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August 25, 2008 3:02 PM PDT

I'm the last to know: Linux powers the Kindle

by Matt Asay

Roy Schestowitz pointed to this post about the Kindle's operating system today: Linux. I didn't know that. Somehow I missed the memo last year when Robert Love wrote about his discovery of Linux at the heart of the Kindle.

I had written about how the Kindle's content strategy reminded me of open source, but I had no idea that the software running the device was open source. One more reason to want my Kindle back.

Matt Asay brings a decade of in-the-trenches open-source business and legal experience to The Open Road, with an emphasis on emerging open-source business strategies and opportunities. Matt is vice president of business development at Alfresco, a company that develops open-source software for content management. He is a member of the CNET Blog Network and is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure. You can follow Matt on Twitter @mjasay.
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by The_Decider August 25, 2008 6:24 PM PDT
This is an example of how Linux can't improve your product. As flexible and rock solid as Linux is, even it isn't mighty enough to polish this turd!
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by the-life August 26, 2008 12:33 PM PDT
There is nothing....the lye was to show that a difference was known between real and pretend. Linux has powered no kindle! Linux still is rock solid!
by ntrval August 26, 2008 11:08 AM PDT
And the price is no less than any other ebook reader. That is truly disappointing. Just when you think Amazon is getting less uncool...
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About The Open Road

Matt Asay brings a decade of in-the-trenches open-source business and legal experience to the Open Road, with an emphasis on emerging open-source business strategies and opportunities. Matt is general manager of the Americas division and vice president of business development at Alfresco, a company that develops open-source software for content management. He is a member of the CNET Blog Network and is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure.

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