Linux distributor Suse said last week that future versions of the open-source operating system may arrive at a slower rate - a move designed to increase stability for users.

The German software company said that future releases could arrive as infrequently as every two years, in response to the needs of blue-chip customers.

In an interview last week, David Burger, Suse's vice president of enterprise sales and services, announced that the company was stretching the release schedule of Suse Linux Enterprise Server (SLES), which is the core code upon which other releases are based. "As it evolves, [the new releases] will go from every 12 months to every 18 or 24 months to ensure greater stability," commented Burger. "Our customers tell us that they want stability and don't just want the latest and greatest."

The next major SLES release will be in the second or third quarter of 2004 and will support the Linux 2.6 kernel. "[This release] will be a watershed in terms of scalability and it will be easier for independent software vendors developing for both Red Hat and Suse," Burger said.

One product that will be released imminently is Suse Linux 9.0. The latest version of this product, which is largely aimed at home users, will be available tomorrow, 30 September, Burger revealed exclusively to IT Week.

Separately, JBoss Group, the leading developer of open-source application server software, has established a UK office, as well as Swiss European headquarters. The firm said the additional service capability would make its products more appealing here.