From: "Masami Okano" <masami@cdrom.co.jp> To: "Masami Okano" <masami@cdrom.co.jp> Subject: [PressRelease]Promotion of "Japanese Red Hat Linux 6.0" will be terminated and "LASER5 Linux 6.0" will peplace it. Date: Wed, 1 Sep 1999 01:56:23 +0900 -Press Release September 01, 1999 From Japan ==================================================== Promotion of "Japanese Red Hat Linux 6.0" will be terminated and "LASER5 Linux 6.0" will replace it. ==================================================== Itsutsubshi Rsearch Co., ltd.(President and CEO Toshiyuki Kubota, located at Kowa Bldg., 5-6-12, Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) announced that they will terminate the development of "Japanese Red Hat 6.0", and start the promotion and development of "LASER5 Linux 6.0". Itsutsubashi Research Co., Ltd. has been promoting and developing "Japanese Red Hat Linux 6.0" as the primary vendor under the partnership contract with Red Hat since February 1997. However, a notice stating the termination of partnership contract came to Itsutsubashi Research Co. suddenly on August 24, 17.00PM(Japan time) and it became impossible for Itsutsubashi to use the "Shadow man" logo and the name "Red Hat Linux". Therefore, Itsutsubashi Research Co. was forced to stop the sales of "Japanese Red Hat Linux 6.0". The "Japanese Red Hat linux 6.0", which is almost completed, will be released on September 17, 1999 as scheduled, changing the name to "LASER5 Linux 6.0". Due to the conflict of administration policy between LASER5 Co., Ltd. and Red Hat, LASER5 will stop the further development of Japanese Red Hat Linux and continue the sale of LASER5 Linux and the support for the "Red Hat Linux" up to 6.0 version. ********** Specification for LASER5 Linux 6.0 *********** -On sale beginning September 17 "LASER5 Linux 6.0" Base price 12,800 Yen "LASER5 Linux 6.0 Japanese Input Kit" Base price 6,800 Yen * 99% compatible with Red Hat Linux 6.0. "LASER5 Linux 6.0" is developed on the basis of Red Hat Linux 6.0 and 99% compatible with Red Hat Linux 6.0. * Adopt the latest Kernel 2.2x series. The latest Kernel 2.2x series has numerous enhancements including improved performances in the environment of 2CPU or up, support for various server grades(RAID, UPS, DAT) and expansion of file system. * High quality GUI through GNOME and KDE. By using GNOME and KDE for desktop environment, LASER5 Linux provides a GUI environment comparable or superior to Windows 95/98. Japanese version is being developed aggressively. The use of GNOME and KDE has improved the maneuverability of LASER5 Linux dramatically. * Variety of software bundle including "Just Systems", "ATOK12SE", Omron Software Wnn6 and other Japanese version software as well as many utilities. Through the adoption and support of Japanese input software such as ATOK12SE and Wnn6, input in Japanese will no longer be a problem. The maneuverability is also improved by including multi-boot utility System Commander Lite, the Blender 3DCG rendering tool, the SSH for security, the BRU back-up software and 2 anti-virus packages (F-secure, Sophos). * The complete manual in Japanese. A complete Japanese manual detailing the installation procedure and use of software is provided so that new Linux users can handle the OS easily. * Customer Support. We will provide free installation support via phone, fax or E-mail for 90 days and 3 inquiries to resolve troubles during and after installation. ---------- Q&A ---------- Q1) How to explain to customers anticipating "Japanese redhat Linux 6.0"? A1) Please recommend "LASER5 Linux 6.0". This is the product that was going to be "Japanese redhat Linux 6.0" and hence is nearly 100% compatible. Also it is currently unknown when Red Hat Software Inc. is going to provide a Japanese version. Q2) What should we do for the enterprise? A2) LASER5 Linux is almost completely following Red Hat Software Inc.'s versioning. However we also aim to further enhance "LASER5 Linux" and other products for the Japanese market as a "Better Red Hat" unfettered by Red Hat Software Inc.'s versioning. In addition we feel that we are in a far better position to provide support to the Japanese market. Please choose from our Server, Normal, and Free versions one that best suits your needs. Q3) What is going to happen to "Japanese redhat Server Edition"? A3) There should be no problems even if you continue to use it. The server edition offers simple and automated firewall setup, internet and Samba servers, the secure high performance Roxen Challenger web server and other features not found in Red Hat Software Inc.'s products. Please note however that the next release will