– By Grant Gross –

IBM and Linux distribution company SuSE have announced a “first-of-its-kind” partnership in which the two companies will jointly provide support and professional services for big-business customers using or switching to Linux. It’s billed as an agreement that “will make Linux the confident choice of enterprise customers.”This week was the case of the dueling Linux enterprise announcements, as Red Hat announced its enterprise server product in addition to the SuSE announcement. Look for even more choice for big-business customers as IBM plans to expand its support partnerships with other Linux companies in addition to SuSE.

Really, the IBM/SuSE partnership is an expansion of a working agreement IBM and SuSE already have. But Peter Nielsen, Linux offering executive for IBM Global Services, says the partnership will extend the reach of both companies as they’re pitching Linux to big businesses. SuSE benefits from IBM’s global reach, while IBM benefits from SuSE’s market penetration in Europe and from offering a more complete Linux package to customers.

“IBM and SuSE believe that the whole will be greater than the sum of its parts,” says the PR pitch that came with the press release.

Adds Gerhard Burtscher, CEO of SuSE Linux: “With the new IBM and SuSE worldwide service alliance, corporate customers benefit from the availability of enterprise Linux solutions combined with a broad range of joint support and service offerings anywhere in the world. This is a major step to make Linux corporate computing a reality.”

What this means for customers, according to Nielsen, is a more seamless level of support and services when enterprise customers are using the SuSE Linux Enterprise Server in combination with support and services offered by IBM Global Services. The two companies will provide services, though a joint project office, including system integration and customization, and rollout and implementation services.

“Enterprise customers have expectations of a very high level of support,” Nielsen says. “By really offering the combination of the maintenance which comes with the SuSE Enterprise Server, along with Global Services’ support line, we think that gives a more complete enterprise level of service for Linux.”

That will mean a close tie between support organizations at both companies, in which IBM Global Services can ask SuSE for fixes, can provide fixes, and can act as an agent for selling the SuSE Linux Enterprise Server,” he says.

While SuSE is the first Linux distributor to enter into this level of partnership with IBM, look for more such agreements between IBM and other Linux companies. IBM PR people are fond of quoting a recent IDC report predicting 2002 will be a “breakout” year for Linux, with predictions that Linux will grow by 37% in the corporate IT market, while Windows NT will grow by just 6%.

“This is the most comprehensive agreement we have with a distributor,” Nielsen says. “We’re interested in relationships with any Linux services companies our customers are getting engaged with. This is just the first.”

Stacey Quandt, a Linux and Open Source analyst with Giga Information Group, notes that the expansion of the SuSE and IBM partnership should have an impact on enterprise adoption of Linux. “Since service and support remains among the
top five selection criteria for end-users choosing a Linux distribution the
fact that SuSE and IBM have formed a closer relationship is significant,” she says.

Anonymous Reader writes, “LinuxDevices.com’s Rick Lehrbaum chats with Victor Yodaiken, the creator of RTLinux and President of FSMLabs, a software development company headquartered in New Mexico. In this interview, which focuses on FSMLabs, Yodaiken discusses his company’s origins, goals, structure, market focus, products, and future plans.”

Anonymous Reader writes “This article by China MobileSoft cofounders John Ostrem and Jiping Wang provides a perspective on the rapidly emerging market for Embedded Linux in China, including a general summary of trends, markets, and a brief survey of the significant Chinese Embedded Linux providers. Read it at LinuxDevices.com“

On Monday, April 1, 2002, Judge Whyte
of the Northern District of California Federal Court will
hear arguments on Russian software firm Elcomsoft’s motion
to dismiss the criminal charges leveled against it under
likely unconstitutional provisions of the Digital Millenium
Copyright Act (DMCA). Elcomsoft is charged with offering a
tool that circumvents the copy protection in Adobe eBooks,
allowing fair, noninfringing use by eBook purchasers.

Although the government has largely dropped its charges
against Elcomsoft employee Dmitry Sklyarov, the company
remains under criminal prosecution, presenting a chance for
the court to look closely into the constitutional problems
with the DMCA. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)
filed an amicus brief in support of Elcomsoft as did over 35
law professors.

The hearing is open to the public, and the EFF would like to
see a strong showing of support for Elcomsoft and opposition
to the DMCA’s unconstitutionality. Attendees should dress
respectfully to keep from disrupting the legal proceedings.

When: 9:00 a.m., April 1, 2002
[Note: Despite the date, this is an actual hearing.]

Where: United States Courthouse, 280 South 1st Street,
San Jose, California, 95113

Courtroom: 4th Floor, Courtroom 6

Map:
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?countrycode=250&country=US&address=280+S+1st+St&city=San+Jose&state=CA&zipcode=&addtohistory=++&submit.x=49&submit.y=10.

Links to Elcomsoft case archive:
http://www.eff.org/IP/DMCA/US_v_Sklyarov

For this advisory:
http://www.eff.org/IP/DMCA/US_v_Sklyarov/20020328_eff_elcom_pr.html

About EFF:

The Electronic Frontier Foundation is the leading civil
liberties organization working to protect rights in the
digital world. Founded in 1990, EFF actively encourages and
challenges industry and government to support free
expression, privacy, and openness in the information
society. EFF is a member-supported organization and
maintains one of the most-linked-to websites in the world at
http://www.eff.org/.

