HANS REISER'S trial for allegedly having murdered his missing wife, Nina, began Monday in Alameda County Superior Court in Oakland, California.

But it didn't get very far, apparently. Wired reports that opening statements were delayed by the judge, attorneys - and Reiser himself - conferring at length in chambers. It seems Reiser will be involved in his own legal defence, having memorised thousands of pages of evidence.

Reiser, 43, is the lead author of the complicated, and rather different, Linux file systems that are named after him. His Reiser3 and Reiser4 file system products have fallen somewhat out of favour since his arrest and incarceration awaiting trial.

He is accused of killing his wife in September of 2006, in the midst of a tumultuous divorce involving accusations of adultery and sadomasochism, as well as the usual money and child custody wrangles. He claims he didn't kill her and says she might have secretly fled back to Russia. µ

L'INQ
Wired