Caldera Announces Open-Source Code Model for DOS
Torgeir Veimo
[Håper ingen får spader av at jeg poster dette her.]
CALDERA® ANNOUNCES OPEN-SOURCE CODE
MODEL FOR DOS
DR DOS® + the Internet = Caldera OpenDOS
PROVO, Utah Sept. 10, 1996 Caldera® Inc. today
announced that it will openly distribute the source code for DOS via
the Internet as part of the company's plans to encourage continued
development of DOS technologies and applications, further leveling
the playing field for software developers worldwide. This effort,
targeted to benefit both individual developers and industry partners,
follows Caldera's commitment to embrace and fund an open software
environment. Caldera also announced plans for internal development
and marketing of DOS, including a new product called Caldera
OpenDOS .
"DOS continues to meet the technical and financial
requirements of a large portion of the computing industry, especially
in the areas of network computing devices, specialized game devices
and embedded systems," said Bryan Sparks, President and CEO of
Caldera, Inc. "Publishing source code for DOS will benefit a large
number of independent and in-house developers creating customized
solutions based on DOS."
Caldera plans to openly distribute the source code for all of
the DOS technologies it acquired from Novell®, Inc. on July 23,
including CP/M®, DR DOS®, PalmDOS®, Multi-User DOS® and
Novell DOS 7®. Pending an evaluation and organization of the the
technologies, the source code will be made available from Caldera's
web site during Q1 1997. Caldera learned from its early investment in
Linux technologies that the commercial market is now ready to
embrace open technology standards for operating systems.
Benefits of an Open Technology Model
Caldera believes an open source code model benefits the
industry in many ways. This model:
- Increases competition, which historically leads to higher-
quality and lower-cost products.
- Decreases the time-to-market of innovative software.
- Facilitates creation of customized solutions by developers,
Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and Value Added
Resellers (VARs) for even the most highly-specialized
computing environments.
- Extends market implementation of mature, proven
technologies historically de-emphasized by major software
vendors who favor new, resource-intensive technologies.
Empowers independent developers to influence future
technology advancements.
- Creates a large pool of individuals with broad knowledge of
DOS, increasing availability of technical support and
consulting for end users, historically at a lower cost and with
quicker response time.
Existing/Potential DOS Markets
"The day Caldera announced its purchase of DOS, we were
inspired by the number of calls and email we received from end users,
development partners and OEMs who wanted to buy or license the
technology," said Ransom Love, Vice President of Marketing and
Sales for Caldera. "They continue to be extremely interested in DOS
and support our open-source technology direction. We have more than
sufficient evidence to believe that the development and end user
communities are responding favorably to our efforts with DOS."
Caldera lists the greatest existing and potential markets for
DOS technologies as:
- network computing devices
- specialized game devices
- refurbished 286/386 Intel®-compatible computers (desktop and
other)
- embedded systems (interactive kiosks; automated retail
devices, like pay-at-the pump systems; medical, industrial and
banking devices; and other niche market solutions requiring an
operating system with low memory requirements and minimal
development costs.)
- licensing individual DOS components for usage in turnkey
solutions (For example, using a DOS boot sector to load a
virus scanning utility).
OEMs and Channel Partners
Caldera is currently in OEM negotiations with potential
partners that sell products to each of the markets listed above.
Caldera's comprehensive OEM program enables OEMs to license
Caldera OpenDOS and Caldera OpenLinux as part of a complete set
of network and stand-alone solutions. Caldera's leveraged, open-
systems model will enable OEM partners to leverage aggressive
pricing and shorter development cycles. Caldera plans to release a
version of DOS for OEM implementation by December 1996.
Caldera's OEM and Channel Partners can utilize the open-source code
models for DOS and Linux to create low-cost, custom applications
and enhanced utilities for vertical and niche markets. Caldera enables
its partners to integrate stable, low-cost Internet devices with the
most
powerful Internet server platforms and commercial add-on products.
Caldera's support for the open-source code model provides partners
with maximum flexibility in providing more complete product and
service solutions.
Individuals can use OpenDOS source for personal use at no
cost. Individuals and organizations desiring to commercially
redistribute Caldera OpenDOS must acquire a license with an
associated small fee. Source code for proprietary third-party
components of Novell DOS 7 will not be published.
