Linux Leader Tips Its Hat To Ordinary Office Computers With Latest Version Of Software; Red Hat In Game Of Catch-Up; But analysts don't see harm in being late since market hasn't yet gone mainstream.(INTERNET & TECHNOLOGY)

Byline: KEN SPENCER BROWN

Red Hat on Tuesday is debuting a Linux product for ordinary workplace computers -- a move that finds the segment leader in the rare spot of playing catch-up to rivals.

Touting the software as the answer to confused users, security breaches and the high cost of Microsoft Windows, Red Hat is betting Linux can expand beyond its core server market into a much wider arena.

"These are important and financially painful problems," said Chief Executive Matthew Szulik. "We're responding to need from our existing customers, and there are new opportunities unfolding."

The launch comes weeks after some key moves by competitors. Novell signed on big computer sellers to bundle its SuSE Linux desktop package. And Sun Microsystems became the operating system for a line of budget PCs sold by Wal-Mart Stores.

Gabriel Lowry, an analyst at Blaylock & Partners, doesn't think Red Hat will suffer much from being a little later than rivals. For one, all of the desktop Linux products have arrived ahead of widespread demand.

"It's too early for the desktop version, really," he said. "Mainstream acceptance will occur, but that's a two-to-three-year horizon."