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Prove that...

>Because all our documents are in Micro$oft Word format. (The marketer in me thinks this is priceless, the NT administrator part of me thinks its fine too, but the opportunist in me sees a problem).

...MS Word files are a problem for AbiWord or Staroffice.

>So what to do about it ? We cannot afford to be seen as non-Linux-savvy by our clients. So I am forced to go and pay for several copies of VMWare simply to allow our receptionists to continue working.

...not mentioning staroffice or abiword doesn't prove you are a troll or moron (take your choice).

>Still it seems like the people that matter in the organization are finally starting to realise that Linux = $$$$$$$$$$$$$.

...linux = $$$$$.

BTW: Vmware is CHEAPER than Win 2k + MS Office (you solution, I suppose. You didn't really tell us). You proved yourself wrong, you spent MORE on the Windows/Microsoft software than Linux. Even without MS Office the price is equal.

>I just hope our marketing agency has not missed the boat.

You boss sure did by not know about staroffice or abiword.

1. "A JIT is rushed" - The first time bytecode is compiled to native code it must be done quickly to avoid delay. That code may be inefficient, true, but it can also be instrumented with profiler like information that can be used by later passes of the compiler. You see, what the author is describing is not a JIT system but a dynamic optimizing compiler which has the opportunity to study the program during execution and recompile parts or all of that program based on that information.
2. "no leeway for boundary conditions" - Well here again you seem a bit confused and your example is naive. The native representation of a type is not fixed in Java, only the conceptual representation. To be a compliant Java implementation all results generated using 'int' (to use your example) must be consistent with the conceptual representation of 'int' when using the various operations. If the optimizing compiler finds a way to represent an 'int' in a more optimal way it is free to do so as long as the results of the operation don't change.
3. "garbage collection is slower than hand coded memory management" - You really ought to read some of the latest garbage collection papers. This is no longer true even for collectors managing C or C++ allocation. When given an environment like Java which doesn't allow pointers and other antiquated memory techniques a good dynamic compiler with a modern garbage collector is both faster and more efficient than any hand coded attempt on all but the most simple of applications.
4. "OOP and dynamic dispatch are inefficient" - Again, I urge you to read the papers at the Self site listed above. The way the Self, and now HotSpot, compilers work eliminates this bottle neck. I'll admit in early implementations of Smalltalk and Objective-C dynamic dispatch did add a small amount of overhead. Take a look at the documents on the HotSpot here and then tell me that dynamic dispatch is a problem.

course you get 3 votes. please consider casting one of them to implement regular expressions into the core.

This is a repost from today's other Java discussion. Please read and go vote!

While there has been an official Linux port, there is no native Java 2 SDK for FreeBSD. Please, all members of JDC, go here and cast your votes to have Sun release this software. We are up to 2703 votes so far. It took 4551 votes before Sun released the Linux version, so we're almost there, right? ;-)

(However, I am well aware that the release of the Linux port was due in large part to the excellent folks from Blackdown.)

Here are a few of the tons of comments on the "bug report" page where you can vote for this RFE (request for enhancement).

• "FreeBSD is one of the favorite OS to run servers, and Java is becoming the favorite language to write server applications."
• "Daemon News supports this project. DN will also issue a certification if it runs well on BSD."
• "Due to the stability we use either Solaris or FreeBSD. It is very tiresome not being able to develop on FreeBSD for deployment on Solaris. Using solely Linux is not an option for me."
• "It's a pity that we can't develop on a OS that is very popular among small ISPs."
• "As has been said, not having Java ports for these platforms helps only Microsoft, and hurts the people Sun really seems interested in helping: the Open Source community."
• "With official support of Java2 on FreeBSD from SUN, I would be able to finally abandon NT platform and use my prefferd FreeBSD OS for most of my projects."

You must be registered in the JDC (Java Developer Connection) to vote. Registration is free and quick, so if you're a Java developer or just have a general interest on FreeBSD or Java, please go sign up and vote!

