Free Software is a concept that has fundamentally changed the way
some parts of the IT sector are working towards a more stable, lasting
and sustainable approach with higher dynamics and increased
efficiency. It is obvious that the first region to adopt and support this
principle on a larger scale can profit enormously and get a head-start in
the information age. More at LinuxPR.

Dell and Oracle today extended their
relationship to deliver high-performance database solutions on Linux,
with specific plans to build Oracle’s next generation database software
for Linux using Dell PowerEdge servers and Dell | EMC storage. More at LinuxPR.

New Horizons, Inc. (NH), the largest worldwide independent IT training
company, has partnered with Squished Mosquito, Inc. (SMI), in
Pensacola, Florida, to provide world-class Linux+ certification training in
the New Horizons Pensacola office. Ed Carp, SMI’s Director of Software
Development and one of the original Linux kernel developers, has
assumed additional teaching responsibilities for the classes. More at LinuxPR.

All attendees get a free Linux laptop. Check out the press release at LinuxPR.

A company called Accenture tested Solaris on Sun against Windows on Compaq and, they said, Microsoft is catching up with Unix in the benchmarks. They also say the Windows solution is about 30% of the cost of the Unix stuff. But Gartner says MS needs proven tools and and processes, and that’s not happening. Read all about it at InfoWorld.com.

Walter Hewlitt didn’t want the merger between HP and Compaq to succeed. But it looks more and more like he’s out in the cold, with Judge William Chandler III dismissing the suit. Hewlett can still appeal, and he swears he will continue to monitor the company. In other words, he plans to make himself a royal pain to Carly Fiorina. Read about it at News.com.

Ian Clarke must be getting old. Or wise. He’s getting away from his roots as a radical and getting more into the business of making a profit, according to this News.com article. He’s launching a P2P product for in-house business use.

Sun is squeezing out every drop of cost-saving it can, starting at the top. Several key executives have “retired” of late, with no replacements named. Ed Zander, Sun’s former COO and president, is the latest. CEO Scott McNealy will take on Zander’s duties. Read more at News.com.

The Linux Professional Institute (LPI),
(http://www.lpi.org), the premier professional certification program for the Linux
community, has reached a milestone by delivering over 10,000 Level One and
Level Two certification exams globally since its inception in January 2000.

"This is a significant industry landmark because it now means there is a
considerable worldwide certified body of Linux professionals to support
integration of a Linux platform within an enterprise environment," says LPI's
Board Chairman Evan Leibovitch. "These numbers also support the fact that LPI
has increased its industry reputation as the leader in providing standardized,
vendor-neutral Linux certification worldwide."
    The LPI program was selected as the "fastest growing certification in
terms of importance" by an October/01 industry survey conducted by Computer
Reseller News.
    "The people who take LPI exams recognize that certification is critical to
their own careers," adds LPI's President Chuck Mead.  "LPI is providing a
clear organizational career path for students to follow that helps them
capture better jobs because many human resource professionals today are
recognizing that certification is vital to the hiring process.  It validates a
candidate's knowledge base as well as persistence and determination to
complete a project like the certification process."
    LPI's mandate is to design and deliver a certification program from within
the Linux community, using both volunteer and hired resources. It resolves to
undertake a well-considered, open, disciplined development process, leading
directly to the establishment of a recognized and widely-endorsed Linux
certification body.

    About Linux Professional Institute
    The Linux Professional Institute (LPI) develops professional certification
for the Linux operating system independent of software vendors or training
providers. Established as an international non-profit organization in 1999 by
the Linux community, LPI develops accessible, internationally-recognized
certification programs which have earned the respect of vendors, employers and
administrators. LPI's activities involve hundreds of volunteers and
professionals throughout the world in many different capacities, and the group
encourages active public involvement through mailing lists and its website at
http://www.lpi.org. LPI's multi-level program of exams is administered globally
through Virtual University Enterprises (VUE) and Prometric testing centers.
LPI's major financial sponsors are Platinum Sponsors Caldera International
(Nasdaq: CALD), IBM (NYSE: IBM), Linuxcare, Maxspeed, SGI (NYSE: SGI), SuSE
Linux AG and TurboLinux as well as Gold Sponsors Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HWP)
and Wave Technologies.

Laurence Hunter writes “Two new Linuxdot columns, both concerning Mandrake Linux 8.2, “A month with Mandrake 8.2” and “Mandrake Linux 8.2 review“.”