Industry Leaders Rally to Support Linux on the Desktop with Revelation Software and Other Major Tech Companies Tripling Number of Sponsors
Creator of Macintosh Also Tapped to Speak at Desktop Linux Summit 2004
SAN DIEGO, March 9, 2004 -- Desktop Linux Summit today announced that Revelation Software and other major tech companies have tripled the number of sponsors for the event. Jef Raskin, creator of the Apple Macintosh computer, has also been confirmed as a speaker at the only event to focus exclusively on Linux on the desktop. The highly anticipated Summit, to take place on April 22 and 23 in San Diego, California, is now open for sponsors, exhibitors, and attendees to register at www.desktoplinuxsummit.org. A full listing of sponsors is available at www.desktoplinuxsummit.org/sponsors.
Jef Raskin, author of "The Human Interface", is credited as being the creator of Apple's Macintosh, the Canon Cat, click-and-drag selection, and other inventions. An interface and systems designer, writer, and consultant, Raskin has made his name by concentrating primarily on making computers more usable and their interfaces efficient as well as pleasant. Jef Raskin's website is available at www.jefraskin.com.
"When you are working with a computer, PDA, or cellphone, you are not working with the operating system or the hardware; what you see on the display and what you do with your fingers is the interface," said Jef Raskin. "For the user, the interface is the product. It's where the rubber meets the road. We must learn to design products from the customer out. If you get the interface design right, and implement that design, you get the product right."
Novell (Nasdaq: NOVL) is a leading provider of information solutions that deliver secure identity management, web services and application integration, and cross-platform networking services, all supported by strategic consulting. Novell now provides a full range of Linux services for the enterprise, bolstered by its recent acquisition of SUSE Linux and Ximian.
"Understanding desktop Linux is essential," said Nat Friedman, vice president of product development at Novell. "Anyone involved in any way with the computer industry will find that an event like Desktop Linux Summit gives unique insights that are invaluable in this day and age."
A number of additional companies have signed on as sponsors for Desktop Linux Summit 2004, including Debian (www.debian.org), LWN.net (www.lwn.net), GarageGames (www.garagegames.com), KDE (www.kde.org), NeTraverse (www.netraverse.com), OSDir (www.osdir.com), register.com (Nasdaq: RCOM), and Revelation Software (www.revelation.com). Tripling the number of sponsors, the companies will be joining Red Hat (Nasdaq: RHAT), Seagate (NYSE: STX), Sun Microsystems (Nasdaq: SUNW), and Lindows.com (www.lindows.com) as official supporters of the event.
"The first Desktop Linux Summit was not only a groundbreaking event, it was the most productive event that we have ever attended," said Jim Curtin, chief executive officer of NeTraverse. "We are very pleased to be a part of this unique affair."
"It is essential to be aware of the strategic and technical needs of our community," said Mike Ruane, chief executive officer of Revelation Software. "Events like the Desktop Linux Summit give any company the opportunity to learn more about these needs, and position themselves better to meet the demand."
Taking place on the prestigious Del Mar Fairgrounds, Desktop Linux 2004 will be from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on April 22 and 23, 2004. Desktop Linux Summit 2003 accommodated 600 participants, and sold out almost a month before the actual event. Anticipating unparalleled interest in the growing desktop Linux movement, this year's venue will accommodate twice that number, with the number of both exhibitors and attendees expected to double from last year. Details and registration are available at www.desktoplinuxsummit.org.
About the Desktop Linux Summit
The Desktop Linux Summit is the premier event for companies that sell, market, or promote Desktop Linux-based products, services, applications, and technologies. The event, in its second year, is the only venue to focus exclusively on this emerging technology sector. Focused on the issues of Linux on the Desktop, the program brings together the top industry leaders and influencers in one location -- corporate CEOs, CTOs and Founders make this event the only venue to highlight the value of Linux on the desktop. Exhibits from each company will demonstrate the latest innovative products and the benefits of open source software for your organization. The Desktop Linux Summit is an industry event sponsored by the exhibiting companies.
About Revelation Software
Founded in 1982, Revelation Software www.revelation.com delivers a suite of application development tools and companion services that take full advantage of leading network computing architectures, messaging, groupware, and client server platforms. Today, the company's flagship product OpenInsight is the only database development and application environment that provides both Windows,Linux and Java-based GUI s tools to develop and deploy web-based and client server applications that support native and relational XML, SQL, Lotus Notes and the leading legacy Multi-Value data sources such as ARev, Pick and IBM Universe. There are more than 1.6 million licensed users of Revelation products across 80,000 deployed sites worldwide. The company has offices in Westwood, New Jersey, as well as a European distributor in the United Kingdom, and an Asia Pacific subsidiary in Australia.