A Washington think tank called the Alexis de Tocqueville Institution has released its anticipated study of the dangers of open-source software. Much to our disappointment, the organization\'s press release, which last week promised that the study would explain in gory detail how open-source software will foster international terrorism, turns out to have been a tissue of headline-pimping lies.

A Washington think tank called the Alexis de Tocqueville Institution has released its anticipated study of the dangers of open-source software. Much to our disappointment, the organization\'s press release, which last week promised that the study would explain in gory detail how open-source software will foster international terrorism, turns out to have been a tissue of headline-pimping lies.

Two recent headlines are just too precious to let them pass without comment. Friday\'s \"Red Hat accuses Sun of Microsoft tactics\" is one. The ZDNet version, \"Red Hat: Sun\'s being a bully,\" wasn\'t as much fun, but the point is the same: Any company, given the chance, would use \"Microsoft\" tactics against its competition.

CodeWeavers, Inc., has unveiled new versions of two members of its product line: CrossOver Office Version 1.1 and CrossOver PlugIn 1.1.2. CrossOver Office Version 1.1 is the newest version of CodeWeavers software solution that allows Linux and Unix users to operate Microsoft Office and Lotus Notes on their PCs without the Windows operating system.

Last year, Red Hat CEO Matthew Szulik thought Sun Microsystems\' open source-based alternative to Microsoft\'s widely used Office software would encourage broader use of the Linux operating system on desktops and perhaps loosen the iron grip of Windows.

Open source interest groups have been putting pressure on national governments to make the move to open source products. Debate over the issue is active in New Zealand, Germany, Mexico, and Taiwan, to name just a few.

Four distibution companies--SuSE, Caldera, TurboLinux, and Conectiva--are planning to formally announce the formation of a single UnitedLinux distribution, which is tentatively planned to be released at the end of 2002.

Everyone knows about Linux on IBM Intel servers, most people know that IBM is doing well positioning Linux on mainframes, but few people know that IBM is also pushing Linux on the mid-range AS/400 (iSeries) lines.

In his first interview since the UnitedLinux announcement, Caldera chief executive Ransom Love explains how the project will work, and why the Red Hat question is in fact a red herring.

The \'Ready for Real Business\' Linux roadshow, hosted by IBM and featuring speakers and demonstrations of Linux technology from around the Middle East, will open in Bahrain on Sunday.