Caldera OpenLinux: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Defunct Linux distribution of the late 1990s and early 2000s}}

{{Essay-like|2=an opinionated essay, or "case study" per [https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=United_Linux&diff=50824238&oldid=50824002 this statement] by the original editor,|date=November 2019}}

{{Redir|Caldera (operating system)|the DOS operating system|OpenDOS}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2019|cs1-dates=y}}

{{Use list-defined references|date=December 2021}}

{{SCO Controversy}}

'''Caldera OpenLinux''' ('''COL''') is a defunct [[Linux distribution]]. [[Caldera, Inc.|Caldera]] originally introduced it in 1997<!-- or was it 1996? OpenLinux 1.1 came in 1997, when was OpenLinux 1.0 released? --> based on the German [[LST Power Linux]] distribution, and then taken over and further developed by [[Caldera Systems, Inc.|Caldera Systems]] (now [[SCO Group]]) since 1998. A successor to the Caldera Network Desktop put together by Caldera since 1995, OpenLinux was an early "business-oriented distribution" and foreshadowed the direction of developments that came to most other distributions and the [[Linux]] community generally.{{citation needed|reason=Sweeping assertion|date=November 2019}}

=={{anchor|Corsair|Ferret|Expose|Internet Desktop}}Novell Corsair==

'''[[Novell Corsair|Corsair]]''', a user interface for [[NetWare]], was a project run by [[Novell]] corporation's [[Advanced Technology Group (Novell)|Advanced Technology Group]] (ATG) between 1993 and 1995. Novell wanted a [[desktop environment]] with [[internet connectivity]] and conducted research on how to better and more easily [[Digital integration|integrate]] and manage network access for [[End-user (computer science)|users]]. [[Windows 3.0|Windows]]' own support for connecting to Novell networks would not be improved until later releases<ref name="WDPH"/> and the Internet was dominated by [[Unix]]-based operating systems. Relative to their needs, Novell deemed the Unixes of the day were too hardware intensive, too large, and charged too much in [[license]] fees.<ref name="LJ_1995"/>

This group became convinced that [[Linux]] offered the best possible answer for the [[Operating system|OS]] [[Software componentry|component]].{{when|date=May 2014}} There were many other components as well, and these were of particular interest:{{citation needed|date=May 2014|reason=Components already inside the company or still independent projects?}}

* Willows Toolkit, a Microsoft Windows-compatible [[Application programming interface|API]] for Unix systems to allow recompilation of [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] programs for Linux<ref name="willowstoolkit">{{ cite web | url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000229135341/http://www.willows.com/WTKDataSheet.html | title=Willows Toolkit | website=Willows Software | date=6 January 2000 | access-date=7 May 2024 }}</ref><ref name="Willows TWIN 2 at FSF"/>{{citation needed|date=May 2014|reason=This sounds as if Willows was a Novell-internal project before Willows Software was founded in 1993 by Canopy. Names, dates and dependencies need to be sorted out. Did Caldera license Willows from Novell or Willows Software?}}

* [[Wine (software)|Wine]], a compatibility layer for running Windows and [[DOS]] software

* Ferret, a meeting browser<ref name="Ferret"/>

* [[WordPerfect]], a then cross-platform [[word processing]] [[Application software|application]] bought by Novell in June 1994

On 5 April 1994, the Board of Novell hired [[Robert Frankenberg]], the general manager of [[Hewlett-Packard]] Personal Information Products Group to replace [[Raymond John Noorda]] as [[Chief executive officer|CEO]] of Novell. Novell's [[stock price]] had performed poorly recently due to flagging growth. At Novell, the Network division ([[NetWare Systems Group (Novell)|NSG]]) was growing at a pace of 19% per year, the Unix business division ([[Unix Systems Group (Novell)|USG]]) was flat, and the Desktop Applications division ([[Desktop Systems Group (Novell)|DSG]]) was shrinking at a rate of $400 million per year.{{citation needed|reason=Specific figures like this need a source|date=November 2019}}

Frankenberg's initiative was to refocus the company on networking and networking services. In terms of Corsair, that meant shedding most of the pieces. The Advanced Technology Group was disbanded, which shut down Willows and the OS project. Negotiations started which would eventually lead to WordPerfect being sold off to [[Corel]] in January 1996. Ferret was in line with the new direction and this component was kept within Novell.

Through his [[Noorda Family Trust]] (NFT), Ray Noorda had founded a [[venture capital]] investment group called the [[Canopy Group]] two years earlier in 1992. He thought there was substantial promise in both the OS project and the Willows project. He created two companies, to continue the work started at Novell. The "API company" was called [[Willows Software, Inc.]] (founded 1993{{citation needed|reason=Company origins and founding year unclear. Any connection with Multiport, Inc.?|date=May 2014}}) and the "OS company" became [[Caldera, Inc.]] (founded in October 1994 and incorporated in January 1995).

Noorda's early vision for Caldera was to create an [[IPX]]-based version of Linux which would license the key components, and resell this technology back to Novell to continue the '''Internet Desktop'''. In effect, in 1994 Caldera started life as kind of an [[outsourcing]] project for Novell,{{citation needed|date=May 2014|reason=But apparently not driven by Novell after Noorda left the company and without Novell being interested in it? Clarification needed.}} based on a technology demo named '''Exposé'''.<ref name="Novell_1994_Exposé"/><ref name="CBR_1994_Corsair"/> Caldera started with ten employees and most were from Novell: [[Bryan Wayne Sparks]], founder/president (Novell); Bryce J. Burns, chief operations officer (Novell); [[Ransom Love|Ransom H. Love]], VP marketing (Novell); Greg Page, VP engineering (Bell Labs, AT&T); and Craig Bradley, VP Sales (Lotus, Word Perfect).{{citation needed|reason=Specific names like this need a source|date=November 2019}}

=={{anchor|OS|CND|CND1.0PI|CND1.0PII|CND1.0|CNDB}}Caldera Network Desktop==

{{Infobox OS

| name = Caldera Network Desktop

| screenshot =

| caption =

| developer = [[Caldera (company)|Caldera]]

| family = [[Linux]]

| released = 1995 (Previews)

| discontinued = yes

source_model = Mixed

| working_state = Defunct

| latest_release_version = 1.0

| latest_release_date = {{Release date and age|1996}}

| kernel_type = [[Monolithic kernel]]

| license = Mixed

| website =

| successor = OpenLinux

}}

[[Image:ND1.jpg|Back of Caldera Network Desktop 1.0 box|thumb|200px|right]]

At this point in 1995 Ransom Love and Ray Noorda took note of the technologies that Caldera put together, specifically:

* Caldera built on the Linux kernel which ran on [[x86]], [[PowerPC]] and [[DEC Alpha|Alpha]] architectures. Caldera Network Desktop was based on [[Red Hat Commercial Linux]].<ref name="Petreley_1996_Caldera"/><ref name="Hughes_1996_CND"/>

* Its [[wide area network]]ing was far more advanced than the Microsoft networked OSes at the time ([[Windows for Workgroups 3.11]] and [[Windows NT 3.51]]), due to its being [[Unix-like]].

* Caldera included a version of Novell's [[IPX]] [[network protocol]] and a [[Client (computing)|client]] for [[NetWare]].

* The [[Willows Application Programming Interface for Windows]] (APIW){{citation needed|date=May 2014|reason=Wasn't Willows still developed by an independent company?}} code written for Caldera's operating system would run on Unix, Microsoft Windows, and Apple [[Macintosh]], as well as Caldera's system itself.

* Caldera also incorporated LISA (Linux Installation and System Administration),<ref name="Hughes_1996_CND"/> which had been developed by the German [[Linux Support Team]] (LST) for their own Linux distribution.<ref name="LST_1997"/>

More than just a [[Software componentry|component]] for Novell, Caldera had assembled the components needed to create a [[Value-added reseller|VAR]] platform. However, Caldera faced a [[bootstrapping]] problem. OEM VAR applications often depended crucially on other companies' [[business software|commercial]] [[Application software|applications]]. Since these other applications hadn't been ported to [[Linux]] yet, they couldn't meaningfully port their own applications. Caldera responded by creating a [[Object file|binary applications package]], which allowed Linux to run [[UnixWare]] and [[OpenServer]] applications, the Linux [[Application Binary Interface]] (ABI) project,{{citation needed|date=November 2019}} and by assisting [[Santa Cruz Operation]] (SCO) in creating the Linux Kernel Personalities.<ref name="SCO_UW7"/>{{disputed inline|for=LKP did not arrive until years later|date=November 2019}} Linux Kernel Personalities was worked on to bring Linux application compatibility to [[SCO Unix]] (formerly UnixWare) and OpenServer. "''The idea was to enable [[Software developer|developers]] to write for both, Unix and Linux, with a common Application Programming Interface (API) and common Application Binary Interface (ABI). That way, developers didn't have to work so hard, and Unix users, the client base we inherited from SCO, could run Linux applications.''"<ref name="Vaughan-Nichols_2003"/>{{disputed inline|for=Cited source is talking about post-SCO acquisition Caldera International, not Caldera Network Desktop era|date=November 2019}}

