Suse founder quits Novell

The founder of the Suse Linux distributor has left Novell. Heinrich Mantel has quit the company nearly two years after it was taken over by the US networking company. In an emailed letter to a Suse mailing list, Mantel wrote, 'I just decided to leave Suse/Novell. ...more

Novell eyes UK public sector with new licensing agreements

Novell is pouncing on the UK public sector with a range of new products and transparent pricing geared to give the industry the confidence to rip out Microsoft in favour of its offerings. The first weapon of the assault is to offer its NetWare platform for free on the condition that organisations sign up to 'upgrade protection' licences - essentially agreeing to pay a regular fee to keep the software at the latest version. This will ensure that when Novell releases its flagship Open Enterprise Server suite later this year, which uses both NetWare and SUSE Linux, NetWare users will have the latest version. ...more

XP will not ship with support for MP3 ripping

Microsoft has deepened its anti-MP3 stance with the announcement that an MP3-ripping application for XP will only be available as a separate add-in. CyberLink, InterVideo and RAVISENT will produce MP3 Creation Packs for Windows XP that will allow users to record audio CDs into MP3 files using Windows Media Player for the first time. However, the application will be a separate entity available for purchase over the Internet and, frankly, who's going to bother with that? Even in the press release, Microsoft labours the point over how badly the aging MP3 codec compares to the sprightly WMA format, although the new improved mp3PRO is waiting in the wings. ...more

Apple open-sources Intel version of Mac OS X

Apple has confounded sceptics who suggested its open-source days were over by releasing the source code for the Intel version of Mac OS X. Ernest Prabhakar, the open-source product manager at Apple, notified developers that buildable kernel sources are available, adding that Apple regrets the delay in readying the new kernel for release. In February open-source developers suggested that Apple had failed to release the Intel source for fears that it would make it easier for hackers to get OS X running on non-Mac hardware. ...more

Fujitsu unveils solid state laptops

Fujitsu has unveiled its first laptops to use solid state storage instead of traditional hard disk drives. The pen-enabled Lifebook P1610 and LifeBook B6210 ultra-portable notebooks will be offered to customers with an option to ditch normal hard disks for flash-based drives. As we have reported, memory firms < SanDisk and Super Talent have announced replacements for hard drives using Nand memory. ...more