jeramy b smith writes “penguinppc.org, the home of the PowerPC Linux port, presents an editorial on the idea of a PowerPC Linux specific non-profit. This idea has been tossed around, exploited, and abused and now penguinppc.org takes an in-depth look at what this would really mean.”

Locked in a supercharged race
with giant rival Intel Corp., Advanced Micro
Devices Inc. is introducing a speedier new
version of its Duron chip for personal computers, this AP report at MSNBC tells us.

The Seattle Times reports that the
federal judge who ordered
Microsoft split in two last
year compares Bill Gates to
Napoleon – even musing that
the company founder should
be required to write a book
report on him – and said
Microsoft executives behave
like children.

LinuxNews.pl wrote to let us know that there’s a project afoot to merge certain OpenOffice components into the GNOME
component system. Read more at OpenOffice.org.

LinuxNews.pl writes “A month ago WaPark – polish company that is installing pay parking system in
Warsaw, Poland, anounced that is finalizing the deal with polish cell phone
operators, and will be reade to set up SMS Parking System. You could simply
pay for your parking time via SMS! Read more on LinuxNews.pl“

– By Grant Gross –

It almost looked like a spoof at first, but the long-awaited release of the Linux 2.4 kernel finally happened this week. Linux godfather Linus Torvalds announced the release in a slightly goofy email that had some news people wondering if it wasn’t really a joke.

But it wasn’t. The kernel’s about a year later than scheduled, but it’s here, making for a ton of stories this week. Several news sources commented on the lateness of the project, including Wired.com, which had put the kernel on the Wired News Vaporware List just weeks earlier.

If you’re waiting for 2.4 to be pre-installed on a box, you might wait for months, according to ZDNet. Hardware manufacturers say they’ll wait for the Linux distributions to work 2.4 into their packages before loading it on machines. Distributions told eWeek they’ll wait for the early bugs to be worked out. The folks at the world of ZD/CNet also talked to Linus himself, who says he’s planning a house-warming party to celebrate the new baby.

Lots of Linux sites reveled in the history. Advogato suggested Linux fans put their excited moods to good use, by helping test the new kernel. Linux Today asked readers what they’d change about Linux.

Really, there was other news this week

Yes, this week wasn’t all about the 2.4 kernel. Linux also went to Hollywood, with several sites reporting that the movie “Antitrust,” to be released this month, features shots of the Gnome desktop in a tale of a huge technology company in the Pacific Northwest that “will stop at nothing” to keep control of the computer market. Hmmmmm, sounds slightly familiar. Where have I read about something like that from real life?

If you’re looking for something other than Linux news, check out this opinion piece at BSD Today in which the author rails against “misunderstandings and misinformation” on TuCows, the major download site.

New at NewsForge this week

Columnist Julie Bresnick profiles William Stearns, senior research engineer for the Institute for Security Technology Studies at Dartmouth College. Even nice boys can use Linux, she decides.

News editor Tina Gasperson reviews the paper, Grokking the GIMP and the site, Gimp-savvy, finding them useful tools for artistic types using Linux.

Hardware reviewer Jeff Field looks at the Logitech Wheel Mouse Optical and mostly likes what he sees.

NewsForge editors read and respond to comments
posted on our discussion
page.

Cristian R. Arroyo writes “Newcomers may expect great changes in Red Hat 7.0, wondering if this is going to be ultimate release that will make them turn to Linux for good. Let’s see if Red Hat 7.0 delivers what it promises and lives up to the expectations of the seasoned Linux user in this new review at Planeta Linux Argentina (in spanish).”

AbiWord is reviewed in detail by Linux Orbit. “AbiWord is the crown jewel of AbiSource at the moment, and the developers take great pride in the fact that Microsoft (www.microsoft.com) presented them as a potential competitor during their antitrust case.“

“To kick off the New Year we are offering three prizes to go along with site registration (and no, there are no catches – we won’t be bombarbing you with spam). Register now at http://www.linuxlinks.com/mylinks/ and you can win one of three $30 gift vouchers from Amazon.com to spend on whatever you like – there are a number of good linux books available in that range but you can spend the money on whatever you like.” More details on LinuxPR.

LWN.net has the tummy.com official release announcing the winners of the Linux 2.4 release date pool winners. Congratulations to all who participated!