Windows XP Embedded SP2 Feature Pack 2007, due to be released on Nov. 1st, will include a redesigned command-line scripting tool. This whitepaper introduces the new tool and gives a few examples of what it can do. XPECMD, as it's called, is said to be a major upgrade to CMI Explorer, the tool that shipped with XPe SP1.

"Version control systems, or source management systems, are an important aspect of modern software development. Not using one is like driving a car too fast: it's fun and you might get to your destination faster, but an accident is inevitable. This article provides an overview of Software Configuration Management systems and their benefits, including CVS, Subversion, Arch, and Git. It also reviews the most common SCM architectures. Finally, it explores some of the new approaches that are available and how they differ from the earlier methods."

"A desktop full of handy widgets to tell you about what's going on in the world and what's going on around your computer. This is Jackfield. Jackfield is an application for the Gnome desktop that plays host to widgets; small applications to do the things you need. It can run widgets from Apple's Dashboard, will eventually be able to run those from Yahoo's Widget Engine, Microsoft's Gadget Sidebar, and Opera Widgets, and you can write your own."

"Following is a six-page white paper that summarises the value of pursuing a Multiplied Novell SLED 10 or openSUSE strategy. Modern PCs spend most of the day idle. The Multiplied Linux Desktop strategy allows you to leverage this unused computing power and connect up to 10 full-featured workstations to a SINGLE, shared SLED 10 or openSUSE 10.1 computer. Ideal for Linux computer labs, Linux thin clients, Linux Internet cafés and Linux point-of-sale terminals."

Qualcomm on Wednesday joined up with the Mozilla Foundation to announce it is transitioning Eudora into an open source e-mail client that will be based upon Thunderbird. In turn, all future versions of Eudora will be free and Qualcomm will discontinue the current paid client. Although it may seem like Eudora is simply abandoning its e-mail software, which has a small but strong following of loyal users, the company claims the Thunderbird-based client will retain "Eudora's uniquely rich feature set and productivity enhancements".

Normally we don't report on every fart that gets patented by the big companies, but the following patent by Apple is actually pretty interesting: Apple has patented a method to store a user's ~/ directory (home directory) on external storage (the iPod?), making it portable. This will enable users to carry all their settings, programs, and files with them, so they can load up any Mac in the world with their own settings, programs, and files. Obviously, this is 'just' a patent, and by no means a definitive feature of Leopard or Leopard+1, but interesting nonetheless. Is this Apple's answer to Google's OS?

The Open Source Development Labs and Freedesktop.org announced the 1.0 release of the Portland common desktop interfaces today, less than a year after work started on the project. Portland was conceived last year at the first Desktop Architects Meeting in Portland, as a way of making it easier for ISVs to write applications for Linux.

A few weeks ago, Gael Duval lifted the veil of secrecy surrounding his new project a little bit by 'leaking' some screenshots and information. Obviously, a lot of questions remained, and hence we contacted Gael Duval in order to ask him some basic questions about Ulteo. Read on for the mini-interview.

Microsoft has denied allegations that it offered to guarantee an investment made in The SCO Group, a software company embroiled in a long-standing intellectual property dispute with IBM. "Microsoft has no financial relationship with BayStar and never agreed to guarantee any of BayStar's USD 50 million investment in SCO," a Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement on Monday.