From Financial Review: “Microsoft’s Australian customers are preparing to join a worldwide revolt against the software giant’s new licensing deal which comes into force at the end of July.”

Annette Oevermann writes “SUNNYVALE, Calif., May 7, 2002 MontaVista Software Inc., the company powering the embedded revolution, announced today that MontaVista Linux Professional Edition 2.1 would support a range of IBM next-generation network processors including the powerful NP4GS3 and the NPe405H and NPe405L family. Jointly, the network processing solution from IBM and MontaVista Software targets applications in communications, networking, storage, digital video and Internet devices.
 

IBMs copper-based NP4GS3 offers efficient data and resource management capabilities for delivery of new services such as streaming audio and video downloads. The programmable NP4GS3 also provides deep packet processing support for OC-48, OC-12, gigabit Ethernet and Fast Ethernet at wire speed. Earlier this year, IBMs PowerNP NP4GS3 network processor unit (NPU) was named the Processor of the Year in its class for 2001, by In-Stat/MDR (MicroDesign Resources), publishers of The Microprocessor Report.

 
Designed specifically to address embedded applications, the NPe405L and NPe405H provide high-performance, low-power solutions that interface to a wide range of peripherals. IBMs NPe405H and NPe405L incorporate on-chip power management features and are ideal for power-conscious and thermal sensitive devices.

 
The combination of IBMs high-performance, PowerNP hardware and the flexible embedded Linux platform from MontaVista Software can help network equipment providers rapidly introduce next-generation networking systems, said Steve Longoria, director of marketing for network processing, IBM Microelectronics. MontaVista Software joins IBM in delivering the software and hardware foundation for a new wave of networking systems.

 
MontaVista Linux Professional Edition 2.1 boasts unrivaled development support for embedded processor architectures including PowerPC and PowerNP CPU boards, with more than 700 fully tested and supported host-target combinations. The feature-rich release enables a wide variety of embedded applications, providing a standard platform for designs from communications infrastructure to connected consumer electronic devices.

 
Embedded systems developers have long valued the stability and performance embodied in the PowerPC and PowerNP architectures, added Sheila Baker, vice president, marketing, MontaVista Software. Now, designers using the NP4GS3, NPe405H or NPe405L can benefit from the robustness and openness of our scalable operating system.

 
MontaVista Software was one of the first embedded software companies to develop a Linux-based platform for the IBM PowerPC family of processors, a focus that the company has maintained during its more than two years of successful commercial operation. The two companies announced, earlier this year, that they are collaborating to make the Linux operating system available for the complete range of IBM PowerPC- and PowerNP-based network processors.

 
Availability

MontaVista Linux 2.1 Professional Edition will be available for IBM PowerNP architectures from MontaVista Software and MontaVista distribution channels worldwide next month. It is offered as a product subscription, providing customers with the MontaVista Linux kernel, utilities, development tools, software updates, access to the MontaVista Zone, one year of technical support and access to hands-on training classes. MontaVista Linux 2.1 is open source, royalty-free and built from 100 percent pure Linux sources.

 
Demonstration

MontaVista Software will be demonstrating the MontaVista Linux 2.1 development environment running on the NP4GS3 platform from IBM at the following two events this week:
1. IBM DeveloperWorks, Booth # 410, May 7 10, Moscone Center,
San Francisco.
2. Networld+Interop, in the LVL7 Booth # 3314, May 7 9, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas. LVL7s FASTPATH product is available today on MontaVista Linux and offers a full suite of network processing software that accelerates the development of intelligent network infrastructure equipment, including switches, routers and access devices.

 
About MontaVista Software Inc.

MontaVista Software Inc. powers the embedded revolution by providing open-source systems software solutions for embedded developers. Founded in 1999 by real-time operating system (RTOS) pioneer James Ready, MontaVistas principal products include MontaVista Linux® Professional Edition and MontaVista Linux® Carrier Grade Edition. The Professional Edition is a Linux-based embedded source and binary distribution, cross development platform and a set of tool kits for x86/IA-32, PowerPC, StrongARM, MIPS, SH, ARM, XScale, Xtensa and other microprocessor architectures. The Carrier Grade Edition is a second-generation high availability product that is an ideal Linux platform for telecommunications and carrier-grade applications. MontaVista Software also provides several complementary technology products addressing specific customer needs such as the Java development environment, high availability technology, powerful graphics toolkits and more. MontaVista offers developers a family of products and services for
embedded design and development targeted for applications ranging from communications infrastructure to consumer devices.

 
Headquartered in the heart of Silicon Valley, in Sunnyvale, Calif., MontaVista Software is a privately held company funded by leading investors such as Alloy Ventures, US Venture Partners, RRE Ventures, WR Hambrecht + Co., IBM, Intel Capital, Panasonic and Sony Corporation. For more information about MontaVista Software, please visit http://www.mvista.com, email to info@mvista.com or call (408) 328-9200.

 
Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. MontaVista is a trademark of MontaVista Software Inc. All other names mentioned are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of their respective companies.

