Novell's Linux revenue soars 22 percent, while everything else tanks, Aug 28, 2009

Novell reported on Thursday a 22 percent year-over-year increase in its Linux revenue, topping $40 million.

Even as the recession continues to cool CIO appetites for software purchases, Linux is bucking the trend, according to a new IDC report.

Panasonic and NEC announced nine new cell phone on Tuesday that use the open-source, Linux-based mobile operating system called LiMo.

At the end of July, Sun posted a screenshot from "Project Renaissance," an effort aimed at creating a new user interface (UI) for OpenOffice. The prototype includes a "ribbon" UI in the vein of the one that Microsoft introduced for Office 2007.

To Bill Gates, Google's Chrome OS looks a lot like a familiar foe: Linux.

If most developers contribute to open-source projects because they want to, rather than because they're forced to, why do we have the GNU General Public License?

As a developer-driven phenomenon, much of the best open-source software ends up being written for other developers. For example, it's not surprising that Linux wins on the server (technical audience) but largely loses on the desktop (non-technical audience). Companies like Canonical and MindTouch can mitigate this by paying for usability design. But as an overall movement, it remains a weakness.

Back in the day, Netbooks ran Linux and packed solid-state drives. But Windows XP and big hard disk drives have prevailed.

Red Hat is at the top of its game right now, delivering quarter after quarter of impressive performance despite (or, perhaps, because of) a global recession.

While some organizations continue to hide their open-source adoption, NOiV (Nederland Open in Verbinding), has published a map of over 200 open-source products currently in use by the Dutch central government as of mid-2009.

Google's move to let software run natively on Android devices opens the door for a version of Firefox that can run on the operating system.

Oracle has gone on a buying spree in the past few years, consolidating an impressive portfolio of market-leading technology. But there's one thing it still lacks, despite awkward efforts to fill the void: an operating system. Though Oracle has unsuccessfully courted Red Hat as an acquisition target for years, its affections might be better placed on Ubuntu.

For all the discussion of the importance of transparency and openness on the Web today, it's very telling that the world's fastest-growing mobile platform may also be the most proprietary. If openness matters so much, why is Apple doing so well with its uber-proprietary iPhone, just as Microsoft dominates the desktop with proprietary Windows?

Linux kernel version 2.6.30 has been released, adding support for new file systems, performance improvements, and new hardware drivers.

I spent the weekend using Ubuntu 9.04 almost exclusively. Blame it on Apple.

Zowie! For less than the price of some Netbooks, you can get yourself a full-blown Dell notebook. Here's the deal: Dell is offering the Inspiron 15n for just $299. That's undeniably amazing, though there are a few caveats.

For those waiting for a grand cataclysmic battle between Gog (Linux) and Magog (Windows), with one supreme victor, don't hold your breath, suggests a new study by Harvard Business School.

Will Linux users eventually be able to completely navigate their interface via the WiiFit balance board?

For years, Linux enthusiasts have tried to win an unwinnable war: displacing Microsoft's hegemony in personal computers with Windows clones. Though Lindows was perhaps the first to make a serious attempt at replicating the Windows experience, all the Linux "desktop" vendors have tried it, and all with the same result:

Windows and Mac users have been taking advantage of DisplayLink for the last couple of years. The technology allows users to connect multiple monitors--as well as docking stations and projectors--to a single system via USB only; no need for any fancy-pants graphics cards. Today, DisplayLink announced it is planning to bring its technology to Linux.