Sun Microsystems Inc. has just rolled out its first Linux-based desktop software and is working to secure deals with governments and businesses to deploy it, but the company isn't targeting Microsoft Corp., a Sun executive said Thursday. "First and foremost, the objective of the Java Desktop System (JDS) isn't to go after Microsoft," said Peder Ulander, Sun's director of marketing for Desktop Solutions.

This article by a technical marketing engineer in Intel's Software Solutions Group introduces Intel's Mobile Application Architecture Guide, which was created to help application developers understand the issues that are arising through the growing proliferation of wireless mobile computing devices. According to Intel, users expect the same functionality from applications running on their mobile devices whether they are offline or connected to a network.

The Idea Basket has published a review of Panther targeted towards Switchers: "Mac OS X 10.3 "Panther" finally fulfills the promise of the OS X product line by giving users a fast, stable, and easy-to-use environment in which to get their work and play done as quickly and efficiently as possible -- and still have fun to boot. Panther contains some of the most innovative and state-of-the-art technology available in any mainstream OS."

"When I mentioned to a friend that I was going to install Debian on a system so I could learn more about Linux, he suggested I try the Gentoo distribution." Read the review at LinuxJournal.

"While the next major revision for DirectX is not expected until Longhorn’s launch, Microsoft’s DirectX group has been briefing developers on what’s in store for “DirectX Next” with presentations at Microsoft Meltdown and other developer conferences. Recently, this presentation was made available to the public via Microsoft’s Developer Network. The intent of this article is to give a more thorough treatment of the features listed for inclusion with DirectX Next and hence explore the types of capabilities that DirectX Next may be offering." Read the article at Beyond3D.

In the steps of OSX's QuartzExreme, freedesktop.org's new X and Longhorn, PalmSource seems to be seeking an engineer to take on "responsibility for a new high-performance graphics system, based on OpenGL and Postscript." According to this bit of information it might be safe to assume that a future PalmOS will be basing its UI on GL.

When we first asked for suggestions for inclusion in the Samba HOWTO documentation, someone wrote asking for example configurations -- and lots of them. This article offers extensive descriptions of Samba configuration possibilities.

Genesi today announced a new, PowerPC-based, modular MicroATX mainboard release that brings flexibility and efficient processing power to performance-intensive applications, including desktops, workstations, servers, and communications products. Read the rest of the press release.

Microsoft broadens its intellectual property licensing, and adds new IP licensing programs, including one for its FAT file system.

This study focuses on the distinguishing traits of the Linux managing model. It introduces the concept of process to capture the idea of impermanence, dissolvability and change. Far from being a predictable flow of programming, assembling and releasing activities, it is suggested that the Linux development process displays a stream of activities that keep feeding back into each other, thus creating a complex and unpredictable outcome. Read more articles at FirstMonday's issue index.

In this technical article titled "Scripting your Windows XP Embedded components", software consultant Hans de Vetten offers guidance on how to script Windows XP Embedded components. The article describes some steps that lead to more user-friendly components.

"Finally I think there needs to be a public call to Red Hat to provide critical security updates for Red Hat 7.x, 8.0 and 9. While I realize that this will not create any revenue for Red Hat, quite the opposite, it will reduce short and medium term revenues as customers will continue using "free" products". Read the article at the Security-Site by Kurt Seifried.

Here is an excellent OS-related case mod. Ingeniously simple and practical.

Captive is a project to create a wrapper around Microsoft's ntfs.sys driver that allows linux users to get read-write access to their NTFS partitions. They are using WINE and ReactOS code to emulate parts of Windows environment needed to make the driver work.