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Technology Stocks : All About Sun Microsystems -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: E_K_S who wrote (16332)	5/14/1999 2:13:00 PM
From: E_K_S	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 64865

Networking companies give Linux thumbs down (05/13/99, 5:52 p.m. ET) By Charlotte Dunlap , Computer Reseller News Major networking companies are shunningsupport of the Linux operating system. Product managers staffing booths at NetWorld Interop offered candid comments regarding the new open-source-code operating system. "To add this [Linux] operating system along with the ones we already support [which include Sun Microsystems Inc.'s Solaris and Microsoft Corp.'s Windows NT], I'd need a lot of users banging on my door," said Christopher Cook, product manager for Optivity NETarchitect at Nortel Networks Corp., Billerica, Mass. Cook said, however, that while he does not receive calls every day from customers clamoring for Linux, he is getting requests "more and more" frequently for the operating system. "We don't support Linux now, nor do we plan to support it," said Mark Emmerson, product manager for Enterprise Network Management at Cisco Systems Inc., San Jose, Calif. The reason: lack of massive interest by enterprise customers and lack of commitment by large software companies. And the story was the same with most networking companies. "[Linux is] a 'techie' technology right now," said Cam Cullen, product marketing manager of large enterprise served marketing at 3Com Corp, Santa Clara, Calif. "When the big applications vendors say they'll support it, then we'll support it. And believe me, we're tracking what they do." Momentum has been building among some enterprise customers looking for open, non-proprietary operating systems. However, networking vendors said they need more proof before investing in the adoption of another operating system. Networking vendor managers said, however, that there is a lot of interest in Linux, particularly by the investment community. In fact, if Red Hat Software Inc. announces its much anticipated initial public offering, a few of the managers at the Nortel booth said they'd love to get their hands on the stock.