Caldera also supported [[Alan Cox (computer programmer)|Alan Cox]] in his work on [[Symmetric multiprocessing|SMP]].{{when|date=May 2014}}<ref name="Cox_BKL"/> If Linux displaced Unix on the Intel x86 platform, then [[Sun Microsystems]] wouldn't have a low-end Unix path. This point becomes more interesting in light of SCO's litigation eight years later [[SCO v. IBM|against IBM]] in 2003.{{Relevance inline|paragraph|date=November 2019}} That is, [[IBM]] was not the company involved in the SMP work, and moreover, the company most directly involved is the company that later became the [[SCO Group]], essentially SCO suing IBM for work it itself did.{{citation needed|date=May 2014|reason=When did they support Alan Cox? Caldera, Inc. was not the same company as Caldera Systems, Inc. (and its successors). Caldera Systems, Inc. was not the successor of Caldera, Inc., but a spin-out. Therefore it is important to sort out the dates and names.}}

In 1995, when [[XFree86]] was still very hard to configure and unreliable on most chipsets, Caldera had shipped with MetroLink's [[Motif (software)|Motif]] and XI Graphic's [[Accelerated-X]].<ref name="Leibovitch_1997"/>

Known releases:

* ''Caldera Network Desktop 1.0 Preview I'' (1995-05)<ref name="Linuxmisc"/>

* ''Caldera Network Desktop 1.0 Preview II'' (1995-09<!-- release date based on printed manual -->) with Linux kernel 1.2.13<ref name="Leibovitch_1997"/>

* ''Caldera Network Desktop 1.0'' (scheduled for 1995-11<!-- according to dates mentioned in Preview II -->, released 1996-02-05<ref name="CND"/>)

* ''Caldera Network Desktop Bundle'' (scheduled for 1995-12<!-- according to dates mentioned in Preview II -->, released 1996-02-05)

Caldera Network Desktop was produced and sold until March 1997.<ref name="Leibovitch_1997"/>

=={{anchor|OpenLinux|1.0|1.1|1.2|1.3|1.4|2.0|2.1|2.2|2.3|2.4|3.0|3.1|3.1.1|Lite|Base|Standard|Deluxe|eDesktop|eServer|eBuilder|Workstation|Server|NetWare for Linux}}Caldera OpenLinux==

{{Infobox OS

| name = Caldera OpenLinux

| screenshot = File:Caldera OpenLinux installation CD-ROM.jpg

| caption = Installation CD from 1999

| developer = [[Caldera (company)|Caldera]], [[Caldera Systems]], [[Caldera International]]

| family = [[Linux]]

Line 82 ⟶ 16:

| website =

}}

'''Caldera OpenLinux''' is a defunct [[Linux distribution]] produced by [[Caldera, Inc.]] (and its successors [[Caldera Systems]] and [[Caldera International]]) that existed from 1997 to 2002. Based on the German [[LST Power Linux]] distribution, OpenLinux was an early high-end "business-oriented" distribution that included features it developed, such as an easy-to-use, graphical installer and graphical and web-based system administration tools, as well as features from bundled [[proprietary software]]. In its era, Caldera OpenLinux was one of the four major commercial Linux distributions, the others being [[Red Hat Linux]], [[Turbolinux]], and [[SuSE Linux]].{{refn|group="nb"|Red Hat was the dominant commercial distribution at the time, with Caldera, SuSE, and Turbolinux in the next tier.<ref name="moody"/> Of two other distributions sometimes grouped with them, [[Mandrake Linux]] was aimed more at end users while [[Debian]] was for Linux enthusiasts.<ref name="PCMag_2001"/>}}

During 1996, Caldera continued to be a valuable player, for example, on 23 May 1996, at the [[Linux Kongress]] in [[Berlin]], Germany, Caldera announced its plans to obtain [[POSIX]] and [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS]] certifications and the [[X/Open]] brand for UNIX 95 and [[XPG4]] BASE 95 for the [[Linux kernel|Linux operating system kernel]] and "Open Linux".<ref name="Fisk_1996"/>

== Background ==

In contrast to CND OpenLinux was based on [[LST Power Linux]], a [[Slackware]]-derived distribution that had been maintained by Linux Support Team since 1993<ref name="LST_2003"/> and the first to come with a Linux 2.0 kernel.<ref name="LST_1997"/> In 1996 Linux Support Team grew into Stefan Probst's and Ralf Flaxa's company [[LST Software GmbH]] (with LST now standing for ''Linux System Technology''<!-- or ''Linux System Technologies'' according to other sources --><ref name="LST_2003"/>) in [[Erlangen]], Germany. The OpenLinux development led them to become Caldera's German development center [[Caldera Deutschland GmbH]] since May 1997.<ref name="LST_1997"/><ref name="LST_2003"/><!-- first source states May 1997, second source states "end of 1997" -->

By 1994, under CEO [[Ray Noorda]]'s purview, [[Novell Corsair]] was a project run by Novell's advanced technology group that sought to put together a [[desktop metaphor]] with [[Internet connectivity]] and toward that end conducted research on how to better and more easily integrate and manage network access for users. At the time, the Internet was dominated by Unix-based operating systems, but the Novell group saw the Unixes of the day as being too hardware intensive, too large, and charging too much in license fees. They became convinced that [[Linux]] offered the best possible answer for the operating system component, and started building code towards that purpose, including contributing work on [[IPX]] networking for [[NetWare]] and [[Wine (software)|Wine]] compatibility layer for Windows. However, Noorda departed from Novell and under new management, the Linux role in Corsair was dropped.<ref name="LJ_1995">{{cite news |url=http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/1094 |title=Caldera and Corsair – Who is Caldera, and what is Corsair, really? |date=June 1995 |magazine=Linux Journal |access-date=2008-09-24}}</ref>

[[Caldera, Inc.]] was founded in 1994 by [[Bryan Wayne Sparks]] and Ransom H. Love and received start-up funding from Noorda's Utah-focused [[Canopy Group]], and Caldera became one of the first commercial companies putting out a [[Linux distribution]].<ref name="eweek-ransom-2003">{{cite news |url=https://www.eweek.com/servers/ransom-love-co-founder-of-caldera-and-sco-speaks-of-unix-gpl-and-the-lawsuit |title=Ransom Love, Co-founder of Caldera and SCO, Speaks of Unix, GPL and the Lawsuit |author-first=Steven J. |author-last=Vaughan-Nichols |magazine=[[eWeek]] |date=September 25, 2003}}</ref> That first distribution was [[Caldera Network Desktop]], which was based on [[Red Hat Commercial Linux]].<ref name="Petreley_1996_Caldera">{{cite news |title=Down to the Wire - Hot Caldera rates a look as an Internet service, maybe even for desktops |author-first=Nicholas |author-last=Petreley |magazine=InfoWorld |date=1996-02-19 |page=108 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xT4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA108 |access-date=2017-06-25}}</ref><ref name="Hughes_1996_CND"/> It seemed primarily aimed at the office desktop and custom solutions markets.<ref name="Hughes_1996_CND">{{cite news |title=Caldera Network Desktop 1.0 |author-first=Phil |author-last=Hughes |date=June 1996 |issue=26 |magazine=Linux Journal |url=https://nnc3.com/mags/LJ_1994-2014/LJ/026/0117.html |access-date=2018-08-05 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20180805090434/https://nnc3.com/mags/LJ_1994-2014/LJ/026/0117.html |archive-date=2018-08-05}}</ref>

On 23 July 1996, Caldera purchased [[Novell DOS]] and the remaining [[Digital Research]] assets from Novell in order to bundle a [[DOS]] with their version of Linux, which led to creating the [[OpenDOS]] distribution to help port DOS applications.<ref name="Caldera_1996_Suit"/><ref group="nb" name="NB_DOSinUnix"/>

One of the features of Caldera Network Desktop was an installation component called LISA (Linux Installation and System Administration),<ref name="Hughes_1996_CND"/> which had been developed with the Germany-based [[Linux Support Team]] (LST).<ref name="LST_1997">{{cite news |title=LST Software GmbH Merges With Caldera Inc. – Critically acclaimed European Linux developers strengthen Caldera's commitment |agency=[[PR Newswire]] |date=1997-05-23 |url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/LST+Software+GmbH+Merges+With+Caldera+Inc.-a019440952 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120913050017/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/LST+Software+GmbH+Merges+With+Caldera+Inc.-a019440952 |archive-date=2012-09-13 |access-date=2018-08-06}}</ref> In terms of Linux distributions, that group was responsible for [[LST Power Linux]], a [[Slackware]]-derived distribution that had been maintained by LST since its first incarnation in 1993.<ref name="LST_2003">{{cite web |title=Historie |language=de |date=2018 |orig-year=2001 |publisher=LST - Verein zur Förderung freier Software e.V. |url=http://www.lst.de/de/main.php?id=02 |access-date=2018-08-04 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180804152549/http://www.lst.de/de/main.php?id=02 |archive-date=2018-08-04}}</ref> Caldera Network Desktop ended sales in March 1997.<ref name="LG_1997"/>

<!-- In 1996 or early 1997-->Caldera supported the Linux-port of [[StarOffice 3.1]] with ca. 800.000&nbsp;DM in order to offer the product with their forthcoming OpenLinux distribution in 1997.<ref name="Brors_1997"/><ref name="CW_1997"/><ref name="Strobl_2003"/><ref name="Bantle_2017"/>

== Technology and product ==

By 1997, when the OpenLinux distribution was first released, Caldera had taken on the form that it would be most remembered for. Caldera had switched over to the high end Linux product. The "business" [[Linux distribution]] became more rich with features with bundled [[proprietary software]]. However, it became less community oriented and was released less frequently than other Linuxes did.{{citation needed|reason=Looked but didn't see a source for either of these assertions|date=November 2019}} Other differences included automated configuration for [[System administrator|administration]] tools, paid [[technical support]] staff, built-in consistent default [[Graphical user interface|GUI]], and a range of supported [[Application software|applications]].

