LINUX PIPELINE NEWSLETTER
http://dclsmtp1.techwire.com/trk/click?ref=zp7waa8wo_0-b2x135dx120765&
Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2004

1. Editor's Note: Intellectual Property Law Threatens Innovation
2. Top Linux News
3. The Week's Best Stories
   - How To Protect Yourself Against Script Kiddies
   - Linux Running Up Against Big-Company Intellectual Property
   - Open-Source Vendors Deal With Intellectual-Property Challenge
   - SCO Doesn't Plan More Suits Against Linux Users
   - Case Study: Cendant Travel Distribution Service Gets Ticket To 
Ride On Linux
   - Sun Purchase Novell? Not Likely, Say Solution Providers
   - Study Identifies Potential Patent Threats Against Linux Users
4. Voting Booth: Cast Your Vote On User Interfaces
5. Get More Out Of Linux Pipeline

------- Advertisement -------------------

Maximize the potential of Linux with CA Management Software.
CA solutions can backup, secure and manage your Linux 
implementation, while also allowing seamless integration into 
your existing infrastructure. As a result, Linux can be easily 
adopted into your enterprise. To find out more about our 
continuing commitment to Linux innovations, visit ca.com/linux.  
http://dclsmtp1.techwire.com/trk/click?ref=zp7waa8wo_0-b2x135ex120765&

-----------------------------------------

1. EDITOR'S NOTE: Intellectual Property Law Threatens Innovation

We've recently seen a rush of support for open source by major 
proprietary vendors. 

IBM said it will open-source its Cloudscape database. Sun 
Microsystems previewed its Project Janus technology to allow 
Solaris to run Linux applications natively and allow customers to 
run Solaris and Linux applications side by side. Hewlett-Packard 
said it will sell its first Linux notebook. Unisys introduced its 
first Linux server. And a slew of proprietary vendors, including 
Novell, Niku, Computer Associates, and BEA systems, are releasing 
their old applications as open source. 

IBM Open-Sources Cloudscape Database
http://dclsmtp1.techwire.com/trk/click?ref=zp7waa8wo_0-b2x135fx120765&

Sun Previews Linux Interoperability For Solaris 10 
http://dclsmtp1.techwire.com/trk/click?ref=zp7waa8wo_0-b2x1360x120765&

HP To Pre-Install Linux On Notebook 
http://dclsmtp1.techwire.com/trk/click?ref=zp7waa8wo_0-b2x1361x120765&

Unisys' Takes On HP, IBM, Sun With Its First Linux Server 
http://dclsmtp1.techwire.com/trk/click?ref=zp7waa8wo_0-b2x1362x120765&

Old Apps Get New Life As Open Source
http://dclsmtp1.techwire.com/trk/click?ref=zp7waa8wo_0-b2x1363x120765&

That's mostly good news, but it does carry with it a certain 
risk. Proprietary vendors have their own agendas--serving their 
own profits and stockholders--and those agendas may conflict with 
the needs and goals of the open source community. 

As writers Charles Babcock and Larry Greenmeier report: "Linux 
and other open-source software customers might fear a train 
wreck, given that the intellectual-property agendas of some of 
the largest IT companies appear to be on a collision course." 

Linux Running Up Against Big-Company Intellectual Property
http://dclsmtp1.techwire.com/trk/click?ref=zp7waa8wo_0-b2x1364x120765&

Software patents are the issue; established companies have large 
portfolios of patents, and they use the patents to stifle 
competition from upstart competition. Established companies have 
a hard time using patents as weapons against each other, because 
they all have big portfolios of patents and each company has 
patents that other companies need. As a result, companies will 
cross-license patents to each other--I'll let you use my 
intellectual property in X if you let me use the intellectual 
property in Y. 

But patents can and are used to quash competition from startup 
and open-source developers. And "quash," in this case, is spelled 
"S-C-O," which has been attempting to use intellectual property 
law to extort from the open-source community. (SCO is using 
copyright rather than patent law, but the results being sought 
are the same.)

And the situation is likely to get worse. Open Source Risk 
Management Inc., a startup that offers insurance against patent 
and copyright violations, released a study that cites 283 
possible patent claims that might be applied against Linux. It's 
more or less in line with other software projects of comparable 
size. And many of the Linux patents have never been tested in 
court. 

Study Identifies Potential Patent Threats Against Linux Users
http://dclsmtp1.techwire.com/trk/click?ref=zp7waa8wo_0-b2x1309x120765& 

A third of the patents are owned by Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Novell, 
Oracle and other Linux backers. On the other hand, Microsoft owns 
27 of the patents, and plans to accelerate patent filings, from 
about 2,000 this fiscal year to 3,000 next fiscal year. 

Intellectual concerns are already starting to do damage. City 
officials in Munich asked for a delay in plans to migrate 14,000 
PCs from Windows to Linux, while they investigate the state of 
software patents. 

