The Register: MS promotes Linux from threat to 'the' threat - Memo By Thomas C Greene in Washington

"Linux is the long-term threat against our core business. Never forget that!" Microsoft Windows Division Veep Brian Valentine exclaims in a confidential memo to his Sales Brownshirts obtained by The Register. (our emphasis)

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It's no secret that MS has long regarded Linux as a threat, at least not since Eric Raymond broke the news two years ago with the infamous Halloween Documents. But it's lovely to see it becoming the threat, apparently because it empowers people to operate computers and networks without buying into the nebulous Microsoft .NET vision, which, as you'll see below, the company thinks of as something to be 'positioned' by its products.

In today's low-level programming lecture I was telling the students of the old Ambrosia (remember that means MS!) mantra - Google Search: "DOS ain't done till Lotus won't run". See for example: link.archive.9710: Re: MS gets creamed!.

Since Billy has a habit of lying about how benign Ambrosia is, history indicates otherwise. E.g. Lotus, DR-DOS, Netscape... Who'll be next?

Wonka

Wonka is ACUNIA's cleanroom Virtual Machine for the JavaTM language. It is extremely portable and self-contained, and can optionally be used with its own real-time executive (OSwaldTM) to provide a complete solution for embedded devices. It is a full implementation of the Java language, not just a subset. And it's Open Source.

aD's Vox Populi: Polling Software for your Website

Vox Populi is a free service that allows you to set up polls on your own website with real-time calculations of results. You control the content, even the look of the result pages, as well as how you want the poll to function.

The Guardian Unlimited | Information | What is a weblog? page contains links to software that cna be used to build weblogs. Conversant isn't included, but should be IMHO - especially since it has much more potential in comparison with run-of-the-mill weblogging tools.

Living Without Microsoft

We are building an information hub for those who would like to kick the Microsoft habit and move to using software which does not emanate from Redmond. Given the range of what's available, we could not pretend to be the world's experts on all the alternatives available, and so have designed a site which -- we hope -- encourages other like-minded folks to contribute ideas, news, reviews and essays. So please come in and help us harness the collective IQ of the Net.