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LINUX (Continues…)


ApplicationPrograms:
    
“The existence of such alliances as mentionedin the article Andreessen Sees Mozilla-Linux Upset of Windows clearly showsthat Linux is strengthening its presence in commercial environments. (Fornewcomers to this arena, Mozilla is the name of the Netscape/Communicator codeand Marc Andreessen is Cofounder and Executive VP of Products at Netscape).”—“Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 versus UNIX”
   
“…Corel, which has already announced plans tobuild a Linux-based network computer, said it will next month post freeLinux-based development tools to its Web site, joining a number of softwarecompanies supporting the Linux open source movement.” —Erich Luening, “Coreljoins Linux fest”, CNET News.Com, 8 May 1998

“The very latest headlines [1998] indicatethat Linux is well on its way into the major leagues: Informix, Oracle ready toport to Linux (PCWeek Online, 20 July 1998), Oracle to port database to Linux (PCWeekOnline, 20 July 1998), and Netscape: Linux a top priority (CNET News.Com, 7April 1998). … Also noteworthy is a new alliance between Sun Microsystems and LinuxInternational (Slashdot: Sun Joins Linux International, 21 May 1998).”—“Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 versus UNIX”

“Tim Payne, director of database marketing atOracle, says many of his company’s corporate customers have made largeinvestments in Linux. When Oracle announced in July [1998] that it would beoffering 24x7 support for Oracle8 on Linux, he says 300 customers called thenext day asking about availability. ‘It’s reliable, it’s proven, it runs oncommodity Intel boxes, and it’s a really low-cost alternative to NT,’ saysPayne. ‘The fact that you are going to be able to get enterprise qualitysupport from Oracle to deploy on the Linux platform will help customers adoptLinux.’ ” —Ann Harrison, “In LINUX We…”, Software Magazine, Cover Story,September 1998

Security:
Other:
    
“On March 7, 2003, The SCO Group filed suitagainst IBM, claiming it improperly inserted proprietary Unix code in the Linuxkernel. The case has diverted the attention of the entire IT industry. As aservice to [its] visitors, Linux Online has devoted a section of [its] newsarea to provide more information on SCO controversy.” See www.linux.org/news/sco/index.html.
    
“The suit has evolved into a full-blowncontroversy. SCO’s lawyers are threatening to make the case a test of thevalidity of the Free Software Foundation's General Public License (GPL), underwhich the Linux kernel and the GNU programs that make up the Linux operatingsystem are distributed. Were SCO to prevail, it might hinder development ofLinux and make the general public’s ability to obtain it difficult. It couldalso have an adverse effect on other Open Source projects which are developedand distributed in ways that are similar to the Linux model. Since SCO is threateningto charge exorbitant licensing fees for Linux, this would be a serious blow todeveloping nations particularly. Their fledgling IT industries rely on Linux toa great extent in their efforts to overcome a technological lag whichcontributes to the cycle of poverty. Though most experts in the Linux, OpenSource, and Free Software communities believe SCO’s claims dubious, theirevidence flimsy, and their chances for success slim, the case has managed todivert the attention of the entire IT industry. It has many in thesecommunities understandably worried.”

“Historically, large corporations havesteered clear of free software due to the unfounded assumption that anythingfree can’t be worthwhile. The recent trend among some corporations is to usethese cost-effective operating systems. Hewlett-Packard used Linux instead ofits own HP-UX operating system ‘to port the Carnegie Mellon Mach kernel to HPPA-RISC in order to use it for their imagery work’ (full story). Schlumbergerchose Linux over SCO for its new point of sale computers (Linux Journal,November 1997, Issue 43, pp. 83-4). It is interesting to note that SunWorldOn-Line gives Linux positive press in one of its articles, Linux lines up forthe enterprise.” —“Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 versus UNIX”

“Yesterday’s college students learned their Unixexpertise on Linux and FreeBSD. Today they’re working in IT departments, andmany of them are openly hostile to both Microsoft and Windows NT. As a result,Linux, BSD, Solaris, and other forms of Unix are finding their way into ITdepartments, both overtly and on the sly.” —Nicholas Petreley, “The new Unixalters NT’s orbit”, NC World