Ximian Enhances Linux Desktop Apps

To date, there hasn't been much demand for Linux as a desktop operating system. But software maker Ximian Inc. is looking to spark interest with upgrades to its lineup of Linux-based productivity apps.

Ximian Desktop 2 was introduced Tuesday and is designed to improve upon the company's earlier Linux desktop with an integrated suite of apps that support Windows file formats, networks, and standards. Similarly, Ximian Evolution 1.4, the latest version of the company's open-source E-mail and calendar apps, integrates with Microsoft Exchange 2000.

There've been a few technology barriers as well as some perception problems that have hindered Linux's acceptance on the desktop, says Jon Perr, VP of marketing for Ximian. "In the past, even connecting Linux PCs to a Windows network or setting up a printer was difficult."

Based on the open source Gnome 2.2 project, Desktop 2 includes Ximian's edition of OpenOffice.org, which lets users create, edit, and save Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint 97/2000/XP documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Gnome is a Windows-like interface for desktops that run Unix, Linux, or related operating systems.

The original version of Ximian Desktop was designed to appeal to companies moving from Unix workstations to Linux-based PCs. Version two also is designed to run on desktops that manage large numbers of transactions, such as in a call center or on a warehouse floor, and desktops serving the international community. Germany and Scandinavian countries, in particular, are looking for alternatives to buying Windows from a U.S.-based software maker, Perr says. Linux and the open source approach to developing software give programmers in those countries the opportunity to cultivate their own technology.

Ximian Connector lets Ximian's Evolution E-mail and calendar software be used as a Microsoft Exchange 2000 client. This provides greater sharing of information, calendars, address books and folders across Windows and Linux desktops, Perr says.