to download the English and German live CD and DVD images: KNOPPIX_V6.7.0CD-EN.iso (697MB, MD5), KNOPPIX_V6.7.0CD-DE.iso (697MB, MD5), KNOPPIX_V6.7.0DVD-EN.iso (3,816MB, MD5), KNOPPIX_V6.7.0DVD-DE.iso (3,816MB, MD5).

A first look at Hathaway's Selina Kyle

Just hours after we got to see what the new Superman looks like, Warner Bros. has released a photo of Anne Hathaway dressed as Selina Kyle for the new batman film, Dark Knight Rises.

A few websites which have also posted this photo are referring to it as an image of Catwoman, but it's clearly just Selina Kyle. She may be in all black rubber-leather stuff - and she surely looks smoking, but this costume is more likely being used in a pre-Catwoman scene.

Selina Kyle was a 'cat burgalar' long before she was Catwoman, and the film will likely depict at least one such heist before her transformation into the iconic personality.

Now, it's also likely that the Catwoman costume will incorporate elements of this costume, but she's not Catwoman without the ears and claws.

It looks like they were serious when they announced a while back that Anne Hathaway's costume would not be as revealing as past Catwomans (Catwomen?).

We can't see the whole costume here due to the awesome motorbike-thing, but it looks like what she's got is more of a rubber jumpsuit, and while it's not loose, it's not exactly form-fitting.

I mean: compared to Michelle Phifer, who looked like she had to be painted into her shiny faux-leather costume, or Halle Berry who had a lot of exposed skin between the tattered pieces of her cat suit, well, this one looks downright puritan.

Frankly, the costume is more attractive for its slight conservation. I certainly don't think that they will get any complaints from fans over this image.

For those unfamiliar, Catwoman is the planned secondary villain for the upcoming Batman film, Dark Knight Rises, the final in the trilogy by Christopher Nolan.

Selina Kyle/Catwoman has always been an enigmatic figure in Batman's story, all the way back to the 'Golden Age' comics. Her goals have never been too far from the bat's, and occasionally they have even worked together for short times, but while both figures work outside the law to achieve their goals, Batman has never been happy with Catwoman's methods, and so they always come back to odds eventually.

Of course, the main difference is that Catwoman must steal to support her causes, while Batman is self-funded.

Dark Knight Rises is slated for a Summer 2012 release.

Anonymous codes a digital weapon

Anonymous is reportedly coding a JavaScript-powered weapon that exploits SQL vulnerabilities to create a "devastating impact" on targeted servers.

Dubbed RefRef, the new software could replace the ubiquitous Low Orbit Ion Canon (LOIC) fielded by cyber activists waging various DDoS campaigns.

RefRef - which is slated to debut in September - works by turning a server's own processing power against itself.

According to the Tech Herald, the targeted server eventually "succumbs" to resource exhaustion. 



Although such an attack vector has existed for a while, cyber activists have traditionally preferred the brute force of a DDoS attack generated by bots or LOICs.



Nevertheless, Anonymous recently tested the new weapon and managed to down Pastebin for a total of 42 minutes.

"Imagine giving a large beast a simple carrot, [and then] watching the best choke itself to death," an Anon promoting RefRef told the Herald.

Another Anon explained that the tool "only makes you vulnerable" if systems remain unpatched and outdated.

"This is how Sony got caught with it's pants down. It axed huge swathes of it's IT security a little while before it got pwned. Basically, [Sony] decided that basic maintenance wasn't good ROI... It's companies like Sony - making idiotic decisions like that - which will be vulnerable to this tool. Proper companies staying on top of things won't be vulnerable after the fifth or sixth attack, at which point patches will be out."



Despite its possible shortcomings, RefRef does appear to be a fairly potent tool, as it can be used on any platform that supports JavaScript, including smartphones and even consoles. 
The versatile nature of the weapon will likely create multiple command points manned by activists from public wifi hotspots such as libraries and Internet cafés.