A builder.com article discusses the increasing use of Java as a tool for developing embedded systems. Primarily because of the portability benefits that java brings, it has become a very popular option in the past year or so. The article covers the upsides and downsides of Java in embedded systems.

NetBSD 1.6 has been released, with binary releases for 39 architectures. More information is available in the 1.6 release announcement and in the following blurb.

" Is Sun going to open up Java? Certainly, Sun is moving in that direction. According to Gingell, Sun realized that it had to figure out a way to let open source organizations like the Apache Software Foundation license Java. Along those lines, Gingell says Sun intends to open-source Java, but that it's not a simple process because Sun doesn't own all the intellectual property in all the JSRs. For the same reasons it can't open source all of Solaris, Sun apparently can't legally open source all of Java either. The company is working on clearing the legal hurdles cleared." Read the article at TechUpdate.

AROS, the AmigaOS clone which is being developed by Amiga enthousiasts, and who many regard it as the real future of the AmigaOS, now includes a simple WorkBench clone. Screenshots are available.

With little fanfare, User Mode Linux (UML) has been merged into Linus' BitKeeper tree. The merge followed a patch by UML author Jeff Dike, resynching UML with the 2.5.34 development kernel.From the UML homepage, User-Mode Linux provides you with a virtual machine that offers "a safe, secure way of running Linux versions and Linux processes. Run buggy software, experiment with new Linux kernels or distributions, and poke around in the internals of Linux, all without risking your main Linux setup."

The OSNews team needs to rid itself of a snazzy Sony Superslim Vaio Z505HS. It's happily running Red Hat Linux 7.2, and to sell it on eBay would mean going to the trouble of installing Windows on it again. (perhaps only to have someone buy it and want to install Linux). Instead, we've decided to see if any OSNews reader wants it. Best offer over $700 gets it. Read more for specs.

I was reading the commenting section of our recent Gentoo Linux story about its 1.4-RC1 release. It seems that there is a chasm between Gentoo users, the users who are happy with it the way it is, and the users who can't stand its usage shortcomings. The first group are mostly developers, the second group seems to be only users. Linux always had such a "schism", but with (the source-based) Gentoo distribution it seems that this is even bigger. Here is a proposal to the Gentoo maintainers about a possible solution of how to change Gentoo's usagebility in order to satisfy all.

"'Yukon,' the code-name for a major overhaul of SQL Server, will be ready for general availability sometime during the 2004 fiscal year, and "Longhorn," the code-name for the Windows operating system release after Windows .NET Server 2003, is coming in 2005, according to a senior Microsoft official. As part of Longhorn, Allchin said customers can expect to see new features for intelligent auto configuration, such as BIOSes and firmware that can be 'automatically updated in a seamless way.' Also, Allchin said Longhorn will include new functionality for server resiliency, such as self-healing characteristics, a more componentized architecture, and additional monitoring services with filters that can 'dynamically' flow out to servers." Read the report at ENTnews.

"Intel is to embed certificates into the processor. Embedded certificates will be a feature of Banias processors next year. What are the downsides? You can count them. The business of ownership of a device suddenly becomes very important indeed - your PC is tagged at birth, and your choice of operating system or browser is contingent on the generosity of the certification authority." Read the report at TheRegister.

SuSE 8.1 is expected to be released on September 25. The Personal and Professional versions (priced at 50 and 80 Euros respectively) are already available for pre-ordering. The new version includes kernel 2.4.19, KDE 3.0.3, GCC 3.2, OpenOffice.org 1.0.1, YaST and YaST's Online Updater, Wireless Lan, USB2 and Firewire support.

Palm's biggest challenge with respect to OS 5 may be migrating its sizeable and valuable developer community, which has populated the handheld landscape with Palm devices and applications. Read the editorial at NewsFactor.

One of the software giant's top executives says his company is frustrated by the slow adoption of consumer-oriented Web services, once heralded as the future of online commerce.

Trolltech today announced the release of Qt 3.1 beta 1. This new version brings simplified creation of ActiveX controls, Motif integration enables gradual migration, Mac OS X integration and more.

Lycoris Build 50 is a brand new beta release that has hit the mirrors. There is already a forum for bug reporting, created for this beta release.