From: Mark Bolzern < mark@wgs.com>
Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.announce
Subject: Linux Newsletter Issue#3
Date: Fri, 07 Feb 1997 00:01:26 GMT
Organization: ?
Approved: linux-announce@news.ornl.gov (Lars Wirzenius)
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Reply-To: mark@wgs.com
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Linux Newsletter: Issue #3 Date: 01/30/97
Table of contents:
- -Linux Trademark Dispute Update, the rest of the story
- -BYTE Magazine, January Article
- -Linus at Disneyland
- -Report USENIX/UseLinux Show, Anaheim, Jan 6-10, 1997 GREAT SHOW!!!!!
- -Get a video tape of UseLinux sessions, including Linus speaking
on the "Future of the Linux Kernel"
- -Linus version 2.0, it's a girl!
- -Linux, InfoWorld Magazine's product (operating system) of the year!
- -Red Hat Linux version 4.1 released
- -New Applixware 4.3 announced, Sale & Free upgrade on existing version
- -Caldera Open Linux Base shipping
- -Uniforum Show, San Francisco, March 10-14, 1997 also: Volunteers needed
- -SoftBank Comdex participation Spring and Fall, Linux Vendors needed.
- -Wearable Computing, neat Linux Application
- -DejaNews link, neat Linux site
- -This month's special offers at the LinuxMall
- -How to subscribe/unsubscribe to this newsletter
===
This is Issue #3 of the Linux newsletter. It has been fun writing it
for you. We have gotten back a lot of new subscriptions in the last
month. Several hundred in fact. I have also gotten a lot of positive
and encouraging feedback. I very much enjoy serving the Linux Community,
and the FREEDOM of choice that Linux represents.
I hope to continue to live up to your expectations.
-- Mark
Hang on, here we go!
===
Linux Trademark Dispute Update, the rest of the story.
As many of you know, a person by the name of William R. Della Croce, Jr.
claims to own the Linux Trademark. We have made progress on this front
and the petition for cancellation has been filed with the Trademark office.
Della Croce followed this claim with a letter to us demanding 10% of
the gross revenues of WGS, and also sent the same letter to other Linux
companies.
Please see http://www.linuxmall.com/announce.html
for the most extensive collection of information to date on this issue.
Included is more information than has ever been published anywhere else.
The issue is still not completely resolved, but is now in hands of the law,
which will take time. We hope that in the meantime, Della Croce chooses
to voluntarily release the trademark before we get to court. If it is
found by the court that Della Croce falsely claimed Linux, the court
will likely choose to press criminal charges. In any case, if Della Croce
would voluntarily turn over the trademark it could save everyone a
lot of money, time and grief.
===
BYTE Magazine, January Article
For those of you who did not see it, BYTE magazine had a GREAT article
about Linux in the January, 1997 issue! It was very positive.
===
Report USENIX/UseLinux Show, Anaheim, Jan 6-10, 1997 GREAT SHOW!!!!!
As many of you already know the UseLinux show just occurred a
couple of weeks ago at Anaheim California, just a few blocks from
Disneyland.
My wife Virginia and I packed our stuff into the trusty van, and drove
out from our home town of Aurora Colorado to take part in this show.
On a straight through drive, we made a brief stop in Las Vegas for
a buffet at the Rio, "Voted the best in Las Vegas". Then miles down
the road the California Agricultural Department made us "eat or
throw away" our entire week's stock of "Organically Raised" mandarin
oranges before they let us pass. We couldn't bear wasting them, and
they tasted good, but it *was* a bit much, eating those 40 oranges
all at once, especially on top of a buffet less than an hour earlier.
A few hours later we arrived at LA, and caught our first sleep.
We were anticipating visiting the UCLA Linux users group along with
Jon "maddog" Hall, and Linus Torvalds, on Sunday but had forgotten to
take our directions to get there. I kept trying to call my contact
for information (I learned the message on the answering machine by
heart). We finally stopped at an electronics superstore, and used
WebTV to locate some references to the user group, but got very little
further info. I called the president according to the web page
I located. He answered, but hadn't been connected with the group for
some time. As soon as he heard that Linus was going to be there, he
immediately did an Alta Vista Search for the keywords: UCLA Linux user
group, found where the meeting was, and then ran out to meet Linus.
I think he would looked the info up for me anyway, but to see Linus....
He still had time to get to the meeting from where he was, but Virginia
& I unfortunately did not, as we were too far away. I'll be smarter
next time as to how to find what I want on the 'net. Glad someone
profited from it though!
