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If it's your first time with Linux, you want it to be with someone who is gentle, someone who really cares about you. Yet, the gruffness of a good number of Linux pros is enough to scare off all but the most ardent Linux pursuers. Maybe that's Linux's way of ensuring survival of the fittest. Not everyone who's experienced with Linux is rough and rude, though. Michael Davis knows what it's like to be a Linux virgin who needs to be treated with tenderness. With that in mind, Davis created LinuxVirgins.com, a gentle guide for first-time Linux users.

Looking back at all the Linux stories in 2004 still elicits eye-popping, head-scratching and, sometimes, fist-pounding reaction. So as the year closes, here's a rundown of some of the biggest stories in Linux and open source

US software giant Microsoft Corp scored a victory against open source software in India after the Indian state of Karnataka chose its software to power a major e-governance initiative.

The investment is part of the company's - Japan's biggest mobile phone carrier - plans to assist Japanese handset vendors develop more models that use the Linux OS, said spokeswoman Tomoko Tsuda. "The investment will help us have a direct relationship with MontaVista so they can help mobile phone makers get products to the market faster," she said.

This week at OSDir.com we had the following screenshot tours on our agenda Vine Linux 3.1, Overclockix 3.7, Novell Linux Desktop 9, FreeSBIE 1.1, and PCLinuxOS Preview 8. Check it out!

A complete listing of our Linux and Open Source screenshot tours is here: shots.osdir.com.

A number of European research institutions and open source software companies have launched a project to manage complexity in open source software. Called the Environment for the Development and Distribution of Free Software or EDOS, it will research and implement new ways to manage the complexity. The team includes six research and academic institutions and four software and services companies.

Paul Ferris speculates that the time is ripe for a couple of heavy-hitting retail vendors to embrace GNU/Linux in the sales arena. This FeriCyde Chat continues last weeks rant, suggesting that there's cash on the table for the first vendor that matches todays security opportunity with a Linux desktop alternative.

I'm not certain that this is entirely on topic here. But Linux Weekly News, a very high quality Linux news site, is running a story on the life (and recent death) of James Barry Corbet, by all accounts an exceptional human being, and father of Jonathan Corbet, the very dedicated editor of that site. Many members of the community are expressing their condolences.

Welcome to this year's 50th issue of DWN, the weekly newsletter for the Debian community. The Oxford University's computer centre will complete its move to PostgreSQL running on Debian as the back-end database over the next year. The next stable update is being prepared and expected before New Year's eve. For those of you who celebrate Christmas we wish you a Merry Christmas.

Novell Linux Desktop 9 is a desktop operating system and office-productivity environment that enables businesses to use Linux and open source with confidence. - novell.com

After a long struggle with this distro and VMWare, we finally got Novell Linux Desktop 9 installed at OSDir, and grabbed some screenshots, running both KDE and GNOME.

The EU has again failed to ratify the software patent directive, after a crucial last-minute intervention.

The preview release of OpenOffice 2.0 claims to have improved compatability with Microsoft Office, which could encourage businesses to migrate to the open source application.

Just like my first blog on "FOSS in the Church" this second one has hit a nerve, although in a much more negative way. I shouldn't be surprised, and indeed I'm not because people are very passionate about the issue of copyright, especially when it comes to the FOSS movement as a community. Perhaps I can clarify some of my views here. Note: I am working on a more extensive treatment of this subject to come out after the first of the year along with the continuation of my "FOSS in the Church" posts.

Open source software will influence the VoIP market in a big way next year, according to VoIP pioneer Jeff Pulver, who released his predictions this week. Pulver, who heads the industry standard VON (Voice on the Net) conferences and publications, said open source software for VoIP PBXs is progressing at a rapid rate. "It will continue to gain momentum, the effects of which will be felt in the next 12 to 18 months," he said.

Did you, like me, forget to buy greeting cards in the midst and stress of the few weeks leading up to Christmas? If so, we have to come up with a quick solution. There are just four days left. I create my own cards with Scribus, a top-notch Linux desktop publishing package (DTP) and send them as PDF by email or printed and sent by regular mail.

Imagine a Web site that has over 4,000 links to sites of interest to Linux enthusiasts. Forget about dead links, because this site would be vigilantly maintained by a small group of people totally committed to the work of providing useful content. Instead, expect fresh links several times a week with handy accessories like quick links to related pages.

Symbio Technologies announces the release of The Symbiont Management Suite 4, software that makes it easier than ever to set-up, configure, and manage a server-centric network comprised of low-powered, long-lived desktop workstation units while controlling user activities.

It's easy to crank out a slide show, using OpenOffice.org Impress, that can be uploaded to your Web site. Impress also builds a basic start page, with a slide index, summary, and navigation buttons. Best of all, it's quick and there's no HTML programming needed.

Most of the big guys know the value of forums, regularly updating content, community building, and contributing writers, but how does the new guy keep up with such large promotional software budget wielding companies already entrenched in the market? Enter our superhero, the open source software community.

Daffodil Software, the developers of the popular Java database, Daffodil DB, today formally announced the alpha launch of an RDBMS based Open Source e-mail client – Daffodil Organizer.