SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop (SLED) 10 is finally here, and so begins Novell's effort to get it onto as many business computers as possible. This event also comes shortly after the departure of Jack Messman as CEO, an event which has dramatically changed Novell's business strategy, especially as it relates to its SUSE Linux products. To find out more about SLED, its cousin SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES), and the company's plans for the future, I got in touch with senior Novell executive John Dragoon. Questions and answers are below.

Neuros Technology released a firmware upgrade on July 11 that further expands the recording capabilities of its MPEG4 Recorder 2 product. Previously, the device could record to formats and resolutions designed for the Neuros 442, Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP), and the Apple video iPod. Two previous firmware updates added the ability to record video for PDAs, smart phones, and cell phones. This release adds support for the Motorola Q smart phone.

"Neuros stands for openness and helping consumers to play their content when, where, and how they want to. Our products are highly versatile, allowing people to enjoy video programming across a wide spectrum of different devices," said Neuros CEO Joe Born in a company statement.

Discuss this article or get technical support on our forum.

Who hasn't had problems with Windows XP? Even people who rarely use it have to deal with its many problems, deficiencies, and quirks. But what happens when your problems go beyond the ordinary, into the realm of system failure? It's Never Done That Before covers the broad space between "it works" and "it doesn't work," giving excellent methods for solving computer problems. However, while generally quite useful, this book suffers slightly from a lack of real-world experience on the part of the author.

The impending release of Windows Vista with its fancy Aero Glass special effects, along with the hasty addition of the similar XGL and Compiz technologies to the latest SUSE Linux release makes me think that programmers have a warped idea of what desktop computing is about. For some reason, many GNU/Linux users are concerned about competing feature-for-feature with Vista, while Apple and Microsoft struggle to add more graphical extras to their already graphics-intensive desktop OSes. It's gotten so that you need a serious 3D video card (with proprietary drivers) and a fairly fast computer just to keep up with desktop environments. Whatever happened to being productive and having fun?

Amid the flurry of rushed-to-print Ajax books released this past spring was O'Reilly's Ajax Hacks. While some of the initial clutch of Ajax books have been disappointing, Ajax Hacks competently accomplishes its mission, which is to show you how to implement Ajax in useful ways. Aside from a few minor annoyances, I found this book very helpful.

Not that long ago, a significant portion of desktop GNU/Linux enthusiasts were actively advocating GNU/Linux among Windows users. I even remember doing it myself at one point, though now I really don't care what you use on your computer as long as I don't have to use it too. I thought that sentiment was isolated to me, but lately I've seen an abrupt decline in GNU/Linux evangelism on online forums. Below are some possible reasons for this change in community thinking and behavior.

Ajax is on everybody's lips these days, and Web programmers are scrambling to put it into action on their sites. For those who have been left behind, a number of books on the subject have been rushed to market over the past couple of months. O'Reilly's Head Rush Ajax is among the most rushed of that batch. It promises to get you up to speed on using Ajax in Web applications, and from a narrow frame of reference it does just that. However, most people looking for an Ajax primer will be sorely disappointed by this book. Don't blame the author, though -- blame the Ajax hype.