The Linux Advocate
by Scott Dowdle
dowdle@icstech.net
ICQ UIN: 15509440
Linux Advocate
Column #57
August 13th, 1999
LOGIN:
Greetings Linux Fans. The big news this week is of
course... the LinuxWorld Expo being held in San Jose, CA.
Man, I wish I could have gone. Instead, I'm going on a
family vacation to Maine in Sept. I've not been to Maine
before and I'm sure I'll enjoy it... but man 'o man, it
would have been nice to go to LinuxWorld and meeting all of
the Linux heros while they are still approachable.
NEWS:
Item #1: LinuxWorld - I haven't found any super-fantastic
sites that have a virtual tour of LinuxWorld yet. I'm hoping
that dude who usually puts together a presentation will do
so shortly and I'll pass along the link next week. In any
event, check out the links listed below... which I just
lifted off the LinuxWorld magazine site as well as a few
others. I'd have to say that each item really is a story on
its own and that everything announced/shown at the show will
be news worthy for the next few weeks. Make sure to check
out these links:
From LinuxWorld Online Magazine:
Main Page
http://www.linuxworld.com/linuxworld/linuxworldtoday/home.html
Linus at LinuxWorld
http://www.linuxworld.com/linuxworld/linuxworldtoday/lwt-indepth2.html
Born to be wired
http://www.linuxworld.com/linuxworld/linuxworldtoday/lwt-indepth1.html
Linux is definitely in fashion
http://www.linuxworld.com/linuxworld/linuxworldtoday/lwt-indepth5.html
Corel unveils new Linux distribution
http://www.linuxworld.com/linuxworld/linuxworldtoday/lwt-news2.html
Other coverage
Linux Weekly News: http://lwn.net/1999/features/LinuxWorld/
Red Hat IPO to cap busy Linux trade show: http://news.com/News/Item/0,4,40206,00.html
Boomlet approaches boom status on the eve of LinuxWorld
Expo: http://www7.mercurycenter.com/premium/business/docs/gillmor08.htm
Item #2: Red Hat Software IPO - Now I know I've run across
at least 25 stories on the Red Hat IPO. Below is a sampling.
I only looked into the value of the stock on Wednesday and
haven't seen how it is doing since day 1... and there is no
way in heck I'm turning this column into a stock watch. As
stated last column, no one I personally know was able to buy
any of the IPO stock. I did see a story about how someone
contacted Richard Stallman to see if he picked up any stock
and he said he couldn't care less about the whole affair.
I'm sure that Richard was invited in on the stock deal and
could have picked up a nice profit from the deal if he had
chosen to invest and then do some profit taking like it
appears most everyone did since the stock changed hands at
least three times per share on opening day. Hmmm, was that a
run on sentence? Anyway, I commend Richard for sticking to
his principles even if most everyone else thinks he is nuts.
Personally, I'm not a fan of the stock market. Follow a few
of the URLs below for more info:
Linux-Driven Red Hat Makes Sizzling Debut, While Other
IPOs Sputter
http://dowjones.wsj.com/n/SB934405781507419871-d-main-c1.html
Shares of Linux Firm Red Hat More Than Triple After IPO
http://www.plcom.on.ca/news/top_stories/linux/articles/990811e.php3
Share Price More Than Triples in Red Hat's Public
Offering
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/08/biztech/articles/12linux.html
Linux finds its place
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/224/business/Linux_finds_its_place%2b.shtml
Red Hat bucks the IPO trend
http://www.redherring.com/insider/1999/0812/inv-linux.html
Red Hot
http://www.salon.com/tech/feature/1999/08/12/redhat_ipo/index.html
Red Hat's IPO soars; CEO sees windfall
http://www.plcom.net/news/top_stories/linux/articles/990812d.php3
Item #3: SGI - More big news in the SGI world this week.
It's just all more evidence that they are putting more faith
in Linux, and less in Windows NT. They aren't only putting
in just faith either, as they are releasing several of their
intellectual properties to help the Linux development
community fill in some of the gaps. These are amazing times.
