InformationWeek Daily - Wednesday, Jan 2, 2008

Top 10 Open-Source Software Stories of 2007 The past year was the most tumultuous in recent memory for the field of open-source software. Instead of mere sniping, such as the "Truth About Linux" campaign, open source has come under more direct assault. It's almost axiomatic at this point: the more open source succeeds in the enterprise, the more threatening it is to entrenched interests. IT managers are asking the questions that are making many commercial software suppliers set for battle. "If commercial software is so good, how come it can be matched by a group working for free?" "If free is bad, show me the value your company has added to its commercial code that makes it worth more?" "I'm plugged into this project. What have you got that's better?" The dominant software suppliers have yet to answer, not to a bunch of wild-eyed, wobbly coders, nor to the IT managers with the purchasing power. And that's a different ball game. If you want to slow down open source code's onslaught, subtlety isn't going to work. It's time to bring out the heavy artillery. And, alongside the actual deals and advances in open source, that's what we saw in 2007. Indeed, there were important advances in GPL, Apache, Web services, and Java, which made commercial software suppliers more worried than ever. For my complete list, with perspective on each of the important developments of the just-ended year, read Top 10 Open-Source Software Stories of 2007. Charles Babcock cbabcock@cmp.com www.informationweek.com
A happy and healthy New Year to all our readers, from the entire InformationWeek staff.
5 Things Open Source Needs In 2008 More hardware support and better communication from Microsoft are just two of the things the open-source community must get in 2008 to continue its momentum. Global Semiconductor Sales Up 2.3% In November Products embedded with chips, such as flat-screen televisions and digital music players helped push sales to $23.1 billion, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association. Judge Rules Qualcomm Can Use Rival Chip Patents Until 2009 The patents cover video compression for mobile phones, walkie-talkie-style technology, and simultaneous communications between different types of networks. Record Number Of Data Breaches Reported In 2007 Researchers with the Identity Theft Resource Center cited 443 breaches in the U.S. in 2007 in their annual report, compared to the 315 they identified in 2006. Lithium Batteries Banned From Checked Bags The international rule is intended to lessen the risk of lithium battery fires on airplanes. 52-Inch Multi-Touch Display Unveiled The maker, LG.Philips, will also show an 84-inch LCD screen at the Consumer Electronics Show next week. IPTV To Spread In 2008 Interest in the Beijing Olympics and user-generated content are predicted to boost IPTV adoption worldwide. Windows Home Server Bug Could Lead To Data Loss The issue was acknowledged in October, when Microsoft warned "not to copy data files that contain alternate data streams to Windows Home Server shared folders." Online Holiday Shopping Celebrates 21% Growth Still, price cuts and coupons produce mixed results as shopping spending overall was lackluster, according to analysts with ComScore. NYC Taxi Commission Defends Touch-Screens In Cabs Stringent security protocols protect riders, officials say, despite recent claims that hackers can access information, including credit card numbers. Mobile Video, Open Platforms To Shape Future Cell Phones Analysts with MultiMedia Intelligence see a rise of new class of mobile devices -- those that are application-centric and also contain voice functionality. Vonage Settles Patent Fights With Nortel, AT&T The agreement, which also involved Digital Packet Licensing patents acquired by Nortel, centered on the use of 411 and emergency calls. Generation Y Looks To The Web For Answers A Pew Internet study found 58% of Americans go online first when seeking information on common issues, such as an illness, finances, taxes, and careers. All Our Latest News See InformationWeek's daily breaking news on your mobile device, visit wap.informationweek.com and sign up for daily SMS notifications.	Global Semiconductor Sales Up 2.3% In November Judge Rules Qualcomm Can Use Rival Chip Patents Until 2009 Record Number Of Data Breaches Reported In 2007 Lithium Batteries Banned From Checked Bags 52-Inch Multi-Touch Display Unveiled Virtualization At The Desktop? Examine how more than 250 companies plan to adopt server virtualization technology in this recent InformationWeek Research report, Server Virtualization. The BI Explosion Examine the business intelligence strategies of 500 companies, including deployment drivers and challenges, spending plans, and vendor selection, in this recent InformationWeek Research report. iPhone 1.1.3 Firmware Features Peeked An early working version of firmware update 1.1.3 for the iPhone has been spotted in the wild and given the full video preview treatment over at Gizmodo. A short list of the confirmed new features includes multiple-recipient SMS and Google's new faux GPS maps application. NFL, Cable Giants Face Off In New Broadcast Universe On Saturday night, the New York Giants will face off against the powerful New England Patriots, who are chasing all sorts of historic NFL records - most significantly, the second perfect season in league history (New England is already the first team to go 15-0 and can finish undefeated on Saturday). This game might also be billed as "The NFL vs. The Cable Guys." Is Apple Planning To Launch An Ultra Mobile PC Next Year? We've been hearing rumors for months that Apple is working on some kind of tablet PC, most likely an ultramobile PC (UMPC) of some kind. One of my colleagues, Mitch Wagner, thinks that Apple has no plans for a tablet. Other industry insiders, like futurist Mark Anderson, think Apple is about to enter the UMPC market just as this device category hits the tipping point. So which is it? Better Living Through Open Source: The Directory A common question I hear when people want to make the jump to open source software as a standard -- either to step away from Microsoft or from proprietary software as a whole -- is this: "OK, what do I use now?"  