| DesktopLinux.com interviews Redmond Linux CTO Joseph Cheek |
Rick Lehrbaum (Updated Dec. 7, 2001)
According to a brief note on the Redmond Linux website, "Redmond Linux Personal will be shipping December 1st!" With Redmond Linux being described as "Linux for the desktop", it was only natural that DesktopLinux.com wanted more information about this interesting new arrival on the Linux scene. Accordingly, DesktopLinux.com founder Rick Lehrbaum interviewed Redmond Linux founder and CTO Joseph Cheek, to learn more about the company, its new Linux distribution, and its future plans. Here's what Lehrbaum learned . . .
RL: Why are you introducing a new Linux distribution?
Cheek: Why not? None of the existing Linux distributions are easy enough for people used to Windows.
RL: What is *unique* about Redmond Linux? i.e., how does it differ from other popular distributions such as, for example, Red Hat, SuSE, and Mandrake?
Cheek: We cater to Windows users in a way that will help them to feel at ease while using Redmond Linux. We offer to help them ease slowly and relatively painlessly into Linux, and are willing to hold their hands when needed. We have task-oriented menus, and we include only one program for a specific task -- no more four different text editors and five different media players and seven different web browsers and nine different window managers, and so on. Our installer is slimmed down and made easier, as is our entire product. It's made consistent and easy to use. We include things a Windows user is accustomed to, such as a "my Linux system" for accessing peripheral devices, a floppy and CD and DVD automounter, a network browser similar to Windows' network neighborhood, a personal files area for management of documents, and so on.
RL: When do you begin shipping CDs? Your website indicates Dec. 1st ... is that when the first release version is available for download, or when you ship CDs? What will be the product nomenclature (name, version)?
Cheek: We started shipping CD's with the beta 3 version in April of this year. The final product, Redmond Linux, Personal Edition, Amethyst Version, will ship on Dec. 1, 2001.
RL: What package manager does Redmond Linux use (RPMs?)?
Cheek: RPM. We're based on Caldera.
RL: How did Redmond Linux begin? When and how did you begin the project?
Cheek: A year and a half ago. Everyone I tried to explain Linux to had a difficult time if they didn't have lots of computer and Linux experience. It was hard for new users to pick up. I wanted to change that.
RL: How many people are working on Redmond Linux? Who are the key players and how did you get hooked up with them?
Cheek: We have six people on our core team, and rely on volunteers all over the net. Pretty much, everyone has found me; it's a good feeling to know that in some cases, "if you build it they will come".
RL: What is your company's philosophy regarding Open Source? Is everything included in your distribution Open Source (GPL or LGPL, etc.)? Is everything freely downloadable, or is the CD version different from the download version?
Cheek: It's all freely downloadable now, and there is no difference between the downloaded version and the packaged version (we do include support and a manual with purchased versions, as well as the convenience of not having to download and burn hundreds of megabytes of data onto a CD).
RL: That doesn't answer the first part of my previous question. Could you please clarify the GPL status of your distro? Is everything included in your distribution Open Source (GPL or LGPL, etc.)?
Cheek: the CD does include a demo of theKompany.Com's Kapital financial management program, which is not open source.
RL: So, you are saying that other than that demo program the rest is GPL or LGPL?
Cheek: No, we've got BSD, MIT/X11, Artistic, Python, QPL, and a myriad of others. (You can rpm -qip a package to find out its license). Also we've licensed some content (the desktop backgrounds, for example) and created our own (the icons and sounds), which are not freely distributable. But since the pictures, icons, and sounds aren't source code, they can't be categorized as either open or closed source.
RL: What sort of financial backing / funding do you have? How long can you continue before making a profit?
Cheek: We are founder funded, but will be accepting outside investments after our first product ships. At this point we are close to meeting expenses, but not quite in the black. We're still paying for things out of our own pockets.
RL: What is your personal background?
Cheek: I've been into computers since I was 8, UNIX for 15 years, networking for six years, Linux for five years, I've worked for Microsoft and Linuxcare, as well as many other companies as a consultant or IT worker.
RL: What else would you like the DesktopLinux.com to know about your company or its products?
Cheek: We believe that there are a lot Microsoft ideas that we can emulate in the Linux arena that will make Linux, and specifically Redmond Linux, a better product. I've used the experiences and processes I learned while at Microsoft to shape Redmond Linux into a product that will hopefully appeal to Windows users.
RL: Thank you very much, and best of luck with your new company and product!
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