1095 lines
50 KiB
HTML
1095 lines
50 KiB
HTML
<!--startcut ==========================================================-->
|
||
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN">
|
||
<html>
|
||
<head>
|
||
<title> News Bytes LG #71 </title>
|
||
</head>
|
||
|
||
<BODY BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#000000" LINK="#0000FF" VLINK="#0000AF"
|
||
ALINK="#FF0000">
|
||
|
||
<CENTER>
|
||
<A HREF="http://www.linuxgazette.com/">
|
||
<H1><IMG ALT="LINUX GAZETTE" SRC="../gx/lglogo.png"
|
||
WIDTH="600" HEIGHT="124" border="0"></H1></A>
|
||
|
||
<!-- *** BEGIN navbar *** -->
|
||
<IMG ALT="" SRC="../gx/navbar/left.jpg" WIDTH="14" HEIGHT="45" BORDER="0" ALIGN="bottom"><A HREF="lg_mail71.html"><IMG ALT="[ Prev ]" SRC="../gx/navbar/prev.jpg" WIDTH="16" HEIGHT="45" BORDER="0" ALIGN="bottom"></A><A HREF="index.html"><IMG ALT="[ Table of Contents ]" SRC="../gx/navbar/toc.jpg" WIDTH="220" HEIGHT="45" BORDER="0" ALIGN="bottom" ></A><A HREF="../index.html"><IMG ALT="[ Front Page ]" SRC="../gx/navbar/frontpage.jpg" WIDTH="137" HEIGHT="45" BORDER="0" ALIGN="bottom"></A><A HREF="../faq/index.html"><IMG ALT="[ FAQ ]" SRC="./../gx/navbar/faq.jpg"WIDTH="62" HEIGHT="45" BORDER="0" ALIGN="bottom"></A><A HREF="lg_answer71.html"><IMG ALT="[ Next ]" SRC="../gx/navbar/next.jpg" WIDTH="15" HEIGHT="45" BORDER="0" ALIGN="bottom" ></A><IMG ALT="" SRC="../gx/navbar/right.jpg" WIDTH="15" HEIGHT="45" ALIGN="bottom">
|
||
<!-- *** END navbar *** -->
|
||
<P>
|
||
</CENTER>
|
||
<!--endcut ============================================================-->
|
||
<H4 ALIGN="center">"Linux Gazette...<I>making Linux just a little more fun!</I>"</H4>
|
||
|
||
<HR> <!-- ******************************************* -->
|
||
|
||
<center>
|
||
<table cellpadding=7><tr><td>
|
||
<IMG SRC="../gx/bytes.gif" border=1 ALT="News Bytes">
|
||
</td><td>
|
||
<H3>Contents:</H3>
|
||
<ul>
|
||
|
||
<li><a HREF="#legislation">Legislation and More Legislation</a>
|
||
<li><a HREF="#links">Linux Links</a>
|
||
<li><a HREF="#conferences">Conferences and Events</a>
|
||
<li><a HREF="#general">News in General</a>
|
||
<li><a HREF="#distro">Distro News</A>
|
||
<li><a HREF="#commercial">Software and Product Announcements</a>
|
||
</ul>
|
||
</td></tr></table>
|
||
|
||
<STRONG>Selected and formatted by <A
|
||
HREF="mailto:michael.conry@softhome.net">Michael Conry</A> and <A
|
||
HREF="mailto:gazette@ssc.com">Mike ("Iron") Orr</A></STRONG> </center>
|
||
|
||
<P> Submitters, send your News Bytes items in
|
||
<FONT SIZE="+2"><STRONG>PLAIN TEXT</STRONG></FONT>
|
||
format. Other formats may be rejected without reading. You have been
|
||
warned! A one- or two-paragraph summary plus URL gets you a better
|
||
announcement than an entire press release.
|
||
|
||
<P> <hr> <P>
|
||
<!-- =================================================================== -->
|
||
|
||
<H3><IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/bolt.gif">
|
||
<font color="green">
|
||
October 2001 <I>Linux Journal</I>
|
||
</font>
|
||
</H3>
|
||
|
||
<IMG ALT=" " SRC="misc/bytes/lj-cover90.png" WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=268
|
||
ALIGN="left" HSPACE="20">
|
||
|
||
<P>
|
||
The October issue of <A HREF="http://www.linuxjournal.com/"><I>Linux
|
||
Journal</I></A> is on newsstands now.
|
||
This issue focuses on Engineering. Click
|
||
<A HREF="http://www.linuxjournal.com/lj-issues/issue90/index.html">here</A>
|
||
to view the table of contents, or
|
||
<A HREF="http://www.linuxjournal.com/subscribe/index.html">here</A>
|
||
to subscribe.
|
||
|
||
<P>
|
||
<FONT COLOR="green">All articles through December 1999 are available for
|
||
public reading at
|
||
<A HREF="http://www.linuxjournal.com/lj-issues/mags.html">http://www.linuxjournal.com/lj-issues/mags.html</A></FONT>.
|
||
Recent articles are available on-line for subscribers only at
|
||
<A HREF="http://interactive.linuxjournal.com">
|
||
http://interactive.linuxjournal.com/</A>.
|
||
|
||
<BR CLEAR="all">
|
||
|
||
<a name="legislation"></a>
|
||
<p><hr><p>
|
||
<!-- =================================================================== -->
|
||
<center><H3><font color="green">Legislation and More Legislation</font></H3></center>
|
||
|
||
<P> <STRONG>Behold the debut of a new News Bytes section.</STRONG>
|
||
|
||
<P> This is the third month in
|
||
a row that the legal landscape surrounding Linux users and programmers has
|
||
been rapidly changing. We want to give adequate coverage to these
|
||
changes--new laws and proposed laws--around the world. Since we have
|
||
personal knowledge only of the US and Ireland, we'll need readers to <A
|
||
HREF="mailto:gazette@ssc.com">tell us</A> what's happening in their
|
||
countries. This is important because anything that gets enacted in one
|
||
country is often held up as an example to encourage similar legislation in
|
||
other countries.
|
||
|
||
<P> For any new law, one must ask: Who is pushing it? What will they
|
||
gain? Who will lose under it (re fines or jail time)? Why? Do the
|
||
proponents have a secret agenda to use the law in ways the legislature
|
||
didn't intend? Do they have a not-so-secret agenda to push for bigger laws
|
||
after this one is passed and accepted by the public? What unintended
|
||
effects will the law have that even its proponents did not predict?
|
||
We can't answer all these, but hopefully we can start asking the questions.
|
||
|
||
<P> Especially the last question. This section is partly an Ode to the Law
|
||
of Unintended Effects, because there are so many of them recently.
|
||
|
||
<HR NOSHADE WIDTH="20%"> <!-- ********************************* -->
|
||
|
||
LG reported in <A HREF="../issue69/orr.html">July</A>
|
||
and <A HREF="../issue70/lg_bytes70.html#dmca">August</A> about
|
||
the unexpected fallout from the
|
||
<STRONG>Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA)</STRONG>.
|
||
Companies are using it to suppress criticism of their shoddy designs,
|
||
prevent customers from protecting themselves from the effects
|
||
of said shoddy designs, and even jail a foreign programmer for writing (in
|
||
his home country) a program that is legal in his home country. Now that
|
||
Dmitry is facing a possible sentance of 25 years, I guess a decline in
|
||
corporate profits is more serious than armed robberies--even if the decline
|
||
in profits is hypothetical or imagined. (Didja notice how in spite of
|
||
Napster, Gnutella and DeCSS, the sales of CDs and DVDs continue to go
|
||
nowhere but up?)
