"Linux Gazette...making Linux just a little more fun!"

Contents: Distro News News in General Software Announcements

Selected and formatted by Michael Conry

Submitters, send your News Bytes items in PLAIN TEXT format. Other formats may be rejected without reading. You have been warned! A one- or two-paragraph summary plus URL gets you a better announcement than an entire press release.

February 2001 Linux Journal

The February issue of Linux Journal is on newsstands now. This issue focuses on Kernel Internals. Click here to view the table of contents, or here to subscribe. All articles through December 1999 are available for public reading at http://www.linuxjournal.com/lj-issues/mags.html. Recent articles are available on-line for subscribers only at http://interactive.linuxjournal.com/.

Caldera

OREM, UT-January 16, 2001- Caldera Systems, Inc., today announced the release of Caldera Volution, a Linux management solution that reduces the cost of implementing and managing Linux systems. With Caldera Volution, administrators can use policies and profiles to manage thousands of Linux systems, without having to individually manage or touch each. Volution is distribution-neutral - designed to work with all major Linux distributions, and provides broad management functions. Volution will significantly benefit anyone needing to manage multiple Linux servers and desktops.

Caldera Volution is a Web-based remote management solution that allows administrators to manage Linux systems from anywhere at anytime. It is directory-based utilizing the inherent strengths of LDAP directories. Directories provide two major benefits: They give administrators a place to not only store information, but a logical and intuitive way of managing network resources. Volution supports three major LDAP directories, Novell's eDirectory, OpenLDAP and iPlanet. OpenLDAP and eDirectory ship with the product. Volution will ship in nine additional languages including Chinese - simplified and traditional, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Japanese, Korean and Portuguese. The suggested list price for Caldera Volution is US $2995. Volution ships with the Volution software, Novell eDirectory and OpenLDAP, a secure Web server and licenses to manage up to 10 nodes. Additional nodes are sold separately.

SuSE

Nuremberg, Germany - January 12, 2001 - Today, SuSE Linux presented the second generation of e-mail solutions for commerce, public administration, workgroups and all others needing professional e-mail communication.

The SuSE eMail Server II is an Open Source solution, based on reliable components consistent with Internet standards such as SMTP, IMAP4, POP3, and LDAP. In accordance with the IMAP standard (Internet Message Access Protocol), the SuSE eMail Server administrates mail on a central server. The server supports all common e-mail clients, including Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, Netscape Messenger, and Eudora or via the included Web-Mail Client IMP.

The SuSE eMail Server II can be obtained from SuSE or from software retailers from the beginning of February onwards. The suggested retail price for one server is 255 Euro and includes a manual, 60 days installation support and the server backup solution Arkeia from Knox Software.

Nuremberg, Germany - January 19, 2001 - SuSE Linux and Lotus announced the SuSE Linux Groupware Server. The new server combines the comprehensive functionality of the Domino Messaging and Web Application Server with the cost advantages and the reliability of the Linux operating system. This provides a basis for improved business processing and customer relations.

With more than 50 million users worldwide, the product-integrated Domino Server delivers efficient tools for groupware, workflow, messaging and scheduling. Domino also provides a flexible basis for fast web and messaging application development.

SuSE Linux Groupware Server can be purchased from SuSE or software retailers, beginning February 2001. The suggested retail price is Euro 2.555,00 + VAT.

For further information on SuSE Linux Groupware Server, please visit SuSE's Groupware web page Groupware web page.

Upcoming conferences and events

Linux Journal Competition

Come up with cover ideas for fun and prizes! The LJ crew's brains are growing fatigued after six years of coming up with ideas to put on the cover of Linux Journal, so they'd like to expand the thinking pool by soliciting cover ideas from LJ readers. They need cover ideas for the following issues and editorial foci:

• Issue 84, April--Internet/Intranet
• Issue 85, May--Linux Training and Certification
• Issue 86, June--Internationalization and Emerging Markets

Linux4Chemistry

Nikodem Kuznik, the creator of the site, says that the goal of this web-site is to provide the most up-to-date links to chemical software running on Linux. As the field is still under an intensive development, the web-site will also be continuously under construction and you may even find some not-up-to-date URLs there for this same reason. In that case the author will be very glad of your feedback. Nikodem says that you are very welcome to send your comments, new URLs and so on.

