It certainly is an odd scenario when a company makes news for NOT doing something. But then again, Microsoft isn’t your average company.On the front page of Network World this week you should take note of the first in a series of articles we are doing that twists the conventional who, what, where, why and how of traditional news stories.You can call them the antidote to the mundane and boring. We call them A Wider Net.https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2003/1208widernetpropeller.html). In our story you’ll learn about everything you ever wanted to know, and likely a little more than you ever wanted to know about the ubiquitous beanie. Basically Wider Net stories take a look at the quirkier side of the industry. For example, this week we looked at the wacky world of propeller beanies ( In Monday’s issue we look at the Linux penguin, Tux. How did he (or she?) come into being? Did you know Linux creator Linus Torvalds thought about employing a platypus or even an albatross as the Linux ambassador? In the future we’ll be looking at vintage computers, wireless tower art and a variety other topics. So sit down, relax and take a read.SBC beefs up optical services to attract corporate customersSBC this week expanded its metropolitan optical networking services as part of a national data strategy to gain share among enterprise customers.https://www.nwfusion.com/edge/news/2003/1211sbcoptical.html?netIBM wheels away with $1 billion Michelin outsourcing contractTire maker Michelin has decided to hand over management and maintenance of its IT infrastructure in North America and Europe to IBM’s Global Services unit in an eight-year deal worth $1.22 billion. https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2003/1211ibmwheel.html?netSurvey: Linux ramping up in 2004A recent SG Cowen survey of more than 500 North American IT users found that more than 80% of respondents were currently using Linux and that more than half planned to increase their use of the open source operating system within the next two years.https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2003/1211linuxsurvey.html?net Cool Yule ToolsShopping for the techie on your holiday gift list? Let Titanium and Platinum show you around our virtual toy store, chock full with more than 100 products, from flat-panel monitors to pocket-sized GPS devices to the latest in digital cameras, audio players and handhelds. The online portion of our Cool Yule Tools holiday gift guide also features an After Hours section, with our choices for the hottest home entertainment equipment, video games and PC games of the year.https://www.nwfusion.com/supp/2003/hgg/?net Related content how-to Doing tricks on the Linux command line Linux tricks can make even the more complicated Linux commands easier, more fun and more rewarding. By Sandra Henry-Stocker Dec 08, 2023 5 mins Linux news TSMC bets on AI chips for revival of growth in semiconductor demand Executives at the chip manufacturer are still optimistic about the revenue potential of AI, as Nvidia and its partners say new GPUs have a lead time of up to 52 weeks. By Sam Reynolds Dec 08, 2023 3 mins CPUs and Processors Technology Industry news End of road for VMware’s end-user computing and security units: Broadcom Broadcom is refocusing VMWare on creating private and hybrid cloud environments for large enterprises and divesting its non-core assets. By Sam Reynolds Dec 08, 2023 3 mins Mergers and Acquisitions Industry news analysis IBM cloud service aims to deliver secure, multicloud connectivity IBM Hybrid Cloud Mesh is a multicloud networking service that includes IT discovery, security, monitoring and traffic-engineering capabilities. By Michael Cooney Dec 07, 2023 3 mins Network Security Network Security Network Security Podcasts Videos Resources Events NEWSLETTERS Newsletter Promo Module Test Description for newsletter promo module. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe