IBM Launching an Open Desktop Solution

DJ_Maiko writes "IBM just announced their intent to release an open desktop solution which they're calling "Open Client Offering." The new offering will make it possible for big businesses to present their employees with a choice of running Linux, Macintosh or Windows software on desktop PCs, using the same underlying software code, which will cut the cost of managing Linux or Apple relative to Windows. If this project succeeds, it will make it unnecessary for companies to pay Microsoft for licenses for items that don't rely on Windows-based software. IBM plans to also roll this out in-house to 5% of their 320,000 employees worldwide. This sure seems like a promising endeavor. "

Comments

Re:Virtual Machine?

[oneandoneis2]

No, it appears to be software that's multi-platform collected into one big corporate-friendly package.

So in the same way that dual-booters have been using Firefox and Opera on both OSes for years, IBM is making it easy for corporations to do the same.

Re:IBM has been offering 'alternatives' for years

[truthsearch]

You're speaking as a home user or small business. IBM has made billions in consulting, much of it helping large companies use Linux. IBM has done a lot to support Linux, both directly (installations, code contributions) and indirectly (e.g. porting applications).

at one time they said they were going to switch a substantial portion of their worldwide desktops over to it, which they never did.

Last time I checked most employees were simply given the option, and could choose to switch to Linux if it didn't hurt their productivity (long term). Many made the switch. It's not easy getting 300,000+ people to switch without hurting productivity. They're slowing doing it.

Re:Everyone?

[UncleTogie]

If Linux actually cared about being relevant, they would have figured out how to get hardware to autodetect and autoconfigure. You know, like Microsoft has been doing since around 1995.

I double-checked your post for any sarcasm or tinfoilhat tags. Frighteningly enough, I didn't see any.

MS has NOT been doing it properly since '95, and XP is no better. I remember the disastrous "Plug 'n' Play" we had force-fed to us; is it any wonder it was quickly renamed "Plug 'n' Pray"? Even worse, many times when at the Windows Update site it'd guess at the wrong drivers to update/install.... We lost a 2k server for a half-day due to just that. MS thought it had a 3Com NIC. It didn't.
Rather than go off on a long rant, I'll just describe the WinXP Pro and Ubuntu 6.10 installs on the very box I'm using.

• XP Pro

Run Install
Find driver for mobo
Find driver for video card
Find driver for NIC
Find driver/app for TV card
Find driver for Audigy.
Find driver for modem.
All hardware recognized; start work FINALLY!
vs:

• Ubuntu

Run install
Install Nvidia drivers
All hardware recognized; start work quickly!

Better hardware detection, my tail-side.

Direct Link

[neiljt]

Details from the Horse's Mouth (so to speak).