Anyone interested in doing an unofficial port please mail me at javadrew@spammerslovehotmail.com (obviously remove the "spammerslove" :-).

Perhaps if *BSD had the publicity that Linux did?

A few of my arguments to Sun for why they should do this:

• FreeBSD is a widely-used as a server OS, and an official port would encourage the use of servlets
• A FreeBSD port could be used on NetBSD and OpenBSD with only mininal, if any, modidications. Killing three Daemons (four if you count that BSDi thinger, but I don't).
• FreeBSD is popular in Japan. I don't know if Java is as well, but this couldn't hurt!

Here are a few of the tons of comments on the "bug report" page where you can vote for this RFE (request for enhancement).

• "FreeBSD is one of the favorite OS to run servers, and Java is becoming the favorite language to write server applications."
• "Daemon News supports this project. DN will also issue a certification if it runs well on BSD."
• "Due to the stability we use either Solaris or FreeBSD. It is very tiresome not being able to develop on FreeBSD for deployment on Solaris. Using solely Linux is not an option for me."
• "It's a pity that we can't develop on a OS that is very popular among small ISPs."
• "As has been said, not having Java ports for these platforms helps only Microsoft, and hurts the people Sun really seems interested in helping: the Open Source community."
• "With official support of Java2 on FreeBSD from SUN, I would be able to finally abandon NT platform and use my prefferd FreeBSD OS for most of my projects."

Come on, people. Sun will have to pay attention if we Slashdot their server. Not even SMP Solaris can survive the wrath of Maldastein's Monster. ;-)

Thanks.

RedHat Linux and Java both lose in various benchmarks comparisons. Both are backed by enough money to incent developers to scratch their itches on the outstanding bugs. Remember that $1 Billion dollars in market cap can translate into 1,000,000 $1000 checks to community contributers.

What I suggest is this: RedHat offer shares from its huge marketcap to get bugs fixed in the RedHat installation and other not-quite open source software. Sun and IBM would then offer shares for Java bugs in their not-quite open source software. If only one thousand annoying problems were fixed (0.006% of RedHat market cap) and incorporated into later releases, the popularity of both Java and RedHat would rise enormously.

Disclaimers: I had grevious problems getting Redhat to install and have not been impressed with its ease of use. I have been employed by Sun as the strategic systems engineer liason for Java between Sun and IBM. I own stock and want it to go up.

Cheers,

Charles Merriam

merriam @ world.std.com

RedHat Linux and Java both lose in various benchmarks comparisons. Both are backed by enough money to incent developers to scratch their itches on the outstanding bugs. Remember that $1 Billion dollars in market cap can translate into 1,000,000 $1000 checks to community contributers.

What I suggest is this: RedHat offer shares from its huge marketcap to get bugs fixed in the RedHat installation and other not-quite open source software. Sun and IBM would then offer shares for Java bugs in their not-quite open source software. If only one thousand annoying problems were fixed (0.006% of RedHat market cap) and incorporated into later releases, the popularity of both Java and RedHat would rise enormously.

Disclaimers: I had grevious problems getting Redhat to install and have not been impressed with its ease of use. I have been employed by Sun as the strategic systems engineer liason for Java between Sun and IBM. I own stock and want it to go up.

Cheers,

Charles Merriam

merriam @ world.std.com

RedHat Linux and Java both lose in various benchmarks comparisons. Both are backed by enough money to incent developers to scratch their itches on the outstanding bugs. Remember that $1 Billion dollars in market cap can translate into 1,000,000 $1000 checks to community contributers.

What I suggest is this: RedHat offer shares from its huge marketcap to get bugs fixed in the RedHat installation and other not-quite open source software. Sun and IBM would then offer shares for Java bugs in their not-quite open source software. If only one thousand annoying problems were fixed (0.006% of RedHat market cap) and incorporated into later releases, the popularity of both Java and RedHat would rise enormously.

Disclaimers: I had grevious problems getting Redhat to install and have not been impressed with its ease of use. I have been employed by Sun as the strategic systems engineer liason for Java between Sun and IBM. I own stock and want it to go up.

