Bordeaux is a commercial User Interface to the Wine software that allows Linux systems to run Windows software. The Bordeaux Technology Group distributes this software and provides professional support to companies and individuals. I interviewed Tom Wickline to get some details and find out what they’re up to now.

The much-hyped “year of the Linux desktop” may still not be with us but there’s no doubting the free open-source operating system has gained significant traction in the last year. One reason for this is, with equal certainty, the mess that is Windows Vista. Here’s how it’s actively driving new interest in Linux.

Held at the Desmond Tutu Center in New York, the End User Collaboration Summit will give “sophisticated” end users an opportunity to “learn and interact with leaders from within the Linux community, including the highest level maintainers and developers,” says the non-profit Linux Foundation, which will host the event.

The new beta of MEPIS 8, like MEPIS 7, is based on Debian rather than Ubuntu. Creator Warren Woodford decided to switch to Debian in the summer of 2007. Specifically, MEPIS 8 is being built on the forthcoming Debian 5, Lenny.

This is just a mockup that someone put together for a possible look and feel for the next Ubuntu release (Intrepid Ibex), which is due out in October. But. Wow. Yes. This is what it should look like.

If you were to run across gOS by buying a new netbook that shipped with it, we have no doubt you’d be impressed. While we have no doubt that gOS will ruffle some feathers, we also have no doubt that Mom and Dad won’t care one bit as they sit in the Maldives emailing “wish you were here” pictures of the beach.

Whether you choose Ubuntu or Kubuntu, you can’t really go wrong – Kubuntu is a solid distribution that is using a very cutting edge KDE. Wow your friends with the eye candy then tea bag the crap out of them in ET:QW, just turn a blind eye when an application crashes.

The Ulteo Application System is clearly attempting to separate itself from the masses of other distributions. Ulteo claims to have the standard Linux features and attempts to move beyond them. Still, it doesn’t appear to be out of the testing stage yet. If you try it out now, be prepared to encounter a few problems.

The latest series of the K Desktop Environment now utilizes Plasma, a new desktop and panel user interface tool that aims for a more functional, user-friendly, and sleek KDE desktop. Plasma also supports Dashboard-like widgets called plasmoids. If you want to further enhance the look of your KDE 4 desktop, I have here a list of some of the most beautiful Plasma themes available.

Microsoft, once an arch-enemy of Linux, has already sold $156 million worth of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server support vouchers to customers such as Wal-Mart, HSBC Holdings, Renault, Southwest Airlines, BMW and others, said Susan Hauser, general manager of strategic partnerships and licensing at Microsoft. However, some vouchers were sold to customers for less than face value, though none were given away for free.