|
||
|
||
<P> Foreign programmers like Alan Cox (#2 Linux kernel developer and former
|
||
Usenix coordinator) are <A
|
||
HREF="http://lwn.net/2001/0726/letters.php3">avoiding the US</A> in order not
|
||
to fall into the same trap Dmitry did.
|
||
American programmers are
|
||
<A HREF="http://noframes.linuxjournal.com/articles/misc/0048.html#effects">
|
||
looking for jobs elsewhere</A> -- anywhere -- now that
|
||
normal and necessary practices in security development and security
|
||
certification are illegal. Not that there may be many
|
||
places to go: the major proponents of the DMCA (the five biggest
|
||
media-publishing and software-publishing conglomorates) are using the
|
||
established US law as an example to push for similar laws in Canada, Europe
|
||
and the FTAA (a possible future free-trade zone covering North and South
|
||
America), saying: "See, they did it, so you should too."
|
||
|
||
<HR NOSHADE WIDTH="20%"> <!-- **************** -->
|
||
|
||
In September, change went from "high gear" to "extremely
|
||
high gear" and then into "overdrive". The Big 5 publishers came back with an
|
||
even sweeter proposal, the son of DMCA. Aiming to plug the "loopholes" in
|
||
the DMCA (meaning the last bit of fair use the DMCA allows), the
|
||
<STRONG>Security Systems Standards and Certification Act</A> (SSSCA)</STRONG>
|
||
<A HREF="http://www.politechbot.com/docs/hollings.090701.html">[draft
|
||
text]</A>
|
||
<A HREF="http://cryptome.org/sssca.htm">[another draft]</A> would make it
|
||
illegal to "manufacture, import, offer to the public, provide or otherwise
|
||
traffic in any interactive digital device that does not include and utilize
|
||
certified security technologies that adhere to the security systems standards
|
||
adopted under section 104."
|
||
|
||
<P> "Security systems standards" means software that
|
||
enforces digital copyrights. Remember
|
||
<A HREF="http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/archive/17009.html">
|
||
CRPM</A>, the aborted effort to put
|
||
non-bypassable rights management into the firmware of all new IDE hard
|
||
drives? That was scrapped because too many customers would refuse to buy
|
||
such products. But SSSCA would make this or the equivalent mandatory.
|
||
|
||
<P> Linux Weekly News <A HREF="http://lwn.net/2001/0913">writes</A>,
|
||
"The definition of a 'digital device' is just as broad as it sounds -
|
||
essentially, anything--hardware or software--that is capable of moving
|
||
and storing bits. In particular, a computer running Linux is certainly
|
||
such a digital device, as is Linux itself or any of a number of other
|
||
free programs." Free-software advocates are concerned, because is it
|
||
even <EM>possible</EM> for Linux to be compliant? Linus could implement some
|
||
rights-management code in the kernel, but because it's open source, any
|
||
programmer could just comment it out. And the companies would presumably
|
||
want to keep their (shoddy?) rights algorithm secret, so it would be
|
||
available only in binary form. Would they even make a Linux version? If
|
||
they did, would Linus have to link a proprietary, binary-only library into
|
||
the standard kernel and change Linux's license to allow and mandate this?
|
||
Would the kernel have a new module "digirights.o" with the help text, "If
|
||
you are outside the United States, choose 'N' for maximum flexibility,
|
||
reliability, speed and security. If you are inside the US, be aware that
|
||
choosing 'N' may be a felony, and you should consult a lawyer before
|
||
proceeding."
|
||
|
||
<P> Another problem is that the technical standard is to be determined by
|
||
"representatives of interactive digital device manufacturers and
|
||
representatives of copyright owners". What about representatives of the
|
||
public? The constitutional right of copyright is a balance between the
|
||
author's interests (payment) and the public's interests (the "progress of
|
||
science and useful arts" by having everything become public domain after a
|
||
limited time, and fair-use rights in the meantime). But this law is
|
||
one-sided in favor not even of the authors, but of the big publishing houses.
|
||
|
||
<P> There is also a certain antitrust exemption in the bill.
|
||
|
||
<P> One concession to fair use remains: TV time-shifting. People will be
|
||
allowed to record a TV show if it's an "over-the-air broadcast, non-premium
|
||
cable channel or non-premium satellite channel". Recording a Showtime movie
|
||
would become illegal since it's on a premium cable channel. Note that there's
|
||
no provision for radio, webcasting or future technologies, so there would be no
|
||
fair use at all for those.
|
||
|
||
<P> The SSSCA is not law yet. In fact, as of early September it had not
|
||
even been introduced in Congress, just debated informally. More happened
|
||
later, but let's keep things chronological....
|
||
|
||
<HR NOSHADE WIDTH="20%"> <!-- ********************* -->
|
||
|
||
On September 11, the tragedy heard round the world. This has been
|
||
well reported elsewhere, so I will stick to the issues relating to Linux.
|
||
Suddenly, <A HREF="http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,46816,00.html">
|
||
crypto back doors</A> and crypto export limitations are fashionable
|
||
again. Congress is falling over itself trying to pass anti-terrorism
|
||
legislation as quickly as possible. Some of this legislation is good and
|
||
necessary. But lobbying groups and government agencies are finding a rare
|
||
window of opportunity to sneak long-desired unrelated topics into the
|
||
package, and they are not shy about exploiting it. It's a lobbyist's dream as
|
||
Congress is in a spending mood and eager to pass any legislation that purports
|
||
to hinder terrorism, without enough time to evaluate whether the actual effects
|
||
will be good or bad.
|
||
|
||
<P> Of course, there are the usual arguments against <STRONG>encryption back
|
||
doors</STRONG>:
|
||
<UL>
|
||
<LI> If encryption is outlawed, only outlaws will have encryption.
|
||
<LI> You want we should destroy our freedom in order to save it?
|
||
<LI> Even if our government and allied governments are good now, what if
|
||
one of them becomes bad? How will we invalidate the keys it holds, especially
|
||
for old messages in a fixed (unchangeable) format?
|
||
<LI> What about rogue employees in the government or keyholding service?
|
||
Especially those who might sell the information to marketers, or use it for
|
||
identity theft to raise $$ for their meth fix?
|
||
<LI> E-commerce will decline because nobody wants to trust their personal
|
||
information to something with a back door.
|
||
<LI> Strong encryption will continue to be developed overseas. Our competitors
|
||
and enemies will have an advantage.
|
||
<LI> Skilled tech workers will vote with their feet and move to countries where
|
||
they can work on projects unencumbered by restrictions.
|
||
<LI> Exports will decline because foreigners will laugh at the security of
|
||
American encryption products.
|
||
</UL>
|
||
|
||
<P> Exactly one week after the terror attacks, the Nimda worm/virus
|
||
appeared, the son of Code Red. The Justice Department
|
||
<A HREF="http://www.securityfocus.com/news/257">included</A> in
|
||
its Anti-Terrorism Act language that would <STRONG>define hackers,
|
||
virus-writers and web site defacers as "terrorists", eligible for life
|
||
imprisonment without parole.</STRONG> "Cracking a computer for the purpose of
|
||
obtaining anything of value, or to deliberately cause damage" would carry the
|
||
same penalties as assassinating a public official or dropping a chemical
|
||
weapon. The law would be retroactive to the beginning of time, so even
|
||
crimes committed long ago could be tried under it. Fortunately for Kevin
|
||
Mitnick, he's already received his sentance. But those who break into a
|
||
grocery store's web site and order a pack of gum for free had better watch
|
||
out. And those who provide "'advice or assistance' to cyber crooks, or
|
||
harbor or conceal a computer intruder" would receive the same punishment as
|
||
the intruders themselves. "DNA samples would be collected from hackers upon
|
||
conviction, and retroactively from those currently in custody or under
|
||
federal supervision. The samples would go into the federal database that
|
||
currently catalogs murderers and kidnappers."
