RE: [SLE] First Sun JDS Review Out
While the betas do have some small annoyances, I think it is a big step in the right direction.
Small annoyances? I'm sorry, but I think that is an drastic understatement. I am a big fan of Sun and have been so for a long time. However, I have to admit that I think they could have done a much better job with this product. I am primarily a Gnome user, but the JDS is marketed as a "Desktop System" and we must all admit that KDE is definitely going for that desktop environment to pick up where Windows leaves off. So how does sun explain completely omitting KDE and even its libraries in the JDS? Right off the bat they are cutting out a good 50% of the applications available for the platform. I think this is a ridiculous move. The least they could have done was include the libraries. Why would they do that? And as for Sid's question, maybe you could shed some light:
"so where's Linux/SPARC on Sun's roadmap"
Where is it? Linux compiles fine on SPARC architecture, so I don't see why they wouldn't include it. But in checking the site I can't find any information on specific architectures. Am I correct in assuming that the lack of architecture-specific information means that JDS will run on all Linux-able archs?
On Fri, 2003-12-05 at 06:13, Pacheco Jason NPRI wrote:
While the betas do have some small annoyances, I think it is a big step in the right direction.
Small annoyances? I'm sorry, but I think that is an drastic understatement. I am a big fan of Sun and have been so for a long time. However, I have to admit that I think they could have done a much better job with this product. I am primarily a Gnome user, but the JDS is marketed as a "Desktop System" and we must all admit that KDE is definitely going for that desktop environment to pick up where Windows leaves off.
So how does sun explain completely omitting KDE and even its libraries in the JDS? Right off the bat they are cutting out a good 50% of the applications available for the platform. I think this is a ridiculous move. The least they could have done was include the libraries. Why would they do that?
As far as I can tell, that was a marketing decision. I have been a KDE user since I started with Linux, and I have fed back to the team that KDE seems to be the dominant Windows-replacement desktop. They won't be swayed much by my little opinion; they will be swayed by market pressure(paying customers) asking for those capabilities. It is important to note that the JDS is not intended to be a competing distro to RedHat, Mandrake, etc -- it is intended to provide a "managed desktop environment" for coporations to deploy in place of Winbloze. Do I agree with that strategy? No. Am I happy with what all is in the kit today? No. But the only way that will change is if the paying customers tell Sun loud and clear that it isn't good enough. If you are an "influencer" where you work, and your corporation uses Sun product, tell them what you expect in a Linux environment, and tell them that JDS is not it. They have no interest in the "home" user market, and as such feedback from individuals has less impact.
And as for Sid's question, maybe you could shed some light:
"so where's Linux/SPARC on Sun's roadmap"
Where is it? Linux compiles fine on SPARC architecture, so I don't see why they wouldn't include it. But in checking the site I can't find any information on specific architectures. Am I correct in assuming that the lack of architecture-specific information means that JDS will run on all Linux-able archs?
There are no indications that Sun will ever support any OS except Solaris on SPARC. Although Linux runs on SPARC, there is no current effort to support it officially that I am aware of. -- Powered by SuSE Linux Pro 8.2/Evolution 1.4.5 This is a Microsoft-free computer
We're OT here. Anyone interested in the thread might like to read this though: http://www.newsforge.com/os/03/09/22/1911219.shtml?tid=48 .. and post responses (if any) to OT. Jake
On Friday 05 December 2003 14:13, Pacheco Jason NPRI wrote:
So how does sun explain completely omitting KDE and even its libraries in the JDS? Right off the bat they are cutting out a good 50% of the applications available for the platform. I think this is a ridiculous move. The least they could have done was include the libraries. Why would they do that?
I agree, it baffles me too. Jake
So how does sun explain completely omitting KDE and even its libraries in the JDS? Right off the bat they are cutting out a good 50% of the applications available for the platform. I think this is a ridiculous move. The least they could have done was include the libraries. Why would they do that?
I agree, it baffles me too.
Because of the Qt licence, surely? If they include Qt and the KDE they need to explain to corporations that if they, the corporations, want to write commercial software for that desktop, they have to hand over large piles of money to Trolltech. Given that the main argument behind the JDS is cost of ownership, that would be an embarrassment. --
eatapple core dump
Pacheco Jason NPRI wrote:
While the betas do have some small annoyances, I think it is a big step in the right direction.
Small annoyances? I'm sorry, but I think that is an drastic understatement. I am a big fan of Sun and have been so for a long time. However, I have to admit that I think they could have done a much better job with this product. I am primarily a Gnome user, but the JDS is marketed as a "Desktop System" and we must all admit that KDE is definitely going for that desktop environment to pick up where Windows leaves off.
So how does sun explain completely omitting KDE and even its libraries in the JDS? Right off the bat they are cutting out a good 50% of the applications available for the platform. I think this is a ridiculous move. The least they could have done was include the libraries. Why would they do that?
And as for Sid's question, maybe you could shed some light:
"so where's Linux/SPARC on Sun's roadmap"
Where is it? Linux compiles fine on SPARC architecture, so I don't see why they wouldn't include it. But in checking the site I can't find any information on specific architectures. Am I correct in assuming that the lack of architecture-specific information means that JDS will run on all Linux-able archs?
The original qt license wasn't to the liking of some distros, notably RedHat who initially went with CDE which is about the worst thing you can call a desktop, so I swiftly switched back to KDE. With the change of license, they still kept their distance largely. Sun doesn't want Linux within a million miles of any platform that can loosely be called a server. They were one of the first to join Linux International thinking Linux was interesting, but they took fright at how swiftly the SPARC Linux development progressed. The last position I saw them take was that you could run Linux on SPARC, but you won't get any support from Sun, they didn't specify whether that included no hardware support. I successfully built a mailserver on an E3500 for our company. I also have a sleeping Ultra 5 under the desk here at home that I very occasionally wake up to check stuff on Solaris, the company asked me not to install Linux on it in case they needed it back. Our guys who use Linux have moans when they have to deal with Solaris, ksh is still the default - I'd rather type it all out than use "ksh -o vi", but you can use bash from Solaris 8 - I know you can get a free bash for Solaris 7, probably a sacking offence in most shops , there is no recursive grep (painful), no locate or any of the nice stuff Linux offers. I can't blame Sun, they have a very heavy investment in Solaris and Linux threatens it (it has wiped Sun off the map in some prestige accounts) and so they do only what they are forced by the market to do vis-a-vis Linux, Linux on AMD and Intel, but not the hallowed SPARC. Regards Sid. -- Sid Boyce .... Linux Only Shop.
participants (5)
-
Derek Fountain -
Jake Pumphrey -
Pacheco Jason NPRI -
Sid Boyce -
The Wizard