Novell Corsair
| Developer | Caldera |
|---|---|
| OS family | Linux |
| Working state | Defunct |
| Source model | Mixed |
| Initial release | 1995 |
| Latest release | 1.0 / 1996 |
| Kernel type | Monolithic kernel |
| License | Mixed |
| Developer | Caldera, Caldera Systems, Caldera International |
|---|---|
| OS family | Linux |
| Working state | Defunct |
| Source model | Mixed |
| Initial release | 1997 |
| Latest release | 3.1.1 / 2002 |
| Kernel type | Monolithic kernel |
| License | Mixed |
Caldera OpenLinux (COL) is a defunct Linux distribution that was originally introduced by Caldera in 1997 based on the German LST Power Linux distribution, and then taken over and further developed by 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.
Corsair, a user interface for NetWare, was a project run by Novell corporation's Advanced Technology Group (ATG) between 1993 and 1995. Novell wanted an internet desktop and conducted research on how to better and more easily integrate and manage network access for users. Windows's own support for connecting to Novell networks would not be improved until later releases 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.
This group became convinced that Linux offered the best possible answer for the OS component. There were many other components as well, and these were of particular interest:
On 5 April 1994, the Board of Novell hired Robert Frankenberg, the general manager of Hewlett-Packard Personal Information Products Group to replace Ray Noorda as CEO of Novell. Novell's had performed poorly recently due to flagging growth. At Novell, the Network division (NSG) was growing at a pace of 19% per year, the Unix business division (USG) which was flat, and the Desktop Applications division (DSG) which was shrinking at a rate of $400 million per year.
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