Unununium Core is almost finished. In fact, someone can now make an operating system from it. This is a big step toward the various distributions (including a graphical distribution) of this 100% assembly written Operating Engine.

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.

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.

"Within this last month, I've also had a chance to dabble with a couple new products like Intel's Pentium 4. Will the Pentium 4 finally make it on this list? Find out this and more in our Linux Buyer's Guide #11" says Patrick Mullen.

Pervasive's powerful, low-cost, multi-platform database engine supports version 2.2 and higher of the Linux kernel, which is now the fastest-growing operating system, according to IDC. Pervasive.SQL 2000i provides backward compatibility with existing Btrieve API-based applications on Linux, NetWare and Windows NT platforms and incorporates a rich set of features to minimize deployment and support costs, while facilitating Web and cross-platform migrations.