WorldLabel.com release reflects growing use of OpenOffice.org
01/11/06 WorldLabel.com, a maker of labels for envelopes, jewel cases, and other purposes, has released a package of more than 50 label template pages for OpenOffice.org.

OpenSolaris powered up on IBM's PowerPC
01/10/06 The OpenSolaris kernel for PowerPC has been built. Kudos to Blastware!

News in 2005

Sun Execs Fired Up Over Efficient Servers, Open-Source Chip
12/06/05 Sun Microsystems is betting on the expansion and success of open source, the need to conserve space, and the desire to keep energy costs down, as it delivers thousands of new servers and releases its UltraSparc T1 processor code.

Sun chooses zero barrier to entry
11/30/05 Sun has added a new part to its motto "The network is the computer" with the corollary "Zero barrier to entry." Sun reiterated that it is making its entire stack open source over time, and announced that its complete software stack will be free.

Massachusetts to adopt 'open' desktop
09/01/05 The commonwealth of Massachusetts has proposed a plan to phase out office productivity applications from Microsoft and other providers in favor of those based on "open" standards, including the recently approved OpenDocument standard. More about the state government's plan here.

Torvalds Defends Linux Trademark, Personal Reputation
08/23/05 Linux founder Linus Torvalds recently began defending the trademark for his namesake software, and, as a result, he has found himself having to defend his own reputation in the open-source community. Torvalds' lawyer last month reportedly wrote to 90 companies in Australia and asked them to relinquish legal claim to the name Linux. More on Linus' woes and some community member reactions here.

OSI's Open Flap
08/23/05 The goals of the OSI's license proliferation committee were thrown into question when Bruce Perens, creator of the organization's manifesto, was recently denied entrance. Perens, the co-founder of the Open Source Initiative (OSI) and creator of the Open Source Definition, went public with his displeasure that he wasn't invited to take part in the committee. And Mr. Perens may have merit in stating that the organization is " . . . not a meritocracy, and it's not democratic." More flap on the flap here.

FOSS word processors compared: OOo Writer, AbiWord, and KWord
08/23/05 Author Bruce Byfield compares and contrasts 3 popular word processors from the Free and Open Source Software world. Check out this frank and objective paper. (Anyone else doubt if he used M$ Office to write it?).

Apache Launches Open Source Software-Integration Project
08/22/05 The Apache Software Foundation on Monday launched an open-source project to develop application-integration middleware, a move that could lead to a viable alternative to vendor-supplied products used in service-oriented architectures. Follow up on this here.

Erik Hughes Deposition: LKP Did Include Linux Kernel Code
08/18/05 'Uh, oops. My bad?' Well, I guess these things happen. Anyway, GPL (and frankly Open Source, in general) fans will like the rest of this 1article from our amigos at Groklaw.

GPL Draft Faces Challenges, Linux Insiders Warn
08/12/05 Supporters of the next GNU General Public License are girding for an onslaught of comment and controversy, but they remain confident that the open-source community will survive and be made stronger for the effort. More here.

IBM woos the masses with Gluecode
08/09/05 Admittedly there's some very cool Open Source'd' stuff on Alphaworks - and there's no denying Eclipse is a quality IDE. But for all that amazing IBM IP in extant: Where's the beef? Some nominal Linux contributions that don't exactly live up to promises. Besides Eclipse: How 'bout it, Big Blue? Maybe an Open Source DB2? Maybe some pieces of Lotus? It'll take some doing to catch up to number one.

Getting in touch with the feminine side of open source
08/08/05 The OSCON Open Source Convention wrapped up Friday with a feminine touch as some of the community's most prominent women discussed the possibilities, problems, and parenthood aspects of open source software participation. More on some experiences from women in Open Source here.

OSCON: Sun, Yahoo, Google -- and maybe you
08/04/05 After two days of tutorials, O'Reilly's OSCON Open Source Convention began in earnest yesterday by highlighting some unusual approaches to open source software development and use, including Sun's contention that OpenSolaris should be compared to Linux less on ideology and more on a technical basis. Sun COO Jonathan Schwartz asserted that his company's recently opened operating system was bringing more competition and choice to the community and that beyond ideological differences, was comparable to Linux. "Let's compare them," he said. "It's no longer about competing with a social movement. Let's get the politics out of the way we talk about competition." More on the OSCON here.