=== Caldera, Inc. era ===

Caldera, Inc. collaborated with the LST staff, which by then had become [[LST Software GmbH]], and its LST Power Linux distribution, which was made the basis of their following product.<ref name="LST_2003"/> Then in May 2007, it was announced at [[Linux Kongress]] that Caldera, Inc. was acquiring LST and its development center in [[Erlangen, Germany]],<ref name="LST_1997"/> thus creating [[Caldera Deutschland GmbH]].<ref name="LST_2003"/>

This new product was named Caldera OpenLinux.<ref name="LG_1997">{{cite news | url=https://www.linuxdoc.org/LDP/LG/issue19/caldera.html | title=Caldera OpenLinux | first=Evan | last=Leibovitch | work=Linux Gazette | date=July 1997}} </ref> (The name OpenLinux tended to annoy people associated with other Linux distributions, falsely suggesting as it did that the other distributions were not open.<ref name="moody">{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/rebelcodeinsides00mood|url-access=registration|title=Rebel Code: The Inside Story of Linux and the Open Source Revolution |author-first=Guy |author-last=Moody |publisher=Perseus Publishing |___location=Cambridge, Massachusetts |date=2001 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/rebelcodeinsides00mood/page/99 99]–101, 220–223, 230–231, 295–296}}</ref>) Review copies of it became available by March 1997.<ref name="CW_DE_1997">{{cite news | url=https://www.computerwoche.de/article/2795942/caldera-will-open-linux-zum-kommerziellen-durchbruch-verhelfen.html | title=Neue Version des Unix-Clones: Caldera will Open Linux zum kommerziellen Durchbruch verhelfen | first=Andrej | last=Radonic | work=Computerwoche | date=21 March 1997 | language=de}}</ref> By one account, it was the first commercial distribution to include version 2 of the [[Linux kernel]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://archiveos.org/caldera/ | title=Caldera | publisher=ArchiveOS | date=25 August 2023 | access-date=2024-08-31}}</ref>

Over the next{{when|date=May 2014}} five years, <!-- Caldera and then -->Caldera Systems offered additional commercial extensions to Linux. They licensed [[Sun Microsystems|Sun]]'s [[Wabi (software)|Wabi]] to allow people to run Windows applications under Linux. Additionally, they shipped with Linux versions of [[WordPerfect]] (from [[Novell]] and later [[Corel]]) and [[CorelDRAW]]. Since many of their customers used a [[dual boot]] setup and [[FIPS (computer program)|FIPS]] was unreliable, they shipped with [[PowerQuest]]'s [[PartitionMagic]] to allow their customers to non-destructively [[Partition (computing)|repartition]] their [[hard disk]]s.

Caldera offered three versions of OpenLinux, with one for hackers and the other two for resellers and commercial users.<ref name="moody"/> Alternatively, the three versions could be seen as a base version, a workstation version, and a server version.<ref name="CW_DE_1997"/> Pricing could also change; at one point, the product breakdown was:

In partnership with [[IBM]] they produced the first Linux distribution which was [[IBM DB2|DB2]] compatible. With the [[Oracle Corporation]] they became the target platform for the Linux port of the [[Oracle database]].

Other ventures included starting the [[Blackdown Java]] project,{{citation needed|reason=Caldera definitely supported Blackdown Java, but haven't seen a source that they started it|date=November 2019}} and creating [[professional certification]].

They also formed strong partnerships with SCO's [[value-added reseller]] market{{when|reason=timeline here is unclear|date=November 2019}} and started laying the groundwork for [[Original equipment manufacturer|OEM]] sales of [[Unix]]-based [[vertical application]]s.

Caldera Systems offered three versions of OpenLinux:

* ''OpenLinux Lite'' was a freely downloadable version.

* ''OpenLinux Base'' was a USD 99 version with a few extensions.

* ''OpenLinux Standard'' was USD 299 and was their fully featured product.

Earliest versions of OpenLinux came on [[CD-ROM]]s for installation, but it was often necessary to create [[floppy disk]]s for the initial boot, depending upon the [[BIOS]] capabilities of the [[IBM PC compatible]] system being installed.<ref name="LG_1997"/> That floppy was not shipped by the distribution and had to be cut by the user.<ref name="CW_DE_1997"/>

In addition to other people's applications, they created many Linux extensions to fill voids where no other commercial company was.

At another point in time, Caldera OpenLinux was also available on a retail basis, in the form of a CD-ROM for installing Linux on a PC that sold for {{currency|amount=49|code=USD|fmt=gaps|linked=no}}.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/10/08/technology/mac-windows-and-now-linux.html |title=Mac, Windows And Now, Linux |author-first=Katie |author-last=Hafner |newspaper=The New York Times |date=October 8, 1998 |page=G1}}</ref>

OpenLinux typically came with a separate CD-ROM called the Solutions CD, which is what delivered the commercial software. These included such powerful enterprise products as the [[Adabas D]] database management system from [[Software AG]].<ref name="moody"/> Use of these components required activation of a license key.<ref name="CW_DE_1997"/> A review in ''[[Computerwoche]]'' assessed the initial Caldera OpenLinux release as providing an easy-to-use distribution at an attractive price-to-performance point for those exploring Linux.<ref name="CW_DE_1997"/>

Caldera Systems initiated the development of a Linux alternative to [[Microsoft Exchange Server]] and [[Microsoft Outlook]], resulting in the creation of [[Caldera Volution|Volution Messaging Server]]. This server provided functionalities such as calendaring and [[Calendaring software|scheduling]], shared busy/free information, [[Transport Layer Security|SSL]] support for emails, and easy configuration.<ref name="Kirch_2002" /> Additionally, [[Caldera Deutschland]] pioneered the development of Lizard,<ref name="Lizard" /> the first fully graphical installer for Linux, which debuted in November 1998. They were also credited{{citation needed|date=May 2014|reason=webmin was started in 1997. Some info is missing either here or in the webmin article.}} with introducing browser-based Unix system administration and supporting projects like [[webmin]], employing developer Jamie Cameron from 1999 to 2001.

=== Caldera Systems era ===

Furthermore, Caldera Systems introduced Caldera Open Administration System (COAS), a comprehensive GUI system administration tool. COAS boasted a user-friendly interface, modular design for ease of use, and scalability. Its key features included portability via a platform repository, an open development model, flexible module licensing, support for multiple user interfaces (including batch processing, ncurses, QT, and Java), a scripting interface (Python) for rapid prototyping, and backward compatibility, making it compatible with native files and friendly to users accustomed to command-line interfaces like "vi admin".

