'Sun broadens support for Linux ...'
Hi All, Unless I was out and missed it, we don't seem to have said much here on this story: http://www.sun.com/2002-0206/linux/ 'Sun broadens support for Linux: aggressive new program expands the role of Linux on entry-level servers' Apart from our natural distaste at the deployment of the word 'aggressive' where 'vigorous' or 'active' was meant, are we quiet because no-one knows, or because no-one thinks it will make much difference? Sun don't say anything too much about what Linux they mean, and there's a strong emphasis on developing the Cobalt 'appliance' type machine, but they also promise: 'Sun will ship for the first time a full implementation of Linux on a new line of general-purpose servers aimed at providing "edge" services to environments such as workgroups and remote offices. New single- and multiprocessor systems, to be announced mid-year, will use the x86 architecture and be capable of running thousands of Linux applications natively.' I assume SuSE is not directly involved? Certainly KDE fans won't be specially pleased to find that: 'GNOME, the most advanced Linux user environment, will become the preferred desktop for Solaris when GNOME 2.0 begins shipping later this year.' though SuSE's SPARC port is mentioned. Lineo (who they?) are afforded a signficant role. This strategic turn presumably goes with the (quiet if not positively furtive) dropping of the Solaris x86 OS for i386 architecture, a product that certainly had its uses, if only for those wanting to play on a 'junior version' of Solaris as practice for big Sun machines. Much is made of Sun's renewed commitment to the 'open source community', which can't be all bad. My apologies if this has all been dealt with while I was in a coma, but if that's not the case, what do people think? Best Fergus -- Fergus Wilde Chetham's Library Long Millgate Manchester M3 1SB UK Tel: +44 161 834 7961 Fax: +44 161 839 5797
Well, I was watching TechTV this morning (I know..I know..don't laugh) and what they were saying was that Sun plans to offer their own specially tweaked Linux distribution and would not be working with any of the major distributions or using what they've done. Which of course caused the " pundits " to start the mantra " Linux is fragmenting " all f**king over again. If they can't play in the sand box with the other boys and girls..WTF don't they just stick with Solaris and go down hill as they appear to be doing anyway. ->I assume SuSE is not directly involved? Certainly KDE fans won't be ->specially pleased to find that: -----=====-----=====-----=====-----=====----- Ben Rosenberg mailto:ben@whack.org -----=====-----=====-----=====-----=====----- "I've never been quarantined. But the more I look around the more I think it might not be a bad thing." -JC
I don't think it's a big problem, They will be producing a distribution tailored to the hardware they sell. I don't particularly like Sun, I turned down the offer of a couple of their servers free from bankrupt stock because I didn't want to program under Solaris. None-the-less I think it is quite a sensible move on their part, and I suspect it will merely be the distribution they issue with hardware they produce. I think the more significant part of the announcement was the stuff about them going into the PC market, presumably with Linux as the O/S. alan On 11 Feb 2002 at 10:15, Ben Rosenberg wrote:
Well, I was watching TechTV this morning (I know..I know..don't laugh) and what they were saying was that Sun plans to offer their own specially tweaked Linux distribution and would not be working with any of the major distributions or using what they've done. Which of course caused the " pundits " to start the mantra " Linux is fragmenting " all f**king over again. If they can't play in the sand box with the other boys and girls..WTF don't they just stick with Solaris and go down hill as they appear to be doing anyway.
->I assume SuSE is not directly involved? Certainly KDE fans won't be ->specially pleased to find that:
-----=====-----=====-----=====-----=====----- Ben Rosenberg mailto:ben@whack.org -----=====-----=====-----=====-----=====-----
[snip...]
* alan@ibgames.com (alan@ibgames.com) [020212 00:04]: ->I don't think it's a big problem, They will be producing a distribution ->tailored to the hardware they sell. This is what IBM, Digital, Compaq..etc..etc. did in with Unix. Hence the issue that people are afraid of..fragmenting a bunch of modifcations that don't work with each other as well as they should. ->I think the more significant part of the announcement was the stuff about ->them going into the PC market, presumably with Linux as the O/S. The Sunblade 100 quaifies as a PC. It's all PC hardware w/ the Sparc IIe processor. Never confuse the term PC w/ just Intel..because Mac's do qualify as Personal Computers as well. If not watched closely..Sun could screw things up royally..we shall have to wait and see. Cheers! -----=====-----=====-----=====-----=====----- Ben Rosenberg mailto:ben@whack.org -----=====-----=====-----=====-----=====----- "I've never been quarantined. But the more I look around the more I think it might not be a bad thing." -JC
One thing encouraging which Sun has done, and stated they will continue, is that they
have made Solaris compatible with Linux to allow Linux applications to run in the Solaris
environment. Hopefully this is a good sign and indicates that they are not going to
fragment the Linux landscape.
