In today's open source roundup: The secure Linux operating system Tails is now out of beta. Plus: Will Linux ever die? And check out Android apps that extend battery life Privacy is a huge concern for many users after the NSA spying revelations. The secure Linux operating system called Tails – favored by Edward Snowden – has just come out of beta. Tails is an acronym for “theamnesicincognitolivesystem” and can be run off a DVD, USB stick or SD card. You never need to install Tails to use it. According to Engadget: Edward Snowden knows better than most how effectively the NSA can scope us online, so that’s why he used the Amnesiac Incognito Live System (Tails) to cover his own whistleblowing. That OS is now out of beta as version 1.0, letting you surf on most PCs while leaving zero trace of your activities. Its anonymizing apps include email and IM clients, an office suite, a web browser, image and sound editors and the infamous Tor anonymity network system. More at Engadget If you aren’t familiar with Tails, you can get get a lot of information at these pages: About Tails Getting Started With Tails Tails Documentation Tails Help and Support Contribute to Tails Tails News Will Linux ever die? I bumped into an interesting thread on Reddit that asks whether or not Linux will ever die. According to Reddit: I’m absolutely in love with Linux. I love being able to do anything I want with it. It looks like its support has greatly increased as well as its popularity. I just got thinking, do you think something could happen in the future that could potentially kill it? Why? Why not? More at Reddit I’ve never actually heard anybody ask this question before, so it threw me for a loop when I saw it. There are some interesting answers in the discussion thread. While nothing lasts forever, I don’t think we have anything to worry about as far as Linux dying in our lifetimes or beyond. It will roll on for a long, long time and it will keep evolving as it goes. Android apps that extend battery life CNet has a roundup of Android apps that help extend the battery life of your Android device. According to CNet: I have spent time exploring a number of battery-saving apps over the years, and I have become quite fond of a few in particular. Here’s a list of five of my favorite apps for prolonging the life of your Android’s battery. Note that there are a few common settings that overlap across the apps, but in this piece, I’ve tried to highlight some of the features that help separate each app from the pack. 1. Juice Defender 2. Battery Defender 3. Go Battery Saver & Power Widget 4. Autorun Manager 5. Tasker More at CNet What’s your take on all this? Tell me in the comments below. The opinions expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the views of ITworld. Open SourceSoftware DevelopmentTechnology Industry