[[Image:Using Caldera Linux book signing 1999.jpg|thumb|right|Book-signing event for ''Using Caldera OpenLinux'', 1999]]

In September 1998, Caldera, Inc. spun off [[Caldera Systems]], which handled OpenLinux going forward, including development, training, services, and support.<ref name="Caldera_1998_Subsidiaries">{{cite press release |title=Caldera Creates Two {{sic|hide=y|Wholly|-}}Owned Subsidiaries |date=September 2, 1998 |publisher=[[PRNewswire]] |url=http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=15948 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170624234105/http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/caldera-creates-two-wholly-owned-subsidiaries-156626585.html |archive-date=June 24, 2017}}</ref>

[[Image:caldera-logo.png|Late Caldera Systems logo|thumb|325px|right]]<!-- This is either a third variant of a Caldera Systems logo (the first was green, like the Caldera logo, but with "systems" added, the second was like this one, but with "systems" added), or a first variant of a Caldera International logo (in the second variant the "C" has a vertical line), already. -->

The Caldera Systems distribution used the [[K Desktop Environment 1|KDE]] desktop.<ref name="LWN_2000">{{cite web |url=https://lwn.net/2000/features/Comdex/RansomLove.php3 |title=Ransom Love Interview and Caldera Systems, Inc at Comdex Fall 2000 |publisher=LWN.net |date=November 20, 2000 |author-first1=Forrest |author-last1=Cook |author-first2=Rebecca |author-last2=Sobol}}</ref> Other open-source components that it came with included [[Qt (software)|Qt]] and [[Wine (software)|Wine]].<ref name="lc-list"/> There was also a non-commercial version of [[Star Office]].<ref name="bangia"/> Support for [[ISDN]] was bundled into the product, which was a benefit in the German market.<ref name="CW_DE_1997"/>

Caldera Systems created a full featured GUI system administration tool called Caldera Open Administration System (COAS).{{when|date=May 2014}} The tool was a unified, easy to use administration tool with a [[modular design]]. With its [[scalability]] and broad scope abilities, it featured:<ref name="Flaxa_1998"/><ref name="COAS_1999"/>

* [[Porting|Portability]] (specifics encapsulated in a [[platform (computing)|platform]] repository)

* [[Open system (computing)|Open]] development model

* Flexible [[Module (programming)|module]] licensing

* Multiple user interfaces ([[batch processing]], [[ncurses]], [[Qt (toolkit)|QT]], [[Java (programming language)|Java]])

* Scripting interface ([[Python (programming language)|Python]]) for rapid prototyping

* Backward compatibility (works on native files, "[[Vi (text editor)|vi]] admin" friendly)

But Caldera Systems focused on a high-end Linux product and its Linux distribution became rich with features with bundled [[proprietary software]]. For instance, the company offered [[NetWare for Linux]], which included a full-blown [[NetWare]] implementation from Novell.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iVIEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA79 |title=NetWare for Linux: neat party trick |author-first=Tom |author-last=Yager |magazine=[[InfoWorld]] |date=August 17, 1998 |page=79}}</ref>

{{POV section|date=August 2013}}

They licensed [[Sun Microsystems]]'s [[Wabi (software)|Wabi]] to allow people to run Windows applications under Linux.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/2076 |title=Wabi: Caldera's Solution for Windows Applications |work=[[Linux Journal]] |access-date=January 9, 2012}}</ref> Additionally, they shipped with Linux versions of [[WordPerfect]] from [[Corel]] as well as productivity applications from [[Applixware]].<ref name="lc-list"/> Since many of their customers used a [[dual boot]] setup, Caldera shipped with [[PowerQuest]]'s [[PartitionMagic]] to allow their customers to non-destructively [[Partition (computing)|repartition]] their [[hard disk]]s.<ref name="lc-list">{{cite news |url=https://www.linux.com/news/caldera-openlinux/ |title=Caldera OpenLinux |author-first=Benjamin D. |author-last=Thomas |publisher=Linux.com |date=August 23, 1999}}</ref><ref name="itpro"/>

OpenLinux showed the Linux community what would be required to create a mainstream [[Desktop environment|desktop OS]] out of the Linux kernel. In many ways the last ten years{{when|date=May 2014}} of desktop progress has been to successfully implement what Caldera was attempting to do with the tools they had available using open source software in place of the closed applications. Their technique for this was to utilize commercial software to fill in the largest gaps making their product a "value add" and thus they could charge for it. It made them the most commercial and at the same time it made them the most advanced distribution available.

This approach led to a debate about the purity of Linux-based products. Caldera stated that: "We have produced a product that combines the best of open-source and commercial packages; we are doing Linux for business. We do add to it commercial packages that allow business users to easily integrate it."<ref name="nyt-101899">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/10/18/business/technology-supporters-of-linux-worry-that-commercialization-could-bring-chaos.html |title=Technology: Supporters of Linux Worry That Commercialization Could Bring Chaos |author-first=Lawrence M. |author-last=Fisher |newspaper=The New York Times |date=October 18, 1999 |page=C5}}</ref>

The [[Desktop computer|desktop]] company became [[Caldera International]] under the direction of [[Ransom Love]].{{dubious|for=they were already shifting from desktop to business server as Caldera Systems|date=November 2019}}

[[OpenLinux 2.2]], released in April 1999, was seen as significantly improved from the previous year's [[OpenLinux 1.3|1.3]] release, especially in terms of it having a fully graphical and easy-to-use installation feature.<ref name="itpro">{{cite news |url=https://www.itprotoday.com/windows-8/red-hat-caldera-release-new-versions-linux |title=Red Hat, Caldera release new versions of Linux |author-first=Paul |author-last=Thurrott |publisher=ITPro Today |date=April 25, 1999}} (See also: [https://www.linux.co.cr/distributions/review/1999/0514.html])</ref>

The focus for the desktop company became mainly [[marketing]] and business relationships. There were several reasons for this. The first was that Caldera had won a $280 million<ref name="Groklaw_2009_NovellWP"/> [[lawsuit]] against [[Microsoft]] for [[DR-DOS]] and was flush with cash.{{citation needed|reason=Caldera, Inc. received the $280M; did any of it go to Caldera Systems, and if so, how much, when, and for what purposes?|date=November 2019}} Secondly, while the Caldera distribution was good, its primary advantages were the use of technologies not owned by Caldera and thus if Caldera were successful its success could (from a technical standpoint) be imitated, by [[Red Hat]], [[SUSE Linux|SUSE]], [[TurboLinux]], etc. Third, for years Caldera had been competing directly with [[SCO Unix]], but by 1997 Linux outperformed SCO in almost every respect.{{citation needed|reason=broad claim, especially when high-end systems are considered|date=November 2019}} {{close paraphrase|sentence|source=https://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=364517|date=November 2019}} Making the choice to switch from SCO to Caldera was not a "no-brainer" for companies because that also meant a switch of vendors and support organizations. Caldera's SCO acquisition was aimed at eliminating this problem. That is Caldera International's corporate direction became to combine SCO's distribution, marketing and VAR arm with [[LAMP (software bundle)|LAMP]], and use [[Project Monterey]] to develop a [[64-bit]] strategy. What SCO offered was:<ref name="LWN_2000"/>

Ease of installation was an important criteria in selecting a Linux distribution,<ref name="cnbc-ipo">{{cite news |url=http://plotkin.com/cnbcs113/ |title=Caldera Systems IPO Soars in Debut |author-first=Hal |author-last=Plotkin |publisher=CNBC |date=March 21, 2000}}</ref> and Caldera Deutschland had created this first fully graphical installer for Linux, called Lizard, starting in November 1998.<ref name="Lizard">{{cite web |url=http://rant.gulbrandsen.priv.no/linux/openlinux-lizard |title=The Openlinux Lizard |website=rant.gulbrandsen.priv.no |access-date=September 21, 2017}}</ref> Several years later it was still receiving praise from reviewers.<ref name="lw-vms">{{cite news |url=http://linux.sys-con.com/node/32708 |title=Volution shows promise |author-first=Joshua |author-last=Drake |work=LinuxWorld |date=January 14, 2002 |access-date=2019-11-17 |archive-date=2016-04-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160405195658/http://linux.sys-con.com/node/32708 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The installer could even be started from a [[Microsoft Windows]] partition.<ref name="itpro"/>

* A strong list of business clients.

* Higher compatibility between SCO and Linux than any other Unix/Linux combination, mainly as a result of Caldera's long standing SCO focus that created products like ABI and thus resulted in ports of SCO code to Linux

* A good back-office and database solution while Linux specialized in networking ([[LAMP (software bundle)|LAMP]]) and [[Client (computing)|client]] desktop, a very appealing combination in challenging Sun and Microsoft

* A global infrastructure (presence in about 80 countries), Caldera was domestic

* Thousands of business applications targeted to [[vertical market]]s

* Some of the 3rd party components needed to get [[HP-UX]], [[AIX operating system|AIX]], [[Solaris (operating system)|Solaris]] 3rd party [[Java (programming language)|Java]] [[Application software|applications]] ported to Linux

The improvements provided by the Lizard installer led to the technology publication ''[[Linux Journal]]'' giving Caldera OpenLinux 2.3 its top award, Product of the Year.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.linuxjournal.com/article/3730 | title=1999 Editors' Choice Awards | first=Jason | last=Kroll | magazine=Linux Journal | date=December 1999}}</ref>

{{POV section|date=November 2019}}

From a technical standpoint however Caldera OpenLinux really shone during the Ransom Love years. Their [[Commercial software|commercial]] [[Product bundling|bundling]] solution continued to work. They had a powerful low [[Software bug|bug]] (by Linux standards) [[Linux distribution|distribution]] that worked well on a wide range of hardware. They charged a great deal relative to other distributions and were able to generate a very strong profit. Red Hat pulled way ahead of them in terms of US sales and on the global sales front they trailed SUSE and TurboLinux as well, but financially due to the DR-DOS settlement they were the strongest of all the Linux distributions.{{disputed inline|for=refuted by events – Red Hat survived in the Linux business, Caldera did not|date=November 2019}}