Monday while in Anaheim, Virginia and I had the opportunity to treat
Linus Torvalds to a day at Disneyland. A picture was taken which we
will be putting on our Web site shortly if anyone would care to check
it out. There is a link to it from
http://www.linuxmall.com/announce.html
Indiana Jones was the mutually preferred ride... Did you know that each
of those cars in this ride costs over $600,000 between steel, hydraulics,
motors & computerization?
Oh, and about the show, UseLinux (January 6-10, 1997) was great. The
attendance combined with USENIX was 1444, and I was told that about
25% came specifically because of the Linux presence.
UseLinux was billed as the Linux Applications Development and Deployment
Conference. It featured developers and business tracks, tutorials,
and invited talks. There were also presentations and case studies where
we found out how things really work from speakers with real-life experience.
There was also a trade show with vendor booths. UseLinux was sponsored
by Linux International and the USENIX Association. For more information,
visit the USENIX Web site: http://www.usenix.org
I was on the organizing committee, and had been assigned 2 presentations
to do; in addition, Virginia and I staffed the WGS booth in the vendor
area. It was neat to actually see various people a number of times, and
get to know quite a few. I renewed friendships with people I had met
before or knew only by E-mail, and made some new ones as well. Some of
the names you would probably recognize so I'll mention a few here. This
is not intended to be an inclusive, or for that matter an organized list,
just off the top of my head: Linus Torvalds, Alan Cox, John "maddog" Hall,
Don Rosenberg, Michael K Johnson, Bob Young, Joel Goldberger, Erik Troan,
Greg Wettstein, Fred Ven Kempen, Bruce Perens, Phil Hughes, Miguel de Icaza,
Alessandro Rubini, Victor Yodaiken, Ted Tso, Heiko Eissfeldt, Bryan Sparks,
Jim Thompson, the PC TV people Tom Schauer, Giles Bateman and many more.
It is good to know that all the players in the Linux community
are so friendly and helpful toward each other.
Virginia specifically wanted me to comment on how exciting it was to
meet more customers than I can list by name. After knowing them only
as a voice on the phone, or someone at a remote keyboard, meeting them
was a special treat. We heartily thank our faithful and loyal customers
who make this newsletter, and everything we accomplish, possible.
Without you we are nothing. We especially appreciate the customers
that went about the show saying nice things about us to others, and
even sometimes butting in, and making a sale for us at our booth.
It was great.
The highlight of the show for me was when Linus Torvald's session
"The future of the Linux Kernel" started. Here is how it went.
Linus was assigned to talk in a fairly large room that had served
other Linux presentations well. Before Linus even started the room
was stuffed, and a line formed down the hall. The USENIX organizers
rushed over, and just as Linus started his presentation asked him to
move to the BIG room. Well, we filled it too. Linus had better
attendance than the keynote by James Gosling, of Java fame! This
with no promotion for his session beyond it's listing in the show
guide. This session, along with several others is available on
video tape. See below for more info on that.
Virginia told me that the vendor area turned into a graveyard during
Linus' session... vendors were asking "Where did everyone go?". There
were about 8 Linux related vendors there, and about 70 vendors of other
Unix related items. Some had Linux portations, or drivers, and others
did not. Apparently many of the non-Linux vendors went home
convinced that they needed to support this "Linux Stuff" yesterday!
All the Linux sessions were pretty well attended; even the Linux sessions
on Friday, after the rest of the show had pretty much shut down, had
good attendance.
A lot of other neat things happened at this show, and for any who
did not make it there, I am sorry you could not come. It was
a major success, and quite an experience.
After the show, Virginia and I drove back to Colorado again. I think
that the ski resorts should pay me to drive back and forth through the
mountains.... EVERY time I go through there on a trip, snow hits either
going one way or the other. This is true even in the summer! It was a
really big snow this time coming back. The snow just kept getting
deeper and the freeway got worse & worse. The road really slick & piled
up by the time we got to Glenwood Springs. So, we stopped at Yampah
Hot springs and visited the natural vapor caves for some relaxation.
I had never been there before. I would suggest anyone traveling through
on I-70 check it out. Yampah vapor caves claim to be the ONLY natural
vapor caves in North America... a fabulous sauna...
