Novell has extended a set of development tools so they can be used to write applications and other software for rival Linux distributions, including Red Hat Enterprise Linux and CentOS.

The most recognizable name in the open source community talks about why he didn't go the proprietary route for Linux and how it could easily have been just another of his 'random small projects'

While I think this is a difficult challenge, I don’t think it is an insurmountable challenge. Microsoft can afford an army of lawyers and hopefully some of them are extremely bright and can come up with creative solutions that might allow Microsoft to leverage and even bundle Open Source software in a safe manner.

Remember ThinkFree? There are many situations where Microsoft approaches or acquires projects to ensure it can successfully exclude competitors and make third-party software developers (including their end users) more Microsoft-dependent. Watch what Microsoft is up to with Bldender at the moment. Blender is a FOSS poster child.

An essay regarding why a big number of projects is better than just a few, as some suggest. "I kept reading opinions regarding the big number of Linux distributions out there, most of them saying that we have a huge number of distros, each one with its own package management system, keeping Linux divided.

For many open source enthusiasts, the problem is finding the funds to help support their favorite open source projects, which include various Linux distros. It's not that we do not have the money, it's the method of forwarding the necessary funds that's the problem.

According to market research, open-source developers rate software quality for their tools more harshly than do developers who specialize in proprietary solutions. Esther Schindler contemplates possible explanations.

wice in recent weeks open source projects have surprised me with their lack of openness. In both cases, developers acted or spoke out in such a way as to intentionally push other developers away from their work.

Ever wondered how much your contribution was worth to a project? If you are a Java developer helping out one of the hundreds of open source Java projects, head over to SourceKibitzer. It's a social network of Java developers that provides various metrics for open source Java projects.