BANGALORE: RedHat, the global provider of Linux, will be bringing out desktop versions of the OS, based on its Enterprise Linux kernel version 2.4.21 by October this year.

According to Tapia, the building of the desktop Linux on the enterprise kernel will imbibe the OS with increased stability and dependability. The company was unwilling to comment on whether there will be any changes in the price scale of the desktops and whether the present versions of the OS will be phased out. According to Tapia, these decisions would have to be taken following talks with the relevant OEMs.

Speaking on the state of support for Linux desktops in the country, Tapia said, "It is important to realize that Linux being new in the market, it is crucial to provide definite value to the customer. This value has to touch the customer right from the software to the service."
He added that Linux vendors have to work at providing this value as a complete solution and not just the OS, which he refers to as ‘pseudo Linux’ solutions.

He emphasized that vendors have to be more proactive with such measures to make sure that awareness and familiarity with the OS increases and more and more people get interested in it.
"We have a RedHat ready certification program where we evaluate the hardware of the computer and make sure that the components are upto requisite standards. We also have implemented training programs for end user customers as well as service personnel of OEMs to educate them on the facets of the OS. We also jump into the fray at the time of service when the OEMs encounter problems that they cannot solve. Thus, we don’t leave our customers to fend for themselves. That will go a long way in propagating Linux as a choice for the OS," he added.

"We will begin discussions with OEMs for general availability of these versions soon. We hope to make desktops with this refined version of the OS available to the public by November of this year," said Red Hat India director Javed Tapia.

(CNS)