
IBM, the open-source developer's friend, is delving deep once more into its treasure trove of software and donating a chunk of DHTML code to the Mozilla Firefox project that will aid in usability for those with disabilities. The code will more than likely make it into the 1.5 release which is slated for the September time frame.
September looks set to be a busy month. Sun have announced they are going to finally ship the belated Star Office 8 product in September, after delaying it for a couple of months. They are also going to be releasing new versions of Java Desktop System, Tarantella and Sun Ray.
$60 to insure your open source code? You will be able to in a few months from Lloyd's of London. Channel Register reports on a new service from Lloyd's on providing insurance against ligation for open source software. If you don't think you need it, then consider the following quote: "An OSRM study found 15,000 patent issues in the Linux, Apache, MySQL and Perl/Python (LAMP) stack".
Finally, Engadget is reporting about a seriously cool toy, sorry, police weapon, to fight angry mobs (or the office fool!). Its a power water jet that straps to your back that basically makes you look like a full bodied Ghostbuster. The only problem, as with the Ghostbuster, it has a tendency to throw the user flat on their back! Remember, never cross the streams, why? because "Try to imagine all life as you know it stopping instantaneously and every molecule in your body exploding at the speed of light."
IBM Donates Code to Firefox
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IBM is donating DHTML accessibility technology currently wending its way through the World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C) standards process. Big Blue is also contributing code that makes it possible for Web pages to be automatically narrated or magnified as well as navigated by keystrokes rather than mouse clicks.
Lloyd's taking on open source IP risk
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Lloyd's of London is close to offering independent insurance protection worldwide against potential IP litigation involving Linux and open source software. The financial services giant has agreed to take on the risk associated with open source, and is finalizing arrangements to work through Open Source Risk Management (OSRM) who will become Lloyd's sole US representative.
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