NW Fusion reports on the unveiling of a new two-way cable internet service offering up to 500Kbps down / 152Kbps up targetted at rural US customers and others who have a clear view of the Southern skies.

IDG.Net reports that “IBM Monday launched a Linux-based software package for small businesses in the U.S. market,” including a wide assortment of commercially known programmes.

From ZDNet: “Filanet Corporation has announced a Linux-based ‘intelligent Internet service appliance’ that aims to provide small and medium sized businesses with ‘big company networking capabilities,’ through a low cost and easily installed appliance-like device. Filanet’s InterJak 100 provides the functions of a plug-and-play Internet gateway, VPN/firewall, email server, and file sharing, and includes tools for remote system monitoring and management.”

From LinuxPR: Knox Software
announced that its flagship product, Arkeia, a professional network
backup solution, earned the CNET Editors’ Choice Award. Arkeia scored 9
out of a possible 10 on the CNET ratings scale. The product received high
marks for its comprehensive management tools, activity tracking, and for its
extensive network support.

ZD Net follows up on an earlier press release: “Upstart console game vendor Indrema hopes to change the landscape of gamedevelopment by leveraging open source development practices within theconsole game market.” DailyRadar.com has more.

From a column on ZDNet: “Lots of individuals and companies invest lots of hours and sweat in creating, testing, and maintaining that so-called ‘free’ software. So free software is not cost free. In that case, who pays for it? And who owns it? The free software community pays, in a manner of speaking, for the development of free software.”

CNet reports that a letter from RIAA chief executive Hilary Rosen to Napster CEO Hank Barry is making the rounds
on newsgroups. It asks Barry or founder Shawn Fanning to extend an apology to Metallica and its
drummer, Lars Ulrich.

From Internet Wire: Lexmark International, Inc. today announced the first-ever Linux
driver developed by a manufacturer for color inkjet printers. Linux users can now integrate color inkjet printing
seamlessly into their computing system for simple and convenient support of consumer and SOHO based printing
needs. The Lexmark offering will be available for the Lexmark Z52 Color Jetprinter and Lexmark Z32
Color Jetprinter. Maximum Linux says the announcement could be the first step in making Linux “printer friendly.”

LynuxWorks, a provider of open
source and true real-time embedded solutions for the post-PC era, has
announced that it has merged with Integrated Software & Devices Corporation, a supplier of system software, intellectual property and software
services for the embedded computing market. LynuxWorks has received all
necessary shareholder and governmental approval to consummate its merger with
ISDCorp. The press release is on the LynuxWorks Web site.

From LinuxPR: MontaVista Software, Inc.,
developer of the Hard Hat Linux operating system for embedded
applications, today announced availability of the Linux Trace Toolkit for
PowerPC developers.