Caldera revives SCO name, upgrades OS products

The SCO name, long synonymous with Unix on the Intel Corp. platform, is being revived.

Caldera International Inc. on Monday at its GeoForum user show in Las Vegas announced it is changing its name to The SCO Group, or simply SCO, pending shareholder approval. Caldera had acquired SCO in May 2001, after announcing acquisition plans in August 2000. SCO had forged a reputation as a provider of Unix on the Intel platform in the 1980s and 1990s when it was originally known as The Santa Cruz Operation.

The renamed company will maintain headquarters in Lindon, Utah, and offices in Santa Cruz, Calif., original home of SCO.

Also unveiled were plans to upgrade three operating systems, SCO Open Server, SCO UnixWare, formerly known as Caldera OpenUnix, and SCO Linux, formerly Caldera OpenLinux, during the next six months.

In announcing the name change, the company said it is drawing on the brand recognition of SCO OpenServer and SCO UnixWare product lines. Also renamed were the Caldera Partner Program and Caldera Global Services programs, which become TeamSCO and SCO Global Services, respectively.

SCO's OS upgrades include SCO OpenServer 5.0.7, which will feature the latest hardware drivers and USB support to boost connectivity to peripherals, according to the company. Also to be featured are updated development tools for easier integration and an updated version of Merge 5.3, which allows customers to use Windows 98 and Windows Me client emulation on SCO OpenServer and SCO UnixWare. Version 5.0.7 is due to ship in the first quarter of 2003.

The new version of SCO UnixWare, Version 7.1.3, also will provide updated USB support as well as improved networking performance and driver upgrades. New network applications and development tools for the release also are planned. The OS is expected to be available by December.

SCO Linux 4.0, powered by Linux, is to be available in November. UnitedLinux is a joint development effort from SCO, Connectiva SA, SuSE Linux AG, and Turbolinux Inc.

In other announcements Monday by SCO:

-- The company detailed a new update service for SCO OpenServer and SCO UnixWare, to be called SCO Update. Customers will receive quarterly electronic delivery of software updates, new features, drivers, security virus alerts, and other benefits, according to the company. SCO Update is expected to begin in December for SCO UnixWare and in early 2003 for SCO OpenServer.

-- SCO announced a licensing agreement with Vista.com, through which SCO gains exclusive rights to resell the Vista.com Inc. commerce Web site creation and hosting service to technology channel partners. The service is being called SCObiz.

-- SCO announced that Sean Wilson has been appointed as senior vice president of corporate development. Prior to joining SCO, Wilson had served as vice president of strategic relations at Ikon Office Solutions Inc.

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