International Support for Linux Job Site

Mojolin has added international support to its full featured online Job/Resume database. Job listings and resumes can now be entered with full location specifics. This new ability is complemented by a feature that allows an individual to search by countries, and by states and provinces in the United States and Canada. In addition, links have been provided to BabelFish for translation of the site into five different languages: German, French, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese. Other features include a nightly email agent which informs job seekers of the latest opportunities, and the ability for Webmasters to include Mojolin's job listings on their own sites.

LinuxIT acquires 01linux Solutions

LinuxIT, a European Linux Solution Provider, has announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire the business interests of 01Linux Solutions Ltd, a UK-based Linux Support and Consulting company.

LinuxIT has a Linux portal that includes directories for software, hardware, documentation, job postings and user forums, offering services for Linux users and professionals.

This acquisition strengthens LinuxIT's position as one of the leading Vendor-neutral solution providers in Europe. 01Linux has marketed itself extensively as a solutions and services provider and has acquired a reputation for quality offerings based around excellent technical expertise.

Peter Dawes, Managing Director of LinuxIT commented, "The integration of 01Linux into LinuxIT will further add to our Support and Professional Services offerings. We are now offering Total Linux support for all types of customers ranging from one server through to corporates with hundreds of mission critical systems. Combined with our bespoke development, porting of applications to Linux and our educational offerings, this means that LinuxIT is in a unique position to service the growing demand for Linux and Open Source know-how."

Books, Books, and More Books

Writing GNOME Applications
by John R. Sheets
ISBN: 0-201-65791-0

Writing GNOME Applications will help Linux programmers learn the basics of GNOME and understand how to write real-world applications using this important programming environment. Focusing on the essentials, this book guides you through GNOME's fundamental elements and explains how and why these elements function as they do. Rather than serving as an exhaustive reference, the book offers detailed discussion on the most important function calls, demonstrating how to put them to work in application development. This book should appear soon under the OpenBook licence. Keep an eye on the OpenBooks website for updates on this and other titles.

PostgreSQL: Introduction and Concepts
by Bruce Momjian
ISBN: 0-201-70331-9

PostgreSQL: Introduction and Concepts, written by a founding member of the PostgreSQL Global Development Team, provides a much-needed tutorial and real-world guide to understanding and working with this complex yet essential system. The book is also available on-line from the PostgreSQL website, at this location.

Manning Books have brought a new title: Data Munging with Perl to our attention. They say: "The transformation of data from one format to another, colloquially 'munging', is one of the most common programming tasks. The new Manning book, Data Munging with Perl, examines this important process in detail and shows how well suited Perl is for these tasks. The book is aimed at programmers using any programming language who carry out data munging as part of their daily routine. Programmers who are more experienced in Perl may learn a number of new Perl techniques to make their jobs easier."

For a closer look at Data Munging with Perl, Manning offers components of the book online: the table of contents, two sample chapters, the index and source code can be viewed at www.manning.com/cross/. As an added perk, the publisher runs an Author Online discussion forum for discussions between readers and the author, Dave Cross.

The book can be bought now, in PDF format at a discount to the paper version which will soon be for sale. Printed Edition - Softbound, 304 pages, $36.95 Ebook Edition - PDF format, 2 MB, $13.50

Programming KDE 2.0
By Lotzi Bölöni
ISBN: 1-929629-13-3, Price: US$39.95 Trade Paper with CD-ROM, 265 pp.

CMP say that this book aims to explain all aspects of developing applications to run on the K Desktop Environment (KDE). It describes KDE development from the ground up, starting with fundamentals of event-driven programming and object/component-oriented systems. It progresses through design and management of GUI widgets and dialogs, and ends with the details of font and text controls and picture display. The author shows how to use the Applications Programming Interface (API), manage multitasking applications and build embedded applications using object/component models and the new Kannosa shared library techniques.

ZF Linux Devices

ZF Linux Devices has just created what they like to call the "littlest PC", the MachZ. The MachZ fits on an inch square chip, yet is a complete computer, loaded with Linux. More than 60 companies are designing products around the Mach Z, from medical devices and farm equipment to home appliances and vending machines.

Applications for the MachZ PC-on-a-chip include:

• Wireless Networking Hubs
• Internet/Web Connectivity
• Positioning Systems

Linux Links

With recent comments on this web-page on the subject of security, it would probably be worthwhile for anyone whose interest has been piqued to peruse the Linux Security FAQ (as pointed to by /.)

ShowMeLinux's January Issue Now Available with a mix of features, news and support.

