eWeek: ‘Longhorn’ Pitted Against Linux 2.6

“On the same day last week that Microsoft Corp. officially spoke
about ‘Longhorn,’ the next version of Windows, Linux creator Linus
Torvalds moved a step closer to the final version of the 2.6 Linux
kernel with the release of the test9 version.

“The final version of the 2.6 Linux kernel is expected to be
released by year’s end, though officials for leading Linux
distributors Red Hat Inc. and SuSE Linux AG said that kernel is
unlikely to be incorporated into their products for at least a
year. Microsoft, meanwhile, will say only that Longhorn is at least
two years away from shipping.

“Despite the long lead times, both vendors’ moves set up a
showdown between platforms that their supporters claim will usher
in the next frontier in computing for consumers and enterprises
alike. In the meantime, the battle will be one of rhetoric…”

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