In the open-source world, it helps to know where to look for answers, and the Internet holds many I RECEIVE A considerable amount of e-mail; many ask in one form or another, “Where do I go from here?” So, for the benefit of those folks who are just getting into the world of open source, let me suggest a few Web sites of interest. If you are looking for software, consider perusing Freshmeat.net. Many open-source projects are announced and tracked at this site, which has a search capability as well as categories for browsing through the programs. Software on Freshmeat can be in any state, from the design phase to a stable release, so you will need to note the clearly defined project status before deciding if some piece of software might meet your needs. Freshmeat contains approximately 18,000 projects with more than 100,000 registered users. A smart company can save money and increase the power of its software tools by aiding the development of key open-source software. If you are looking to start or join in a development effort, check out SourceForge.com. The site provides free, basic services to development teams, such as providing home pages, mailing lists, and network-accessible source trees. SourceForge currently boasts more than 31,000 projects with more than 300,000 registered users. If your company wants to play in the Linux market (or you want to find out what other companies are doing there), consider using LinuxPR.com. The site publishes press releases pertaining to Linux. Unlike some press wires, there are no fees associated with the use of LinuxPR. If the news of the day is what you need, check out NewsForge.com and LinuxToday.com. These two sites feature both original material and links to open-source articles from a wide range of Web sites. Remember these sites when you want to know, for example, what Oracle has been doing with Linux. A quick search of these sites can yield a wealth of relevant articles. Both sites also have active user communities that provide interesting responses to important articles. Those of you interested in gauging the open-source community’s mood on certain topics are advised to take note. If you prefer your news a bit more organized, try Linux Weekly News at www.lwn.net . It provides an excellent summary of the news of the week, organized in convenient categories, complete with links. There is also a daily version, which gives a concise summary of current open-source articles. Finally, there is the watering hole for the open-source community at Slashdot.org. Calling itself “News for Nerds,” Slashdot is offbeat, raw, and passionate. Some CTOs may scoff at the site, but many IT people read it religiously. That’s why the site gets more than a million page hits per day. And don’t forget to read The Open Source in InfoWorld and on our site. The author is a bit flaky, but he certainly cares about the subject matter. Software Development