The technology behind the G4 and G5's AltiVec (AKA Velocity Engine) has much to do with the performance advantage that Apple hardware had over its x86 PC competition in certain tests. Apple, along with Motorola and IBM co-developed the PowerPC processor, and each entity has some rights to it.But what about Altivec/Velocity Engine? Does this three-way ownership extend to this this technology as well? Norman Shutler submitted the following editorial to osOpinion/osViews, which theorizes that Apple may bring its Altivec/Velocity Engine along for the ride for the company's move to Intel processors and thus retain that same speed advantage for apps that utilized the technology.

The SCO Group has released a new version of their SCO OpenServer product, version 6. It's based on the same core as Unixware, and can run software for both systems.

The Sun Times has published an article discussing Linux and its viability as a desktop operating system. Be warned: this article can safely be filed under "flamebait."

In a follow-up to last week's Linux distro roundup, TipMonkies has published an article introducing users to partitioning and filesystems, and explains how to set up a dual-boot environment.

The newest versions of the next Windows add graphics sizzle and more search features but lack visible productivity enhancements. Also, Microsoft is battling the perception that there's little to get excited about in the long-awaited and much-ballyhooed Longhorn. Elsewhere, here is Longhorn's lengthy security wish list.

ACCESS's NetFront is a popular mobile browser for PDAs and phones. The English release of version 3.2 is now out, including support for WM2003SE, integrated Flash, Rapid Render technology that gradually renders the page, a new Java VM for applets, and some other features, but it still comes with no VGA support.

A Bangalore programmer has managed to break Microsoft’s anti-counterfeiting system called Windows Genuine Advantage.

This is an economic analysis of the OSS movement from the journal Policy.

Debian is a Linux distribution started by Ian Murdock in 1993. Debian is DEB from his wife Debra and IAN is from Ian Murdock. One thing that Debian has is rock solid stability and security. Its packages are thoroughly tested before becoming categorized as stable. Review here.

The open-source OpenPKG project released version 2.4 of their unique RPM-based cross-platform multi-instance Unix software packaging facility.

When Pythagoras invented a new way to make calculations with triangles, there was not yet an European Patent Organization. Bad luck, because everybody knows that patents stimulate innovation. Pythagoras invested much time in contemplation. Now, anyone could use this new mathemathical method for free. How could others be stimulated to make the same investment for no financial benefit?

TuxJournal interviews Mandriva's co-founder Gael Duval.

A truly in-depth review on Libranet 3 here.

Novell's Mono open-source group had been successful in porting Microsoft's .Net Framework, but Microsoft is insisting its Avalon and Indigo intellectual property rights requires that any attempt to produce open-source versions of these two will require licensing.