Microsoft Hires SUSE Exec Credited With Linux Win In Munich

The software giant recently hired the former SUSE project manager widely credited with expediting one of SUSE's biggest wins and one of Microsoft's most public losses--the Munich, Germany, IT infrastructure.

Last May, Munich said it was moving 14,000 computers from Windows and Microsoft Office software to SUSE Linux and a Linux Office clone. (See story)

That news was a big embarrassment for Microsoft, coming even after CEO Steve Ballmer flew to Germany in a last-ditch effort to rescue the account.

Karl Aigner left SUSE in January and has since joined Microsoft, a Novell spokesman confirmed. (Novell bought SUSE last year for $210 million.)

A project manager switching teams is not often such a big deal, but his move to Microsoft comes at a time when sources in Germany say that Munich's planned Linux migration of Windows NT 4.0 and Office is not going as smoothly as anticipated.

"Less than 30 percent of the apps are easily transportable to Linux. [It's a] mess," said one source familiar with the project.

However, another source close to the situation said there is little danger of the Munich deal falling apart. "IBM and Novell both have a very strong interest in seeing the city succeed and are pouring resources into the project," he said, adding that the desktop, rather than the server migration, is posing the thorniest of problems.

More implementation details of the "Linux Migration of the City of Munich" or LiMUX, are slated to be unveiled in late May or early June, according to a spokesman for the city.

As Microsoft is under pressure both from open-source alternatives and facing customers disgruntled by licensing changes and delayed upgrades, the software giant is fighting a pitched battle to retain its dominance.

Whether or not they are serious about migrating to open-source alternatives to Windows, customers are increasingly playing the Linux card to gain better terms with Microsoft. In December, for example, the Israeli Finance Ministry said it would stop buying Microsoft software.

PAULA ROONEY contributed to this story.