openSUSE Build Service Pumps Out Red Hat, CentOS Packages
by Timothy Prickett Morgan

The openSUSE community that is backed by commercial Linux distributor Novell and that has created an open, publicly available build service as the backbone of the openSUSE development version of SUSE Linux announced last week that it can now package open source programs with two competitive Linuxes. With the ability to package applications for Red Hat Enterprise Linux and their clones from alternative RHEL supplier, CentOS, the openSUSE Build Service is that much more useful. READ MORE >

IBM to Buy AMD? Seems Unlikely, But an Interesting Idea
by Timothy Prickett Morgan

A few weeks ago, when I was complaining that Big Blue needed to rationalize its product names, I quipped that IBM could start making its own Opteron processors just so it could call its X64-based servers the System/x6 line and then make it match the System/p6 Power servers and System/z6 mainframes. I was joking, but a report in the Financial Times last week suggested that IBM and Advanced Micro Devices might be thinking of merging their processor businesses. READ MORE >

Lenovo Licenses X64 Server Designs from IBM to Build Boxes
by Timothy Prickett Morgan

Well, here's an interesting turn of events at the low-end of the X64 server racket. IBM, which has big-time aspirations in the X64 server market as it relates to companies that are gauged as small or medium in size in terms of revenues and employee count, is licensing its server technology to Chinese PC maker Lenovo, which bought its PC business back in 2004 for $1.25 billion. Why on earth would IBM sell its server designs to Lenovo, possibly creating another competitor? READ MORE >

As I See It: Avatar Nation
by Victor Rozek

Let's say that you want to attend LinuxWorld. But this year, LinuxWorld is being held in San Francisco, Boston, New York, or anywhere except where you are. First, you'd have to budget for the trip a year ahead, or there would be no money for travel. Next, you'd have to grovel for permission from management. Then you'd have to book a flight, make your hotel reservations, and rent a car. On your travel day, you would probably get up at some ungodly hour to get to the airport early, leave your car in the ridiculously expensive long-term parking, and subject yourself to the indignities of search and seizure. READ MORE >