|
||
|
||
<P> What happens if you cross an Anti-Terrorism Act with a Digital Millenium
|
||
Copyright Act? Answer: Dmitry goes to prison for life. No, that hasn't been
|
||
proposed. But watch out for that definition of "hacking" and see what
|
||
exactly it includes, and whether it expands later. Remember the law of
|
||
Unintended Effects.
|
||
|
||
<P> Larry Ellison, the head of Oracle, is
|
||
<A HREF="http://www.siliconvalley.com/docs/news/svfront/ellsn092301.htm">
|
||
calling for</A> <STRONG>national ID cards</STRONG>. This may sound like
|
||
merely the musings of a concerned citizen until you remember that an ID-card
|
||
system needs a database, and why not an Oracle database? Ellison is offering
|
||
to give the government the software for free, but still, what a PR bonanza for
|
||
Oracle it would be. (Like when Microsoft "gives" software to schools. Of
|
||
course, nowadays it "sells" software to schools....) Regarding identity cards
|
||
themselves <A
|
||
HREF="http://www.privacy.org/pi/activities/idcard/idcard_faq.html"> this
|
||
report</A> looks at countries that use them and countries that don't use them,
|
||
and notes the differences between what each country originially intended its
|
||
card for vs how it's being used now. (Again, the Law of Unintended Effects.)
|
||
|
||
<P> There is one bright side: Congress is considering splitting up the
|
||
omnibus Anti-Terrorism bill. That would allow it to pass the most urgent
|
||
portions right away, but hold off on the more controversial measures until
|
||
they can ascertain which ones would cause more harm than good.
|
||
|
||
<HR NOSHADE WIDTH="20%"> <!-- ******************************* -->
|
||
|
||
<P> In late September, the <STRONG>SSSCA</STRONG> was introduced in the
|
||
Senate. It has a long way to go before it becomes law, since it has not even
|
||
been introduced in the House yet. Most are predicting it has too many
|
||
critics to pass this year, but portions of it could crop up in future years.
|
||
|
||
<P> <I>Linux Journal's</I> Don Marti <A
|
||
HREF="http://www.linuxjournal.com/articles/conversations/0034.html">chided
|
||
Michael Eisner</A>, the Charman and CEO of the Walt Disney Company, for
|
||
planning a trip to Washington, DC, to "close the deal on a computer
|
||
censorship bill, the SSSCA, you're buying from Congress." He also
|
||
chided Senator Fritz Hollings (D-SC) under the headline, <A
|
||
HREF="http://www.linuxjournal.com/articles/conversations/0036.html">
|
||
"Senator Hollings Cheaper Than We Thought"</A>, saying that Eisner had paid
|
||
Hollings $18,500 to
|
||
get the bill introduced. (And not the $25,000 <I>LJ</I> had previously
|
||
reported.) Of course, the payment was in the form of
|
||
cumulative campaign contributions, not a direct bill payment (pun intended).
|
||
|
||
<P> The Register notes in <A
|
||
HREF="http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/21830.html">
|
||
"Copy-Control Senator Sleeps While Fair-Use Rights Burn"</A> that the Big 5
|
||
media companies are among the top 20 contributors to Hollings' election
|
||
campaigns: AOL Time Warner, the Murdoch-owned News Corporation, Viacom's CBS,
|
||
the National Association of Broadacsters, and Walt Disney Company.
|
||
If you type "senator hollings campaign contributions disney" into
|
||
<A HREF="http://www.yahoo.com/">Yahoo</A>, several other articles come up,
|
||
including <A
|
||
HREF="http://www.commoncause.org/publications/040297_rpt4.htm">this one</A>.
|
||
(Yes, you <EM>can</EM> try this at home. Type "senator <NAME> campaign
|
||
contributions" and see what comes up for your favorite Congresscritter. Or
|
||
"representative <NAME>" for members of the House.)
|
||
|
||
|
||
<P> Here's an article that looks at SSSCA from the manufacturer's
|
||
standpoint:
|
||
<A HREF="http://lists.essential.org/pipermail/am-info/Week-of-Mon-20010917/007186.html">
|
||
Bill Could Force Copy Control On IT Firms</A>. It says the SSSCA "could slow
|
||
the development of the technologies it seeks to regulate by shifting the
|
||
attention of the industry from product development to lobbying." One attorney
|
||
comments, "Telling us what systems to pay for and implement to protect someone
|
||
else's property doesn't make sense."
|
||
|
||
<P>
|
||
<A HREF="http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/21577.html">Another Register
|
||
article</A> says the
|
||
SSSCA "would close all the irritating little loopholes in the DMCA right
|
||
around the necks of consumers, where, the industry reckons, the pressure
|
||
rightly belongs." And, "Conveniently, and by design, the words 'fair use'
|
||
appear nowhere in the draft. The industry lobbyists never liked that
|
||
troublesome phrase in the DMCA, so now it's gone." The article also points
|
||
out that the SSSCA does not require new complient hardware to be
|
||
backward-compatible with older hardware, meaning another round of buying the
|
||
same content again.
|
||
|
||
<HR NOSHADE WIDTH="20%"> <!-- ******************************* -->
|
||
|
||
<P> The <STRONG>role of the
|
||
<A HREF="http://www.eff.org/">Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)</A>
|
||
</STRONG> emerged as a topic in activists' discussions.
|
||
Many people think of the EFF as a lobbying organization, but its mission is
|
||
actually to defend individuals who have been unjustly accused. Taking on
|
||
full-scale lobbying of Congresscritters would require significant changes to
|
||
EFF's structure, tarnish its reputation among those who raise their noses at
|
||
"lobbyists", place the organization in a different tax category, and distract
|
||
it from defending individuals.
|
||
|
||
<P> Thus, the free-software and "free Dmitry" groups are debating whether
|
||
they should start a lobbying organization themselves. Of course, one's first
|
||
knee-jerk reaction is to stay as far the h*ll away from Washington as
|
||
possible, but if we don't do it, who will? Of course, it would mean doing
|
||
some distasteful things. Like (gasp) making campaign contributions to
|
||
influence a Congresscritter's votes. Is the free-software community ready to
|
||
sponsor a PAC? (PAC = Political-Action Committee, a fancy term for "lobbying
|
||
group".) Even though freeniks have some of the highest noses and loudest
|
||
sneers against "lobbying scum"? Some are considering it, thinking
|
||
it's the only way make a dent in the rapidly-accelerating onslaught against
|
||
our rights. Obviously it's something that it will take a long time to come to
|
||
consensus on.
|
||
|
||
<HR NOSHADE WIDTH="20%"> <!-- ******************************* -->
|
||
|
||
There is another bright side, as pointed out in the IT article. The media
|
||
companies should watch what they wish for because they just might get it.
|
||
Perhaps the Law of Unintended Effects will end up applying to them. Especially
|
||
if enough people decide they can do without the Big 5's content.
|
||
|
||
<P> Or if artists
|
||
start giving away all their music for free. That would generate more
|
||
fans at shows, and bands receive much more money from one concert patron
|
||
($5-10, plus $10 if she buys a T-shirt) than they do from one CD purchase
|
||
(less than $1). And if she buys a CD at a show, they both win: she gets a
|
||
discounted price (often $10), and the band get a few dollars rather than the 25
|
||
cents they would get from a retail sale.
|
||
|
||
<P> Then we would see corporate profits drop.
