Posted at PR Newswire: “FileMaker Pro 5.5 Unlimited is now certified for Apache Web Servers
running Red Hat Linux 7.1 and the powerful new Mac OS X Server. FileMaker Pro 5.5 Unlimited offers the same powerful database features
found in FileMaker Pro 5.5, including two-way ODBC capabilities, record-level
access privileges and more. However, in contrast to FileMaker Pro 5.5, it
sets no limits to the number of Web Browsers that can access a FileMaker Pro
database published on the Web.”

The Register: “Microsoft Deutschland seems to have accidentally pirated itself by shipping the same copy of
Windows XP over and over again. Sort of, anyway. German sites 3Dwin.de and Heise Online report
that numerous copies of XP with the same product key have been turning up, and naturally these
won’t activate, because they’ve been activated already.”

“The new open-source organization, called Eclipse, will
focus on the programming tools used to build applications and other software. More than 150
software companies, from Linux distributors like Red Hat and SuSE to applications developers like
Rational and Bow Street, are lined up to join the Eclipse community.

The group plans to establish a governing board later this month, to guide the technical standards
and work of the open-source software tools community. I.B.M. will be one of several board
members of the Eclipse organization.” More at New York Times. (Free membership required to view article.) IDG News Service has another version, with no registration required.

“Embedix Plus PDA” brings software from Lineo, Trolltech, Insignia
Solutions, and Opera Software to Sharp’s Zaurus.OSLO, Norway – November 5, 2001 – Opera Software today announced that
Sharp will use its Opera 5 for Linux Web browser in the Zaurus SL-5000D
developer unit. The Opera Web browser will be used as part of Lineo,
Inc’s powerful software solution Embedix Plus PDA, launched at JavaOne
in June this year. Apart from Opera 5 for Linux, the Embedix Plus PDA
solution contains Lineo’s Embedix Linux, Trolltech’s Qt/Embedded and QT
Palmtop graphical user interfaces, and Insignia Solution’s Jeode PDA
Edition.

The Zaurus SL-5000D is the first robust Linux/Java-based handheld from a
major consumer electronics manufacturer.

“The fact that Sharp has chosen to go for a Linux/Java-based handheld is
very exciting,” says Hakon Lie, CTO, Opera Software ASA. “The
combination of the quality products offered by the partners behind
Lineo’s Embedix Plus PDA will make the Sharp Zaurus a very attractive
platform for developers.”

Opera is the ideal Web browser choice for the embedded market, based on
its characteristics of being small, fast, and configurable while still
full-featured. The unique cross-platform core enables the browser to be
easily ported to other emerging platforms and simplifies overall
ma

intenance.

“The combination of Sharp’s new Zaurus with the Opera Web browser will
demonstrate the unique position we have achieved in the embedded
market,” says Jon S. von Tetzchner, CEO, Opera Software ASA “Opera’s
family of browsers is now the natural browser of choice for information
appliances that strive to offer users the best Internet experience.”

###

Opera Software

Opera Software ASA is an industry leader in the development of Web
browsers for the desktop and device markets, partnering with companies
such as IBM, AMD, Symbian, Canal+ Technologies, Ericsson, and Lineo. The
Opera browser has received international recognition from end-users and
the industry press for being faster, smaller and more
standards-compliant than other browsers. Opera Software ASA is a
privately held company headquartered in Oslo, Norway. Learn more about
Opera at www.opera.com.

Sharp Electronics Corporation

Sharp Electronics Corporation is the U.S. sales and marketing subsidiary
of Japan’s Sharp Corporation, a worldwide developer of the core digital
technologies that are playing an integral role in shaping the next
generation of mobile computing products for consumer and business
needs. Since creating the Wizard electronic organizer in 1989, Sharp
has led the market in introducing innovative handheld computing
products. Sharp is also the global leader in LCD technology, which is
incorporated into leading-edge LCD monitors and projectors. From the
small office/home office (SOHO) to large corporate environments, Sharp
provides a variety of innovative, computer-related solutions designed to
help increase productivity while providing functionality to meet
customer demand. Dedicated to improving people’s lives through the use
of advanced technology and a commitment to innovation, quality, value
and design, Sharp Electronics employs approximately 2,900 people
nationwide to support its more than 50 product lines.

Lineo, Inc.

Lineo, Inc. provides embedded systems, real time and high availability
solutions that include software, hardware reference designs and
professional services. Lineo’s solutions allow OEMs to create devices
and systems that interact with the Internet while helping OEMs to reduce
system requirements, per-unit costs and time-to-market. The company’s
key product lines include: Embedix (embedded Linux system software),
uClinux (embedded Linux for MMU-less processors), SecureEdge
(Linux-based Internet appliances for secure networking), RTXC (general
purpose and DSP real-time operating system), BeaconSuite (x86
development toolkit) and Availix (mission-critical high availability
Linux cluster solutions). Contact Lineo at www.lineo.com, via e-mail to
info@lineo.com or by calling (801) 426-5001.

