64-Bit Windows Goes Gold

64-Bit Windows XP Released To Manufacturing
Specifically, Microsoft said that Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard x64 Edition, Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise x64 Edition, Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Datacenter x64 Edition, and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition all had been released to manufacturing. Further details will be released at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) later this month.

The 64-bit operating system has been long awaited by both Intel and especially Advanced Micro Devices, whose 64-bit Athlon and Opteron microprocessors have been forced to run on beta versions of the operating system. Linux distribution vendors, on the other hand, have offered 64-bit versions for months.

Integrated Apache, MySQL and PHP Pass CERT7

SourceLabs AMP Stack Integrates Apache, MySQL and PHP
The Seattle startup announced the release of its SourceLabs AMP Stack, a distribution of open-source software–including the Apache Web server, the MySQL database and the PHP development environment (AMP)–that has been tested and certified for reliability, security and scalability, said Byron Sebastian, chief executive at SourceLabs Inc.

SourceLab ran Apache 1.3.33, PHP 5.03, and MySQL 4.1.9 through a serious of rigorous security and performance test. The result is AMP Stack. The stack is available for download here.

Shining Light on the Windows LIfe-Cycle Process

Understanding the Windows lifecycle policy (for all you IT Pros out there)
With so many customers relying on IE, it helps to get a solid grasp of the Windows Lifecycle Policy, which at first blush can appear to be a bit cryptic. Fortunately I think I can shed some light on Microsoft’s policy

OK, so a quick read indicates that MSFT is supporting 6 versions of IE on 8 different versions of Windows. Wow! THat is a bit of a nightmare, even with the deep pockets of MSFT. If you figure in stuff like variations in hardware, net access, other installed software, it just makes support a nightmare on a good day.

Novell Linux Options Stir Migrations

Novell users eye Linux for kernel swap – Computerworld
Two weeks after Novell Inc. released software that lets users run its stack of computing services on either the NetWare or Linux kernel, members of the NetWare faithful cited widely varying plans for migrating their servers to Linux.

Some attendees at the software vendor’s BrainShare user conference here said they’re in no rush to move to SUSE Linux, the distribution of the open-source operating system that Novell acquired in January 2004. But others are starting to dabble with Linux, and some are eager to take the plunge right away.