Cheers,

Charles Merriam

merriam @ world.std.com

RedHat Linux and Java both lose in various benchmarks comparisons. Both are backed by enough money to incent developers to scratch their itches on the outstanding bugs. Remember that $1 Billion dollars in market cap can translate into 1,000,000 $1000 checks to community contributers.

What I suggest is this: RedHat offer shares from its huge marketcap to get bugs fixed in the RedHat installation and other not-quite open source software. Sun and IBM would then offer shares for Java bugs in their not-quite open source software. If only one thousand annoying problems were fixed (0.006% of RedHat market cap) and incorporated into later releases, the popularity of both Java and RedHat would rise enormously.

Disclaimers: I had grevious problems getting Redhat to install and have not been impressed with its ease of use. I have been employed by Sun as the strategic systems engineer liason for Java between Sun and IBM. I own stock and want it to go up.

Cheers,

Charles Merriam

merriam @ world.std.com

Does anyone actually know how to report JDK bugs to IBM?

JDKs (Java Development Kits) are from Sun, not IBM. You are probably referring to the "Jikes" compiler. Jikes is included with a few Freenices; it's part of FreeBSD's ports collection, I know.

JitterBug is where you want to go to report bugs.

However, if you use Linux, I would instead recommend getting the Sun/Blackdo wn Java 2 SDK.

If you use *BSD, read my other post about Java 2 SDK and go vote!

If you use Solaris... WTF are you doing using Jikes, mate?

If you use Win32, well, bollocks. ;-)

Please, all members of JDC, go here and cast your votes to have Sun release this software. We are up to 2703 votes so far. It took 4551 votes before Sun released the Linux version, so we're almost there, right? ;-)

(However, I am well aware that the release of the Linux port was due in large part to the excellent folks from Blackdown.)

You must be registered in the JDC (Java Developer Connection) to vote. Registration is free and quick, so if you're a Java developer or just have a general interest on FreeBSD or Java, please go sign up and vote!

Anyone interested in doing an unofficial port please mail me at javadrew@spammerslovehotmail.com (obviously remove the "spammerslove" :-).

Viva Java 2 en FreeBSD!

Graphical monitoring tools coming soon...

I know for sure that Halcyon is porting their monitoring tools to Linux. They make SNMP monitoring software for your OS/apps/databases/whatever, and it all runs with Sun Management Center

You can check here to see when the software will be released, or send them a note if you'd like to be informed by email when it comes out.

Now's you chance to let them know how strong the Linux market for this stuff is.

Later,

Mike

Remember how the CEO (or whatever he was) of Lotus (Papows - now ex- Lotus) said "Lotus Notes will never run on Linux". That lasted a whole what - six months maybe?

Since SunStore is selling Redhat for SPAC (here, if you don't believe me) right now, I don't know how long "never" means to the "Sun Official". I'd guess just about as long as it takes them to realize that it would be cheaper to Open-Source Solaris, and hope for a great Solaris/Linux/BSD hybrid operating system that will fly on Sun's hardware. Actually, considering this is Sun - never might mean a depressingly long time.

It's a pity, really. Now Sun is giving away Solaris, what would Open Sourcing cost them? Control, I guess.

Alright, while I think this would be Really Cool (TM) and all, I think we have to remember who we are dealing with here. The company which has recently proven it has more faces then a pair of dice: Sun Microsystems.

These are the people who let the Blackdown Java porting effort do all the work, and then took it all from them with no credit.

These are the people who have said several times (here, here, and as far back as here) that Solaris isn't just going to be free, but Open Source.

These are the people who pushed Java as an open standard, and then -- once many companies had tied their future to it -- pulled out of the standards process. Then, when others suggested going forward with a Java standard without Sun, claimed that their own public documentation was not complete enough for anyone to do that.

So, when they say Solaris is going to be "free", I have to say: "Sure, and I have a bridge to sell you. It's in Brooklyn. Great view of the water."

