Caldera Systems Inc. today released a speedier version of its Linux operating system. The new version allows corporate IT shops to carry out remote mass installations, and has all of its new features tested for the year-2000 changeover.
The OpenLinux 2.3 distribution, which is based on the 2.2.10 kernel, allows administrators to more efficiently and reliably distribute and configure versions of the operating system to desktop users. This improved capability is in direct response to demands from across the Linux community after the release of Version 2.2 of the product.
"We asked the open-source community of end-users and programmers for more feedback [on Version 2.2], which is why we have made it faster and can now perform mass installations remotely. I think this is important for many IS directors and CTOs,'' said Ransom Love, president and CEO at Caldera Systems, in Orem Utah.
Besides its increased speed and remote installation capabilities, Version 2.3 also sports an improved Lizard install procedure, including the ability to recognize a much greater number of sound and video cards. Users also now have the ability to reconfigure things such as video resolution after the have installed the updated operating system.
The new Linux Unattended Installation feature now lets users have an almost non-interactive, script-based installation, company officials said. Combined with Lizard's ability to remotely install, the Unattended Installation feature allows administrators and value-added resellers to replicate customized configurations to a range of different markets, officials said.
In concert with the announcement Motorola Computer Group announced it will ship Version 2.3 with two new products: Its SLX Series of network appliances for the Internet and intranets; and its emS Series of devices aimed at telecommunications and industrial networking applications.
Caldera has included several commercial applications on the Windows Tools and Commercial Packages CD which ships with the new version of OpenLinux. Among those are the development environment for Applixware Shelf, which allows users to build cross-platform applications in Elf; Version 4.4.2 of the Applixware Office Suite, a series of desktop productivity applications; StarOffice 5.1; Partition Magic CE, which now supports hard drives larger than 8GB; WordPerfect 8.0; and Netscape 4.61.
Caldera has also updated the user friendliness of the menuing system of the K Desktop Environment (KDE) 1.1 graphical interface. The company has also included Qt 2.0, along with KDE development libraries, for Linux programmers who want to assist in the development of KDE.
Version 2.3 contains remote management capabilities that can be integrated into existing systems running on Intel 386-based processors or later that have at least 16Mb of memory and a 350MB drive or bigger.
The new operating system will be available in about 6,000 of the company's authorized outlets in the United States for $49.95. Existing users with Version 2.2 can upgrade for $19.95.
Separately, Caldera also announced today that its Lizard graphical installation software is now available under the Q Public license and can be downloaded at www.openlinux.org.
Caldera Systems Inc., in Orem, Utah, is at www.calderasystems.com.