=== Caldera International era ===

Known releases (incomplete):

During 2000, Caldera Systems began the process of acquiring the Unix businesses of the [[Santa Cruz Operation]]. In March 2001 announced that it would be changing its name to Caldera International.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://pressreleases.responsesource.com/news/11336/caldera-systems-previews-new-company-caldera-international-at/ |title=Caldera Systems Previews New Company – Caldera International – At CeBIT with Industry Support |publisher=Caldera Systems, Inc. |date=March 26, 2001 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

Caldera OpenLinux 3.1 came out in June 2001.<ref name="LT_2001_L"/> Among the new softwares incorporated were Caldera's own Volution Manager and Volution Messaging Server, which were layers of functionality on top of Linux aimed at adding value to the operating system product.<ref name="PCMag_2001"/> The workstation edition of Caldera OpenLinux came with a requirement for [[per-seat license|per-seat licensing]].<ref name="LT_2001_L"/> <!-- "Aimed at developers, OpenLinux Workstation includes Borland JBuilder 4 Foundation as well as Sun Microsystems' Forte 2.0 and J2SE 1.3. " --> An extensive review of Caldera OpenLinux 3.1 in

* ''Caldera OpenLinux Lite/Base/Standard(/Deluxe) 1.0'' (1997) with Linux kernel 2.0.25

''[[PC Magazine]]'' gave it 3 out of 5 'discs', behind the Red Hat and SuSE products which each got 4 out of 5.<ref name="PCMag_2001"/>

* ''Caldera OpenLinux Lite/Base/Standard 1.1'' (1997)

* ''Caldera OpenLinux Lite/Base/Standard 1.2'' (1998-04-17)

The last release of the product was Caldera OpenLinux 3.1.1 in January 2002.<ref name="OSN_2002"/> OpenLinux 3.1 and 3.1.1 were used as the user-space basis for SCO's Linux Kernel Personality (LKP) product on [[SCO UnixWare]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.scosales.com/ta/kb/114783.html | title=SCO Unixware 7.1.x, Open UNIX 8 Installing Linux Kernel Personality (LKP). | publisher=The SCO Group | date=January 15, 2008 | access-date=2024-08-31}}</ref>

* ''Caldera Systems OpenLinux Lite/Base 1.3'' (1998-09-28) with Linux kernel 2.0.35<ref name="CalderaSystems_OL13"/>

* ''Caldera Systems OpenLinux 1.4''{{citation needed|date=May 2014|reason=There are some mentionings in the net, but in such a low number, that it is unclear, if this version was actually released.}}

<!-- not sure if 2.0 and 2.1 existed at all -->

* ''Caldera Systems OpenLinux 2.2'' (1999-04-19) with Linux kernel 2.2.xx

* ''Caldera Systems OpenLinux eDesktop/eServer 2.3'' (1999) with Linux kernel 2.2.10

* ''Caldera Systems OpenLinux eServer 2.3.1''

* ''Caldera Systems OpenLinux eDesktop/eBuilder 2.4''

* ''Caldera Systems OpenLinux eBuilder 3.0''

* ''Caldera International OpenLinux Workstation/Server 3.1'' (2001) with Linux kernel 2.4.2

* ''Caldera International OpenLinux Workstation/Server 3.1.1'' (2002) with Linux kernel 2.4.xx

== Markets, alliances, and sales ==

Other products:

{{expand-sect|with=actual sales figures|date=August 2024}}

* ''Caldera NetWare for Linux 1.0'' (1998)<ref name="Linux_1998"/>

Caldera OpenLinux offered specific packages for e-commerce and secure-server configurations.<ref name="PCMag_2001"/> It was also aimed at the business connectivity ___domain.<ref name="moody"/> As ''[[PC Magazine]]'' wrote at the time, "Unusual for the Linux world, Caldera makes a strong cost-of-ownership argument in the corporate environment." It also said: "Unparalleled support and a wide range of products, including e-commerce solutions, make Caldera OpenLinux Server 3.1 a very attractive choice. Caldera's clear distinction between client and server distributions underlines the company's endeavor to appeal to the business community."<ref name="PCMag_2001">{{cite news | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=onqTTm-f8cAC&dq=%22openlinux+3.1%22+2001&pg=PA124 | title=Choosing Linux | first1=Bill | last1=Ulrich | first2=Oliver | last2=Kaven | magazine=PC Magazine | date=2001-11-13 | pages=120–128 }} Caldera portion also available [https://www.pcmag.com/archive/caldera-openlinux-server-31-16536 at this url].</ref>

In its era, Caldera OpenLinux was one of the four major commercial Linux distributions, the others being [[Red Hat Linux]], [[Turbolinux]], and [[SuSE Linux]].<ref name="moody"/> In particular, these were the four that got the backing of hardware vendors such as [[Hewlett-Packard|HP]] and [[IBM]], although Red Hat was clearly the primary recipient of such hardware support announcements.<ref name="moody"/> And overall Red Hat had the broadest base of acceptance within the computer industry, with SuSE strong in Europe.<ref name="PCMag_2001"/>

==United Linux==

{{main article|United Linux}}

[[Image:Penguin-Outline.png|right|frame|United Linux mascot]]

By 2002, in the wake of the [[dot com bust]], the Linux side of Caldera International was losing money badly; it was spending four times as much as it received in revenue.<ref name="Wired">{{cite news |url=https://www.wired.com/2004/07/linux-7/ |title=The Linux Killer |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |date=July 2004 |author-first=Brad |author-last=Stone}}</ref> The only Linux distribution company that was doing even somewhat well at the time was Red Hat.<ref name="cnet-darl">{{cite news |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/struggling-linux-company-swaps-ceos/ |title=Struggling Linux company swaps CEOs |author-first=Stephen |author-last=Shankland |publisher=[[CNET]] | date=June 27, 2002}}</ref> Caldera International was further disadvantaged in that the Unix side of its business contributed most of its revenue and represented the products its resellers had the largest incentive to sell.<ref name="lj-2002">{{cite news | url=https://www.linuxjournal.com/article/6292 | title=A Rose by Any Other Name – Is It Still the Same? | author-first=Jeff | author-last=Gerhardt | work=[[Linux Journal]] | date=August 27, 2002}}</ref>

Caldera Systems quickly found itself in a classic business problem where the interests of the existing business conflicted with their growth model. [[Santa Cruz Operation]] (SCO) was a much larger company than Caldera Systems had been<!-- (the [[DR-DOS]] settlement had been what made the buyout possible) -->, and in fact of the $71 million of revenue 90% was from the SCO side of the business. Moreover, Caldera Systems costs $4 in marketing to generate a $1 in sales,<ref name="Wired"/> SCO was mature and sold itself (mainly to repeat customers). The [[Value-added reseller|VAR]] relationship was even more problematic. Caldera Systems had always sold the "[[Linux]] is SCO but better" model and had done everything possible to make the transition from SCO to Caldera Systems relatively seamless. Each of the 14,000 SCO resellers made much more from each SCO sale than from sales of Caldera Systems, so they were not anxious to move existing customers from SCO to Linux; and even those, that were supportive of Linux, saw no strong value add for Caldera Systems and often sold [[Red Hat Enterprise Linux]]. Caldera Systems had two businesses in direct competition, one, which was a shrinking, but still profitable Unix business, the other a rapidly growing business, that was still hemorrhaging money.

== End ==

The most logical solution was to establish Caldera Systems as the premier [[Linux distribution|Linux brand]]. Without the threat from [[Red Hat]], transitioning resellers from SCO to Caldera Systems would be much easier. With this in mind [[Ransom Love]] formed an alliance of large business oriented Linux distributions which utilized the [[KDE]] desktop, called [[United Linux]]. The alliance comprised [[Caldera International]], [[SUSE Linux]], [[Turbolinux]], and [[Conectiva]]. Filings from [[Novell]] in the [[SCO Group]] [[SCO v. Novell]] lawsuit showed that this was more than simply a marketing gimmick, and was a real alliance.<ref name="NovellStay"/>

