Corel gets help to make Linux easier

Corel announced strategic alliances today with Linux distributor Debian and graphical interface producer KDE as part of its plan to make its upcoming version of Linux easier to use.

As previously reported, Corel picked the two technologies as part of its effort to make a consumer-friendly version of Linux that can run on ultracheap computers.

Debian is a noncommercial Linux distributor, and Debian project leader Wichert Akkerman said in a statement that he was happy to see Corel partnering with noncommercial, open source organizations.

KDE produces a graphical user interface that sits atop Linux. While the technology is based on software libraries that have proprietary licensing terms that rankle open source advocates, the producer of those libraries, Troll Tech, has said the next version won't have those restrictions.

"KDE can easily be configured to offer a strong Windows-like look and feel, which we see as being very important to our strategy of making all aspects of work in a Linux environment compatible with present-day Windows offerings," said Derek Burney, Corel's executive vice president of engineering, in a statement.

Corel also is helping the Wine effort to let Windows programs run on Intel-based Linux machines.

Corel said all software improvements resulting from its Linux effort would be released into the open source community.