Read about them:
SGI to shed Cray, shift OS focus to Linux
http://www.eet.com/story/OEG19990810S0019
SGI Bids Adieu to NT in Latest Restructuring
http://www.fool.com/news/1999/sgi990810.htm
Silicon Graphics turns focus to Linux
http://www.infoworld.com/cgi-bin/displayStory.pl?990810.pisgi.htm
XFS: A high-performance journaling file system
http://oss.sgi.com/projects/xfs/
Item #4: Throw Away Windows? When and Whether to Switch to
Linux - Jesse Berst has yet another column where he focuses
on Linux. On Slashdot it was theorized that since Jesse had
just gotten back from vacation, he needed a little Slashdot
Effect on his column so he would appear to be missed by his
adoring fans. :)
Check out more of Jesse's nonsense at the following URL: http://www.zdnet.com/anchordesk/story/story_3723.html
Item #5: Mandrake Linux - MandrakeSoft, makers of Mandrake
Linux... a distribution based on Red Hat... had a few press
items this week too. They got Product of the Year at
LinuxWorld. I've been running Mandrake at home and I don't
have many complaints. I'm also glad to see MandrakeSoft
supporting the KOffice Project. Right on! Read for yourself
at the following URLs:
Linux-Mandrake to Support KOffice Project
http://linuxpr.com/releases/257.html
Mandrake Linux wins Product of the Year at LinuxWorld
http://www.wpi.com/linuxworld/lw-ec-winners.html
Item #6: Trillian makes headway on Linux for Merced - IBM
has joined the effort to ensure that Linux will be ready for
the Intel IA-64 family of processors aka Merced. Given the
fact that Andy Groves (if you don't know who he is,
nevermind) made a personal appearance at LinuxWorld to give
the first public showing (actually a simulation) of the
Merced... so you know that Linux is going to be big on
Merced. Anyway, Trillian is a team of top industry companies
that are involved in the Linux for Merced effort. Just
another cherry on top that you can go read about:
http://www.eet.com/story/OEG19990811S0028
Item #7: Reach, pay drawing developers to Java, Linux - The
following story claims that interest in the software
development community is turning away from Microsoft
Windows. Now where it is going isn't exactly clear but I've
got my own sneaking suspicion. :) Read the survey results
for yourself: http://www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,40384,00.html
Item #8: Linuxcare Seals Agreement with IBM to Provide
Technical Support and Training for Linux on IBM RS/6000
Systems - Even more proof that IBM is serious about Linux.
Get the details at the following URL: http://www.newsalert.com/bin/story?StoryId=Cn7d1qbKbytaYmZK&FQ=Linux&SymHdl=1&Nav=na-search-&StoryTitle=Linux
Item #9: IDG Books Worldwide, LinuxWorld Magazine Team Up To
Produce Essential Linux OpenBook - Here's an offspring story
from the LinuxWorld show. I haven't even had the time to
read it myself, so feel free to read it and email me a
summary. :)
http://www.newsalert.com/bin/story?StoryId=Cn6:JWbKbytaZnd&FQ=Linux&SymHdl=1&Nav=na-search-&StoryTitle=
Linuxhttp://www.newsalert.com/bin/story?StoryId=Cn6:JWbKbytaZnd&FQ=Linux&SymHdl=1&Nav=na-search-&StoryTitle=Linux
Item #10: Gateway to revive Amiga for information
appliances - Yeah, yeah... what does this have to do with
Linux. Well, considering that the new Amiga environment is
going to be based on Linux, the answer would be,
"Everything." Just a tiny little piece on MSNBC of
all places: http://www.msnbc.com/news/299752.asp
LOGOUT:
I really want to sit down and devote some time to putting
down my thoughts and feelings about the whole
commercialization of Linux thing. As with much in life, it
isn't a black and white thing and I have many conflicting
ideas on the subject... but alas I haven't gotten around to
it yet. Bear with me gang.
As always, thanks for reading!
Scott Dowdle
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