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Effort is under way to get virtualization into the Linux kernel, so it can catch up with rival OSes in server efficiency.

PLEASANTON, CA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 01/17/2006 -- Wright Williams & Kelly, Inc. (WWK), a cost & productivity management software and consulting services company, announced today the availability of COOLSoft™ v2.0, its latest generation software development cost estimating tool. COOLSoft™ utilizes a hybrid approach of intermediate and detailed versions of the Constructive Cost Model (COCOMO). This allows for the reuse of existing code, development of new code, the purchase and integration of third party code, and hardware integration. The output is then displayed as man-months of programming effort, calendar schedule, support costs, and hardware costs.

[Ed: Sadly, this software appears to be proprietary. - dcparris]

Your business application project turned out to be less successful than it should have been, and you're not sure why. The project had a seasoned project manger and a strong, carefully developed project plan. The project team used a good methodology and adhered to it rigorously. Senior management was solidly behind the project. There was adequate funding for the effort. Yet the project did not deliver all it should have delivered. Is it possible that the project failed because someone wanted it to fail?

[Ed: Considering my personal experience with a supervisor who kept my partner and I at odds with our subordinates, and literally cut my feet out from under me, I agree that this is an issue that people need to take into consideration. - dcparris]

DistroWatch reports - The second test build of Fedora Core 5 has been released: The Fedora Project announces the second release of the Fedora Core 5 development cycle, available for the i386, x86_64, and PPC/PPC64 architectures. Notable Features of FC5 Test2: new logo; package selection within the installer has been reenabled; based on GCC 4.1 for performance and security; GNOME 2.13.4; Pirut (pronounced like a pirate): Package Installer, Remover, Updater Tool; includes pup, the Package Updater Program.... LinShots has a nice selection of screen shots of this fresh new release.

The European Union will make another attempt to impose software patents, according to the founder of the Free Software Foundation.

Ubuntu.com reports - The Dapper Drake continues to improve bringing us great new software and many very beneficial improvements. This week brings us Flight 3, the third alpha release of Ubuntu 6.04 - The Dapper Drake. Improvements in this release include an updated installer CD boot splash, X11R7, GNOME 2.13.4, improved and simplified menus, new default desktop panel configuration, some new applications such as XChat-GNOME, a faster Live CD...

LinShots has some slick screen shots of both the updated Alpha Ubuntu and Kubuntu releases.

Sharing, ripping, charging for CRM

Our staff has been busy reviewing the draft of version 3 of the GNU General Public License (GPLv3). The license contains a number of changes from the second version of the GPL (GPLv2), though many of the changes are minor and seem to be intended to clarify terms or conditions in the GPLv2 rather than being drastic changes in the spirit of the license. The biggest and most important changes come in the areas of digital rights management, distribution, and patents. Let's take a look at the differences and see what the GPLv3 means to free software developers and users.

Linux distribution, the Fedora Project, releases its second beta of the Fedora Core 5, recommended for battle-tested Linux users only.

have been a Linux/Unix admin for about 7 years professionally now. I actually started off as a Junior Admin at a Linux company. This experience taught me alot, but also got me spoiled. At the Linux company, you were made fun of if you used Windows. We had one machine in the building running Windows, and that was for the Exchange server which we needed for our development team. This company was writing a email client for Linux, and Solaris that would communicate 100% to exchange (yes before evolution did it, and before exchange 2000). Every desktop in the building was running some distro of Linux. So basically I never had to argue about Linux/Unix stability, ease of use, etc.

The latest SimplyMEPIS release candidate, 3.4-3 RC1, is available for download, MEPIS creator and lead developer Warren Woodford said Saturday. The release is expected to alleviate recent problems with parallel printer compatibility, Woodford said. With this release, the free Linux distribution also moves to KDE 3.4.3 and the newest Firefox 1.5 stable build.

64-bit users will be happy to hear that a lot of functionality is ready out-of-the-box with SUSE Linux 10. There are some hurdles to contend with, but rather than just point them out, Rob Reilly shows you how to move past these hurdles and get a 100% efficient Linux laptop.

The company might sell services designed to ease customer participation in the open-source programming community.

Product Strategy for Furthering Dominance in Embedded Linux is Defined

Opinion: Installing the Drupal content management system is too much of a battle, but works well once the fight is over.

Chipmaker plans to acquire Kreatel Communications to boost Internet-based TV services.

Microsoft is planning its third Windows XP Service Pack (SP) for release in 2007, three years after the last SP, in order to concentrate engineering resources on Windows Vista.

The company has set a preliminary release date of the second-half of 2007 for SP 3, for use with Windows XP Home and Professional editions, meaning that the pack will ship after the release of Windows Vista, which is due in the second-half of 2006.

Please remember this from one of LXer features:
Judge Sporkin, the Federal Judge who refused to consent to a Microsoft-Justice Department settlement wrote:

"This Court cannot ignore the obvious. Here is the dominant firm in the software industry admitting it `preannounces' products to freeze the current software market and thereby defeat the marketing plans of competitors that have products ready for market. Microsoft admits that the preannouncement is solely for the purpose of having an adverse impact on a competitor's product. Its counsel states it has advised its client that the practice is perfectly legal and it may continue the practice. This practice of an alleged monopolist would seem to contribute to the acquisition, maintenance, or exercise of market share. . . .

EffecTV is a fantastic application written by Fukuchi Kentaro that gives you access to the raw pixel data from a video capture device. You can use its existing open source framework to modify more than two dozen effects, or add your own visual effects on Linux. This article explores the EffecTV and SDL architectures, and teaches you how to harness the power of open source video processing.

In order to help move along the process of starting an "open source geospatial foundation" there will be a face-to-face meeting in Chicago, Westin O'Hare, on February 4, 2006, hosted by Autodesk.

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