SuSE Linux is to ship its SuSE Linux Enterprise Desktop
operating system in June, having delayed plans to ship it during
the first quarter of 2003.
SuSE Linux Enterprise Desktop, which is in beta testing phase
now, will cost $129 per desktop, although discounts would apply
only to high-volume purchases, said Rafael Laguna, SuSE's marketing
vice president.
SuSE Linux Enterprise Desktop would be the company's third
desktop operating system, joining SuSE Linux, the entry-level
member of the family aimed at individual users, and SuSE Linux
Office Desktop, aimed at small offices with its networking and
disc-partitioning capabilities, Laguna said.
With many companies using Microsoft Windows as a client to SuSE
Linux's server operating system, SuSE Linux Enterprise Desktop will
offer those companies an option to run SuSE software on the desktop
as well.
SuSE Linux Enterprise Desktop will share the code base with
SuSE's other desktop and server operating systems, which gives
users a high degree of compatibility across the company's line of
operating systems, Laguna added.
SuSE Linux Enterprise Desktop will be tuned for companies and
government agencies of all sizes that have from as little as 10
users to more than 100,000 users, Laguna said.
Consequently, it will be engineered for easy, automated,
centralised, large-scale deployment and management through
administration and installation tools from SuSE, such as YaST (Yet
another Setup Tool) and AutoYaST, and from third-party suppliers,
such as Ximian's Red Carpet Enterprise.
It will also feature fonts that are metric-compatible with
Microsoft fonts, which will make it easier to import Microsoft
Office documents, Laguna said. The product will ship standard with
one year of maintenance and support, which gives users access to
patches, product updates and security fixes; buyers can opt to pay
extra for additional years of maintenance and support.