IBM and Canonical team up against Windows 7

IBM and Canonical, the commercial entity behind Ubuntu Linux, on Tuesday are launching a combined cloud and Linux desktop package designed for Netbooks and low-end PCs.

For those of us still waiting for Linux to hit the desktop, this type of packaging may be exactly how the move from Windows starts to pick up steam.

The IBM Client for Smart Work was first launched in South Africa in September and was initially geared toward emerging markets. IBM found that there was strong interest in the U.S. and other markets that had aging PC infrastructure and little desire for continued Windows upgrades.

The U.S. version of the package contains a number of IBM products including word processing and spreadsheets via Lotus Symphony, e-mail via Lotus Notes or LotusLive iNotes, and collaboration tools from LotusLive.com. As with the previously launched initiative, the package runs on Ubuntu Linux.

Bob Sutor, IBM's vice president of Linux and open source, told me that the target is not a drop-in replacement scenario, but rather something for IT shops that don't want to be stuck in an endless cycle of upgrading desktop operating systems and applications.

This is an interesting development for multiple reasons:

• IBM and Canonical are teaming up to bring Linux to the desktop, offering what could be considered a next-generation thin-client that relies on cloud services but remains based on an actual operating system rather than just running in a Web browser.
• IBM is targeting Windows installations in the co-opetition model the company excels in--effectively insulating itself regardless of who wins the desktop.
• Canonical is building a channel to deliver solutions rather than depend on individuals and organizations to roll their own.

IBM has been making some interesting moves of late, launching a cloud-based e-mail and collaboration suite to rival Google Apps and now a direct attack on Microsoft's operating system footprint.

[AppleSuxLeo]

Won`t run my games or support my wireless card. I tried Linux before.
I have something better built-in to my Asus mobo...Expressgate (mini Linux) that boots in 5 seconds and cannot be written to , so it is safer for browsing than any OS.
Get an ASUS mobo and you will have the best of both worlds.

[tylrwnzl]

So let me get this straight you aren't using Ubuntu Linux because it won't run your games or support your wireless card so you switch to another Linux Distro that will have the same problems (and likely more with read only ability)
And I have an Asus M3N78 PRO with Express Gate; Ubuntu runs much better imo

[protagonistic--2008]

You might want to retract part of that statement unless you are claiming that Ubuntu and many other Linux distros are not OSs. Many can be booted and run from a CD which would seem to invalidate that safer for browsing than any OS part of your comment.

[AppleSuxLeo]

Clarification: When I run Expressgate , I use my wired Ethernet connection.
Expressgate is built on Linux.
I run games and stuff that Linux doesn`t support on XP.

[Ben2talk]

Are you complaining that you bought Windows games for your linux desktop ? Are you crazy?

If you bought Windows games, then you MUST have been in possession of a licenced copy of XP - so just keep the copy of XP for those games. Is this rocket science?

And your choice for something better than linux is.... Expressgate LINUX? I think perhaps the value of your judgement and opinions is questionable at best.

[vikinzer]

Oh dear god I hope this gains some traction. I am growing more and more tired of listening to the Windows PR line. I don't care how awesome Windows 7 might be compared to Vista, it's still no more than Vista should have been on it's release date, and it still renders at a lower performance level than XP. It has the advantage of Direct X 10, but oh wait, that's an artificial support mechanism controlled by Microsoft. How convenient. I am sick and tired of it. Every version of windows is the same. No compelling reason to upgrade, then as time goes on and new infrastructure is put in place the only real reason to upgrade is lack of support for the old system, and it's a phenomenally expensive venture.

Compare that with Linux, where I'm running a linux desktop server on an old Intel Pentium 4 with 256 megs of ram in our back room and it provides us with HUGE functionality. It ran my wedding website, it runs and SSH server for me, and a personal Drupal install that I use to organize a ton of personal data so I can get to it from anywhere. It's still running Ubuntu 7.10. While I should probably update for security reasons, and would if the box were higher profile and had more mission critical information on it, at the end of the day it still works beautifully, and if I put a new version of Ubuntu server or Debian on it, it would still run. Compared to XP users who are being told they will just have to get a new computer to run Windows 7. Well awesome for them. It's a joke, a bad joke, and someone needs to break out of it.

[CTO_Dude]

This is a misguided post at best. XP suffers greatly from many threading issues and antiquated internal components that were tied into the kernel or taken out and thus negatively impacting performance. As a matter of fact, there are articles posted TODAY on CNet News touting drastic performance enhancements over XP.

PS - why would any home user need SSH? This is the point, Linux = tinkerers. Apple = personal but no enterprise business support. Windows = get work done.

[42istheanswer]

I did. Broke away from Windows for good about 2 months ago. Dabble with various distro's of Linux over the last 10 years. Finally settled on Ubuntu and love it.

[SactoGuy018]

If there is ANY company that could finally "rise through the noise" and make Linux a viable desktop operating system, it's Canonical with its excellent Ubuntu Linux. Praised around the world, Ubuntu Linux is well-featured and will work with the vast majority of computer hardware out there. And its installation procedure is quite good, too.

