Citrix Systems Inc, apparently back on track after Microsoft Corp upset the applecart in February by suggesting it was doing its own multi-user Windows NT, has signed a licensing agreement with Taiwan’s Apple Macintosh cloner Umax Data Systems Inc, to help its push into the Pacific Rim. Under terms of the license, Citrix grants Umax the right to embed its Independent Computing Architecture protocol, ICA, into a variety of new Umax thin-client products. Citrix says this will enable Umax to expand its product line to offer a variety of thin client devices. While Umax has emerged as the one Apple Computer Inc cloner that has the license to the companys MacOS 8 operating system, this is only certain until next July, and being an Apple cloner does not look like the business to be in any more. The company already hedged its bets earlier this year, bringing out a range of Wintel high-end graphics machines, and this licensing agreement will open up the world of server-driven Windows applications to Umax customers. Citrix says the deal is totally in line with its strategy of licensing ICA – existing licensees include Microsoft, Sun Microsystems Inc, Boundless Corp and Wyse Technologies Inc. To further its push into the Asia Pacific region, Citrix last month opened an office in Australia, and last week agreed to buy its value-added distributor Datapac Australasia Property Inc. A spokesperson for the company insists that Citrix and Microsoft are now working together in perfect harmony, jointly developing the Windows NT 5.0 iteration known as Hydra, on top of which Citrix will also be offering its new Picasso multi-user software.
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