10 Best Changes in Ubuntu

This year’s biggest Ubuntu release – Ubuntu 15.04 – will be available for download tomorrow – April 23. Ubuntu is the favorite platform of developers and it now it covers a variety of devices – desktop, mobile, cloud and IoT. This is the final release after the previously released beta releases.
For a moment, Ubuntu 15.04 won’t seem much different to you.

But, there are a lot of changes incorporated for you under the hood. Let’s take a look at the new features in Ubuntu 15.04 and why you need to upgrade to the Vivid Vervet.

More power to developers:
The new Ubuntu 15.04 OS offers access to Android Studio and Android NDK for the first time. Ubuntu 15.04 also unveils a Firefox dev edition along withStencyl – a new game development platform.
Other new IDEs: IDEA (ultimate and community editions), pycharm (professional, educational and community editions), webstorm, rubymine, phpstorm and eclipse

Better cloud support:
The latest Vivid Vervet – Ubuntu 15.04 for servers and cloud – will also be made available for download from Thursday. The new OpenStack kilo will be coming with features like Distributed Virtual Routing (DVR) to take advantage of the cloud. Apart from DVR, support for ZeroMQ too has been added to more cloud management more useful and easy.

Linux Kernel upgrade:
The new Ubuntu 15.04 will be using the Linux 3.19.3 kernel.
The new kernel brings enhanced graphics and file support system to the Ubuntu systems.

Ubuntu switch init manages – upstart to systemd:
I accept the fact that many people hate systemd, but it has become the default init system for most of the Linux distributions. ZDNet writes that people have asked for a choice of init managers, but Ubuntu isn’t going to give them one and won’t start doing that in the future.
There isn’t any real problem with systemd, so you can ditch all your worries about the init managers.

Better IoT ecosystem support:
Ubuntu systems can now power the futuristic Internet of Things devices more efficiently. “Snappy” Ubuntu Core is the most secure and smallest on the cloud edition of Ubuntu.
Now the first stable version of “Snappy” Ubuntu Core will be available as a part of Ubuntu 15.04. With Intel’s 64-bit chips, Ubuntu 15.04 could provide a platform for a wide range of production hardware.

Smartphone support – Ubuntu Phone:
Ubuntu 15.04 is the base of the current version of Ubuntu Phone running in BQ Aquaris and Meizu MX4. The latest 15.04 over-the-air updates will be delivered in coming weeks.
Ubuntu’s commitment to the mobile as desktop’s extension could do so some magic in near future.


Updated Office functionality:
Competing with Microsoft Office, Ubuntu 15.04 comes with the new LibreOffice 4.4 that supports digitally signed PDfs, OneDrive and Sharepoint along with a better formatting with tables and mail merging.
Other functions include improved OpenGL and support for slide impressions in Draw and Impress.
Local menus are default:
Now all the applications will be using local menus by default instead of the global menu. Also, you are having the choice to switch back to the old menu.
Ubuntu Kylin 15.04:
For Ubuntu, click-to-minimise and locally integrated menus are now integrated along with the upgrades like to apps like Youker Assistant, Youker Weather,  Ubuntu Kylin Software Cente and more.
Youker Assistant V2.0.2 comes with a redesigned user interface and help you to manage you personal applications in a better way.
Last but not the least – Purple color!! 
As a visual difference, instead of the usual Orange variant, the desktop now comes with a shade of purple.
Ubuntu 15.04 is scheduled for April 23 release by Canonical.
Souce by : from fossBytes.

Why you should travel to Cuba before it looks like everywhere else

Havana, Cuba (CNN)Cuba is not like other places, or rather, not like anywhere that exists today.

To some outsiders, it looks firmly stuck in the 1950s. Vintage cars roam the streets, the landscape is absent of strip malls and global chains, and the buildings -- though crumbling -- hark back to a grander time.

