Caldera Thin Clients Inc has given the highest priority to embedded Linux and has changed its name to Lineo Inc. Lineo’s embedded Linux platform, Embedix, is based on Caldera Systems Inc’s OpenLinux operating system. Lineo will remain a wholly- owned subsidiary of Caldera Inc.
Caldera Inc was founded five years ago by current CEO Bryan Sparks with funding from former Novell Inc chairman and CEO Ray Noorda. In September 1998 the company split its business in two, with Caldera Systems taking charge of the OpenLinux distribution and Caldera Thin Clients responsible for embedded Linux and DR- DOS. Now it seems DR-DOS will take a back seat.
OEMs see the benefit of embedding Linux into their devices and have requested an embedded OpenLinux solution, explained president and CEO of Caldera Systems, Ransom Love. Embedix will define the embedded Linux market as OpenLinux has defined the Linux for business market. Lineo executives promise to announce a technology partnership at LinuxWorld in San Jose in August 1999.
The company assures DR-DOS users that it will continue to develop and market its DR-DOS product line to embedded OEMs. After all, it was the revenues from DR-DOS that funded the development of Embedix, the company admits. There’s another reason to keep DR- DOS alive. Caldera Inc inherited DR-DOS from Novell Inc in July 1996. Novell had acquired it from Digital Research Inc.
Now Caldera Thin Clients/Lineo has filed a lawsuit against Microsoft Corp based on what it says were anti-competitive practices aimed at killing off DR-DOS back in the days of DRI. The case is scheduled for a jury trial beginning January 17, 2000 – just one of the fireworks expected to usher in Microsoft’s new millennium.
