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Caldera Thin Clients

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Lineo, Inc.
Company typePublic (formerly a subsidiary of Caldera, Inc.)
IndustrySoftware, Embedded systems
PredecessorCaldera Thin Clients
FoundedJuly 20, 1999; 27 years ago (1999-07-20) in Utah, United States
DefunctJuly 2002 (2002-07)
FateAsset sale and reorganization as Embedix, Inc.; operations discontinued
SuccessorEmbedix, Inc.
Headquarters
Utah / Delaware
,
United States
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Roger Alan Gross (former president and CEO of Caldera Thin Clients), Bryan Wayne Sparks (president and CEO after rebranding), Matthew R. Harris (CEO of Embedix, Inc.)
ProductsEmbedix (embedded Linux distribution), DR-DOS, FirePlug ThinLinux firewall, Rt-Control μClinux implementations
Number of employees
Approximately 350 (2001)

Lineo emerged as a company specializing in thin client and embedded system technologies, formed from the spin-off of Caldera Thin Clients on 20 July 1999.[1][2][3][4][5]

History

Initially established as a subsidiary of Caldera, Inc. on 2 September 1998,[6] Caldera Thin Clients, Inc. was led by Roger Alan Gross as president and CEO until his departure in January 1999. In April 1999, the company released the source code for GEM and ViewMAX under the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL).[7]

By July 1999, Caldera Thin Clients shifted its focus exclusively to Linux, adopting the new identity of Lineo.[5]

Lineo obtained a streamlined version of OpenLinux from Caldera Systems, branding it as Embedix.[5] The organization retained the former Caldera Thin Clients' sales office located in Taipei during 1999 and completed reincorporation in Delaware by January 2000.

Lineo’s proprietary solutions dominated the embedded systems sector, featuring:

  • Rt-Control’s implementation of μClinux, tailored for microcontrollers such as Motorola 68k/ColdFire, Intel i960, ARM7, and ETRAX CRIS processors—enabling Linux multitasking capabilities within highly constrained memory environments.
  • FirePlug’s ThinLinux-based firewall solution, capable of operating with minimal resources—requiring only 2 MB of storage and 8 MB of RAM.
  • Embedix, Lineo’s flagship embedded Linux distribution, delivering full multitasking and networking functionality within just 2 MB ROM/flash and 4 MB RAM.
  • Embedix SDK accompanied by Embrowser, a graphical web browser designed for embedded platforms derived from the DOS Extended Protected Mode Interface browser DR-WebSpyder.

This comprehensive technology portfolio empowered Lineo to provide a complete Linux operating system featuring graphical web browsing on highly resource-limited hardware.[8][9] Unlike competitors emphasizing Linux API compatibility for real-time operating systems (such as Red Hat's EL/IX), Lineo engineered a customized Linux kernel to deliver a fully robust and hardened platform. Through six strategic acquisitions, Lineo broadened Linux support across diverse processor architectures—from microcontrollers up to advanced systems—while integrating enhanced real-time functionality.[10]

Following the rebranding effort, Bryan Wayne Sparks—one of Caldera’s founders dating back to 1994—assumed leadership as president and CEO of Lineo.[1] The company initially operated with a team of fourteen staff members.

Embedix remained Lineo’s principal product—a compact Linux distribution for embedded devices licensed from Caldera Systems.[1][6][5]

Lineo also held ownership of DR-DOS, a DOS-compatible operating system originally acquired by Caldera from Novell in 1996 and further developed by Caldera UK Ltd. until 1999.[11][5]

Expanding through acquisitions and mergers, Lineo grew to approximately 350 employees with operations spanning seven countries. Notable acquisitions included:

  • Zentropix – specialists in real-time Linux
  • Rt-Control Inc. – developers of uClinux and suppliers for small board computers
  • Moreton Bay – Brisbane-based VPN and router manufacturer
  • United Systems Engineering (USE) – Japanese Linux consulting firm
  • Fireplug – Canadian Linux consultancy and ThinLinux product provider
  • Inup – providers of high availability Linux solutions
  • Embedded Power Corporation – developers of real-time and DSP operating systems (RTXC)

Decline

In October 2001, Lineo extended and broadened a complimentary license permitting redistribution and modification of original Digital Research binaries and source code associated with CP/M and MP/M through "The Unofficial CP/M Web site," a license originally granted by Caldera in 1997.

After an asset sale in April 2002, the firm reorganized by July 2002 as Embedix, Inc., under the leadership of Matthew R. Harris, previously a Summit Law attorney representing Caldera. Embedix had a brief existence and discontinued operations within the same year when its division was acquired and integrated into Motorola's Metrowerks.

The remaining Digital Research holdings reverted to the investor group Canopy Group, while portions of the DR-DOS source code were purchased by DeviceLogics toward the end of 2002.

Assets related to embedded modules and uClinux software (originally from Rt-Control Inc.) were acquired by Arcturus Networks Inc. during 2002.

The router segment (formerly Moreton Bay) was separated as SnapGear, which was subsequently bought by CyberGuard, then Secure Computing, and eventually became part of McAfee. As of 2008, McAfee continued to market products under the SnapGear VPN/router brand.

Lineo Japan, previously a wholly owned subsidiary named United System Engineers,[12] currently operates under the name Lineo Solutions.

Further reading

  • Lineo's acquisition of USE, Inc. – PRNewswire announcement
  • Overview of Lineo's acquisitions and IPO intentions – CNET News
  • Securities and Exchange Commission filing for Lineo's IPO
  • Stock Purchase and Sale Agreement between Lineo Inc. and Caldera Systems Inc. (FindLaw)

External links

  • Archived versions of Lineo, Inc. websites: (1999), (2000–2003), (2002–2003)
  • Archived Lineo Solutions, Inc. website (2003–2018)

de:Lineo

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Caldera_1999_Lineo
  2. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Smith_1999_Lineo
  3. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named OS_Linux
  4. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named LWN_1999_Timeline
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Richardson_1999_Ball
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Caldera_1998_Subsidiaries
  7. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Jemmett_1999
  8. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Caldera_1998_WS20-Floppy
  9. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Caldera_1998_DLWS20
  10. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Lehrbaum_2000_Sparks
  11. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Leon_1996_Caldera
  12. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named USE
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