|
||
|
||
<HR NOSHADE WIDTH="20%"> <!-- ******************************* -->
|
||
|
||
In conclusion, the DMCA was passed and nobody noticed. (A few people like
|
||
Richard Stallman <A HREF="http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html">
|
||
sounded the alarm</A>, but everybody said it wouldn't get that bad.) Now when
|
||
it's too late, we are seeing the effects. We're also seeing DMCA-like laws
|
||
pushed in countries we thought were "safe". Then the publishers pull a rabbit
|
||
out of their hat with another law, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to
|
||
see that it will also turn out to be more powerful than it appears when it's
|
||
passed (if it's passed), just like the DMCA.
|
||
|
||
<P> This, coupled with the crypto back door and hacking-considered-terrorism
|
||
proposals and others, foreshadow a society fifty years from now vastly
|
||
different than now, where everything is pay-per-view, fair use is forgotten,
|
||
all available computer hardware enforces this, and Linux has been illegal for
|
||
so long that nobody remembers what it was. But the biggest companies will
|
||
still have familiar names--AOL Time Warner, Walt Disney, Microsoft. The laws
|
||
give a competitive advantage to the companies that were dominant at the time of
|
||
the laws' adoption, since they can use the laws to sue everybody else out of
|
||
existence. (Why else do you think they pushed so heavily for the laws in the
|
||
first place?) Perhaps many people in today's computer field will drop out in
|
||
disgust and switch to other professions, and shun e-mail and the phone in favor
|
||
of face-to-face activities. Farfetched? Perhaps, but we've learned and not to
|
||
trust the CEOs and politicos any farther than we can throw them, and to expect
|
||
the worst because it will turn out worse than that.
|
||
|
||
<P> Of course, one wonders whether the needs of the publishers for
|
||
strong encryption and the needs of the FBI for weak encryption are on a
|
||
collision course. We've already seen that the needs of the FBI (to catch
|
||
bad guys) and the needs of e-commerce (to promote a healthy economy) are
|
||
opposite: that's why the Clinton administration weakened crypto export laws,
|
||
and why the FBI is now pushing back.
|
||
|
||
<HR NOSHADE WIDTH="20%"> <!-- ********************** -->
|
||
|
||
<STRONG>Other items of interest</STRONG>
|
||
|
||
<P> <A HREF="http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/293/5537/2028">"Anticircumvention Rules: Threat to Science"</A> (Science magazine)
|
||
argues that the DMCA is a threat to all scientists, not just those in
|
||
computer security and encryption research. "Virtually all computer
|
||
scientists, as well as many other scientists with some programming skills, find
|
||
it necessary on occasion to reverse engineer computer programs. Sometimes they
|
||
have to bypass an authentication procedure or some other technical measure in
|
||
order to find out how the program works, how to fix it, or how to adapt it in
|
||
some way. The act of bypassing the authentication procedure or other technical
|
||
measure, as well as the making of a tool to aid the reverse engineering
|
||
process, may violate the DMCA. Although the DMCA also has an exception for
|
||
reverse engineering of a program, it too is narrow. It only applies if the sole
|
||
purpose of the reverse engineering is to achieve program-to-program
|
||
interoperability and if reverse engineering is necessary to do so. Trying to
|
||
fix a bug or understand the underlying algorithm does not qualify. Information
|
||
even incidentally learned in the course of a privileged reverse engineering
|
||
process cannot be divulged to any other person except for the sole purposes of
|
||
enabling program-to-program interoperability." The article also speculates
|
||
about a pharmaceutical company that "produces data to prove that a new drug is
|
||
safe but technically protects it so that only certain tests can be performed on
|
||
the data, all of which support the safety claim. A scientist who doubted the
|
||
safety claim and tried to process the data by additional tests would violate
|
||
the DMCA if he or she bypassed the access control system restricting use of the
|
||
data."
|
||
|
||
<P> Lawrence Lessig, who wrote _Code and Other Laws of Cyberspace_, is
|
||
<A HREF="http://lwn.net/2001/features/LawrenceLessig.php3">interviewed</A>
|
||
by LWN's Dennis Tenney. He gives his perspective on the
|
||
DMCA, Dmitry Sklyarov's case, Hailstorm, international jurisdiction,
|
||
etc.
|
||
|
||
<P> Background on the
|
||
<A HREF="http://www.informationweek.com/story/IWK20010711S0010">DeCSS case</A>.
|
||
|
||
<P> A <A HREF="http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=21786&threshold=1&commentsort=0&mode=thread&pid=2358824#2364678">Slashdot post</A>
|
||
that describes some of the lesser-known provisions of the DMCA.
|
||
|
||
<P> Phil Zimmerman, creator of PGP encryption,
|
||
<A HREF="http://www.philzimmermann.com/news-Response_WashPost.shtml">explains</A>
|
||
how he was misrepresented by the Washington Post. The Post reported that he
|
||
was "overwhelmed with feelings of guilt" over the fact that the September 11th
|
||
terrorists may have used PGP in planning their attack. Zimmerman reiterates
|
||
that he thinks the public having access to strong encryption without back doors
|
||
is a good idea, and that PGP is a good tool for human rights around the world.
|
||
He also insists he will not allow any back doors in PGP.
|
||
|
||
<a name="links"></a>
|
||
<p><hr><p>
|
||
<!-- =================================================================== -->
|
||
<center><H3><font color="green">Linux Links</font></H3></center>
|
||
|
||
<P> <hr> <P>
|
||
|
||
<IMG ALT="Linux Focus" SRC="../gx/linuxfocus.jpg" WIDTH="143" HEIGHT="45">
|
||
<BR CLEAR="all">
|
||
The following articles are in the September-October issue of the multilingual
|
||
ezine <A HREF="http://www.linuxfocus.org/">Linux Focus</A>.
|
||
|
||
<UL>
|
||
<LI><a href="http://linuxfocus.org/English/September2001/article139.shtml">
|
||
XMRM : Morphing with Linux</a></LI>
|
||
<LI><A HREF="http://linuxfocus.org/English/September2001/article198.shtml">
|
||
Avoiding security holes when developing an application - Part 5: race conditions</A>
|
||
<LI> <A HREF="http://linuxfocus.org/English/September2001/article206.shtml">Using XML and XSLT to build LinuxFocus.org(/Nederlands)</A>
|
||
<LI> <A HREF="http://linuxfocus.org/English/September2001/article213.shtml">Analyzing your internet applications' log files</A>
|
||
<LI> <A HREF="http://linuxfocus.org/English/September2001/article214.shtml">Psionic Portsentry 1.1, the defender of the ports</A>
|
||
<LI> <A HREF="http://linuxfocus.org/English/September2001/article215.shtml">E-mail over UUCP: The professional solution for dialup users</A>
|
||
<LI> <A HREF="http://linuxfocus.org/English/September2001/article216.shtml">Shell Programming</A>
|
||
</UL>
|
||
|
||
|
||
<P> In case you missed some of
|
||
<a href="http://www.linuxjournal.com/">
|
||
Linux Journal's</a> technical web articles over
|
||
the past few months here are some links to
|
||
System Administration articles by Marcel Gagné<br>
|
||
<ul>
|
||
<li>Your Network's Secret Life<br>
|
||
<A HREF="http://noframes.linuxjournal.com/articles/sysadmin/0059.html">part 1</A>,
|
||
<A HREF="http://noframes.linuxjournal.com/articles/sysadmin/0060.html">part 2</A>,
|
||
<A HREF="http://noframes.linuxjournal.com/articles/sysadmin/0061.html">part 3</A>,
|
||
<A HREF="http://noframes.linuxjournal.com/articles/sysadmin/0062.html">part 4</A>,
|
||
<A HREF="http://noframes.linuxjournal.com/articles/sysadmin/0063.html">part 5</A>.
