TuneTracker Systems has just launched a new three-disk set of video training CDs covering BeOS/Zeta. Part of TuneTracker Systems' FastTracker Learning Series, the CDs cover 'Basics', 'Tools and Utilities', and 'Tips and Tricks'. In addition, YellowTAB has launched a new hardware compatibility list for Zeta.

"How can Microsoft kill Python? When I say 'kill', I mean 'seriously damage the relevance of Python'. I don't mean that Microsoft, as some have suggested, will work on IronPython for a while, get people using it, then hijack the language by seriously changing the syntax of it and thereby breaking compatibility with CPython. So, how does this damage the relevance of Python? If Microsoft, who is investing considerable time and money to create a .Net implementation of Python, only refers to IronPython as a 'dynamic language' and only pushes it as a 'scripting language', many people will begin to assume that that's all that it is good for."

"Watch the 2005 Borland Developer Conference Tuesday presentation and demonstration of the new Borland Developer Studio 2006. Michael Swindell presents an overview of BDS 2006, Allen Bauer demonstrates the new IDE enhancements, David I demonstrates the new C++ language support and the ALM integrations into StarTeam and CaliberRM, and Michael Swindell demonstrates ECO III."

Move your application from CodeWarrior to Xcode and be ready for Intel-based Macs. It's easier than you may think, and this article gets you started.

Sun Microsystems has fixed five security bugs in Java that expose computers running Windows, Linux and Solaris to hacker attack. In the meantime Apple also released a Mac OS X security update for apache_mod_ssl, CoreFoundation, CoreTypes, curl, iodbcadmin, OpenSSL, Safari, sudo, syslog. Elsewhere, computer code posted can crash vulnerable Windows machines by exploiting a "critical" Windows flaw disclosed and patched by Microsoft in October.

"Genesi is pleased to announce the development of the 4U2 sub-laptop based on the EFIKA 5K2 reference design and the Freescale MPC5200B. The 4U2 will be produced in Asia and be available in Q2 2006. The 4U2 board can be deployed in a variety of configurations and uses and includes both mobile and WIFI wireless capability." More here. The price will be $299 (EUR 255), but may drop if demand is great enough.

Firefox 1.5 has been released. You can download the Windows|Mac|Linux version. The release notes can be found here.

"Basically the operation is shutting down." With these words, Tal Danzig, the owner and technical lead for the Libranet distribution, quietly announced in his blog on November 25 the news that users had been dreading ever since his announcement two months ago that the distribution was "restructuring." Danzig did not rule out the possibility of reviving the distribution after his return in February 2006 from a three-month trip to Israel. Yet, for now, the announcement seems to mark the end of one of the oldest and best-loved Debian-based distributions. On Distrowatch, Libranet's status is now marked as "dormant." On June 1st, 2005, Jon Danzig, co-founder of Libranet and father of Tal Danzig passed away.

Apple's Mac mini will be reborn as the digital hub centerpiece it was originally conceived to be, sources have disclosed. The new Mac mini project, code-named Kaleidoscope, will feature an Intel processor and include both Front Row 2.0 and TiVo-like DVR functionality. While the specific model and speed of the Intel processor in the new Mac mini is unknown, sources are confident the system will be ready for roll-out at Macworld Expo San Francisco, in line with other reports Think Secret has received that Intel-based Macs will be ready some six months sooner than originally expected.

In a reversal, the state government of Massachusetts has thrown its support to Microsoft in an ongoing battle over office software formats and has launched an investigation into the state’s former IT chief, who had been championing open-source software. "The Commonwealth is very pleased with Microsoft’s progress in creating an open document format," said the state’s Administration and Finance Secretary Tom Trimarco in a short statement on Thanksgiving eve. "If Microsoft follows through as planned, we are optimistic that Office Open XML will meet our new standards for acceptable open formats."

"I did not write this to say that people who do not know much about computers need to be told what to do, or to assert that Windows is not a good OS for casual users, but rather to point out that Linux is a great choice for this. Advances in desktop Linux have made it a perfect choice for casual and beginning users who don't necessarily have to (or want to) put up with Windows. Whether this is done for ease of use, to save on licensing fees, or to be able to make the best out of an old computer, it makes sense."

The KDE Project is happy to announce a new major release of the award-winning K Desktop Environment. Many features have been added or refined, making KDE 3.5 the most complete, stable and integrated free desktop environment available. For a quick look at some of the new features see the visual guide to KDE 3.5. Packages are available now for ArchLinux, Kubuntu, Slackware and SuSE or try Konstruct to build it yourself.

Following up on their tests to work out which Linux distribution works best for business, ZDNet has taken a look at the wider issue of whether or not Linux is actually ready to replace Windows on the majority of Windows desktops.

The second part of the comparison of Windows Vista beta and Mac OS X "Tiger" continues with an examination of the security, networking, and power management features in each system.