MUSCLE (Movement for the Use of Smart Cards in a Linux Environment), headed by David Corcoran, was founded in February of this year expressly to find a use for smart cards in the development environment he prefers most—Linux. For information on contributing to the open development, visit the MUSCLE web site at http://www.linuxnet.com/smartcard/index.html. This site describes development efforts, provides the source code developed so far, and offers a mailing list and chat room.
Recommended Reading: Smart Card Developers Kit, by Scott B. Guthery and Timothy Jurgensen (MacMillan Technical Publishing). This book details smart-card design and operation and gives a history on the origin and standardization of smart cards. It comes complete with a free Multi Flex 3K smart card and sells for around $80 US.