[[United Linux]] was an attempt by a consortium of Linux companies to create a common base distribution for enterprise use and minimize duplication of engineering effort<ref name="cw-darl"/> and thereby form an effective competitor to Red Hat. The founding members of United Linux were [[SUSE Linux|SuSE<!-- how it was spelled in 2002 -->]], [[Turbolinux]], [[Conectiva]], and [[Caldera International]].<ref name="cw-darl"/> The consortium was announced in May 2002.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Caldera, Conectiva, SuSE, Turbolinux Partner To Create UnitedLinux, And Produce A Uniform Version Of Linux For Business |publisher=UnitedLinux |date=May 30, 2002 |url=http://unitedlinux.com/en/press/pr053002.html}}</ref> However, the UnitedLinux distribution would be based mostly [[SuSE Enterprise Linux]] rather than Caldera OpenLinux.<ref name="nw-ul">{{cite news |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7BgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT1 |title=Linux times 4 |author-first=Phil |author-last=Hochmuth |magazine=[[Network World]] |date=June 3, 2002 |pages=1, 16}}</ref> As such, the Caldera product name was changed to "Caldera OpenLinux powered by United Linux".<ref name="nw-2002">{{cite news | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VhgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA23 | title=The name game, Caldera style | author-first=Dave | author-last=Kearns | magazine=[[Network World]] | date=September 9, 2002 | page=22}}</ref> This effectively meant the end of the LST-/Caldera-based OpenLinux technology itself,<ref name="LST_2003"/> and the Caldera Deutschland GmbH office in Erlangen was shut down.<ref name="tdh-layoff">{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/472383338/?terms=%22caldera%2Binternational%22%2Blindon |title=Caldera to lay off 16 local employees |author-first=Tara |author-last=Duggan |newspaper=[[Daily Herald (Utah)|The Daily Herald]] |___location=Central Utah |date=May 10, 2002 |page=B10 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

In the event, United Linux did not last much longer. In June 2002, Caldera International had a change in management, with [[Darl McBride]] taking over as CEO from Ransom Love.<ref name="cw-darl">{{cite news |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/2575775/caldera-ceo-steps-aside-to-focus-on-unitedlinux.html |title=Caldera CEO steps aside to focus on UnitedLinux |author-first=Todd R. |author-last=Weiss |magazine=[[Computerworld]] |date=June 27, 2002}}</ref> Caldera International soon changed its name to [[The SCO Group]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/2578171/sco-name-returns-as-caldera-rebrands-itself.html |title=SCO name returns as Caldera rebrands itself |author-first=Todd R. |author-last=Weiss |magazine=[[Computerworld]] |date=August 26, 2002}}</ref> The product name Caldera OpenLinux became "SCO Linux powered by UnitedLinux".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.osnews.com/story/1615/caldera-changes-name-to-the-sco-group-plans-sco-linux-40/ |title=Caldera Changes Name to the SCO Group, Plans SCO Linux 4.0 |author-first=Eugenia |author-last=Loli |publisher=OSNews |date=August 26, 2002}}</ref> In May 2003, the SCO Group began issuing proclamations and lawsuits based upon its belief that its Unix intellectual property had been incorporated into Linux in an unlawful and uncompensated manner &ndash; thus commencing the [[SCO–Linux disputes]] &ndash; and stopped selling its own Linux product.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/sco-targets-linux-customers/ |title=SCO targets Linux customers |author-first=Stephen |author-last=Shankland |publisher=[[CNET]] |date=May 15, 2003}}</ref> The United Linux effort itself collapsed as a consequence.<ref name="eweek-united">{{cite news | url=https://www.eweek.com/servers/unitedlinux-rip/ | title=UnitedLinux, RIP | author-first= Steven J. | author-last=Vaughan-Nichols | magazine=eWeek | date=January 23, 2004 }}</ref>

{{POV section|date=November 2019}}

Business responded favorably to the movement as [[IBM]] and [[Advanced Micro Devices|AMD]] quickly formed partnerships. The [[Linux Professional Institute]] adopted United Linux as their standard distribution for training. For the first time there was a Linux distribution with:

* Global scope

* Global support at the VAR, [[Original Equipment Manufacturer|OEM]] and distribution level

* A full training organization

* Some governmental buy-in

* Support from major corporations

* [[Enterprise application]]s like [[Oracle database|Oracle]] supported [[Out of the box (feature)|out of the box]]

* An actual production [[Graphical user interface|GUI]] that ran well on a variety of hardware

In any case, Caldera OpenLinux had played a significant role in Linux history by establishing what would be necessary to create a mainstream, business-oriented system, with stability and support, out of the Linux kernel.<ref name="bangia">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=89KDPNxy1BYC&pg=PA123 |title=IT Tools and Applications |author-first=Ramesh |author-last=Bangia |publisher=Firewall Media |___location=New Delhi |date=2005 |edition=Revised |page=123&ndash;124|isbn=9788170084471 }}</ref>

SUSE Linux had the engineering, as it had continued to maintain a large technical staff, Caldera International had the global support organization, and Turbo Linux as well as Conectiva brought with growth potential into less flooded markets. This merger was so successful,{{disputed inline|for=in actuality, UnitedLinux was regarded with skepticism by industry observers when it was first announced, and it collapsed less than two years later|date=November 2019}} that Love and Sparks could claim vindication that year when Novell reversed the Frankenberg decision and brought United Linux engineering talent back into the fold with the acquisition of SUSE.

==Known releases==

United Linux was rejected by the broader Linux community;<ref name="Mueller_2001"/> the use of [[per-seat license|per-seat licensing]] was their most highly controversial decision.<ref name="Butler"/> More importantly, by the time United Linux was released, [[Darl McBride]] had become CEO of Caldera International and the focus had shifted away from Linux.

{{incomplete-list|date=August 2024}}

* ''Caldera OpenLinux Lite/Base/Standard(/Deluxe) 1.0'' (1997) with Linux kernel 2.0.25<ref name="LG_1997"/>

* ''Caldera OpenLinux Lite/Base/Standard 1.1'' (September 1997) with Linux kernel 2.0.29<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.linuxjournal.com/article/2435 | title=New Products | first=Amy | last=Kukuk | magazine=Linux Journal | date=September 1997}}</ref>

* ''Caldera OpenLinux Lite/Base/Standard 1.2'' (1998-04-17)

* ''Caldera Systems OpenLinux Lite/Base 1.3'' (1998-09-28) with Linux kernel 2.0.35<ref name="CalderaSystems_OL13">{{cite web |url=http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/caldera-systems-inc-releases-openlinux-13-with-kde-and-sybase-ase-156356425.html |title=CALDERA SYSTEMS INC. RELEASES OPENLINUX 1.3 WITH KDE AND SYBASE ASE |website=www.prnewswire.co.uk |access-date=2017-09-21}}</ref>

* ''Caldera Systems OpenLinux 1.4''? (there are some mentionings in the net, but in such a low number, that it is unclear, if this version was actually released ... and not sure if 2.0 and 2.1 existed at all)

* ''Caldera Systems OpenLinux 2.2'' (1999-04-19) with Linux kernel 2.2.xx

* ''Caldera Systems OpenLinux eDesktop/eServer 2.3'' (September 1999) with Linux kernel 2.2.10<ref name="lc-list"/>

* ''Caldera Systems OpenLinux eServer 2.3.1''

* ''Caldera Systems OpenLinux eDesktop/eBuilder 2.4''

* ''Caldera Systems OpenLinux eBuilder 3.0''

* ''Caldera International OpenLinux Workstation/Server 3.1'' (June 2001)<ref name="LT_2001_L">{{cite news |url=https://www.linuxtoday.com/infrastructure/2001062500620PS |title=Change for Caldera OpenLinux Workstation 3.1 Will Require 'Per System' Licenses |work=Linux Today |date=June 25, 2001 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> with Linux kernel 2.4.2

* ''Caldera International OpenLinux Workstation/Server 3.1.1'' (January 2002) with Linux kernel 2.4.13<ref name="OSN_2002">{{cite news | url=https://www.osnews.com/story/588/caldera-releases-openlinux-311/ | title=Caldera Releases OpenLinux 3.1.1 | first=Eugenia | last=Loli | publisher=OSNews | date=2002-01-31}}</ref>

== Notes ==

Caldera International at this point released a Caldera "Linux distribution"{{citation needed|date=May 2014|reason=Elaborate on the name}}{{clarify|reason=is this something other than LKP>|date=November 2019}} with the [[UnixWare|OpenUNIX 8]] kernel instead of the [[Linux kernel]]. [[Unix]] has [[Transport Layer Interface|TLI]] and [[STREAMS]] support, which made writing drivers easier. Caldera International proved this by replacing the kernel and yet not having to change much else on a full featured desktop and server "Linux".<ref name="FAQ"/><ref name="U8"/>

{{reflist|group="nb"}}

== References ==

==Copyright infringement allegations==

{{reflist}}

{{relevance inline|Caldera OpenLinux played no role in the SCO-Linux controversies; this material does not belong here|date=November 2019}}

{{update|section|date=November 2015}}

{{further|SCO-Linux controversies}}

In 2002, the Caldera International [[board of directors]], including [[Ralph Yarro III|Ralph Yarro]], named [[Darl McBride]], formerly with [[Franklin-Covey]], as [[CEO]]. The company was renamed [[The SCO Group]]. [[Ransom Love]] was reassigned to work exclusively on United Linux. After he completed this, he left the company to join [[Progeny Linux Systems]] which was aiming to create a professional [[Debian]]. He remained there in the capacity of a [[board of directors|board]] member and advisor<ref name="Progeny"/> until 30 April 2007 when Progeny ceased operations.