|
||
<li>Tux Knows It's Nice to Share<br>
|
||
<A HREF="http://noframes.linuxjournal.com/articles/sysadmin/0051.html">part 1</A>,
|
||
<A HREF="http://noframes.linuxjournal.com/articles/sysadmin/0052.html">part 2</A>,
|
||
<A HREF="http://noframes.linuxjournal.com/articles/sysadmin/0053.html">part 3</A>,
|
||
<A HREF="http://noframes.linuxjournal.com/articles/sysadmin/0054.html">part 4</A>,
|
||
<A HREF="http://noframes.linuxjournal.com/articles/sysadmin/0055.html">part 5</A>,
|
||
<A HREF="http://noframes.linuxjournal.com/articles/sysadmin/0056.html">part 6</A>,
|
||
<A HREF="http://noframes.linuxjournal.com/articles/sysadmin/0057.html">part 7</A>,
|
||
<A HREF="http://noframes.linuxjournal.com/articles/sysadmin/0058.html">part 8</A>.
|
||
</ul>
|
||
|
||
<P><a href="http://www.linuxjournal.com/">
|
||
Linux Journal</a> also has an online
|
||
<a href="http://www.linuxjournal.com/articles/linux_review/0052.html">
|
||
Review</a> of the book
|
||
Linux Administration: A Beginner's Guide, Second Edition.
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="http://www.linux-mag.com/">
|
||
Linux Magazine</a> have an article on MySQL
|
||
<a href="http://www.linux-mag.com/2001-06/mysql_01.html">
|
||
performance tuning</a>.
|
||
Much of the information could be applied to any SQL database.
|
||
|
||
<p>
|
||
<a href="http://www.thedukeofurl.org">
|
||
The Duke of URL</a> has
|
||
<ul>
|
||
<li>A <a href="http://www.thedukeofurl.org/reviews/misc/applixware50">
|
||
review</a> of
|
||
Applixware Office 5.0.
|
||
<li>An <a href="http://www.thedukeofurl.org/reviews/misc/tamingbeast">
|
||
editorial</a> called
|
||
"Taming the Beast." It's all about Microsoft's latest attempts to
|
||
corner the market and even has a little history, as well.
|
||
</ul>
|
||
<p><a href="http://www.linuxports.com/">The Linux Review</a> have taken a
|
||
<a href="http://www.linuxports.com/entry.lxp?lxpe=104">
|
||
look</a> at the new KDE 2.2 and its applications. The review points out
|
||
missing features that allegedly make the corresponding Windows and Macintosh
|
||
applications superior (even MS Outlook!). There is also a
|
||
<a href="http://www.linuxports.com/entry.lxp?lxpe=106">
|
||
follow up</a>. Courtesy
|
||
<a href="http://www.lwn.net/">LWN</a>.
|
||
|
||
<P>
|
||
Could DMCA be
|
||
<a href="http://mail.nl.linux.org/humorix/2001-08/msg00016.html">
|
||
outflanked</a> by new cosmogeny and quest for meaning of life ;-).
|
||
|
||
<P>There is an
|
||
<a href="http://www.osnews.com/story.php?news_id=93">
|
||
interview</a> with the creator of MenuetOS over at
|
||
<a href="http://www.osnews.com/">OS News</a>.
|
||
<a href="http://www.menuetos.org/">
|
||
MenuetOS</a>
|
||
is a small assembly-language OS
|
||
that fits on a floppy with room for a few applications. The video
|
||
driver has 16.7 million colours.
|
||
|
||
<p>
|
||
Some links courtesy of <a href="http://www.slashdot.org/">Slashdot</a>:
|
||
<ul>
|
||
<li>
|
||
Congress Mulls
|
||
<a href="http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,46816,00.html">
|
||
Stiff Crypto Laws</a>
|
||
in response to terror attacks.
|
||
<li>
|
||
CmdrTaco
|
||
<a href="http://slashdot.org/articles/01/09/13/154222.shtml">
|
||
explains</a>
|
||
how Slashdot stayed up during their highest load ever
|
||
after the attacks. Comments about MySQL and static pages.
|
||
<li>
|
||
ZDNet
|
||
<a href="http://techupdate.zdnet.com/techupdate/stories/main/0,14179,2808791-1,00.html">
|
||
reviews</a>
|
||
12 Linux support services.
|
||
<li>
|
||
Guido has written a web page of
|
||
<a href="http://www.python.org/doc/Newbies.html">
|
||
resources</a> for Python newbies
|
||
<li>
|
||
<a href="http://www.ibm.com/">IBM</a> to
|
||
<a href="http://www.investors.com/editorial/tech.asp?v=8/28">
|
||
sell</a> Linux-based brokering software,
|
||
</ul>
|
||
|
||
<P>
|
||
In industry bad news,
|
||
<a href="http://lwn.net/">Linux Weekly News</a>
|
||
have
|
||
<a href="http://lwn.net/2001/0913/">
|
||
reported</a> that Great Bridge has closed its doors. Great Bridge was the
|
||
company that brought LG the article
|
||
<A HREF="http://www.linuxgazette.com/issue68/mitchell.html">The Opening of the
|
||
Field: PostgreSQL's Multi-Version Concurrency Control</A>.
|
||
|
||
<a name="conferences"></a>
|
||
<p><hr><p>
|
||
<!-- =================================================================== -->
|
||
<center><H3><font color="green">Upcoming conferences and events</font></H3></center>
|
||
|
||
|
||
<P> Listings courtesy <EM>Linux Journal</EM>. See <EM>LJ</EM>'s
|
||
<A HREF="http://noframes.linuxjournal.com/events/">Events</A> page for the
|
||
latest goings-on.
