LBA-Linux

LBA-Linux - A new name in Linux from the Linux Business Alliance

Helsinki, Finland 2.12.2003 - The Linux Business Alliance (LBA) has
revealed the identity of its forthcoming GNU/Linux product: LBA-Linux.
The new distribution is the result of professional co-operation between
the members of the LBA, and promises leading-edge technological and
graphical solutions combined in a legally-safe GNU/Linux product.

The technology behind LBA-Linux derives from SOT's GNU/Linux distribution,
SOT Linux. LBA-Linux is considered a successor to SOT Linux, and inherits
the earlier distribution's high level of security, while remaining
compatible with SOT Linux updates.

"By combining our strengths, we and the other members of the LBA can
offer a more technically developed -- and safer -- distribution to our
clients", said Mr. Santeri Kannisto, Managing Director of SOT.

LBA-Linux showcases a range of the COTS (Commercial Off The Shelf)
products available from LBA members. COTS products are designed to allow
the rapid development of stand-alone, shrink-wrapped GNU/Linux-based
products, by integrating existing Open Source applications with an
operating system and middleware. The LBA's COTS product range provides
customers with the security, legitimacy, usability and hardware
compatibility required for the enterprise-level and carrier-grade
deployment of Open Source code and free software.

Finndesign is responsible for creating LBA-Linux's state-of-the-art 
user interface, enhanced usability, and improved aesthetics.

"As partners in the LBA, we are lending our talent and experience in
aesthetics and usability issues to the whole product. We are living
in interesting times, and creating perhaps the first true desktop Linux",
commented Mr. Jukka Tuominen, Managing Director of Finndesign.

The legal issues surrounding the distribution are being taken care of
by Turré Legal Consulting.

"We have removed those parts of the source code where copyright issues 
were unclear. We are also fully informed about any patent claims that 
must be take into account, for example, in commercial uses of the 
distribution", explained Mr. Mikko Välimäki of Turré Legal Consulting.

LBA-Linux will make use of the existing service infrastructure developed
by SOT. The online SOT Linux community (www.sotlinux.org), will now also
serve those using LBA-Linux.  SOT guarantees LBA-Linux's compatibility 
with the earlier SOT Linux and Best Linux products, and undertakes to 
provide software updates to the distribution when required.


Finndesign

Founded in 1995, Finndesign is a Finnish design company
specialised in user interface design. We provide services to
technologically advanced appliance and software producers globally.


Turré Legal Consulting

Turré Legal Consulting assists companies from the technology and
finance sectors with legal issues. The combination of technical and
legal professionalism is our strength.


SOT

Founded in Finland in 1991, SOT is a software house with an extensive
knowledge of GNU/Linux and Open Source. Our outstanding reliability
and sound financial position mean that you can depend on us for all
your software needs. With our professional programming and software
development resources, we are able to bring real expertise to your R&D
and infrastructural ICT projects.


A high-resolution sample screenshot of LBA-Linux:
http://www.sot.com/images/LBALinux_press_print_CMYK150dpi.tif


Additional information

Linux Business Alliance: http://www.linuxalliance.org
Finndesign: http://www.finndesign.fi
Turre: http://www.turre.com
SOT: http://www.sot.com
SOT Linux Community: http://www.sotlinux.org


Media relations
telephone: +358 20 155 2206
fax: +358 20 155 2209
E-mail: PRelations@sot.com