The Duke of URL have a couple of items that may be of interest to you:

• Linux Buyer's Guide #7 The guide covers 3 systems and a list of peripherals (by popular demand) that work best with Linux (highlight for many may be the new ATI Radeon). Other sections include the month in review, as well as a little overview of what Linux has in store for the future.
• There is a WinLinux 2000 review at The Duke of URL, examining the merits of a distribution which manages to sit on top of Windows 9x (no repartition, no reboot!, or so I'm told).
• With the new release of kernel 2.4, there is an overview covering everything from how to compile the kernel (a mini-howto is included!), to benchmarks between Linux 2.4, Linux 2.2, and Windows 2000 SP1, as well as an overview of all the new changes in the latest and greatest version of Linux, 2.4.0. Worth a look if you are considering taking the plunge and upgrading.

Finally, Slashdot have an article where you can read how Steve Ballmer says Linux is the top threat to MS.

Linux Server Pages Product for Xbase

January 8, 2001 SAN LEANDRO, CA, PlugSys International today announced its new Max Server Pages (MSP) product. This gives Xbase developers a reliable, economical way to migrate to Linux and perform server-side scripting. Using classic Xbase commands and functions, developers can access data stored in DBF files or ODBC databases and blend the results with HTML and Javascript. Max Server Pages development focuses on creation of HTML templates with embedded Xbase control structures, expressions, commands and functions. MSP Professional also allows developers to precompile source code for even faster loading libraries. The final phase of beta test is in progress. Beta testers are encouraged to apply. The company is particularly interested in Xbase developers with some web development experience and access to a web server machine running Red Hat 6.2.

Try Linux Online with Runaware

Oakland, CA (January 10, 2000) - Runaware, the world's first Evaluation Service Provider for software vendors and consumers, today announced a partnership with SlashTCO, a U.K.-based open source services provider, to promote Linux awareness through online testing and supplementary resources.

Runaware will enable software purchasers to test Linux products through the web browser without downloads or installation. Support materials such as reviews and explanatory articles provided by SlashTCO will enhance the evaluation process.

WordWalla Enters Linux Partnership

FREMONT, Calif. (January 17, 2001) WordWalla, Inc., a leading global language software provider, has joined three key industry organizations to participate in the development and understanding of new, emerging technologies and markets the Embedded Linux Consortium, LISA and the Unicode Consortium

As members of these three leading organizations, WordWalla will help contribute to the latest developments in Linux applications and Unicode standards as it relates to the use and proliferation of new font technologies, and will support and evangelize globalization initiatives.

VMware Release GSX Server

PALO ALTO, Calif., January 23, 2001 - VMware, Inc. today announced that it has concluded its GSX Server beta program with more than 300 companies worldwide participating. The company also announced that the product is available for sale today at www.vmware.com

Based on VMware's patent pending MultipleWorlds technology, GSX Server gives information technology (IT) organizations mainframe-class control on Intel based servers. The software helps IT professionals leverage resources in responding to the growing demand for new applications and services by cutting down on the number of servers required, taking the pain out of staging and testing server applications and automating server installation and management.

VMware GSX Server for Linux systems is priced at $2,499 for a single license purchase and is available today via electronic distribution directly from VMware. Premium support at the Silver, Gold and Platinum levels is available on a per incident basis or via subscription. Packaged versions of GSX Server will be available from VMware and from selected resellers and distributors within imminently.

Internet Cafe Management Software

• Authentication can be based on native UNIX password files, PAM (and consequently NIS or even NT), or entirely in SQL. SQL based authentication should scale well, allowing authentication to be fast, even with large numbers of users.
• Radius authentication through ISPd. Currently, Cistron radiusd 1.6.4 is being used, but open source means that any radius server could be quickly patched to use ISPd.
• Full control of customer information is provided by a simple, web based interface.
• Command line tools for some functions, such as password maintenance, are available.
• Billing can be run as a cron job. ISPd was designed to require as little maintenance as possible.
• ISPd listens on both a UNIX domain socket and a TCP socket. Services need not run on the same machine as ISPd to take advantage of its authentication scheme.

OTG Announces DiskXtender for Linux and Support for Red Hat

BETHESDA, MD, January 3, 2001 - OTG Software, a software developer of online storage, data access and email management solutions, today announced DiskXtender for Linux, new storage software that supports the Red Hat Linux platform. This new product aims to enable true heterogeneous and centralized storage management. OTG is now further extending its expertise in Windows 2000/NT storage systems to Linux, building on its recent announcement of DiskXtender for UNIX.

Copyright © 2000, Michael Conry and the Editors of Linux Gazette.
Copying license http://www.linuxgazette.net/copying.html
Published in Issue 62 of Linux Gazette, February 2001