Sun Microsystems Inc’s Sunsoft unit has licensed Wabi, its Windows-on-Unix API translation software to Ray Noorda’s Caldera Inc. It’ll allow users of the Linux-based Caldera Network Desktop to run selected Microsoft Corp Windows applications on the Unix- alike operating system. Wabi, which will cost $200 from next quarter, will be available on Caldera’s Solutions CD which also includes Corel Corp WordPerfect and CorelDraw and Delrina Forms Flow Filler. The offering is being seen as Noorda’s latest shot at his bete noire, Microsoft, this time providing a convincing answer to Windows NT in the Internet world. Caldera’s offering is based upon the the Linux-based Corsair operating system created at Caldera by two developers – Brian Sparks and Rantham Love – after its initial development project at Novell was cancelled but later funded by Noorda personally (CI No 2,474). The Internet- oriented Network Desktop costs $100 and is claimed to provide everything you get in Windows NT plus the server software and Netscape Communications Corp’s Navigator browser.
