Microsoft and Turbolinux Extend Broad Collaboration Agreement

Microsoft Corp. and Turbolinux, a leading Linux client and server distributor in Japan and China, have announced a business agreement that expands on their recent collaborations. The deal advances Linux-Microsoft Windows Server interoperability, furthers research and development collaboration, and provides IP assurances for Turbolinux users.

A key customer component to the agreement is a collaborative "single sign-on" solution. According to a recent study released by SupportSoft Inc., a provider of technology problem resolution software provider, password problems - including the need to reset them - make up one out of every five calls received by corporate IT help desks. This collaboration features the development of a single sign-on solution enabling customers to use one set of credentials to log onto Windows-based and Turbolinux devices. This solution is intended to improve computing efficiencies and cut down on internal IT costs.

"This agreement represents a business and technical collaboration that will benefit customers," said David Kaefer, general manager for intellectual property licensing at Microsoft. "Through this collaboration Microsoft and Turbolinux are reinforcing our combined commitment to providing real solutions for our customers such as the single sign-on solution. Turbolinux is now one of Microsoft's preferred Linux partners, and we are looking forward to continue building bridges between open source and commercial technologies."

This agreement focuses on four key areas:

• Interoperability

  This collaboration features the development of a single sign-on solution, enabling customers to use one set of credentials to log on to Windows-based and Turbolinux devices.

  The deal includes a Workgroup Server Protocol Program (WSPP) evaluation license, which Turbolinux signed to evaluate additional technical collaboration opportunities on which to focus in the future.

• Business alignment

  The agreement will include an R&D interoperability lab to be housed in the same building as Microsoft's Beijing office. The companies will use the lab to focus on testing and showcasing solutions for customers and partners.

  Turbolinux will also participate in the Interoperability Vendor Alliance, a Microsoft-sponsored community of software and hardware vendors working together to enhance interoperability.

• Intellectual property assurance

  This agreement will provide intellectual property assurance for Turbolinux customers who purchase Turbolinux Server.

• Desktop collaboration expansion

Expanding on earlier agreements that involved Turbolinux collaboration with the Open XML document format and the use of Microsoft Windows Media Format, Turbolinux desktops will now feature Live Search.

"Together, we can do much to reduce the cost and complexity of running mixed Windows and Linux IT environments, and we believe this agreement gives our company a significant edge in the marketplace," said Yano Koichi, CEO of Turbolinux. "Delivering value requires a vision for how to design mixed-source solutions that tackle clear customer priorities and a framework for sharing intellectual property. When strong Microsoft customers are evaluating Linux, we

want them to see Turbolinux as the distribution that works best with their existing Microsoft investments."

This agreement is the first between Microsoft and a leading Linux server and desktop platform distributor in Asia. This growing list of collaborators includes Novell Inc., XenSource Inc., Xandros Inc., Linspire Inc., LG Electronics, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and Zend Technologies Inc.