A bitter pill?
08/04/05 China Martens' article entitled "Free software center will 'breed' lawyers" describes how Eben Moglen, chair of the Software Freedom Law Center, hopes that his organization will act as a spawning ground for top legal talent. Well, at least they won't be teaching them to chase ambulances . . . More here.

Mozilla turns for-profit
08/03/05 The Mozilla Foundation is to turn for-profit with a new incorporated arm to push the Firefox browser and Thunderbird e-mail application. The non-profit Mozilla Foundation, whose software has been built through the open-source software model, will continue to exist and will be the sole owner of the corporation. Any profits made will be put back into the "Mozilla project" the organisation said. More here.

New Build Available on OpenSolaris.org
07/26/05 OpenSolaris.org momentum continues with more than 1.5 million page views of the community website, and 6,000 community members from outside of Sun. The community is high energy with over 2,800 email postings on 500+ different topics and 650 blogs on OpenSolaris since Opening Day less than 60 days ago. OpenSolaris user groups are coming online around the world, Shillix has shipped a distribution of OpenSolaris, (http://schillix.berlios.de/) and a new build is now available. Get the code, read and join the discussion in forums , review the blogs and start developing!.

Who will defend open source?
06/16/05 Recently, the Software Freedom Law Center (SFLC) announced it would provide legal services gratis to the Wine project. But it begs the question of how many other projects with low or no funding are without legal backing.

Q&A: Gosling and Cramer Spill the “NetBeans”
06/07/05 Sun’s Open Source NetBeans 4.1 released last week for free download, which sports improved tools for making EJB and mobile development much easier. The latest release comes as NetBeans seems – on the surface – to be losing momentum to the Eclipse Open Source IDE. And, with these new features and a pick-up in developer use, NetBeans is “a long way from dead,” insists Sun’s James Gosling Java creator and now CTO of Sun's Developer Products group.

OASIS Approves OpenOffice 2.0 File Format
05/23/05 OASIS, the international e-business standards consortium, announced on Monday that it has approved the Open Document Format for Office Applications Version 1.0 as a standard. OpenDocument (Open Document Format for Office Applications) is the new default XML-based file format for the forthcoming open-source office suite OpenOffice.org 2.0.

Open source Java tools win over game developer
05/11/05 For bingo application developer Parlay Entertainment Ltd., Java is one gamble that has paid off. The online gambling industry has practically standardized on Java tools since then, according to its CTO Perry Malone. Parlay has opted to stay on Java tools partly because of Sun’s embrace of open source, said Malone.

Open Source software for Windows
05/02/05 It's unfortunate that so many people identify Open Source only with Linux. Apple uses open source stuff in its products and even Microsoft has released a couple of things as open source (really - not the 'shared source' license!). There's a slew great open source software that runs on Windows. Find a good list with links to the projects here.

Open source deserves a place in every IT portfolio
04/29/05 Organizations refusing to include open source in their IT portfolio need to rethink their strategy, according to Gartner research vice president Dion Wiggins. "I've seen too many companies have a total ban on open source, or no policy surrounding it, and a uniform 'no we're not doing open source ever' which is just foolish," Wiggins said. So, does open source deserve a place in your IT portfolio?

The IT Manager's Guide to the Galaxy?
04/18/05 Well not quite, but this technical manual by and for the Australian government is intended to assist its agencies in choosing open source or proprietary software. The content deals with sourcing, concerns surrounding open source, preparing procurement plans and risk management.

Torvalds knifes Tridgell
04/14/05 This article by Andrew Orlowski at The Register discusses a brewing controversy between Linus Torvalds, Andrew Tridgell, and Bitkeeper. An interesting read, even if the situation ends up amounting to only a storm in a teacup.

SCO Gives Sun Blessings to Open-Source Solaris
04/13/05 eWeek - During SCO's earning teleconference on Tuesday, CEO Darl McBride revealed that Sun had discussed with SCO its plans to open-source the Solaris operating system and that SCO has no problems with them. "We have seen what Sun plans to do with OpenSolaris and we have no problem with it," McBride said. "What they're doing protects our Unix intellectual property rights."

