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The choice of software to run our computers can get awfully depressing. On one hand, there's Windows XP — expensive and woefully insecure, but it works on almost every machine. On the other, there's Mac OS X — far more secure, but also expensive and restricted to Apple's own computers. Where's our independence from this pair? For a growing minority of users, it comes in the open-source operating system called Linux.

This is not a typical review of a desktop environment such as KDE or GNOME. These are my observations when I updated from KDE 3.2.3 to KDE 3.3 Beta1.

Say you want to use Linux in a dual-boot arrangement, but you don't have any free space on your computer's hard drive. One solution would be to use a "live" Linux distribution such as Knoppix, which can be run directly from CD. This is certainly viable for occasional use, but it has a number of serious drawbacks.

No system is bulletproof. But Windows, the one most of us use, is riddled with holes.

Microsoft will pay upstart Linux seller Lindows $20 million to settle a long-running trademark dispute, according to a regulatory document filed Monday.

Lindows.com and Microsoft Corp. today jointly announced that a worldwide settlement has been reached in the trademark infringement cases between the two companies.

This short article from a current Sun white paper discusses the benefits specific to Linux on Sun systems.

Is it true that the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC) includes a compiler for Java that can produce Windows executable binary programs from Java source code?

if you're a web surfer, sometimes you have to go to one of those sites. Of course, even if you use a different browser, you still have Microsoft Internet Explorer on your machine so you can always just run Explorer when you need it. Or you can consider using Maxthon, a free and excellent alternative "browser" that's nearly 100 percent compatible with Explorer.

LinuxCertified laptops now support Lindows' Linspire Linux OS. The San Jose, CA-based company's LC2430 laptop now ships with Linspire 4.5.

Computer Associates believed that to catch up, it had to look at alternatives to the traditional commercial database approach, says Gaughan, CA's senior VP of Ingres development.

If you have ever spoken passionately about a favorite operating system, computer, technology or other tech topic on an online discussion board, the chances are good that you're among those that have been labeled a "zealot." Tarential submitted the following editorial to osOpinion/osViews which suggests that the term is being thrown about too flippantly on some online discussion boards... especially with regard to discussion relating to free/open source software.

Nearly one-third of Oracle's software sold in China now runs on the Linux operating system, compared with less than five per cent a year ago, a trend the company calls "an unstoppable wave".

The revolt barely puts a dent in Microsoft's dominance. But the decline of a full percentage point suggests millions of users are paying heed to warnings from the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team, which is advising people to "use a different Web browser."

Enfobridge has announced a free support program for OpenOffice.org, along with the launch of a new website that offers users a way to register for support and download OpenOffice.org software. The program is available to new and existing OpenOffice.org users.

When Ireland's leading bank, Allied Irish Bank (AIB), last month disclosed that it was disposing of the Windows PCs that its tellers used on their desktops in favor of Linux-based terminals, experts said it demonstrated that an IT insurgency is emerging in the financial services sector. Linux is finally proving itself on the desktop in the financial industry, where cost-conscious executives want powerful performance at an affordable price.

The Firebird Project announces the release of Firebird V1.5.1. this relese represents a committment by the project to develop and deliver ongoing improvements to this popular open source database engine. The NPTL (Native Posix Thread Library) Linux builds referred to in the http://www.ibphoenix.com/downloads/Firebird_v15pt1_ReleaseNo...">release notes will be available shortly.