Jason Brooks

When it comes to individual distributions of the Linux operating system, the rising tide of open-source software and components has lifted all ships. However, although advances in software such as KDE (K Desktop Environment), the Mozilla Web browser and the OpenOffice.org productivity suite are equally accessible to every flavor of Linux, plenty of opportunity remains […]

Apples 17-inch PowerBook is big. Measuring 15.4 inches wide by 10.2 inches deep and weighing 6.8 pounds, the thing barely fits into my briefcase, and when Ive toted it from here to there, Ive definitely been aware of its presence. To Apples considerable credit, however, its flagship notebook computer is about as small as it […]

Ive been spending time recently with Knoppix, a Debian-based Linux distribution thats stored on and boots from a single CD. Knoppix, which recently underwent a Version 3.2 release, includes the KDE 3.1.1 desktop environment, the OpenOffice productivity suite and an impressive set of other useful applications, all cleverly compressed on that one disk. I downloaded […]

Novell Inc. is wagering that it can hang onto its much-diminished installed base while attracting new users by offering enterprises a set of network services thats broad and well-integrated and keeps customer options open by embracing open-source components. The short-term product of this strategy is NetWare 6.5, which Novell introduced last month in a public […]

Palm Inc. has been the No. 1 player in the handheld device space for quite a while now, but during the last couple of years, its product releases have had eWEEK Labs wondering whether the company has put itself on a track toward eventual obscurity. First, Palm seemed content to leave development of much-needed new […]

As the de facto standard in desktop operating systems, Microsoft Windows is generally the platform of choice—often, to the exclusion of any others—for commercially developed applications and services. Although good open source alternatives to Windows-only applications have been appearing in growing numbers, sometimes only the Windows version will do. Personally, almost all of my daily […]

Advanced Micro Devices Inc.s Opteron processor provides a new option for accessing the benefits of 64-bit computing, but companies will have to pair Opteron-based systems with a 64-bit operating system to experience all the new chip has to offer. eWEEK Labs tested the first such enterprise-class operating system: SuSE Inc.s SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 […]

Reluctant to stray too far from whats worked in the past, Palm Inc. has tended to make only incremental improvements to its devices. This strategy has led to functionality and power deficits between Palms devices and those running Microsoft Corp.s Pocket PC operating system—particularly in the sort of high-end devices that cater to enterprise customers. […]

Palms been the No. 1 player in the handheld device space for quite a while now, but the products the company has released in the last couple of years have left me scratching my head. First, Palm seemed content simply to tinker with its designs, leaving the development of much-needed new features such as memory […]

With the launch of , enterprises have a new option for accessing the benefits of 64-bit computing—one thats also capable of running 32-bit x86 code natively. However, companies will have to pair Opteron-based systems with a 64-bit operating system to experience all that the new chip has to offer. eWEEK Labs tested the first such […]

In the handheld computer world, hardware usually gets most of the attention, but its often software that determines whether a mobile device ends up as a relied-upon tool or a high-priced paperweight. For a few weeks now, Ive been testing Palms Tungsten W wireless handheld, which distinguishes itself from Palms previous wireless offerings with a […]

With their long battery life, most Palm OS handhelds dont need to return to their cradles for a charge as frequently as do their Microsoft Corp. Pocket PC operating-system-based brethren. However, Palm OS handhelds have depended more heavily than Pocket PC-based systems on their desktop docking stations for other needs, such as document conversion. Cutting […]