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SLES9 and POWER: ISVs and developers working with Linux on POWER are 
growing curioser and curioser over what SLES9 delivers as an 
enterprise-class server built on the powerful Linux 2.6 kernel. And they also ask: 
What kind of support can we expect in exploring SLES9 on POWER5-based 
servers? Meet an IBM Linux on POWER program manager with the right 
replies and resource links for SLES on POWER. To learn more click on: 
http://www.open-mag.com/cgi-bin/opencgi/email/redirect.cgi?LoP0804
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August 4, 2004

Open Magazine - Your strategic guide to Open Source 
http://www.open-mag.com/cgi-bin/opencgi/email/redirect.cgi?Open0804


"I don't know but I can check with the manager." Hardened sales 
professionals know that is the number one best way to lose a customer. That's 
the moment when the customer's eyes cloud over in disenchantment and 
mistrust because serious questions are about to go unanswered. American 
Suzuki Motor Corp. dealerships, looking to seed every sales opportunity 
that crosses their doorsteps, don't even want that to be the exception, 
leave alone the rule. They turned to Matrix Consultants for answers on 
how to build an affordable database-driven kiosk system that would help 
sales people provide answers to discriminating shoppers. 

The solution was simple: Add in a little 3D customization capability 
and keep the cost down with open source software. The result was 
dramatic: That kiosk is sending the Suzuki bike and scooter pack straight to 
seventh heaven. 

Over at openBench Labs, the focus is on backup and the recently 
introduced Certance LTO-2 drive, which turns what was once seen as an old 
no-no, skipping the verification pass, into new advantage. Not having to 
reread the entire tape and check its data against the disk used to be 
seen as a down-and-dirty way to save time. This week, openBench Labs 
discovers that the LTO-2 tape drive with electronics to eliminate 
verification passes is a smart technology twist worth savoring and implementing. 
What's more, it comes bundled with a fully licensed enterprise backup 
package. Check out all the angles and edges as we chronicle and 
illustrate our test results.

For this week's stories, click on 
http://www.open-mag.com/cgi-bin/opencgi/email/redirect.cgi?Open0804

The editors of Open magazine