In a move that could help the Linux OS challenge to Microsoft's Windows platform, a California company has developed a full-blown Linux-based applications suite.
Oakland-based S.u.S.E on 5 October will release Linux Office Suite 99, which bundles a popular set of bread-and-butter business applications with S.u.S.E.'s own version of the Linux OS. The suite ties in Web browsing, authoring, database, and fax operations. This, says the company, makes for a more complete package than the three leading Linux application products on the market -- Applixware, Star Office, and Corel's WordPerfect word processor.
"It's a more robust office pack than you typically see on the Linux market," said Scott Winterton, regional director of sales for S.u.S.E.
Linux is a Unix-like operating system freely distributed and developed by volunteer programmers worldwide. Linux has been a marquee success story for the open development and distribution model.
The success of Linux development was cited by Netscape as part of its decision to release its source code for the Communicator browser.
But to fortify the operating system's future in the business world, the alterna-OS needs to take on commercial Unix and Windows and get corporate software buyers to see a free operating system as useful and trustworthy. High-performance mainstream business applications like Linux Office Suite 99 could help bolster that position.
The inclusion of Applixware, a leading Linux office suite brings to the mix spreadsheet, word-processing, presentation, HTML-authoring, and database functions. An additional filter lets users swap documents in Microsoft Office 97 format.
Winterton said the release of his product helps IT managers on the fence make the jump off the Windows ship because of three factors: cost, stability, and performance. He says the price -- US$79.95 -- for an OS plus a complete set of productivity applications well undercuts Microsoft offerings.
But just as attractive to corporations will be the stability and efficiency of Linux and its applications. "The Linux OS seldom crashes, if ever," he said. "I know I've never seen it crash." Also, Linux can prove a more efficient use of the operating system. Running a 486 still gets the same kind of performance as a low-end Pentium system, he said.
Yet Winterton doesn't think Microsoft really recognizes Linux as a challenge yet. "That's essentially because people so far have been creatures of habit.... [Microsoft doesn't see] why people would change. But our challenge to Microsoft is a superior product and a lower-cost product."
Microsoft representatives could not be reached in time for comment.
An emerging market
Corel, now the owner and developer of the long-time PC word-processing application WordPerfect, has released Linux versions of that application and is at work on a full Linux Office suite itself.
The company's communications manager Oliver Bendzsa says Linux is an emerging market, one that Corel sees as well worth the investment. "We've found that the market is at a point in time -- the growth of the market and the acceptance of Linux in the industry -- that there is an opportunity to further enhance product offerings on the software side."
The Corel Computer division is also developing a Linux-based thin-client/thin-server network-computer product line called Netwinder, a second prong into the Linux marketplace for the company.
For that product, Bendzsa says Linux is "the right underlying OS because of its stability and robustness, its technical excellence. On a marketing level it's exciting because it's well timed. The market is ready to accept viable alternatives, and so Linux is helping us gain credibility."