I think Sun's products are pretty good (they're certainly a hell of a lot better then Micros~1) and that Java still has a lot of promise, but I'm still not gonna trust Sun any further then I can throw an E10K.

Alright, while I think this would be Really Cool (TM) and all, I think we have to remember who we are dealing with here. The company which has recently proven it has more faces then a pair of dice: Sun Microsystems.

These are the people who let the Blackdown Java porting effort do all the work, and then took it all from them with no credit.

These are the people who have said several times (here, here, and as far back as here) that Solaris isn't just going to be free, but Open Source.

These are the people who pushed Java as an open standard, and then -- once many companies had tied their future to it -- pulled out of the standards process. Then, when others suggested going forward with a Java standard without Sun, claimed that their own public documentation was not complete enough for anyone to do that.

So, when they say Solaris is going to be "free", I have to say: "Sure, and I have a bridge to sell you. It's in Brooklyn. Great view of the water."

I think Sun's products are pretty good (they're certainly a hell of a lot better then Micros~1) and that Java still has a lot of promise, but I'm still not gonna trust Sun any further then I can throw an E10K.

I read up on the Solaris VM model a few days ago while trying to debug some Solaris boxen at work. It's an interesting read and covers the basic VM model and system diagnostic tools, including helpful detail of vmstat(1). Not as straightforward as Mr. Dillon's excellent FreeBSD VM article, but worth the look for comparison purposes.

The link to the PDF file is the first one on this page; check out the others as well if you're interested in finding out about more Solaris internals:

http://www.sun.com/sun-on-net/perfo rmance/

Sun has already come out with something that does this; the picoJava microcontroller. Read all about it (alb iet in PDF).

Plop down $4760.00 for an Ultra[tm] 10 and you get IDE.

Ultra is a trademark of Sun Microsystems, and don't you forget it.

Oh, and don't forget My Sun . How cute.

Plop down $4760.00 for an Ultra[tm] 10 and you get IDE.

Ultra is a trademark of Sun Microsystems, and don't you forget it.

Oh, and don't forget My Sun . How cute.

Here is quote from your own citation:
Both the Athlon and the P6 run the CISC x86 ISA in what amounts to hardware emulation, but they translate the x86 instructions into smaller, RISC-like operations that fed into a fully post-RISC core. Their cores have a number of RISC features (LOAD/STORE memory access, pipelined execution, reduced instructions, expanded register count via register renaming), to which are added all of the post-RISC features we've discussed. The Athlon muddies the waters even further in that it uses both direct execution and a microcode engine for instruction decoding. A crucial difference between the Athlon (and P6) and the G4 is that, as already noted, the Athlon must translate x86 instructions into smaller RISC ops.

The Pentium does this in hardware too. Both are emulating x86 instruction with RISC instructions. This is exactly how the Transmeta chip does it, except the translation happens in highly optimized software. In both cases, it's a CISC-RISC translation.

Ease of translation into native machine code for JITs was not one of the primary concerns when the bytecode format was selected.

You're wrong; Sun did care about performance. Here's a quote regarding SUN's Java, nee Oak, compiler from Sun's Java site:

The Java compiler does this by generating bytecode instructions which have nothing to do with a particular computer architecture. Rather, they are designed to be both easy to interpret on any machine and easily translated into native machine code on the fly... The bytecode format was designed with generating machine codes in mind, so the actual process of generating machine code is generally simple. Efficient code is produced: the compiler does automatic register allocation and some optimization when it produces the bytecodes.

Basically, nothing you've said has convinced me or anyone else that RISC translation is nearly as efficient as CISC translation.. Please provide an example of software or hardware that does RISC-CISC translation or even does RISC-RISC translation to support your claims that, "adequate performance could probably be achieved."

Been in development for some time, but secretly. (Didn't hear a word from Sun until it was practically complete)

Has the idea of trying to remove backwards compatability hardware problems and issues. (Crusoe with code morphing, MAJC with Java). This makes it much easier to really optimise for each generation.