Trolltech AS

Trolltech AS is the creator of Qt, a C++ cross-platform fully
object-oriented application framework that enables rapid building of
state-of-the-art GUI applications for Microsoft Windows, Unix and
multiple embedded Linux platforms. Qt has formed the basis of many
successful commercial applications worldwide, and was used to develop
the open source, KDE Linux desktop environment. Trolltech is
headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with offices in Brisbane, Australia, and
Santa Clara, California. More about Trolltech can be found on the World
Wide Web at www.trolltech.com.

Insignia Solutions

Insignia Solutions is the leading provider of accelerated Java software
solutions that dynamically optimize the use of available system
resources. Insignia’s patent-pending Jeode virtual machine technologies
are licensed by such leading companies as BSQUARE Corporation (Nasdaq:
BSQR), Compaq Computer Corporation (NYSE: CPQ), Echelon Corporation
(Nasdaq: ELON), Fujtisu PC, Gemstar/TV Guide (Nasdaq: GMST), Intel
Corporation (Nasdaq: INTC), NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR), Nortel Networks
(NYSE: NT), Olivetti Lexikon, Philips Semiconductor (NYSE: PHG), Phoenix
Technologies (Nasdaq: PTEC), Quantum Corporation (NYSE: DSS, HDD),
Siemens AG, Toshiba Information Systems, Victor Data Systems (a
subsidiary of JVC) and Wind River Systems (Nasdaq: WIND). Insignia
Solutions is publicly-held with headquarters in Fremont, California, and
its main R&D facilities in High Wycombe, England. Sales and marketing
departments are located in Fremont and High Wycombe. For additional
information on Insignia and its products, call 800/848-7677 in the
United States, +44 (0)1628 539 500 in Europe, +81 3 5404 3440 in Japan
or visit the company’s website at http://www.insignia.com.

Contacts at Opera Software ASA:

PÃ¥l A. Hvistendahl

Communications Manager

+47 99 72 43 31

pal@opera.com

Katherine Barrios

PR Manager Americas & Asia/Pacific

Kathy@opera.com

The Register: “Passport and Wallet users are going to be disappointed to learn that these feature-rich tools can’t be
used until MS fixes a little bug which makes sport of taking over someone else’s account.

Passport authenticates a user for access to his credit cards and Web site accounts and passwords, to
make life easy for on-line merchants and shoppers, and hackers and identity thieves.

The flaw was discovered by Seattle researcher Marc Slemko, who devised a Hotmail exploit which
enables an attacker to use a malicious e-mail to obtain the victim’s entire on-line shopping kit, and
take any action the owner can take.”

PCWorld: “Along with consumers of audio CDs, large software makers like Microsoft and RealNetworks could also be caught out when the copy-protected CDs hit the market.
Both of the new multimedia players from Microsoft and RealNetworks, the Windows Media Player and the RealOne Media Player respectively, have features that let
PC users play and organize tracks from audio CDs.

The copy-protected CDs from Universal and Sony would render those highly touted features useless on both media players, something the companies are all too
aware of. “It is a tricky situation. What I can say is that we working with (the major music labels), and are trying to educate them about offering customers the
flexibility they want while also protecting (the company’s) copyrights at the same time,” said George Fraser, RealNetworks’ director for Northern Europe.”

LinuxSecurity: “This week, perhaps the most interesting articles include “Protect Yourself with Secure Protocols,” “The 60 Minute Network Security Guide,” “Guide to
Firewall Selection and Policy Recommendations,” and “Transparent Proxying with Squid.”

Monica Ortiz writes: “Socorro, NM — November 1, 2001 — Finite State Machine Labs, Inc (FSMLabs) today announced its partnership with Samsung SDS affiliate, Turbolinux Systems, Inc. Turbolinux Systems will market and offer technical support for FSMLabs real-time operating system RTLinux Pro in Korea and in the wider Asia/Pacific region.
“Turbolinux Systems has strong roots in Korea, China, and other areas in the Asia-Pacific rim. They have a range of complementary products and a reputation for good customer service,” said FSMLabs CEO Victor Yodaiken.

“RTLinux is the solution for the growing Asian embedded systems market which requires true real-time processing,” said Turbolinux Systems CEO Michael Bae. “The combination of open source Linux and the exceptionally reliable RTLinux real-time kernel is a great fit in areas ranging from industrial control to networking.”

Turbolinux Systems, is a joint venture between Turbolinux USA and Samsung SDS. The partnership with FSMLabs enables them to be a reseller of RTLinux/Pro as well as provide technical support, education, and custom development in Korea, China, and Taiwan. They join other FSMLabs partners including Red Hat, AMD, A&A Linux, and AstonLinux.

RTLinux/Pro is a robust, commercial “hard” real-time processing application that runs concurrently with Linux and BSD operating systems. It employs a patented dual kernel technique that allows time-sensitive processes to cooperate with but preempt general purpose applications within complex computing environments. RTLinux is already a core technology solution for Industrial Automation, Communications, and Instrumentation companies that require controlled and dependable hard real-time processing.

