Linux vs Windows - Conquering a Windows Based World

Around 560,000 students in 33 German Universities will soon be running SuSe Linux Enterprise Desktop Platform! Covered at ComputerWeekly.

The move is designed to give the colleges a cheaper sytem whilst also giving them a more flexible IT architecture when compared to other proprietary software.

I think universities in the United States should be sending some of their IT guys to Germany to see how well this is going to work out.  A definite thumbs up to Germany and Novell!

Electronics giant Casio Computer is reducing costs and consolidating servers by using XEN virtualization and Suse Linux Enterprise server. Basically they are able to reduce software and hardware costs by combining many underutilized hardware servers images on a single physical server. A quote from Norihito Kuniyoshi, managing director of Casio Information Service Co. Ltd.

“Based on our initial results, we estimate the software cost of Xen and SUSE Linux Enterprise for virtualizing Windows systems is just 10 percent of competitor solutions”

BMW will be using Suse Linux and Zen virtualization for data center solutions to reduce hardware costs and simplify deployment. Covered by a Novell press release.

“The BMW Group is taking advantage of what the market is just discovering, that Xen open source virtualization software fully integrated in SUSE Linux Enterprise Server is a viable alternative to proprietary virtualization solutions, providing high performance at a lower cost,” said Roger Levy, vice president and general manager of Open Platform Solutions for Novell”

Novell’s Suse Linux has been selected by San Diego Unified School District as their standard platform to help children achieve academic success. Why was Suse Linux selected?

• Reliable
• Ease of use and administration
• Affordable

They are the second largest school district in California.

“This mobile computing program will help students develop the cognitive tools they will need to compete in the global economy,” said Dan Wolfson, program manager of Educational Technology for The Office of the Deputy Superintendent of San Diego City Schools, in a statement.”

Novell’s Suse Linux is on a role, and continues to pick up large customers for their Suse Linux Enterprise Support.  Companies include 1blu, Arsys, Fujitsu Services, Gordon Food Service, Gulfstream Aerospace, hi5 Networks, Host Europe, Nationwide, Prisacom, Reed Elsevier, Save Mart Supermarkets, and California’s Department of Fish and Game.

“In March, Novell announced that more than 40,000 certificates for three-year priority support subscriptions to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server have been activated under the collaboration agreement.”

So who is going to acquire Novell, IBM or Microsoft?

Robert Love , the Novell Linux chief, is headed to  Google.  Has the chance  of seeing a Google  Linux based OS just increased?   I would say so.

PSA Peugeot Citroen which is a leading car manufacturer in Europe has contracted Ericom to install up to 20,000 computers with Novell Suse Linux and their Power Term application.  Covered at www.earthtimes.org.

“When engaging with PSA Peugeot Citroen to establish SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop as their next-generation desktop platform, we found that Ericom’s PowerTerm has been a critical component of the overall solution,” said Roger Levy, Novell vice president and general manager of Open Platform Solutions. 

This quote came from Ballmer at a presentation to New York financial analysts on Thusrday Feb 15.  Sounds like the Novell deal is more about litigation onslaught, than helping customers have better integration of Windows and Linux. Covered at Zdnet.uk

Ballmer said: “I would not anticipate that we make a huge additional revenue stream from our Novell deal, but I do think it clearly establishes that open source is not free, and open source will have to respect the intellectual property rights of others just as any other competitor will.”