|
||
|
||
|
||
<!-- *** BEGIN events table [this line needed by Linux Gazette events.py *** -->
|
||
|
||
<table cellpadding=5 border=0 width=100%>
|
||
|
||
<tr><td colspan=2><HR size=5 width=100% noshade align=center></td></tr>
|
||
|
||
<tr><td valign=top>
|
||
<b>Cluster 2001</b><BR>
|
||
<td valign=top>October 8-11, 2001<BR>Newport Beach, CA<BR>
|
||
<A HREF="http://www.cacr.caltech.edu/cluster2001/"
|
||
target=_blank>
|
||
http://www.cacr.caltech.edu/cluster2001/</A>
|
||
<BR>
|
||
</td></tr>
|
||
|
||
<tr><td colspan=2><HR size=5 width=100% noshade align=center></td></tr>
|
||
|
||
<tr><td valign=top>
|
||
<b>Linux Lunacy<br>Co-Produced by <i>Linux
|
||
Journal</i> and Geek Cruises</b><BR>
|
||
<td valign=top>October 21-28, 2001<BR>Eastern Caribbean<BR>
|
||
<A HREF="http://www.geekcruises.com/" target=_blank>
|
||
http://www.geekcruises.com</A><BR>
|
||
</td></tr>
|
||
|
||
<tr><td colspan=2><HR size=5 width=100% noshade align=center></td></tr>
|
||
|
||
<tr><td valign=top>
|
||
<b>LinuxWorld Conference & Expo</b><BR>
|
||
<td valign=top>October 30 - November 1, 2001<BR>Frankfurt, Germany<BR>
|
||
<A HREF="http://www.linuxworldexpo.de" target=_blank>
|
||
http://www.linuxworldexpo.de</A><BR>
|
||
</td></tr>
|
||
|
||
<tr><td colspan=2><HR size=5 width=100% noshade align=center></td></tr>
|
||
|
||
<tr><td valign=top>
|
||
<b>5th Annual Linux Showcase & Conference</b><BR>
|
||
<td valign=top>November 6-10, 2001<BR>Oakland, CA<BR>
|
||
<A HREF="http://www.linuxshowcase.org/" target=_blank>
|
||
http://www.linuxshowcase.org/</A><BR>
|
||
</td></tr>
|
||
|
||
<tr><td colspan=2><HR size=5 width=100% noshade align=center></td></tr>
|
||
|
||
<tr><td valign=top>
|
||
<b>Strictly e-Business Solutions Expo</b><BR>
|
||
<td valign=top>November 7-8, 2001<BR>Houston, TX<BR>
|
||
<A HREF="http://www.strictlyebusinessexpo.com/" target=_blank>
|
||
http://www.strictlyebusinessexpo.com</A><BR>
|
||
</td></tr>
|
||
|
||
<tr><td colspan=2><HR size=5 width=100% noshade align=center></td></tr>
|
||
|
||
<tr><td valign=top>
|
||
<b>LINUX Business Expo</b><BR>Co-located with COMDEX<br>
|
||
<td valign=top>November 12-16, 2001<BR>Las Vegas, NV<BR>
|
||
<A HREF="http://www.linuxbusinessexpo.com" target=_blank>
|
||
http://www.linuxbusinessexpo.com</A><BR>
|
||
</td></tr>
|
||
|
||
<tr><td colspan=2><HR size=5 width=100% noshade align=center></td></tr>
|
||
|
||
<tr><td valign=top>
|
||
<b>15th Systems Administration Conference/LISA 2001</b><BR>
|
||
<td valign=top>December 2-7, 2001<BR>San Diego, CA<BR>
|
||
<A HREF="http://www.usenix.org/events/lisa2001/" target=_blank>
|
||
http://www.usenix.org/events/lisa2001</A><BR>
|
||
</td></tr>
|
||
|
||
<tr><td colspan=2><HR size=5 width=100% noshade align=center></td></tr>
|
||
|
||
|
||
</table>
|
||
<!-- *** END events table [this line needed by Linux Gazette events.py *** -->
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
<a name="general"></a>
|
||
<p><hr><p>
|
||
<!-- =================================================================== -->
|
||
<center><H3><font color="green">News in General</font></H3></center>
|
||
|
||
|
||
<P> <hr> <P>
|
||
<!-- =================================================================== -->
|
||
<H3><IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/bolt.gif">
|
||
<FONT COLOR="green">Python10 conference
|
||
</FONT>
|
||
</H3>
|
||
|
||
<P> The
|
||
<a href="http://www.python10.org">
|
||
Tenth International Python Conference</a> (Python 10) will be held on
|
||
February 4-7, 2002, at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Centre in Alexandria,
|
||
Virginia.
|
||
The Call for Papers for the Refereed Paper Track, and the Call for
|
||
Tutorials can be found at
|
||
<a href="http://www.python10.org/p10-callpapers.html">
|
||
www.python10.org/p10-callpapers.html</a>,
|
||
and
|
||
<a href="http://www.python10.org/p10-calltutorials.html">
|
||
www.python10.org/p10-calltutorials.html</a>,
|
||
respectively. The deadline for
|
||
submitting a paper to the Refereed Paper Track is Monday, October 8,
|
||
2001. The deadline for submitting a proposal for Tutorials Day is Monday,
|
||
October 1, 2001.
|
||
|
||
|
||
<P> <hr> <P>
|
||
<!-- =================================================================== -->
|
||
<H3><IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/bolt.gif">
|
||
<FONT COLOR="green">LLNL Adds Linux Cluster Supercomputing Power to ASCI Project
|
||
</FONT>
|
||
</H3>
|
||
|
||
<P>SGI Federal, a
|
||
subsidiary of
|
||
<a href="http://www.sgi.com/">SGI</a>,
|
||
has
|
||
<a
|
||
href="http://www.linuxnetworx.com/news/8.28.2001.49-Lawrence_Liverm.html">
|
||
teamed up</a> with
|
||
<a href="http://www.linuxnetworx.com">
|
||
Linux NetworX</a> to win a bid to build three Parallel
|
||
Capacity Resource (PCR) Linux cluster computing systems totalling 472 Pentium
|
||
4 processors for the National Nuclear Security Administration's Accelerated Strategic
|
||
Computing Initiative (ASCI).
|
||
ASCI is a program to reach 100-trillion calculations per second by 2005
|
||
that will help scientists to maintain the
|
||
safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile by simulating the
|
||
aging and operation of nuclear weapons. With a theoretical peak
|
||
performance of 857 gigaFLOP/s, the largest of the three systems with 252 Pentium
|
||
4 processors, named PCR P4A, will be one the fastest Linux clusters ever built.
|
||
|
||
<P> <hr> <P>
|
||
<!-- =================================================================== -->
|
||
<H3><IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/bolt.gif">
|
||
<FONT COLOR="green">Petroleum Penguins
|
||
</FONT>
|
||
</H3>
|
||
|
||
<P><a href="http://www.lgc.com/">
|
||
Landmark Graphics Corp.</a>, a wholly owned business unit of
|
||
Halliburton Company, today announced plans to offer its full
|
||
suite of integrated UNIX exploration and production applications on a range
|
||
of Linux platforms with rollout beginning in the fourth quarter of 2001.
|
||
This marks the most significant commitment to date by a major technology
|
||
provider in the oil and gas industry to support the "open source" Linux
|
||
operating system. Compaq, Dell, EMC, IBM, Intel and Network Appliance are
|
||
working with Landmark to offer a broad range of optimized Linux solutions,
|
||
including workstations, servers and storage.
|
||
|
||
<a name="distro"></a>
|
||
<p><hr><p>
|
||
<!-- =================================================================== -->
|
||
<center><H3><font color="green">Distro News</font></H3></center>
|
||
|
||
<P> <hr> <P>
|
||
<!-- =================================================================== -->
|
||
<H3><IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/bolt.gif">
|
||
<FONT COLOR="green">Debian
|
||
</FONT>
|
||
</H3>
|
||
<a href="http://www.debian.org/News/weekly/2001/21/">
|
||
There are</a> a lot of orphaned (102) and up-for-adoption (35) packages out
|
||
there. Some of the packages include kicq, knews, mcvert (Mac to Unix file
|
||
converter) and several others. A list of packages is found
|
||
<a href="http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-announce/2001/debian-devel-announce-200109/msg00003.html">
|
||
here</a>.
|
||
<p>
|
||
<hr width="20%" noshade>
|
||
<p>
|
||
Adam Di Carlo
|
||
<a href="http://lists.debian.org/debian-boot/2001/debian-boot-200109/msg00255.html">
|
||
announced</a> that version 3.0.14 of the boot floppies are
|
||
<a href="http://people.debian.org/~aph/debian/dists/woody/main/">
|
||
available</a> for testing for powerpc and
|
||
i386. Hammer on them and send reports, comments or praise to debian-boot@lists.debian.org.
|
||
<a href="http://www.debian.org/News/weekly/2001/22/">
|
||
Original story</a>.
|
||
<p>
|
||
<hr width="20%" noshade>
|
||
<p>
|
||
Debian Security is crucial to users and should be managed properly.
|
||
<a href="http://www.debian.org/News/weekly/2001/23/">
|
||
Recently</a>, to
|
||
help improve the situation, Joey Hess has
|
||
<a href="http://lists.debian.org/debian-security/2001/debian-security-200109/msg00225.html">
|
||
asked</a> for a Security Secretary, who
|
||
will
|
||
<a href="http://lists.debian.org/debian-security/2001/debian-security-200109/msg00299.html">
|
||
help</a> the Debian Security Team doing their work.
