The KDE project has just published the first Version 4 Release Candidate of the free desktop environment.

The Open Document Foundation whose self-declared aim was to promote the Open Document Format has closed down.

Skype 2.0 Beta now gives Linux users the video functionality that Windows and Mac users have enjoyed for several months.

Version 2.3 of the French OOO-HG project recently presented a free map collection for Open Office. The 30MB collection, which was released under a Creative Commons license, comprises graphics that Open Office users can easily embed as documents in the gallery of the free office program.

An organization calling itself the Open Document Foundation has given rise to rumors and speculation concerning the free document standard Open Document Format, ODF, of late. Leading members of the ODF Alliance say that it would be wrong to overestimate the significance of the Open Document Foundation.

The OpenDocument Format Alliance (ODF Alliance) today reported world wide growth in software applications implementing support for ODF in their products.

The South African government has decided on the Open Document Format (ODF) as its standard for internal communications.

The third beta release sees the KDE team freeze the development platform and includes further code clean-up work. The developers have concentrated on libraries since the second beta, but there are some more visible changes, too.