“The big software news, Novell’s NDS eDirectory services, and
Corel’s Linux OS, were essentially follow-on debuts to previous
announcements. Novell’s eDirectory is a repackaging of promised
Web-focused directory services, heretofore known as NDS 8. And
Corel has talked about its version of Linux and Linux versions of
Corel WordPerfect Office for at least a year.”
“Linus Torvalds caused a stir by finally mentioning at least the
name of Transmeta Inc.’s Crusoe microprocessor. And there were some
Internet appliances. No booth was more packed than PalmPilot’s.
Also, distributors seem to have discovered the Web and the ASP
model. Wow. Where’ve you been?…”
“If passion is an indicator, there may be something to this
Linux thing. A non-scientific show of hands during Linux Business
Expo sessions (this was the Linux offshoot to Comdex) showed the OS
is finding its way into the enterprise. In one group of about
80 people, five or six claimed to be Linux developers, while 50 to
60 said they are using some distribution of Linux in their place of
business. Interesting. I would not have pegged that number so high.
Despite the hoopla, skeptics said the numbers touted for Linux are
exaggerated.”