From:	 Claire Stone <ClaireSt@oastcommunications.com>
To:	 Claire Stone <ClaireSt@oastcommunications.com>
Subject: The Great Linux Debate Panel Confirmed for Linux Expo
Date:	 Fri, 22 Jun 2001 15:06:29 +0100



The Great Linux Debate panel confirmed for Linux Expo 
*	4-5 July 2001, Linux Expo, Olympia, London

Press Release
Peasmarsh, Surrey, 22 June 2001 - The panel for the Great Linux Debate has
been confirmed. Held at this year's Linux Expo from 4-5 July 2001, at
Olympia, London the debate will see industry leaders from either side of the
free Linux debate included on the panel, guaranteeing delegates a frank
insight into the future of open source. 

Key figures from IBM, RedHat and SuSE, the commercial face of Linux software
provision, will sit alongside Philip Hands from Debian, a non-profit making
body for the promotion of free software. The diverse panel will ensure the
most contentious points around open source and free software will be
addressed with the opposing ideologies guaranteed to spark controversy. 

Dr Simon Moores, one of the UK's leading technology analysts and
visionaries, will chair the event. The panel will dictate the topics of
debate while questions from the floor will allow delegates to have their
concerns tackled by the experts.

Speaking about the Great Linux Debate, Dr Moores commented: 'IBM's
commitment to building a scalable e-business infrastructure on Linux has
propelled the open source debate into the media spotlight again.  Linux Expo
will give regular users of Linux the opportunity to put key industry figures
on-the-spot and address issues of genuine concern to them as users of open
source.  My role is to chair the debate fairly, making sure everybody has an
opportunity to articulate their point and to ensure the really tricky
questions aren't evaded.  I'm looking forward to it immensely.'

The suggestion that Moores may have a tough job on his hands is hinted at by
the very different starting points of the panel with questioned about
standards. Philip Hands of Debian, championing the case for open source,
said: 'It's a shame to have people doing stuff behind closed doors, keeping
it for 18 months, and then duplicating one another's efforts and possibly
the efforts of the people who are putting the changes into the main code
tree and then trying to merge all these different versions from initial
versions.'

In marked contrast Nick Davis, Linux Solutions Marketing Manager, IBM said:
'The rise of 
Linux has been impressive, but to continue that level of growth Linux needs
to find acceptance among corporate users. Standards are going to be key in
transforming the open source operating system from a cheap departmental file
and print server into the workhorse of the business computing world."

The Great Linux Debate will take place from 1-2 p.m. in the Briefing
Theatre, on both the 4 and 5 July.  Panellists on the first day will include
Adam Jollans, Software Marketing Manager Linux at IBM. , Jasmine Ul-Haque,
Commercial Director, SuSE. John Terpstra, Technology Vice President,
Caldera, Philip Hands, Debian and Nick Veitch, Editor, Linux Format. Adam
Jollans will be replaced on day two by Nick Davis, Linux Solutions Marketing
Manager, IBM, while Ruediger Berlich will replace Jasmine Ul-Haque.

Entrance to Linux Expo and the Great Linux Debate is free and tickets can be
obtained online at www.linuxexpo.co.uk Last years Linux Expo attracted over
seven thousand delegates and over fifty different exhibitors. 


---end---

For more information or to request a press pass please contact:
Claire Stone Account Executive Oast Communications Tel: + 44 (0) 1959 568534
Fax: + 44 (0) 1959 568506 Email:clairest@oastcommunications.com
www.oastcommunications.com