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Often times, people ask me why I cover Open Source topics like Linux & Apache as well as related topics like the IBM/Novell/Redhat verses SCO case and also the issues related to software patents. Most specifically they ask me what these topics have to do with web development. Today I’ve decided to answer that and the truth of the matter is that Open Source software is more important to web developers then any other industry out there. Permit me me now to demonstrate.

Linux is becoming more of a frequent word when it comes to choosing an Operating System. Gone are the days when Windows was THE operating system for the average home user. Linux was then considered to be only for technical ppl or for those that could spend hours on end configuring their system. However the waters are shifting. Linux distributions have become better and more user friendly over the years while retaining their characterising stability. To prove this I have just run a completely new installation of Mandriva Linux 2005 limited edition. Mandriva Linux ( formerley known as Mandrake linux) has always been renowed as one of the most user friendly distributions available. Mandriva Linux is available for several architectures (types) of the cpu family. Mainly it is available for PPC (power PC ) which are machines running Motorola based Processors ( these are mainly Mac computers), i586 is for 32-bit processors both from Intel and AMD. These include the Intel Pentium 4 and The AMD athlon. (this is probably the distribution you need to get ) x86-64 is for processors which are 64-bit compatible such as the AMD64 processor.

Konqueror now joins Safari and iCab in the exclusive "correctly renders the Acid2 test page" club. Interesting side-note, approximately half of the code to do that was dredged from the recent Apple Webcore "code-bomb".

IBM, Nokia and Red Hat count on collaboration to widen the intellectual property available to developers.

In 2003, University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy faced a common problem: clunky hardware, a dependence on Windows, budget limitations, and a need to update. At Newsforge.com, author Kevin Quiggle explains how U of D Jesuit found a budget-friendly solution in Linux, and how well Linux has performed.

"Open source software is a boon to non-profit and charity organisations worldwide," said Cybersource special projects officer Arik Gershoni. "Non-profit organisations are always strapped for cash, and no platform delivers lower acquisition and ownership costs than Linux and open source, so it's a natural fit. What we're hoping to do is extend that realm of usefulness for charities. We want them to not only save money by using open source - we want them to make money from open source too."

A looming deadline following a dispute between two prominent open-source developers has forced database vendor MySQL AB to consider changing how it develops its software, and it will also force scores of other open-source projects to consider a similar move within the month.

The software giant's recent approach to open-source executives shows that open source is a power to be reckoned with, experts say.

Paraglyph Press released the latest book in its "Degunking" series this week, titled Degunking Linux. In this 352-page how-to book, author Roderick W. Smith takes readers through a 12-step process which promises to save "hundreds of hours" of tinkering and tweaking a Linux installation.

Linux adoption may be "hitting a wall," as use of the open-source operating system fell over a nine-month period, a quarterly survey of companies shows. Linux use in computer servers running business applications was reported in 53 percent of the 500 North American companies surveyed by SG Cowen & Co. for its Core Technology Survey, released this week. In addition, 7 percent of the respondents planned to adopt Linux, which was the "most modest" level the New York investment banker had seen in its survey.

Despite reoccurring phpbb problems and a slow start, Lobby4Linux is determined to do what it can to make the Linux Desktop a viable alternative to Windows.

British researchers have built tiny aircraft that use Linux to perform parallel processing operations and can communicate with one another via Bluetooth.

The European Parliament and European Commission are currently at loggerheads about software patents and the definition of "computer-implemented inventions." The open source community is trying desperately to stop any kind of patenting, while large IT corporations such as Microsoft are trying to lobby the parliament into allowing just about any software technique through. In the midst of all this, doomsayers have been predicting the death of Linux and open source software. Open source projects such as MPlayer are now posting huge "The End Is Nigh" notices on their sites. But things aren't as dark as they might seem.

Ever pondered how companies make money from free and open source development projects? Could you open source your code and still make a profit?

Faced with extending its core business strategy beyond its walled garden and rapidly falling subscriber numbers, AOL is enlisting the open source community to take over a number of projects.

The company says the new foundation will take over control of the open-source Fedora Project, but some developers are skeptical.

Linuxlookup.com is reporting on Nero, leaders in digital media technologies, announced that Samsung will be the first to bundle NeroLINUX with a DVD/CD burner, its TS-H552U WriteMaster. The bundle will be available as a retail kit June 2005 and will be available for a period of one month.

One of the most complicated pieces of software in the world is a 3-D engine, right? Not according to Nikolaus Gebhardt. He's almost single-handedly created his own open source-capable 3-D engine, Irrlicht. Howard Wen talks with him about the design, implementation, and goals of the project.

Volunteers in the Western Cape will this weekend install the 100th Linux-based school laboratory since the Shuttleworth Foundation-backed tuXlab programme started. The programme has also finalised plans to roll out another 100 laboratories in the coming year and install ten new laboratories on the Youth Day public holiday next week.

This introductory article provides an overview of the KDE interface and tips on basic configuration with those still hesitant to try Linux. I've noticed that more and more new users of KDE are non-techies who need a quick introduction to this extensive and powerful desktop.