Content Management Matters ™

In a software package it is. Alfresco announced that Canonical, the commercial sponsor of the Linux-based operating system Ubuntu, will offer Alfresco Labs 3 as part of its partner repository.

Ubuntu is an open source OS containing several applications -- a web browser, presentation, document and spreadsheet software, instant messaging, etc. And now - ECM functionality, too.

Virtual Bridges, a leading provider of desktop and enterprise virtualization solutions for business, has launched version 5 of its Win4Lin Desktop virtualization system for running Windows on Linux. It includes performance increases it claims beats the likes of VMware Workstation and other competitors in the desktop virtualization market.

Alfresco Software announced the availability of its second global survey of trends in the use of open source software in the enterprise. The survey, touted as the largest-ever study of open source enterprise stack, revealed that deployments of Ubuntu and Red Hat Enterprise Linux have a market share of 24% and 21% respectively.

Let's get right to it: considering the popularity of open source applications and utilities, why hasn’t the open source flagship - the Linux operating system - caught on with mainstream PC users?

With the various incarnations of Linux available at the click of a button, why do the majority of PC users prefer to drop $200 US on a Windows Vista or Mac OS install disk instead of trying the third, free option?

Yesterday Novell announced the upcoming availability of Open Workgroup, the first workgroup suite for small businesses that provides flexy solutions based on "proven" open source-based software.

Bullies can only survive so long -- and like some Marxist fantasia, particularly debauched, abusive bullies are known for awakening the revolutionary ire of those who, en masse, could easily spell tyranny's downfall.

The context is set. Now for the major players. The diverse and ever-growing Linux community, newly united as The Linux Foundation, may be preparing an assault against longtime ruler Microsoft that is expected to sting - if not immediately, then with time.

This Thursday we witness the anticipated release Ubuntu Linux 7.04, known to Linux aficionados by code name Feisty Fawn. And the new components are feisty indeed: the aforementioned Fawn possesses virtualization features and improved installation management tools, courtesy of project sponsor Canonical.

The solution makes it possible to upgrade servers automatically while simultaneously granting admins the ability to control that process, letting them override decisions and enable task upgrades and dependency checking as-needed.