 
 
Contacts:

Joe Samagond,
Director of Marketing and Corporate Communications,
MontaVista Software Inc.,
Phone (408) 328-9234,
E-mail: jsamagond@mvista.com

 
Patricia Colby,
PR Strategy and Business Development,
Pacifico Inc.,
Phone (408) 293-8600 ext. 340,
E-mail: pcolby@pacifico.com”

Anonymous Reader writes “Kill-HUP.com has an opinion piece tacking the issue of holding software companies responsible for flaws in their producs. The solution is proposes might not be a win-win for all involved, but it could be a start. You can check out the feature here.”

Embedded.com: “The year 2000 saw the dot-com bubble pop. The myth of a “new economy” predicated on growth rather than profits died as well… Is the embedded world headed for it’s own version of the dot-com crash? How many of these companies have achieved profitability? Most are privately held and don’t disclose results, though the spates of layoffs are telling. Perhaps their troubles are the shared woes of the economic downturn. But, then again, maybe not.” Read more here.

The Register reviews MandrakeSoft’s new offering, Linux Mandrake 8.2. “I’ve had only about 72 hours to play with Mandrake 8.2-Pro. My initial impressions, as I expected, were largely positive…” You can check out the rest of the review here.

Internet.com: “Red Hat Monday unveiled Red Hat Linux version 7.3 . Expected to ship beginning May 15, Red Hat Linux 7.3 adds new productivity tools, a personal firewall configuration option at installation, and video conferencing software to the Linux server’s feature set.”

From the people at ELJonline: “In this interesting technical article at ELJonline, Steve Roberts and
Ned Konz describe their project to develop a portable data-collection
system based on Linux. “WANDER” represents a commercialization of
technology derived derived from Roberts’ earlier “Microship” project,
which Roberts and Konz describe as “a geeked-out, canoe-scale,
Linux-based, amphibian pedal/solar/sail trimaran”. The article
describes
how the Microship’s computer systems come ashore, and morph into a
rugged, portable, SBC-based data-collection unit.”

http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT3898835027.html

‘Reilly & Associates announced several new Mac OS X products
today at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference:

The O’Reilly Mac OS X Conference

Mac OS X developer web site: macdevcenter.com

Books: “Learning Unix for Mac OS X” and “Building Cocoa Applications”
O’Reilly Mac OS X Conference Call for Participation

O’Reilly & Associates invites the submission of tutorial and session
proposals for the first-ever O’Reilly Mac OS X Conference, taking place
at the Westin Santa Clara in Santa Clara, CA from September 30 to
October 3, 2002.

We’re looking for proposals that bring state-of-the-art Mac OS X
content to programmers, developers, technical staff, and power users
from Mac, Java, Web, and open source communities. Topics include
migration issues, must-have tools, servers and networking, wireless,
Project Builder, Apache, PHP, Perl, Terminal application, databases,
languages, Development Frameworks, and iApps.
http://conferences.oreilly.com/macosxcon/

For more information, contact Suzanne Axtell
at suzanne@oreilly.com or (707)827-7114.

O’Reilly Network Launches macdevcenter.com

O’Reilly Network has launched macdevcenter.com, a new web site for
MacOS X professionals. The heart of macdevcenter.com is a rich
collection of tutorials on Mac OS X, covering the OS and the key
technologies that work with its BSD Unix core. Topics include the
Terminal application, AppleScript, QuickTime, Cocoa, Java, Aqua, and
Apache. The site also features news and regular columns from Mac
experts such as David Pogue, Simson Garfinkel, James Duncan Davidson,
and Kevin Hemenway. http://www.macdevcenter.com

The macdevcenter.com staff also produces a bi-weekly Mac OS X email
newsletter. To subscribe, go to
http://www.oreillynet.com/cs/user/home.

For more information, contact Sara Winge
at sara@oreilly.com or (707)827-7109.

New OS X books from O’Reilly

Learning Unix for Mac OS X
by Dave Taylor & Jerry Peek
http://oreilly.com/catalog/lunixmacosx/
“Learning Unix for Mac OS X” is a concise introduction to Unix on Mac
OS X for Macintosh users who want to tap the power of Unix. The book
shows how to use the Terminal application, navigate the command line,
and explore many useful, time-tested Unix applications.

Building Cocoa Applications: A Step-by-Step Guide
by Simson Garfinkel & Michael K. Mahoney
http://oreilly.com/catalog/buildcocoa/
“Building Cocoa Applications” takes a step-by-step approach to teaching
developers how to build real graphics applications using Cocoa. The
book starts by showing the basics of an application in one chapter and
then layering additional functionality onto that application in
subsequent chapters. By the end of the book, readers who have built
applications as they have read will have a solid understanding of what
it really means to develop complete and incrementally more complex
Cocoa applications.

To request review copies, please email Kathryn Barrett at
kathrynb@oreilly.com or call (707)827-7094.

From PRNewswire: Kontron, a leading
global embedded computing company, announced today that it will combine
support for Carrier Grade Linux with its Intel-based, CompactPCI products to
extend its lead in delivering high-availability, modular platform solutions to
the telecommunication industry. Carrier Grade Linux is a new, more robust and
fault-resilient version of Linux(R) that incorporates an open architecture
platform.

LinuxPlanet has a review of NetWin’s new SurgeMail program, which runs on Linux and a couple of proprietary operating systems. ” If you’re looking for a solution with integrated Webmail, spam-handling facilities, and more, you should check this product out before making a final decision.”