At this time, there are two options for a good packaging system with all the commonly-needed features: RPM and deb. The Simple Packaging Kit, or SPK, is on a quest to make a third option. An SPK package is simply a bzip2ed tarball with data and a configuration file inside. This has its pros and cons, but seems to work well in the end.

Many of the soon-to-be-junked PCs work just fine. Their only problem? They can't run the most recent versions of Microsoft Windows. And that's where Linux comes in. As you'll learn in this article, you can breathe new life into obsolete computer systems by installing Linux on them and using these "obsolete" PCs for a variety of very useful functions.

How would you like a piece of free, open-source software that can rip your songs from CD without skips or pops. Rip a whole disc with one command.

Name song files automatically. Encode them automatically with the best mp3 encoder on the market today.

Linux 2.4.0 was released without much fanfare on January 4th, 2001. Although it has often been criticized for tardiness, the Linux kernel adheres

to the Open Source philosophy of releasing code when it is ready. This article bring attention to areas where Linux 2.4 is not compatible with Linux 2.2.

The free software communities focused much attention on StarOffice, WordPerfect, AbiWord, KWord, and the like. Meanwhile, most have ignored one of the best-kept secrets in the world of document creation. Though it ships with almost every Linux distribution, and has been around longer than Linux itself, the LaTeX typesetting system remains a hidden gem.

IBM chose an open source offering [Apache] over a viable commercial alternative. The Apache decision ended up being a great success for IBM, setting the precedent for the company's involvement in community development projects. And, more importantly, it put IBM on the cutting edge of the Internet. While competitors like Compaq and Sun Microsystems have stumbled in their adoption of open source technology, IBM's Apache relationship proved to be the model of how a traditional company can work best with the open source world.

Linux has a 24% market share of the server market and, according to industry analysts, that figure is set to increase. The rise in demand for Linux has a knock-on effect - it leads to an increase in demand for skilled Linux staff. Experience counts for much, but for professionals and their employers, if Linux experience is lacking, the solution is training and certification in the Open Source operating system.

Linux’ openness is one of many factors keeping Microsoft from viewing Linux as a competitive threat in the large enterprise market, says Doug Miller, group product director for the Windows server market at Microsoft. But, Miller admits that Linux could cut into Microsoft’s market share for lower-end systems.

Vendors are paying more attention to Linux now. They're realizing its more than

just a fad, they're realizing there really is a strong backing, and most importantly, Linux can be used for more than just servers.

Don't look now, but e-business is growing webbed feet. E-commerce, e-procurement networks, B2B partnerships, e-marketplaces--they're all ripe for exploitation by Linux, the upstart OS sporting the penguin logo.