“UnitedLinux was designed by a group of Linux vendors to streamline their development and certification around a single Linux version. This server operating system combines technologies from each of its founding members. Released in November 2002, UnitedLinux is based on a wide variety of standards so that developers can design software that is portable across Linux platforms. UnitedLinux is a server operating system intended for Linux’s primary growth areas — for enterprise and Web server applications.” Read the article at TechUpdate.
UnitedLinux Review at ZDNet
About The Author
Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
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We were contacted by a representative from Sco UK, and they merely wanted to come and see us and present what they did.
The feelers were no different to any other at that stage. You get at least 10 companies a week making the same basic RTV(RequestToVisit) on site and talk/discuss.
A chap called Steve came and had a very easy informal chat with us. To some degree we were lucky as they are based just down the road. Since that time, we have had Sco come in and build a server, a Samba demo for the uninitiated, and a test install of the Sco Messaging server.
The package they are pushing is United Linux. In our tests I confess both the base install, and the Sco messaging server were very good, in operation, and in daily use. Nothing seems broken, borked or non functional.
During the discussions it was clear that united Linux is being built and developed to be a rival, or at least an optional alternative to Red Hat.
A note on the staff. Helpful and went far beyond the call. All the demonstrations and work was free, and based on evaluation and possible later purchase. Committed far more work and time and effort than ANY other prospective partner.
I cannot say anything bad in respect of my dealings with the sales and technical people and our work.
That aside, and lets face it, most people in companies who make decisions such as the recent Sco ones, tend either not to know/understand whats happened at the senior level. So I attach no blame or issue with the people I have met and worked with. But SCO now have made my possible further interaction with them nigh on impossible. One of the major bullet points was that United Linux was going to be enterprise class, supported, and a quality product. Thats getting blown away now on a daily basis, as SuSe and other United Linux people get the jitters and lose the ‘faith’ in such a venture.
I do not now know what will occur with united linux. The road map may well be a poisoned well. In addition, the weight of such court cases has and may yet destroy companies in Sco’s position. As the prspective customers, partially knowledgable I do not know if its a desperate play on Sco’s part to gain revenue, or for a buy out, or reperations. They really have made things difficult.
So here is the pie. United Linux is very good. Not easy to get hold of, but worth it if you want to run a server. Some questions now appear over the whole idea given the participants, and the new issues therein, and this is a shame. I think Sco HAD a good plan. United Linux WAS and may well yet be a very good path into a VAR style product, and would have generated a strong revenue stream based on the methods of support. This was more akin to an older Unix style support ideal. But none the less. Attractive to the business that wants a server with support. Maybe the looked at the figures and found the time frames were unfavourable. There is little doubt the old style Unix outfits are in bit big trouble now. Perhaps a knee jerk reaction from Sco. Who knows.
Despite this being a good product, it now has a cloud above it, and that cloud may well be missing any silver lining. As it stands, making a commitment will have to be avoided at least for now on my part.
AdmV
SCO are now the dogs in the manger of open source.
Their case against IBM is a clear warning that they are not really a computer company but a legal entity intending to extract the last drop of blood from the open source movement.
Boycott SCO. Boycott United Linux until they eject SCO.
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Welp, I’m not gonna bother boycotting UnitedLinux at all because sooner or later (and I doubt it’ll be uncomfortably later), SCO’s gonna get canned anyway. That is if they can stay an undisolved company long enough.
Sco may be loosing money. However, I think you will find even if they were to be disolved, someone will buy up their IP, VAR, customer base, and so on.
AdmV
The more I test it the more I like it. In comparison, RHAS 2.1 is a horrible mess. The Q&A at RedHat must have gone titsup, or otherwise I can’t explain all the silly and annoying bugs they have in this (ostensibly professional) distribution. UnitedLinux, as far as I could tell so far, is so much more polished.
As for RHAS support, for $1300/year I expected much better. I guess I am spoiled by Sun, but to be honest, UnitedLinux WITHOUT support seems to be a better proposition than RHAS WITH standard support.
I have not yet tested the UnitedLinux from Suse.
When will these companies (finally) come out with a UnitedLinux for the desktop ?