Open source licenses slashed
04/07/05 The Open Source Initiative (OSI), concerned with Open Source license proliferation, is planning to slim down their own list of approved licenses to a preferred few. Apt new provisos have also been tacked on to the OSI approved qualifying list for any new licenses.

Sun Sees Shining Future in Open Source
04/05/05 Schwartz said. "I do not believe in IP colonialism. We wanted to deliver the means of production without restrictions; that's why we did not use the GPL license" (for OpenSolaris). Schwartz sees a fundamental happening shift in the software industry: The money will no longer be in the software itself, but in the services software delivers. And in comparing the current mobile device market to the advancing automobile industry, he went on to predict that based on a sales of services business model, someday even cars would be free. A compelling vision . . . there's more here.

OpenSolaris Community Advisory Board Formed
04/04/05 "The formation of the CAB is another major step forward in making OpenSolaris a reality," said John Loiacono, executive vice president, Software, Sun Microsystems, Inc. The five member board consists of two members who were nominated and elected by the OpenSolaris pilot community: Al Hopper, engineer consultant, Logical Approach; and Rich Teer, independent Solaris consultant and author of "Solaris Systems Programming". The three other members are Roy Fielding, chief scientist at Day Software and co-founder and member, the Apache Software Foundation; Simon Phipps, chief technology evangelist, Sun; and Casper Dik, senior staff engineer, Sun. Read the entire press release ZDnet.

Open-Source Fans Often Miss Business Basics
03/29/05 eWeek's Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols asserts the opinion that "Too many advocates of open source don't understand that business support trumps technical excellence every time." He goes on to state that businesses buy into the big Linux providers because they deliver support and service, not based on the fact they the provide software on the latest version of Linux. There's more here.

Sun Plans To Make Java Enterprise System Open Source
03/29/05 The plan is to make Java Enterprise System available as an open-source product in the second quarter, enabling it to establish a distinct advantage over its middleware competition, Sun president Jonathan Schwartz says. The pending release of Java Enterprise System "will define Sun as the only company that is truly committed to open source as a means of driving innovation and adoption."

Free Software Foundation denies GPLv3 forking risk
03/24/05 - Some developers are concerned that the introduction of the third version of the GNU General Public License could split the free software world - but the FSF is confident these fears are unfounded More on ZDnet.

First Look: OpenOffice.org 2.0 Looks Good
03/23/05 - If you're thrifty and you use an office suite, it's hard not to like OpenOffice.org, the open-source set of office productivity tools. Version 1.0, which first appeared in 2002, does most things Microsoft Office can do (including smoothly trade files with users of Word, Excel, or PowerPoint). Plus it's free. So what's to improve in version 2.0? PCWorld's Edward N. Albro reviews.

Sun readies scripting for NetBeans IDE
03/16/05 - Under a project called CoyoteSun released early versions of software modules this week that let developers write code in the Groovy and Jython scripting languages from within NetBeans.

Sun Sun sets open-source course for Solaris
01/26/05 - Sun Microsystems said Tuesday that its Solaris 10 operating system would soon be available on an open-source basis, a move the company hopes will help counter the perception that its technology is too proprietary and pricier than the competition. More at SF Gate.com.

News in 2004

South African TV show evangelises open source
11/24/04 - The television show, called Go_Open, has been produced with the help of the Shuttleworth Foundation, which promotes the use of open-source software in South African schools. The 13 part series features success stories, interviews with local and international open-source pioneers and news from the open-source world.

South Firefox Gains, IE Slides
11/23/04 - Microsoft's stranglehold on the browser market continues to loosen, a Dutch Web monitoring company said Tuesday as it released new numbers that show the open-source Firefox making inroads. According to OneStat.com, an Amsterdam-based Web metrics firm, Microsoft's Internet Explorer still rules the browser roost with a 88.9 percent usage share, but that number's down a full five points since May. More here.

