Fluffy the Cat writes: "ReiserFS has appeared in the latest 2.4.1 prepatches on ftp.kernel.org. 2.4.1pre6 has a one-line error fixed in 2.4.1pre7, but it looks pretty certain that Linux will have a full jfs in 2.4.1." It will be interesting to see what's going to happen in the new development cycle, alright. The Kernel Developer Summit will have some interesting fruit, I'd wager.

VasLor asks: "I am considering going into the publishing business and would like to publish manuals, how-to computer books, documentation for specific applications or anything else related specifically to Linux or geekdom. I would like to set this up on a vanity press system and then sell the books directly off of my site without going through Amazon (They insist on a 55% discount on any book they sell). My question is this: Will the Linux/Computer Geek community be willing to pay something around $100 to have their book printed? The model would be something akin to iUniverse, though you would retain ALL rights and it would not be so expensive (iUniverse tends to nickle/dime you with extras, like using images inside the book and a custom book cover.) What would be the best terms for an author? Or is it just too easy to go to Xlibris or iUniverse? This will help me decide whether it's worth my effort."

Pete Blackley writes: "The best Linux distro out there has just released a new version; check out the README. And it comes with kernel... 2.2.18! Some things never change, and I am glad it works that way. Don't forget to check the autoslack package in the unsupported dir: it means the imminent death of all the "Slack lacks apt-get" arguments. PS: If you browse the ftp.slackware.com/pub tree, you'll see that Slack currently runs on vanilla x86, SGI VisualWorkstations and SunSparcs; I'm just waiting for the PowerPC port! PPS: All the crap about Slackware's death really is an exaggeration." That's what I like: a distro that isn't afraid to say that its death is an exaggeration. Update: 01/13 01:47 PM by michael : Slackware says - rudely - that 7.2 isn't released yet. This situation - confusion about what is released and what is not - is one that most software developers avoid by utilizing new-fangled conventions such as "beta".

A reader writes "This isn't a rumor anymore. A Linuxcare spokesperson confirmed that talks are underway." So, the earlier posting is correct - Turbolinux would be acquiring LinuxCare in a pretty standard stock for stock transfer.

Several people in the last 24 hours have submitted various shreds of evidence that a Letter of Intent has been signed to merge LinuxCare and TurboLinux. Please treat this purely as rumor since the most substantial piece of information we have is a brief email allegedly insiders. I've attached it if you read on. (And speculate on names: TurboCare?)

Dan Koppenheffer writes "Wow! Linux (and Java) underlies the Dodge Super8 concept cars's Infotronic information/entertainment system. " The car looks pretty terrible, but hey, embedded Linux! You'd have to be a lot more careful hacking on that system, then, say, your Tivo. (Segmentation Fault: Welcome to Idaho)

Zenker asks: "At NASA we are offering Linux as an alternative to Windows for anyone who wants it. I am working on a contract that puts a new computer on everyone's desktop and we will provide support and services for them. I need to assemble a distribution that will have all the necessary applications without flooding them with numerous option. I don't want to support every word processor and every spreadsheet out there. A good security policy is also necessary. What distribution would you use as a base for supporting a few hundred Linux desktops? Which applications would be standard for your office suite? What would your security policy be?"

Yet another voice from the rabid horde of Anonymous Cowards asks: "I just bought a fancy new Motorola TimePort which came with a number of goodies, including a computer serial cable and software. However, (as is expected now-a-days) the software is Windows only, TrueSync from Starfish to be exact. The software allows a Windows user to sync up the cell phone autodialer with a number of PIMs. Is there a software package that can do similar tasks and runs on Linux, MacOS, or BeOS (or insert favorite free/open OS here)? Searches on Google, Starfish, Motorola, and Sprint (my provider) turned up blank." This is similar to, but not exactly the same as an earlier Ask Slashdot that was run a few months ago.

Platinum Dragon writes: "ZDnet ran an e-mail-based interview with Linus about that new kernel thingy. Linus replied to the fluff questions in typical self-mocking Linus fashion. " Check out original story on the release as well -- many people seem to have missed it, and keep submitting it.

We got a bunch of cool questions Monday for LinuxPPC dude (and recent near-death drunk driver accident victim) Jason Haas. Here, today, are his responses.

Lars Lehtonen writes: "The 2.0 kernel is no longer obsolete, it is now "vintage." 2.4.0 is out. " Here is a bit on LinuxToday but I'm sure there will be many more. I don't think the mirrors have updated as of this writing, but if I don't post this now, I'll have to spend the next 3 hours deleting hundreds of submissions. Download! Compile! Rejoice! Thanks to Linus and all the rest of the guys who made it happen.

