Novell’s Linux Desktop Available Soon

NOVELL plans to launch its first Linux desktop offering, which incorporates technology it acquired from German Linux vendor SuSE last year, within the next month.

The vendor says it is combining its own proprietary technology with open source software in an “enterprise-ready” desktop operating system that will be a low-cost alternative for most organisations.

During a press briefing last week, Paul Kangro, Novell’s Asia-Pacific solutions manager demonstrated a pilot version of the system, which has a graphical user interface with the look and feel similar to Windows. Kangro says this will give users migrating to the new environment a familiar experience.

He also showed how the system operates with a variety of third party applications, including OpenOffice and Microsoft Office.

“The Linux desktop offers functionality that is equal to other environments and combined with the capabilities of OpenOffice is a low cost alternative,” says Kangro, adding that interest in the system is high, especially in education and government sectors, as well as among resellers.

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