HP Extends Linux Support
HP is extending its support for Linux by designating it one of its three "strategic operating systems." The other two strategic systems are HP-UX and Windows. The move is being made, say HP execs, in response to growing demand for Linux in the marketplace.
HP is already planning for Linux to run, with binary compatibility, on IA-64, the forthcoming high-performance Intel chips, and the open source operating system already runs on HP-UX systems featuring HP's own PA-RISC chip. Moreover, HP has certified Linux for its Brio, Vectra, Kayak, ePC, and NetServer systems, all of which also run Windows.
Additional HP announcements regarding Linux, and HP products that will run on Linux, are expected at LinuxWorld, beginning August 14 in San Jose, CA.
In other Linux news, HP says that OpenMail, its e-mail and messaging system for Linux, has captured more than 1 million users since it became available 10 months ago. The company attributes the dramatic increase in users to its partnerships with ASPs, such as AT&T and PSINet, and to OpenMail's availability on Red Hat's e-commerce Web site (http://www.redhat.com/store)
"Since making OpenMail available for direct purchase through Red Hat's portal, the number of users has risen dramatically—current downloads account for 3,500 users on an average day," says Nigel Upton, general manager of HP's OpenMail business.
The Red Hat site currently offers fully functional copies of OpenMail with Red Hat 6.1 Professional for download. This version of OpenMail is unrestricted for a limited number of users.