Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 17:24:28 +0200
From: Michaela Geuthner <mg@suse.de>
To: letters@lwn.net
Subject:  "SuSE Linux Debuts on IBM S/390, Offering True Cross Platform Support"

SuSE Linux Debuts on IBM S/390, Offering True Cross Platform Support

SuSE Linux Continues To Lead Linux Adaptation For The Enterprise

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - May 17, 2000. Today, SuSE Linux, the international
technology leader and solution provider in open source operating system
(OS) software, announced the porting of SuSE Linux OS to the IBM S/390
server platform. The first Beta Version (presented at Vista 2000) will
be available for download from SuSEs ftp-server (ftp://ftp.suse.com) in
late June. The release of the production version is scheduled for fall of
this year.

IBM's S/390 enterprise server, is the backbone of business critical data
processing. Mission-critical applications that require the traditional
strength of the S/390 platform - unmatched in reliability, security,
scalability and availability - can now be complemented by other new
applications running on Linux.

SuSE, with the first worldwide, truly cross-platform Linux distribution on
the S/390, has taken a decisive step to enhance Linux as a relevant
server-operating system in the business space.
International Data Cooperation (IDC) announced the market-share for Linux
server operating environments rose from 16% last year to 25% this year.

The S/390 architecture allows the configuration of logical partitions on a
single machine so that different operating systems (OS/390, VM/ESA,
VSE/ESA, Linux) can run in parallel.  SuSE's interoperatability allows
professional users to take advantage of running traditional OSs and SuSE
Linux S/390 in parallel. They can use standard Internet applications, such
as Apache or Sendmail, on the OS/390.

In addition to the Intel Platform, SuSE Linux also runs on PowerPC and
Alpha processors. SuSE's availability on the S/390 facilitates the system
administration tasks across heterogeneous network through SuSE's common
system administration tool, YaST. At the same time, it minimizes the
expenditure for development or acquisition of new products.

"IBM welcomes and advocates SuSE's commitment to provide overall Linux
support for S/390," comments Tom Rosamilia, Vice President, IBM S/390
Software Development. "From our ThinkPads to the S/390 mainframes, the
variety of SuSE Linux supported platforms offers unique opportunities to
IBM customers under the roof of a standardized open source operating
system.      

"Today, our special thanks are addressed to the S/390 technicians. In
cooperation with the developers of SuSE Labs, they created a functional
Linux basis for the S/390 in the shortest imaginable time, " explains Dirk
Hohndel, CTO of SuSE Linux AG in Germany. "With SuSE Linux for the S/390,
we establish Linux as a cost-effective and reliable alternative to the top
tier of operating systems, Unix. Now Linux is a major league player in the
enterprise server environment and in business critical data processing."

About SuSE:

Founded in 1992, SuSE is the international technology leader and
solution provider in open source operating system (OS) software, setting
new standards for quality and ease of use. Its award-winning SuSE Linux
6.3 and the newly released 6.4 include thousands of third party Linux
applications supported by extensive professional consulting and support
services, excellent documentation, comprehensive hardware support, and an
encyclopedic set of Linux tools. Designed for Web and enterprise server
environments and efficient as a home and office platform, SuSE's
distribution, surrounding features, effective configuration and
intelligent design result in the most complete Linux solution available
today.

SuSE Linux AG, headquartered in Germany, and SuSE Inc., based in
Oakland, CA, are privately held companies focused entirely on supporting
the Linux community, Open Source development and the GNU General Public
License. With a workforce of over 380 people worldwide, SuSE has offices
in Germany, the UK, Italy, France, Czech Republic, Venezuela, India and in
the US. More than 50,000 business customers use SuSE Linux worldwide due
to its stability and high quality.


S/390 is a registered trademark of IBM
OS/390 is a registered trademark of IBM

For further information about SuSE please contact:
Xenia von Wedel
Account Executive
The Terpin Group
xvonwedel@terpin.com
tel: (650) 344-4944
fax: (650) 344-4992

SuSE Inc.
Peigi Cleminshaw 
580 Second St., Suite 210         
Oakland, CA 94607 
T: (510) 628-3380, x5008
F: (510) 628-3381

SuSE Worldwide:
Michaela Geuthner
mg@suse.de
SuSE GmbH
Schanzaeckerstr. 10
90443 Nuernberg
T: +49 (0)911-74053196
F: +49 (0)911-7417755