Novell will be launching a community-based Linux distribution, OpenSuSE, based on SuSE Linux Professional, at next week’s LinuxWorld in San Francisco, according to sources close to the company.
A site, opensuse.org, has already been set up for the project by Novell under the name of Batman’s alter ego, Bruce Wayne. the initiative’s launch will go by the name of “The Lizard Blizzard” and SuSE’s original “Geeko” lizard mascot will be reappearing at LinuxWorld.
According to sources, the SuSE Linux code will become the foundation for the next version of SLES (SuSE Linux Enterprise Server), the Linux component of OES (Open Enterprise Server) and NLD (Novell Linux Desktop), while the first version of SuSE Linux will consist of the Linux 2.6-based beta for SLES 10. This will be roughly equivalent to what would have been SuSE Linux Professional 9.5.
The full version will be freely available from the OpenSuSE site as both source code and in ISO download form. Sources said the dual approach was chosen because Novell wants SuSE Linux to be both worked on by the community and run by users who don’t want to develop but do want a supported, cutting-edge Linux.
News source: eWeek
