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Contents: Distro News News in General Software Announcements

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Submitters, send your News Bytes items in PLAIN TEXT format. Other formats may be rejected without reading. You have been warned! A one- or two-paragraph summary plus URL gets you a better announcement than an entire press release.

December 2000 Linux Journal

The December issue of Linux Journal is on newsstands now. This issue focuses on System Administration. Click here to view the table of contents, or here to subscribe. All articles through December 1999 are available for public reading at http://www.linuxjournal.com/lj-issues/mags.html. Recent articles are available on-line for subscribers only at http://interactive.linuxjournal.com/.

ASP Linux

Caldera

OREM, UT-November 1, 2000: In a follow up to last month's item, Caldera Systems announced its Linux management solution (formerly code-named "Cosmos") has been named Caldera Volution. The product, currently in open beta, is still available for download from Caldera's Web site at www.calderasystems.com/beta Volution is a browser- and directory-based management product for Linux systems that utilizes the strengths of LDAP directories. Using Volution, network administrators can create policies and profiles to manage a half dozen or thousands of Linux systems, without having to individually manage/touch each.

OREM, UT-November 6, 2000: Caldera Systems, Inc. announces its upcoming Linux/Unix Power Solutions Tour 2000 which runs from November 14th through December 12th. The 12-city tour targets those who develop and deploy on Linux and Unix-including VARs, ASPs, ISVs, developers, resellers, consultants and corporate IT professionals. This tour presents Caldera's vision of the future for Linux and UNIX and Linux training. Each presentation on the tour includes two sessions: a morning business briefing and an afternoon Linux Essentials course with hands-on training, including for-sale software and solutions guides. You can get more details from www.calderasystems.com/partners/tour, or call toll-free on 1-866-890-8388.

NeoLinux

Storm

Storm sent us some links which may be of interest to those wanting to find out about this distribution...

• LinuxISO.org Battle of the Distro's - A Comparative Review of 5 Linux distro.'s.
• LinuxISO reviews the Storm Firewall.
• LinuxWorld.com reviews of Storm Linux 2000.

Upcoming conferences and events

Courtesy Linux Journal. For the latest updates, see LJ's Industry Events page.

OEone and Tatung Join Forces

Toronto, ON - October 31, 2000: A joint agreement has been announced between Ottawa-based OEone and Tatung Co. of Canada. The two companies will be working together to bring fully-integrated, Linux-based Internet Computer solutions to leading OEM customers. The core of this deal is an exclusive arrangement between the two parties to fully integrate OEone's Linux-based Operating Environment and web applications with Tatung's All-In-One plus additional custom computer designs.

SGI and ePeople Linux support

The agreement also allows the more than 200 SGI open source operating system support technicians to join the ePeople marketplace to provide fee-based Linux support to anyone who needs it. SGI also offers Web-based service incident packs, called WebPacks, from its Online Helpdesk. WebPacks are prepaid service agreements available in quantities of 5, 10 or 20 incidents, (e.g. a 5-incident WebPack costs $449 (U.S. list)).

Clarksville Linux Users Group

Our Editor, Mike, recommends looking up GLUE (Groups of Linux Users Everywhere) for anyone interested in finding like-minded individuals in their area, or in publicising new groups.

IBM/KDE League and Voice Technology

November 15, 2000 (Las Vegas, Nevada): Further to their existing support for Linux, IBM are now joining the KDE League, and integrating their Via Voice technology into KDE. IBM's ViaVoice is currently the only voice recognition software commercially available for the Linux operating environment.

The KDE League is a group of industry leaders and KDE developers formed to focus on facilitating the promotion, distribution and development of KDE. The League will not be directly involved in developing the core KDE libraries and applications, but rather will focus on promoting the use of KDE and development of KDE software by third party developers.

Linuxcare and Eazel partner

SAN FRANCISCO Nov. 7, 2000: Linuxcare and Eazel announced a partnership geared toward speeding Linux development.

