News from Slashdot: ""Intels C++ and Fortran compilers are now available for Windows and Linux. The compiler for Linux provides higher compatibility with the GNU C-compiler including compability to the upcoming GCC-3.1 C++-ABI (binary compability) and support for several GNUisms in the syntax (PDF). To quote Intel: 'The 6.0 release of the Intel C++ compiler has improved support for the GNU C language extensions and is now able to build the Linux kernel with minor work arounds for both the IA-32 and Itanium architectures.' Little reminder: Running such a kernel is, of course, not supported by the kernel developers. Evaluation copies are available for download, but requires previous registration."

"When PalmSource, Palm's operating system unit, previewed the Palm OS version 5 at the PalmSource conference in San Jose earlier this year, participants got a chance to see a test version of Palm's next-generation OS in action." Read the rest of the story and the comparison chart of PalmOS at ZDNews.

If you ever had to implement an ext2 file system driver, you surely noticed the lack of good documentation on the subject. This project aims to solve this issue by providing thorough documentation on the low level details of implementing a Second Extended file system driver.

Robert Szeleney released today a newer version of SkyOS, which fixes a number of problems and adds new features. Our Take: Many people have reported problems with the PS/2 mouse (which I also experienced on my laptop, but works fine on my desktop PC), however my Voodoo5 fails to load the desktop with the included VESA driver. I wonder if anyone was succsesful loading SkyOS with a Voodoo3/4/5 card.

"Microsoft chairman Bill Gates says his company would be unable to allow manufacturers and consumers to choose which elements of its Windows operating system to install on their computers under sanctions being proposed to a federal judge.The issue stems from how different portions of Windows are reliant on each other. If one piece is removed, such as the part of the Internet Explorer Web browser that makes Web pages appear, other features like the Windows Help system would break." Read the rest of the story at Yahoo!News. You can also read the submitted Gates testimony as a PDF here. Our Take: Personally, I prefer products to be solid and in one piece, as they were designed to be. Recreating something like Linux's dependancy hell at all levels, is naturally something that does not benefit the consumer. Or my hot temper when dealing with it. What is needed IMHO, is restrict Microsoft's business practices, not its product line. Update: More about Gates on the stand.

"Bochs is an emulator for the x86 hardware platform. In other words, it can emulate a PC of varying hardware configurations. When you boot into Bochs, it will appear as though you are booting another PC from inside your own PC, and in a way, you are. Bochs emulates the entire PC platform, I/O devices, memory and its own BIOS. What's even more interesting is that you don't have to be running PC hardware to run Bochs. It will emulate x86 hardware on any platform on which you compile it. By changing the configuration, it is possible to specify the type of processor (386? 486? 586?), the amount of memory and so on. Bochs is a box inside your box. In fact, Bochs is as many boxes as you want it to be. It even has its own power button." Read the third part of the emulation articles at LinuxJournal.

After two months of being offline, Microsoft releases new versions for the famous PowerToys for WindowsXP. You can now download the new versions for Open Command Window Here, Alt-Tab Replacement, Tweak UI, Power Calculator, Image Resizer, CD Slide Show Generator, Virtual Desktop Manager, Taskbar Magnifier, HTML Slide Show Wizard and the Webcam Timershot. In this release, Microsoft did not include some other popular PowerToys like the "Desk Menu tool" and "Extra Send to menu" and the Shell Audio player and ISO Burner.

"If you put a bad-tasting item in your mouth, the natural instinct is to spit it out. A similar reaction can occur to those stalwarts testing computer hardware and software. However, quite the opposite reaction could be seen as my colleague David Coursey extended his test of the Macintosh from one month to two, and then to three." Read the rest of the editorial at ZDNews.

"Symbian today said it will open most of the source code for its mobile operating system to third party developers, in its latest effort to encourage the creation of more software for the platform. The company also announced that German electronics giant Siemens has agreed to buy 5 percent of the company for more than 20-million euros ($17.8 million). The software company, which is co-owned by Psion as well as Sony Ericsson, Nokia, Motorola and others, already provides most of its code to its licensees, and will offer the same access to software developers through a new plan called the "Symbian Platinum Program". A number of third parties have already committed to joining the program, including Intel, AppForge, Texas Instr. and UK chip-designer ARM Holdings." Read the rest of the story at ZDNews.

"The Canopy Group and Egan-Managed Capital, two of Lineo's many investors, have been running a "notice of public sale" in a local Utah paper since April 8 apparently. It recalls the sheriff hammering a foreclosure sign on an Oklahoma farm with the butt-end of his gun during the dust storms of the Great Depression. As previously reported, Lineo has run out of money to the point of bouncing paychecks and having at least one of its offices padlocked by the landlord for want of the rent. Lineo has a pretty lustrous retinue of backers and burned through at least $65 million, maybe $20 million or $30 million more than that. It's reportedly never been profitable." Read the rest of the report at LinuxGram.

Mark Mitchell, the GCC release manager posted at GCC's mailing list that a GCC 3.1 pre-release test version will be ready any time now, today or tomorrow. GCC 3.1 is the first "stable" version that developers were awaiting to base their projects on, as in some cases it delivers up to 30% faster executables than GCC 2.9x.x for the same codebase. GCC 3.x is a bit slower in compilation times than GCC 2.9x.x, but it creates faster executables, so it worth the extra time it takes in order to utilize the extra optimizations (a tip: compiling GCC 3.1 itself with the Intel compiler (which creates about 35% faster code than gcc 3.x), it would optimize GCC and it will make it require less compilation time). GCC 3.1 also has an extra flag for specific Pentium4 optimizations while it is more C++ compliant (lays out stricter rules for the C++ devs). Macintosh users should also await this release, as the new GCC seems to offer about 5% faster code than the previous GCC for the G3/G4 architecture. Apple has already switched internally to GCC 3.1.

A lot of people have rushed to submit the news, but CattBeMac was the first one to do so. Hyperion Software has released some never seen before screenshots of the upcoming Amiga OS 4, with full support for transparency.

Linux Orbit contributing author and FreeBSD user David LeCount shows you how to connect your FreeBSD system with the '6Bone': "The next generation Internet that uses this protocol is called the 6Bone, and it's accessible from the current Internet. Now you may ask, "What are the advantages of getting on this 6Bone?" Good question. Some people just want to get an early start on tomorrow's technology. Some enjoy having a new toy to play with. Some may like the idea of owning a huge subnet of IP addresses for free. You may already have had your reasons before clicking on the link to this tutorial. Whatever the case, if you're interested in trying out this new internet and you have a FreeBSD machine connected directly to the internet, keep reading."

Hancom Office 2.01 is the latest version from the Korean company Hancom Linux, released only a few days ago. The company used to offer a Windows version of their product, but they have since completely focused on the Linux platform, even though their product is pretty portable as it is based almost solely in the Qt 3 tooklkit. In latest news, Hancom has canned their Professional version of their office suite (contained more applications in assosiation with TheKompany), and they now going with the Standard version, which is the version we review today. Update: From the Hancom press release: "200 Million Arabic Speakers Finally Have an Affordable, High-Quality Alternative to Microsoft - And Save 90% in the Process."