be provided as a server version of "LASER5 Linux". Q4) How about support for Red Hat Software Inc.'s products? A4) LASER5 Co., Ltd. is not a simple marketing-only company, integrating development. support, and promotion functions. We will continue to import Red Hat Software Inc.'s products and continue our support program. We will be able to continue to provide the best possible solution geared for our customer's needs. Q5) Where does LASER5 feel that Red Hat is unsatisfactory? A5) We feel that the management of Red Hat Software Inc. is unstable. In addition, we feel that their centralized licensing control is against both the spirit of Open Source(Free) Software and the "Control on the user side" advocated by Mr.. Bob Young, the chairman of Red Hat Software, which implies some conflicts of policy among the management. As to the solutions using Linux in Japan, there are special environments besides language barriers, and it is hard, if not impossible, for the companies located in US to control everything to offer good supports for customers in Japan. Moreover, the delay of decisions & release is a serious problem. Red Hat Software Co. has lost its competitiveness by raising the large amount of money through the sales of its stocks which requires good dividends and needs to raise loyalty or service cost. Q6) What is the strong points of Red Hat? A6) Red Hat has many talented people in open source development and there is no major problems currently in reliability, achievement and direction of future vision which belongs to the academic world. As to the actual usage of products, it depends on the management of Red Hat Co. in US which has inadequate administration of corporation as explained in the paragraph A5. Q7) What will be the support to the users of Japanese redhat Linux? A7) LASER5 will support the users of Japanese Red Hat Linux. Q8) What will become the Japanese Linux 5.2 free version? A8) The distribution of Japanese redhat Linux 5.2 free version will be terminated 180 days after August 24, 1999. Q9) What will happen on the mailing list and support pages? A9) The "Shadow man"Logo of Red Hat will be eliminated from the support pages, but the current information's may be used as usual. Also, the current mailing list may be used. Please use the mailing list of LASER5 also which will be started soon. Q10) Isn't Red Hat a big tree for the safety shelter? A10) The latest total turn over of Red Hat is only double of LASER5 groups'. The capability and size of two companies are in the same level, considering population and market share of Linux in two countries. Q11) Isn't Red Hat the de facto standard distribution in the world? A11) There was a big change in distribution since last year and Red Hat is now a local brand in US only. In Europe and South America, the local distribution matched with the culture of each country is a main stream. There are "Mandrake" in France, "Conectiva" in Brazil, and "S.u.S.E Linux" in Germany which is different from Red Hat, and these "Better Red Hat group" vendors sell products much more than Red Hat does. These distributions have become the de facto standard of each resions.The Red Hat's policy which consists of version development for worldwide distribution, conducted at the main office in North Carolina, and charging high loyalties, is inadequate for the business model of open source symbolized by "Cathedral and Bazzar". The Linux developed with "Bazzar" model will fit to the distribution by "Bazzar" model. *Itsutsubashi Research Co., Ltd. http://www.cdrom.co.jp Since 1993 we have been providing Japanese Linux environments with extensive help and collaboration with the Japanese Linux user community. Since 1997 we have been acting as the main distributor of Red Hat Linux in Japan and were developing and providing "Japanese redhat Linux" and have distributed over 1 million copies (as of June 1999). Additionally through our publishing department, we have published Japan's first Linux publication "Linux Japan" since 1996. Our shop in Akihabara and the Web, sells various software and publications both Linux related and not. ==================================================== For inquiry, please contact with Masami Okano <masami@cdrom.co.jp>, Public relations & marketing, The OS department, by E-mail. The Itsutsubashi Research Co., Ltd. Kowa Bldg #3, 2Fl.,5-6-12 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan. Zip Code #101-0021 Phone:+81-3-5818-6626 FAX:+81-3-5818-6627 ==================================================== The OS Department of Itsutsubashi Research Co., Ltd. is to become LASER5 Co., Ltd. from September 1st. http://www.laser5.co.jp