Latest News from Kevin Bedell

How to Measure the Impact of Open Source on Software Project Velocity

Mon, 05 Jun 2006 09:00:00 EDT

Most developers know by instinct that some projects move quickly and others seem to crawl forward - or even go backwards at times. But how can a project's velocity - or speed of progress - be tracked more empirically?

OpenOffice.org 2.0 Ships - Exclusive Interview With Louis Suárez-Potts on OpenOffice.org

Thu, 20 Oct 2005 13:45:00 EDT

Without a full-featured office productivity suite, Linux on the desktop would be nothing but a dream. Fortunately, the OpenOffice.org project provides us with a fullfeatured office productivity suite that is solid and continuing to get better.

Open Source and the "Mixed-IP" Environment

Fri, 12 Aug 2005 15:00:00 EDT

Every company that develops software whether for internal use or to sell to customers is now working in a new 'mixed-IP' environment created by the spread of Open Source. This new environment's impact on software development has been dramatic.

Open Source Developers Are Rock Stars

Mon, 11 Apr 2005 00:00:00 EDT

When I was a kid, all I wanted to be was a rock star. I wanted to play guitar, get up on stage, and have everyone scream while I cranked out some hard rockin' tune. I wanted to see lighters held up in the crowd as I finished my last set - dripping with sweat, completely tired, and no energy left. Leave it all on the stage - that's what I wanted. My friends all felt the same - we talked about it all the time.

The Linux Cookbook: Michael Stutz On Using Linux For Everyday Activities

Sat, 22 Jan 2005 00:00:00 EST

Michael Stutz, author of The Linux Cookbook, 2nd Edition: Tips and Techniques for Everyday Use, discusses what inspired him to write this book, when he first started using Linux, and other world views.

So Long...

Mon, 13 Dec 2004 00:00:00 EST

This will be my last column as editor-in-chief of LinuxWorld Magazine. It's been a lot of fun and a great ride, but I guess all good things must come to an end. The new editor-in-chief will be Mark Hinkle. Regular readers know Mark from his ongoing 'Dr. Migration' column. Mark was the very first member of the editorial team after myself, so it's fitting that he's able to step in and take my place now that I'm moving on - not that I'll be 'moving on' very far: I'll be staying on with the magazine as open source editor, which will allow me to focus on an area that I think is really interesting while giving me a break from the responsibilities of being editor-in-chief.

Version Control with Subversion

Mon, 13 Dec 2004 00:00:00 EST

Recently I had the opportunity to talk with the authors of Version Control with Subversion. In this interview, they discuss what Subversion is, migrating to Subversion, and, of course, music.

The Business and Economics of Linux and Open Source

Mon, 13 Dec 2004 00:00:00 EST

Martin Fink's book on the business side of Linux and open source was one of the first books that looked at Linux and open source from the perspective of corporate managers and executives. In this extremely influential book, he explained in business terms why Linux and open source are here to stay and why companies everywhere should be aggressively moving to develop strategies for their adoption. He now speaks at conferences around the world delivering this same message.

Linux Opinion: Where's "Baghdad Bob" When You Need Him?

Mon, 01 Nov 2004 00:00:00 EST

In his briefest ever contribution to LinuxWorld.com, Kevin Bedell writes...

Open Source and Open Standards

Fri, 29 Oct 2004 00:00:00 EDT

As the Linux and open source communities continue to expand, there's a lot of discussion happening around the ideas of open source and open standards. It's not enough, people say, to just have the software code be open source - the standards themselves need to be open too.

Exclusive Linux.SYS-CON.com Magazine Interview with Oracle's Wim Coekaerts

Wed, 13 Oct 2004 00:00:00 EDT

The Linux Kernel Summit takes place every year and the last few years it's been held in Ottawa, Canada. Prior to that it was in San Jose, California. USENIX organizes the whole event and they're sponsored by various companies; Oracle is a big sponsor,as well as companies like IBM, HP, and Intel. It's mostly an invitation-only event.

Microsoft Titanic, Meet Mr Open Source Iceberg

Wed, 13 Oct 2004 00:00:00 EDT

So it's begun. Microsoft is admitting in its financial filings that Linux and open source are eating into its revenues. Worse for them, they say, is that what they're seeing is the tip of the iceberg.

If Sun Released Java Under an Open Source License, What Type of License Might It Use?

Mon, 27 Sep 2004 00:00:00 EDT

Can something be considered to be 'open source' if some organization stays in control of the standards that the software implements? In other words, is 'Open Source/Closed Standards' a good idea? Yes, says LinuxWorld editor-in-chief Kevin Bedell, 'I believe this should be fine. It's to everyone's benefit to allow open source implementations of standard APIs while preventing fragmentation of those APIs, he contends. 'For example, if Sun were to want to release Java under an open source license, this may be the type of license it would choose,' Bedell adds.

Succeeding with Open Source

Mon, 27 Sep 2004 00:00:00 EDT

In this issue, Bernard Golden, author of Succeeding with Open Source, discusses open source software, its pros and cons, and how to choose the right Linux implementation for your business.

Is "Free Software" Dead?