Sites like Open Source Living were built to answer that question. Avoiding The Mobile Device Marketing Mire I'm working from home this week while my twin boys' day care is closed for the holidays. This morning, as one child screamed about his missing toy and the other demanded a cookie for breakfast, my cell phone rang. Foolishly and without thinking (or looking at the incoming number), I answered it. Cisco's Approach To Green: Sensible Or Stupid? Maybe It's all in the interview. Cisco recently hired green guru Paul Marcoux from APC. As is typical for a hire like this, which is as much for public relations as anything, Marcoux set out for a round of interviews, and depending on which story you read, his plans lie somewhere between sensible contributions to the green movement or a very unlikely attempt at world domination. Wipro Reportedly Trying To Acquire Capgemini There are reports coming from India that IT outsourcing vendor Wipro is preparing a $7 billion bid for Capgemini. The companies aren't commenting directly on these reports, but a Wipro exec did say something that underscores this fact: Indian companies are under the gun to move beyond their Indian workforces. VectorLinux: Save A PC From The Dumpster From time to time I've mentioned Linux distributions specifically designed for low-end systems -- some of which I've used to save machines from the dumpster. This week I've got a new release of one such Linux distro: VectorLinux version 5.9. The Rise Of The Two-Screen TV Audience Startup Jacked.com is building a business around people who use a PC, laptop, or cell phone at the same time that they're watching TV. These so-called "two screeners" may represent the rising class among TV viewers. Three New Year's Resolutions For CIOs It's the week before the new year, when we try to distance ourselves from that lingering platter of holiday cookies and contemplate what we'll do next year to live simpler, leaner, easier lives. For many CIOs, that will include taking a second look at 2008 IT spending plans. BlackBerry Maker Proposes An Angular Keyboard For Mobile Devices Apple stole the show this year by introducing its touch-screen-only iPhone. But mobile innovation doesn't stop there. Many device makers are stepping up their game, including Research In Motion, which, according to a recent patent application filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, is proposing an angular keyboard for (what appears to be) future BlackBerry smartphones. Top Five Open Source Stories Of 2007 It's been a landmark year for open source, and in so many different ways that even a casual survey of the year's events will range far and wide.  Here's a quick rundown of what to me were the top five open source events of the year -- not an exhaustive list, of course, but the things that best reflected how important and widely entrenched open source software (especially Linux) has become. InfiniVault Archive Appliance Learn how the right archive solution can save money, ensure regulatory compliance and provide infinite capacity for the small to mid-sized enterprise. Download this white paper to find out more. Aberdeen Report - Engineering Change Management 2.0: Better Business Decisions from Intelligent Change Management Over the years, many companies have focused on improving the efficiency of change management. Recently, there has been a shift in perspective on change management. This report serves as a map for companies seeking to improve productivity in their engineering change processes and make better business decisions that will drive product profitability. Selecting the Right Hosting Provider Insider Secrets That Every IT and Business Executive Should Know How can you identify the hosting company that's right for you? What are the business risks? What questions should you ask? Get the facts in this interview with Phil Shih, a research analyst at Tier1 Research, who covers consumer... Featured Jobs: True Circuits, Inc. seeking Mixed-Signal CAD Software Engineer in Los Altos, CA Blue Cross Blue Shield seeking Production Support Analyst II in Chicago, IL Agilent seeking SAP Application Developer in Wilmington, DE Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Co seeking Chief Technology Officer in Algona, IA Investment Technology Group seeking Principal Software Engineer in Los Angeles, CA For more great jobs, career-related news, features and services, please visit our "Career Center. Try InformationWeek's RSS Feed Discover all InformationWeek's sites and newsletters Recommend This Newsletter To A Friend Do you have friends or colleagues who might enjoy this newsletter? Please forward it to them and point out the subscription page. More than 20,000 IT terms, more than 20,000 definitions: All at your fingertips, all in TechEncyclopedia Saw a TechWeb feature you want to see again? You are subscribed as #emailaddr#. To unsubscribe from, subscribe to, or change your E-mail address for this newsletter, please visit the InformationWeek Subscription Center. Update your subscriber profile.
Note: To change your E-mail address, please subscribe your new address and unsubscribe your old one. Keep Getting This Newsletter Don't let future editions of InformationWeek Daily go missing. Take a moment to add the newsletter's address to your anti-spam white list: InfoWeek@update.informationweek.com If you're not sure how to do that, ask your administrator or ISP. Or check your anti-spam utility's documentation. Thanks. We take your privacy very seriously. Please review our Privacy Policy. InformationWeek Daily Newsletter A free service of InformationWeek and the TechWeb Network. Copyright (c) 2008 CMP Media LLC 600 Community Drive Manhasset, N.Y. 11030 © 2008  |  CMP Technology LLC  |  Privacy Statement  |  Terms Of Service