MSNBC reports that NASA has raised concerns with their Russian counterparts over plans to send a wealthy tourist to the International Space Station during testing of the Canadarm, but the possibility of future Soyuz ‘taxi’ flights to the space station containing civilians was left open-ended.

ZDNet reports that Microsoft is learning the benefits of its userbase being able to read their operating systems’ source code. In light of positive response from companies involved in the Open-windows pilot project, Microsoft is expanding its code sharing programme.

Kelly McNeill writes “Users and makers of the Microsoft and Linux operating systems have often clashed over usability and performance. Now debate rages over which system provides the tightest security. Microsoft operating systems have often been attacked for their vulnerabilities, but the perception that the software titan’s systems are insecure is changing as the company shores up its servers and applications. Meanwhile, supposedly stronger Unix and Linux systems have suffered security breaches of their own. Experts say that businesses, government and individuals using both closed-standard, Microsoft-based operating systems and open-source systems such as Unix and Linux are tightening security, but the debate over which system is strongest continues.”

CNet reports that Sun Microsystems gave a glimpse into its peer-to-peer
plans by buying a start-up that is building a new kind of search engine. “Sun gave the world an early glimpse of its new “Jxta” (pronounced Jux-ta) program last month,
calling for help from the open-source community. Jxta, although still in the early stages, is
designed to be a standard, open technology platform on which other peer-to-peer services can
run.”

CNet reports that Sun Microsystems gave a glimpse into its peer-to-peer
plans by buying a start-up that is building a new kind of search engine. “Sun gave the world an early glimpse of its new “Jxta” (pronounced Jux-ta) program last month,
calling for help from the open-source community. Jxta, although still in the early stages, is
designed to be a standard, open technology platform on which other peer-to-peer services can
run.”

IBM.com has an article on how “you can write a Python script in minutes and have incredibly nice-looking GUI apps for your desktop.”

An anonymous reader tells us about this: “I guess that it is true: ‘Necessity is the Mother of Invention’. I know that this paradigm drives most open source software development, but it was also the motivation for me to eliminate the constant clamor for internet access by my family… if I could find a router that would open a PPP connection to my ISP when a web browser made HTTP or FTP request, that would be ideal. Oh, and could I run it on cheap hardware? My first stop was the Linux Terminal Server Project (LTSP)…”
Read the article at linuxlookup.com.

CNet’s Linux lab has an article about article about using Linux computers as router/firewall appliances. “You have a choice. You can spend thousands of dollars to protect your Linux network by controlling what flows in and out
of it–or you can spend nothing.

The advantages of always-on broadband Internet connections are clear: they’re fast, inexpensive, and convenient. The
dangers aren’t as apparent. Without the proper safeguards, the constant connection can put your company’s servers and
data at risk.”

Bloomberg on CNet reports that “Napster wants Congress to resolve a dispute over legal limits on computer
music files after court rulings forced the company to remove copyrighted works from its
Web site. ”

A Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on entertainment and copyright law is scheduled for April 3, and Napster fans will have a voice at the hearing.

Analysis from CBSnews.com: “Music industry executives may be
toasting Tuesday’s ruling as the day the
illegal music died. However, Internet
analysts say the ruling won’t quench the
thirst for music, and will not stop the
gush of .mp3-formatted songs floating
about the Internet.”