Slashdot Mirror


Gateway Forges Partnership With SuSE

Zardus writes "According to Forbes, Gateway has named SuSE a "strategic partner" and will be offering SuSE Linux on all of their servers. I always thought SuSE would be a nice name for a cow, but I guess I'll have to settle with it being the OS of a spotted server." The article notes: "SuSE has long sought a greater presence in the United States, where rival Red Hat has taken the lead in selling Linux server software to businesses."

10 of 250 comments (clear)

  1. Good for Suse... by wankledot · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Too bad that Gateway is just about the last vendor I would buy a server from. Maybe I'm just replying on some prejudices of mine, but does gateway make decent server hardware?

    --
    My sig is blank, I typed this by hand.
  2. What about Novell? by bc90021 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    As Novell agreed to acquire Suse how will this affect that agreement? Doesn't this mean that Gateway will be offering Novell Suse Linux on their servers?

    1. Re:What about Novell? by deuce868 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Well, considering this annoucement came after the Novell one I am going to bet they know something about it.

      Anyone think that SuSE could be the next RH? I mean which would you buy from right now if you were going to choose? Personally I use Debian on the servers here, but if you needed something with support I really think I would choose SuSE over RH.

    2. Re:What about Novell? by swordgeek · · Score: 2, Interesting

      The big IT-related companies decide who will be big or not, and SuSE is definitely in the running.

      Sun has partnerships with RH, SuSE, and Debian; but are currently offering their enterprise Java desktop on SuSE and RH. Most of the Geophysicial apps out there are moving (or at least expanding) from Sun to Linux, and the distro of choice there seems to be RH. On the other hand, SuSE has a much bigger market (and mind) share in Europe, and that should help them.

      All I know is that I'd rather run Debian or SuSE over RH any day.

      --

      "People who do stupid things with hazardous materials often die." -- Jim Davidson on alt.folklore.urban
  3. Re:Finally another Linux partner by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Isn't just that there are so many of them.

    The great thing about standards, and having "open" systems, is that everybody is on fair ground. Why does Red Hat and Suse outsell their competition? Is it because they have some "secret extra" that locks in their customers?

    Well, no (at least not for the most part). It's because of the other things they bring to support the standard, such as service, support, upgrades, developing to add to what has been done to make the "standard" easier to use.

    So if China wants to base their software on Linux, more power to them - as long as they obey the GPL. If they make an improvement to make it easier to use Chinese characters on the command line, great - release it to everybody else. If they make a processor that works like Intel and they want to make it public, have a good time.

    So I disagree with Mr. Barrett in principle that using regional standards is a "bad" thing - as long as those standards are published, realized by everybody, and don't have any hidden "gotchas".

    What China will have to remember is the great thing about standards - there are so many of them. They (and by this I mean China's oppressive communist government) might think of some great standards, like "electrocute religious dissodents if they touch a computer". Or "file encryption systems must have a government backdoor at any time".

    Because the rest of the world might not want to use that particular standard in their stuff. And if you have 75% of the world not using your standard, you either have to a) say you don't care (and make Mr. Barrett right), b) modify your standard, or c) join the rest of the world.

    And if it turns out they're just taking the intellectual property of others - including Linux and yes, Intel - and not returning it to the group, they'll find that people will not be as interested in playing in their sandbox.

    So have fun, China, and I hope to see some interesting new standards. I actually wish you luck if you decide you want to make your own processors and software, and if you truly want to make both open for all to use, have a good time.

  4. 64 bit? by boristdog · · Score: 5, Interesting

    How does Gateway square it's no AMD policy with SuSe's 64-bit x86 Linux versions? Will Gateway once again be forced to supply a decent processor?

  5. Gateway? by larry+bagina · · Score: 5, Interesting
    this is interesting. Gateway has seen flat sales and quarterly losses recently. They've fired most of their workforce and have their PC building outsourced. They've recently bet the farm on flat-screen TVs.


    VA Linux wasn't able to make a profit selling linux servers... I don't know why Gateway would. I think of Gateway as a PC for a first-time buyer, inexpensive, but higher quality than an HP, Compaq, or eMachines.


    I think there's more to this story than is currently being revealed.

    --
    Do you even lift?

    These aren't the 'roids you're looking for.

  6. SuSE disappointment by morelife · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Man. What are they doing??? Gateway hasn't any server market, or products to speak of, and their other offerings are only consumer grade crap (albeit decently priced consumer grade crap).

    This is the last company SuSE should have aligned themselves with if their intent was to win any corporate clients.

  7. Watch as the planets align.... by Rahga · · Score: 3, Interesting

    There has got to be something significant with the timing of all of this... Novell gets SuSE and Ximian, Gateway starts offering SuSE... I really would not be surprised if there's something going on at Compaq/HP/Dell to turn the tables and apply serious pressure on Microsoft. Forget about pricing, I have a feeling that those guys would rather see a much larger disconnect between the OS and components like the Browser, Media Player, and *ESPECIALLY* MSN IM.

  8. Fine and dandy, but.... by pair-a-noyd · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I'll be impressed when they announce they are shipping systems with Linux installed as the DESKTOP enviroment, sans any M$ products.

    When I clicked on the gateway link, out of morbid curiosity, I got this at the very top of the first page I saw,

    "Gateway recommends Microsoft(R) Windows(R) XP"

    Not that I would ever buy a pre-built computer or recomend that anyone buy one, but I'm not seeing too much headway being made in the final conflict for the desktop.

    I suppose this is still better than nothing, perhaps it's a start.