Date: July 10, 1998
Contact:
Jim Koehler
GD&A Public Relations
(303) 447-1190
jim@gda-pr.com
New Desktop System Legitimizes Linux in the Workplace
Corporate sys admins now have a fully supported integrated Linux OS and GUI
Denver -- For many system administrators, Linux is the logical answer to a variety of difficult challenges. However, the lack of a commercially integrated package and commercial technical support has, until now, kept Linux relegated to behind-the-scenes or less important roles in leading companies. Xi Graphics seeks to change that with the release of its new maXimumTM cde/OS, a package that promises to help eliminate the final barriers to the widespread commercial use of Linux. maXimumTM cde/OS integrates the Linux operating system with Xi Graphic's Accelerated-XTM Display Server and The OpenGroup's GUI that includes Motif Window Manager and CDE.
maXimumTM cde/OS allows sys admins to add fully supported Linux PCs inexpensively to their enterprise network," comments Thomas Roell, PResident. "It's far more powerful and stable than NT, and has the best graphics display capabilities and GUI feature set on the market."
"This product was developed in response to requests from several of our Fortune 500 customers who wanted the 'Power of UNIXTM and the Freedom of Linux' on their desktops and laptops," added Andrew Bergin, National Sales Manager. "They wanted Linux-based systems, but couldn't convince management that critical applications could or should run on 'unsupported' or 'hacker' operating systems that were downloaded off the web. When we told them that we would offer a completely integrated, fully supported Linux OS with full GUI and our famous Accelerated-X Display Server, they were enthusiastic.
"As corporate IT chiefs realized that Linux really was a more open, flexible, current, cleaner, more stable, and basically free UNIX, they began asking for a single source for acquisition of a complete, integrated desktop system that included technical support," Bergin added. "We responded."
XiGraphics is best known for its Accelerated-X Display Server product line, powerful X servers that provide crisp, sharp graphics displays for Linux and other UNIX systems. The current list of "drivers" for graphics cards and laptops available to owners of Accelerated-X products is well over 500, with new "drivers" coming out at a rate of one or two a week.
"The X server is a critically important part of the GUI. So it is a natural step for us to evolve our product offering to a complete package that included both freely available and industry standard desktop software," said Roell, who first made his mark in the freeware community when he donated his first X server - for the x86 architecture - to MIT. It is this body of code that is the basis for the multitudes of various Xfree86 servers that have been so popular in the "hacker" community for the past several years.
maXimumTM cde/OS Executive Edition is available for $214.95 within the U.S., while the Developer's Edition is priced at $364.95. Laptop versions and International pricing is slightly higher. Quantity discounts are available. Linux OS technical support is sold in "ServicePacs." For more information, contact Xi Graphics at (800) 946-7433 or visit their web site at www.xig.com.