Wed, 01 Sep 2004 00:00:00 EDT

There are some people who are passionate about the differences between 'free software' and 'open source.' I'm beginning to wonder if the difference matters. The term 'free software' came into use at about the same time that Richard Stallman quit his job at MIT, launched the GNU Project, and began writing the software that would eventually become the core of the free software community: emacs, the GNU 'C' compile (gcc), the 'C' libraries, and a few others.

An Interview with Mark Hinkle

Tue, 31 Aug 2004 00:00:00 EDT

Mark Hinkle, LinuxWorld Magazine's editor of desktop technology and CIO of NeTraverse, makers of Win4Lin, talks to Kevin Bedell about the latest developments in the Linux desktop and Windows-to-Linux migration.

SYS-CON Interviews Michael Norman, Hyades Project

Thu, 05 Aug 2004 00:00:00 EDT

SYS-CON interviews Michael Norman, CEO of Scapa Technologies, live at the LinuxWorld Conference & Expo 2004 in San Francisco, about Eclipse and - especially - the Hyades Project.

It's Our Anniversary

Tue, 27 Jul 2004 00:00:00 EDT

Hello, and thanks for reading LinuxWorld Magazine! Welcome to our one-year anniversary issue! It seems like only yesterday that we were launching this magazine; so much has happened since then.

Controlling Your IT Destiny

Tue, 27 Jul 2004 00:00:00 EDT

LWM's editor-in-chief, Kevin Bedell, recently had the opportunity to ask Ranajit Nevatia, director of Linux Strategy for VERITAS, a few questions about how Linux is impacting VERITAS and how the company is contributing to the world of open source.

What's New Under the Sun?

Tue, 27 Jul 2004 00:00:00 EDT

LWM's editor-in-chief, Kevin Bedell, spoke with Sun's John Fowler about what's new - with Sun, with Fowler's new position, and with Sun's place in the open source world - and learned a little history as well.

Users Shaping Events

Tue, 15 Jun 2004 00:00:00 EDT

Hello and welcome to another edition of LinuxWorld Magazine! As usual, we're excited about the great material we've been able to put together for you. Looking back over the last month, I was really struck by how the visibility and adoption of Linux and Open Source software have been accelerating. There were some pretty big announcements this month.

Fakers Need to Stop Polluting the Knowledge Space

Fri, 21 May 2004 00:00:00 EDT

Recently it's been confirmed that employees of the JBoss Group have been for some time been making anonymous and/or fake posts on Java community sites. They've been aggressively promoting their platform by pretending to be people who are using JBoss and like it - and just as aggressively they've been attacking people who speak against them or their products. But if we keep our shared knowledge space clean and reasonably trustworthy, argues LinuxWorld Magazine editor-in-chief Kevin Bedell, we're all better off.

Linux for Non-Geeks

Tue, 18 May 2004 00:00:00 EDT

Kevin Bedell caught up with Rickford Grant, author of Linux for Non-Geeks, to ask him a few questions about his handy guide for Linux newbies and those with 'command-line phobia.'

Advanced Unix Programming, Second Edition

Tue, 18 May 2004 00:00:00 EDT

Marc J. Rochkind wrote the first edition of Advanced UNIX Programming in 1984. In this installment of the Book Rookery, he discusses with Kevin Bedell the second edition - a complete revision that benefits from his years of post-Bell application systems development experience.

We're Honored

Tue, 18 May 2004 00:00:00 EDT

We received some great news this past month. Our own Dee-Ann LeBlanc, known to regular readers as the Gaming Industry editor of LinuxWorld Magazine, was selected a winner of the 2003 Excellence in Technology Journalism by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). Dee-Ann won for her LWM article from last December on the Linux kernel team and the dynamics of how they work together...

Insanely Great Linux Devices?

Mon, 19 Apr 2004 00:00:00 EDT

I'm waiting for Linux's Steve Jobs to arrive. You know what I mean? A person who can take this technology and turn it into some amazing consumer products. 'Insanely Great' products.

Francois Bancilhon on Mandrakesoft

Mon, 19 Apr 2004 00:00:00 EDT

In this interview, LWM Editor-in-Chief Kevin Bedell speaks with Francois Bancilhon, CEO of Mandrakesoft, about the success they've had over the past year...and how they plan to build upon it.

Linux for Dummies, 5th Edition

Mon, 19 Apr 2004 00:00:00 EDT

In this installment of the Book Rookery, Kevin Bedell speaks with LWM's own Dee-Ann LeBlanc about the latest edition of Linux for Dummies, which features expanded coverage of the Linux desktop, among other things.

Xandros on the Desktop Means Business

Mon, 19 Apr 2004 00:00:00 EDT

With a new business desktop, a 'Best Front Office Solution' award, and an expanding product line, things are looking good for Xandros. LWM Editor-in-Chief Kevin Bedell spoke with Dr. Frederick H. Berenstein at LinuxWorld Expo; here he shares the history of Xandros and, more important, what he sees in the future.

