Linux server leader Red Hat will release a corporate PC version of its open source operating system in the next three months, and Sun Microsystems will detail similar plans next week. The releases could offer a credible alternative to Windows PCs.

In an interview with vnunet.com's sister title IT Week, Red Hat's chief technology officer Michael Tiemann said that the new product, which is expected to be called Red Hat Technical Workstation, will be the company's first attempt at making a Linux desktop for business users.

Unlike its existing desktop product, which is used mostly by programmers and specialists and is often updated, Technical Workstation will be upgraded only every two years to make it easier for third parties to support.

Red Hat has historically focused on the server. Its rivals such as Corel have failed to make Linux a success on the desktop, but Tiemann indicated that continuing Windows security problems and licensing changes offered a gap in the market.

"Windows XP has disappointed many corporates that were hoping it would solve the security problems associated with earlier versions of Windows," he said.

"Chief information officers are recognising that there is no way they can fix these security flaws, and that is creating the desktop opportunity [for Red Hat]."

Tiemann explained that tools such as the Gnome desktop have made Linux attractive for businesses.

Because Gnome meets US government requirements, such as supporting access for disabled people, it has made Linux a viable option for many IT buyers.

He added that tools such as the open source Mozilla browser and the OpenOffice application suite have matured. Both are expected to feature in Technical Workstation.

Sun will reveal its desktop Linux plans next week at the SunNetwork conference. Chief executive Scott McNealy suggested that Linux is particularly useful where access to networks and the internet is important. "I don't want to have to get a Windows client just to get web access," he said.

Some analysts believe that Linux is also more resistant than Windows to viruses, adding to its attraction for business users.

While Windows will remain the default option for many firms, Red Hat's success on the server, and a growing willingness by UK buyers to try alternatives to Microsoft Office, suggest that Red Hat's move may be well timed.

For companies with browser-based environments, Linux's lower price could be attractive, but many users will want applications that are 100 per cent compatible with Microsoft Office before switching.

IT Week's Labs has been testing the Lotus Notes client running under Linux and the CrossOver Office Windows emulator for many months without major problems.

At the beginning of 2002, it reported that Linux was ready for evaluation as an enterprise desktop with a view to deployment later this year.