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I have espoused the cause of Ingres for some time and, especially, I have commended Computer Associates' decision to take the Ingres database into the open source community.

One of the most famous Linux distributions, Red Hat, has all the reasons to be proud because of the association with several European top companies that operate in the financial and insurance segments.

The latest version of the Debian offshoot includes software for creating customised CDs you can run the OS from.

Most SMBs and enterprise customers deploying Windows Server 2003 find its quality, performance and reliability equal to or better than Linux, according to the Yankee Groups's latest study, its Linux-Windows 2005 TCO Comparison Survey. Yankee, reports Maureen O'Gara, "says that Linux is having trouble displacing Windows Server, XP and Office in both the SMB and enterprise markets - a finding that isn't going to win it any friends among the open source zealots, who tends to treat such observations about as impersonally as if you said their mothers wear army boots."

Microsoft and Canadian police launch an open-source system that helps find connections between cases of child exploitation.

Corporate users are taking a more pragmatic look at Linux than in the past. They're stripping away the hype and finding the true cost, as well as how it stacks up against Windows in terms of reliability and security, according to a pair of reports released last week.

Investment flows to companies that help businesses use systems effectively, rather than tie them to one flavor of open-source software

SA learners taking part in the CSSA Computer Olympiad this year will be able to put their skills to work on open source software such as Python and stand to win up to R100 000 in prizes. The new focus on open source software for the Olympiad has been boosted by the investment of more than R300 000 by the Shuttleworth Foundation and the CSIR.

Two relative newcomers awarded places on the New South Wales government's panel of preferred open-source suppliers have denied their appointments were a token gesture.

Ryan Purita of Totally Connected Security is one of the leading computer forensic experts in private practice in Canada. He is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional, holding one of the most advanced security qualifications in the world. Working for both the prosecution and the defence in legal cases, Purita has also taught computer security to law enforcement agencies, probation officers and social workers, and is currently developing programs for the Justice Institute of British Columbia. Much of his daily work is an extension of a system administrator's activities. A good part of it involves the advanced use of open source tools, including several standard system tools. His work methods offer fresh perspectives on security, privacy issues and the relative merits of Windows and GNU/Linux -- to say nothing of a niche industry where open source is more than holding its own.

Enables Rapid Development of Native XML Applications and LAMP-based Grid Deployment

Ubuntu Linux 5.04, code name "Hoary Hedgehog", is now available. It offers the following new features: Simple and fast installation, live CD's for Intel x86, AMD64 and PPC, GNOME 2.10.1, Firefox 1.0.2, first class productivity software, and X.org 6.8.2. - distrowatch

As always, OSDir's got the shots of this hot distro's update. Screenshots come in english, arabic, french, german, hindi, japanese, mandarin, portuguese, russian, and spanish

With a commitment on the table to using open source in its future technology roadmap, the Southern Cape's Knysna municipality last year was looking to increase the reach and functionality offered by its collaboration solution.

Linus Torvalds began working on an interim solution called "git" in the absence of BitKeeper.

When making procurement decisions, it often all comes down to whom you trust. If you're buying a copier or a forklift, a strong brand name can give you confidence in your purchase. The same is true for big-name commercial software. But when it comes to open source, things aren't that simple.

One of the most important aspects of open source is its power and potential. Whenever the best minds in an industry join forces to create value, the potential is enormous. This has happened with space, cancer research, and the initial Internet itself. There are also political ramifications behind the open source movement. One can draw parallels between the open source movement and the open systems movement of the late 1980s. The open systems movement was intended to loosen IBM's stranglehold on computing. Likewise, the open source movement may well have its roots in loosening Microsoft's grip on power.

New software package aims to help lower costs for stores, as cash registers continue to shift to high-tech.

Time magazine has named Mozilla Foundation President Mitchell Baker as one of the members of the 2005 Time 100, the publication's list of "the 100 most influential people in the world today". Mitchell is placed in the Scientists & Thinkers category, which also includes the likes of economist Jeffrey Sachs and George W. Bush's chief political strategist Karl Rove. A subscription to Time is required to read the article on Mitchell Baker (we'd love to tell you what it says but we don't have a subscription either).

LynuxWorks expects to double revenue and increase staffing 30 percent within a year, thanks to an enormous US defense project. The company says its LynxOS-178 operating system was chosen for the Future Combat Systems (FCS) Integrated Computer System (ICS), in part due to Linux binary compatibility.

Sun Microsystems president Jonathan Schwartz last week justified the company's controversial open-source strategy with an attack on the GPL (GNU General Public Licence), which he characterised as a tool allowing United States businesses to pillage developing countries of their intellectual property.