01.24.09
Novell News Summary – Part I: Mostly Idle Week for SUSE (SLES/SLED)
THERE was very little in the news regarding SUSE. Very little. In fact, SJVN gave Novell/SUSE some flak by referencing us in an article about Microsoft's demise, which is partly because of GNU/Linux.
Novell, on the other hand, while still struggling with getting out of the service business and back into being a pure operating system and software play, continues to make more and more money from Linux. This, I might add, is happening despite the fact that Novell doesn’t have a good reputation with many Linux users.
Here is a new press release that mentions SLES at SAP. It’s primarily about an HP Alliance, though.
The joint offering from SAP and HP was announced in May 2008. (See May 5, 2008 press release, titled “Reliable and Affordable SAP(R) Business All-in-One Solution with SAP(R) MaxDBTM Database and SUSE Linux Enterprise from Novell to Be Preconfigured, Pretested and Preinstalled on HP Systems.”) It was designed specifically for the demands of midsized companies to provide them with a comprehensive, cost-effective, turnkey offering. Partners specifically have found value in the offering because of the quick implementation and the fact that the solution is preinstalled, pretested, preconfigured and comes with a clear implementation methodology which supports smooth projects. This allows them to offer the comprehensive, proven and reliable product that their customers want.
H-P and SLE* already get together where laptops (or sub-notebooks) are involved and here is an article that covers this. (H-P is moving towards customised Ubuntu, too)
The processor pulls Windows XP along nicely; booting up to the point at which I could launch the video player took a little over a minute. Most netbooks don’t have the horsepower to run Vista, thus the older operating system. Some come with the option to have a Linux distro as your out-of-the-box OS. The Mini 1000 doesn’t offer that option, but another model, the Mini Mi, has similar tech specs plus a Linux OS that HP calls “Mobile Internet.” HP’s warning: The Linux command line interface is disabled on that edition.
Matthew Richards, a “senior program manager of Novell’s SUSE Appliance Program” according to his disclosure, wrote an article for IDG and CNET expands on it.
Despite this promise, software has long sought to replicate physical goods: mass-produced with customization, if any, coming post-sale by a system integrator or other consultant. This has helped churn out billion-dollar software companies such as Oracle, SAP, and Microsoft, but it has failed to satisfy customer demand for a tailored fit.
I’m therefore hugely impressed by Novell’s Suse Studio, an innovative way to enable both standardization and customization of a Linux distribution.
Novell’s PR blog wrote about this too.
Turbolinux
There was an article in English which states that “Turbolinux, China Telecom contractor to develop pay systems,” but it requires a subscription to be read. █