[al_ladd4]

This would be a compelling idea if it weren't for the dependence on Lotus Notes. Having used the newest version of Notes and iNotes I can definitely say this will never fly. Email today is more than simply email. Some kind of calendar and meeting tracking system must be a part of any email system for it to be an acceptable solution for businesses. iNotes does not have this feature. If you use iNotes and are invited to a meeting (even by another Notes user) there is no option to accept or deny the invitation. Furthermore, iNotes doesn't support any kind of address lookup. While I understand that version 1 software versions often lack some of the advanced functionality that will be present in later versions these types of omissions are not acceptable. Notes is simply not a realistic solution, regardless of what big Pharma claims.

[steved999]

Wow, this is so full of incorrect information, I don't know where to start. iNotes has been around for many years and is full featured. It does have a complete calendar, including the ability to send and respond to meeting invitations (it always has). It also has very good address lookup capabilities including find as you type.

http://www-01.ibm.com/software/lotus/products/inotes/features.html

[nafhan]

I'm not familiar with the current state of the Lotus product suite (about 8 years since I've used it, and it sucked then), but I agree with you in a sense. My thought is that if you're doing cloud computing, go all the way. Ubuntu + Google would make more sense than Lotus (or MS or Open Office for that matter).

[The_Arm]

The last email program I want to use is Lotus Notes. So buggie.

[tiktin]

I recently bought an inexpensive but wonderful computer that came with Windows Vista. I wiped the Vista off the hard drive and replaced it with Ubuntu 9.04. It cost me absolutely nothing. This has now become my primary computer (I have six others on a network). I don't understand what all the fuss is about. The linux desktop is here for anybody who wants to use it. It is far better than anything put out by Microsoft (not to mention cheaper, as in free). Moreover it gives you access to hundreds of applications, also free. I think the problem is one of education. Most people are simply not aware of it or don't know how to take advantage of it.

[42istheanswer]

Technology guys will push the transition. They always do. The standard consumer is clueless. Most people usually ask their neighborhood tech guru what they should purchase and that's what they do. At worst, they ask the sales guy at Best Buy when they're ready to purchase.

Being a self proclaimed tech guy I've started advising those with money to buy a Mac. Those without, buy something used that the Windows guy next door is selling because he can't upgrade to Vista/W7 and put Ubuntu on it.

I was a long time M$ advocate and have recently bid them farewell. I'm finding the future in the cloud and placing my bets on Google. I don't need Windows for that and it's a lot cheaper.

Next stop, Google OS.

[The_Arm]

It's simple really tiktin. Linux is still not user friendly enough for mom and dad (And for just about everyone else who's not a computer guru) and it's isn't supported by everyone so when mom and dad need help, it's hard to find someone that can help. Gaming support is also a big problem in Linux and games are a big deal for some. Windows 7 is fast, user friendly and looks good. It's also a standard so programs work on it, tech's support it, and things just work without hassle.

Vista also worked just fine for me. I don't know why people didn't like it. Maybe they are doing something wrong.

[jmitch18]

I never had any problems with Vista either except for slow start up and shut down. Admittedly there were some hardware support issues where drivers were non-existant for some products. Many of these problems were actually people trying to use the XP drivers on Vista to no avail and weren't aware that they most likely could get updated drivers that were compatible with Vista off the manufacturers website.

[protagonistic--2008]

Have you actually used Ubuntu lately or are you just bloviating? Having used both it and Windows 7 I actually have found Ubuntu to be the more user friendly of the two. It is easier to find programs in the menu structure, much easier to find and install software you need, and don't even get me started on updating the OS and installed applications. Windows 7 doesn't even come close in that last department. Ubuntu checks for updates to the OS and installed applications once a day and then asks me if I want to DL and install them.

[MeepMan]

Really? User-friendly is your argument? We conquered that many versions ago... Which brings me to the most user-unfriendly part of Ubuntu: There is a new release every six months. That means for old people there will be a computer crisis every six months, besides the fact that not too many programs are ready for each version as they transition.... But this is common in Winblows anyway...

[The_Arm]

It's simple really tiktin. Linux is still not user friendly enough for mom and dad (And for just about everyone else who's not a computer guru) and it's isn't supported by everyone so when mom and dad need help, it's hard to find someone that can help. Gaming support is also a big problem in Linux and games are a big deal for some. Windows 7 is fast, user friendly and looks good. It's also a standard so programs work on it, tech's support it, and things just work without hassle.

Vista also worked just fine for me. I don't know why people didn't like it. Maybe they are doing something wrong.

[Der_Amerikaner]

IBM steps are great news for those of us trying to wiggle free of monopolistic practices.

