Over the years, I’ve developed a generalized theory about the relative cost of getting things done in Windows versus that of Linux, and as something of a corollary, the reason a lot of people say Linux is too hard, or “not ready for the desktop.”

Red Hat today released Enterprise Linux 5.2 — and the company claims the new release includes several desktop-centric enhancements. No, this is not the long-delayed Red Hat Global Desktop. Nor have I tested Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.2. But a press announcement highlights several desktop-focused improvements.

I’m disappointed to report that Ubuntu Live 2008, which had been scheduled for July 21 and 22 in Portland, Oregon, has been canceled. I’ve got a note into Canonical PR to see what drove the decision to cancel the conference. (O’Reilly Media, the show’s producer, is referring all inquiries to Canonical.) Last year’s event seemed to have good energy, healthy attendance and some big-name sponsors (Sun Microsystems was among them). So what went wrong this time around? This is pure speculation on my part — and I do await some thoughts from Canonical — but here are the primary reasons events usually shut down. Again, pure speculation on my part…

One of our key goals with Works With U is to show readers that you can truly run your business on open source applications. Yes, operating systems (like Ubuntu Linux) and desktop applications (OpenOffice) are important. But over the next year or two, you’ll see a growing list of corporate-type applications (like enterprise resource planning and point of sale software) shifting to the open source model. The latest example involves Openbravo, which just landed an additional $12 million in funding. Our sister site, www.theVARguy.com, has all the details.

The VAR Guy, our contributing blogger, is stirring up controversy again. His latest blog entry over on www.thevarguy.com examines five reasons why Red Hat should ignore the consumer Linux desktop market. Check out the complete blog entry here.

This previous Christmas, I asked for and was given a brand new Eee PC (701). When I opened it, the comments around the room came quickly, “That’s a computer?” and “It’s so small” and “What a neat toy.” Well, that Toy has been on quite a Linux journey in recent months. And I’m now running eeeXbuntu on the Eee PC. Here’s how I arrived at that operating system, along with some clues about where I may go next.

Ubuntu 8.04, codename Hardy Heron, is an LTS, or Long Term Support release. It gets three years of support and updates on the desktop. This release provides the perfect solution for those looking for a stable system that will stand the test of time, as well as provide new features for their computer.

I’m heading into New York this evening for some business meetings. It’s the first time I’ll be traveling with my Asus Eee PC.

The Ubuntu Live conference doesn’t kick off until July 21, but The VAR Guy is already booking his flight to the Portland, Oregon-based event. Here are five key trends our guest blogger expects to track at the event.

For as long as I can remember, Linux was “marketed” and pushed towards the younger crowd—the computer-savvy, self-described “geeky” community that had no problem getting Linux to work on their system. But now, even my boss is running Ubuntu. Here’s our story.