Novell puts SuSE out in the open for review

NETWORK WORLD NEWSLETTER: DAVE KEARNS ON NOVELL NETWARE TIPS
08/16/05
Today's focus: Novell puts SuSE out in the open for review

Dear networking.world@gmail.com,

In this issue:

* Novell announces openSUSE project
* Links related to Novell NetWare Tips
* Featured reader resource
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Today's focus: Novell puts SuSE out in the open for review

By Dave Kearns

Remember when Novell was the technology leader that others
followed? Remember when Novell was renowned for having the best
server software engineers anywhere in the world? Me too. But
evidently, that's changed.

At last week's LinuxWorld conference in San Francisco, Novell
announced the openSUSE project <http://opensuse.org/>. The
project is intended to open the development process for SuSE
Linux by giving developers in the open source community access
to the review, testing and development of the SuSE Linux
distribution. Community participation begins this week, with the
first beta release of SuSE Linux 10.0. As a result, developers
around the world will be able to contribute to future versions.
The story on this announcement was carried by The Register, the
U.K.'s always irreverent look at IT, under the headline "Copycat
Novell opens SuSE development process."
<http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/08/09/suse_linux/>

What did they mean by "copycat"? Simply that the company seemed
to be following on the heels of Red Hat, which last year
released a version of its Linux distribution to the open source
community as the Fedora Project <http://fedora.redhat.com/>.
Both projects appear to be driven by the lack of adoption of
Linux as a desktop operating system by any except the true geeks
among us. Where just last year many people were talking (or,
perhaps, vocalizing wishful thinking) about the coming demise of
Windows, the talk today is about getting Linux into the server
room as an enterprise host, such as through Open Enterprise
Server, while the desktop is being left to the hobbyists through
the free distributions from Novell and others.

Novell has posted the beta release of SuSE Version 10 to the
openSUSE site, and has committed to releasing the finished
product as a free download offering. Or, as the Novell press
release put it:

"The openSUSE project will offer access to frequent developer
builds of the SUSE Linux distribution, beginning today with the
first beta release of SUSE Linux 10.0. The beta release will
offer the latest state-of-the-art features, including new
desktop environments and desktop productivity applications,
Linux application security based on Novell AppArmor, improved
desktop search, the latest Xen virtualization technology,
updated Mono and Eclipse development packages, and enhanced
multimedia capabilities. When completed later this fall, SUSE
Linux 10.0 will be made available for free download at
openSUSE.org. Novell will continue to deliver a packaged edition
of SUSE Linux 10.0 for enthusiasts and first time Linux users in
retail stores and online shops, with installable media,
additional software and plug-ins, comprehensive documentation
and installation support."

Now if you didn't recognize some of the terms (Xen, Mono,
Eclipse, et al) in that paragraph, then openSUSE is probably not
for you. You should wait for the retail version of SuSE Linux
10.0 with its "installable media, additional software and
plug-ins, comprehensive documentation and installation support."
Just be thinking about how much you might be willing to pay for
those extras. As a guideline, the current shipping version -
Version 9.3 - lists for $99 per seat.

In case you missed it, Network World recently concluded testing
on Open Enterprise Server
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlnovell5202>. Read the whole
thing, but as a hint, here's how Tom Henderson principal
researcher for ExtremeLabs and a rigorous tester of NetWare for
twenty years, started the report:

"Based on our Clear Choice Test of OES, we think it's a major
breakthrough in Novell's long-stated intention to marry its
directory and administrative applications to Linux. OES layers a
highly competitive directory service onto Linux, provides
decidedly evolved administrative and management components and
offers very good, egalitarian client support."

I think he liked it and, in general, I find it's best not to
disagree with the conclusions Tom draws from his tests. He's
very rarely wrong.

The top 5: Today's most-read stories

1. Cisco to juice 6500 switch
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlnovell5203>

2. Cisco to double Catalyst 6500 switch capacity in coming
months, report says
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlnovell5204>

3. Test: CipherTrust tops encryption field
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlnovell5205>

4. Microsoft tool to simplify Vista deployment
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlnovell5206>

5. Future-proof your network
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlnovell3766>

Today's most-forwarded story:

Cisco to juice 6500 switch
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlnovell5207>
_______________________________________________________________
To contact: Dave Kearns

Dave Kearns is a writer and consultant in Silicon Valley. He's
written a number of books including the (sadly) now out of print
"Peter Norton's Complete Guide to Networks." His musings can be
found at Virtual Quill <http://www.vquill.com/>.

Kearns is the author of three Network World Newsletters: Windows
Networking Tips, Novell NetWare Tips, and Identity Management.
Comments about these newsletters should be sent to him at these

respective addresses: <mailto:windows@vquill.com>,
<mailto:netware@vquill.com>, <mailto:identity@vquill.com>.

Kearns provides content services to network vendors: books,
manuals, white papers, lectures and seminars, marketing,
technical marketing and support documents. Virtual Quill
provides "words to sell by..." Find out more by e-mail at
<mailto:info@vquill.com>
_______________________________________________________________
This newsletter is sponsored by Avaya
Network World Executive Guide: Evaluating VoIP in the Enterprise

Got VoIP? More and more companies are answering yes...the
reasons vary from cost savings, network flexibility, and ease of
administration. Yet others are drawn to the promise of advanced
VoIP applications such as unified messaging and collaboration.
Register now and get a free copy of Network World's Got VoIP?
Executive Guide, which outlines the keys to successful VoIP
deployments.
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=110537
_______________________________________________________________
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