"Parallels has released their latest Parallels 3.0 virtualization software for the Mac. Along with Elgato's EyeTV software, I find Parallels to be the best third party applications for the OS X desktop. If you have never used Parallels before you are in for a treat. If you already are a Parallels user, version 3.0 has enough new features and improvements to make it an essential upgrade."

The maemo team has just released a development version of a new browser engine, built on open source and Mozilla technologies. Testers and contributors are welcome. This version is functional, safe and available for download. It works on the Nokia N800 with the latest Internet Tablet OS 2007.

Flemming Sørensen created the new Live CD for Syllable 0.6.4. It needs 64 MB of memory. New is the availability of a BitTorrent download. If you are contemplating what to develop for Syllable: Arno Klenke made a new release of the sIDE integrated development environment. The included Sourcery code editor needed to be recompiled to run on Syllable 0.6.4. Also, Kristian Van Der Vliet recently rewrote all Syllable documentation.

"Way back in November 2006, when Windows Vista went from beta to RTM, Microsoft's Jim Allchin suggested that users might not need an antivirus program, thanks to the new OS's stronger security features. While the statement was subsequently clarified until it lost all its meaning, the question remains: Do Vista users really need an antivirus program running in the background at all times?"

"OpenSolaris is possibly Sun's most significant attempt to garner relevance in a market that increasingly demands the freedom and flexibility of open-source software. Although the availability of source code under an open license imbues the platform with considerable value, broader adoption is predicated on Sun's capacity to build a strong community. Project Indiana represents Sun's latest strategy for building mindshare and expanding the reach of OpenSolaris."

"The MacPorts team is pleased to announce the release of MacPorts v1.5. A major achievement in this release is the completion of code and documentation changes to reflect the transition in project name from DarwinPorts to MacPorts. This results in a slightly modified installation layout. In addition to that, there are a sizable number of bug fixes and feature enhancements. Please see the release notes for more details. Mac OS X v10.3 and 10.4 downloads are available."

"The majority of Linux users have gotten used to keeping more than one operating system on their hard disks. Most frequently the second system is a version of Microsoft Windows. Switching between the two systems tends to be irritating, especially when the secondary system is needed only once - to run an application WINE has refused to start, for example. Now we introduce the virtualization technology which allows us to run several systems on the same computer, at the same time, all under the control of one of them, called a 'host'. My examples are based on the VMware Server Console v. 1.0.3 (distributed from its manufacturer's website free of charge) running under Mandriva Linux Spring with KDE 3.5.7."

"An interesting patent application recently filed by Microsoft may offer a glimpse at the future of the Windows interface. The patent describes a 'method for managing windows in a display' that seems to describe a method of task switching that is neither Taskbar nor Expose, but something in between." It reminds me of a feature called 'iconify', where you can minimise windows into an icon on the desktop (as CDE has, for instance), a feature I miss in most modern desktop environments.

Right on schedule, Microsoft announced that its Windows Home Server software is off to the presses. This clears the way for HP, Gateway, LaCie, Medion, and now Iomega and Fujitsu Siemens, (both also announced today, the latter in Europe only) to begin selling their Home Server-powered hardware later this quarter.

Syllable 0.6.4 has been released. "Syllable 0.6.4 contains many new features, enhancements and bug fixes from previous releases. Highlights of this release include a new version of ABrowse; the web browser has been re-written using the WebKit engine. A new version of Whisper, and the Contact address book is now included. A large number of usability and user interface fixes, largely curtesy of Anthony Morphett. New drivers for the SysKonnect Yukon1 network cards & ACPI CPU management and updated drivers for Radeon, GeForceFX, SiS and Trident video cards, HD Audio, Intel & VIA SATA controllers and Realtek 8169 network cards. The usual clutch of bug fixes and enhancements."

"SceneCON is an annual meeting of underground computer artists who are members of the famous demo scene. With SceneCON, the organizers aim to follow the two decade old tradition of demo scene parties in Hungary. Yet, with a bit of a twist. This years party was held from the 16th until the 17th of June, 2007. Among its highlights was an extensive demonstration of bplan's EFIKA miniature mainboard running various flavours of Linux as well as a work-in-progress version of MorphOS 2.0. Luckily, the presentation was captured on video. The entire presentation has a total length of nearly an hour with MorphOS 2.0 being featured in the last 14 minutes of it."

A new release of dwm is out, dwm-4.3. "dwm Is a dynamic window manager for X. It manages windows in tiled and floating layouts. Either layout can be applied dynamically, optimizing the environment for the application in use and the task performed."

Mozilla's Firefox web browser has made dramatic gains on Microsoft's Internet Explorer throughout Europe in the past year with a marked upturn in FF use compared to IE over the past four months, according to French web monitoring service XiTiMonitor. A study of nearly 96,000 websites carried out during the week of July 2 to July 8 found that FF had 27.8% market share across Eastern and Western Europe, IE had 66.5%, with other browsers including Safari and Opera making up the remaining 5.7%. The July market share represents a massive 3.7% rise since a similar survey in March.

"PC users have volumes of information saved on their computers, most of it disconnected and disparate save for a basic directory system. The answer to connecting all the information into a local semantic Web of information is closer than you might think. Thanks to the open source NEPOMUK (Networked Environment for Personalized, Ontology-based Management of Unified Knowledge) effort, the Semantic Desktop isn't a dream; it's an emerging reality and will be here with the upcoming release of KDE 4 for the Linux desktop."