Novell offers challenge to Microsoft's desktop dominance
Novell offers challenge to Microsoft's desktop dominance
Nov 09, 2004: Novell has introduced its next-generation Linux desktop for enterprise customers, Novell Linux Desktop 9, which it claims offers a robust, feature rich alternative to Windows at a far lower cost.
Backed by Novell's support, training and consulting services, the company stated that Linux Desktop 9 has the same level of security and reliability as the SuSE Linux Enterprise Server upon which it was developed.
“In recent years, the IT industry has been asking when Linux will be ready to take on the desktop,” said Jack Messman, Novell chairman and CEO. “Novell is focusing its enterprise desktop efforts on Linux deployments where users can gain the most benefit.
"Novell Linux Desktop is not about the wholesale replacement of your Windows systems, but rather it's about identifying where and when an open source desktop can be a sensible, cost-effective alternative. In our pragmatic view, the time is now for specific desktop users to reap the benefits of open source."
While the company are promoting the platform as an ideal general purpose system, it says it is particularly suited to transaction workers, such as call centre operators and service counter personnel, and in other special-purpose roles such as information kiosks and stations for intermittent PC users.
According to Novell, the platform has also attracted significant interest as a replacement for traditionally high-cost UNIX-based technical workstations.
The system comes complete with an end-user operating system, office applications and productivity tools. Novell claims this gives customers additional savings as they don't need to purchase an operating system license and then pay for expensive office applications on top, as they would with Windows.
Novell Linux Desktop includes the Novell Edition of OpenOffice.org, providing a word processor, spreadsheet and presentation suite compatible with Microsoft Office file formats; the Mozilla Firefox browser, and the Novell Evolution collaboration client for Linux, which integrates email, calendaring, contact management, and task lists into one application.
Additionally, integration with Novell ZENworks Linux Management is included, which allows administrators to deploy, configure and manage Linux desktops from a central location.
Novell says it does not rule out general replacement of Windows and other proprietary operating systems with its new system.
It expects government and education customers to be active early adopters as a consequence of "many of these organisations are seeking to avoid single-vendor lock-in of their desktop systems."
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