Category Pointers

Is Novell Really Selling Out?

Bruce Perens writes on the significance of the Microsoft-Novell agreement that was announced yesterday. While I do not agree with everything we writes (I found the article a bit excessive), it is a good article on the possible implications to Linux and Open Source in general this agreement might mean.

Microsoft Software EULA: You (don't) have the right to *

Horrendous EULA restrictions for the upcoming Vista. While EULAs are of arguable legal status in many countries, I'd like to believe that they might be enough to persuade some Windows users who respect their rights and are on the fence to switch to software without such ridiculously restricting licences.

Java. Open. At last!

JCP was a move in the right direction. Open Sourcing Java is a huge leap forward and will hopefully breathe new life into the platform. However, I do hope that someone, be it Sun or a Java Foundation will retain control and prevent Java from losing the edge due to endless debates and lack of focus.

Google loves the sun.

Their all-good-no-evil aura might be almost gone, but Google is still impressing with some of its actions. Google HQ is going solar, as 30% of its power needs will be catered by the sun through 1.6MW-producing solar panels. Excellent.

You What?

There goes YouTube, swallowed by the new Microsoft Google. With the YouTube brand here to stay, is Google Video going to stay then or will it disappear?

Τέλος στη μπόχα και στη Γαλλία!

Μετά την Ιρλανδία και τη Σκωτία, τώρα και η Γαλλία απελευθερώνεται από το καπνό και την παρελκόμενη μπόχα, καθώς θα απαγορεύεται το κάπνισμα σε δημόσιους χώρους από τη 1η Φεβρουαρίου 2007. Ας ελπίσουμε για σχετική Ευρωπαϊκή Οδηγία στο προσεχές μέλλον.. Περισσότερα εδώ [BBC, Αγγλικά]

A recent review of the Community Patent process

Some informative articles by the The Register on the state of the negotiations for establishing a common legal system for establishing patents and governing litigation across the EU. See this. Also on The Reg, this article about how damaging the U.S. system is to FOSS.