| OSDL forms Desktop Linux Working Group, notes surge in interest |
Jan. 20, 2004
The Open Source Development Labs (OSDL), a global consortium dedicated to accelerating the adoption of Linux, today announced the launch of a new Desktop Linux Working Group initiative focused on greater use of Linux on desktops throughout the enterprise.
OSDL said the initiative was created in response to OSDL constituents from around the world, including the United States, Europe, Japan and China. The shared goal is to create a forum where a range of desktop usage models can be studied with recommendations on improvements to encourage broader adoption of Linux. The charter of the Desktop Linux Working Group is to work with the open source community to identify a broad set of Linux desktop models, then develop specifications and deliver reference implementations.
This working group is also supported by OSDL's Linux User Advisory Council, which is comprised of senior IT executives from global 500 companies. The overall working group objectives have been developed by an exploratory committee with representatives from freedesktop.org, HP, IBM, Intel, Novell, OSDL, Red Hat, and Sun Microsystems.
The use of Linux on the desktop is exploding around the world, the OSDL noted in its announcement. According to market research firm IDC, paid shipments of Linux rose to 2.8 percent of desktop operating systems in 2002, up from 1.7 percent two years earlier. In 2004, it is expected to surpass the total new product shipments for the Mac OS.
"IDC is seeing increasing interest in Linux as a client operating environment." said Dan Kusnetzky, vice president of IDC's System Software research group. "IDC believes that common templates and frameworks, allowing all suppliers to develop compatible products, would accelerate the adoption cycle for Linux as a client operating environment."
"Linux has started to make inroads on the desktop in many areas of enterprise computing such as kiosks, fixed-function workstations, technical workstations and point of sale," said Tim Witham, OSDL lab director. "Of particular interest to our exploratory committee is how to accelerate the use of Linux where it has already demonstrated demand based upon its strengths."
This initiative joins OSDL's current Data Center Linux (DCL) and Carrier Grade Linux (CGL) working groups. Working groups are one of the ways in which OSDL and its member companies contribute to the advancement of Linux in the enterprise. The OSDL working groups produce requirements documents followed by published specifications and reference implementations. Current DCL and CGL specification documents can be found on OSDL's website, as well as additional information on the status of the desktop working group. A short Q & A document can be found here.
"We are excited to see OSDL providing a vendor-neutral setting where developers and corporate users can work together to further improve the Linux desktop and help corporations get the most out of their investment," said Keith Packard of freedesktop.org, a free software project focused on interoperability and shared technology for desktop environments for the X Window System.
"This working group has the interest and full support of our members," said Stuart Cohen, CEO of OSDL. "OSDL is uniquely positioned to accelerate the existing momentum behind innovative uses of Linux on the desktop by marshalling the resources and expertise of our members together with the Linux community."
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