Two weeks earlier than expected, RSA Security has released into the public domain an important computer security patent. Represented by the equation “c = m(e) mod n,” the RSA algorithm is the primary building block for SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) security on the Web, along with most e-mail encryption, digital certificates, and VPN (virtual private network) software. It resides in Microsoft and Netscape Communications Web browsers and servers, Lotus Development’s Notes and Novell’s NetWare. The
story is at InfoWorld. More at CRN.

From a story/column at LinuxPlanet: “The score so far: Trolltech has done everything Stallman had demanded of it, but its position in the eyes of the Stallman faction seems little changed. Meanwhile, the leaders of Gnome say they are ready to call a halt to any real or perceived hostilities and let users make their choices based on the quality of the code.” ZDNet reports on Richard Stallman’s initial reaction, and in this story Trolltech explains its decision to add an option of GPL licensing to Qt. Eng and Ettrich write.

MandrakeSoft, publisher of the Linux-Mandrake operating system, has received the Linux Magazine Editor’s choice Award and announced July record sales in the United States. The press release is at LinuxPR.

A security hole was discovered in the package netscape-communicator 4.74 and earlier in TurboLinux versions: 6.0.5 and earlier. The advisory is at LWN.net.

Yahoo! Inc. has signed a deal with the Recording Industry Association of America to set up terms for music Webcasts on Yahoo!, reports ZDNet.

ZDNet’s how-to section offers advice to customers about their music download rights.

In the last 10 days of August, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) began sending cease-and-desist orders to people who post or link to the De-Content Scrambling System (DeCSS) program from their Web sites. The update of an earlier story is at IDG.net.

Corel said it will eliminate 139 positions at its engineering operation in Dublin, Ireland as part of a $40 million cost-saving measure, reports IDG.net. More from Canada.com.

From a column at ZDNet about the release of OS X: “Only one more week until Apple Computer Inc. makes the long-awaited Mac OS X public beta available to us rabble. This event isn’t earth-shattering by virtue of Apple hitting this milestone, though. Instead, it registers on the Richter scale because it’s a big step closer to delivering the first Unix-based consumer-oriented OS.”

Linux2order.com, a Web-based company offering software applications and utilities for the Linux operating system, officially launched today offering the widest selection of downloadable Linux programs on the Internet. In addition, Linux2order.com guarantees that all applications are the most current versions available, according to a press release at Internet Wire.