Intel chief executive, Craig Barrett, concedes that Linux has its uses, but doesn't see much of a future for it on the desktop until it can compete with Windows in the number of applications available.

HP Digital Entertainment Center -- a hybrid, digital audio device that bridges the PC and consumer electronics realms -- is a standalone device that operates on an Intel 566 Celeron processor with the Linux-based OS. Designed to resemble a component in a regular stereo rack, it comes equipped with a 40GB hard-drive, CD-RW, 3 USB ports as well as the standard S-video connection and RCA video jacks. For the home networking enthusiasts, the device connects to the Internet by way of a V90 dial-up modem, Ethernet port or HPNA (phone line) connection.

Vector Linux 2.0 has just been released. This distro really rocks with the 2.4.5 kernel, glibc-2.2.3, sysV style init, gcc-2.95.3, XFree-4.1, and two X desktop systems to choose from. There also are seperate 386 and pentium versions of VL2.0. The whole system has been tuned and tweaked to make this the best Vector Linux yet. Orders for the CD version are being accepted.

As the previous Odyssey version, this too came in a 2 CD download. Minimum requirements apart from a Pentium or compatible processor, is at least 32 MB RAM (64MB recommended for graphical installation). Just as before, the installation process is easy with none of the problems faced last time. The key words in the installation being: Simplicity, Flexibility and Control.

There are four ways you can install Linux-Mandrake 8.0 (LM8). (We are not covering upgrades, as we never got around to keeping our buggy 7.2 installation)

A little background

The GPL is considered to be the license that guarantees the freedom of your code for all time. If you use GPL'ed code in your program, you are legally bound to release the code to your program under the GPL. The idea is to protect Open Source code from people who would take it and build a commercial venture around it.

Linux, the free computer-operating system, is winning at least 10% of new computer server software sales, posing an increasing threat to Microsoft. Continually improved by computer programmers worldwide, Linux has emerged as "a very significant competitive force," says Microsoft's President Rick Belluzzo. Not surprisingly, Microsoft casts Linux as a threat to intellectual-property rights.

The SDK license agreement for Microsoft's Mobile Internet Toolkit (Beta 2) reiterates Microsoft's opposition to open source/Free Software (with the notable exception of the BSD license), claiming that they'll "create, or purport to create, obligations for Microsoft with respect to the Software or (y) grant, or purport to grant, to any third party any rights to or immunities under Microsoft's intellectual property or proprietary rights in the Software." This includes not being allowed to use open source/Free Software development tools in conjunction with the SDK, according to this EULA.

4Front Technologies and the X MultiMedia System development team have announced the release of XMMS version 1.2.5 which boasts of a slew of new features.

According to a survey of enterprise-level development managers released by Evans Data Corp, a lack of standards and an unwillingness to open their own code are the two main reasons why Open Source tools are not being adopted in the enterprise. Lesser drawbacks were the possibility of forking in the code, lack of reliability and a lack of adequate testing criteria.

Linux seller Red Hat will announce new database software next week, hoping to whittle away at Oracle the same way it has with Microsoft.

Linux has put pricing pressure on operating system companies such as Microsoft and Sun Microsystems. Red Hat's database, though, arrives at a time when pricing pressure already is intense as software makers scramble to maintain revenue, according to AMR analyst, Urban.