Open Source Licenses Are Not All the Same
11/18/04 - One of the most significant developments in the software and web development community in the past few years has been the increased use of open source software. It's vital for any programmer, web designer, or other computer professional to understand that open source licenses are not all the same. The differences between licenses can have a big impact on how you may use or distribute the software. The rest of Stephen Fishman's article is a good primer for open source newbies.

Sun's JDS Gets Nod from Japanese Government
11/11/04 - Sun Microsystems Inc. announced Wednesday that the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has selected its Java Desktop System to be part of a ministry initiative to promote the use of open-source desktops in educational institutions. The initiative is part of METI's efforts to stimulate the growth of an open-source community within Japan and competitive alternatives to Microsoft Corp. on the desktop. More on eWeek.

Sun Solaris Open-Source Release Still Undecided
11/05/04 - Sun Microsystems expects to publicly debut Solaris 10 on Nov. 15, but its plans to release an open-source version of the Unix operating system remain in limbo. Although Solaris 10 for UltraSPARC, Intel x86-based and AMD Opteron-based servers is expected to be finished by the end of the year and ship in the first quarter of 2005, details of an open-source version of Solaris have not been finalized, Sun President and COO Jonathan Schwartz confirmed during a briefing in San Francisco last week. More here.

Novell launches pro-Linux counteroffensive against MS
11/05/04 - Novell has responded to Microsoft's attempts to portray Windows as a safer proposition than Linux in the enterprise with a counteroffensive of its own. In response to Microsoft's 'Get the Facts' campaign, Novell has launched a site designed to "unbending the truth" about Linux. Anyway, read the rest of someone's version of the truth here.

UK government policy on open source revised
10/28/04 - UK Government will consider OSS solutions alongside proprietary ones in IT procurements. Contracts will be awarded on a value for money basis.
• UK Government will only use products for interoperability that support open standards and specifications in all future IT developments.
• UK Government will seek to avoid lock-in to proprietary IT products and services.
Looks promising! The rest of the official doc is here.

Open-Source Community Upbeat at LinuxWorld
08/03/04 - Few places offer as clear a view into the evolving "digital divide" of the computer industry than the floor of the LinuxWorld expo here. This divide isn't between the haves and have-nots of our society, but rather between the hard-core coders holding high the banner of open-source software and the rest of the community trying to make a buck from Linux. More on the topic here.

Sun to Demo Sun Ray Linux at LinuxWorld
08/02/04 - Sun to Demo Sun Ray Linux at LinuxWorld Sun will demonstrate a new version of its Sun Ray thin-client computing technology for Linux at this week's LinuxWorld. "The biggest news for us is that we're taking the low overhead, low TCO model of Sun Ray. ... We have two system administrators managing 4000 Sun Ray desktops at Sun—to Linux," said Benjamin Baer, group marketing manager for Sun Ray at Sun.

Breaking the rules with open source
08/02/04 - In the space of five months, John Roberts started a software company and delivered its first product to thousands of potential customers--a process that could easily have taken years. His secret? Open-source development. And there's more about the benefits of open source methodologies here.

The Java Debate at OSCon
07/28/04 - Notes from the panel discussion at the O'Reilly OSCon, where Tim (O'Reilly) asked the panel members to explore questions of whether the status quo way Java has been handled is NOT working... More on Divablog.

Sun 'Open Sources' another project
06/21/04 - Originally dubbed 'Hydrogen', this renamed project release is the Evolution connector for Sun Java Enterprise System Calendar Server (SJESCS). It enables Evolution to use SJESCS as a calendar backend, supports SJESCS 5.1 and above, supports the WCAP (Web Calendar Access Protocol) 2.0 and 3.0 protocols. And it works with Evolution 1.4. Get the 'GPLed' code here

Sun's Long Road to Open-Source Solaris
06/03/04 - OSun President and Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Schwartz confirmed that the company would open the Solaris source code at the SunNetwork Conference in Shanghei, China. "I don't want to say when that will happen, but make no mistake—we will open-source Solaris." (Read the rest).

Introducing JDIC
06/01/04 - As part of java.net, javadesktop.org has launched the JDesktop Integration Components (JDIC) project on javadesktop.org. JDIC will enable applications written for the Java™ platform (Java applications) to integrate more seamlessly with their native desktop environment. Initially the project supports features such as embedding the native HTML browser. As a bonus, an SDK for developing platform-independent screensavers is included.

