Compaq Affirms Linux Affinities, Announces Initiatives

Jun 19, 2001, 13:52 (20 Talkback[s])

Compaq yesterday affirmed its affinities with Linux by announcing a handful of new programs including a "Tru64 Affinity Program" that aims to provide application and management compatibility between machines running in a mixed Tru64/Linux environment, and by making its "single system image" technology (SSI) available to Linux under a "GPL-like" license.

In a press conference yesterday, the company also chided IBM by saying Compaq has been involved with Linux for ten years while "other companies might be spending their time ... painting penguins on sidewalks or paying fines for painting penguins on sidewalks."

Initiatives and programs the company announced yesterday included:

• the Tru64 affinity program, which the company says will provide application compatibility between Tru64 Unix and Linux.
• creating a Linux accreditation program in conjunction with Red Hat and Sair, with plans to include the Linux Professional Institute (LPI) in the future.
• announcing a handheld development contest for Linux applications to be run on the Compaq iPaq.
• participation in the Oracle Linux Lab