| IBM aims business software suite at Linux desktops |
Feb. 15, 2007
IBM has released its new Open Client Solution for business, a package of office software applications that supports several operating systems, including Linux and Windows. In particular, the Linux business desktop runs on both Red Hat's Enterprise Linux Workstation and Novell's SLED (SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop).
Included in the Open Client package are IBM Productivity tools, which is a server-based office software suite. It includes word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation capabilities. All these applications support the ODF (Open Document Format). These programs are already available in IBM's Workplace Managed Client.
In addition, Open Client includes the Firefox Web browser, the Lotus Notes client software, the Lotus Sametime IM client and IBM WebSphere Portal v6, and Lotus Expeditor, an Eclipse-based client development platform for composite applications.
When it ships later this year, Open Client will also include Lotus Notes 8; Lotus Connections, a business social networking system that supports online communities and blogs; and Lotus Quickr, a team collaboration and content sharing system.
IBM says it created this business Linux desktop stack from its own best practices. Blg Blue learned these from an IBM internal desktop deployment, which supports open standards and includes Lotus collaboration software products running on Red Hat Linux. One of the largest corporate Linux desktop roll-outs to date, the Open Client Solution complements the company's broad roles-based strategy that aims to provide employees the right platform for an individual's specific job role.
Open Client runs on top of the IBM's Eclipse Rich Client Platform. This is an Eclipse-based, Web 2.0 middleware stack. On Linux, it will run on both the KDE and GNOME desktops.
IBM claims that its "flexible" Open Client office desktop software stack is a desirable alternative to "vendor lock-in" approaches, because only minor changes are typically required to run the stack on multiple operating system platforms. Buyers can also get desktop management support and application migration services. Red Hat and Novell will provide the operating system services.
Customers can choose to run the office on either or both Linux and Windows on PCs. When Lotus Notes 8 is ported to Macs, later this year, Mac users will be able to use the same common office suite, as well.
"With the Open Client platform we've internally battle-tested a Linux-based solution running Lotus software in one of the world's largest enterprises based on what customers have been demanding from the market," said Scott Handy, IBM's VP of Worldwide Linux and open source, at the LinuxWorld OpenSolutions Summit in New York City. "We've met those market needs by creating a single flexible software stack that only requires one set of investment and one team of developers to run on multiple operating systems."
"Increasingly, customers are asking for software and tools that are based on open standards that easily integrate within existing open IT environments, and have enterprise-level security features. We've addressed this market demand by creating an open solution that runs on multiple operating systems with components supported by services from IBM, Red Hat and Novell," added Handy.
Open Client is available immediately. Pricing depends on the number of users.
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