Of interest: LINUX GAINS SUPPORT FROM PROGRAMMERS (fwd)

["Richard H. Fifarek" <rfifarek@som.siu.edu>]

LINUX GAINS SUPPORT FROM PROGRAMMERS                               04.02.99
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  San Diego, CA -- As InfoWorld reported, Developers could very well be the
next group to shake up corporate IT departments by demanding Linux.

  Particularly when mixed with the Java programming language, Linux is
emerging as a contender to win over the corporate developers as a stable
platform for developing serious applications that can run on multiple
operating systems.

  Although tools for Linux are scarce and programming talent requirements
are high, some developers say its flexibility and open-source roots make it
a better development platform than Microsoft's Windows NT.

  "Over the past three months, we've started moving more machines to Linux
for development, as opposed to Windows NT. It's been an extremely positive
experience," said Manu Kumar, CEO of SneakerLabs, a developer of Web
conferencing and presentation applications in Pittsburgh.

  In fact, Linux is not too terribly difficult to find in corporate settings
these days: Preliminary data shows that of the 4.7 million server licenses
sold in 1998, 17.2 percent were Linux, compared with 36.8 percent Windows
NT, according to International Data Corp. (IDC).

  "Linux is becoming more than hype. There are parallels with Java that
way.... Both have the concept of building an application and deploying it
anywhere you choose to," said Dan Kuznetsky, an analyst at IDC, in
Framingham, Mass.

  Though many mainstream tools vendors are adopting a "wait-and-see"
approach to bringing out versions of their tools for Linux, the OS itself
includes development utilities. Caldera Systems, for example, includes a
Java development kit (JDK) with its Open Linux 2.2 release.

  IBM, Symantec, and other vendors are also considering the platform. IBM
has committed to creating a version of its WebSphere Studio for Linux.

  "We are hearing calls for more Linux support. It seems to be catching on,
especially as a development platform," said Kent Mitchell, senior product
manager of Symantec's VisualCafe Java, in Cupertino, Calif.

  Developers willing to learn Java and Linux can employ $1,200 Intel PCs,
install free or low-cost Linux, and use such open-source editors as Emax,
along with Sun Microsystems' JDK 1.1, to build server applications.

  A corporate systems architect stated that he is experimenting with Linux,
but won't dump NT before he's sure about Linux.

"We are encouraged by what we see as industry adoption [of Linux]. We don't
have plans to switch from NT but it is something I would consider," said
Fred Kauber, director of Internet and e-commerce solutions at Reliance
National Insurance Company, in New York.


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