Reuters reports (through ZDNet) on solar-powered advertising-paid Internet connections in some Berlin bus shelters.

“Software developers have always walked a tightrope when it comes to profitability. So it is only natural that a for-profit software developer would choose the platform or platforms that offer the greatest likelihood of reaching a mass audience. In the 1990s, that usually meant Microsoft platforms, particularly the Windows family of products. Microsoft’s management knows only too well how to leverage its monopoly position.” –Kelly McNeill

eWEEK reports on IBM’s use of Linux on its mainframe computers at colleges and universities, and how the combination is attracting computer science students to work on big iron.

From ZDNet Linux: “While Microsoft Internet Explorer has stifled all other Web browsers in the Windows world, the Linux and BSD realms are witnessing a veritable browser renaissance. Like many others, I’ve been waiting for ages to dump my Netscape browser, which has a 50/50 chance of freezing on any Web page containing Java. It looks like we are about to be rewarded for our patience.”

CNET reviews TurboLinux Workstation Pro 6.1. The verdict: “…its non-graphical installation interface is likely to intimidate all but grizzled Linux veterans,” however its support for the Japanese language “should please its legions of users in Pacific Rim countries.”

Sohodojo and Communities of the Future today announced their partnership in founding the Center for Open Source Collaboration Technologies. The Center is an Applied R&D Lab and Study Center chartered to develop and facilitate the application of Open Source collaboration technologies within ‘Small is Good’ Business Webs in urban and rural communities seeking a sustainable future.

The Center for Open Source Collaboration Technologies is a ‘node’ in the Communities of the Future Network. As a Network node, the Center for Open Source Collaboration Technologies will work closely with such prestigious Network members as the New Democracy Center of the Blacksburg Electronic Village and the Center for the Digital Economy at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

“We are fortunate to join with Sohodojo in opening the Center for Open Source Collaboration Technologies,” said Rick Smyre, President of Communities of the Future, “There is great synergy between Sohodojo’s ideas of the nanocorp and ‘small is good’ business webs and Communities of the Future’s interest in developing capacities for transformation and process leadership within rural and urban communities seeking a sustainable future.”

“Sohodojo has an innovative ‘Big Picture’ research and development agenda related to role/actor executable business model technologies,” said Jim Salmons, co-founder and Co-Host of Sohodojo, “We’ll be doing some very original framework development work, initially under a project called ‘The Nanocorp Game’, an exploratory learning environment and sandbox for our developers.”

“But we are also ‘ruthlessly simple’ pragmatists,” said Timlynn Babitsky, co-founder and Co-Host of Sohodojo, “We intend to work initially with Communities of the Future in the selection, integration and documentation of existing ‘Best of Breed’ Open Source collaboration technologies to support the evolution of the COTF Network web sites and their constellations of project subsites.”

Open Source developers, entrepreneurial free agents, small business entrepreneurs and community activists interested in the vision and research agenda of Sohodojo, Communities of the Future and the Center for Open Source Collaboration Technologies are encouraged to explore our web sites and contact us at techsig@sohodojo.com describing your interest. You do not need to be a developer to get involved in our wide-ranging research and development projects.

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–Jim Salmons

Slashdot readers discuss Open Source programming: “Surely there must be thousands of similar students with basic programmming skills who want to help but are intimidated by the sheer enormity of even finding their place in hundreds of megabytes of source code. I would think that after the experience of a few projects, get a foothold for that first experience? What kind of project should he be looking for?””

ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley wants to know: “Why aren’t open-source purists afraid of being co-opted by big companies? If they are fearful that the Dells, IBMs and HPs might end up dictating to them, they sure aren’t saying so.”

From LinuxLookup.com: “With Linux-based for-profit companies having a difficult time making money, and the accelerating consolidation of Linux market share into fewer commercial distributions, it is questionable whether free software cangrow beyond geekdom into the mainstream.” –Jonny5

From a post at Debian Planet: “I’ve just noticed today that Eazel’s Nautilus 0.5-2.1, otherwise known as PR2 has been recently released into the Woody stream, so it might be time to remove that Nautilus deb line from your sources.list file.”