More Development Tools Debut for Linux
The Linux operating system (OS) continues to gather adherents in the open-source world of desktop Unix. Admirers include codesmiths looking for an alternative to sometimes unstable Microsoft products. Linux is the cooperatively developed POSIX-oriented, multi-user multi-tasking OS developed by Linus Torvalds and placed in the public domain.
As Linux gains popularity, vendors are supplying more--and better--tools for OEM adopters. Today, for example, Metrowerks Inc. (Austin, TX) announced that it has teamed up with SuSE GmbH (Oakland, CA). SuSE was founded in 1992 as an exclusive provider of Linux software and consulting services. The firm's SuSE Linux is now available in English, German, French, Spanish and Italian versions.
In today's announcement, the two companies revealed a partnership to provide Metrowerks's existing CodeWarrior software development tools for SuSE's version of Linux. This agreement to bring commercial development tools to SuSE Linux is the latest in a series of transactions that increase the viability of the OS.
"Our partnership with Metrowerks will help accelerate the adoption of Linux throughout the world," contends Dr. Stefan Werden, vice president of SuSE GmbH.
250,000 and Growing
"By making CodeWarrior's user-friendly development tools available on the SuSE Linux platform," adds Rolan Tyroff, CEO of SuSE GmbH, "the community of software developers writing applications will grow. It's already am enthusiastic group comprised of more than 250,000 developers."
Tyroff notes that CodeWarrior is the first widely used commercially available Integrated Development Environment (IDE) to be ported to SuSE Linux. The tools include editors, browsers, project management facilities, compilers, and debuggers--all in a graphical development environment.
"The increased productivity promised by CodeWarrior IDE is expected to reduce time-to-market for developers of third party applications," says Tyroff. "Moreover, developers already using CodeWarrior on other platforms can adopt SuSE Linux as their new platform without needing to learn a new toolset."
Two Separate Products
Under the terms of the accord, the companies will release two separate products. CodeWarrior for SuSE Linux, GNU Edition will target native Linux applications development using the CodeWarrior IDE and the GNU compiler and debugger technology. CodeWarrior for SuSE Linux, Professional Edition will support Linux development using integrated compilers and debuggers from Metrowerks for C, C++, and Java.
CodeWarrior for SuSE Linux, GNU Edition is expected to be available in July. CodeWarrior for SuSE Linux, Professional Edition is expected to be available by the end of the year. Pricing information was not available at this time.
For more information about Metrowerks, contact the company at 9801 Metric Blvd., Suite 100, Austin, TX 78758, or call 512-873-4700. Contact SuSE GmbH, 580 Second St., Suite 210, Oakland, CA 94607. Phone: (510) 835-7873.