More information about RTLinux/Pro is available on the FSMLabs Web site: www.fsmlabs.com. For more information about FSMLabs and its partners, contact Monica Ortiz at 415-990-5513 or monica@mktgevents.com.

###
__________________________________________
About FSMLabs, Inc.
FSMLabs was founded by the creators of RTLinux with the goal of extending speed and accuracy in the development of realtime and embedded systems. By developing systems that reduce complexity and unpredictability, we advance realtime state-of-the-art. By endorsing and promoting internationally recognized POSIX realtime standards, we help ensure ease of development and application portability. With engineering staff and technology partners worldwide, FSMLabs pursues solutions characterized by simplicity, robustness and precise design. For more information, email business@fsmlabs.com and visit www.fsmlabs.com
“

BBC: “Another feature is the error report facility. When I crashed the
Cubase plug-in, I was asked if I wanted an error report sent to
Microsoft.

Some people have referred to this as spyware, but I know that
others like me will be happy to send the reports to Microsoft if it
means a fix can be written into a Windows update.

Some technophiles have been critical of the way the operating
system assumes you are not a rocket scientist but a novice can use
this system easily.”

– by Robin “Roblimo” Miller –
Susan DeKeukelaere, IBM’s program director for zSeries Marketing, doesn’t seem to think it’s hard to “sell” Linux to corporate honchos, at least in the mainframe marketplace she covers. “We sample the existing 390 customers periodically,” she says, “and over 65 percent are expressing interest in Linux.”Susan says IBM’s mainframe-level customers are interested in solving business problems; they’re trying to contain IT costs, improve time to market for their products, build Web applications, improve their supply chains, and that sort of thing. At Susan’s level, “selling Linux” is not operating system advocacy, and the people “buying Linux” are buying Linux-based solutions because the numbers say they should. They are not “supporting Linux” because they think Penguins are cute or because they have any particular feelings one way or the other about the GPL.

Indeed, Susan says the questions she gets asked are along the lines of, “What [Linux] applications are available today?” And to the kind of people who buy a mainframe so that they can consolidate services like file and print servers, firewalls, DNS, Web servers and such on one big, ultra-reliable machine instead of maintaining hundreds of smaller ones, the answer is “plenty.”

Many IBM customers ask about support more than anything else. Susan says, “They want to know if they’re going to have a supported distribution.” Currently, IBM works with TurboLinux and SuSE on 390-level hardware, and, she adds, IBM is “… also working with Red Hat but they don’t have their [390] product in the marketplace yet.” And there are also all those IBM business partners out there, all over the world, a growing number of whom sell Linux-based support services, plus IBM’s own service plans.

Even though Microsoft loves to point out that there are many more MCSEs and other people familiar with their products than there are Unix or Linux gurus, Susan says the growing availability of Linux-trained sysadmins is a major sales point for her customers. She says, “Students are starting to come out of universities with a wealth of Linux skills,” and expects the number of Linux-knowledgeable workers to increase in the future, because “universities are excited about Linux.”

The fact that a command line-skilled administrator may demand a higher salary than a minimally-trained “point-and-click” Windows networking person did not even enter the conversation. IBM’s z-series customers cannot afford to nickle-and-dime on a salary or two when it comes to a complex and expensive computer at the heart of their companies. And many of these companies already have Unix/Linux people on board. Susan says it is common for 390 buyers to have “almost every operating system” running at one place or another in their operation.

One thing Susan and her coworkers have that helps them sell Linux-based S/390 solutions (remember, IBM sells solutions, not an operating system per se) is solid written marketing material, like the white papers featured on this page, and when they talk about more university students coming out with knowledge of both Linux and the S/390, they can point to this page to show they’re putting their money where their mouth is.

Another major advantage held by IBM, although Susan didn’t mention it, is the old “nobody ever got fired for buying IBM” industry dictum that has been partially replaced by “nobody ever got fired for buying Microsoft.” If IBM is pushing Linux at the enterprise level, and Microsoft is pushing Windows 2000 (or XP professional), which one wins the “safest choice” contest? It is possible that IBM + Linux gets the high score. There’s a lot of grey hair in the top ranks of the world’s largest companies, and these oldsters (by IT industry standards) have been bombarded with “IBM is the industry standard” propaganda, in some cases, since before Bill Gates was born.

But the key here, even beyond IBM’s world-class branding and marketing material, is their solutions-based marketing approach. Linux is not a special thing, held up as having any special mystique. To IBM’s “big iron” marketers, it is just one of many tools offered to customers that can help them run their businesses more efficiently.

Should more people selling Linux-based products and services use this methodology? Is it time for Linux to stop being an “upstart” operating system and become part of the mainstream at all corporate IT levels? Isn’t it about time that Linux became a standard part of all systems packagers’ and VARs’ (Value Added Resellers’) everyday toolkits, even those whose primary concentration is still Windows-based solutions?