See also: last week's Commerce page.

Linux and Business

A busy week for Red Hat. Of course there was the release of Red Hat Linux 7, covered in this week's distributions page. Akopia Interchange will be included with the Deluxe edition and a trial version of Computer Associates' ARCserveIT will ship with the Professional Edition.

Red Hat also announced the "Red Hat Network" subscription service at about the same time. The "Red Hat Network" is an Internet-based service which allows Red Hat to provide support and service via the Internet. The company also announced that the service also works for embedded customers.

Other companies announcing support for Red Hat Linux 7 and Red Hat Network include Computer Associates, IBM Corporation, Lotus, Novell and Tivoli.

Red Hat has put out another set of announcements. It seems that Samsung has awarded them a "million dollar contract" to port the GNUpro tools to Samsung's processors. Red Hat has also announced its "RedBoot" embedded debugging/bootstrap tool, along with the EL/IX "Level I compatibility layer" for eCos.

Red Hat also announced a couple of partnerships, this one with Interactive Objects to develop a new digital audio device, which will be based on Red Hat's eCos, and this one with Jabber.com the purports to "make it easy for developers of embedded Linux applications to add real-time messaging and XML routing to their applications."

A busy week for Lineo. Lineo has sent out an announcement for uClinux 2.4, based on the 2.4 pre-release kernel series. uClinux is a version of the kernel tweaked to work on systems that lack a memory management unit.

The company has run embedded Linux on a custom FPGA core. Open source cores are already available including the ESA LEON processor. By utilizing FPGAs, it is now possible to fully simulate both the hardware and software prior to production.

There are new partnerships with Dia Semicon Systems and Kanematsu Semiconductor Corporation, both of Japan. Lineo hopes to advance the presence of Linux-based solutions in equipment including cell phones, set top boxes, and global positioning.

They announced a deal with ACCESS Co to provides the NetFront embedded browser for Embedix.

Metrowerks, a subsidiary of Motorola, has announced its intent to invest $22.5 million in Lineo. That money will buy 3 million shares of the company.

Finally, there is a partnership with Samsung in Korea. "'We intend to leverage Lineo's technical expertise and its dedicated focus on embedded systems technology to push the frontiers of embedded device innovation', said Young Won Park, executive director of planning, Samsung Electronics."

LinuxOne is back. A company called International Mercantile Corp., which does business as Micromatix.net has announced its intention to merge with LinuxOne and adopt LinuxOne's name. However, they are getting the announcement out early, given that "the parties have not settled upon terms of the merger." LinuxOne, it seems, is a "developer of embedded Linux thin client systems" these days.

In a separate announcement Micromatix.net, LinuxOne and Concierge Inc. unveiled plans to develop a file server targeted to the B2B server market.

Concierge announced a joint venture agreement with LinuxOne "to coordinate the companies' efforts in several strategic markets." That's about as specific as it gets, however.

Also Patrick Flaherty, executive vice president of Concierge Inc., will join the board of directors of LinuxOne.

See last week's "this week in history" column for some more background on LinuxOne.

BSDi to deliver packaged BSD system. BSDi has announced its intent to distribute the new "BSD Desktop Edition," which will be available at large retailers throughout the U.S. It's based on FreeBSD 4.1, and will cost $130. Availability is in October.

BSDi is not limiting itself to software, however; the company has also announced a new 1U rackmount server product (the "iXtreme") which can be had with either BSD or Linux.

Software is bundled with hardware companies through LinuxBoxen.com. LinuxBoxen.com has put out a press release plugging its new e-commerce site. Their angle is that with just about any piece of hardware you buy you also get a custom CD with Linux driver software for that hardware and "popular Linux software titles related to the product."

Timpanogas to demonstrate M2FS on Linux at Networld+Interop. The Timpanogas Research Group has announced that it will be demonstrating its "M-Squared Clustered NetWare File System" product at the Networld + Interop conference.

NuSphere ships MySQL distribution. NuSphere has announced the availability of "NuSphere MySQL," a boxed product with the MySQL database, along with Apache, PHP, and Perl. It bills it as "the first packaged software product for the open source database market." Price is $79.

Trolltech, Opera, and PalmPalm team up in Asian wireless market. Opera Software, PalmPalm Technology Inc., and Trolltech announced the formation of a strategic alliance for the Asian wireless Linux market. The three companies will jointly develop the "Linux Total Solution for Wireless Internet Appliance" using Opera's "Opera for Linux" Web browser, Trolltech's "Qt/Embedded", integrated with PalmPalm's "Tynux", a Linux distribution optimized for the wireless Internet.

Trolltech also announced a partnership with the Korean firm MiziResearch. Mizi will help Trolltech with its Asian marketing, and will include Qt/Embedded with its "LINUETTE Linux" embedded distribution.

