Peace, Love and Vandalism for Linux

The not too fledgling OS received more support Wednesday at the Linux World trade show from such computer juggernauts as IBM, HP and Compaq. Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, citing both companies' rapid adoption on the Intel Itanium platform, called the proposed HP-Compaq merger "a combination that's good for Linux."

Meanwhile, IBM paid a $120,000 settlement to San Francisco city officials owing up to a graffiti ad spree on various locations around the city. The black-stenciled markings promoted IBM's "Peace, Love, Linux" campaign, depicting a peace sign, heart and the endearing Linux penguin.

"This whole approach of having open standards that are created by the community breaks the mold that IT companies have been following for the past three or four decades," William Zeitler, senior vice president at IBM, said in a pre-speech interview with Reuters. He added that IBM's vision was one of breaking "control points" over customers. By using open standards he said the movement is "going to fundamentally make it impossible" for businesses and people to have such control points in which they can erect barriers and extract margins.