LWN: 2001 Linux timeline

December, 2001

It's "directed mutation" on a microscopic level, but there is very little macroscopic direction. There are lots of individuals with some generic feeling about where they want to take the system (and I'm obviously one of them), but in the end we're all a bunch of people with not very good vision.

And that is GOOD.
-- Linus on how Linux is built.

Evolution 1.0 is released (announcement). Also announced is the proprietary "Connector" product.

Posting or linking to the DeCSS code is illegal according to a U.S. district court.

The Felten case is thrown out of court; an appeal is in the works (EFF Archive).

Richard Stallman and Linus Torvalds win the 2001 Takeda award (FSF press release).

In fact it's probably easier to write a virus for Linux because it's open source and the code is available. So we will be seeing more Linux viruses as the OS becomes more common and popular.
-- Wishful thinking from McAfee
Nine holdout states propose a new Microsoft remedy which includes open-sourcing Internet Exporer and, perhaps, an Office port to Linux. [VA Software]

VA Linux Systems changes its name to VA Software (announcement).

Caldera International announces a $7.1 million loss on revenue of $19 million (though the loss becomes $91 million when all is figured in).

Jack Valenti predicts that Congress will require copy-protection controls in nearly all consumer electronic devices and PCs. The lobbyist nonpareil for the Motion Picture Association of America delivered a stark warning to technology firms on Monday: Move quickly to choose standards for wrapping digital content in uncopyable layers of encryption or the federal government will do it for you.
-- Wired
Charges against Dmitry Sklyarov are dropped conditional on one year of good behavior and testimony in the ElcomSoft trial (U.S. DoJ press release).

Red Hat announces a $1.3 million quarterly profit, but it's really a $15 million loss when all is figured in (announcement).

Dave Jones starts the -dj kernel tree, since 2.5 is unable to incorporate many bug fixes due to extensive block I/O work.

The UCITA drafting committee updates the much-maligned code; it's still bad news (Cem Kaner's comments).

Gnumeric 1.0 is released (announcement).

MandrakeSoft announces a 13.5 million Euro annual loss (shareholders' newsletter).

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