All the big vendors in the Linux arena are packing up to head for San Francisco next week, with Oracle one of the biggest. Today they’ve detailed some of their plans for the LinuxWorld Expo.
Specifically, Oracle will launch a Web-based center for Linux application developers working with the Perl, PHP, and Python programming languages. The site will initially provide sample source code for Perl only. PHP and Python code will be added later, in that order.
Meanwhile, internally, Oracle is now in recruitment mode for more “Linux gurus,” according to Wim Coekarts, Oracle’s newly appointed director of Linux engineering.
The upcoming new section of the Oracle Web site underscores “Oracle’s commitment to Linux,” Coekaerts told sister site, Linux Today.
Perl, PHP and Python are all popular with Linux application programmers, Coekaerts noted. “We’re already shipping Perl,” he pointed out. “We include Oraperl in Oracle Enterprise Manager.”
Over the past year, Oracle has substantially beefed up its internal Linux development arm, according to the company. Coekaerts indicated that he couldn’t provide the names of any new hires or the numbers of Linux developers currently on staff.
Oracle, though, continues to be interested in recruiting “Linux gurus,” particularly from the Linux community in the San Francisco Bay Area, he said. “Aside from Linus (Torvalds)–who gets lots of mail and is always very busy–the main Linux guys are at Red Hat and SuSE. They do the same type of work there that we do here. We’re all part of the same community. We do a lot of things together outside of work, too–like going to the movies and out for dinner.”
Oracle’s attendance at next week’s LinuxWorld will also “reiterate our commitment to Linux,” according to Coekaerts. “Oracle doesn’t tend to go to many non-Oracle trade shows.” Oracle has been exhibiting at Linux shows ever since 1999, however.
“We won’t be announcing any new apps next week. All our (existing) products already run on Linux,” Coekaerts maintained.
Coekaerts declined comment on what role PeopleSoft’s and JD Edwards’ Linux activities might be playing in Oracle’s intentions to acquire PeopleSoft.
Jacqueline Emigh writes for sister site Linux Today. The preceding story is an excerpt. The full version of the story can be found here.
