Gears is an open source application that allows users offline access to Google's documents and spreadsheets. But not entirely problem-free.

The new version of the Python content management system (CMS) has split its source code into separate packages, called eggs.

In the classic business of high end infrastructure, Sun has been experiencing diminishing sales. The company recently presented its sales figures at the Munich preview to the CeBIT trade show, which opens in March, along with a hint of what they will focus on at the show.

Andi Gutmans, cofounder of Zend Technologies, has been named CEO of "the PHP company" in California.

Over a year ago Microsoft bought the software company Danger, popular in the U.S. for its Sidekick mobile phone. A new model is coming out, this time running on NetBSD.

SUSE Linux Enterprise Thin Client is now pre-installed on the newest Dell thin clients.

The new version 5.0 of the Google Earth exploratory 3D software provides excursions into ocean depths, to Mars and into the past. The official release will also include a Linux variant.

Asus is taking pre-orders for a new netbook that runs on the combined Atom N280/GN40 chipset.

Fred Emmott has released the Slackware-based 64-bit distro with 2.6.27.7 kernel.

The countdown for Debian Lenny has begun with the project team putting the code in deep freeze. The release of Debian GNU/Linux 5.0 is expected mid-February.