At least IBM has not attempted to fragment the Linux environment and has worked with
the Linux community to maintain the standards and direction. Maybe Sun will do the
same.
But, as Ben stated, we shall have to wait and see.
Jim
02/12/02 09:53:01 AM, Ben Rosenberg
* alan@ibgames.com (alan@ibgames.com) [020212 00:04]:
->I don't think it's a big problem, They will be producing a distribution ->tailored to the hardware they sell.
This is what IBM, Digital, Compaq..etc..etc. did in with Unix. Hence the issue that people are afraid of..fragmenting a bunch of modifcations that don't work with each other as well as they should.
->I think the more significant part of the announcement was the stuff about ->them going into the PC market, presumably with Linux as the O/S.
The Sunblade 100 quaifies as a PC. It's all PC hardware w/ the Sparc IIe processor. Never confuse the term PC w/ just Intel..because Mac's do qualify as Personal Computers as well.
If not watched closely..Sun could screw things up royally..we shall have to wait and see.
Cheers!
-----=====-----=====-----=====-----=====----- Ben Rosenberg mailto:ben@whack.org -----=====-----=====-----=====-----=====----- "I've never been quarantined. But the more I look around the more I think it might not be a bad thing." -JC
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Hi All,
Unless I was out and missed it, we don't seem to have said much here on this story:
http://www.sun.com/2002-0206/linux/
'Sun broadens support for Linux: aggressive new program expands the role of Linux on entry-level servers'
Apart from our natural distaste at the deployment of the word 'aggressive' where 'vigorous' or 'active' was meant, are we quiet because no-one knows, or because no-one thinks it will make much difference?
Sun don't say anything too much about what Linux they mean, and there's a strong emphasis on developing the Cobalt 'appliance' type machine, but they also promise:
'Sun will ship for the first time a full implementation of Linux on a new line of general-purpose servers aimed at providing "edge" services to environments such as workgroups and remote offices. New single- and multiprocessor systems, to be announced mid-year, will use the x86 architecture and be capable of running thousands of Linux applications natively.'
I assume SuSE is not directly involved? Certainly KDE fans won't be specially pleased to find that:
'GNOME, the most advanced Linux user environment, will become the preferred desktop for Solaris when GNOME 2.0 begins shipping later this year.'
though SuSE's SPARC port is mentioned. Lineo (who they?) are afforded a signficant role.
This strategic turn presumably goes with the (quiet if not positively furtive) dropping of the Solaris x86 OS for i386 architecture, a product
I may have mentioned before the very nice office suite that Sun says will be out (almost surely free) in April or May. I saw the Star Office 6 demo at LinuxWorld, and if it does what they demonstrated, it will be super-duper. It's supposed to be available acroos the OS board--Windows, Linux, Unix, probably Mac. I think, but I'm not sure, that Sun is expecting RedHat to be the "Linux of Choice." However, if all the companies are lining up for the Linux Standard*, it shouldn't matter. --doug *I forget what the real name of the Linux Standard is. At 14:16 02/11/2002 +0000, Fergus Wilde wrote: that
certainly had its uses, if only for those wanting to play on a 'junior version' of Solaris as practice for big Sun machines.
Much is made of Sun's renewed commitment to the 'open source community', which can't be all bad.
My apologies if this has all been dealt with while I was in a coma, but if that's not the case, what do people think?
Best Fergus
-- Fergus Wilde Chetham's Library Long Millgate Manchester M3 1SB UK
Tel: +44 161 834 7961 Fax: +44 161 839 5797
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participants (5)
-
alan＠ibgames.com -
Ben Rosenberg -
Doug McGarrett -
Fergus Wilde -
James Bliss