Microsoft is no longer Russia’s first choice of technology provider

The city of Moscow is contemplating ditching Microsoft’s technology as president Vladimir Putin urges state officials and local businesses to scale down their reliance on foreign software providers. In turn, the city is replacing Microsoft’s products with solutions from local competitors.

Alphabet's Plans to Create Android PCs Should Make Microsoft a Little Nervous

Four years after Microsoft (MSFT) first tried to give the world unified PC/mobile operating systems via the dual fiascoes known as Windows 8 and Windows RT, Alphabet's (GOOGL) Google appears set to take its own stab at the concept. And there are reasons to think the company will see a measure of success. Citing "two independent and reliable sources," Android Police reports Google plans to launch a notebook in the third quarter of 2017 that will likely be the first new device to showcase Andromeda, a version of Android that will integrate many features associated with Google's Chrome OS PC operating system. The notebook will reportedly be called the Pixel 3, and carry a $788 price. Its feature set reportedly include a 12.3-inch display, an Intel (INTC) processor, a glass trackpad, a tablet mode and stylus support.

Servers/Networks

• Linux servers deliver greater performance and efficiency 'than available on any x86-based server'

• What are configuration management tools?

  For most people, computers don't stay the same. Software is added, removed, and updated. Configurations are changed. Think about the changes you've made to your computer since the first time you booted it up. Now imagine making those changes to 10, 100, or 1,000 more computers. Configuration management tools are what make implemententing and enforcing these changes possible.

• 5 new OpenStack tutorials and guides

• Ericsson: The Journey to a DevOps Future in SDN

  There are big transformations going on in the world today that are driving rapid changes to the business of networks, said Santiago Rodriguez, VP of Engineering and head of the product development unit SDN & Policy Control at Ericsson, in his keynote Tuesday at OpenDaylight Summit. “Society is transforming, the way we do business is transforming, and accordingly the way we build our networks is transforming,” Rodriguez said. The three pillars of this network transformation include: 5G, virtualization and open source.

• OpenDaylight sets product quality label, metrics for SDN solutions

  Initial OpenDaylight-based products expected to receive the "Powered by OpenDaylight" mark are offerings from Brocade, Ericsson, HPE, Inocybe and Serro.

• Telstra Sees Quadrupled Data Capacity by 2020

  The latter service led Telstra to re-think its fiber deployment strategy, choosing to use pre-provisioned fiber connections to data centers in advance of customer demand, because the company knew that demand was coming, Blackall said. The strategy worked well with Telstra's acquisition of Pacnet, which had already deployed SDN capabilities to connect its 27 points of presence around Asia.

Games for GNU/Linux

• Valve's Steam Controller With SteamOS/Linux Support Is Now Listed For Just $35

  If you have been put off from ordering a Steam Controller for your SteamOS/Linux gaming system due to the $50 USD price-tag, it's been marked down to $35. Back in June it was temporarily reduced to $35 USD but then a few days later shot back up to $50 at major Internet retailers. Judging from those that clicked our Amazon links, it was of interest to many readers. If you missed that discount the first time around, the Steam Controller is back to being listed as a $34.99 product. It's not clear how long this deal will last or if it is permanent -- there has been speculations about a "Steam Controller 2" but I haven't seen any public confirmation yet.

• Game Developer Chooses To Connect With Pirates, Reaps Rewards As A Result

  One imagines that this kind of thing builds up goodwill amongst potential buyers of PM Studio games. Some of the comments on the thread state as much. It won't do anything with the pure-pirate folks out there, but, then again, nothing will. Worrying about those that were never going to buy the game would have been wasted time and energy. Instead, the developer chose to try to win over those that might indeed want to support its efforts. Here's hoping PM Games gets the positive reinforcement needed to confirm that this kind of thing is the right way to deal with piracy. And that other studios are paying attention, as well.

• InXile Entertainment announced Wasteland 3, will use crowdfunding on fig

  I'm going off their twitter and other sites for the main info right now, as it seems we are still not on InXile's press list. It is already confirmed to have Linux support, along with multiplayer, vehicles, and some form of base building.