LinuxNews.pl writes: "Remember why you compiled your framebuffer into kernel? Of course! Because of the fblogo -- great penguin image on startup :) Now you can update your fblogo and create a graphical startup, just like in Windows. There are few themes (one is for Debian!) Check out the whole story on Linuxnews.pl" You can get more info on the Linux Progress Page from their website -- that's not to say, of course, that streaming text isn't pretty in its own special way -- but eyecandy always counts for something. (Can anyone point to a good runs-under-Linux way to change the startup logo in the BIOS, as well, similar to this method that Windows users can use to update the "Energy Star" logo? We're well on our way to a hyper-custom boot process ...)

Jason Haas is co-founder, marketing director, and Web manager for LinuxPPC and an all-around good Linux guy. He's also majorly anti-drunk driving these days, because last March a drunk driver ran into his car and left it looking like this. Jason was left in only slightly better shape himself, but unlike his Honda, he eventually recovered (with major help and support from his wife, Cassie) and went back to work. Ask Jason what you will; about out-of-control SUVs (I don't think he likes them), Linux on PowerPCs (something he likes a lot) or anything else. Post your questions below. Tomorrow we'll forward 10 of the highest-moderated ones to him, and we'll expect his answers back in a week or so.

$kr1p7_k177y wrote to us regarding Daniel Swan's release of the comp.os.linux.security FAQ. It's what you'd imagine, but with the growth lately, this should be helpful tool. There's also an interview with him that sheds more light on the reasons behind the FAQ.

Mark Bobak writes "2.4.0 should be ready soon. 2.4.0-test12 has been superceded by a new release, and it's not a testxx. It's 2.4.0-prerelease. Can't wait for the real thing....I can almost taste it! ;-) Available, of course, at kernel.org" And happy new years to everyone else. Hopefully holiday traffic will be light enough that we can all share the bandwidth to the mirrors. I shall download while I watch the Iron Chef marathon :)

cheezus asks: "My company is sending me and the other two members of our tech department (we're all university students) to the upcoming LinuxWorld Expo in New York, and we are planning on taking the Sair Linux and GNU Certification Level I tests that are being offered for free while we're there. We ordered the study materials (very cool, even came with 9 distros on CD) and have started reading up. Two of us are intermediate Linux users and have successfully set up Linux boxes that run our Web, Mail and DNS, the other is a relative Linux newbie. I'm wondering how hard the tests are going to be, and what the real benefits of having LCP or LCA certification are." Are CTOs and managers in Linux shops actually looking for such certifications right now? And has anyone taken these certification tests before and can comment on how well they match-up to real world expectations of a Linux Administrator?

Hubert Tonneau writes: "Once upon a time, Linus took GNU system, wrote a brand new kernel for it, and it was Linux. I did it just the other way round: I took Linux kernel, wrote a brand new system for it, and it is FullPliant. In very few words, Linux without Unix. This is the first system completely complying with free software's philosophy, because you can read it from the first line to the last one since all the code, including the dynamic compiler, the HTTP, FTP, SMTP, POP3, patches repository and database servers, plus the remote Web configuration tool and the strong crypto proxy, fits in a single megabyte and is compiled on the fly. The first server running FullPliant can be accessed at: [this site]." Interesting.

Hmmm... seems quite a few people (judging from email I've gotten) have figured out that this week's interview guest, Clinton Ebadi, is the 'unknown_lamer' who frequents irc.openprojects.net, not that this was a great secret or anything. Anyway, Clinton has a pretty good sense of humor about himself and this whole thing, and I think it shows through clearly in his answers (below) to your questions.

jared spiegel asks: "After playing with SVGATextMode for a while, I've noticed that using any font as '9x?' interferes with lots of ASCII art (especially with certain 8-bit ASCII characters) since it seems to tack an extra column of white space on the right-most end of each character. I'm guessing this is because of the 8 column font being expanded to 9 columns. I can't find an editor that is capable of creating/editing 9 column fonts, however. CFE and Fonter are the only ones i've found, yet both of these are hard-coded for 8 column fonts. Does such an editor exist?"

Peter Berghmans asks: "Emulators everywhere today. It's not very difficult to run several OS-es at the same time. Just to try out something new, to develop, to learn. But I can't find an emulator for the Cisco-IOS. Although it would be usefull to learn about the OS of one of the most important pieces of hardware on the Internet: routers. Is there some development to run IOS under Linux?"