Linux is poised to gain even more momentum in 2000, as shown by the number of Linux initial public offerings that hit the market in the last six months of 1999, as well as the numerous investments large hardware companies have made in this space.

Linux 2.2.14 is the latest update to the Linux kernel tree. The out of the box tree supports the Alpha, PPC, S/390, Sparc and X86 platforms. MIPS is mostly merged but you should obtain the platform specific tree. ARM and M680x0 users should get their platform specific tree.

Opera 4.0a for Linux is now available! As noted by the version number, this is still an Alpha release. Since this is a technology preview, and not a beta, we are asking that you do not send us bug reports--there are still enough being generated internally to keep us busy for a while.

When communicating with Unix or Linux systems from a Windows machine can sometimes be a tedious process, and tends to be done with programs such as telnet and ftp. But, when one needs to run a graphical application, telnet and ftp won't help too much. Enter Exceed, a PC-based X server with a host of utilities that will make any Unix or Linux geek feel at home.

After the overwhelming debut of LINUX Business Expo during COMDEX/Fall '99, ZD Events today announced that the LINUX Business Expo family of events will expand to 4 annual events in North America. A 10-member LINUX Business Expo 2000 Advisory Board has also been announced to assist ZD Events in directing the events and selecting conferences themes and tracks.

Office, not Windows, is Microsoft's real killer asset, according to VA Linux Systems CEO Larry Augustine. In an interview with CNBC yesterday Augustine described MS Office as "the one big application" in the desktop arena, and said Linux wouldn't make serious headway here until a strong enough rival appeared.

Mounting interest by institutional investors in Linux is proving the operating system is more than a fad. But a nagging question remains: how do Linux companies make money when the core product is free?

Linux firm Red Hat today said it has agreed to buy e-commerce software company Hell's Kitchen Systems in a stock deal worth about $86 million.

In the wake of the gadget-filled halls of COMDEX last year, perhaps we should have seen it coming. But Xybernaut, a company that makes wearable computers, has just confirmed that its most recent wearable PC, now runs Linux.

Intel will further expand its horizons beyond the microprocessor today when it details plans for selling Linux-powered Internet appliances that make phone calls, surf the Web and send and receive email.