Missouri State University's school of information systems and Web startup Savvica Inc. don't have a lot in common apart from tight budgets. In the recent past, their spending limitations likely would have meant choosing open-source software such as MySQL or Postgres as a database.
Novell's first-quarter 2006 revenues from licensing its key Open Enterprise Server (OES) operating system bundle fell 41 percent from the previous quarter, the software maker reported Thursday. Overall revenues also fell compared to the same period a year earlier.
Missouri State University's information systems department and Web start-up Savvica don't have a lot in common apart from tight budgets. In recent years, that would have likely meant choosing a free open-source database such as MySQL or PostGres.
Of all of the virtues that backers of open-source software tout, widespread availability of enterprise-level support is not among them.
Microsoft announced the beta release of Systems Management Server 2003 R2, its tool to help businesses manage Windows environments. The software offers new ease-of-use and security capabilities.
With Oracle's purchase last week of open-source embedded software maker SleepyCat Software, at least one security analyst believes that Oracle -- which has come under fire for security vulnerabilities in its core database -- could be adding more potential problems.
For all of the virtues of open-source software touted by backers, the level of commercial support available to enterprises today is not among them. Apart from Linux vendors such as Red Hat Inc. or Novell Inc., most of the firms that have commercialized open-source software are single-product firms barely out of the startup stage.
Microsoft said Thursday that its upcoming 2007 Microsoft Office will come in seven versions and that many of them will include new collaboration and content management tools.
Power to the people. Down with the Man.
Users of the open-source MySQL database appeared unworried after the announcement Tuesday of Oracle's purchase of Sleepycat Software.
Microsoft will announce the free beta of its upcoming Office Live service for small businesses Wednesday and said it hopes to garner more than 100,000 beta users for it.
Novell this week unveiled updates to the Linux graphics subsystem that are aimed at making it a more attractive operating system for desktop users.
Companies beta testing Vista have been quick to praise new security features in the operating system which is due out by year's end.
Novell Tuesday released improvements to the way Linux handles graphics and video -- a move aimed at making the operating system more attractive to mainstream desktop users.
Novell will begin shipping the server version of its SUSE Linux operating system with the option to install virtualization technology from Virtual Iron Software, the two companies announced Monday.