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Linux and business


How to Remove Linux and Install Windows 2000. This week Microsoft put up a catchy page on how to remove Linux and install Windows on your computer. It's an amusing thing to read, especially when you realize that they recommend using Linux fdisk to delete the Linux partitions. But there is a serious issue here which is worth noting.

The issue is one of attitude. Microsoft is saying something like "now you've had your fun, time to get that toy off your system and get serious." For all that Linux zealotry can hit extreme levels, there is no "Removing Windows HOWTO." Instead, a quick check turns up documents like:

...and so on. One of the many strong points of Linux systems is that they talk to - and get along with - almost everything else out there. Cooperation with other systems makes Linux more valuable via network effects, makes life easier for those trying to migrate to Linux, and also simply displays the right attitude.

The Ups and Downs of Corel. Corel's stock, which peaked around $43 on the NASDAQ recently, is now back down into the low teens. The latest reason for this decline can be found in this release describing Corel's fourth-quarter performance. Corel, it turns out, is back to losing money again, despite expectations to the contrary.

Corel, of course, is counting on Linux to make things better again. The company is off to a good start with a respectable distribution and a number of key distribution agreements. Corel today also announced taking a 1/3 stake in LinuxForce, a Philadelphia-based provider of support services. LinuxForce is supposed to help fill out Corel's service and support offerings around Linux.

Corel has also announced a partnership with Creative Technologies, which is intended to bring more audio and video products to Linux.

Meanwhile, Corel's distribution hits the store shelves this week. It will be interesting to see how the market responds.

LNUX == Linux? For your amusement, here's a Reuters article about Creative Technology. "Shares of Creative Technology (NasdaqNM:CREAF - news) pushed higher in early trade on Friday, buoyed by another record close on the U.S. technology-laden Nasdaq, and plans to support the Linux (NasdaqNM:LNUX - news) operating system." (Thanks to Bill Kent).

Here's another one: this press release from "ShesGotItTogether.com." "The benefits from the Linux (NASDAQ: LNUX) operating system and OC-3 connection are significant with respect to reliable, high-speed connectivity and enhanced network security."

People who have spent years in the middle of Linux can lose track of just how hard it can be for "outsiders" to understand what is going on. The idea that Linux is not a company - or owned by a company - takes some getting used to.

Red Hat announces results, stock split. Red Hat has announced its quarterly results. Revenues were $5.4 million, up from $4.4 million last quarter. They report a loss of $3.4 million for the quarter. There will be a two-for-one stock split, effective December 27 with the new shares issued around January 7, 2000.

Quicknet releases drivers under the GPL. Quicknet Technologies, Inc., makers of low-cost, single port telephony cards, has announced the release of drivers for its cards under the GPL. Quicknet has coordinated its work with Alan Cox and the drivers were included in the Linux kernel as of his 2.2.14pre15 prepatch.

Linuxcare and Motorola sign a deal Linuxcare has announced a support deal with the Motorola Computer Group - this deal is a bit unique in that they are supporting Linux in embedded applications. Linuxcare will also be supporting Motorola's training programs.

Linuxcare has also signed a support deal with Informix, see the press release for some details.

TurboLinux and NEC have also signed a support deal. The announcement describes a deal where NEC supports TurboLinux (the distribution) on its systems (in Japan), and TurboLinux (the company) provides backup support.

Atipa announces a new firewall box. Atipa Linux Solutions has announced a new Linux-based firewall appliance. It fits into a 1U rack slot, and start at $3500.

Xybernaut announces Linux partnership with SBS e.V. Xybernaut has announced "a partnership with the Software Zentrum Boblingen/Sindelfingen e.V. ('SBS'), a consortium of over fifty software development companies, to establish a center of excellence for Linux application development and support."

More Linux web sites get bought. The world's attention may be on Linux IPOs, but there seems to be quite an active market in Linux web sites as well. The latest to be bought is LinuxStart.com, which was grabbed by Internet.com. There is a press release announcing the acquisition, but not much information is to be had there.

The other news in the acquisition department is a purely unsubstantiated rumor, but the source is reliable: LinuxNow.com ("the most complete Linux reference") has been acquired by the Linux Mall. Evidently it will be run by the same crew, but as part of a larger operation.

Eltrax brings restaurant software to Linux. Eltrax has announced that its "SQUiRREL" restaurant management system is available for Linux - in fact, it has been in beta test for a year. The Linux "application gap" gets narrower every day, as more of these specialized vertical applications become available...

Aether Intelligent Messaging available. Aether Systems has announced the availability of its "Aether Intelligent Messaging" product for Linux. This product is a wireless messaging system meant for mobile applications and such; they claim it is the first such available for Linux.

Python Essential Reference announced. New Riders has put out a press release announcing the publication of the Python Essential Reference. (LWN reviewed this title back in November).

Red Hat certified memory. H.Co Computer Products announces that its memory has been certified by Red Hat. Of course, memory incompatibilities with Linux have been fairly low on the list of most people's problems...

Press Releases:

    Commercial Products for Linux:

  • Continuus Software Corporation announced its plans to port the Continuus Change Management Suite to Red Hat Linux 6.1.

  • Creative Technology Ltd. announced expanded support for the Linux OS.

  • CyberStar Computer Corporation announced that they will support the Linux operating system on its entire line of desktop PC's and fileservers.

  • Eicon Technology announced the release of Linux drivers for its PCI bus ISDN server adapters, the DIVA Server BRI-2M and the DIVA Server PRI-23M.

  • eLinear announced that WebCAS, eLinear's proprietary web site content management system, is now available for Linux based systems.

  • eShare Technologies announced its support of the Linux operating system for its web-based communication products.

  • Mission Critical Linux put out this press release detailing their products and support for Linux.

