Kelly McNeill writes “A coalition of four highly respected consumer groups on Wednesday formally accused Microsoft Corporation of continuing its historic pattern of anti-competitive behavior. The coalition said Microsoft’s new operating system, Windows XP, “advances the company’s illegal anti-competitive practices and harms the nation’s consumers.” In a joint statement, the Consumer Federation of America, Consumers Union, Media Access Project and the U.S. Public Research Interest Group said the “economy will be threatened and consumers harmed if Windows XP and its tightly bundled version of Internet software hits shelves as planned.””

From MSNBC: “The Bush administration is pressing Congress to approve the most sweeping expansion of federal law-enforcement authority since the Cold War. But would U.S. officials even know what to do with the deluge of information their new power could make available?”

From IBM: “This article takes a look at a little shell application that uses an innovative approach to increasing open UNIX security. A step-by-step analysis of the code is provided. The author’s areas of expertise are in Web programming and cutting-edge network security development.”

Kelly McNeill writes “With the advent of such destructive viruses as the Nimda worm, users of alternative operating systems have been boasting about how much more secure their boxes are when compared to Microsoft’s Windows. As if to say that their machines are somehow immune to virus attacks. Despite uninformative comments suggesting otherwise, these virus outbreaks are not based on questions regarding Microsoft’s security (or lack thereof). Instead, it’s an issue of logistics. Alternative operating systems were not spared from these attacks because of their supposed superior security, but were instead spared because these computing environments are small fish.”

From ZDNet: “Two start-ups that hoped to popularize skinny, energy-efficient servers using Transmeta Crusoe processors are throwing in the towel. FirstCycle, which hoped to market ultradense “blade” servers with Crusoe chips, is in the process of winding down operations, CEO Spero Koulouras said Wednesday. The size of the staff has dropped from 33 to about 10.” The other is server-appliance maker Rebel.com.

“Intel has slapped suits against VIA and sundry allies in Germany, the UK and Hong
Kong.

It accuses VIA of infringing eight Intel patents with the P4X266 chipset and VIA’s
new C3 processor. By adding the C3 processor to the patent charge sheet, and by
taking the battle to so many countries, Intel is clearly in little mood for small talk.” Full report at The Register.

“Linux, an open-source Unix cousin, has captured a lot attention from many of technology’s most powerful
juggernauts. The Linux operating system is used in systems ranging from personal digital assistants (PDAs) and
Tivos (digital VCR-like machines) to IBM mainframes and supercomputers. Last year, IBM pledged to spend $1
billion on Linux and offers Linux on all of its servers. Big Blue along with Hewlett-Packard, Intel and Computer
Associates is backing the non-profit Open Source Development Lab. The Lab is charged with helping to bring
enterprise class enhancements to Linux and other open-source software.

Why then are IT shops taking a go-slow approach?” Read the full article at searchWin2000.com.

From Nicholas Petreley, at ComputerWorld: “The [Linux Standards Base] moved at a glacial pace for years, but it recently picked up speed
when Scott McNeil took over the reins. Now executive director of the Free Standards Group, paid by IBM as an artist
in residence, McNeil is no stranger to Linux, having paid his dues as president of SuSE Linux and in various roles at VA
Linux.

McNeil knows that I had pretty much written off LSB as irrelevant, so he recently dragged me to a room full of
representatives from companies like Hewlett-Packard and Sun to convince me otherwise. I left both encouraged and
disappointed. “

From osOpinion: “Anyone not living on the moon for the past few days has either heard of or been affected by the Nimda worm.

This worm appears to be one of the most destructive pieces of software yet, and has wreaked havoc on a large percentage of Internet users and
businesses throughout the world. Reports of entire companies shutting down for days are not uncommon as IT departments and system administrators
struggle to clean machines and install patches.

When Nimda first appeared, everyone seemed to be in a state of panic and frustration, yet my company continued business as usual. Our servers and
workstations were completely unaffected. The Nimda scare was merely an article on Slashdot among all the other tech articles of the day. Why?

We run Unix.”

From a feature article at the Montreal Linux Users Group (MLUG): “Computers are everywhere in the printing and pre-press industry, but this was not always the case. Less than 20 years ago for
example, graphic artists worked in studios with drafting tables, pens, airbrushes and other paraphernalia. Their work was sent to a
service bureau or trade shop to have its picture taken using graphic arts film on large cameras. These images were converted using
chemical means into printing plates or cylinders. Publishers also sent their work out to professional typesetters who were just
beginning to use computers for part of their work.

The industry has remade itself over the last 15 years and much of the workflow is done digitally these days. Linux has already
found its way onto the scene and there will be more opportunities for adoption of Linux solutions in the future.”