It is these throwbacks that lend Havana, the country's capital, an undeniable charm. A charm that, some worry, is in peril once the U.S. embargo lifts. 

"We're still in 1959, that's the beauty of the city, and eventually all of this is going to change," says Hugo Cancio, a Cuban-American entrepreneur and president of Fuego Media Group. Read more...

Google to prop up Windows XP with Chrome support until 2016

Google has extended support for its Chrome browser on Windows XP until at least the end of 2015 after reneging on a plan to shut down updates in April.
Any systems still running the lumbering zombie that is XP, which Microsoft ended support for in April 2014, will continue to snag regular security patches and updates to prevent their systems falling prey to malware or browser-based attacks.
"Millions of people are still working on XP computers every day. We want those people to have the option to use a browser that's up-to-date and as safe as possible on an unsupported operating system," explained Mark Larson, director of engineering for Google Chrome, in a company blog post.
Google originally planed to turn off the update tap at some point in April, but could even extend support for Chrome on Windows XP beyond 2015 should it have another change of heart.

Crystal, AIG Offer Conceptual Art Insurance for Private Clients

Crystal & Co., a strategic risk and insurance advisor, has partnered with AIG Private Client Group, a division of AIG, to create a new insurance product for private clients with conceptual art collections.
Conceptual art is focused more on the idea being expressed, while the form and material are secondary. A certificate is provided by the artist to authenticate an item and without this, the piece is considered worthless. Therefore, if the certificate was lost or damaged, the item may have lost most of its value, according to Crystal & Co.

Historically, references to lost or damaged certificates of ownership have not been spelled out in fine art insurance policies, which can lead to uncertainty in the event of a claim. The endorsement created by AIG insurers in collaboration with Crystal & Co. specifies where conceptual artwork is covered.
“Since a piece of paper is often the only document essentially giving value to a work of conceptual art, we wanted to find a way to protect our clients’ investments even if something happens to their certificate.” Jonathan Crystal, executive vice president of Crystal & Co.
Ron Fiamma, global head of Private Collections for AIG Private Client Group, said the coverage idea is an effective way for the companies to address the concerns of their shared clients.
“Conceptual art collecting has increased in recent years, and as a result we have fielded more questions about policy contract coverage,” he said.
Crystal & Co. is headquartered in New York with 10 regional offices throughout the country, placing over $1 billion in premiums annually in the global insurance marketplace. It is a member of Brokerslink, a global alliance of independent insurance brokerages.

Source :http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2015/03/31/362698.htm

It’s Insurance Buyers’ Market Now But Risk Challenges Ahead: Willis

Due in part to reduced catastrophe losses and the increased supply of capital, property/casualty insurance buyers can expect to face friendly market conditions on most lines of business for the remainder of 2015.
But evolving threats generated from a range of risks – cyber attacks, political instability and a changing climate – pose risk management challenges for many of these same buyers, according to Willis Group Holdings in its 2015 Marketplace Realities Spring Update.

Also, the brokers at Willis note, while buyers should enjoy favorable pricing and terms in most lines including aviation, there are some exceptions to the broad downward pricing trend, most notably cyber insurance.

Soft P/C

Willis expects commercial property rates to fall by an average of 12.5 percent to 15 percent for both non-catastrophe-exposed and catastrophe-exposed risks, due in part to a market flush with capacity, according to the report, which suggests even further softening could occur. Insurance carrier appetite for this risk remains strong and with increased carrier capacity, Willis says buyers are enjoying ample options in determining where to place their business in 2015.
For commercial casualty lines, capacity also remains abundant. Here Willis says it expects primary pricing at renewals to be flat. The pricing environment for workers’ compensation is unchanged, with a mix of increases and decreases ranging between -5 percent and +5 percent, though California workers’ compensation rates are expected to climb by 8 percent, which is still low by recent historical standards.

