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How can potential buyers judge the differences in performance among applications running on various Linux distributions? Linux kernel stability and reliability testing is quite sophisticated, thanks mainly to efforts such as the Linux Test Project, but measuring application performance on Linux is more difficult. The Open Source Development Labs is calling for application vendors to put their products to the test for scalability, security and clustering. In keeping with the open source approach, the lab is also calling on vendors to share their testing and results.

How exactly do you stop a much awaited, overly hyped software release from the billion dollar Redmond giant Microsoft? The Open Source front has no definite strategy on how to catch the raging bull by its ‘Longhorn’, but is closely following the “If you cant beat ‘em, join ‘em” mantra.

We've talked a lot lately (well, in the last year) about Linux on your servers - but what about on your users' desktops? The biggest prize in Novell's acquisition of Ximian last year is thought to be the GNOME user interface for Linux. This graphical user interface (GUI) makes a Linux desktop seem friendlier and easier to use for a person reared on Windows than the traditional command-line that gearheads and geeks say they prefer.

IBM has increased the volume in its campaign to encourage Sun to loosen its grip on Java. Not only Steve Mills, head of its $13 billion Software Group, but also John Swainson, IBM's "Mr WebSphere," have both in the last week come out with matching statements that it is time Sun let others play a greater part in advancing Java in the marketplace.

SCO appears to have given up its claim that the GPL is unconstitutional! SCO made a mistake it seems, and now, like Gilda Radner's classic Emily Litella skit on the old Saturday Night Live, they say,"Never mind." Maybe BayStar talked some sense into them.

Digital cameras capture images that are great for printing but generally unsuited for sending by email. The files are often too large, poorly named, and many images need to be rotated. Luckily, a number of open source tools are well-suited to solving these problems quickly.

Novell has announced its soon-to-ship SUSE LINUX 9.1 conforms to the Free Standards Group's LSB Runtime Environment for IA32 product standard, demonstrating adherence to the community-developed standard for Linux-based systems.

A handful of Linux kernel developers recently debated "swapiness" at length on the lkml, exploring when an application should or should not be swapped out, versus reclaiming memory from the cache.

The Australian Computer Society will release an open source policy document later this year, calling for the adoption of open source technologies by Australian government entities and the private sector.

Get rid of annoying Web marketing and protect your privacy, using both the browser and a proxy server.

Telecom equipment vendor Giga Stream says it uses IP Infusion's ZebOS Advanced Routing Suite (ARS) in a unique embedded Linux based "Universal Navigation Switch" (UNS) that integrates voice, data, and radio access to support seamless subscriber roaming between Radio Access Networks (RANs) and Wireless LANs.

Work to achieve government security standards, security certifications and work with the NSA-developed SELinux lead the list of security initiatives planned by Red Hat. Red Hat's goal is to advance industry security standards and simplify security for customers.

In yesterday's annual strategy memo to Microsoft employees, CEO Steve Ballmer declared: "Noncommercial software products in general, and Linux in particular, present a competitive challenge for us and for our entire industry, and they require our concentrated focus and attention."

It's 'ciao, Microsoft' week for Brazilian public servants. Over 2,200 civil servants are in Brasília, Brazil's capital, for training in free software The program's intention is turn the participants into propagators of open source. The use of open source represents annual savings of US$ 1.1 billion for the Brazilian government.

European Commission funds will help to pay for pilots of open-source technology for the public sector.

Distinctive Devices says it has received a $3.2 million dollar purchase order for embedded Linux based set-top boxes (STBs) that it calls "representative" of other deals. Italian digital TV vendor Goldtop will buy the devices and resell them into both terrestrial and satellite-based digital television markets.

This interview with Red Hat Vice President James Prasad, who heads up the company's embedded operations, discusses Red Hat's background in embedded systems, embedded Linux market strategy and product plans, and recent partnership with Wind River Systems. Prasad came to Red Hat via its acquisition of Cygnus Solutions in January, 2000.

Sun's president and COO Jonathan Schwartz said that Red Hat Linux' kernel was proprietary. You might have had a similar impact describing the Pope as Jewish.

If you've been developing for Windows for (n+1) years, you might consider venturing into open source software development a daunting prospect. Reading the Free Software Foundation Web site makes it look like all development is done in straight C -- of course there's no Visual C++ or Visual Basic. Linux doesn't have its own component model and there is nothing even remotely like DirectX for low-level hardware access. It's just too hard for the dyed-in-the-wool Windows developer to program for Linux.

As reported on Slashdot and elsewhere, Linux kernel hackers have discovered that some proprietary modules running on the Linux kernel have been "lying" about their licensing. Doing so allows those modules to pass the automated license test done when they are loaded and thus escape the "tainted kernel" messages the loader would otherwise produce. NewsForge has gone behind the scenes and spoken to Linus Torvalds and the CEO of one of the firms providing proprietary modules for Linux to learn more about this story.