One of the best known Linux distributors announced that it has adopted an e-mail enhancement that Novell previously released to the open source community. This feature allows Linux e-mail software to connect to Microsoft"s Exchange servers. Red Hat is currently testing this new e-mail feature in its Enterprise Linux software which is expected to ship some time in September.
Red Hat, the top seller of the Linux operating system, has adopted an e-mail enhancement that its rival Novell recently released as open-source software.
In May, Linux convert Novell shared the source code of the previously proprietary Exchange Connector, a program that lets Linux e-mail software connect to Microsoft Exchange servers. And on Wednesday, Red Hat said it included the software in a test version of the third update to Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
The move illustrates the advantages and drawbacks of the open-source software in the business realm. On the one hand, it enables companies to cooperate, challenging common foes such as Microsoft or improving technology so the overall market grows faster. But on the other hand, it can make it harder for one company to maintain a competitive advantage over another. The final version of the Enterprise Linux update is due in September, spokeswoman Leigh Day said Thursday.