|
||
<p>
|
||
Reports taken from
|
||
<a href="http://www.debian.org/News/weekly/">
|
||
Debian Weekly News</a>.
|
||
|
||
<P> <hr> <P>
|
||
<!-- =================================================================== -->
|
||
<H3><IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/bolt.gif">
|
||
<FONT COLOR="green">SuSE
|
||
</FONT>
|
||
</H3>
|
||
|
||
<P>From the end of August,
|
||
<a href="http://www.suse.de/en/">SuSE Linux</a>
|
||
<a href="http://www.suse.de/en/sles/">
|
||
Enterprise Server 7</a> will be available for Intel's 32-bit
|
||
architecture (x86), Intel's 64-bit architecture (Itanium processor family),
|
||
and IBM's mainframe platform S/390. Versions for IBM's iSeries,
|
||
pSeries, and zSeries will follow in late autumn.
|
||
Included in the purchase price, are maintenance services that make sure that
|
||
SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 7 is always up-to-date, stable, and tested.
|
||
SuSE regularly informs users by e-mail and makes the respective patches,
|
||
fixes, and updates available via FTP server.
|
||
For more information please refer to
|
||
<a href="http://www.suse.de/en/sles/">
|
||
http://www.suse.de/en/sles/</a>
|
||
<p>
|
||
<hr width="20%" noshade>
|
||
<P>SuSE Linux have also announced that
|
||
<a href="http://www.suse.de/en/produkte/solutions/database_server/index.html">
|
||
SuSE Linux Database Server</a>
|
||
combines the operating system platform of SuSE Linux Enterprise
|
||
Server with IBM's DB2 Database to form a complete solution for professional users.
|
||
In mid September, SuSE Linux will present an updated version of the solution package.
|
||
|
||
<a name="commercial"></a>
|
||
<p><hr><p>
|
||
<!-- =================================================================== -->
|
||
<center><H3><font color="green">Software and Product Announcements</font></H3></center>
|
||
|
||
|
||
<P> <hr> <P>
|
||
<!-- =================================================================== -->
|
||
<H3><IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/bolt.gif">
|
||
<FONT COLOR="green">New CPCI SBC from MEN Micro
|
||
</FONT>
|
||
</H3>
|
||
|
||
<P>
|
||
<a href="http://www.menmicro.com/">
|
||
MEN Micro</a> have released
|
||
a new CompactPCI single board computer (SBC). The SBC comes in three
|
||
versions, and each version includes a 300 MHz PowerPC XPC8245. The D3, as
|
||
the new SBC is designated, is a one-slot 6U CompactPCI board. In CompactPCI
|
||
systems it operates as a master system-slot board, but in embedded
|
||
applications it can also operate as a standalone processing unit without a
|
||
bus connection. As a computer, the D3 comes with up to 256K of DRAM in a
|
||
SODIMM slot, two megabytes (MB) of flash memory and an ATA-compatible
|
||
CompactFlash site, in addition to numerous other I/O features. The D3 can
|
||
run either the VxWorks or Linux operating systems. For more information on
|
||
the D3 including a data sheet, go to
|
||
<a href="http://www.men.de/products/press/">
|
||
www.men.de/products/press</a>.
|
||
|
||
<P> <hr> <P>
|
||
<!-- =================================================================== -->
|
||
<H3><IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/bolt.gif">
|
||
<FONT COLOR="green">Rackspace Named Best Dedicated Host
|
||
</FONT>
|
||
</H3>
|
||
|
||
<P>
|
||
<a href="http://www.rackspace.com/index.php">
|
||
Rackspace</a>, who hosts more than 2,500 Linux servers, has earned the title of
|
||
"Best Dedicated Host",
|
||
as judged by the editors of
|
||
Web Hosting Magazine,
|
||
because of their dedication to customer service.
|
||
|
||
<P> <hr> <P>
|
||
<!-- =================================================================== -->
|
||
<H3><IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/bolt.gif">
|
||
<FONT COLOR="green">SAIR Linux and GNU Certification
|
||
</FONT>
|
||
</H3>
|
||
|
||
<P>
|
||
Recently, to assist in promoting the Linux+
|
||
certification effort,
|
||
<a href="http://www.linuxcertification.com">
|
||
SAIR Linux and GNU Certification</a> has released a version of its
|
||
Fundamentals course-ware, which doubles as preparation course-ware for
|
||
<a href="http://www.comptia.org/">
|
||
CompTIA's</a> Linux+ Certification exam.
|
||
SAIR Linux and GNU
|
||
was contacted by CompTIA<49> to aid in the development of CompTIA's
|
||
Linux+ Certification exam. The course title is SAIR Linux
|
||
and GNU Fundamentals/Linux+.
|
||
|
||
<P> <hr> <P>
|
||
<!-- =================================================================== -->
|
||
<H3><IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/bolt.gif">
|
||
<FONT COLOR="green">Linux Based Ethernet Compatible Set Top Box
|
||
</FONT>
|
||
</H3>
|
||
|
||
<P> <a href="http://www.vtmt.com/">
|
||
Media Technology</a> have launched their new product, the
|
||
<a href="http://www.vtmt.com/html/vt900.html">
|
||
VT900 Set Top Box</a>.
|
||
The VT900 enables Ethernet 10/100 data streams to be converted to composite
|
||
analog RF data streams or digital S-Video data streams compatible with all
|
||
standard TV sets. Over 250 channels of various forms of TV-format data
|
||
have been successfully tested with the VT900.
|
||
Implementing Linux, the VT900 incorporates a full browser, and supports all
|
||
plug-ins. Partnerships have been established with both Century Embedded
|
||
Software Inc., and Enreach Technology Inc, to further develop application
|
||
software.
|
||
The VT900 is designed using the National Semiconductor Geode processor in
|
||
conjunction with the Sigma Design EM8400 MPEG Decoder and the Macphyter
|
||
Ethernet adapter. Optionally available are DVD Player, CDRW, Floppy and
|
||
standard IDE Hardware.
|
||
|
||
|
||
<P> <hr> <P>
|
||
<!-- =================================================================== -->
|
||
<H3><IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/bolt.gif">
|
||
<FONT COLOR="green">Team ASA Announces NPWR SBC up-grade with Dual Gigabit Ethernet Ports
|
||
</FONT>
|
||
</H3>
|
||
|
||
<P> <a href="http://www.teamasa.com/">
|
||
Team ASA's</a>
|
||
NPWR is a Single Board Computer (SBC) designed for
|
||
manufacturers and OEMs in the Network Attached Storage (NAS), RAID,
|
||
and Personal Server marketplaces. It is
|
||
now available with dual Gigabit
|
||
Ethernet ports.
|
||
The NPWR is powered by the Intel XScale processor, the XScale is a
|
||
RISC CPU with clock rates reaching as high as 733 MHz. NPWR's
|
||
standard configuration includes 160 Mbytes per Second (LVD) SCSI
|
||
port, 8 Mbytes of FLASH ROM, 128 Mbytes of SDRAM and a Gigabit
|
||
Ethernet port.
|
||
|
||
|
||
<P> <hr> <P>
|
||
<!-- =================================================================== -->
|
||
<H3><IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/bolt.gif">
|
||
<FONT COLOR="green">DocPro DocBook Tool Set
|
||
</FONT>
|
||
</H3>
|
||
|
||
<P><a href="http://www.commandprompt.com/">
|
||
Command Prompt, Inc.</a> is pleased to announce
|
||
<a href="http://www.commandprompt.com/products_DocPro.lxp">
|
||
DocPro</a>, the
|
||
"professional DocBook tool set".
