Even as the recession continues to cool CIO appetites for software purchases, Linux is bucking the trend, according to a new IDC report.

 August 19, 2009 4:27 AM PDT
by Matt Asay

   IDC is projecting Linux revenue to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 16.9 percent from 2008 to 2013, topping $1.2 billion in 2013.

As IDC notes, this growth will comprise just 4 percent of total software market revenue by 2013, up from 2.2 percent in 2008. However, for the second time, IDC has also examined nonpaid deployments of Linux, revealing some troubling data.
I've always assumed Red Hat's primary Linux competitor is Novell. And based on IDC's numbers, it does appear that Novell is increasingly a real threat to Red Hat.
But it is the nonpaid usage of Red Hat's software that may well pose a bigger risk.

   Novell has launched a new service called SUSE Studio that makes it easy to build software appliances. Ars gives it a spin and find it's an excellent tool for building virtual appliances.

By Ryan Paul | Last updated July 30, 2009 6:29 AM CT

By Barbara Darrow, Senior News Director, and Leah Rosin, Site Editor, SearchEnterpriseLinux.com

If there is one major beneficiary of Microsoft's decision to submit device driver code to the Linux community, it's Microsoft itself, IT pros and solution providers said.

To-do list programs can help you stay organized and boost productivity. Ars looks at GTG, KOrganizer, and other task management tools for the Linux desktop.

By Ryan Paul | Last updated July 12, 2009 8:00 PM CT

 I've found that maintaining a proper to-do list consistently boosts my productivity. The challenge, however, is finding task management software that fits with my workflow. I've tried several web solutions—including Remember the Milk (RTM) and a self-hosted Tracks setup—but the problem with browser-based to-do lists is that I tend to ignore what's not immediately visible on my desktop. Fortunately, there are several reasonably good open source to-do list tools for Linux.