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Oracle is to release Oracle 8i with the new iFS filesystem tomorrow. As this article argues, iFS will lead to a commoditization of the operating system (in particular NT): iFS goes beyond traditional filesystems by adding database capabilities, enabling better search and revision control management. However, these iFS' can be mounted like a traditional NFS server, reducing complexity for IT staff, while keeping the improvements transparent to users who don't want to know. Interestingly, the low cost of Linux would be an advantage to Oracle which is not interested in promoting OS capabilities. This leads the author to speculation of further Oracle-Linux announcements. Link found on Linux Today.

Linux Today tried to verify allegations published in the Register that the OMG (responsible for the CORBA spec) did not like Linux because it was free. Chris Rhodes of the OMG denied this in this statement saying that the Register misconstrued the role their source played at the OMG.

Linux Today tried to verify allegations published in the Register that the OMG (responsible for the CORBA spec) did not like Linux because it was free. Chris Rhodes of the OMG denied this in this statement saying that the Register misconstrued the role their source played at the OMG.

Dave of Linux Today wrote in to tell me that he had researched the people behind the Halloween Document. Anyone have some more info? Update! Another interesting point within this context is that Microsoft tried to hire Alan. Corrections: Haloween to Halloween.

Dave of Linux Today wrote in to tell me that he had researched the people behind the Halloween Document. Anyone have some more info? Update! Another interesting point within this context is that Microsoft tried to hire Alan. Corrections: Haloween to Halloween.

mrproper sent us a link to a User Friendly noting that a strip this week featured those Penguin Caffeinated Peppermints that nearly killed me at ALS. Judah wrote in to say that the November issue of the LinuxGazette is now online. Ignacio wrote in to note that the XFree86 3.3.3 will be out this month, and the XF86_SVGA server will support the Matrox Gx00 video cards. Sixl6 wrote in to send us a link to an entertaining catalog oof christmas presents for, well, crazy people. I'm disturbed that this exists. Pleased, but disturbed. Tim Doran wrote in and sent us a link to a moderately humorous usenet post that takes a humorous pot shot at MS with a linux joke. Dave Whitinger wrote in (along with everyone else on earth) to note that Slink has now frozen really for sure definitely (note:I spelled it right!) this time. Debian 2.1 should be ready soon. Lastly, I'm just gonna throw a link out to Taco Hell, where I've posted a bunch of pictures of the old Geek House, as well as goofy pictures of my room mates (including myself and Hemos).

LinuxWorld has an article which may have some valid points, but would discourage me from porting my apps to Linux. How many of you have had difficulties porting from libc to glibc? (Please only answer if you tried it). How different are the different distributions for your app? How much does autoconfig solve? Any people from Red Hat, Debian, SuSe, Caldera, PHT, etc are encouraged to relate their experience. S: My comments are that Ian Nandhra was one of the founders of the LSA, and that his article is inaccurate in assuming that software will be sold at a 60 percent discount.

Andy Tai writes " The Object Management Group, the body overseeing the CORBA standard, and Linux International put out a press release advertising the available CORBA implementations on Linux."It's all about options. Users don't want to be bound to only one platform or operating system," commented Bill Hoffman, President of the Object Management Group. "Linux offers another level of independence and CORBA vendors have responded. As Linux comes out of the back room and into the mainstream, I suspect other middleware vendors will follow this trend." This is good evidence of the complementary relationship of open standards and Free Software/Open Source."

ESR writes "The Wall Street Journal called me less than an hour ago to quiz me about the Halloween Document.

I gave them the sound bites they were looking for. In the process I found out that they've already talked with Microsoft -- and Microsoft has officially admitted that the memorandum is genuine!

This fact should become public knowledge no later than tomorrow evening (Nov 3) when the WSJ story runs.

As you peruse your WSJ tomorrow, the distant noise you hear will be me -- laughing my butt off at the people who leapt to accuse me of having been hoaxed, or even of perpetrating the hoax myself."

For those that can't wait, news.com is also confirming it. Thanks to David Fred for this link. Update! VNUNet believes Microsoft sanctioned the leak since it gives credibility to Microsoft's claim that Linux is competition for them. Microsoft's UK marketing manager also says Linux is not a threat. This reader's comment points out that the document focusses on License forking, not code forking. Links from LinuxToday.

glens writes "LinuxToday has been reporting on the shutdown of linux.org and this is the latest article. Seems to be developing into an intersting tale. " Update www.linux.org seems to be resolving now, but the actual site is not yet back. The page currently has the official explanation of the ruckus.

