The VAR Guy

Yes, The VAR Guy knows Bill Gates has left Microsoft. But now that Billionaire Bill is gone, IBM and Canonical are trying to destroy the very software empire he built. Specifically, IBM, Canonical and Virtual Bridges have launched a low-cost, virtualized Ubuntu Linux build for big — really big — corporate customers. No, this won’t kill Microsoft. But the IBM move is a big-time attack on Windows and Office. Here’s the scoop, along with the implications for Microsoft, Novell and Red Hat.

The VAR Guy will keep a close eye on the Red Hat Summit, which kicks off June 18 in Boston. Here are five trends and themes he’ll be investigating at the event.

Software competition on the desktop continues to increase. The latest example includes Lotus Symphony, a free IBM software suite that could give Microsoft Office a run for its money in selected business settings.  After introducing Symphony as a free Internet download last year, IBM is now back — offering annual Symphony support contracts at the flat rate of $25,000. Suite! Er, sweet! Here’s why.