Big guns setting sights on Linux

Momentum continues to gather behind Linux: SGI, HP and Oracle are all stepping up their commitment to use the operating system…

Momentum continues to gather behind Linux: SGI, HP and Oracle are all stepping up their commitment to use the operating system. SGI is expected to announce this week that it will make Linux a primary offering across much of its product line of workstation and server computers while Hewlett-Packard is sponsoring a website aimed at linking companies interested in Linux projects with programmers who are experienced in Linux and other "open source" software products. Oracle, which announced Linux support last year, plans on releasing a Linux version of its database software for use on laptops.

No Local Interest: The Irish are the most unlikely of Europeans to use their PCs to access information about local authorities, a seminar organised by Midas-Net Ireland in the context of the European Commission's Info 2000 programme has heard. Only one third of Irish people would use their PCs for such purposes and only five per cent appear willing to pay the information.

Closing The Net: Parts of Yugoslavia will lose Internet access if, as expected, an American satellite company is ordered to stop transmitting into the country under a US trade embargo. Loral Space and Communications said it could be forced to cut transmissions into the country from one of its satellites, which serves at least two of the country's major ISPs.

Web Of Spies: It took Net users just hours to outwit Britain's intelligence services and make widely-available a banned list of 116 of the country's secret service officers late last week. The British Government had issued a "D-notice" gagging order telling the British press not to report the contents of the list which former MI6 agent, Richard Tomlinson, had allegedly placed on a Geocities site. Both Geocities and Tomlinson's Swiss ISP Worldcom.ch reacted quickly and closed down the sites. However one site containing the information was mirrored and the list remains online.

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Western Cornerstone: Nortel Networks has made Galway the site of one of its Global Manufacturing Systems Houses which aim to make the company more competitive by expanding its manufacturing and operations capability. The Nortel Networks facility will be one of the cornerstones of Nortel Networks' new manufacturing operations framework.

ICL's Dream: ICL will provide technological assistance to help Sega launch the first ever games console with Internet access. Sega will offer its games players unlimited free pan-European Internet access and email services through its new Dreamcast console, to be launched in Europe on September 23rd. The console incorporates a modem and browser and SEGA plan to have a `nanny' program to prevent children from accessing undesirable sites.

Big Blue Soars: IBM shares climbed 6.5 per cent after its CEO claimed the company was the main beneficiary of spiraling Internet growth. In comments to Wall Street investors last week, Louis Gerstner said the company generated more revenues and more profits from the Internet, than 25 of the world's top Internet stocks combined.

Risking Life: Irish Life and Pensions companies who do not prepare their IT systems now for upcoming Disclosure legislation risk losing customers and any market advantage gained over competitors, according to IT consultancy company, the Harvard Group. The group has launched the Disclosure Process Pack to help organisations identify the key issues that need to be considered when implementing the regulations.

Fine Print: Dell and Micron Electronics have settled US government charges that they misled consumers with Internet advertisements for leasing new computers with low monthly payments, federal regulators have said. Both agreed to provide consumers with "clear, readable and understandable information in their lease advertising". The FTC said ads from Dell and Micron had included important cost information in inconspicuous or unreadable fine print.

Opening The Gate: Gateway and Internet venture firm CMGI have formed a strategic alliance which will see the former invest US$200 million for an ownership stake in the latter. The alliance aims to enhance Gateway's Internet and electronic commerce initiatives and provide more products and services to clients.

Web Rating: A group of companies has formed an industry association with the goal of establishing and promoting a global Internet content rating system. The companies, including AOL Europe, Cable & Wireless, Microsoft and IBM have formed the non-profit Internet Content Rating Association to protect children and free speech rights.

In Brief...Dell is to sell its Dimension notebook PCs at £882.09 including delivery and VAT. . . Apple has said its estimate of its total external spending associated with Y2K issues has increased to $13.2 million, up $4 million. . . The former General Manager of Intel Ireland, Frank McCabe, will be conferred tomorrow with an Honorary Doctorate by NUI, Maynooth. . .Technology-based training company, NETg, has opened a new research and development facility in Limerick. . .