Sun releases Grid Engine 5.2. Sun has announced the open source release of its "Grid Engine" product - a loose clustering package oriented toward making use of idle desktop systems. It currently only runs on Solaris. It's also currently binary-only, despite the "open source" claims - the source will become available in December under "an industry-accepted open source license." More information is available on Sun's Grid Engine page.

Sun announces plans to establish accessibility lab. Sun has announced that it plans to build a laboratory aimed at developing technology for people with disabilities. They plan to use GNOME as the base of their efforts.

Press Releases:

Open Source Products

• CYRANO has put out a press release stating that the open source release of its OpenSTA testing system will happen on September 27. OpenSTA is a web server testing framework; it can be used to see how a server will hold up under severe pounding.

• Prometheus is an open source, Internet-based online course software product developed at The George Washington University. It is being used at The College of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, Vanderbilt University, University of Michigan College of Engineering, and NYUonline, New York University's online learning company.

• Tridia Corporation (ATLANTA) announced it has added a concurrent version system (CVS) server to its www.developvnc.org Web site to encourage open source, virtual network computing (VNC) development.

• Xybernaut Corporation (BOEBLINGEN, Germany) announced XyberSpeech, a software toolkit that allows users to operate a PC completely by voice, from booting and logon to shutdown and restart. XyberSpeech is made available at no charge under the Linux concept of GNU Public Licensing.

Commercial Products for Linux

• Allaire Corporation (NEWTON, Mass.) announced its sale of the 1,000th ColdFusion 4.5 Server for Linux since its release only six months ago.

• C I Host (BEDFORD, Texas) announced availability of instant setups on all new Linux-based Web hosting accounts.

• IBM announced evaluation copies of DB2 Universal Database Version 7.1 and other Linux applications available for download.

• Inprise/Borland (SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif.) will present a sneak preview of the Kylix(TM) Project, a high performance Linux rapid application development environment that will support Delphi, C and C++.

• Kaspersky Lab (Moscow, Russia) announced a new version of Kaspersky Anti-Virus (AVP) for Linux.

• Keller Group (White Bear Lake, Minnesota) announced the availability of a free beta version of PMfax for Linux.

• Mylex has announced the availability of its Global Array Manager, a RAID management product for Linux. It is freely downloadable.

• Tridia Corporation (ATLANTA) launched the beta of TridiaVNC 2.0 (virtual network computing), a commercially supported release of open-source, virtual network computing software that views and controls Linux consoles.

Embedded Systems Conference Announcements

• Ariel Corp. (CRANBURY, N.J.) announced that it has standardized on IBM's Netfinity 4500R server running Linux for the RAS portion of BypaSS7, Ariel's SS7-enabled network access system.

• BiTMICRO NETWORKS (SAN JOSE, Calif.) unveiled a 2.5-inch Ultra EIDE E-Disk ATX25 intelligent solid state flash disk. A number of platforms are supported, including Linux.

• Embedded Planet (SAN JOSE, Calif.) announced the availability of RPX Super, a computing platform for developers of intelligent networks. Operating system support will come out of the box from MontaVista and their Hard Hat Linux distribution.

• General Micro Systems (SAN JOSE, Calif.) announced Lightning, a PMC networking module for CompactPCI and VMEbus baseboards. Linux drivers are available.

• LynuxWorks, Inc. (SAN JOSE, Calif.) and Highlander Engineering, Inc. announced VisiBroker for Embedded Systems is now available for LynxOS.

• LynuxWorks, Inc. (SAN JOSE, Calif.) introduced VisualLynux, a product which integrates the Microsoft Visual C++ Integrated Development Environment (IDE) with development tools for the Linux operating system.

• Metrowerks (SAN JOSE, Calif.) announced new industry alliances. These include: embedded Linux (Lineo Inc.), embedded real-time Java (NewMonics Inc.), database (PointBase), design automation (I-Logix Inc.) and embedded development tools (Applied Microsystems Corp.)

• MontaVista Software, Inc. (SUNNYVALE, Calif.) announced it has worked with Avocent to deliver a new series of digital-based Keyboard/Video/Mouse (KVM) switches. The embedded Linux-based DS1800 is based on MontaVista's Hard Hat Linux and is designed to provide access to servers and devices from remote locations.

• NEC and MontaVista have announced that Hard Hat Linux has been ported to NEC's VR series of microprocessors.

• OnCore Systems Corporation (HALF MOON BAY, CA.) announced the immediate availability of a full-function pSOS applications programming interface (API), allowing pSOS applications to run on top of the OnCore Microkernel within a Memory Management Unit (MMU) protected partition.

