Red Hat to offer whitebox Linux desktops globally

By Stan Beer
Monday, 06 August 2007 04:56

Open Source

The world's largest Linux vendor Red Hat will release a pre-installed desktop version of Linux globally in September. The new Red Hat desktop targeting primarily small business users will be available on cheap whitebox Intel PCs and, according to Red Hat, will not try to be a Windows clone.

The new Linux desktop platform, called Red Hat Global Desktop, has been announced on Red Hat's site and promises that the desktop will have wide global distribution through Intel's channel of white box system builders.

The Red Hat strategy contrasts markedly with Dell's push to offer Ubuntu Linux to consumers on some of its desktop and notebook models in a limited release to the US market. Red Hat is not targeting consumers but small business users and local government agencies who want to keep the cost of hardware and software to a minimum.

"At Red Hat, we want to see Linux desktops become widely adopted around the world," the Red Hat site states.

"But, we believe there is no money or value in creating a Windows clone. To enable the wide adoption of Linux desktops, we believe we need to offer a different product and offer it through broader distribution channels than what has been done in the past. That’s what we will do with Red Hat Global Desktop."

In contrast to Ubuntu with Dell, Red Hat intends to ignore the big name brand vendors and focus on the corner store whitebox desktop market.

"We have partnered with Intel to deliver Global Desktop via their vast channel of system builders because the reality is that most of the world buys from whitebox vendors. Whitebox vendors are in a position to better understand this market’s needs, what they can afford and then deliver that solution," the Red Hat site states.

"Our partner, Intel, has done a great job designing PCs aimed at these markets and enabling this very large distribution channel of local system builders. By creating this partnership, we will support Intel’s growing lines of low-cost PCs and greatly expand the distribution channels to these markets beyond what has been traditionally available."

The new Red Hat Linux desktops will be available globally from next month, according to Red Hat.

"We have finished the development phase of producing Global Desktop and are now polishing it up and testing it," the Red hat site states.

"We initially were trying to bring Global Desktop to market by August, but decided to delay until September. To improve the user experience, we have been looking at how we can provide legal versions of the most popular multimedia codecs needed to listen and view the majority of the content on the Internet. We are wrapping those negotiations up and hope to deliver those codecs with Global Desktop when we launch in September."