IBM And Linux Desktop
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IBM And Linux Desktop

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Posted by Sudheer on Wed, 08/06/2008 - 17:55 in

IBM takes new desktop Linux initiative. IBM discontinued the development of its OS/2 and AIX operating systems few years back. It also sold its loss making PC business to Lenovo. Now IBM wants to push its products and perhaps services in the enterprise desktop market.

As consumers, we all believe that competition is good. More the competition better are the products. More competition will sure lead to better Windows and better Linux operating systems. Although IBM is pushing its Lotus office suite on the Linux desktop platform, what the company plans to push Linux itself is yet to be seen.

The IBM brand will significantly help to explain and demonstrate free software alternatives to closed mind end users. Yes, there already is "Microsoft-Free" computer. IBM with its new partnerships with Red Hat, Novell and Canonical is reassuring enterprises that computers can be free of Microsoft software. It is also noted that the new alliance will also work with PC vendors in various channels to offer computers preloaded with Lotus and Linux. To work with partners who represent the front end is indeed a smart move.

If IBM is saying they will build and support "Microsoft-free" software to the enterprise desktops, one can anticipate an array of other products and services built on top of the bundle. It also opens up new opportunities to consultants who can offer services to the same enterprise customers of IBM Lotus + Linux bundle. Because Linux itself is not a company's product, monopoly by a company is ruled out in the upcoming desktop computer market equation.

As someone commented out, the year of Lotus on the desktop is yet to arrive. I

It's more of the year of the XYZ laptop. Duh.

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