• Phoenix Technologies Ltd. (SAN JOSE, Calif.) announced its participation as a corporate executive member of the Embedded Linux Consortium.

• Rise Technology Company (SAN JOSE, Calif.) unveiled the SCX501, the first member of the iDragon System-on-Chip (SOC) product family. The iDragon SCX501 reference board runs a tiny Linux kernel.

• VMIC announced that it will be delivering a line of Linux-based single-board computers that have Linux pre-installed on an M-Systems DiskOnChip flash disk. Distributions from Red Hat and LynuxWorks may be chosen.

Products with Linux Versions

• ACE Associated Compiler Experts bv (SAN JOSE, Calif.) is now shipping the CoSy compiler development system.

• Cirrus Logic Inc. (SAN JOSE, Calif.) announced the newest member of its Maverick(tm) processor family, the EP7312 processor, completing the range of security options for manufacturers of consumer Internet products.

• Hewlett-Packard Company (PALO ALTO, Calif.) announced that Linux support has been added for its Chai Appliance Platform, a suite of integrated software components for creating Internet-enabled information appliances.

• IBM (RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC) introduced the newest ThinkPad A Series and ThinkPad T Series models. Caldera Open Linux eDesktop 2.4 can be factory installed on both.

• IBM's Lotus Development Corp. (BERLIN) announced an enhanced release of Domino R5.

• Intrinsyc (VANCOUVER) announced that it is introducing a new networking technology that links Linux-based devices to Windows enterprise systems.

• Intrinsyc (VANCOUVER) unveiled software that enables customers to OPC-enable their Linux-based automation systems.

• Metagon Technologies (Charlotte, NC) announced the debut of DQagent, an intelligent analytic tool that monitors all designated enterprise systems for user-specified events and then performs user-specified notification and other tasks when event triggers occur. DQagent works in conjunction with DQbroker.

• MMC Networks (ATLANTA) announced a new C/C++ compiler for its nP7000 family of high-speed, policy-enabled network processors.

• Novell, Inc. (ATLANTA) announced general availability of DirXML 1.0, Novell NDS eDirectory 8.5, and Novell Account Management 2.1, eBusiness infrastructure.

• REBOL Technologies (UKIAH, Calif.) announced REBOL/Command 1.0, a commercial extension to its Internet application development product REBOL/Core 2.3.

• Sendmail, Inc. (EMERYVILLE, Calif.) announced the availability of Sendmail Switch 2.1, now available for Red Hat 6.1, 6.2 systems.

• SevenMountains Software Inc. (LONDON) announced 7M Integrate v1.2, which allows users to gain access to a universal, extensible thin-client user interface through which they can access the company's internal information resources and applications.

• Stonesoft and Finjan Software, Inc. (ATLANTA) announced Stonesoft's StoneBeat SecurityCluster with support for Finjan's SurfinGate security product. Both will be available for Red Hat Linux.

• StorageTek (LOUISVILLE, Colo.) announced the immediate availability of the StorageTek L20 Tape Library, the latest addition to its L-Series tape libraries.

• Tarantella, Inc. (SANTA CRUZ, Calif.) announced Tarantella Enterprise 3 web-enabling software and Tarantella Enterprise 3 ASP Edition software, for mission-critical, Internet-based computing.

• Trend Micro Inc. (ATLANTA) announced the development of InterScan VirusWall 3.6 and InterScan eManager 3.5 for the HP-UX and Linux platforms.

Java Products

• Apogee (CAMPBELL, Calif.) announced that Apogee's Aphelion, a development environment for creating and deploying Java technology-based embedded system applications, and Sun's early version of CDC (Connected Device Configuration) J2ME (Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition) VM (Virtual Machine) have been ported to IBM's PowerPC 405GP embedded processor running MontaVista's HardHat Linux.

• Espial (SAN JOSE, Calif.) announced the availability of Espial TotalIA, a Linux & Java based Internet appliance reference platform.

• Inprise/Borland (SANTA CLARA, Calif.) announced the shipment of Borland JBuilder 4, the new version of its pure Java cross-platform development environment.

• NewMonics, Inc. (LISLE, Ill.) announced PERC 3.1, a suite of development tools and run-time modules built on a clean-room implementation of a Java-compliant Virtual Machine.

Books and Training

• Digital Creations has announced a set of Zope training courses. The San Diego courses are over, but you can still get into the Denver class, October 2-5.

• O'Reilly has announced the release of Managing IMAP by Dianna Mullet and Kevin Mullet.

• ibooks.com (AUSTIN, Texas) announced a strategic relationship with Oracle Corporation, to create an online resource of technical reference books. Naturally, a number of Linux titles will be included.

Partnerships

• BeOpen.com and PyBiz (SAN JOSE, Calif.) announced a strategic partnership to support and promote Python.

