| Can Novell lift the Linux Desktop to the next level? |
by Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols (Mar. 9, 2006)
For a while now, Novell has produced some great Linux desktops, like the OpenSUSE line. At the same time, though, Novell insisted that for businesses, its only desktop interest was in thin-client-style worker-bee desktops, like its Novell Linux Desktop.
To quote Jack Messman, Novell's chairman and CEO, "Novell Linux Desktop is not about the wholesale replacement of your Windows systems, but rather it's about identifying where and when an open-source desktop can be a sensible, cost-effective alternative."
Things have changed.
First, Novell's new CTO, Jeff Jaffe, recently said that the Linux desktop is "about to take off. As I see it, if you segment the market, there are those for whom the Linux desktop has been fine for the past few years -- fixed function, transactional users, thin clients -- but I think what we are about to see is adoption by the basic office worker."
Which was nice of him to say, but saying it's a good idea isn't the same thing as saying you're going to put a product in people's hands.
Then, things really changed.
At the CeBIT 2006 tradeshow in Hannover, Germany, Novell announced its replacement for the Novell Linux Desktop, the SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop.
Instead of a desktop for line-workers who only have one job to do, the next-generation desktop is, according to Novell, a comprehensive, full-function desktop containing enhanced power management, integrated desktop search, high-performance graphical interfaces, and numerous application improvements.
In case you don't see what Novell is doing here, Greg Mancusi-Ungaro, a director of Linux and open source at Novell, made it clear in an interview with eWEEK's Peter Galli that Vista is the target.
In a statement, Novell executive VP and CTO Jeff Jaffe said, "With (the) SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop, we are now positioned to serve the sweet spot of the market, the general office worker."
With this "introduction of SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop, Novell is keeping a promise it made last year, to invest in delivering a desktop that is designed for the business user, rather than for experienced Linux users," said Gary Barnett, research director at Ovum.
Again, those are all nice words, but exactly what it is that Novell is proposing to deliver?
From what, I can see, the new desktop is not meant to be the ultimate Linux desktop -- it's meant to be a drop-in replacement for an existing Windows business desktop.
So, for example, SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop integrates seamlessly with existing Active Directory networks. It will also include support for Lotus Notes applications, databases, and email via IBM's planned Lotus Notes Application plug-in for the IBM Workplace Client Technology.
Despite rumors you may have heard, a true Lotus Notes client for Linux is still more of a dream than a plan. The Workplace Client Notes plug-in is a great improvement over the Web-based iNotes interface that Linux users have been stuck with until now. The bundled groupware client, Evolution, has long supported Exchange email and calandering.
In addition, Novell has worked on OpenOffice.org 2.02's interoperability with Microsoft Office. The Novell version will support many Visual Basic macros and Excel pivot tables.
There are other improvements. I'll doubtlessly be reviewing them in beta once I get my hands on a copy. These include -- take that Vista Aero -- Xgl-based 3-D graphics support. Those features are almost beside the point. The real goal of this release is to beat Vista to the office.
Even if you think I'm dead wrong about Vista's technical defects, I think anyone who knows office IT has to conclude that Novell is on to something.
Let's look at the facts. The new Novell desktop is an inexpensive -- less than 10 percent of the cost of XP and Office combined -- modern business operating system and office suite that will run on existing hardware and work with existing Microsoft Office documents, and can drop right in on existing W2K or Server 2003-based networks.
I don't know about you, but I think any office IT decision maker must take the SUSE Enterprise Linux Desktop seriously when it comes time to put the XP, W2K, and older desktop operating systems out to pasture. It just makes too much dollars and cents sense to ignore.
 About the author: Ziff Davis Internet editor Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols has been using and writing about technology and business since the late '80s and thinks he may just have learned something about them along the
way.
Do you have comments on this story?
Talkback here
NOTE: Please post your comments regarding our articles using the above link. Be sure to use this article's title as the "Subject" in your posts. Before you create a new thread, please check to see if a discussion thread is already running on the article you plan to comment on. Thanks!
Related stories:
(Click here for further information)
|
|
|
Approaching the Linux Desktop
The purpose of this paper is to help organizations evaluate the Linux desktop against their own enterprise needs and discover what benefits the Linux desktop might bring to their organizations.
Migrating To Linux: Application Challenges and Solutions
Several solutions exist to help organizations migrate in an orderly fashion from Windows to Linux desktops. This paper establishes the characteristics of an ideal cross-platform solution and reviews these alternatives in light of this ideal standard. The paper takes a closer look at the pros and cons of various solutions and outlines the business benefits that can be achieved.
Linux Advantages: Publicly Available Information on Linux Software
This paper offers a brief summary of readily-available Linux information to help businesses sort out this widely misunderstood operating system.
Top 5 Strategies for Managing Linux
Despite continuous evolution in the manageability of Linux, a 2006 survey cited manageability concerns as a top reason why organizations are hesitating to adopt Linux. Levanta believes Linux can be as manageable, if not more so, than other operating systems by following key strategies. These strategic recommendations were developed from experiences in numerous customer environments, both large and small.
Why Choose Novell for Linux?
This paper outlines the benefits of switching to the Linux platform and choosing Novell as a high-performance, enterprise solution.
Enterprise Linux Selection Guide
Considering moving your enterprise to the Linux operating system? Since there are so many similar versions, choosing the right one can be tough. This paper offers a clear process to help you make an informed decision and get the features, support, and cost that are right for your business and technical needs.
Overcoming Challenges in Managing Linux
Levanta has created a new administration model with innovative technology that breaks down the barriers to making the most of Linux systems. This paper will provide an in-depth look at the workings of Levanta’s product, the first Linux appliance of its kind.
SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 for Retail Businesses
Discover why major retailers have switched to SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop in the back office. SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 is a low-cost desktop that offers a complete set of productivity applications and interoperates seamlessly with the other Windows, Macintosh and UNIX desktops in your store.
Moving to a Linux Desktop
Migrating from Windows to Linux on the desktop can be a substantial undertaking because it has the potential for touching -- and perhaps disrupting -- every user in your organization. Unlike a data center (server and infrastructure) migration that is largely transparent to users, the cultural and administrative transitions and environment readiness required to support a Linux desktop migration are extensive.
Seven Good Reasons to Exchange Exchange
This paper describes seven compelling reasons why you should switch from Exchange to Scalix.
|
|
|
|
|
news feed