Why Did Caldera Want DOS?
Caldera's system software products are based on Linux
technologies, including networking and Internet protocols, and other
technologies common to UNIX®-based systems. Linux technologies
include a DOS box, which allows end users to run DOS applications
in Linux system software environments. From the company's
inception in October 1994, Caldera planned to license and integrate
DOS with its Linux-based software products. These plans included the
addition of Internet connectivity tools to DOS, enabling DOS to
function as a light-weight, stand-alone client to the Internet, or to
Linux when used as a workgroup server. By December 1996, Caldera
will integrate DOS with the company's next versions of system
software products, including the Caldera Network Desktop. By
including DOS, Caldera will ease installation and improve
compatibility for simultaneous use of DOS and Linux.
DOS Retail Package
Industry statistics show that DOS operating system products
continue to maintain high market share. Industry distribution giant
Merisel® lists MS DOS 2nd in the Operating System category on the
Retail HOT LIST and 3rd in the same category on the VAR HOT
LIST for September 1996.
DOS versions of mainstream software applications are listed
throughout the Business; Personal Productivity; Education &
Recreation; DTP, Presentation & Graphics; Utilities; and Languages
sections of both the Merisel Retail and VAR HOT LISTS. (Visit
Merisel's HOT LISTS at http://www.merisel.com/17000001.htm and
http://www.merisel.com/50000001.htm.)
In Spring 1997, Caldera will release Caldera OpenDOS, the
first commercial-grade, open-source code DOS product. Caldera
OpenDOS will build upon its predecessors (CP/M, DR DOS and
Novell DOS 7) by adding Novell Personal NetWare , bug fixes to
Novell DOS 7 and additional networking capabilities. Potential
technologies under consideration include a graphical user interface
(GUI); Internet web browser; TCP/IP stack; and other Internet
connectivity services. This aggressive update to DOS will leverage
internal and third-party development.
Caldera OpenDOS will protect the investments made in
existing 286/386 Intel-compatible environments, where DOS meets
both the technological and financial requirements of many end users
and organizations. By incorporating new technologies, like Internet
connectivity, and by openly publishing the source code for DOS to
the Internet, Caldera hopes to encourage continued application
development that utilizes this established, stable technology.
Technical Support for DOS
Caldera's technical support philosophy focuses on providing
installation support to end users and long-term engineering support to
Caldera's channel, OEM and third-party developer partners. Caldera's
technical support objective is to develop a solid network of channel
partners who serve as the primary front-line for technical support on
Caldera products. Caldera provides its customers with free installation
support during a specified time period and encourages customers to
utilize the free, service-rich technical support environment on
Caldera's World Wide Web site and available from peers via the
Internet. Caldera also offers fee-based direct support options beyond
the complimentary installation and Internet services.
The DOS environment already enjoys an established pool of
local resellers who offer high-quality support for reasonable fees.
DOS users will also benefit from the exchange of technical
support that occurs between end users in an open-source development
environment. For example, the community of Linux users connected
via the Internet provide each other with technical support for Linux-
based products that surpasses the quality, speed and value of technical
support historically provided by major industry software vendors.
Caldera believes that openly publishing the source code for DOS will
create a similar environment.
Caldera designs, develops and markets to consumers and businesses
a line of full-featured, economical system software for the Internet, by
the
Internet, providing stable, high-quality alternatives to Windows NT®,
Sun
Solaris® and SCO UNIX®. It uses its own technological and marketing
resources to leverage technologies including the Linux operating
system
created by independent developers worldwide. Caldera's web site is at
http://www.caldera.com/.
###
Caldera is a registered trademark; and Caldera Network Desktop, Caldera
Internet Office Suite, Caldera Solutions CD, Caldera Open Linux and
Caldera
OpenDOS are trademarks of Caldera, Inc. UNIX is a registered trademark,
in
the United States and other countries, licensed exclusively through
X/Open
Company Limited. All other products, services and publications are
trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
Caldera Press Contact:
Lyle Ball Nancy Pomeroy
lyle...@caldera.com na...@caldera.com
Tel: (801) 229-1675 x305 Tel: (801) 229-1675 x206
--
Torgeir Veimo, Vertech AS,
email: Torgei...@vertech.no, pager: 96783162, phone: +4755563755