Linux Programming by Example: The Fundamentals

Tue, 16 Mar 2004 00:00:00 EST

In this installmant of the Book Rookery, LWM Editor-in-Chief Kevin Bedell talks with Arnold Robbins about his new book, Linux Programming by Example: The Fundamentals, which will be invaluable to those just learning to develop under Linux.

The Future of Open Source

Tue, 16 Mar 2004 00:00:00 EST

Linux is among the most popular applications known as 'free software' or 'open source.' Among other things, 'open source' means that the source code for these applications is available to those who are interested in seeing (or modifying) it. This is unlike commercial applications such as Windows where all the source code is a tightly guarded secret.

Keynote Panel : The Open Source Debate

Wed, 25 Feb 2004 00:00:00 EST

This lively discussion will take on the controversial OS questions tha everyone is asking.

Hot New Skills: Best Practices for Off-Shore and Distributed Development Projects

Tue, 24 Feb 2004 00:00:00 EST

While many are decrying the 'giant sucking sound' of development projects flying to off-shore development shops in India and other countries, the smart ones among us realize that this trend will create some new opportunities at home as well. When the new projects require you to work with distributed or off-shore development teams, will you have the skills and knowledge to take advantage?

What's New with Red Hat?

Wed, 18 Feb 2004 00:00:00 EST

If you want to maximize the powerful capabilities of Red Hat Enterprise and Fedora Linux, you'll want to check out Red Hat Enterprise Linux & Fedora Edition: The Complete Reference, by Richard Petersen and Ibrahim Haddad. In this Q&A, Kevin Bedell asks these experts a few questions about RHE and Fedora, and gets a preview of what to expect from the book.

Freedom to Innovate

Wed, 18 Feb 2004 00:00:00 EST

If you're like me, one of the most interesting things about following Linux is being constantly amazed at how many radically different directions you can see it going in. For example, in the last 30 days I've talked to people about Linux applications running on platforms ranging from a massive cluster to a small, embedded system on a circuit board about the size of a stick of chewing gum.

SYS-CON Radio Interviews Jaldhar Vyas of Debian

Fri, 23 Jan 2004 00:00:00 EST

SYS-CON Radio Interviews Jaldhar Vyas Debian developer.

SYS-CON Radio Interviews James Cox of Apress

Fri, 23 Jan 2004 00:00:00 EST

SYS-CON Radio Interviews James Cox, Editor for Apress

SYS-CON Radio Interviews Scott McNeil, Free Standards Group

Fri, 23 Jan 2004 00:00:00 EST

SYS-CON Radio Interviews Scott McNeil, Executive Director of the Free Standards Group

SYS-CON Radio Interviews Mark K. Smith of the Gelato Federation

Fri, 23 Jan 2004 00:00:00 EST

SYS-CON Radio Interviews Mark Smith, Ph.D Managing Director of the Gelato Federation

SYS-CON Radio Interviews the Linux Terminal Server Project

Fri, 23 Jan 2004 00:00:00 EST

SYS-CON Radio interviews Jim McQuillan and Ron Colcernian of the LTSP project.

SYS-CON Radio Interviews Linux Labs

Fri, 23 Jan 2004 00:00:00 EST

SYS-CON Radio interviews Suchindra Katagevi of LinuxLabs.com

SYS-CON Radio Interviews George Staikos of KDE

Thu, 22 Jan 2004 00:00:00 EST

SYS-CON Radio interviews George Staikos, President of Staikos Computing Services and KDE Developer.

SYS-CON Radio Interviews Frederick Berenstein of Xandros

Thu, 22 Jan 2004 00:00:00 EST

SYS-CON Radio Interviews Frederick Berenstein, Chairman of Xandros

SYS-CON Radio Interviews Francois Bancilhon of MandrakeSoft

Thu, 22 Jan 2004 00:00:00 EST

SYS-CON Radio Interviews Francois Bancilhon, CEO of MandrakeSoft

SYS-CON Radio interviews Thomas Essebier of SnapGear

Thu, 22 Jan 2004 00:00:00 EST

SYS-CON Radio interviews Thomas Essebier, VP Software Engineering for SnapGear

SYS-CON Radio Interviews OpenOffice.org

Thu, 22 Jan 2004 00:00:00 EST

SYS-CON Radio interviews Andy Stein, CIO of the City of Newport News OpenOffice.org user.

SYS-CON Radio Interviews Duffy Fron of the Linux Professional Institute

Thu, 22 Jan 2004 00:00:00 EST

SYS-CON Radio Interviews Duffy Fron, on the Board of Directors for the the Linux Professional Institute

SYS-CON Radio Interviews Sam Hiser of OpenOffice.org

Thu, 22 Jan 2004 00:00:00 EST

SYS-CON Radio Interviews Sam Hiserm, Marketing Project Lead of OpenOffice.org

SYS-CON Radio Interviews Len Rosenthal of PathScale

Thu, 22 Jan 2004 00:00:00 EST

SYS-CON Radio Interviews Len Rosenthal, Vice President of Marketing for PathScale

SYS-CON Radio Interviews Wim Coekaerts of Oracle

Thu, 22 Jan 2004 00:00:00 EST

SYS-CON Radio Interviews Wim Coekaerts, Principal, Linux Kernel Group for Oracle