In 2001 during the 2.4 kernel development cycle, a MODULE_LICENSE macro was introduced which allows a module to explicitly declare how it is licensed. Currently there are five supported types of free software modules, "GPL", "GPL v2", "GPL and additional rights", "Dual BSD/GPL", and "Dual MPL/GPL", otherwise the kernel is considered "tainted".

eCommerceLogic is working on a new programming language for Amiga that resembles Java and C#.

Exceptions are a very powerful concept when used correctly. An important cornerstone in the design of a good application is the strategy you adopt for Exception Management. You must ensure that your design is extensible to be able to handle unforeseen exceptions gracefully, log them appropriately and generate metrics to allow the applications to be monitored externally.

In an ideal world, all your code is packaged into a universal install script, with dependency checking, updating, and logging services handled automatically. Conflicts between resources required by different applications are resolved according to predefined policies. Site-specific configuration changes are automatically applied as part of the unattended installation, and tests are run across the environment to confirm that everything is good to go. This article shows you how the general tenets of autonomic computing are applied to software installation.

The Mono 1.0 is quickly approaching. This document explains the Beta releases that we will be doing as well as the various code freezes that we will have in place. Mono 1.0 supports most of the features of the .NET Framework 1.0/1.1 with a few exceptions. Some of those features will be available in "preview" mode for this release, but are not going to be officially supported. For a detailed list see the Mono Roadmap and the detailed list of assemblies.

A surprising breach appeared to open between leading Unix and Linux companies on Monday as Sun Microsystems' chief executive called Red Hat "a proprietary Linux distribution." The catcall was sounded in an eWEEK.com interview with Sun Microsystems Inc. President and Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Schwartz. Besides challenging Red Hat Inc.'s contention that it is the premiere Linux company, the remark casts the relationship of the companies into a more adversarial light.

If the software developed by a Filipino company that enables Windows programs to run on Linux is indeed meant to propagate "open source computing," then the firm should give it away for free, the head of Microsoft Philippines told INQ7.net. "If they can't do that, it is just like any other commercial software business," Antonio Javier, managing director of Microsoft Philippines said, referring to the David middleware program developed by SpecOps Labs.

Daniel Robbins, founder and "Chief Architect" of the Gentoo Linux distribution, has decided to call it quits in terms of being associated with Gentoo. This was met with quite a bit of shock from the Gentoo community and developers alike, as this move was quite unexpected. Daniel Robbins also proposed the setting up of Non-Profit Organization to handle future development. Initially, he wanted to serve in the board of this organization, but he later changed his mind.

Security experts are monitoring widespread use of exploit code that takes advantage of a recently disclosed vulnerability in Windows. A worm, although anticipated, hasn't yet been spotted.

Linux is all about choice. Endless debates carry on each day, but a new company with a new distribution, Cobind, has a classic, but novel, approach: Do one thing, and do it well.

Microsoft Corp is doing a U-turn on its Longhorn roadmap, with plans for a server operating system version alongside the long-expected client due in 2006. A Microsoft spokesperson confirmed Friday that there will be a Longhorn server sometime after the company delivers the Longhorn client OS.

Symbian is expected to retain the top honors in mobile phone software through the decade, despite an emerging threat from Microsoft, according to a study from ABI Research.

"I thought I had a pretty good handle on the differences between the open-source community and the traditional proprietary approach to software development. But watching a Microsoft spokesperson defend his company and its whole approach to business in front of a room full of Linux zealots last week helped crystallize the gulf between the two camps--not just in business strategy but in fundamental philosophy and political bent." Read the editorial at ZDNet.

The GNOME Foundation had a meeting with some representatives of the Mozilla Foundation about how they could collaborate a little closer in future. More info here about what was discussed.