• MandrakeSoft (Pasadena/Paris) announced it will be launching strategic partner programs designed for different market players including software and hardware vendors, as well as with systems integrators (SIs).

• MaximumLinux.com (BRISBANE, Calif.) signed six new affiliate sites. The newest affiliates are OmniLinux, DestinaionLinux, LinuxBeyond, LinuxRangers, LinuxZombies and LinuxWebring.

• Metrowerks (SAN JOSE, Calif.) will be bundling products with NewMonics, Inc. and Lineo. Metrowerks' CodeWarrior, NewMonics' PERC and Lineo's Embedix should be available, in bundled form, by the end of this year.

• MontaVista Software, Inc. and SBS Technologies, Inc. (ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.) announced that they have entered into a strategic partnership to accelerate the delivery of optimized solutions for embedded Linux applications.

• MontaVista Software, Inc. (SUNNYVALE, Calif.) announced the MontaVista Players Program, "an initiative designed to provide customers and vendors with the relationship support, expertise, and Linux certification to meet their customers' needs".

• Novell, Inc. (ATLANTA) announced that Red Hat has selected NDS eDirectory and Novell's DirXML technology to provide the directory services infrastructure for Red Hat Network worldwide.

• ParaSoft (MONROVIA, Calif.) announced the release of CodeWizard v3.2, an advanced coding standard enforcement tool for C/C++.

• QSI Payments Inc. (LOS GATOS, Calif.) announced that its Universal Payment Client software will be included on the Red Hat Linux Applications CD.

• RadiSys Corp. (HILLSBORO, Ore.) announced a collaboration with GoAhead Software. RadiSys' CP80 CompactPCI system platform, complete with an enhanced High Availability Linux OS and NEBS capabilities, was selected as the initial reference platform for the GoAhead SelfReliant 7000 service availability software.

• sangoma.com (TORONTO) announced a distribution partnership with TheLinuxStore.com.

• ServiceWare Technologies, Inc. (OAKMONT, Pa.) announced that it has expanded its Linux solutions channel on RightAnswers.com to include the Red Hat Linux product lines.

• TimeSys Corporation and MIPS Technologies, Inc. (PITTSBURGH) announced a cooperative agreement whereby TimeSys Linux/RT will port to the MIPS Technologies' MIPS32 and MIPS64 architecture platform. TimeSys will also become a member of the MIPS Alliance Program.

• Tridia Corporation (ATLANTA) announced its TridiaVNC Strategic Partnership Program, a joint development and marketing program for companies willing to use TridiaVNC as part of their Linux product and/or service offerings.

• Trustix and Linux Central (TRONDHEIM, NORWAY) announced that Linux Central has become the first reseller of Trustix products in the US market.

• TurboLinux has announced a deal with Acer Europe in which Acer will be bundling TurboLinux on some of its AcerPower and Veriton systems.

Investments and Acquisitions

• ActiveState (VANCOUVER, British Columbia) announced the closure of its latest round of financing. ActiveState makes tools for the Perl and Python communities.

• CodeWeavers, Inc. (MINNEAPOLIS) announced a private investment deal worth $1.8 million to fund the continued development of its applications which allow users to run Windows(R) software on the Linux operating system.

• Metro Link has announced the receipt of $5.6 million in funding from Linux Global Partners.

• VA Linux Systems has announced the establishment of a Japanese subsidiary (VA Linux Systems Japan, K.K.). An investment from Sumitomo is helping to set up this subsidiary, and there are planned investments from NTT Communicationware, NEC, and Toshiba Engineering as well.

Financial Results

• Corel Corporation announced third quarter revenues of $36.4 million, producing a net loss of $10.7 million.

Personnel

• NuSphere (BEDFORD, Mass.) announced the appointment of Ellen Daniels as vice president of development. Daniels will be responsible for the continued development of NuSphere MySQL.

Linux At Work

• Forlink (BEIJING) announced that it has been selected by Legend Group as the exclusive contractor to build its wireless portal.

• SteelEye Technology Inc. (MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.) announced that Open Ratings has selected its LifeKeeper for Linux high availability clustering solution.

• Neoware Systems (KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa.) announced that Security Applications, Inc. has selected Neoware's Eon information appliance platform and NeoLinux software to power its new, fully networkable security panel, e-Panel.

Other

• Evans Data Corporation (SANTA CRUZ, Calif.) released a Linux Developers Survey that shows a 75% increase in XML usage among Linux developers over the last 6 months.

• Tridia Corporation (ATLANTA) announced that it will award $5000 US for the judged best name for its TridiaVNC `Alien' mascot. Contest ends ends Thursday, November 30, 2000.

Section Editor: Rebecca Sobol.

Next: Linux in the news