  • National Technical Systems Inc. announced the release of its "Linux Test Suite," for validating Linux operating systems ported to hardware platforms.

  • Perle Systems announced its intention to provide comprehensive LINUX support across its complete range of serial connectivity and RAS products.

  • QSound Labs, Inc. and 4Front Technologies announced iQ for Linux, a software plug-in for XMMS.

    Products Using Linux:

  • Eagle Wireless International, Inc. announced that it will offer Linux as one of its standard operating systems for its Convergence Set-Top Box, marketed by BroadbandMagic.com.

  • eConnect claims it has developed the first Linux-based transactional server (LTS) for the purpose of receiving incoming Internet cash payments by ATM card and PIN. They also announced that Kanakaris Communications will test the system.

  • Emperor Systems launched a TV-Linux+Java=LAVA product, a Real-Time Operating System and Application Software layer for TV systems.

  • Intellibarter.com will launch its Linux, PHP and MySQL-based website Dec. 25, 1999. The site allows people to trade unwanted presents.

  • SSE Telecom, Inc. announced that it has begun shipping beta units of its new iP3 broadband satellite Internet gateway platform.

    Java Products:

  • Chartwell Technology Inc. announced the release of the Linux version of CasinoCasino, its complete suite of JAVA based Internet games.

  • Epic Data International Inc. announced the full product release of EPIConnect: Warehouse Edition, a software application for the SAP R/3 logistics system.

  • Servlet Inc. announced SOHOConnection, a zero-cost, zero-administration, platform-independent network proxy, available for download at http://www.servlet.com/soho2/.

  • Tower Technology Corporation announced that its TowerJ 3.1.4 Java deployment solution for Linux has been nominated for Best Virtual Machine in JavaWorld Magazine's Readers' Choice Awards.

    Products with Linux Versions:

  • Computer Associates International, Inc. announced the open beta of ARCserveIT for Linux platforms. Free for download by registering at www.cai.com/products/betas.

  • Information Exchange announced Outside In Viewer Technology Version 6.0, a file filtering and viewing software development kit.

  • Inprise Corporation announced VisiBroker 3.3 for Delphi.

  • Mediascape announced Artstream, a full featured vector illustration and page layout system, is now available for Linux.

  • Oriole Systems Inc. announced it has developed a complete turnkey e-business software package, which will be ready for resale in the first quarter of year 2000.

  • SERENA Software, Inc. announced that its eChange Man product now supports Linux.

  • Spatial Inc. announced the release of ACIS 6.0, the latest version of Spatial's solid modeling kernel for CAD/CAM/CAE systems.

  • StarBurst Software announced it has optimized a version of OmniCast software to support reliable and scalable content distribution management on Linux-based operating systems.

  • WebEasy, Inc. announced the integration of its OFX application server with Princeton eCom's electronic bill presentment and payment (EBPP) systems to handle high volumes of financial transactions initiated by Quicken software clients.

  • Zideo.com will introduce a comprehensive presentation of its data compression technology at Midem 2000.

    Partnerships, Investments and Acquisitions:

  • Applix, Inc. announced its office in the UK has established a new partnership with LinuxIT, one of Europe's largest Linux software resellers and distributors.

  • Communication Intelligence Corp. (CIC) announced that it has completed an agreement with MiddleSoft Inc. to license CIC's Jot handwriting recognition system and e-signature software development kit, InkTools, for use on the Linux operating system.

  • Corel Corporation and S3 Incorporated's Professional Graphics Division announced a new partnership to deliver 2D/3D graphics to the Linux desktop.

  • Covalent Technologies, Inc., provider of Apache Web server e-commerce solutions, announced that it has closed $5 million in first round funding.

  • Global Media Corp. announced its signing of a contract with Inner City Broadcasting Corp. of New York, NY.

  • GraphOn Corporation announced it has expanded its UK and Netherlands distribution by signing a strategic partnership agreement with leading edge software solutions distributor, E92 Plus.

  • IBM and the University of New Mexico announced a joint research project to integrate IBM RS/6000 SP supercomputing technology running AIX with Linux superclusters.

  • International Internet, Inc. announced that its has joined the LinuxMall.com Referral Program.

  • LinuxOne, Inc. has entered into an exclusive Distribution Agreement with the Sichuan International Economy, Science & Technology Promotion Association, which provides for the distribution of all LinuxOne products throughout Southwest China.

  • Microtest Inc. announced a distribution agreement with the Japanese firm, Ark Information Systems to distribute Microtest's Linux-based optical storage appliance, under Ark's brand name.

  • Navarre Corporation announced that it has entered into distribution agreements with Loki Entertainment Software and Cybernet Systems Corporation.

  • Network Associates, Inc. announced a solution to enable third party developers and service providers to easily embed the market-leading McAfee VirusScan engine into Linux-based e-business applications, Internet appliances, and managed service offerings.

    Other:

  • Digital Media Online announced the launch of CreativeLinux.com an Internet community for professional content creators working on Linux-based systems.

  • LinuxBusiness.com wants your help in building a huge repository of different ways to use Linux in corporate environments.

  • Oracle put out this press release touting its Oracle Technology Network (OTN). "Oracle's Internet Platform is built on Java, XML and Linux -- the foundation Internet technologies -- and it's all available to developers for free on OTN."

  • Silicon Valley Research, Inc. announced the availability of Y2K upgrades for all of their software. Users of SVR products may also choose to migrate to these new Linux based products as part of the Year 2000 Compatibility upgrade.

  • Terian Technologies is giving away free computers with Red Hat Linux to qualified VARs and resellers who complete a short questionnaire at http://www.terian.com.

  • Unific.com announced the launch of a Linux help section.

  • Xceed Inc. announced the formal launch of its Linux Solutions Team.

Section Editor: Jon Corbet.


December 23, 1999

 

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