"I am going to make the argument that Hackers do not generally Hack because they have to for work. Instead, it is their passion, their life, in a dramatic way.

Also, I'm going to make the argument that, and this is not how ESR feels, Hackers can be non-contributing authors to the code base of the world. That code base

is better known as Open Source or Free Software today."

"This place seems about as good as any to reflect on the past 12 months. Like most of the people stopping here to fill up their gas tanks and grab an In-N-Out double animal burger for the road, the open source community, or at least the businesses around open source software, seems to be in a hurry to reach an unclear

destination."

"We hear a lot about Linux advocacy. LUGs are big on it, and there's even a mini-HOWTO about how best to snag new converts. In the vein of religiosity, many big companies have an on-board, full-blown Linux evangelist. But what are these evangelists and advocates telling everyone about Linux and Open Source?"

"This article will cover the reaction to SSL and SSH being "dead," as well as numerous implementation issues I did not cover. The real issue is that technology

cannot solve problems completely."

"The software industry has been unable to keep up with the huge influx of Windows users turning to Linux who need access to Windows applications. The result is

applications that either emulate or run Windows concurrently with Linux to allow access to Windows applications."

Getting involved in a Linux user group can be one of the best things that can happen to you as a Linux enthusiast. You get to learn more about Linux, help the Linux community, help the local community, and if you're lucky, land a local Linux job.

One constant in the debate surrounding Open Source Software has been the claim that Open Source Software has only a limited claim on the heartstrings of software developers because most PC userland software such as accounting packages, etc., is not as "sexy" as compilers, etc. So they won't be developed, or won't develop quite as fast as compilers, etc.

Economists have a clever theory to explain why users often get locked into technically unsatisfactory standards called the Network Effect. The theory also sheds light on why a single company controls such a large slice of the PC software market. Assuming the theory is sound, it is likely to have more effect on the future of Linux and open source than many of the technical and quality issues Linux insiders tend to focus on.

Kurt Seifried wrote an article titled The End of SSL and SSH? Seifried's piece, however, contains several factual errors and misleading statements in discussing the details of SSH (secure shell), SSL (secure sockets layer), and MITM. This article attempts to correct some of those mistakes, and to clarify the issues involved.

The movement toward centralized systems provides a potential killer application for Linux. As the only operating system which provides an excellent solution for both high-volume servers and thin clients, Linux has the potential to make inroads in the business and educational markets where centralized systems are increasingly common.