====
UseLinux video tape, Future of the Linux Kernel
If you would like to get a video tape of some of the UseLinux sessions,
including Linus speaking on the "Future of the Linux Kernel" you can
contact the http://www.linuxmall.com and order item# 00128. I had
originally only intended on recording these sessions for my own use....
but so many people seeing me with a camera stopped me to ask for a copy
of the tape... I felt like I had to say yes. I called to ask about
duplication charges, and calculated all the other related costs in making
this tape generally available. The result is a single 6 hour video tape
(Recorded in Extended Play mode) for $29 plus shipping & handling. We are
waiting to see how many orders we get before ordering the first batch of
duplicates, so place your order, be patient and we will ship it out to
you. This tape is in North American VHS format, and although it was
taped with a top notch Sony video camera with image stabalizing
technology, the nut behind the viewfinder didn't do the greatest job
of holding it still. He forgot to bring a tripod, and sometimes things
are a bit shaky. A few of the questions asked by the audience are hard
to hear... but the informational content is super, and also (amazingly)
relatively timeless. All presenters that appear on the tape will be
sent a free copy upon request.
What is on the tape:
- Short intro by Virginia Lane, VP WGS
- Linus Torvalds, The Future of the Linux Kernel 1.5 hours
- Mark Bolzern, Linux: What it is, and Why it is significant .5 hours
- Don Rosenberg, Linux and distribution channels: 1 hour
Ways to enter the Commercial market
- Jon "maddog" Hall, Using Linux in your business: 1.5 hours
a Business Justification
- Jon "maddog" Hall, Bob Young The Linux Market: 1.5 hours
Who, What, Where, When and Why
In the last session, Bob Young goes through his calculations of the
size of the Linux market, and arrives at figures to support as many
as up to Six Million users already. Figures supplied independently
by some of the users of FreeBSD concur, as do my own calculations,
so this number is arrived at by several completely independent
calculations using different evidence.
One of the things that freaked me out a bit at UseLinux was the number
of people running around asking when there was going to be a port of
CDE (Common Desktop Environment) when in fact WGS has been promoting
and shipping X-Inside's CDE for Linux and FreeBSD for several months
now. It has been announced on COLA, I emailed announcements to everyone
I knew to send them to, and here I was standing in my booth handing out
literature about it, I had literature set on the vendor tables outside...
and people were still asking the question. Even so, we sold only a few
copies of CDE there.
But is CDE any good? So far every user I have installed CDE for, does NOT
want to give it up. The task bar is great, as is the calendar, and some
of the other features. You can see it at http://www.linuxmall.com
===
Linus Version 2.0 ... It's a girl
Born December 5, 1996 at 6:22 AM in Helsinki Finland, Patricia Miranda
Torvalds, daughter of Linus Torvalds and Tove Monni just had her naming
ceremony on January 18th, 1997 at her maternal grandparents' house in
Helsinki. Jon "maddog" Hall is Patricia's GodFather. If you would like
to see Patricia, you can take a look at:
http://www.cs.helsinki.fi/~torvalds/
Congratulations Linus & Tove!
===
Linux is InfoWorld's product (operating system) of the year!
InfoWorld just named Red Hat 4.0 Linux, Product of the Year, and you
can find the details at:
http://www.infoworld.com/cgi-bin/displayNew.pl?/poy/poydos.htm
If you want your very own copy of Red Hat Linux 4.0, the Linux Shopping
Mall has plenty of them in stock, and at a good price too! See below
under "Special Offers" for more information.
This award is on a par with the Best of Comdex award bestowed on
Linux Pro by BYTE Magazine about a year ago.... congratulations Red Hat,
way to go Linux!
===
New Applixware 4.3 announced, Sale & Free upgrade on existing version
Red Hat has announced that ApplixWare 4.3 will be available in March 1997,
and until then the Existing ApplixWare 4.2 will sell for $199. We also
have plenty of stock at the Linux Shopping mall and will be selling it
at $189. It will include a free upgrade to version 4.3 as soon as it is
available (price of shipping seperate). See our special offers below.
Quote form the Red Hat announcement
>Based on the new release of Applixware 4.3, the Applix Office Suite
>for Linux will include word processor, spreadsheet, presentation
>graphics, mail and HTML authoring software. The Office Suite will
>sell for $199 and will include: two CDs (Applixware and Red Hat Linux
>4.1), Applixware manual with documentation on Words, Spreadsheets and
>Presentation Graphics, and 30 days of technical support. Applixware
>4.3 will include import and export filters for most word processors
>and spreadsheets, including MSWord, WordPerfect and Excel. This new
>version will be available in March.
