Posted on 12/04/2008 7:18:52 AM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
IBM says it has created a "Microsoft-free" virtual desktop -- a complete suite of applications that run on a backroom server and don't require Microsoft software or costly desktop hardware.
The software package, available immediately, uses the Linux operating system and a set of IBM office applications that can be displayed on so-called thin clients, which don't have processing units or hard drives.
IBM, based in Armonk, N.Y., says pricing for the Virtual Linux Desktop would range from $59 to $289 per user, depending on what software and service level the customer chose.
IBM estimates that a corporate customer licensing the software would save $500 to $800 a year per user, compared with buying a license for Microsoft's Vista operating system, Office suite and collaboration tools.
Microsoft declined to comment.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
fyi
So we’re back to dumb terminals, huh ?
Go Big Blue.
It is a sad state of affairs when you start rooting for IBM as sticking up for the little guy.
Lotus Notes and Sametime? Gee, thanks.
Huh, there's gotta be something there. GPUs these days can do plenty of CPU work.
If all your employing are dumb terminal appropriate users....
Might be a good alternative to the Mac Office....
Just kidding < donning flame proof flack jacket >
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IBM products like their Rational suite are the WORST products ever made. We just upgraded our Rational suit and there are so many bugs the products are nearly useless. Every single grid, or spreadsheet type display, opens with the columns collapsed to 10 pixels wide. Every time we have to resize the grid to see the data. I could go on and on about the bugs in IBM’s products but I don’t have all month to do that.
Ugh. IBM terminals again??? Guess we’ll have to re-learn to “IPL” rather than “reboot”.
What “little guy” are you referring to?
“Lotus Notes and Sametime? Gee, thanks.”
Hwo do you like Note’s dozen menus? Every inch not taken up by data is taken up by another menu, on the left, in the middle, across the top 5 times, down the each side. The Note’s IM doesn’t even work such that SameTime is recommended. IBM produces buggy software that is nearly useless. At least Microsoft’s Exchange/Outlook work and work well. Try getting Notes to work over the Internet. Outlook for the Web does and does very well.
Better not go there FRiend. I’ve yet to meet a Mac zealot with a sense of humor.
You're right. Too late now. I should prolly hide.
That's very interesting. Windows adds about $50 to the price of a Dell or Gateway computer.
Office in corporate licence quantities adds maybe a couple hundred.
For home users, Office costs under $30 per computer.
Google, Yahoo, Microsoft and IBM are all hoping to sell software as a service rather than as a package. Read "return to mainframe computing." Good luck.
I think you can use old PC’s.
Maybe Microsoft puts moles into IBM to gunk up their software.
Every thing old is new again!
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