VLIW type design. Sounds like Crusoe is fixed 128bit - like most designs. MAJC is variable - 32-128.

low power embedded markets. However Sun is more "embedded" than low power (MAJC 5200 is 15W @ 500MHz), but Sun are going for some pretty damn serious performance - eats mutliple MPEG2 streams for breakfast, 100 voice of IP channels at once, or 50-90M triangles/sec for 3D lighting/transform etc - the PlayStation 2 "Emotion Engine" is a similar product (in terms of performance, power, cost) but is rather more conventional.

Both using IBM fab. Both 0.22 initially, and 0.18 later. (Sun are using copper interconnects, I guess Crusoe is too)

The point about doing benchmarks for the Crusoe discussed in the annoucement is quite apt too - with Java HotSpot, the longer you run it for, the faster it gets. Normally, you use a real application for minutes or hours, but most current benchmarks don't run that long, so isn't quite so "fair".

However, Crusoe beat MAJC to being fabbed and sampled. (MAJC should have "taped out" by now, though no official annoucement yet)

Different markets (MAJC doesn't execute x86 for one, but maybe they could add it later...), though there is some overlap - I think both are going to be very interesting to watch. Both bring some interesting new ideas and applications of things.

Some architectural differences: Crusoe could do just about any instruction set "directly" through code morphing - you'd just have to code it. However, don't expect them to do many as it would be a huge amount of work for each instruction set. They can also do more than one at a time. Though MAJC is not a Java bytecode executor (and you could port Linux to it as easily as a typical RISC CPU) it only does it's instruction set. They hope to use Java to make things more "portable", which is a lot harder than the code morphing techinique which is basically transparant. Not much details has been given about the Crusoe engine, so it's hard to compare, but it doesn't yet seem like it has hardware/vertical threading support, or chip level multiprocessing support (more than one CPU core on one chip), for example.

MAJC does have this one thing which similar in terms of complexity and mixing hardware/software though. When running a JVM, you can use a mode called STM (Space Time Computing) which uses more than one CPU to speed up a single threaded Java app (using some interesting thread speculation techniques), which like the Crusoe code morphing engine, is transpart - you don't need to compi

Are there any systems out there running NT (any version) with these levels of performance and scalability ? I'm not aware of any, but that doesn't mean they don't exist.

NT gives you no such migration path. If you outgrow the amount that PC hardware can support, you're stuck. And while a 8-X system is much more powerful than PC's were a few years ago, they are still many orders of magnitude smaller than the Enterprise class systems I mention above.

If Microsoft had lost the Caldera case -- if it had gotten to the point where a jury reached a verdict -- there would be a legal precedent on the books. Microsoft has managed to avoid that so far, always stalling or settling before anything goes in the record.

(Microsoft went to verdict in the Bristol case, but they won. There was only a preliminary injunction, since overturned, in Sun's Java case. Of course, the original DOJ case against Microsoft was settled.)

Jackson's finding of fact is preliminary; if he never reaches endgame (not even the finding of law, but an actual verdict with remedy/punishment), it's so much hearsay.

"It always amazed me that Bill's favorite editor is the UNIX cat command."

I'm getting off topic, I suppose, but Legos aren't the only platform where FORTH is available and you are not going to waste your time learning it.

Versions, free and commercial, exist for any Unix with GCC, DOS, OS/2, Macintosh, Windows, the Palm Pilot, and dozens of microcontrollers. Did you know that FORTH is part of the Open Firmware provided in the Sun and the PowerMac boot proms? (Note IEEE requires a subscription, so check out Sun's OpenFirmware page)

The experience on one platform transfers well to another and there is lots to like about FORTH, especially when dealing with an environment with exceedingly limited resources in comparison to a PC.

This list of FORTH implementations by platform is a little dated but should point in the right direction.

Check this URL out for Java; I dare someone to make easy sense out of this, especially to suits.
http://java.sun.com/products/jdk/1.2/java2.html


Yikes! Makes my head spin.

btw, unlike what some people do, the name only shows up in marketing/documentation/logos. With 'uname', the OS reports itself as being SunOS 5.7! (Solaris 2.X is SunOS 5.X) Backwards compatible with 2 levels of marketing re-branding ^-^

I don't particularly care what Microsoft do... btw, The Register has an amusing article on "Microsoft Year 2000".

