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Last week was the first gathering for the Open Source community in Kuwait. I was kind of hesitating to go, as usual, but being an open source believer I gave it a shot. Two things really caught my eyes. The guy from KuwaitNet talked about the company experience, and how they completely have taken Windows out of the picture. Even the secretaries use Linux, I’d love to see that. Firefox and Thunderbird for browsing and email client. OpenOffice for office applications, though I wasn’t very impressed with it when I tried it. By doing this however, the guy demonstrated how the managed to cut down costs by thousands of dollars. Something really worth looking into isn’t it?

But isn’t Linux that old scary black screen with small text, and can only understand command lines from users. You need to do mounting for everything you attach, and complex procedure just to plug a USB device? Well this was the second BIG surprise. Ubuntu is the release of Linux that will change your whole idea about it. It has features that I don’t even recall from Mac nor Vista. Maybe they exist, I am not sure. But to see it in Linux is a big jump. I found this video link while browsing some blogs today. Watch it on YouTube and tell me what you think. Now ofcourse this is not everything. One has to consider stability and availability of softwares on it. I should give it a shot and see. Maybe it can run my PC better than Windows, who knows.

UPDATE: Just as I posted this article, I came across this site. The site is an Open Source contest, hosted by Sheikh Ali Jaber Al-Sabah. The content is about creating the best project using OpenOffice, and Open Source tools. It’s a nice step to encourage and educate the public about the open options they have. Registration is open for all, no location or nationality restriction. Registration is open until 15th May this year.

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You have something to say, say it in the face. This is the message the Linux community is giving to Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft. Since Microsoft made the deal with Novell, Steve Ballmer has been making silent claims here and there that Linux are violating Microsoft’s intellectual property, and that Microsoft should be paid for those license. Now, the Linux community is not afraid and is challenging Microsoft and Steve Ballmer to Show Us The Code. As they state in their site: “Publicly pledge your support for Microsoft showing the public the code within Linux that violates their intellectual property by May 1st, 2007″. ShowUsTheCode are saying basically, that if by the appointed date, Microsoft can show the part of the code where Linux is violating their intellectual property, this will allow Linux developers to address the issue and modify the part of the kernel or operating system. If Microsoft however cannot prove anything by the appointed date,  being a bluff will be a word that will hunt ballmer you for the rest of your life. More on Slashdot.

I am not really fully aware of all the details of the story, and how the Microsoft-Novell agreement does make Linux violating the intellectual property, but that call today made it clear. Linux are not afraid, and even if there are property violations, they are going to address it, and Ballmer’s dream of a world FREE of open source OS is not going to happen. I believe that’s why Ballmer didn’t want to go in the face in the first place, he doesn’t want them to resolve the issue, and rather wants to make Linux pay Microsoft shares. I will be waiting eagerly for that 1st May.

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