"FreeDOS is a project which aims to recreate the magic of DOS and bring a truly free GPLed DOS encompassing all the characteristics of MS-DOS with lots of improvements thrown in. A couple of weeks back, FreeDOS developers released ver 1.0 of their OS. I downloaded the full CD ISO of FreeDOS from their website which was around 153 MB in size. Since I have been using Linux as my operating system, I decided to install and use FreeDOS inside Linux by means of an emulator. In the past, I have used Qemu to run Damn Small Linux on my Ubuntu machine. And I was pleased with its performance. So I decided to use Qemu to run FreeDOS as well."

In a move that some may have sensed was coming, Eric S. Raymond - one of the co-founders of the open-source movement - has joined the Freespire Leadership Board. Raymond believes desktop Linux is entering into a critical period, noting that historically, users have shifted operating systems during periods of fundamental changes in hardware platforms. He believes the PC vendors' embrace of 64-bit computing will provide desktop Linux a unique window of opportunity, which if missed, may not come along again for many years.

Suntan Special 0.52 has been released. "Suntan Special creates a well configured workstation or server by installing a sequence of fixes, patches, drivers and applications to your OS/2 or eComStation computer. Each fix, driver or application is installed by running the setup program. If possible, the setup program is run in unattended mode, otherwise instructions are provided as needed. Suntan Special can reboot the system as needed and continue running when the reboot is complete. When you are satisfied with the sequence you have made to create the workstation or server you need, you can run it each time you need another server or workstation."

"The OpenPower program offers free remote access to servers running 64-bit Linux on POWER5 processors. In Part 1 of the Taking OpenPower for a spin series, author Peter Seebach introduces the process of getting access to a system and compiling applications for it, both as 32-bit and 64-bit applications. He pays particular attention to issues unique to 'guest' software development without root privileges - something most Linux users have never had to do."

The new version of Berkeley DB, the OSS embeddable database Oracle acquired along with Sleepycat, promises better performance and the ability to do upgrades on the fly. But does Oracle really have open source street credibility? One expert says not really. On other DB news, check this audiocast on PostgreSQL while Zmanda launched the first comprehensive backup solution for MySQL.

Quad-core processors are only the beginning of what a revitalized Intel has to offer, the company's top executives said here Sept. 26. The chip maker will deliver in November its first quad-core processors - chips that incorporate four processors each - for both desktops and servers, said CEO Paul Otellini here, in an opening keynote speech at the Intel Developer Forum. The quad-core chips themselves will offer up to 70 percent greater performance in desktops and 50 percent in servers.

European competition commissioner Neelie Kroes said the US government tried to influence its decision over a 280.5 mln eur fine for software giant Microsoft, newspaper Het Financieele Dagblad said. The US embassy in Brussels had contacted Kroes and asked her to be a bit 'nicer' to Microsoft before she had taken the decision to fine Microsoft in July, Kroes said in an interview.

Mandriva has released announced 2007. "Mandriva today is proud to introduce its brand new product: Mandriva Linux 2007. This new version of the operating system was designed to be an even better fit for the needs and expectations all users, from the beginner to the SOHO user. The key innovation of Mandriva Linux 2007 is the spectacular AIGLX and Xgl 3D-accelerated desktop." Mandriva told us here at OSNews that while 2007 is released, you won't be able to download it for a few days: "Our PR department has apparently decided to send out the 2007 'release' announcement even though it's not actually quite released yet. D'oh."

Red Hat's OLPC lead has written an update on the OLPC project on his weblog. "I wrote up a long update on where we are in the software and hardware for the One Laptop per Child project. We've gotten a lot done, but I don't think that's been communicated to the outside world very well. So, for the first time, here's an update of where we are."

A common heard question in the operating systems world is, 'if the alternatives to Windows are so much better, why aren't people en masse switching to them?' People come up with all sorts of answers to this question, but in fact, the social psychology world already has a fairly simple answer to this question. This answer also happens to actually explain why Zeta sold so well through the usually superficial television retail channel.

Intel's planning its own version of 'Quadrophenia' for this week's Intel Developer Forum. It has already revealed the code names for the server and desktop versions of those chips: Clovertown and Kentsfield. Those models will be constructed by combining Intel's two newest dual-core processors in those categories in a multichip package. Intel also announced low-end Xeons.

A non-technical overview of the Xgl implementation, and how it relates to Compiz and the nVidia driver, has been published by Emanuele Tamponi. Interestingly, the article mentions that Compiz requires Mesa to implement the infamous GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap function; but since the new beta driver from nVidia implements said function, you can now have Compiz in 3D glory without Xgl or AIGLX (howto).

After several months, we're very proud to finally bring you the result of the OSNews Alternative OS Contest. It took us a while to publish them all, but we are done now. Read on for the results.

Apparantly, Gael Duval has leaked the first bits of information concerning his Ulteo project to the LXF magazine. "You can't fail to notice that in the screenshot he sent us, Ulteo is running inside a web browser. What's more, the screenshot also shows Duval creating a presentation on the 'Ulteo Connected Desktop'. Ulteo is going to be hosted on Duval's own servers, enabling users to connect to their own desktop from anywhere in the world. The system administration and upgrades will be handled at the server end, as too will application installation. Anyone with a browser will be able to use Ulteo - indeed, Ulteo is going to need a broadband connection to work - as the client will only require Java."