Caldera Inc, the Orem, Utah-based firm backed by former Novell Inc boss Ray Noorda, says it’s in the final stages of putting a channel and marketing campaign together for the launch of its first product, the Caldera Network Desktop on February 5, with shipments expected six to eight weeks thereafter. The Linux-based desktop, available in beta for some months, is described as an Internet-Intranet office suite for small offices. It includes the Linux kernel, graphical user interface, built-in networking for Internet and other IP networks, NetWare client, back-up and the 32-bit Twin XPDK Windows applications programming interface from Willow Software Inc (CI Nos 2,680, 2,755). A package including Wordperfect, Z-Mail, spreadsheet and Motif will be available for the desktop (CI No 2,755). Caldera, with 14 full-time and a similar number of part-time staff, sternly refutes the notion it may be about to be acquired.
