Sean Michael Kerner

An open source developer is alleging that Google is driving the development of Gaim and bypassing the community. Google refutes the claim. The search giant hired Sean Egan, the lead developer of the Gaim open source instant messaging project, several months ago to make it easier for other IM clients to use Google Talk’s voice […]

PayPal’s user base is growing and so is the number of transactions it handles every day. Resting squarely at the heart of the company’s growth is the PayPal Platform and Developer Network (PDN), which is critical to the continued success and expansion of PayPal beyond its traditional eBay roots. The third quarter of 2005 proved […]

For years, Red Hat and SUSE have dominated the enterprise Linux distribution space. But that duopoly may be in trouble, because the Debian-based GNU/Linux-derived Ubuntu has a little help from Big Blue. IBM DB2 Lab Software engineers validated Ubuntu as part of the DB2 for Linux Validation program. The distro said it successfully completed the […]

There is no such thing as a magic IPTV box for network operators that does it all. Or so says Nortel. But there is a new end-to-end solution that involves a number of pieces in a new IPTV ecosystem that will enable network operators to piece together the full IPTV puzzle. Nortel’s new ecosystem of […]

Open source databases aren’t just for Linux users. Case in point is PostgreSQL, where 50 percent of users are likely running Windows. PostgreSQL 8.1 is now available and introduces performance improvements and new features for users of the open source database. According to PostgreSQL developer Josh Berkus, new users will be attracted to the “big […]

A new study sponsored by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) has found that most SMB’s don’t trust the security in current VoIP solutions. The feeling of insecurity isn’t going to last too long though; the study also found that the lure of VoIP is likely to reel in plenty of SMB customers over the […]

Turning a “triple play” need not necessarily be a pipe dream for network operators. Juniper Networks is rolling out two new product enhancements that it claims will improve the efficiency, reliability and scalability of operator networks for triple play, and specifically IPTV, content services. The Dynamic Bandwidth Allocation feature for Juniper’s E-series Broadband Services Router […]

Microsoft’s anti-spyware application is getting a new name and a new delivery channel. Windows AntiSpyware, which has been in beta since January, is now called Windows Defender. The application will also be part of the upcoming Windows Vista OS. XP users need not worry, because it is also expected to be available as a download […]

Google has emerged as one of the leading proponents of open source software development, as a user of open source technologies and as a developer of open source code. And as a funding source, Google’s open source commitment is well known. Leading the open source charge at Google is Chris DiBona, open source program manager. […]

The clocks have fallen back, the leaves are hitting the ground and new BSD releases are on the Net. Among all the noise and buzz created by Linux, it’s important to remember that it’s not the only open source variant of Unix. OpenBSD, NetBSD and FreeBSD are all still very much alive and kicking and […]

Microsoft announced the acquisition of file synchronization and remote access firm FolderShare, barely two days old after it unveiled its Windows Live service that offers hosted Windows and Office. The FolderShare assets should feel right at home with Windows Live, which Microsoft said enables customers to easily find information. FolderShare is a free, Web based […]

Thanks to the magic of open source licensing, you don’t necessarily have to run Sun Solaris or even OpenSolaris in order to run the Solaris kernel. A new effort is aiming to take the Solaris kernel (SunOS) and use it as the core of GNU systems with Debian-based packages. The effort could potentially represent an […]