|
||
DocPro is a compilation of tools designed to allow technical writers to
|
||
effectively process their DocBook SGML and XML layout. DocBook itself
|
||
is a powerful markup language. However, the tools are painful to compile,
|
||
configure and work with. Command Prompt, Inc. has eliminated the problems
|
||
associated with the integration of these tools into a production
|
||
environment. DocPro comes in Basic and Deluxe versions, and should work
|
||
with all RedHat 6.2 and later compatible distributions of Linux.
|
||
|
||
<P> <hr> <P>
|
||
<!-- =================================================================== -->
|
||
<H3><IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/bolt.gif">
|
||
<FONT COLOR="green">Tarantella Enterprise 3 Starter for Linux
|
||
</FONT>
|
||
</H3>
|
||
|
||
<P>
|
||
<a href="http://www.tarantella.com/">Tarantella, Inc.</a>
|
||
has announced the availability of
|
||
<a href="http://www.tarantella.com/products/e3/starter.html">
|
||
Tarantella Enterprise 3 Starter for Linux</a> software.
|
||
The product makes it possible to publish Windows, Web, Java, AS/400, Linux
|
||
and UNIX applications securely to client devices anywhere. It
|
||
can be used for a wide
|
||
range of tasks, such as remote system administration or accessing company
|
||
applications and services from home.
|
||
|
||
<P> <hr> <P>
|
||
<!-- =================================================================== -->
|
||
<H3><IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/bolt.gif">
|
||
<FONT COLOR="green">Embedded Open Motif
|
||
</FONT>
|
||
</H3>
|
||
<a href="http://www.ics.com/">
|
||
Integrated Computer Solutions</a> has announced a
|
||
version of Open Motif targeted at embedded and handheld devices with
|
||
limited displays, memory, and processing power.
|
||
<a href="http://www.motifzone.net/projects/?group_id=16">
|
||
Embedded Open Motif</a> has been ported to the Compaq IPAQ and the Agenda
|
||
VR3 from Agenda Computing. Both source code and binary packages are
|
||
available for free download from the
|
||
<a href="http://www.motifzone.net/">
|
||
MotifZone</a>.
|
||
Get more information online at:
|
||
<a href="http://www.motifzone.net/forum/forum.php?forum_id=140">
|
||
http://www.motifzone.net/forum/forum.php?forum_id=140</a>
|
||
|
||
<P> <hr> <P>
|
||
<!-- =================================================================== -->
|
||
<H3><IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/bolt.gif">
|
||
<FONT COLOR="green">WAP Opera
|
||
</FONT>
|
||
</H3>
|
||
|
||
<P><a href="http://www.opera.com/">Opera Software</a>
|
||
have
|
||
<a href="http://www.opera.com/pressreleases/20010905.html">
|
||
announced</a> that future versions of its browser will support the new and
|
||
improved Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) 2.0 standard.
|
||
<p>
|
||
<hr width="20%" noshade>
|
||
<p>
|
||
Opera Software have also opened the
|
||
revamped
|
||
<a href="http://my.opera.com/">
|
||
MyOpera</a> community and released the second edition of their popular
|
||
Opera Composer, inviting users to join an Opera community or create their
|
||
own. In this new version, users can customise their own Web browser for
|
||
the Linux platform as well as for Windows,
|
||
|
||
<P> <hr> <P>
|
||
<!-- =================================================================== -->
|
||
<H3><IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/bolt.gif">
|
||
<FONT COLOR="green">Alabanza
|
||
</FONT>
|
||
</H3>
|
||
|
||
<P>
|
||
<a href="http://www.alabanza.com/">
|
||
Alabanza</a> has
|
||
<a href="http://www.alabanza.com/pages/press_sitebuilder.html">
|
||
launched</a> version 4.1 of
|
||
of its Automated Web Hosting Software Suite, which was originally
|
||
built on and still runs on the Linux operating system. The latest version of the
|
||
software suite includes a new Web Site Builder tool it acquired from OnNet Web
|
||
Hosting. Version 4.1 automates administrative Web hosting tasks, empowers users to
|
||
update sites, provides for complete security and furnishes electronic commerce
|
||
services for small businesses.
|
||
Alabanza's Automated Web Hosting Software Suite 4.1 is the most proven, reliable
|
||
and secure solution on the market for hundreds of Web designers and developers,
|
||
systems integrators, Internet service providers and telecommunications carriers.
|
||
It allows end users to automate administrative tasks, manage content, and update
|
||
Web sites with a significant decrease in time and costs; all within a secure
|
||
environment.
|
||
|
||
<P> <hr> <P>
|
||
<!-- =================================================================== -->
|
||
<H3><IMG ALT=" " SRC="../gx/bolt.gif">
|
||
<FONT COLOR="green">BrainTAGS
|
||
</FONT>
|
||
</H3>
|
||
|
||
<P>
|
||
<a href="http://www.braintags.de/">
|
||
BrainT@GS</a>
|
||
has released NetRelay. This software-tool automates processes between web
|
||
client, server and databases. This includes automatic record creation,
|
||
deletion, display and up-date and integration of a template-engine. The
|
||
intelligent and structured architecture of NetRelay makes the development
|
||
of dynamic web applications more transparent and structured. NetRelay
|
||
creates a clear separation between logic and presentation and also
|
||
generates automatic XML documents, enabling easy data-transfer. NetRelay
|
||
is database independent. NetRelay runs on any server platform supporting
|
||
the JDK, and has been tested on Linux.
|
||
|
||
<!-- *** BEGIN copyright *** -->
|
||
<P> <hr> <P>
|
||
<H5 ALIGN=center>
|
||
Copyright © 2001, Michael Conry and
|
||
the Editors of <A HREF="mailto:gazette@ssc.com"><I>Linux Gazette</I></A>.<BR>
|
||
Copying license <A HREF="../copying.html">http://www.linuxgazette.com/copying.html</A><BR>
|
||
Published in Issue 71 of <i>Linux Gazette</i>, October 2001</H5>
|
||
<!-- *** END copyright *** -->
|
||
|
||
<!-- startcut ============================================================-->
|
||
|
||
<CENTER>
|
||
<!-- *** BEGIN navbar *** -->
|
||
<IMG ALT="" SRC="../gx/navbar/left.jpg" WIDTH="14" HEIGHT="45" BORDER="0" ALIGN="bottom"><A HREF="lg_mail71.html"><IMG ALT="[ Prev ]" SRC="../gx/navbar/prev.jpg" WIDTH="16" HEIGHT="45" BORDER="0" ALIGN="bottom"></A><A HREF="index.html"><IMG ALT="[ Table of Contents ]" SRC="../gx/navbar/toc.jpg" WIDTH="220" HEIGHT="45" BORDER="0" ALIGN="bottom" ></A><A HREF="../index.html"><IMG ALT="[ Front Page ]" SRC="../gx/navbar/frontpage.jpg" WIDTH="137" HEIGHT="45" BORDER="0" ALIGN="bottom"></A><A HREF="../faq/index.html"><IMG ALT="[ FAQ ]" SRC="./../gx/navbar/faq.jpg"WIDTH="62" HEIGHT="45" BORDER="0" ALIGN="bottom"></A><A HREF="lg_answer71.html"><IMG ALT="[ Next ]" SRC="../gx/navbar/next.jpg" WIDTH="15" HEIGHT="45" BORDER="0" ALIGN="bottom" ></A><IMG ALT="" SRC="../gx/navbar/right.jpg" WIDTH="15" HEIGHT="45" ALIGN="bottom">
|
||
<!-- *** END navbar *** -->
|
||
</CENTER>
|
||
|
||
</BODY></HTML>
|
||
<!-- endcut ============================================================-->
|