Windows-To-Linux Migration Hits Speed Bump In Munich
http://dclsmtp1.techwire.com/trk/click?ref=zp7waa8wo_0-b2x130ax120765&

Vendors with strong Linux strategies, such as IBM, Red Hat and 
Novell, are attempting to mitigate the threat. IBM said it will 
never use Linux patents as a weapon. Red Hat said it maintains a 
portfolio of software patents to use for defensive purposes. We 
can expect both vendors--IBM and Red Hat--to keep their promises, 
and avoid using patents to attack other vendors, for as long as 
it's expedient and not a minute longer. 

IBM Won't Use Linux Patents As Weapon 
http://dclsmtp1.techwire.com/trk/click?ref=zp7waa8wo_0-b2x1365x120765&

Open-Source Vendors Deal With Intellectual-Property Challenge 
http://dclsmtp1.techwire.com/trk/click?ref=zp7waa8wo_0-b2x1366x120765&

Software patents represent a significant threat to the Linux 
community. Fortunately, there are ways of fighting back. 
Insurance from OSRM is one; defending a patent lawsuit is 
expensive, averaging $3 million, and insurance can mitigate that 
cost significantly. 

Also, the Linux community is taking matters into its own hands; 
Pamela Jones, author of the Groklaw blog, is developing Grokline, 
a history of intellectual property in Unix, to help Linux 
developers mitigate intellectual property risks in Linux.

Grokline
http://dclsmtp1.techwire.com/trk/click?ref=zp7waa8wo_0-b2x1367x120765&

Groklaw
http://dclsmtp1.techwire.com/trk/click?ref=zp7waa8wo_0-b2x1368x120765&

Mitch Wagner
mwagner@cmp.com
Linux Pipeline
http://dclsmtp1.techwire.com/trk/click?ref=zp7waa8wo_0-b2x1369x120765&

2. TOP LINUX NEWS

Browsers May Be Vulnerable To Image Exploit
http://dclsmtp1.techwire.com/trk/click?ref=zp7waa8wo_0-b2x136ax120765& 
Vulnerabilities in an open-source image file format (.png) could 
be exploited by attackers to compromise machines running Linux, 
Windows, or Mac OS X, security researchers say.

Red Hat, Novell Kick Off Open-Source App Server Battle
http://dclsmtp1.techwire.com/trk/click?ref=zp7waa8wo_0-b2x136bx120765& 

Sun Previews Linux Interoperability For Solaris 10
http://dclsmtp1.techwire.com/trk/click?ref=zp7waa8wo_0-b2x1360x120765& 

HP To Pre-Install Linux On Notebook
http://dclsmtp1.techwire.com/trk/click?ref=zp7waa8wo_0-b2x1361x120765& 

Unisys' Takes On HP, IBM, Sun With Its First Linux Server
http://dclsmtp1.techwire.com/trk/click?ref=zp7waa8wo_0-b2x1362x120765& 

Mozilla Offers Rewards For Security Bugs
http://dclsmtp1.techwire.com/trk/click?ref=zp7waa8wo_0-b2x136cx120765& 


3. THE WEEK'S BEST STORIES

How To Protect Yourself Against Script Kiddies
http://dclsmtp1.techwire.com/trk/click?ref=zp7waa8wo_0-b2x136dx120765& 
Rootkits are popular tools used by hackers after breaking into 
system, to strengthen their hold. Learn how to protect your Linux 
system against rootkits and other threats.

Linux Running Up Against Big-Company Intellectual Property
http://dclsmtp1.techwire.com/trk/click?ref=zp7waa8wo_0-b2x1364x120765&

Open-Source Vendors Deal With Intellectual-Property Challenge
http://dclsmtp1.techwire.com/trk/click?ref=zp7waa8wo_0-b2x1366x120765& 

SCO Doesn't Plan More Suits Against Linux Users
http://dclsmtp1.techwire.com/trk/click?ref=zp7waa8wo_0-b2x136ex120765& 

Case Study: Cendant Travel Distribution Service Gets Ticket To Ride On 
Linux
http://dclsmtp1.techwire.com/trk/click?ref=zp7waa8wo_0-b2x136fx120765& 

Sun Purchase Novell? Not Likely, Say Solution Providers
http://dclsmtp1.techwire.com/trk/click?ref=zp7waa8wo_0-b2x1370x120765& 

Study Identifies Potential Patent Threats Against Linux Users
http://dclsmtp1.techwire.com/trk/click?ref=zp7waa8wo_0-b2x1309x120765& 

4. VOTING BOOTH: Cast Your Vote On User Interfaces
http://dclsmtp1.techwire.com/trk/click?ref=zp7waa8wo_0-b2x130ex120765&
Best user interface: KDE, GNOME, Command line, other?

-- THE RESULTS SO FAR --

KDE: 55%, 931 votes out of 1700
23%, 383 votes out of 1700
Command line: 15%, 251 votes out of 1700
Other:  8%, 135 votes out of 1700

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------- Advertisement -------------------

Maximize the potential of Linux with CA Management Software.
CA solutions can backup, secure and manage your Linux 
implementation, while also allowing seamless integration into 
your existing infrastructure. As a result, Linux can be easily 
adopted into your enterprise. To find out more about our 
continuing commitment to Linux innovations, visit ca.com/linux.  
http://dclsmtp1.techwire.com/trk/click?ref=zp7waa8wo_0-b2x135ex120765&

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