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Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 09:41:58 -0800 (PST)
From: Peigi Cleminshaw <peigi@suse.com>
To: press@suse.com
Subject: [press] Press Release: SuSE Partners with Minolta for Linux Printing Solutions


Minolta-SuSE partnership:
Full support for Linux printers


Langenhagen/Nuremberg, Germany - 19 January 2000 - Last year's autumn
trade fairs brought concrete evidence of a new strategic partnership
between Minolta and SuSE, the international Linux distributor: Dedicated
SuSE Linux corners at the Minolta stands demonstrating that the new
partnership can bring the very practical benefit of printing usability to
Linux users.

Unique full support for Minolta monochrome printers

The aim of Minolta's partnership with Europe's leading Linux distributor,
SuSE, is simple: facilitate printer support. The resultant benefits are
significant. Linux users can now enjoy high-quality output from the
Minolta PagePro 8, 18 and 25 monochrome laser printers. The recently
launched Version 6.3 of SuSE Linux features a driver utility that also
includes installation support for the PagePro 8, 18 and 25 printers. In
practical terms, this means that these Minolta printers will be visible
and selectable in the Linux user's windows and functions such as paper
trays, mail bins, etc., will also be easily selectable - an important
consideration for printers with hundreds of individually customizable
configurations. Another practical advantage is that Minolta has just
launched an extended version of its network management utility, PageScope,
to make life easier for Linux network administrators.

Printing usability for Linux: a software solution

The Minolta-SuSE partnership means that a key benefit of the Linux
operating system - usability - has been extended to include printer
output. Linux's usability advantage is naturally dependent on compatible
output devices so that documents generated within the system can be
printed for external recipients. As a result of the strategic partnership
with SuSE, Minolta is now in a position to provide the growing Linux
community with the added value of printing usability. Now Minolta is
offering a SuSE Linux evaluation CD bundled with the PagePro 18 and 25.


Future prospects

The software solution developed in conjunction with SuSE is further
evidence of Minolta's strategic commitment to a policy of transforming
itself from a "mere" supplier of first-class hardware to a digital
solutions provider. Minolta intends to intensify its cooperation with
SuSE, e.g. in the field of colour laser printers. Minolta printers have
served as a "door opener" to the Linux community but, in future, Minolta
intends to extend the partnership with SuSE to cover digital copiers,
digital cameras and scanners - a significant expansion of the information
input and output possibilities for Linux users. The Minolta-SuSE
partnership will bring very practical benefits to the Linux community.

The benefits Linux brings

The three main reasons for the Linux success story are its stability,
affordability and usability. Stability is a key advantage, especially in
comparison with big-name competitors. A high-performance operating system
that can be downloaded from the Internet or purchased as a packet from
specialist distributors at minimal cost is obviously an attractive
proposition. And when it comes to ease of use, e.g. the absence of complex
command sets, the Linux operating system is approaching a level almost
comparable with the Windows environment. Linux's usability advantage is,
however, dependent on compatible output devices - and this is where
Minolta's strategic partnership with SuSE comes in.

About Minolta:

Founded in 1928 as a camera manufacturer, Minolta Co., Ltd. is one of the
world's leading companies for optical products, radiometric instruments
and state-of-the-art office systems. As one of the few global IT
companies, Minolta offers a comprehensive range of office solutions for
imaging and information input, processing and reproduction. In an
increasingly digitized world of business communications Minolta is
changing its focus from a supplier of hardware to a provider of
document-management solutions.

About SuSE:

SuSE, with a workforce of over 250 people, is the leading international
Linux companies. SuSE has offices in Germany, the UK, Czech Republic, the
US and Italy. SuSE Linux is used by more than 50,000 business customers
worldwide due to its stability and high quality.
 
SuSE offers an extensive range of qualified consulting and support
services for using Linux in a business environment, as well as commercial
Linux software and complete Linux systems.  SuSE contributes extensively
to Linux development projects such as the Linux kernel, glibc,
XFree86[tm], KDE, ISDN4Linux, ALSA (AdvancedLinux Sound Architecture) and
USB (Universal Serial Bus). Get further information about SuSE on
http://www.suse.de/en or by sending mail to suse@suse.de.

SuSE's US offices are located in Oakland, California, where they offer
sales and technical support to customers, distributors, ISVs and
resellers. SuSE also offers an ISV Premier Parternship Program featuring
co-marketing opportunities with SuSE. For more information, call
510-628-3380 x 5013.


Terms and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of 
their respective holders and are hereby acknowledged.


For more detailed information about the Minolta-SuSE partnership contact:

Hans-Joachim Metzger
International PR-Manager
Phone +49-511-7404-212
Fax +49-511-7404-456
Hans-Joachim_Metzger@minoltaeurope.com

SuSE GmbH
Michaela Geuthner
International Marketing
Phone +49-911-740 53 196
Fax +49-911-741 77 55
mg@suse.de

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