Showing all newswire headlines

Oh, that it were all as simple as downloading some free software. Open-source software is a maturing, ever-more viable option for small business, but reducing cost through its use requires a careful approach

Don't get alarmed, but I'm now going to suggest that you put Linux on your business desktop. I'm even going to say that this is a no-risk exercise.

Every year, the Software& Information Industry Association runs its Codie Awards to recognize software excellence. This year, as every year, the Best Open Source Solution category is woefully under-represented, for procedural reasons that the organization could and should fix. But you can help pick the winner.

If you're at all like me, you tend to be just a little careful with your corporate IT infrastructure. What I do not want to hear is, "Hey, let's rip out these mission-critical services, replace them with this open source thing we keep hearing about, and see what happens.

"What I have wanted to hear about are ways to introduce open source software (OSS) into my corporate IT services without risking any problems at all. If you'd like to know what I've heard, then read on

Despite Sony's claim to have ordered the recall of the rootkit protected music CDs, those discs were easily purchased by investigators at major outlets. The action taken by the office were letters to the retailers advising them to promptly return their entire inventory of these security risk discs back to Sony. Since it seems Mr. Spitzer is well aware of the security issues and the laggard pace of removal it may be likely that legal action from the State of New York may be pursued against Sony.

There will be no new open license for Microsoft's XML Office format after all. Instead, Microsoft simply states that it won't sue for use of its XML Office format patents.

Trolltech Launches First Linux-based VoIP Framework for Handheld Devices

Build a low-cost, terabyte-sized backup server using Linux and back up your digital audio files, digital images and digital movie recordings.

"Basically the operation is shutting down." With these words, Tal Danzig, the owner and technical lead for the Libranet distribution, quietly announced in his blog on November 25 the news that users had been dreading ever since his announcement two months ago that the distribution was "restructuring."

While the people that develop for Linux bust their backsides to bring us quality applications, Java developers are supplying us with excellent programs in the meantime.

[Dinotrac did some independent research and analysis, instead of accepting the article's premise like a good little consumer. -tuxchick]

Here's the part that's really getting their goat:

Year to Year growth in ULW share:

Windows: 5.0%
Linux: 23.7%

And then, when you consider the great unreported "market", Linux uptake is huge and growing faster by far than Windows servers.

The bottom line: A Microsoft monopoly in the server room is a pipe dream.

See the article, thread, and complete comment here.

My name is Henry the Adequate and I am a superhero. I am also a computer genius, and a Linux Guru (notice the capitals - this denotes an official status). So, following up on my Damn Small Review, here is my review of the brilliant new Ubuntu 5.10.

Web browser news can rarely be described as hot, but today's launch of an update to Firefox managed to creep into the red on our news thermometers.

That's because since the Stuff team adopted the version 1.0 of the browser at the expense of Internet Explorer almost a year ago, we've found our web surfing an infinitely more agreeable experience.

after efforts by Red Hat to target the growing demand for Linux in government and large enterprises through distribution agreements with Dell and HP, the company achieved record sales in the quarter ended May 31 this year.

Wireless cards can be quite a bit of trouble for Linux users. Very few manufacturers have any interest in writing Linux drivers or releasing information about their cards so other people can use this information to write Linux drivers. There is a small selection of Linux-compatible Wi-Fi (wireless networking) cards, but they tend to be rather expensive. Worse, you don't get very much choice about which wireless networking chipset is built-in when you buy a laptop.

I just pushed 2.6.15-rc3 out there, and here are both the shortlog and diffstats appended.

Most notable are some VM fixes from Hugh Dickins (with me then redoing some of it, but the bulk of the work goes to Hugh). That should finally hopefully fix some of the issues some people hit with the PageReserved removal and cleanup by Nick Piggin that was in -rc1.

There's also some input updates, cifs fixes, USB EHCI host controller updates, and a number of random stuff. Details in the shortlog below,

Linus

Desktop PCs, the most visible spot in computing, are the spot where Linux is least apparent. Of more than 200 million computers shipped worldwide this year, industry estimates suggest fewer than one in 25 will come loaded with Linux.

Open Source Development Labs hopes to improve that, beginning Thursday. The Beaverton industry consortium, which bills itself as the "center of gravity for Linux," is hosting more than 50 top desktop Linux developers from as far as the Czech Republic and Sweden for two days of strategizing.

OSDL has two goals for the gathering: identify areas that need improvement; and boost collaboration among the various groups that make versions of desktop Linux.

Microsoft Corp. tried to have references to free software removed from a document approved at the United Nations-sponsored Internet summit in Tunis two weeks ago, a blog discussion has revealed. But the attempt failed.

Linux desktops have always faced an uphill battle against Windows desktops. Now, OSDL is calling together architects from over two dozen key desktop-oriented Linux projects to a Dec. 1-2 meeting at its headquarters to set strategic directions and standards, and find synergy amongst Desktop Linux organizations.

Number one is Firefox, Mozilla's web browser that absolutely shames Microsoft's Internet Explorer. The actual market share of Firefox is still relatively low, with Internet Explorer still far in the lead. And it is doubtful that PC World recognizing it as the best product of 2005 will do anything to change that. The same niche of people that read PC World probably already realize Firefox's superiority.