Under the agreement, Linuxcare will provide email support services to customers of Eazel's Network User Environment which includes Eazel Services and the Nautilus client for Linux systems which can be downloaded at www.eazel.com. Linuxcare will also maintain a Linux knowledgebase support site at Eazel.com by capturing documentation and software updates, as well as managing and updating support FAQs. Linuxcare's services will support the preview of Eazel's Internet services and Nautilus client that is being integrated with the GNOME 1.4 windowing system.

Training Pages (UK's Largest Online Training Directory) Reaches 10,000 Courses

Training Pages runs entirely on open source software, including the Linux operating system, the Apache web server, the MySQL database and the PHP scripting language.

Announcing Release 0.9.2 of the Computer History Graphing Project

Version 0.9.2 of the Computer History Graphing Project has now been released. The project aims to graph all of computerdom in one large family tree. This version contains an updated version of the unified parser program, parsech. It can now optionally output a DBM hash containing the parsed data. The documentation has also been updated, in addition to the data trees. More specifically, the NeXT, Palm, Windows, and Apple Darwin trees have all been updated. The project's web site is located at comp-hist.sourceforge.net.

Linux Links

Adobe beta tested a Linux version of FrameMaker, then decided not to release a product. Linux Weekly News speculates why.

Is the Internet in China, rather than heralding an age of open communication, actually solidifying Big Brother's control? Linux Journal author Bryan Pfaffenberger argues so in his web article The Internet in China.

Tips on getting that darned mouse wheel to scroll under X.

Links from The Duke of URL:

• Linux-Mandrake 7.2 review.
• BestLinux 2000 review
• Review of Pogo Linux Gigahertz machine, a dual boot machine that has Red Hat 7 and Windows Me
• Monthly buyer's guide, updated to include an SMP system in the line-up.
• The Duke of URL and O'Reilly are giving away a signed book weekly to launch their new newsletter. Sign up for the newsletter and you're entered.

• Should all software be open sourced? A look at the advantages and disadvantages of open source versus proprietary software.
• Linux's Sun Rises: The Linux Professional Institute (LPI) Japanese wing takes flight and its first certification exams in a language other than English.

• Open source software is NOT free! Rick Lehrbaum examines the hours and sweat invested by individuals and companies in creating, testing, and maintaining it.

• The open-source life The author of an important development tool for Linux programmers, writes about his project (the LTT) and complex GPL copyright issues.

• The coders' collective: FreeDevelopers.net is seeking to reinvent the way companies produce software. Is the world ready for a democratically-elected software company?

• Open-source rumble? A look at the rivalries in the open source community, and the effect on software development.

MSNBC have a good report from COMDEX 2000, focusing on the rise of embedded Linux systems.

A look at Gnutella, and possible legal implications.

Open-source developer's agreement (clauses for the contract between developers and their employers)

Slashdot review of a book explaining the Open Source revolution to non-tekkies.

From Linuxworld, an article alleging that MS is using Linux code in the latest Windows versions to make their product more stable.

Traceroute Java Servlet sources (under Linux) are now available for free downloading from the http://cities.lk.net/trdownload.html

IBM Small Business Suite for Linux

Somers, NY, November 6, 2000 . . . IBM today announced the industry's first Linux-based integrated software solution for small businesses. It delivers the tools necessary to help customers with messaging and collaboration, productivity, Web site creation and design, and data management. IBM also includes a fully integrated install program.

"This offering provides small businesses, and the Value-Added Resellers (VARs) and Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) that serve them, everything they need to do serious e-business on Linux.," said Scott Handy, director, Linux solutions marketing, IBM Software. "The IBM Small Business Suite is first-of-a-kind for Linux and delivers the three most requested servers: database, e-mail and Web application server software, delivering a great solution at a great price."

The suite is available for US$499 at www.ibm.com/shopibm. Site licenses are also available. Supported distributions include Caldera, Red Hat, SuSE and TurboLinux. The installer program and desktop software are available in ten European and Asian languages.

The Small Business Suite for Linux includes the following software:

Lotus Domino Release 5.04

IBM WebSphere Application Server, Standard Edition Version 3

IBM DB2 Universal Database Version 7

IBM WebSphere Homepage Builder

IBM Suites Installer

WebSphere Studio

Domino Designer

Wolfram Announces Mathematica 4.1

Product details are available at www.wolfram.com/products/mathematica/newin41.

