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Microsoft renews alliance with SUSE, throws $100 million in pocket change at Linux
Microsoft and Linux haven't always had the friendliest of rapports but, a few years back, the folks at Redmond decided to cozy up to Novell and the enterprise-focused distro SUSE. The German arm of the company even wished Tux a happy 20th birthday last week, in an attempt to further thaw their notoriously chilly relationship. Now the Windows crew have decided to renew their partnership with SUSE and have committed to purchasing $100 million in technical support for Microsoft Enterprise customers who also happen to be running Linux boxes as part of their operations. It's not about to stop claiming that the open source OS violates several of its patents, but at least they've learned to get along with out suing each other into oblivion... unlike some other companies we could name. Cough. Check out the full PR after the break.
Shuttle intros Atom 330, SUSE Linux-packin' X270V nettop
Go 'head, Shuttle -- break on out of that shell! The company notorious for pumping out the same barebone rectangle with a different model name and a few extra ports has finally seen fit to do something a touch different, and what we're dealt is the X270V. This so-called Mini-PC relies on Intel's 1.6GHz Atom 330 to push the computations, while up to 2GB of DDR2 RAM keeps things in order. There's also gigabit Ethernet, 6-channel audio, a PS/2 connector for the retro folks, six USB sockets and VGA / DVI outputs. Shuttle also claims this bugger is energy efficient, though it doesn't go into great detail about just how much it'll save you each month. Oh, and it also comes loaded with openSUSE 11 (a Linux flavor, for those unaware). Interested? Move to Europe and plop down at least €299 ($390).[Via Slashgear]
HP begins offering Linux on enterprise desktops
HP just announced it will begin offering a desktop pre-loaded with a build of SUSE Linux. This joins the company's other non-Windows offering, the previously announced (but not yet available) Mini 1000 netbook, which is equipped with its Ubuntu-based MIE. The new model -- the Compaq dc5850 -- is unfortunately aimed at the enterprise and education markets, so while we're glad to see HP dipping its toes into open source waters, we'd be more enthused if the computer-maker followed in Dell's footsteps and offered a wider range of options. The PC will be available on December 15th for $519, though it doesn't appear that the average consumer will be able to buy it -- at least not yet.[Via Computerworld]
Microsoft supports Linux via Novell; Satan phones Gates regarding temperature
It's not exactly official just yet, but the latest word from "people familiar with the companies" being printed up by The Wall Street Journal is sensational enough to run even if we overheard a couple of bums whispering about it on the street. Apparently Microsoft has reached an agreement with Novell, wherein Microsoft will provide sales support to Novell's SUSE Linux operating system. We kid you not. The two lovebirds have also agreed to develop technologies to make dual-boot systems easier to operate, and Microsoft has promised not to assert patent rights over software technology that might show up in SUSE. Quite an interesting development, given Microsoft's heretofore complete disgust for anything Linux related, and made even more miraculous in light of the specifically bad blood between these two companies -- remember that $536 million antitrust settlement a couple years back? Either Microsoft is starting to feel the Linux heat, or they decided "stop asserting their patent rights" to get themselves out of any more antitrust trouble. Or maybe, just maybe, Microsoft and Novell just want to get along for the kids. Steve Ballmer is expected to make the official announcement of this hell-freezing agreement in San Francisco this afternoon.
Lenovo teams up with Novell for new, pricey Linux ThinkPads
If Linux is your thing, and you've got a good bit of cash to spare, Lenovo has just released a couple of attractive new options to their T60p line with Novell's SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 pre-installed. Linux and ThinkPads have always seemed a natural fit, and there is plenty of community support out there if you'd like to roll your own install, but a Lenovo-supported install should be nice for users who just want things to work out of the box. Unfortunately, that convenience comes at quite a cost, since the 14-inch "workstation" goes for $3100, while the 15-incher hits $3200. The laptops are pretty well specced, with a 2.33 GHz Core Duo T2700, 1GB of RAM, 100GB HDD, 256MB ATI FireGL V5200 graphics, DVD burning, 802.11a/b/g WiFi, a fingerprint reader and a 9-cell lithium-ion battery, but a similarly configured 14-inch T60p running Windows goes for a mere $2360. Quite a premium for convenience indeed.UPDATE: If comments are any indication, Lenovo is already going to have a hard time convincing consumers of the value on these things. Well, the news just gets worse: according to LinuxPlanet, Lenovo isn't even going to pre-load SUSE. The laptop will ship with a blank hard drive, and the necessary drivers will be downloadable. Sure, they're throwing in some nifty unlimited phone support, but we're really not so sure this is going to fly. Thanks, Vasicila for the heads-up.