McBride began to focus on SCO's copyrights. One of McBride's first acts as CEO was to collect $600,000 in back licensing fees that were owed to Caldera International. He cleaned up various Linux-related licensing issues allowing for a new round of financing.<ref name="Shankland_2002"/> Soon thereafter he made strong [[SCO v. IBM|accusations]] that Linux had infringed copyrights SCO held on Unix; they claimed to have purchased these copyrights from [[Novell]]. Novell [[SCO v. Novell|denied selling them the Unix copyright]], prompting them to sue for [[slander of title]]. SCO also initiated lawsuits against [[IBM]] and [[AutoZone]], alleging copyright infringements through the use or distribution of Linux; none of these lawsuits have been resolved. SCO has created a division, [[SCOsource]], that owns and licenses their intellectual property; a desktop license is $699.

==See also==

* [[Caldera Systems Smallfoot]]

* [[Lineo Embedix]]

* [[Novell SUSE Linux]]

* [[Novell UnixWare]]

* [[Star Trek project]]

* [[Caldera DR-WebSpyder]]

==Notes==

{{Reflist|group="nb"|refs=

<ref group="nb" name="NB_DOSinUnix">This has not been the first time a member of the [[DR-DOS]] family of operating systems was chosen to support [[DOS]] programs under a Unix-style system: [[Novell DOS&nbsp;7]]'s predecessor [[DR&nbsp;DOS 6.0]] had been bundled into [[Univel]]'s [[UnixWare 1.0 Personal Edition]] with [[DOS Merge 3.0]] in 1992 already.</ref>

}}

==References==

{{Reflist|refs=

<ref name="WDPH">{{cite web |url=http://www.microsoft.com/windows/WinHistoryDesktop.mspx |title=Windows Desktop Products History - 1993: Windows for Workgroups 3.11 |publisher=[[Microsoft]] |access-date=2008-09-24}}</ref>

<ref name="LJ_1995">{{cite journal |url=http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/1094 |title=Caldera and Corsair - Who is Caldera, and what is Corsair, really? |date=1995-06-01 |journal=[[Linux Journal]] |access-date=2008-09-24}}</ref>

<ref name="Willows TWIN 2 at FSF">{{cite web |url=http://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Willows_TWIN_2 |title=willows TWIN |publisher=Free Software Directory |access-date=2014-05-07}}</ref>

<ref name="Ferret">{{cite web |url=http://mmm.idiap.ch/documentation/Ferret_User_Guide/help.html |title=Ferret Meeting Browser - User Guide |publisher=Idiap research institute |access-date=2008-09-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080917053251/http://mmm.idiap.ch/documentation/Ferret_User_Guide/help.html |archive-date=2008-09-17}}</ref>

<ref name="Petreley_1996_Caldera">{{cite journal |title=Down to the Wire - Hot Caldera rates a look as an Internet service, maybe even for desktops |author-first=Nicholas |author-last=Petreley |journal=[[InfoWorld]] |date=1996-02-19 |page=108 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xT4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA108 |access-date=2017-06-25}}</ref>

<ref name="Hughes_1996_CND">{{cite journal |title=Caldera Network Desktop 1.0 |author-first=Phil |author-last=Hughes |date=June 1996 |issue=26 |journal=[[Linux Journal]] |url=https://nnc3.com/mags/LJ_1994-2014/LJ/026/0117.html |access-date=2018-08-05 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20180805090434/https://nnc3.com/mags/LJ_1994-2014/LJ/026/0117.html |archive-date=2018-08-05}}</ref>

<ref name="SCO_UW7">{{cite web |url=http://uw713doc.sco.com/en/LX_uw/CONTENTS.html |title=Linux Kernel Personality for UnixWare 7 |publisher=SCO Group, Inc. |access-date=2008-09-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20110716015259/http://uw713doc.sco.com/en/LX_uw/CONTENTS.html |archive-date=2011-07-16}}</ref>

<ref name="Vaughan-Nichols_2003">{{cite web |url=http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Linux-and-Open-Source/Ransom-Love-Cofounder-of-Caldera-and-SCO-Speaks-of-Unix-GPL-and-the-Lawsuit/ |title=Ransom Love, Co-founder of Caldera and SCO, Speaks of Unix, GPL and the Lawsuit |author-last=Vaughan-Nichols |author-first=Steven |date=2003-09-25 |publisher=eWeek.com |access-date=2008-09-24 }}{{Dead link|date=December 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

<ref name="Linuxmisc">{{cite web |url=http://www.linuxmisc.com/30-linux-announce/7760ebf3c05dc794.htm |title=linux announce - View topic - COMMERCIAL: Caldera Network Desktop now shipping |website=www.linuxmisc.com |access-date=2017-09-21}}</ref>

<ref name="Leibovitch_1997">{{cite journal |title=Caldera OpenLinux |author-first=Evan |author-last=Leibovitch |issue=19 |journal=[[Linux Gazette]] |date=July 1997 |url=https://linuxgazette.net/issue19/caldera.html |access-date=2018-08-06 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180806115831/https://linuxgazette.net/issue19/caldera.html |archive-date=2018-08-06}}</ref>

<ref name="Brors_1997">{{cite web |title=Caldera OpenLinux und StarOffice im Bundle |language=de |date=1997-02-20 |author-first=Dieter |author-last=Brors |publisher=[[Heise Online]] |url=https://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/Caldera-OpenLinux-und-StarOffice-im-Bundle-8904.html |access-date=2018-08-08 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180808173039/https://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/Caldera-OpenLinux-und-StarOffice-im-Bundle-8904.html |archive-date=2018-08-08}}</ref>

<ref name="CW_1997">{{cite journal |title=Produkt-Telegramme: Star Office 3.1 für Linux portiert |language=de |date=1997-05-16 |journal=[[Computerwoche]] |url=https://www.computerwoche.de/a/produkt-telegramme,1098774 |access-date=2018-08-08 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180806122733/https://www.computerwoche.de/a/produkt-telegramme,1098774 |archive-date=2018-08-06}}</ref>

<ref name="Cox_BKL">{{cite web |title=Re: BKL removal |author-last=Cox |author-first=Alan |author-link=Alan Cox (computer programmer) |publisher=Unix Systems Support Group |url=http://www.ussg.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/0207.1/0466.html |access-date=2008-09-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031128120626/http://www.ussg.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/0207.1/0466.html |archive-date=2003-11-28}}</ref>

<ref name="Strobl_2003">{{cite journal |title=Der Gründer über Gestern, Heute und Linux |language=de |author-first=Rudolf |author-last=Strobl |date=January 2003 |volume=2003 |issue=1 |id=<!-- |number= -->100 |journal=[[Linux Magazin]] |url=http://www.linux-magazin.de/ausgaben/2003/01/lebens-laeufe/ |access-date=2018-08-08 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://archive.today/20180808172515/http://www.linux-magazin.de/ausgaben/2003/01/lebens-laeufe/2/ |archive-date=2018-08-08 }}</ref>

<ref name="CND">{{cite web |url=http://marc.info/?l=caldera-announce&m=90994295417291&w=2 |title=Caldera Network Desktop 1.0 now shipping [long] |website=marc.info |access-date=2017-09-21}}</ref>

<ref name="Bantle_2017">{{cite journal |title=Linux-Distributionen und frühe Protagonisten aus Deutschland |author-first=Ulrich |author-last=Bantle |language=de |date=October 2017 |volume=2017 |issue=10 |journal=[[Linux Magazin]] |url=http://www.linux-magazin.de/ausgaben/2017/10/linux-in-deutschland/ |access-date=2018-08-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20180805102906/http://www.linux-magazin.de/ausgaben/2017/10/linux-in-deutschland/2/ |archive-date=2018-08-05 }}</ref>

<ref name="Caldera_1996_Suit">{{cite web |title=Software Developer Caldera sues Microsoft for Antitrust practices alleges monopolistic acts shut its DR DOS operating system out of market |publisher=Caldera News |date=1996-07-24 |___location=Salt Lake City, UT, USA |url=http://www.maxframe.com/DR/Info/fullstory/ca_sues_ms.html |access-date=2017-06-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170624232924/http://www.maxframe.com/DR/Info/fullstory/ca_sues_ms.html |archive-date=24 June 2017 }}</ref>

<ref name="Novell_1994_Exposé">{{cite journal |title=Novell Brewing a New 32-Bit GUI Environment |journal=[[PC Week]] |date=1994-04-25 |author=Staff}} [<!-- https://www.pcorner.com/list/LINUX/EXPOSE.ZIP/INFO/ -->https://archive.today/20190428184344/https://www.pcorner.com/list/LINUX/EXPOSE.ZIP/INFO/]</ref>