>
>With the release of the Applix Office Suite the Applixware family of
>products for Linux will include:
>
> Applixware 4.3 Developer's Version $495
> Applixware 4.3 Office Suite $199
> Applixware 4.3 Student Version $79.95
> Applixware 4.3 Manual $39.95
For upgrade policy and other information check our Web Site at
http://www.linuxmall.com
===
Red Hat Linux 4.1 released
Red Hat Linux 4.1 has just been released. If you want one, then
free to call us and order your "Official Red Hat Linux verson 4.1"
It is Linux Shopping Mall part number# 00103, more information was
not available at press time. There will be more information
on our Web Site at http://www.linuxmall.com shortly.
===
- -Caldera Open Linux Base shipping
Caldera has a new Linux out called Caldera OpenLinux Base... and
this is available at the Linux Shopping Mall too! This Linux is
actively working towards certification for standards such as IEEE
POSIX, and X/Open XPG (UNIX System Standards). It is also the official
upgrade path for Lasermoon customers. This product is a complete
reinstallation, even if you own Caldera Network Desktop, not an
upgrade. It is Part# 00106. OpenLinux base uses a Linux 2.0.x kernel,
includes NetScape navigator and more... see http://www.linuxmall.com
for more information.
===
UNIFORUM '97
Will you be at Uniforum 97? I will be. I would like for the Linux
community to have as big an impact at Uniforum as it did at USENIX
where Linux/UseLinux literally stole the show, after barely making it's
presence known the prior year. UseLinux at USENIX made a lot of people
take Linux seriously that had not before. We have not had enough
preparation this year to make the same kind of impact at UniForum,
but if we have a big enough showing.... next year could be the year...
think of it: UniForum/LinuxForum...
Remember the issues mentioned to me by COMDEX show management in
newsletter issue#2, available at http://www.linuxmall.com/announce.html
Please note that SoftBank COMDEX HAS reprinted the UniForum brochure
which they are mailing out continually. It specifically mentions the
Linux Technology Pavilion on page 3 (the first right hand inside page).
It is presented so it stands out quite well. Thank you SoftBank COMDEX.
You can register for FREE exhibits passes to UniForum and register for
the conference at http://vip.uniforum97.com
You can come see the latest Linux developments at the Linux Pavilion,
and attend the Linux BOF. You can wander the show and tell all the
vendors how important it is to them to have a Linux Port. Most vendors
already have a Linux port internally, but a marketing decision is needed
to make the product be released.
Volunteers are needed to help Linux International staff its booth at
Uniforum 97, and you can indicate interest by writing to comdex@li.org
(Uniforum is a SoftBank Comdex show), and generally by your presence
at the show help Linux to impact Uniforum just as UseLinux practically
took over USENIX a few weeks ago.
===
- -SoftBank Comdex participation Spring and Fall, Linux Vendors needed.
If you are a vendor of anything at all related to Linux, you will want
to be part of the Linux International Pavilion at both Spring and Fall
Comdex shows. Contact SoftBank Comdex at http://www.comdex.com.
Bill Gates will be keynoting there at the spring show. If we can
get enough draw and participation maybe we can get Linus invited as
a keynoter in future years! With Linux now having 6 million estimated
users worldwide in addition to getting top awards from both BYTE and
InfoWorld magazines now, it should only be a matter of time.
The Spring Comdex is in Atlanta, Georgia, June 2-5, 1997
The Fall Comdex is in Las Vegas Nevada, November 17-21, 1997
In the meantime, maybe we can get Softbank to list a Linux Pavilion
and Linux in general on their Web pages at each show (Spring & Fall COMDEX).
Maybe we can even coordinate some Linux sessions for the Fall show!
It all depends on the support Linux International gets from the Linux
community in terms of vendor booths and attendance. So please help
us help Linux to take its rightful place in the press and in the
public consciousness as the #4 operating system in the world already,
and climbing fast!
We will be asking for volunteers for the Linux International Pavilion
& Booth about a month before each show, but you can get your message
indicating interest in helping at any COMDEX show to comdex@li.org at
any time. Please be sure to let us know us which show you want to
help with! Let your voice be heard, help out!
===
The MIT Wearable Computing project
Here is a neat use for Linux:
http://wearables.www.media.mit.edu/projects/wearables
uses solely Linux for development of their machines. The reasons are
obvious (fast turn around on fixes, advanced OS, small/fast, access to
code, cheap, etc.).
