[LINK] IBM readies Microsoft-free desktop

[Bernard Robertson-Dunn]

<brd>
I'm not sure about the "does not require any desktop hardware" claim.
I doubt that IBM would say anything as silly.
</brd>

IBM readies Microsoft-free desktop
By David Neal
iTnews
5 December 2008 12:48AM
http://www.itnews.com.au/News/90477,ibm-readies-microsoftfree-desktop.aspx

IBM has created a Microsoft-free virtual desktop, offering a set of 
applications that does not require any desktop hardware, according to 
reports.

An article in The Wall Street Journal claims that the firm has developed 
a virtual desktop system that runs in a virtual environment on servers 
in the back office. It is based on Ubuntu Linux and includes a suite of 
office applications and collaboration tools based on IBM's Lotus 
software products.

The paper quotes IBM figures for the Virtual Linux Desktop as costing 
US$59 to US$289 per user, which IBM believes will have a significant 
influence on sales.

"Deploying your technology this way is going to save you something more 
than 50 per cent of your total costs," Jeff Smith, IBM's vice president 
for open source and Linux, told The Wall Street Journal.

"As customers face an increasingly challenging economic situation, they 
are looking at everything they are spending money on."

According to the article, the Virtual Linux Desktop is available now.

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Regards
brd

Bernard Robertson-Dunn
Canberra Australia
brd at iimetro.com.au