VMware Inc., the leader in providing virtualization solutions for all kinds of platforms from desktop to datacenters, announced yesterday that the VMware View software source code will be available for their partners. Thus, the new  View Open Client becomes the first open source virtual desktop client from VMware.

VMware View gives IT enterprises the ability to host user desktops in their datacenters, enabling users to access their customized desktops, regardless of device, location or time, at very low costs.

The release of the source code means that VMware's partners will have the ability to tailor their products according to customer needs and requirements. Another positive effect of this decision stands in a quicker development of solutions by allowing partners to help.

The announcement was made by Jocelyn Goldfein, vice president and general manager of VMware’s Desktop Business Unit: “VMware feels strongly about industry collaboration to move the market forward to develop the best solutions. Now we are sharing our source code in VMware View Open Client so vendors can easily optimize devices to create the best virtual desktop solutions. As a result, IT is able to reduce the total cost of providing desktop environments by allowing low-end or less-expensive devices that provide the same feature set as higher-end devices. This also brings us closer to our Universal Client vision, where users can securely and efficiently access rich personalized desktop environments, from any device at any time.”

Many important IT companies, like Chip PC, Devon IT, HP, Novell, Sun Microsystems and Wyse Technology, that partnered with VMware were very happy with the decision. “We are excited about VMware's decision to open source VMware View Open Client given Sun’s proven leadership in delivering open source software,” said Jim McHugh, vice president, Datacenter Marketing, Sun Microsystems.

“HP and VMware have a history of working together to help meet the needs of customers looking to deploy cost-effective desktop solutions,” said Jeff Groudan, vice president of marketing, desktop solutions organization, HP. “VMware View Open Client enables us to deliver thin client devices certified for VMware View faster and at an even lower cost while driving down the total cost of ownership of a virtual desktop deployment.”.

Available for any Linux distribution, the packages for VMware View Open Client require an i586 processor, 2 MB of secondary storage and 128 MB of RAM.

You can download the VMware View Open Client for Ubuntu, Debian, Red Hat, Mandriva, Fedora, openSUSE, or any other distribution, right now from Softpedia.