Richard Storey writes: “Don’t ya just luv it? ‘Our basic argument is that computer code is speech and it is entitled to First Amendment protections,’ says Andy Hertzfeld, co-founder of software firm Eazel and one of the brief’s authors. ‘Code, whether it is source or object, is speech and should be protected. That’s the truth, and there is no ambiguity.
I abhor what the MPAA is doing to bend the facts to fit their commercial ends.’ ” The story is at Business 2.0.

ZDNet reports that a bad week is thankfully over, at least if you’re a Microsoft fan. “For the fourth consecutive day, technical problems hindered access Friday to
Microsoft’s vast network of Web sites and services.

Access problems struck some of the software giant’s Web sites Friday morning and by
midday the company’s main site — Microsoft.com — was almost completely
inaccessible, according to Internet performance watcher Keynote Systems. “

From LinuxPR:
OpenDocs, LLC. a publisher of technical books and manuals is looking for
potential authors. If you are an author, or a would-be author, Opendocs wants to
hear from you.

The ideal OpenDocs author has a desire to write in a clear and effective manner.
As the technical industry changes rapidly OpenDocs is happy to work with
first-time authors that demonstrate a desire to produce a quality manuscript.
OpenDocs is open to any ideas on technical books that you may have, but have
particular interest in the following areas:

FreeBSD, Linux, Open Source in general, Programming Languages (specifically
Python, Perl, and PHP), Databases (including MySQL and PostgreSQL),
Network and Linux Security.

Slashdotters talk about the possibilities of an ascii-character video for Linux from the fine folks at Dyne.org. Sounds like a winner/

A LinuxWorld column says Sun has fumbled its handling of Java, which sounds painful. “Sun’s inability to embrace the open source community is hurting Java as Linux penetrates the server
market.”

Linux Journal tracks down evidence that Microsoft.com has finally made the shift. Reports say Microsoft has outsourced its DNS to Akamai Technologies, “a well-known Linux shop,” and it appears that, yes, Microsoft.com is running, at least partly, on Linux.

TechWeb asks the question, claiming that Linus Torvalds might have too much power over Linux. ” … Some solution providers, vendors, and industry
observers are beginning to question how long one man can
steer the evolution of Linux, and whether Torvalds’ sole
oversight of the kernel, now at version 2.4, is slowing its
corporate adoption.” We didn’t even know Linux was ill.

Anonymous Reader writes “A research lab at Cornell University has
released a next
generation real-time video codec (CU30) and accompying Video conferencing program for Linux (qVIX).
The codec is a better than realtime/no latency, full frame rate (30 FPS), high quality, low
bandwidth algorithm designed for bandwidths of DSL and higher. While the algorithm is patented,
the University has granted a free (speech) patent-use to everybody so long as the implementations of the
patents are GPL’ed. qVIX/CU30 was demonstrated
several months ago in a live techTV interview which can be found
here,
here or
here. (120megs)”

MSNBC reports that N2H2 is selling aggregate data collected from its “Bess” Web-filtering software. The program filters Internet content at public and private institutions, for approximately 12 million students from kindergarten through the 12th grade. Despite the relatively low cost of the data package offered by N2H2, only two clients have so far purchased the information. One of those clients is the United States Department of Defense.

CNET News.com reports on Linuxcare’s recent history and Thursday’s high-profile deals with Hewlett-Packard, Network Appliance, Maxtor, Tricord and SGI.