The thinking is also that whatever SDL can make, JDS, with a superior distribution channel, can sell.

FORBES: The JDS Uniphase-SDL Merger

In November, SDL appealed at a public inquiry against a Swansea council decision refusing its application on grounds it needs planning permission.

BBC: Firm wins appeal to operate Swansea dry dock

The hefty price tag is owed to the fact that SDL's technology lies at the heart of the white-hot optical network market.

FORBES: The JDS Uniphase-SDL Merger

Last year SDL successfully appealed at a public inquiry against a Swansea council decision refusing it a certificate for the Prince of Wales dry docks on grounds it needed planning permission.

BBC: Swansea Drydocks Ltd ship recycling permit 'likely'

The four parties - the Slovak Democratic Coalition (SDK), the Party of the Democratic Left (SDL), the Hungarian Coalition (SMK) and the Party of Civic Understanding (SOP) - have already "expressed the will to create, on the basis of the election results, a new Slovak government for the next four-year period", said Mikulas Dzurinda, the leader of SDK, which is the largest of the four parties.

BBC: News | Europe | Co-operation key to long-term success

On a more technical front, we're told the PDK supports the Linux standard SDL (Simple DirectMedia Layer) to ease in porting and development (Unreal for Linux runs using SDL, for instance), and that developers could even build apps like an audio processor that rely on PDK components but don't show up in the UI at all, or OpenGL-empowered things that aren't necessarily games or in 3D.

ENGADGET: Palm's webOS PDK beta adds Pixi native development, PDK'd apps will hit the Catalog mid year