Free software guru speaks on patents
05/25/04 - Speaking in London last week, Richard Stallman, founder of GNU, argued passionately against the legalisation of what he calls "software idea patents". The core of Stallman's argument is that if companies are allowed to patent software ideas, big business will ride roughshod over the smaller players, and the free software movement will be effectively strangled. This, Stallman warns, is the fate awaiting Europe is the current draft of the directive on computer implemented inventions is passed unchanged.

Torvalds Changes How Code Can Be Contributed to Linux
05/24/04 - Under the new kernel submission process, contributions to the Linux kernel may only be made by individuals who acknowledge their right to make the contribution under an appropriate open-source license. This acknowledgment, the DCO, is used to track contributions and contributors to Linux. Plus, it's got the OSDL, seal of approval.

BEA Builds Beehive for Open-Source Community
05/20/04 - Dubbed "Project Beehive," the effort is touted as part of a strategy to simplify Java development and broaden accessibility to WebLogic through the open sourcing of Java controls, Web services and page flows. It also is seen as an effort by BEA to address challenges in the Java realm from IBM and Microsoft. Beehive will be available this summer under an open-source license. (Read on).

JBoss Under Fire, Accused of Bogus Postings
05/19/04 - JBoss Inc. and its leader Marc Fleury are taking heat in the Java and open-source communities for allegedly posting fake messages around the Internet promoting JBoss and its business model and blasting competitors. According to sources and published reports, JBoss employees, including Fleury, the chief executive of the so-called "professional open source" company, posted messages to popular Java sites such as TheServerSide and JavaLobby under anonymous or bogus names.

Why Health First is dumping MS Office
05/17/04 - There are two big IT projects going on at Health First Inc., and Linux is at the heart of both of them. Health First is migrating its desktops to OpenOffice and bringing in many Novell's Nterprise Linux Services. Weaning 6,000 IT users off of Microsoft Office 97 on 3,500 PCs is no small feat. (Read the rest).

BEA Dismisses Open Source App Server Threat
05/10/04 - BEA Systems Inc has dismissed the challenge posed to its application server business by open source alternatives such as JBoss Inc, rejecting the idea that the market is becoming commoditized. "We don't see that happening," said Jim Rivera, senior principal technologist for BEA. Read more comments by Mr. Rivera on middleware.

Sun considers GPL license for Solaris
04/30/04 - Sun may be selling servers running Linux, but that doesn't mean it is cutting back on the evolution of Solaris. Among its plans, the company is considering offering a free, open source version of its flagship operating system, said new Pres & COO Jonathan Schwartz.

Plugging the Linux holes
04/30/04 - Do we chalk it up to 'old habits are hard to break' or is there still a shortage of major desktop apps running on GNU/Linux? Even OSS pundit Bruce Perens admits "I still have a Windows machine that I use solely to run Quicken and TurboTax once a year." The newshounds at CNet go on to describe the current 'chicken and the egg' quandary in Open Source Software.

Office 2003 vs. OpenOffice.Org
04/26/04 - Open-source alternatives to Office have matured to the point where IT managers are beginning to investigate the viability of moving from the Microsoft Corp. suite to a license-free alternative. See how eWEEK compares the OpenOffice.org project's OpenOffice.org suite and Microsoft's Office 2003 under real-world conditions.

Open source's untapped potential
04/19/04 - The growing popularity of the Linux operating system has drawn attention to a style of software development in which volunteers, collaborating over the Internet, can create programs that are cheaper, even arguably better, than those that emerge from paid staffers working at high- tech firms. (Read the rest).

Sun Exec: Microsoft Deal Isn't Anti-Linux
04/07/04 - The agreement with Microsoft is about interoperability and choice for our customers, not about battling Linux or open source," Fowler said in an e-mail interview with Linux Pipeline. "Sun recognizes that mixed environments are a reality and Sun is investing to make customers successful with Sun products in a mixed environment." (Read on).

