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Linux Pipeline Newsletter www.LinuxPipeline.com Tuesday, March 29, 2005 In This Issue: - Code-Checking Service Hunts Down Litigation Risks - Authors Defend Contested Windows-Linux Security Study - Novell Discusses Upcoming Linux Desktop, Server Releases - More News... - Sun Confirms Open-Source Future For JES - Word On The Street: Linux Is Here To Stay - Executive Q&A: Novell CEO Jack Messman - More Picks... Join InformationWeek for a FREE, on-demand TechWebCast on Enterprise Infrastructure: Dealing with the Dynamics. Industry experts will discuss the best approaches to infrastructure standardization, what to do about legacy systems and their applications and data, and more. Register and view now: http://www.techweb.com/today/entinfras011305 ----------------------------------------- Editor's Note: Truth In Advertising To paraphrase Art Linkletter this week, kids and corporate spokespeople both say the darndest things*. And we're here to pass them along to you, like the good little gossip-mongers that we are. First, a topic I found interesting enough for a full-scale rant (see below): Sun's Jonathan Schwartz reassuring us that it's OK, there's no need to panic, he and his colleagues are here now to provide some adult supervision--or, rather, "innovation and adoption"--for the open-source party. Incidentally, according to Schwartz, the enterprise OS market is destined to become a nail-biting three-way race between Microsoft, Red Hat, and, um...you know who. Next, I have one of the occasional Mac OS stories that I run because Apple released the OS X kernel as open-source code way back when and because I'm part of the shadowy conspiracy to expose impressionable children to quality software. According to a Gartner analyst, businesses that shut down their OS X firewalls, open every server port, and hang big signs that say "Crackerz R Lame Doodz" out of their windows shouldn't be too complacent about possible security threats. He also, however, cautioned against putting too much faith in recent announcements from Symantec warning Mac users that they would get big, ugly boils on their faces if they didn't buy the company's security products. OK, so I made up the "Crackerz R Lame" thing. Sorry. In this week's ultimate irony, it turns out that the real models of truth and ethical business practices are the two researchers who concluded that Windows Server 2003 has a better security track record than Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3. In addition to confirming right up front that they accepted funding for their study from Microsoft, the report's authors published their research methodology and invited peer review either to confirm or to challenge their findings. I've stated before that these types of studies are pretty much useless, if only because the ability (or incompetence) of a systems administrator will make a bigger difference than any of the numbers these types of reports so studiously crunch. Having said that, it's good to see two researchers stand up, make an instant non-issue out of the Microsoft money, and invite all comers to review their findings. I hope we hear back on the results of their challenge, even if only so I can send my associates around to collect on the bets I'm likely to win. Have a good week. *Although this statement might make me seem like someone old enough to have golfed a couple of twelve-packs with Frank, Dean, and Sammy back in the day, it just isn't so. In any case, I don't feel a day over 36.
Matthew McKenzie
Don't let future editions of Linux Pipeline Newsletter go missing. Take a moment to add the newsletter's address to your anti-spam whitelist: linuxed@techwire.com If you're not sure how to do that, ask your administrator or ISP. Or check your anti-spam utility's documentation. Thanks. Top Linux News Code-Checking Service Hunts Down Litigation Risks A hosted version of Black Duck's risk-management tool allows smaller firms to hunt down possible licensing and IP violations in open-source code.
Authors Defend Contested Windows-Linux Security Study
Novell Discusses Upcoming Linux Desktop, Server Releases
Analyst: Mac Security Risks Are Real--As Is Symantec Hype
Is NCR Chief Mark Hurd HP's Next CEO?
Novell's Software Strategy: Buy, Borrow, Build
Security Firm: 2004 IE's Year Of Living Dangerously
Second Firefox Update Renews Browser Security Debate
Mozilla Suite, Thunderbird Security Updates Released
Novell Readies Open-Source Startup Incubator
Linux Users To Get More Storage Management Options Editor's Picks Sun Confirms Open-Source Future For JES The company says it will release its Java Enterprise System code under an open-source license--the latest volley in what one Sun executive calls an "epic battle" against enterprise OS competitors Microsoft and Red Hat.
Word On The Street: Linux Is Here To Stay
Executive Q&A: Novell CEO Jack Messman
Sun: God's Gift To Open Source
A Rant Is A Terrible Thing To Waste
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