Kelly McNeill writes “Open source and free software were founded on the idea that all information and knowledge should be made freely available for the benefit of all, and what is software but the embodiment of knowledge? Unfortunately, much of today’s open software is not free in one important respect. The use of copyright and the General Public License (GPL) restricts its commercial exploitation.”

Patrick Mullen writes “The Duke of URL has posted their review of Conectiva Linux 7.0. The review covers installation, post-installation, configuration, its packaging system (APT-RPM) and much more.”

MSNBC reports: “Consumer electronics giant Sony Corp. unveiled a pact Monday with AOL Time Warner Inc. and Nokia Corp. that will help the industry leaders overcome hurdles slowing the acceptance of high-speed media and communication services.”

Linux Game Publishing writes “Creature Labs Ltd and Linux Game Publishing Ltd announce that Creatures Internet Edition, the latest in the breakthrough Creatures series, is to be released for Linux. (12-Nov-2001 London, England.)

The Creatures series of games have been best-selling titles since 1997. Combining innovative Artificial-Life technology with unique level design, Creatures games have won a number of awards including two International EMMAs and have been nominated for two BAFTAs.

Creatures Internet Edition is a bundle of Creatures 3 and Creatures Docking Station and it also includes 4 different Norn breeds (the creatures within the game). The game allows interaction with other players over the internet. For more information about Creatures Internet Edition, please visit http://ds.creatures.net/expansion/cie.pl.

About Creature Labs Ltd

Creature Labs Ltd is an innovative entertainment software developer based in Cambridge, England. Original titles developed by Creature Labs include the Creatures and James Pond series, together with well-known licenses such as The Snowman and The Amazing Virtual Sea-Monkeys. In addition to the core business of creating world class video games titles for consoles and personal computers, Creature Labs also undertake technology projects for some of the most significant technology companies and toy manufacturers in the world, developing applications for the company’s proprietary Artificial-Life technology in online games, games for mobile devices, and intelligent robotic toys.

About Linux Game Publishing LTD

Founded in 2001, Linux Game Publishing was formed to help companies bring their games to market. Combining extensive Linux knowledge with a solid business foundation, Linux Game Publishing is partnering with a number of other companies to bring to Linux both ports of games from other platforms and original titles.

For more information please contact
Linux Game Publishing Press Department
press@linuxgamepublishing.com
“

From PC World: “Will your next portable computer be a tablet PC? Microsoft hopes so, and it has lined up a handful of partners that are showing prototype models of its reference design and plan to ship the real thing in mid-2002.”

EET.com reports that startup Incentia
Design Systems Inc. this week will formally unveil its DesignCraft product, an alternative to Synopsys Inc.’s Design Compiler synthesis tool used for design automation. It runs on Linux and Unix.

From CNet: “A handful of Web sites are popping up to report sightings of copy-protected CDs, and
already it’s clear that there is far more confusion than solid information.

The sites, located in the United States and United Kingdom, are part of a swelling consumer
backlash to record companies’ experimentation with CDs that can’t be copied or turned into MP3
files.”

EET.com reports that C Level
Design Inc. is ceasing operations and selling its technology assets to
Synopsys Inc., and C Level’s CycleC simulation methodology will be integrated
into Synopsys’ VCS Verilog simulator. However,

C Level Design had planned to donate CycleC to
both the Open SystemC Initiative and the Accellera standards body, but these donations never happened, and now it’s unclear whether CycleC will ever become part of the Open Source SystemC effort.

It’s posted at LWN.net. Linus Torvalds writes, “Ok, this kernel hopefully contains all the high-priority merges with Alan,
which means that as far as that is concerned, I’m done with 2.4.x and
ready to pass it on to Marcelo.

Which means that I’d also like people to double-check that there are no
embarrassing missing pieces due to the merge (or other patches).”

Reuters reports that Thai computer users are buying thousands of unauthorized copies of
Microsoft’s Windows XP a week ahead of its official launch in
Thailand.