The VAR Guy loves cat fights as much as the next guy. Jennifer Aniston vs. Angelina Jolie? Classic but a bit dated. Canonical vs. Microsoft? Not quite as sexy, but certainly timely and just as much fun. The latest spat involves Canonical dismissing Microsoft’s claims in the netbook market.

Linux-based Netbooks — many of them with Ubuntu pre-installed — continue to sell fast. But could there be a potential legal snag with some of those Netbooks? Apparently, Psion claims to hold a trademark on the Netbook term. So what does that mean for Netbook-named products from Lenovo and others? Here’s some speculation from WorksWithU’s sister site, TheVARguy.com.

Operating systems only thrive if they have vast application support. With that reality in mind, Canonical is gradually expanding its online store for third-party Ubuntu applications. Find details about the strategy on WorksWithU’s sister site, TheVARguy.com.

Ubuntu’s objective of becoming the distribution that finally brings Linux to “human beings,” i.e. non-geeks, is certainly ambitious.  Its simultaneous (and thus far successful) pursuit of the server market, however, is perhaps yet more impressive.

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.

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.

Welcome to Works With U, from the folks at Nine Lives Media Inc. We’re set to document the rise of Ubuntu Linux in academia, business and consumer settings. We’ll show readers how to unlock the full power of Ubuntu in their organizations. And we’ll help millions of readers understand that Ubuntu is a true platform — mobile, desktop, server — for the modern age. Here’s some background about this site, and what we hope to achieve.

Check out this Ubuntu Linux dispatch from The VAR Guy, a mystery blogger over at our sister site, www.thevarguy.com:

Sure, Microsoft expects Windows’ installed base to top 1 billion licenses by the end of this year. But in the shadow of Windows Vista, a rather remarkable trend — known as an InstallFest — continues to transform Linux from a fringe desktop option into a mainstream Windows alternative. Here’s the scoop.

The VAR Guy is preaching to the crowd here on AllAboutUbuntu.com. But it’s good to see his type starting to understand Ubuntu’s growing impact on desktops.

Here’s part two of our five-part countdown, highlighting 50 trends and takeaways from the 2007 Ubuntu Live conference in Portland, Oregon. Items 40-31, with more to follow soon…