"Richard Stallman will speak about the Free Software Movement, which campaigns for freedom so that computer users can cooperate to control their own computing activities. The Free Software Movement developed the GNU operating system, often erroneously referred to as Linux, specifically to establish these freedoms..."

While market share has been creeping up on the desktop, it can't match the impact and use of Windows - yet Linux advocates will not tire of pushing their beloved Tux onto a public tired of Microsoft's efforts. But the operating system just isn't ready for day-to-day use by non-experts.

Sysadmin at the Johnson County Community College claims 15%-25% of the people there use GNU/Linux

Since 1995, when Patrick Volkerding announced that he would no longer include GNOME in Slackware, people had to rely on projects like GWARE, GNOME Slackbuild or Dropline to enjoy their favourite desktop environment on the oldest Linux distribution around.

Fundamentals: This course includes the history of Linux and what distinguishes Open Source Software from proprietary software. On the practical side students learn the fundamental commands and approach needed to start using Linux.

"Jason Dagit wrote to the list to thank everyone for their support for darcs, and to announce a webpage with a roadmap for future darcs features. Darcs is alive and well!" -- (via Haskell Weekly News)

I'm not above engaging in a little shameless name-dropping, especially when I know the dropped name will spark a reaction. So while chatting with attendees at the LinuxWorld conference in San Francisco last week, I made no secret of the fact that I had interviewed Richard Stallman a few days earlier. I marveled at the awe and admiration on the faces of many of my listeners.