===
For those who do not yet know it, one of the largest Usenet News
archives on the Internet uses Linux to run their operation.
hit http://www.dejanews.com/dnabout.html
and http://www.dejanews.com/dnwhy.html
This amazing site uses 2 Linux machines to handle nearly instant
searches on over 80 million news articles making up over 120 Gigabytes
of database.
===
- -Did you know?
Have you ever wanted to run Microsoft Office on Linux?
WABI as ported to Linux by the Caldera people is the way that you
can run Microsoft Office through version 4.3, and also many other
16-bit MS-Windows applications on your Linux system. Most MS-Win
applications run faster on WABI/Linux than natively using
MS-Windows/DOS on the same hardware!
Do you want a Microsoft Office-like suite native to Linux?
ApplixWare works VERY nicely. What is more, this is not some
unknown package, This is the Number One GUI office suite for
Unix systems specifically ported to run natively on Linux.
Or would you like a very friendly desktop on your Linux system that even
neophytes will love? CDE is the Common Desktop environment. I have yet
to find a CDE user that will let me reinstall fvwm. CDE users love it.
Programmers also get a raft of great tools including full Motif 1.2.5,
Sunsoft's Tooltalk and more.
- --
To keep up the Linux promotional work, money must be spent. I order
to make money we sell any and all the excellent Linux items we can find,
so any time you need or want a Linux related item, check us out at the
Linux Shopping Mall. Remember that your purchase not only gets you a
great product at a good price, but it also supports the advancement of
Linux in a very significant way.
About the specials... in order to get these prices you **MUST**
provide the offer code WEX020 when you contact us. A Shipping &
Handling charge will also be added to the price listed so that we
can send it to you in a decent box that will protect the product.
Offer # WEX020 Quantities in stock are limited.
Prices expire Feb 28, 1997, or when current supplies run out, and this
is NOT a complete list of what we carry.
Item# Offer
00128 Video from UseLinux, Linus, "Future of the Linux Kernel"....... $29
Mark, Don, Maddog, Bob and more. See above for full description.
00103 Red Hat Official Linux version 4.1 with Metro-X, $49, on sale $39
00080 Red Hat Official Linux version 4.0 with Metro-X, $49, clearance $29
v4.0-InfoWorld's Operating System of the year! Includes printed Manual
00106 Caldera Open Linux Base ... Caldera the next generation........ $59
00094 Caldera WABI, run Microsoft Windows 16bit software on Linux .. $199
00099 Caldera Internet Office Suite including Word Perfect ......... $325
00098 Caldera Word Perfect & Motif bundle .......................... $225
00078 ApplixWare GUI Office Suite Professional Edition $495, on sale $189
Includes Free upgrade to version 4.3 as soon as available.
00079 ApplixWare GUI Office Suite Education Edition $79, on sale at $69
(same as Pro Ed, fax of student id or faculty id proves that you qualify)
00021 X-Inside Accelerated X-Server/Common Desktop/Motif Bundle at $249
00025 Linux Pro 4.0 6 CD Set, normally $49 on sale at ............... $39
00024 Linux Pro Plus 4.0 Six CDs and 1600 pages Normally $99........ $69
BYTE Magazine's Best of Comdex winner
00002 Linux Encyclopedia, LDP, 1600pg, 4th edition, $49 on sale ..... $39
00062 FlagShip CD containing test drives and activatable versions
of FlagShip for most variants of UNIX and also Linux.
Includes Linux Single user key, normally $220, sale price ... $149
The above are our featured items this month. If you wish to purchase ANY
Linux related items visit http://www.linuxmall.com and browse our catalog.
If you do not find what you want, please let us know. You can also email
sales@wgs.com, call 800-234-7813, or 970-346-4603, or Fax 303-699-2893.
Our order center operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
===
The "Linux Newsletter" is intended to keep you current with what is
going on inside & outside the Linux community. We believe that "The
LINUX Way" embodies the FREEDOM to choose. Our perspective is one
of reporting substantial occurrences that affect acceptance of Linux.
This includes significant commercial product releases. We are strongly
in favor of Linux and its related products in a homogeneous network with,
or as a viable alternative to, other operating systems and products.
We intend not only to report on the market, but to help create it by
dissemination of information and presentation of opportunities. The
author is Mark Bolzern. If you want to know a more about me (many have
asked), visit http://www.linuxmall.com/announce.html, read the bottom item.
Back issues of the Linux Newsletter can also be found at the above URL.
==
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- --
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Find all your Linux needs at the All-Linux Shopping Mall
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