The debate over whether a virus could infect and seriously affect Linux has gathered momentum with leading advocates of the open source operating system conceding that clever malicious code could damage the system.

Linuxcare will provide technical support for the use of Linux by partners in the Compaq Solution Alliance, a group of companies that provide software for Compaq computers based on either Intel chips or Compaq's own Alpha chips.

Responding to the Wednesday's news about the changes in the Solaris source code licensing, an editorial by Kevin Reichard in the Jan 27th Linux Planet mailinglist questions whether Sun Microsystems' move to open the source to Solaris is truly "open source". Kevin concludes the move is a FUD tactic, a way of meeting a "checklist criteria", and adds that Linux users need not worry if this is the best Sun can do. Close, but no cigar.

Slashdot put up the original Ask Larry Augustin post on Jan. 10, and here they are posting Larry's answers on the 27th. The first few weeks after an IPO are hectic for any CEO who is involved in one, and we understand this, but the wait has been as frustrating for the Slashdot staff as for anyone else, and there was nothing we could do about it. Anyway, finally, here are Larry Augustin's answers to your questions.

Hoping to bridge the gap between C++ and Internet development, Borland/Inprise is adding support for XML and HTML 4 to its development tool with the pending release of Borland C++ Builder 5. The company also restated its commitment to porting C++ Builder to Linux via its project Kylix, which Swindell said is targeted at making sure applications developed today will work easily with Linux in the future.

TUCOWS.com Inc. announced the industry's first monthly metric that identifies the most popular downloaded Linux software on the company's ftp.linux.tucows.com site. According to TUCOWS' December figures, Corel attained the highest percentage of downloads at 37 per cent, with Red Hat holding firm in second position at 20 per cent and Debian trailing in third place with 11 per cent.

E-security vendor Axent Technologies unveiled a partnership with Cobalt Networks under which the companies will produce a Linux firewall and virtual private network appliance for small to midsize companies, branch offices, and service providers.

ZDNet recently conducted a survey of its Linux Website and I began to wonder if ZDNet could really become a Linux portal for mainstream businesses. My conclusion was that if they bought a few clues and had at least one ball it could happen. Of course to many in the Linux community ZDnet is viewed as the drooling pitbull of Microsoft.

Last Wednesday, as the lightbulbs cooled and the camera ops commenced packing their equipment down in Saratoga, Calif. -- site of Transmeta Corp.'s media-saturated Crusoe chip unveiling -- marketing executives at Salt Lake City-based Lineo Inc. quietly stepped up to the plate and delivered their own blow for the Linux-enabled post-PC marketplace.

Everyone seems to know that Linux is hot these days with all the IPOs and Linus Torvalds-mania. But it was not until I immersed myself in the subject over the past few weeks in preparation for a speaking engagement that I realized how much is really going on with Linux these days.