<ref name="CBR_1994_Corsair">{{cite journal |title=Novell "Has Linux-based Unix+Novell DOS 7 Corsair" |date=1994-05-27 |author=CBR Staff Writer |journal=Computer Business Review <!-- |url=https://www.cbronline.com/news/novell_has_linux_based_unix_novell_dos_7_corsair/ |access-date=2019-04-28 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190428184626/https://www.cbronline.com/news/novell_has_linux_based_unix_novell_dos_7_corsair/ |archive-date=2019-04-28 -->}}</ref>

<ref name="Fisk_1996">{{cite web |url=http://linuxgazette.net/issue01to08/lg_issue8.html |title=Caldera OpenLinux seeking POSIX and FIPS Certification for the Linux OS |author-last=Fisk |author-first=John M. |date=1996-07-30 |publisher=[[Linux Gazette]] |access-date=2008-09-24}}</ref>

<ref name="LST_2003">{{cite web |title=Historie |language=de |date=2018 |orig-year=2001 |publisher=LST - Verein zur Förderung freier Software e.V. |url=http://www.lst.de/de/main.php?id=02 |access-date=2018-08-04 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180804152549/http://www.lst.de/de/main.php?id=02 |archive-date=2018-08-04}}</ref>

<ref name="LST_1997">{{cite news |title=LST Software GmbH Merges With Caldera Inc. - Critically acclaimed European Linux developers strengthen Caldera's Commitment |agency=[[PR Newswire]], Linux Congress |date=1997-05-23 |url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/LST+Software+GmbH+Merges+With+Caldera+Inc.-a019440952 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120913050017/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/LST+Software+GmbH+Merges+With+Caldera+Inc.-a019440952 |archive-date=2012-09-13 |access-date=2018-08-06}}</ref>

<ref name="Kirch_2002">{{cite journal |url=http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/5663 |title=Caldera Volution Messaging Server: A Product Review |author-last=Kirch |author-first=Olaf |date=2002-05-04 |journal=[[Linux Journal]] |access-date=2008-09-24}}</ref>

<ref name="Lizard">{{cite web |url=http://rant.gulbrandsen.priv.no/linux/openlinux-lizard |title=The Openlinux Lizard |website=rant.gulbrandsen.priv.no |access-date=2017-09-21}}</ref>

<ref name="Flaxa_1998">{{cite web |url=http://www.nluug.nl/events/sane98/daily/20/flaxa.html |title=COAS |date=1998-06-23 |publisher=NLUUG |access-date=2009-03-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928144214/http://www.nluug.nl/events/sane98/daily/20/flaxa.html |archive-date=2007-09-28}}</ref>

<ref name="COAS_1999">{{cite journal |url=http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/3019 |title=COAS: A Flexible Approach to System Administration Tools |date=1999-02-01 |journal=[[Linux Journal]] |access-date=2008-09-24}}</ref>

<ref name="Groklaw_2009_NovellWP">{{cite web |title=Exhibits to Microsoft's Cross Motion for Summary Judgment in Novell WordPerfect Case |url=http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20091120165256836 |publisher=[[Groklaw]] |date=2009-11-23 |access-date=2011-10-22 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130821080038/http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20091120165256836 |archive-date=2013-08-21}}</ref>

<ref name="LWN_2000">{{cite web |url=https://lwn.net/2000/features/Comdex/RansomLove.php3 |title=Ransom Love Interview and Caldera Systems, Inc at Comdex Fall 2000 |publisher=LWN.net |access-date=2008-09-24}}</ref>

<ref name="CalderaSystems_OL13">{{cite web |url=http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/caldera-systems-inc-releases-openlinux-13-with-kde-and-sybase-ase-156356425.html |title=CALDERA SYSTEMS INC. RELEASES OPENLINUX 1.3 WITH KDE AND SYBASE ASE |website=www.prnewswire.co.uk |access-date=2017-09-21}}</ref>

<ref name="Linux_1998">{{cite web|url=http://www.linux.cz/pipermail/linux/1998-July/022254.html |title=Caldera Releases NetWare for Linux 1.0 (fwd) |year=1998 |publisher=Linux.cz |accessdate=2022-12-23}}</ref>

<ref name="Wired">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.07/linux.html |title=The Linux Killer |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |date=July 2004 |author-first=Brad |author-last=Stone |access-date=2006-11-13}}</ref>

<ref name="NovellStay">{{cite web |url=http://www.groklaw.net/pdf/NovellMotStay.pdf |title=Novell's, Inc.'s Motion to Stay |date=2006-04-10 |publisher=[[Groklaw]] |access-date=2008-09-24}}</ref>

<ref name="Mueller_2001">{{cite web |url=http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-530155.html?legacy=zdnn |title=Open source leaders duke it out |author-last=Mueller |author-first=Dietmar |date=2001-06-25 |publisher=[[ZDNet]] |access-date=2008-09-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070327095250/http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-530155.html?legacy=zdnn |archive-date=2007-03-27}}</ref>

<ref name="Butler">{{cite web |url=http://www.ofb.biz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=125 |title=Timothy R. Butler Interview |publisher=OfB.biz |access-date=2008-09-24}}</ref>

<ref name="FAQ">''One of the main features of Caldera Open Unix 8 is the LKP, which stands for Linux Kernel Personality. It's a Linux kernel running at the same time as the Unix kernel. It's a full install of Caldera OpenLinux 3.1 on top of Open Unix 8.1.49'' from [http://www.faqs.org/faqs/unix-faq/openunix/qt-faq/ OpenUNIX 8 FAQ]</ref>

<ref name="U8">''The result is transparent execution of Open UNIX 8 (or UnixWare 7) applications and most Linux applications, which will run without modification or recompilation.'' from [https://web.archive.org/web/20190325045850/https://usinglinux1173.blogspot.com/2019/03/linux-distribution-caldera-openlinux.html Caldera, SCO Unveil Open UNIX 8 Press Release 2001-03-26]</ref>

<ref name="Progeny">{{cite web |url=http://www.progeny.com/about/board.htm |title=Board of Directors |publisher=Progeny.com |access-date=2008-09-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060509072721/http://www.progeny.com/about/board.htm |archive-date=2006-05-09 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name="Shankland_2002">{{cite web |url=http://news.cnet.com/2100-1001-939881.html |title=Struggling Linux company swaps CEOs |author-last=Shankland |author-first=Stephen |date=2002-07-27 |publisher=[[CNET]] |access-date=2008-09-24}}</ref>

}}

== Further reading ==

* {{cite book | title=Using Caldera OpenLinux | first=Allan | last=Smart | publisher=Que | ___location= | year=1999 | isbn=0-7897-2058-2 }}

* [https://lwn.net/2000/features/Comdex/RansomLove.php3 Ransom Love on the SCO merger]

* {{cite book | title=Caldera OpenLinux Unleashed | first=David | last=Stoll | publisher=Sams Publishing | ___location= | year=2000 | isbn=0-672-31761-3 }}

* [http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/6292 More on finances of the SCO merger]

* {{cite book | title=Caldera OpenLinux Bible | first=Chris | last=Negus | publisher=Wiley | ___location= | year=2000 | isbn=0-7645-4706-2 }}

* [http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/6293 Darl McBride's early successes in the IP battles]

* {{cite book | title=Caldera OpenLinux For Dummies | first1=Jon "maddog" | last1=Hall | first2=Nicholas | last2=Wells | publisher=Wiley | ___location= | year=2000 | isbn=0-7645-0679-X }}

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927231921/http://freshmeat.net/articles/view/110 Ransom Love editorial on the value of the Linux Standard Base]

* In addition to the litigation SCO initiated [[Red Hat v. SCO|Red Hat has sued SCO]]

* [http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/1151 December 1995 review of Caldera Desktop Linux]

* [http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/139 A comparative review from seven months later]

==External links==

* Groklaw has an extended [http://wwwlinux.groklawittoolbox.netcom/articlebasicpub/MM022702i.php?story=20040130235310123pdf discussion"The Differences between Caldera Linux and Red Hat Linux: An Opinion Piece"] &ndash; Caldera white paper, March 2021 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/2006092601422620110713070303/http://wwwlinux.groklawittoolbox.netcom/articlebasicpub/MM022702i.php?story=20040130235310123pdfcomparing |date=20062011-0907-2613 }} of the Linux ABI

* [http://www.lst.de/ LST association site (in German)]

* An advertisement white-paper from March 2001 [http://linux.ittoolbox.com/pub/MM022702i.pdfcomparing Red Hat to Caldera] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713070303/http://linux.ittoolbox.com/pub/MM022702i.pdfcomparing |date=2011-07-13 }}. This pushes the "product not a distribution" philosophy.

* [https://www.abortretry.fail/p/the-history-of-caldera-part-1 The History of Caldera, Part 1] and [https://www.abortretry.fail/p/the-history-of-caldera-part-2 The History of Caldera, Part 2], Bradford Morgan White's industry histories

* [http://www.lst.de/ Ralf Flaxa's LST] was a major contributor for the original [http://www.groklaw.net/pdf/IBM-774EX598.pdf Caldera Desktop]

{{Linux-distro}}