Supply & Demand

The outlook reflects a market that is working as intended, according to Matt Keeping, chief broking officer, Willis North America. “Individual experiences will vary depending on industry, geography and loss history, but overall we anticipate a marketplace that continues to offer opportunities for buyers,” he said. “With weather and other catastrophic losses remaining below average for another year, and capital hungry for a somewhat predictable return, we see the forces of supply and demand working as expected.”
But, Keeping added, challenges remain for organizations as risk profiles change. “The threat of cyber-related losses seem to be a matter of not if, but when; the push for global markets is clashing with the realities of political upheaval and war in many places on the planet, making political risks increasingly unavoidable; and even if Nat Cat losses are down in the aggregate, there is the sense that a changing climate brings an increased potential for widespread catastrophe in heavily populated areas.”

Aviation Surprise

According to Willis, the most surprising market softening can be seen in aviation programs, where significant and high-profile catastrophes have caught the world’s attention. There is still ample capacity in the marketplace and excluding these exceptional losses, the industry’s safety experience remains good, says Willis. These factors have combined to reverse Willis’ earlier predictions of sharply increased rates for this sector. Insurance buyers can expect renewals to range between flat and +10 percent for the remainder of 2015.
For employee benefits programs, Willis predicts rate increases of 5 percent to 6 percent for organizations with self-insured plans, and 8.5 percent to 9.5 percent for insured plans. Willis brokers say employers remain focused on elements of the health care reform law that will go into effect in the next few years, particularly the Cadillac Tax, effective in 2018, which is expected to affect more employers than originally anticipated due to the increasing cost of health care.

Cyber, Tech E&O Exceptions

Willis notes cyber insurance is among the some exceptions to the broad downward trend. With cyber breaches increasingly, the demand for stand-alone cyber policies is dramatically rising. Willis predicts increases of up to 10 percent for most buyers. However, organizations with point-of-sale (POS) exposures face 10 percent to 100+ percent increases for primary premiums. Additional increases are likely in the excess layers of the program, due to paid claim activity, according to Willis brokers, who say underwriters are increasing their scrutiny of retailers and other organizations with POS systems. Adding to the upward pressure, some carriers in this space have increased their retentions, reduced their capacity or, in some cases, exited certain sectors, the report says.
Willis also expects rate increases on errors and omissions coverage for organizations with poor loss experience or difficult industry sectors currently at risk for large claims and litigation, such as technology firms. Some environmental insurance programs, particularly combined environmental plus casualty programs, are experiencing sharp increases as environmental claims against organizations continue to trend upward.
In the executive risks lines, buyers will find a mix of modest increases and decreases.
Keeping said organizations will need to “balance the pressure to keep costs down and the need to maximize resilience for the risk transfer spend – in other words, to make sure that the organization is sufficiently protected so that its greater goals can be met.”
The report is expected to be a basis for discussion among risk management and insurance professionals at the annual Risk & Insurance Management Society’s Annual Conference, which is being held in New Orleans this year April 26-29. Below are the report’s key indications.

Willis: Key Price Predictions for 2015:

Property
Non-CAT Risks:	-12.5% to -15%
CAT-Exposed Risks:	-12.5% to -15%
Casualty
General Liability:	Flat
Umbrella/Excess:	-10% to flat
Workers’ Comp:	-2.5% to +2.5%; up to +8% in CA
Auto:	-10% to flat
Executive Risks
Directors & Officers:	-5% to +5%
Errors & Omissions:	Flat to -5% or more for programs with good loss experience; +5 to +20% for programs with poor loss experience
Employment Practices Liability:	-3% to +3%
Fiduciary:	Flat to +5%
Cyber
Flat to +5%; +10 to 125% for POS retailers; more competitive for first-time buyers
Aviation
Airlines:	Flat to +10%
Aerospace:	-10% to flat
Benefits
Self-Insured plans:	+5% to +6%
Insured plans:	+8.5% to +9.5%

Source :http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2015/04/16/364670.htm