IBM a Linux na RS/6000

[Pavel Janik ml.]

Zdroj: http://www.techweb.com/se/directlink.cgi?CRN19990208S0005

Společnost IBM plánuje komplexní podporu operačního systému Linux na
serverech RS/6000 ve spolupráci se společností LinuxPPC, Inc.


   IBM Gives Linux PowerPC Boost
   Edward F. Moltzen
   
   Armonk, N.Y. -- IBM Corp. plans to initiate a companywide effort that
   should next month lead up to full-blown support of the Linux operating
   system.
   
   A cross-divisional working group within IBM, examining the computer
   giant's response to the growing market acceptance of Linux, has pushed
   the company into making several key decisions, said sources who had
   been briefed. Those decisions will lead to a series of unveilings on
   March 1, the sources said.
   
   First, IBM plans to unveil wide-ranging support for Linux throughout
   its product lines. The company also plans to preload versions of
   Linux, initially on low-end versions of its RS/6000 systems. These
   bundles will be focused primarily on the education and Web-serving
   solutions markets.
   
   Armonk-based IBM is talking with a range of independent software
   vendors, including LinuxPPC Inc. and Red Hat Software Inc., about
   cooperative efforts to put the freeware onto IBM hardware, sources
   said.
   
   The moves, and other key decisions, are expected to be unveiled on or
   before the LinuxWorld trade show next month, said a source who had
   been briefed.
   
   Robert Ramos, RS/6000 product manager for Champion Computer Corp.,
   Boca Raton, Fla., one of IBM's largest North American midrange
   distributors, said Champion already configures some systems with the
   open-source-code operating system, and described the performance of
   those systems as "smoking."
   
   "The last six months or so is when things have really come to life,"
   Ramos said. Linux now competes head-to-head with Windows NT, and the
   fact that the next release of NT, Windows 2000, is delayed "plays into
   the favor of the Linux community," he said.
   
   Linux began to draw interest in accounts where an NT investment of
   $10,000 to implement is compared to a free investment in Linux, along
   with improved support, Ramos said, adding that he had not heard,
   officially, about the specifics of IBM's plans.
   
   "The momentum and excitement is there," Ramos said. "If you don't ride
   the wave, you're going to be left out."
   
   IBM is talking with LinuxPPC about different cooperative efforts, said
   Jason Haas, marketing director at the Madison, Wis. start-up that
   provides versions of Linux ported to the PowerPC processor platform.
   
   "They've spoken with us about working on a demo model of the RS/6000
   running Linux in their booth at LinuxWorld," Haas said. LinuxPPC has
   ported a version of Linux to the PowerPC processor platform, he said.
   
   While IBM has dabbled with Linux-and even offers a version of its DB2
   Universal Database for the operating system-it has, on the surface,
   been tepid in its support, analysts said. IBM subsidiary Lotus
   Development Corp. has promised a Linux version of Notes/Domino.
   
   IBM declined for several weeks to return phone calls while its working
   group continued hammering out a companywide strategy. One spokeswoman,
   though, last week said IBM for years has said it would support a
   variety of operating systems. A recent survey inside the company
   showed that 90 percent of IBM accounts use at least three different
   operating systems, she said.
   
   Pricing and market pressures, however, have put IBM in the position
   where it will make a bold, supportive statement of Linux next month,
   industry experts said.
   
   Competitor Compaq Computer Corp. last week said it would offer a
   series of midrange servers based on the Alpha processor. Systems with
   Unix-based operating systems will be $19,900, while those with Linux
   will be $15,000. Those servers will compete with IBM's RS/6000.
   
   Copyright Ž 1999 CMP Media Inc.

-- 
Pavel Janík ml.
Pavel.Janik na inet.cz