Mac-oriented Linux distributor LinuxPPC has responded to Microsoft's challenge to the cracker community to break into Windows 2000, with a contest of its own: break into a standard LinuxPPC 1999 install and win the Power Mac it's installed on. To date, 5669 people have tried to break into the server, which even has Telnet activated "to make things interesting", according to LinuxPPC's Jeff Carr. So far, no one has managed to bypass Linux's security systems. That's in marked contrast to Microsoft's challenge, which pits a Windows 2000 Beta 3 Web server against all comers. According to US newswires, the server fell over almost immediately -- without third-party intervention. Microsoft has been posting server status logs, and these revealed a reboot because of a full system log. It also showed some services were no longer available after the restart. According to the wires, Microsoft blamed the outages on technical difficulties caused by storms in the Seattle area. Round one of the cracker challenged clearly goes to the weather, then. Not that many real cracker seem keen on the challenge -- not only is there no prize for a successful hack, but many people disregarded Microsoft's challenge as a cynical attempt to get some testing done for free. ® LinuxPPC's challenge server is here