Omnis Studio 3.0 now brings business solutions to the web even faster

Omnis Software has announced the release of Omnis Studio 3.0, the latest version of their 4GL rapid application development (RAD) program. The new release incorporates extensive changes to their web server and Web ClientT technologies, significantly speeding up web-based business applications. It also includes a range of other enhancements to make the development experience more intuitive, easier to use, and more powerful.

Omnis Studio is a high-performance visual RAD tool that provides a component-based environment for building GUI interfaces within e-commerce, database and client/server applications. Development and deployment of Omnis Studio applications can occur simultaneously in Linux, Windows, and Mac OS environments without changing the application code.

A demonstration copy of Omnis Studio 3.0 can be downloaded from the web site: www.omnis.net and more details of the new version are available at: www.omnis.net/v3.

Backup Utility Integrated into Linux NetworX Evolocity Clusters

The reliability of tape device technology today is extremely high, but the potential for errors on the tapes following the writing of the archive can still occur in some cases. BRU has the ability to effectively detect and recover from errors when reading a tape to allow successful completion of the restore.

Evolocity cluster systems include computational hardware, ClusterWorX(TM) management software, RapidFlow(TM) 10/100 and Gigabit Ethernet Switch, applications, and storage, including the BRU backup utility.

Tribes(tm) 2 Coming to Linux: Beta Testers Needed

Tustin, California - November 9, 2000: Loki Software, Inc., publisher of commercial games for the Linux operating system, announces an agreement with Sierra Studios(tm) to bring the highly-anticipated Tribes(tm) 2 to Linux.

Loki is porting this first-person action game alongside the Windows development, and is now accepting beta tester applications for the Linux version. Interested participants should visit www.lokigames.com and complete an online registration form.

Mahogany 0.60 GTK+/Win32 mail client with Python scripting

A new release of the `Mahogany' e-Mail and News client has been made. Mahogany is an OpenSource cross-platform mail and news client. It is available for X11/Unix and MS Windows platforms, supporting a wide range of protocols and standards, including POP3, IMAP and full MIME support as well as secure communications via SSL. Thanks to its built-in Python interpreter it can be extended far beyond its original functionality.

Source and binaries for a variety of Linux and Unix systems are available at http://mahogany.sourceforge.net/ and http://sourceforge.net/projects/mahogany/

Binaries for Win32 systems and Debian packages will also be made available shortly.

Opera for Linux Beta2

The latest beta of Opera for Linux is available at Opera.com.

Announcing GtkRadiant 1.1 Beta for Linux and Win32

Loki Software, Inc. and QERadiant.com are pleased to release GtkRadiant 1.1 beta for Linux and Win32. GtkRadiant is a cross-platform version of the Quake III Arena level editor Q3Radiant. GtkRadiant offers several improvements over Q3Radiant and many new features.

For more information, please visit http://www.qeradiant.com/gtkradiant.shtml.

Open Source Development Toolkit from Epitera

LAS VEGAS - November 15, 2000: AbsoluteX, a new Open Source development toolkit, was officially launched at COMDEX 2000 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. AbsoluteX is an X-Window developer toolkit created by Epitera ( http://www.epitera.com ) to streamline and facilitate the process of developing customized GUIs (graphical user interfaces) for Linux. It is available for free download at ( http://www.absolutex.org ). Epitera believes AbsoluteX will help get Linux out of the exclusive IT world and into the mainstream desktop world of home, work and novice users.

Open Motif available on IA64 TurboLinux

Integrated Computer Solutions, Inc. have announced the first port of Motif to the upcoming IA64 platform from Intel. ICS says that this is important for the Linux community, because most of the existing Enterprise applications written for UNIX platforms (e.g., Suns, HP, SGI, etc.) use Motif as a GUI toolkit. Without the port of Motif to the IA64, it will be difficult and expensive for Enterprises to migrate to Linux.

A full press release is available. The software is also available for download from: http://www.motifzone.net/download/dldform.php

Copyright © 2000, Michael Conry and the Editors of .
Copying license http://www.linuxgazette.com/copying.html
Published in Issue 60 of Linux Gazette, December 2000