The Business Argument For Open Source
03/15/04 - Open source at its core was never about preventing people from making a living. I (article writer Jonathan Feldman) asked Eric Raymond, spiritual leader of the open-source movement, whether he was disgruntled that others were making money off his code. Read RMS' reply here

Sun offers advice to Eclipse
01/30/04 - Days before a planned meeting of the organization overseeing the Eclipse Java tools platform, Java creator Sun Microsystems Inc. weighed in with its thoughts on Eclipse's direction, reiterating its refusal to join Eclipse but expressing a desire for a friendly working relationship with the group. More here on Infoworld.

Sun Launches Java for Linux
01/22/04 - Collaboration Is key, as one of the new offerings from Sun is a Java.net community for Linux developers -- with Java-based tools on the Solaris operating system and Linux and Windows platforms More here.

Open Source Predictions for 2004
01/07/04 - The film critic Roger Ebert once said that lists are a lazy editor's way of creating something that looks like a story, but isn't. Ouch. And here's a list of predictions for Linux and open source in 2004.

News in 2003

Linux gets heart transplant with 2.6.0
12/17/03 - The new version of the core, or kernel, of Linux has several changes that make Linux better suited to powerful computers with numerous processors, a market dominated today by servers running versions of the Unix operating system on which Linux is based. This version will be the first major change since 2.4.0 was released in January 2001. From its lowly roots as a student project Linus Torvalds began 12 years ago, the software has matured to become a major competitor to Microsoft and a key part of most computing companies' plans.

Open Source Software - everybody's doing it!
12/08/03 - Remember the old saying, "Nobody got fired for buying IBM"? Well, these days, even IBM is using open source software. So is Hewlett Packard, and so is Sun. In fact, every major player, with one notable exception, is offering open source. Open source software is growing rapidly in the commercial environment, including South Africa. Nor is it only industry. IBM has just persuaded Britain's Office of Government Commerce to launch a nine-department trial of open source, to compare the effectiveness and cost benefits with the more usual proprietary systems. In Australia, the National Archive Office took the decision last November to place all government documents into open source, to preserve their quality and accessibility.

Sun, JBoss settle Java dispute
11/18/03 - The two companies on Tuesday announced that the JBoss Group has licensed testing software that will allow the open-source company to bring its software in line with Sun's Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) standard version 1.4. In addition, a similar open-source Java application server effort from The Apache Software Foundation, called Geronimo, will also license the J2EE certification test kit, according to Sun. The Geronimo project, founded earlier this year, has not yet released a finished product.

Novell reinvents itself around Linux
11/04/03 - Novell greatly expanded its presence in the Linux marketplace on Tuesday by announcing plans to acquire SuSE Linux for $210 million in cash. It also said IBM will be investing $50 million in Novell, which will represent roughly two percent of the software maker's value. The purchase of SuSE Linux, a major distributor of the Linux operating system, follows the acquisition of another open-source software provider, Ximian, in August. It also comes after an announcement by Novell earlier this year that it will offer a number of networking software services on Linux.

Should UnitedLinux Boot SCO?
10/27/03 - "SCO, regardless of what anyone wants to say, is marching on," says Yankee Group analyst Laura DiDio. Its stock price has risen sharply, and it just received $50 million in new financing. But how will SCO's current agenda affect its relationship with the other members of UnitedLinux? James Maguire investigates some possibilities.

Kapor: Why the old development model is history
10/24/03 - The software development model that produced Lotus 1-2-3 and Microsoft Windows and created long lists of multi-millionaires in the process is all but over, says Mitch Kapor, founder of Lotus, the EFF, and Open Source Application Foundation. In its place stands open source software, where the model is, "Do good work, make a decent living and maybe make the world a better place." the rest here.

Open Source Gains at Microsoft's Expense in Mass.
10/20/03 - The software development model that produced Lotus 1-2-3 and Microsoft Windows and created long lists of multi-millionaires in the process is all but over, says Mitch Kapor, founder of Lotus, the EFF, and Open Source Application Foundation. In its place stands open source software, where the model is, "Do good work, make a decent living and maybe make the world a better place." the rest on NewsFactor.

