There was a time when open-source software was the domain of computer geeks and do-it-yourselfers with more time than money. But, as Oracle's legal salvo against Google highlighted last week, those days are long gone. Oracle (ORCL), through its purchase of Sun Microsystems, has become one of the largest purveyors of open-source software in the world.

Sugar Labs, the organisation behind the One Laptop Per Child's XO laptop software, have released the USB stick version of the Sugar Learning Platform version 1.0. The Linux distribution is designed for use in the classroom and allows children to learn to work and play together sharing homework and software over the network.

Sugar Labs has announced the availability of Sugar on a Stick version 2, a major update of its Linux-based operating system for education that was originally developed for the One Laptop Per Child project. The new version introduces an ebook reader and a number of other important features.

The past year brought some exciting advancements for the Linux operating system and open source software. Open technology continues to become more pervasive and the Linux kernel is now widely used in a multitude of mainstream products ranging from set-top boxes to mobile phones.

The first picture of an alleged Google phone appeared on the internet. Of course these phones will run Android, Google's own Linux based Operating System for Smartphones. The phone will be called Nexus One and is made by smartphone maker HTC.

Earlier this week an article concerning Vista and market share and one about how Open Source Software has cost the IT Industry $60 Billion dollars over the last five years or so hit the newswire. Needless to say this generated some conversations about their validity.

What do you want your cell phone to be able to do? Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Hal Abelson put that question to about 20 computer science students this semester when he gave them one assignment: Design a software program for cell phones that use Google Inc.'s upcoming Android mobile operating system.

The T-Mobile G1, the first phone to run Google's Linux-based, open-source Android phone operating system, may have had some issues and never really taken off, but that doesn't mean Android won't take off. In fact, I think it is almost certain to take off.

Google’s Android, a mobile phone’s open source operating system is coming closer and closer to a reality for us. The most recent news shows a really spiffy phone with tons of features and excellently cool!