Justin Jenkins

Novell's latest server OS, Netware 5.1 (formerly 'Cobra'), is set for a January release to distributors. Aimed at e-business, with Novell's new NDS eDirectory, Oracle8i, IBM's WebSphere Application Server and Studio 3.0 Entry Edition, Novell boasts "zero downtime, easier administration and management, and more resources for leveraging [their customer's] Internet
investment."

As with NetWare 5.0's pure support of IP, NetWare 5.1 will natively support HTTP, the protocol used to bridge communication between Web servers and Web browsers. In doing so, NetWare 5.1 will be able to support Microsoft's Office 2000 "Web Folders" for easy file sharing in Windows environments.

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One of the major obstacles preventing broader adoption of FreeBSD, a flavor of UNIX, is the lack of software readily available for systems running the Linux Kernel. Sun Microsystems has created a program called LxRun that will allow Linux applications to run unmodified on Sun’s Solaris OS, but now some developers of the Linux distribution Debian hope to take things a step further and allow the Debian OS to work with the FreeBSD Kernel. The developers are using the FreeBSD Kernel with libc, and recompiling Debian packages to work on it. This means a user will be able to run Linux applications on the more stable, more secure, FreeBSD Kernel.

According to the documentation, "The Debian GNU/FreeBSD is a new operating system with recompiled…packages and [a number of] new [packages]. For administrators, this distribution should be very similar to Debian GNU/Linux, but [with a] changed kernel and libc package."

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     Do you ever get tired of typing in passwords, or pin numbers for ATMs? Do you have a network that requires very high security, and continually
changing passwords, or feel that passwords are just not secure enough? New products from a company called Identix may help bring Bio-Security from the pages of science fiction to the keyboard of your PC. 

Identix features a suite of 'bio-oriented' security products, including BioLogon, a server/client program that eliminates the need for network passwords in a Windows NT environment. This is done through a server program that enables network administrators to choose between password, finger tip,
or smart card authentication, or even all three. The product priced at $899 USD, per 25 users, is highly flexible and integrated into the Windows NT
operating system. The client version retails at $39.95 USD and is usable without the server version for stand alone, non-network passwords.

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The first of these agreements was made by Microsoft Corp. on Thursday, in a press release Microsoft announced that they had formed a "Strategic Alliance" with Tandy Corp.'s RadioShack to "accelerate the adoption of Web
technologies and consumer connections to the Internet." In this deal, RadioShack will create Microsoft "MSN stores" within as many as 7,000 of
it's locations. These "MSN stores" will showcase demonstrations of MSN dial-up and broadband Internet access, as well as WebTV, WindowsCE
devices, and other Microsoft products, with the goal of broadening its role in the dial-up and home-networking markets.

Holding up its side of the deal, Microsoft will make a $100 million dollar equity investment in the newly launched RadioShack.com, in hopes of developing it into a leading e-commerce site while also furthering it's
role in the e-commerce market. Radioshack.com will utilize Microsoft's e-commerce software, following the pattern of Monster.com,
1800Flowers.com, and other e-commerce sites Microsoft has endorsed.

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