This is another company that I have been following for years. They bought the original research and IP from Cornell University. This is the *original* voice/video on the Internet - CU-SeeMe ...
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White Pine Software First IP Conferencing Solutions Provider to Support the Linux Operating System
White Pine to Support Red Hat Linux for Carrier-Class Videoconferencing and IP Telephony Applications
NASHUA, New Hampshire June 8, 1999 White Pine Software, Inc., (NASDAQ: WPNE), a leading provider of multimedia conferencing applications for the Internet and intranets, today announced plans to support the Linux operating system for its MeetingPoint conference server, the industry's leading software for multipoint IP conferencing. White Pine has joined as a Developer Partner with Red Hat, Inc., the market leading Linux developer and service provider. MeetingPoint, which is currently available for Windows NT and Sun Solaris operating systems, will be the first IP conferencing server solution to support Linux. White Pine has the flexibility to develop for dynamic new operating systems such as Linux because MeetingPoint is a software-based server solution. Other videoconferencing suppliers operate on proprietary hardware platforms, making future Linux support problematic.
“This is a strategic extension of White Pine's commitment to open standards and support for a wide variety of platforms,” said Killko Caballero, president and CEO for White Pine. “Because the carrier and ISP markets have so enthusiastically embraced this operating system, it is critical that we offer MeetingPoint for Linux to address this rapidly growing market. We're giving providers the best of both worlds high-performance IP conferencing and collaboration solutions that run on a fast, reliable platform for service delivery.”
This announcement comes in response to the growing demand for Linux support from the White Pine community and the market at large. According to IDC*, Linux experienced the most growth of any operating system installed in 1998, growing 212 percent over 1997 and garnering 17 percent of the total OS market. Over 10 million endpoints now use Linux, and the operating system has received endorsements from such leading computer manufacturers as Compaq, Dell, HP, and IBM as well as from enterprise applications vendors including Computer
Associates and Oracle.
White Pine will work with Red Hat's support to develop a robust IP conferencing server solution for the Linux platform. MeetingPoint for Linux will give ISP and carrier providers the opportunity to provide a new service on their existing hardware, and to take advantage of the stability and superior performance of the Linux operating system.
“We've seen a growing demand across the telecommunication infrastructure for IP telephony solutions to be supported on the Linux platform,” said Marc Beattie, analyst for Forward Concepts. “This development partnership between White Pine and Red Hat could fill a critical gap in the telephony marketspace.”
“IT users have already recognized Linux's natural fit with Internet and intranet applications,” said Sandra Potter, senior analyst, Linux Services, at Aberdeen Group in Boston. “Having a Linux-based version of White Pine's videoconferencing server solution available from ISPs and carriers will surely be of high interest."
White Pine will ship MeetingPoint for Linux in Q3. Pricing will remain consistent with pricing for MeetingPoint for Windows NT and MeetingPoint for Solaris.
About Linux
Linux is the cooperatively developed POSIX-oriented, multi-user, multi-tasking operating system used world wide. Linux is used as an exceptional value, fully functional UNIX workstation for Internet servers and other applications. Red Hat Linux is maintained as “freely distributable” software available from many sites on the Internet.
About Red Hat, Inc.
Founded in 1994, Red Hat, Inc. is based in Durham, NC, where it is a leader in the development of open source operating system solutions. Through the Linux Development model, Red Hat development works to build the most accessible and advanced operating system available anywhere with technical innovations such as the RPM Package Manager, the disk druid installation tool and the GNOME user interface. Red Hat Linux is available for Intel®, Compaq Alpha®, and Sun SPARC® platforms.
About White Pine Software
White Pine Software develops, markets and supports multi-platform browser-based internetworking software that facilitates worldwide video and audio communication and data collaboration across the Internet, intranets, extranets and other networks that use the Internet Protocol. White Pine's videoconferencing software products, CU-SeeMe Pro and MeetingPoint, create a client-server solution that allows users to participate in real-time, multi-point video, audio and data conferences over the Internet and intranets. White Pine's ClassPoint™ provides a complete solution for corporate training and distance learning. White Pine Software can be found on the World Wide Web at wpine.com.
All trademarks are recognized.
*Data from IDCNet “1998 User Ratings Survey of Operating Systems”,
December 1998.
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Scott C. Lemon
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