For the first time in history, there are more Linux software choices than Windows choices -- in the 64-bit arena -- but it is likely that the situation will not remain that way for long. Let the debate begin anew, in other words.

A global education system in which Linux notebook computers are as common as pencils or textbooks even in the poorest nations has been outlined today by a

professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Many P2P (peer to peer) protocols are rather complex to control using packet filtering firewalls such as Linux's IpTables. This is because they often dont use fixed port numbers, sometimes use multiple connection protocols or even encryption.

The P2PWall project is developing software add-ins for Iptables to overcome these issues. The "Rope" module from the P2PWall project provides a scriptable kernel module for packet identification.

This article describes how to use Linux, Iptables and ROPE to identify (and block) the Gnutella protocol.

Mod_rewrite is apaches most powerful and mystifying module. The basics are introduced and some practical uses include improving URLS for search engines and preventing people from hotlinking to your images are covered.

Adobe lost many friends in the open source community four years ago when it decided to prosecute Russian developer Dmitri Sklyarov under the DMCA, for publishing details of how to circument eBook encryption. But while it's a little late for an olive branch, the software giant's decision to release code under the OSI-compatible MIT license last week has been warmly received. Adam and Eve are two C++ libraries that Adobe uses extensively in its own products.

IBM announced a $100 million commitment to strengthen the development of its Lotus Workplace messaging and collaboration platform on Linux.

The money will be spent over the next three years to build Linux extensions to Workplace, with the most significant piece being the development of a Linux client for Workplace.

Turbolinux achieved profitability in Japan and China for the first time last year and is now looking to expand its operations in India, its chief financial officer said Wednesday.

MIT's Media Lab has recommended Brazil install open-source software instead of proprietary software offered by Microsoft on thousands of computers that will be sold to the poor, according to a letter obtained by Reuters Thursday.

Cisco's IT Manager Manning estimates that it takes a company approximately one desktop administrator to support 40 Windows PCs, while one administrator can support between 200 and 400 Linux desktops.

In just a few short months, an open-source software package called Xen has been catapulted from obscurity to the limelight as many computing

industry powers throw their weight behind the project.