[ Thanks to Al for this link. ]
“After flirting with the open-source OS, the computer maker is
releasing key network software for it — a much bigger
commitment.”
“Founded in 1938, Hewlett-Packard (HWP ) is one of the oldest
and largest companies in Silicon Valley. But the company faces a
serious downturn in earnings, as the PC revolution starts to wane
and technology spending slows along with the economy. CEO Carly
Fiorina, who took the job in 2000, now must confront the daunting
task of retooling HP into a fleeter, sleeker competitor.”
“What to do? One key element in HP’s makeover is the adoption of
Linux, the free, open-source operating system (OS) revered by
computer programmers and reviled by companies like Microsoft, who
have long made most of their money selling proprietary software.
This week, HP will announce a plan to unveil Linux versions of key
network operations programs commonly used by large corporations to
oversee multiple networks. These programs were long considered too
complex and mission-critical to be run on Linux. Not anymore. HP’s
romance with Linux looks like it’s turning into a long-term
commitment.”