Novell: Skip Vista, use Linux

Novell has begun a new element of a years-long effort to coax people away from Windows and toward Linux. It unveiled a Web site Friday that touts purported advantages that Novell's Suse Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 has over Windows Vista.

The site includes a white paper making the case, a variety of customers who have opted to use the software, and a video arguing that SLED has good usability and a built-in office suite but not Windows' lock-in and high licensing costs.

Microsoft has introduced Vista for corporate customers and will follow suit later this month for consumers. Linux companies including Novell have tried to dent Microsoft's dominance for years, but haven't had widespread success.