SuSE Linux

 SuSE Linux Office Desktop Brings Microsoft Office to Linux

Nuremberg, January 21, 2003 - SuSE Linux today annnounced 
the availability of a desktop Linux product that gives users 
the full functionality of the Microsoft Office suite of 
applications.

SuSE Linux Office Desktop, available January 21, is intended 
for small companies looking for an easy, preconfigured 
desktop -- as well as for personal users with little or no 
Linux experience. With SuSE's new desktop, users get the 
stability and flexibility of Linux while having the full 
functionality and interoperability of accustomed 
applications -- users can continue to process Microsoft 
files in Linux or even install and utilize Office programs 
on the SuSE desktop.

SuSE Linux Office Desktop combines the technology and user 
friendliness of SuSE Linux 8.1 with proven tools that 
facilitate the migration from Windows operating systems and 
applications. The SuSE system assistant YaST2 (Yet another 
Setup Tool) automatically detects existing Windows 95/98/ME 
installations and submits a useful proposal for the 
reallocation of the existing hard disk space and the Linux 
software to install. Using the partitioning tool Acronis OS 
Selector, no technical experience is needed to successfully 
migrate to Linux without losing any data - even with a 
preinstalled Windows 2000/XP. Thanks to YaST2, hardware 
components such as printers, scanners, sound cards, ISDN 
adapters, and TV cards are detected and configured 
automatically.

*** Microsoft Office or StarOffice - Freedom of Choice!

SuSE Linux Office Desktop enables the continued use of 
existing data: StarOffice 6.0 from Sun Microsystems offers 
text processing, spreadsheet, and presentation applications 
as well as other office applications for Linux, together 
with mature filter functions for data exchange from/to 
various formats.

Codeweavers CrossOver Office 1.3.1 enables the utilization 
of familiar applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 
from MS Office 97/2000 as well as Visio 2000 and other MS 
applications on the SuSE desktop. For the first time, even 
IBM Lotus Notes can be utilized on a Linux client. 

The user friendly SuSE Linux Office Desktop assistant 
controls the installation of MS applications, the printer 
configuration, the management of your own shares, and the 
integration of network directories.

Users can choose between KDE 3.0.4 and GNOME 2.0 as 
graphical desktop environment. The comfortable mail clients 
Evolution and KMail can be utilized with both desktop 
environments. Thus, SuSE Linux Office Desktop delivers all 
central tools an office client needs in an office network.

*** Price and Availability

The new SuSE Linux Office Desktop will be available from 
January 21 from selected retailers. The recommended retail 
price of EUR 139.90 for one machine includes detailed 
documentation and 90 days of installation support.

*** About SuSE Linux

SuSE Linux is one of the world's leading providers of 
products and services, based on Linux operating system. In 
addition to the operating system and application software 
for private customers, SuSE offers software solutions and 
complete systems for the use of Linux in the enterprise. 
SuSE supports enterprise customers with a comprehensive 
range of qualified consulting, training, and support 
services. Hosting the world's largest development team for 
Open Source solutions, SuSE Linux shares its unique project 
and support information online, in the largest existing 
Linux knowledge database. Further information on SuSE Linux 
can be found at http://www.suse.de/en/

Press contact:
SuSE Linux AG
Martina Krahmer
Deutschherrnstr. 15-19
90429 Nuremberg
Germany
martina.krahmer@suse.de
Phone: +49-(0)911-74053507