[tekpundit]

As an example, I recently installed Ubuntu 8 on my new ASUS Timeline laptop and it was painless (for me as a technical professional) and the wireless N even worked. So Linux simplicity and usability are approaching what a Windows user could be expected to deal with. The simplification efforts are really starting to pay off.
Even patching/updating was very pleasant and without crashes.
Also installed and used the Open Office suite which seems ample for anything but real power users or those REQUIRING FULL MS OFFICE compatibility.
The main issues for Linux to overcome are:
1) Availability of 3rd party software, including games.
2) Availability of 3rd party hardware and drivers.
3) Maintaining Interoperability/compatibility with dominant payware like MS O/S, MS Office, and services (Outlook, Active Directory, .NET, etc).
Microsoft (and others) will keep moving their proprietary bars to prevent losing their market and profitability leverage. That is why there are so many anti-competition suits against them.
4) Keep improving simplicity, useful functionality and security.
5) PR - Need to show the masses that Linux is OPEN, can be as simple and fast as windows, cheaper and in many ways better.

[protagonistic--2008]

Not to mention the Ubuntu beta 9.10 you can be booted up and working long before Windows 7 and shutdown takes about 5 seconds.

[kineard]

tiktin you obviously have no idea what you are talking about.
Linux is perfect for mom and pop.
They write a document maybe, they email someone, look at some pictures and surf the web.
The advantage with Linux is they will not be getting viruses on there computer while doing this negating the need for complicated support.
Linux is good for two categories of users. Novice and Experts everyone else will be stuck with Windows, Mac or what every system got them to the intermediate level of use.
Applications are what lock us to an operating system not the operating system.

[Vegaman_Dan]

What? IBM?

*IBM*???

Isn't this the company that abandoned OS2, has sold off their PC line to Lenovo, and shut down their IT support services groups, forcing thousands out of work? The company that has Lotus, the muck maligned and ridiculed office productivity suite?

Seems like a strange bed fellow to make to do this. They have a history of being rather fickle and dropping out of projects like this before they get a chance to actually have results.

Sorry, IBM. You are lacking focus and leadership currently. I really can't tell what it is you are trying to do in the IT industry- and your actions indicate that you don't really know either.

This could be a good deal if they follow through with it. Given their track record though- I'm not going to hold my breath.

[steved999]

To those who think that IBM/Lotus is hard to use and buggy, either you have not been using any version released in the last 3 years or are only commenting based on hearsay. Are you still talking about Lotus Smartsuite which was used in the 80s? Have you tried Lotus Symphony (it's free)? IBM has been doing very well lately and is committed to open source. Have you seen their stock performance lately?

[protagonistic--2008]

Have you ever liked any company other than Microsoft? IBM supported OS2 far beyond what most companies would have. And IBM hardware was among the best built in the business.

[MeepMan]

He's sort of right. And, please note that Lotus Symphony is a poor man's OpenOffice.org, literally. Lotus Symphony uses the OpenOffice.org engine. The only reason Sun does not partner with Ubuntu is the pathetic project called OpenSolaris. That piece of junk ruined the concept of a perfectly good relationship between two companies with potential. If those two had come together, Microsoft would be staring straight into the dirt.

[al_ladd4]

I have access right now if you care to tell me how to accept a meeting I'd be more than happy to be wrong.

[steved999]

When a meeting invitation arrives, you simply press the "Accept" button. What version of iNotes are you using? Which mode are you using (full, lite, ultra-lite (iPhone))? Here is some information on version 8.5 (released in Jan 2009):

http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/lotus/library/inotes-full/

Since them 8.5.1 has been released with even more enhancements.

[Goodbye Helicopter]

Windows makes people feel stupid.
Linux, even with KDE 4 just makes me want to use my Mac instead.
And I do work at the command line a lot.
LInux command line? Basically the same OS X if you're using Bash.
GUIs? LOTS of bugginess.
APIs for GUIs on Linux? Lots of unintegrated work. (This is where even Windows kind of beats Linux, but OS X wins hands down)

[minchip]

There are now more and more people using Ubuntu Linux, People are now 'hype-blind' to the mass spamming of new articles about dimdoze. Like my dad said to me: why would anyone pay for an insecure mess that needs constant attention....only those who lack the common sense to learn!

[KevinK]

I'm running Ubuntu 9.04 on my 6yr old lap top and on a 2yr old desk top. I used to be a big XP fan, these days most of the windows apps I am interested in running run fine in WINE, and in most cases there are good alternative open source programs that can perform the same tasks and cost nothing.

I run emulation for dos programs as well and have had no problems. (dosbox)

I have been experimenting with Virtual Box for making windows and other OS virtual machines.

I'm not exactly a guru and found somethings a little trickier than the more familiar windows, but nothing unresolvable.

I'm done with Windows frankly, and not because I hate it, but because it and its applications cost appreciably more than the hardware I have purchased in recent years to build new pcs. I have found everything I need in Ubuntu or open source repositories using the package manager, APT-GET or debian installer as needed.

The comment about experts and novice users is well taken. I have built a number of lower end linux boxes with recycled hardware based on Ubuntu for friends on limited budgets - all love it. Support needs have been very limited - it just works.

[MeepMan]

I beat you! I've got a 10-year-old desktop running it...