SuSE Linux plans to launch desktop versions of the open
source-based Linux operating system early next year.
"We'll have products available for consumers, enterprises and
government organisations in the first quarter of 2003," said Petra
Heinrich, vice-president of qualified users at SuSE Linux.
The company will launch two packages aimed at two separate markets,
according to senior sales engineer, Stefan Werden.
SuSE Linux Office Desktop will be targeted at consumers and home
office workers, particularly those using Microsoft's Office
software. The product, which also supports IBM's Lotus Notes, will
be available in January 2003 at a cost of €129 (£81).
SuSE Linux Enterprise Desktop will be aimed at businesses and
public administrations with large networks of smart clients. The
product is expected to be available in the first quarter of 2003
with pricing yet to be confirmed.
"One of the big features of our desktop products is that users who
have licensed Microsoft Office will be able to continue using this
software and thus protect their software investments," Werden said.
If users decide not to renew their Microsoft Office licence, he
added, they can easily migrate to open source alternatives, such as
StarOffice, now distributed for a fee by Sun Microsystems, or
OpenOffice, a scaled down version of StarOffice, which can be
downloaded for free.
SuSE Linux will use Codeweavers CrossOver Office 1.2 software to
emulate Microsoft Office products.
"In our tests, we haven't detected any significant drop in
performance when running Office products over the emulation
software," Chris Schlaeger, a software engineer at SuSE Linux
said.
The SuSE Linux desktop products are based on code from the
company's flagship enterprise server software, Schlaeger said.