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News

• Linux.conf.au: Latest Linux kernel release due early March

  The latest release of the Linux kernel, 2.6.33 is expected to be out by the beginning of March and among its new features is a reverse-engineered driver for Nvidia graphics chipsets.

• The future of open source

  There's no question that the open source community is a passionate one -- and one with significant influence on technology directions and options. We're way past the days when people asked if Linux or Apache was safe to depend on in business. Open source is now a mainstream part of the technology fabric.

• Linux.conf.au kicks off next week aiming for open source roadmap goal

  Organisers of the annual conference, Linux.conf.au are confident a roadmap for promoting the open source community in the region will be developed by the end of the six-day event starting next week.

• Apache mulls end of 1.3, 2.0 releases

  The Apache Software Foundation (ASF) may stop releasing new versions of the older 1.3 and 2.0 series of its flagship Web server product with most development now focused on the 2.2 series.

• OpenStreetMap attracts 200,000 volunteers

  A volunteer-led project to create an open-source map of the entire earth, called OpenStreetMap, has amassed over 200,000 contributors since its inception, the founder announced in a blog entry.

• Open-Source BI Going Mainstream for Routine Uses

  Adoption of open-source business intelligence software is doubling every year because the products are viewed as "good enough" for routine applications, according to a recent report by Gartner Inc. analyst Andreas Bitterer.

• 'Save MySQL' campaign gains momentum

  A petition launched in December by MySQL creator Michael 'Monty' Widenius to "save" the open-source database from Oracle has quickly gained momentum, collecting nearly 17,000 signatures.

• Have an open source Mac New Year

  Get a Mac for Christmas? Intending to buy one in the New Year? Or are you a long-time fan? Whatever your situation, be it for the home or office, there are plenty of great open source applications you can use for your Mac.

• Lamson project takes pain out of email

  Dealing with email looks simple in theory, but becomes more and more complex the more you look at it.

• Red Hat to drop Itanium support in Enterprise Linux 6

  Red Hat is dropping support for Intel's Itanium processor in Enterprise Linux 6, the next major release of its operating system, the company said in a statement on Sunday.

• MySQL developers release 5.5 beta

  The MySQL developer community has released the first public iteration of what will be the next version of MySQL, version 5.5.

• Amberdms gives open source accounting green light

  New Zealand software company Amberdms has release a Web-based open source accounting and billing application aimed at simplifying business and customer management.

• Oracle's pledges on MySQL are 'purely cosmetic', say critics

  Oracle's latest commitments designed to address the European Commission's concerns regarding its acquisition of Sun Microsystems and the MySQL database are paper thin, and even if they were confirmed they wouldn't safeguard MySQL's future, said Florian Mueller, an outspoken critic of the deal, on Monday.

• Multiple consumer electronics companies hit with GPL lawsuit

  The Software Freedom Law Center (SFLC) has brought a copyright lawsuit against 14 consumer electronics companies for allegedly violating GNU General Public License (GPL) in the use of GPL-licensed software in their products. Among those named in the suit are Best Buy, JVC, Western Digital Technologies and Westinghouse.

• Red Hat open sources desktop application protocol

  Red Hat has open sourced a virtual desktop protocol it acquired last year, called the Simple Protocol for Independent Computing Environment (SPICE), in the hope of fostering its wider adoption.