Robotech_Master asks: "I've been trying to get my brother to install a Linux partition on his own computer, but he's kind of iffy on it. I'd like to impress him, to make it more likely that he'll do it, so I was wondering... is there anything I can do with Linux that would cause a Windows '98 user to go "Wow!"? It can't be something that requires a lot of downloading, because I don't think we'll have the my new box hooked up to the Internet until I bring it home, and it can't take a terribly long time to set up, either. I have the Cheapbytes Red Hat 5.2 CD, Red Hat 5.2 Source CD, and the 3-CD Autumn '98 Linux Archive set available. I'd appreciate any suggestions!"

This Anonymous Coward asks a question related to an older question on Video Converencing with a twist: "What software is written to capture from the Quickcam using the video4linux interface? I can only find bttv which is for video in a window I believe. I am looking for something like xfqcam but which uses the video4linux interface. Quickcam detection seems to really suck under linux especialy with the user level programs (xfqcam) and I figured the video4linux interface might work better. " Can anyone help out with some answers?

An Anonymous Coward asks: "Picture this: a mega SCSI based server box with a bunch of cd-rom drives. What's the best way to build this beast so that it can serve iso-9660 and hfs CDs to smb/cifs, nfs and appletalk clients? Is there any particular way to deal with SCSI IDs and LUNs? Is there an easy way to improve request performance by caching on disk or RAM?" Hey...sounds like an interesting topic!

Evan Leibovitch writes "The Linux Institute has recently opened a website to provide information on its professional certification program that has already been about half a year in the making. Like the Digital Metrics program recently announced on Slashdot, it has no big names behind it, just a lot of hard and dedicated workers. However, unlike other Linux certification attetmpts, this one is community based, non-profit, and non-distribution-specific. "

LinuxCare is running a Cool Linux Story competition. This week's winner is about Herbert, the server no one knew was a server.

Evgeny Zemlerub wrote in about eIT's easyLinux® which sports a complete GUI-based installation; automatic hardware-detection; NLS (National Language Support); claims easy choice of VGA-Card and monitor adjustment; KDE support; Registry support, etc. They still need to finish translating their web-site though...

Phil Gross writes "InfoWorld's Robert X. Cringely is reporting that the US Air Force is considering adding Linux to the list of potential standard military operating systems. It seems the U.S. Air Force has recognized the significance of the momentum behind Linux, according to one reader. Apparently it is asking developers and users if they would be interested in a Defense Information Infrastructure-Common Open Environment (DII COE) segment for Linux. If there is enough interest, Linux would become an "official" operating system for military computers.' I'd love to get more details on this. "
In related news, Wired is reporting the Navy is reconsidering its use of NT: " the Navy said that while Windows NT was specified in the Statement of Work as the operating system for the workstations in question, other components of a coming upgrade will primarily utilize Unix-based systems. The source said. "I don't think that Unix or NT were ever really evaluated -- it was just somebody thinking this was good, with no knowledge"". Thanks to brentbent

chrisd sent us a link to a nice little InfoWorld Article on our friends over at VA Research. Mentions the specs of their latest speed demons and talks about them getting some capital.

CynicalBastard writes wrote in to send us a link to something interesting that recently appeared on CNet. It's a special section on Linux with articles on Alternative OSs, Linux, Linux vs. NT, and project Heresy.

Robert McMillan writes "Nick Petreley answers the question "Is Red Hat becoming too powerful" in hist latest LinuxWorld column. We also have an interesting opinion piece by Bob Young on the site explaining why Linux won't Balkanize. " I feel like throwing more bait into the ring :) Anyway, I think Nick hit on something big - if Red Hat tries to bully an OEM, the OEM laughs rather than trembles in fear like they might with a certain other vendor. Maybe that is stretching it too far, but it's food for thought. What do you think?

wardk wrote in to send us linkage to a PCWeek artcile that Linux 2.2. It starts off by saying that Linux is Enterprise Ready. Talks about corporate support and improvements in SMP. Check it out.

Christopher Leung writes "1999 February issue of Linux Gazette has been pubished. " Articles include a timely one on Linux Certification, an Ode to RMS, Linux Installation and ispell.

Feynman writes "Digital Metrics has released the first level of certification for the Linux community. The dmCLA--Digital Metrics Certified Linux Administrator--is a non-distribution specific Linux certification for system administrators. " Who is Digital Metrics? Red Hat might be aligned with a distribution, but they have a name. I mean, if I start a certification program does that make it meaningful? Should Linux International do this sort of thing? That's at least an impartial group with a valid name. Anyway, its to early on a monday for this many questions *grin*.

nelsonrn writes "Two university groups are working on designs for tiny Linux boxen reminiscent of the Compaq Itsy: UNSW's Pocket Linux Embedded Box (PLEB), an Intel/ARM SA-1100 based box, and Ryerson's uClinux simm, a 1" tall Motorola/68K Dragonball-based Linux box on a simm. Both have serial ports and LCD interfaces, but the PLEB has IR and the uClinux simm has Ethernet. Both ports are booting on their respective development platforms. Coincidentally, both projects are currently laying out their boards in preparation for a run of prototypes." Update: 01/31 10:39 by S : In related news, Tarcus posted this ARM multiprocessing set of PCI cards manufactured by Chalice Technology which make for a cheap Beowulf cluster.

Dave Coombs writes "Montreal's Biodome has a webcam aimed at a bunch of penguins, 24 hours a day! " See! the penguins walk around! Behold! the excitement of them standing there.

David E. Smith writes "The five millionth ZDNet publication, Sm@rtReseller, has a neat Linux article. Basically, given the same hardware, they ran three different Linux distributions and Windows NT and benchmarked them. Guess who won. "

James Hall writes "Jon Taylor recently posted a message to the linux-ggi list indicating that he is going to be working for Creative Labs to build both Linux sound drivers for the Live cards as well as drivers (binary only) for all the graphics cards Creative makes (including cards based around 3DFX, nVidia, 3DLabs, and Rendition chipsets). The message has been circulating around (I found it on the opengl-gamedev-l mailing list) but the original can be found here. "

Rob Kaper asks this interesting question: "We all know LWN's 1998 timeline and some of us read Linus' timeline written in 1992 as well. But is there a more complete 1991-1999 timeline filling the gabs? I know it was once a work in progress for the Linux Promotion Project, but I've never seen something like it."

pepper20 asks: "Okay, now that the big boys in the database game have ported their software to Linux, what is a smart choice for a web site backend or small business? With all the choices out there (Sybase, Informix, Oracle, mSQL, mySql, etc... ), what would you all recommend, and why?"

Mech.Eng writes "SGI is officially supporting Linux on servers. This is their press release "