From LinuxPlanet: “I confess that we use Sendmail at my office, not one of the commercial packages. We do some pretty cool things there so when I look at commercial Linux mail servers, I’m always checking to see if buying one would end up limiting my functionality compared to what I’ve got now. SuSE’s Linux eMail Server III has an amazing number of features integrated into its GUI, including all of the DNS functions for handling virtual domains and hosts. If I were a brand new mail administrator this program would save me hours and hours of fussing with Sendmail and BIND and numerous other tools. As a user, I’d definitely love this product, its Webmail actually lets you create mail filters and autohandling scripts, along with supporting some pretty cool calendar and scheduling options.”

ZDNet has the story:

“Sun Microsystems’ StarOffice software package–a competitor of Microsoft Office–is moving more toward the mainstream with the coming release of version 6, Sun Chief Operating Officer Ed Zander said Wednesday.

StarOffice, which Sun acquired in 1999, has thus far failed to grow much beyond the fringes of the computing world. Sun hopes to change that with the next version by securing customers in big business and outside the United States, Zander said.”

From Wired.com: “Jim Dinda’s apartment is a high-tech entertainment haven, but that could change if a bill that restricts how electronics devices work is passed into law.

Dinda’s DSL phone line connects his entire home entertainment network. His movies, music and personal files are stored on a Windows 2000 server. He uses his Dell computer for e-mailing and Web surfing. He’s teaching himself programming using a Linux server. He built a Pentium 3 with a video card that links his VCR, DVD and TiVo. The final piece is a wireless base station that allows him to roam the house with an IBM ThinkPad laptop.
He’s invested several years and thousands of dollars building the system, but a controversial piece of legislation introduced by Senator Fritz Hollings (D-South Carolina) could soon render his setup obsolete once he begins upgrading the network.”

Slashdot readers discuss an announcement at MozillaZine, saying the cvs tree has closed in anticipation of the Mozilla browser suite releasing its 1.0 version.

From Jason Spisak: Responding to the needs of its customers, Lycoris is pleased to announce its newest Partner, Kudzu Enterprises, will be the first Lycoris Distributor worldwide. Lycoris also now proudly offers Compaq laptops pre-loaded with Desktop/LX.

Responding to the needs of its customers, Lycoris has Partnered with Kudzu Enterprises for distribution of its flagship product, Desktop/LX. Kudzu’s existing channels and reseller relationships now make Desktop/LX available worldwide through popular on-line and retail software stores. This important step brings Desktop/LX into the hands of more users in the quickest time frame.

“We are extremely excited to be a distribution partner for Desktop/LX. Our retailers throughout the world have been continually inquiring about Desktop/LX and we are pleased to now be able to satisfy their requests. Lycoris has a lot of buzz around their company and products right now and we believe Desktop/LX will be a very successful addition to our product line,” states Kudzu’s Darren Finnamore

“As Lycoris prepares to offer its ProductivityPak, partnerships, like this one with Kudzu, allow us to get the growing Lycoris Product Line to the hands of consumers. Not that we don’t love selling direct, but the real value to customers comes from being able to get Desktop/LX and other Lycoris Products, anywhere, anytime, through their favorite reseller. Kudzu will make that happen,” explains Jason Spisak, Marketing Director for Lycoris. For more information on becoming a Lycoris Distributor or Lycoris Reseller, contact partners@lycoris.com.

In another exciting move, Lycoris has again expanded its product line with the addition of pre-loaded Desktop/LX Compaq laptops. In addition to Hewlett Packard personal computers, Lycoris now offers Compaq laptops, which include a 30 day limited warranty from Compaq, pre-loaded with a Desktop/LX box set. Lycoris provides 60 days of e-mail support for the software and for a limited time sells the entire package for $729.99. The specifications for this exciting product are as follows:

• Compaq Armada 7400 Notebook
• 300Mhz Pentium II Processor
• AGP Graphics
• Switchable CD ROM Drive and 3.5 inch Disk Drive
• 6.4 GB Hard Drive
• 128 RAM
• Desktop/LX Amethyst
• 13.1 inch TFT Active Matrix Screen
• 56k voice/fax modem
• Refurbished with 30 day Limited Warranty

This exciting new product is available for purchase by contacting the Lycoris sales department at sales@lycoris.com

About Lycoris

Lycoris, located in Redmond, Washington, was founded in 2000 with a vision
of making Linux simple enough for anyone to use. Lycoris packages Open Source applications for the comsumer market and integrates them into Desktop/LX, their simple, robust Linux desktop. Lycoris has enjoyed amazingly positive press coverage and has rocketed into the spotlight as the provider of Desktop/LX. Lycoris is currently seeking funding to accelerate the time to market of Lycoris Desktop/LX Professional and Lycoris ProductivityPak, which are the largest potential new markets for Lycoris as the leading provider of Linux specifically targeted for the desktop market. For more information e-mail
investors@lycoris.com.

About Kudzu Enterprises

Located in Minneapolis, MN, Kudzu Distribution is a new leading source for software and books. The founders’ experience in the software distribution industry provides retailers the best possible line of products available for a variety of platforms including Linux, BSD, Windows and more. Kudzu associated resellers enjoy same day shipping to ensure quick, accurate product delivery. For more information, email darren@Kudzuenterprises.com or call +01 (952) 947-0822

Web: http://www.lycoris.com
Sales: sales@lycoris.com
Media Relations: press@lycoris.com
General Information: info@lycoris.com

Lycoris
PO Box 2313
Redmond WA 98073-2313
USA
1+ 425 869-2930
1+ 425 671-0504 facsimile

NewsFactor Network writes, “AOL Time Warner Inc. wants to keep Microsoft Corp., its fiercest rival, from dominating the Web. But AOL, the world’s largest Internet service provider, has helped Microsoft do just that by relying on the software giant’s Web browser and its increasingly Web-oriented Windows operating system. Not anymore.” The story’s at osOpinion.com.