The blue giant IBM has increased its support for Desktop Linux to challenge Microsoft's dominance

By introducing the Linux Lotus Notes Collaboration Suite and Symphony office tools, IBM has increased its support for Linux, hoping this initiative will help Microsoft take over from the throne of the King of desktop software.

IBM said this week that it plans to release the so-called "open collaboration client" product that can run on the Canonical release of the pivotulinux version. The "open collaboration client" includes Lotus notes8 and Symphony. Lotus notes8 is composed of email, calendar, and contact management modules. Symphony is a free download tool that consists of word processing, workbooks, demos, and other modules.

IBM also said this week that it will work with RedHat to develop an "open collaboration client" version for SMEs. As planned, RedHat will provide customers with RedHatEnterpriseLinuxAdvancedPlatform that integrates Lotus Notes, Symphony, and Domino message servers. RedHat will also provide technical services to help dealers deploy the software package for customers.

Last year, IBM said it would provide Lotus Notes and Symphony versions that can run on Novell's SUSEEnterpriseLinux.

By porting key software to Linux, IBM wants to reduce the reasons for companies to buy software from Microsoft. 'Ibmlinux plans to further meet the customer's selective needs, 'said Donnie zova, an IBM Linux Business officer, in a statement.

 

IBM announces open-source super computing code

IBM launched a new software product at the LinuxWorld/Next Generation Data Center Conference held on Monday on the 10th anniversary of its involvement in the Linux and open-source fields, upgrading its existing platforms, and added a set of open-source code specifically for super computing.

IBM said that HPC Open Source Software Stack includes IBM's Extreme Cluster Administration Toolkit, which is the first Open Source code for super computing.

IBM has also released a software application suite and said it will pre-Install Novell SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 in Lotus Foundations to compete with Microsoft's Small Business Server.

IBM also said it would expand the Real-Time Linux technology to introduce version 5.4 of the virtualization platform z/VM.

IBM plans to integrate Lotus Foundations, the hardware and software pre-installed architecture, and the Linux operating system of Novell into a bundled product, users have now tested applications that consist of Domina email, file management, directory service, firewall, backup, recovery, and Lotus Symphony production applications.

IBM hopes to challenge Microsoft's Small Business Server, an infrastructure software dedicated to Small and medium-sized enterprise users. IBM also launched an ISV Software Appliance Initiative application to help ISVs provide their applications on one device.

Jeff Smith, vice president of IBM open-source and Linux middleware department, said: "We will force Foundations to become a competitor of Microsoft's Small Business Server. I think this is a very attractive product for users, bringing openness to small businesses around the world ."

According to IBM, integration with Linux and Microsoft desktops, expansion of user computing products such as Smartphone will provide them with opportunities to gain a place in the desktop market dominated by Microsoft.

IBM says it will be the first to develop their super computing code at the University of Illinois, and IBM has added support for Novell's SuSE Linux Enterprise Real Time and WebSphere Real Time to some BladeCenter servers.

In addition, IBM also launched WebSphere Application Server Community Edition 2.1 Based on Apache Geronimo. The new version includes the upgraded server monitoring feature and the upgraded management platform.