Are Windows and Linux Technology Equals?
09/23/03 - Sun Microsystems had added five new PC makers to its list of Java supporters, as the company continues it attempt to secure the software on the desktop. Acer, Gateway, Toshiba, Samsung and Tsinghua Tongfang are the latest OEMs agreeing to ship Sun's JVM with their computers. This group joins Dell, HP and Apple, which signed deals earlier in the year. Sun now claims to have close to 50 per cent of the PC market Java-enabled. (complete story on The Register).

Telstra joins Mad Hatter party
09/18/03 - TELSTRA plans to use Sun Microsystems' just released Mad Hatter desktop software as a replacement for Microsoft Windows as a part of its massive technology revamp. Telstra hopes to cut up to $750 million from its $1.5 billion annual IT budget. It has targeted Microsoft Windows and Office desktop products, as well as Microsoft's server platforms as areas of potential savings. Read further.

Are Windows and Linux Technology Equals?
09/09/03 - In the world of open source , Linux has become the 500-pound gorilla. So much so that the term "open source" often is used synonymously with "Linux," as if Linux were the only open-source operating system. Linux's dominance of the open-source world is more than just perception -- real numbers support this view. Tim Witham, director of the Open Source Development Lab, noted that of the two main open-source OSes, Linux and BSD, there are "a lot more people using Linux than BSD," and "if you look at revenue share, Linux far dominates." More here on NewsFactor.

Open source has "strategic role": Malaysia
08/28/03 - Open source has "strategic role": Malaysia
The Malaysian government has reaffirmed its support for the use and development of open-source software, saying that it has a "strategic role". Read the rest on CNETAsia.

IBM dismisses OpenOffice as child's play
08/22/03 - Karen Smith, vice president of Linux strategy and market development at IBM, has been telling a number of publications that no open source equivalent of Microsoft Office exists. Lest you think Smith has been living in a cave, rest easy. She does appear to be acquainted with OpenOffice and its StarOffice incarnation from Sun Microsystems. These suites, however, are not good enough for IBM. "What we haven't seen become available is a full replacement for Microsoft Office," Smith told ComputerWire. (Read the rest on the Register).

Are Windows and Linux Technology Equals?
08/13/03 - The flagship product of Microsoft, Windows benefits from more than two decades of intense, heavily funded development work. Yet the upstart Linux invokes comparisons to Windows because of its growth rate. Research firm IDC identifies the "Lintel" format as the faster-growing server segment. Sun has launched its Mad Hatter Linux desktop push, and Wal-Mart has begun selling ultra-cheap Linux-based PCs - (continued)

GPL goes to court
08/11/03 - A commentary by The Register's Andrew Orlowski. At first glance it looks like he's about to endorse football hooliganism, so be sure to read further.

Defense Contractor Says Open Source Is Widely Used, Beneficial To DoD
05/21/03 - The last thing anyone in the Apache community seems to want is to compromise its open-source roots and cause fragmentation of an extremely popular Web server. But most distributors also want to make money by fine-tuning it to run with their Linux distros (complete story).

Sun, HP: We're safe from SCO
05/20/03 - Sun Microsystems and Hewlett-Packard say SCO Group's attempt to obtain royalties for inappropriate uses of Unix won't likely affect them, while Linux specialist Red Hat said it would defend itself vigorously against any challenges. More here.

Microsoft Licenses Unix IP From SCO
05/19/03 - It's the latest major twist in the intellectual property drama swirling around SCO: Microsoft said it licensed SCO's Unix patents and source code as a gesture to support the intellectual property rights of all vendors and to ensure compatibility between Windows and Unix/Linux operating systems.

Can US developers form an 'open source' union?
05/15/03 - There has never been a successful union-style organizing movement among US software developers. Ian Lurie, who runs a Seattle Web design firm, believes this is because traditional "industrial" union structures don't serve programmers' needs very well, but that a new, "open source" union structure based on pre-industrial craft guilds might make lives better for people in the job-nomadic IT industry. The rest on the Register.

Big companies save big from open source
05/08/03 - This InfoWorld article cites a study stating customers can save 20 percent with OpenOffice instead of Microsoft Office. Large companies can save a substantial amount of money by using open source software products, according to a study published Wednesday by the Swiss consultancy Soreon Research.