In a U-turn that will be welcomed by all members of the Linux community who still have to use a Windows box to access Lotus Notes at work, Lotus has announced that it is looking into porting its SmartSuite and Notes/Domino suites of applications to Linux. It would also make SmartSuite open-source. This link was found on Linux Today. Unlike the analysts of the story, I believe this is a low-cost (type make) move which will be very lucrative to Lotus (many Linux users in Fortune 500 companies, have 2 PCs, one for the company standards of Notes/Office (Windows) and one to do real work on (Linux). For those that do not know SmartSuite, it's a pretty awesome suite of office applications, including Voice Recognition -- I really hope this too will be open-sourced: Lotus Organizer time and contact manager, Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet, Lotus Freelance Graphics presentation graphics, Lotus Word Pro word processor, Lotus Approach database, Lotus ScreenCam multimedia, IBM ViaVoice for Word Pro and 1-2-3, Lotus Mail Internet e-mail. update: "will port" to "looking into porting". However, given that the Strategy vice president said it was just a question of a recompile, if enough people want it it should happen.

The OS Counter has been stopped due to unfounded complaints by Israeli sysops of "hack attacks". The fact that Israeli newspapers followed up on this without checking into the facts, but assume Lebanese involvement indicates to me a rather paranoid state of mind. Alternatively two stories got mixed up -- the scenario I hope happened. Please encourage hans to continue his valuable work. For those interested, Infoworld discusses the Queso method used. Links found on Linux Today. updated I misspelled Queso Questo. Fixed. Thanks to the rude AC for pointing that out so kindly.

The OS Counter has been stopped due to unfounded complaints by Israeli sysops of "hack attacks". The fact that Israeli newspapers followed up on this without checking into the facts, but assume Lebanese involvement indicates to me a rather paranoid state of mind. Alternatively two stories got mixed up -- the scenario I hope happened. Please encourage hans to continue his valuable work. For those interested, Infoworld discusses the Queso method used. Links found on Linux Today. updated I misspelled Queso Questo. Fixed. Thanks to the rude AC for pointing that out so kindly.

Dave Whitinger writes "In an agreement struck October 28 between AFUL (the French association of Linux users) and the French Ministry of Education, AFUL will assist with installing Linux and Free Software networks in high schools, junior high schools and primary schools throughout France." Note that the french text does not state that schools must convert over, but that should they choose to, the AFUL will help them by providing support, turn-key solutions, and the like. This is an important step towards ensuring the diversity of OS's in French schools, and I hope that many schools will elect to join the project.

Dave Whitinger writes "In an agreement struck October 28 between AFUL (the French association of Linux users) and the French Ministry of Education, AFUL will assist with installing Linux and Free Software networks in high schools, junior high schools and primary schools throughout France." Note that the french text does not state that schools must convert over, but that should they choose to, the AFUL will help them by providing support, turn-key solutions, and the like. This is an important step towards ensuring the diversity of OS's in French schools, and I hope that many schools will elect to join the project.

Linux.org has been missing in action for several days. This Url explains that they had some DNS troubles as they lost their net feed. It should be resolved soon. Thanks to Dave for letting us know.

Linux.org has been missing in action for several days. This Url explains that they had some DNS troubles as they lost their net feed. It should be resolved soon. Thanks to Dave for letting us know.

Found on Linux Today: A British company will soon be launching an MP3 player running on a 220 MHz StrongARM and Linux. Because it is technically a PC, it may be able to avoid a lawsuit with the RIAA (unlike Diamond Multimedia). It's the size of your car radio, has a 2.1Gb hard disk (35 hours of music), and should allow you to login to it!

Zdnet is reporting a study by Zona Research Inc that shows Netscape's dominance of the corporate market increasing, to lead IE by 60% to 40%. Moreover 84% of IE users in companies must do so due to company policy. This is good news for Netscape, which makes its revenues off server software for companies: more browser recognition and usage decrease the hurdles it faces to sell its server software for which its browser is optimised. However the results are bad for other browsers: for the first time since 1996 all the companies surveyed use either IE or Netscape. Thanks to Linux Today for the link. The initial article contained the statement " Note that corporate users have good T1 connections to the internet, effectively making Netscape easier to choose than it is for home users.". Some readers don't agree with that. I think it all depends on where you live. I have never seen a free CD with Netscape on it -- only IE. And in countries other than the US, downloading a few Megs is prohibitively expensive due to local telephone charges.

dparker wrote in to hook us up with the url to an excellent article at Linux Today about Microsoft using Linux against the DOJ. They list several of MSs arguments and clearly show why they are untrue. Worth reading.

It seems that Debian decided to stop distributing KDE both on CDROM and through the Internet.
Debian statement is here.
This story appeared at Linux Today (excellent news web site)
Fellas, please, try not to flame this time. If you have something to comment, please make yourself clear and explain if you agree or not, after all, YOUR opinion counts.

It seems that Debian decided to stop distributing KDE both on CDROM and through the Internet.
Debian statement is here.
This story appeared at Linux Today (excellent news web site)
Fellas, please, try not to flame this time. If you have something to comment, please make yourself clear and explain if you agree or not, after all, YOUR opinion counts.

Josh Baugher writes "Applixware 4.4.1 for Linux New version of Applixware has Office97 filters, Y2K compliance. " "They" always say its about the apps. Applix is definately making that happen.