Think of it this way. Perl's mantra "There's more than one way to do it" is precisely the problem when sharing code among several programmers. Although perl is easier to learn, it's much more complicated. This translates to higher costs for maintaining and upgrading programs -- the largest expense today.

Java's greatest contribution, however, is making everyone learn about object oriented programming techniques. Lots of developers are now learning and implementing design patterns, class diagrams, statechart diagrams, and generally improving our approach to designing software.

I know all these things existed before, but their no longer relegated to architects and designers. Perhaps it's just timing, but it is happening now, and the timing couldn't be better. Web applications are getting really complicated, and the level of integrating between apps has never been greater. Reducing complexity is the only sane way to deal with this.

I still use and love perl. Perl rocks! I'm just answering your question regarding java's use on the server.

P.S. Want Regular Expressions implemented natively in Java? Join the JDC and add your vote here: http://develope r.java.sun.com/developer/bugParade/bugs/4072400.ht ml

If you develop a web browser, you would probably be insane if you did it in Java (I would love to be proved wrong) because it would be so much slower.

Well, there is HotJava, a web browser developed by Sun completely in Java (1.1). Get it here.

However, I never got it to run as non-admin under NT (but I don't really care ;-)) and there is constant flickering when pages are rendered. If they could remove that... The pages I visit most often look good.

Actually Java support has extended past just solaris and Windows. Sun has released the JDK1.2.2 for Linux, get it here! And when you're done, snag the new JBuilder Foundation! They're both really stable, and really good. I've benchmarked a chess program on them, and it's comperable with the Windows version. The compiled code is identical, Jbuilder has all the same features, and the JRE is actually executing about 5% faster than it does when I boot to Windows. Not that it's particularly fast compared to native binaries... but still it's good to see.

-enjoy!

you monkey, can't even go to the sun site

What do you call Sun's JavaOS, anyway? It's being phased out, but it worked!

um, what file system does Solaris use? what does your vfstab say?

...ufs...logging, perhaps? (I.e., UFS with journaling enabled?) To quote the Solaris 7 "mount_ufs" man page (fetched from Sun's online documentation collection; unfortunately, the URLs look suspiciously like per-session URLs, so I'm loath to put them in the article, but go to "Solaris 7", then go to "Solaris 7 Reference Manual Collection", then go to "man Pages(1M): System Administration Commands", and it's under there):

logging | nologging

If logging is specified, then logging is enabled for the duration of the mounted file system. Logging is the process of storing transactions (changes that make up a complete UFS operation) in a log before the transactions are applied to the file system. Once a transaction is stored, the transaction can be applied to the file system later. This prevents file systems from becoming inconsistent, therefore eliminating the need to run fsck. And, because fsck can be bypassed, logging reduces the time required to reboot a system if it crashes, or after an unclean halt. The default behavior is nologging.

I.e., perhaps he's using a journaling UFS.

I have not tried to compile the Sun stuff under Linux because I am a hardware guy, and if anything more than typing 'make' is required I get the shakes and start sweating. (Comes from years of being a Mac user, but I am getting help.)

I have a IBM Thinkpad 730T Tablet computer, and Debian Linux is the only OS on it. The pen works great thanks to a patch to X. All I need is HWR that is as good as my Newton MP2000, and I would have the ultimate Linux PDA.

I sent a letter to Santa for a SparcStation but all I got was a Packard Bell with Win98 preinstalled. Someone please shoot me? There's a copy of Win98 in it for you.

How this AC's little rant hasn't been moderated down to "Flamebait", I don't know...

Anyhow, think of it this way. I'm not a big Java person, but some of my close friends are, and already I've seen evidence of some nasty incompatibility problems as one moves across platforms. With a proprietary implementation of Java, there is no way to get a guaranteed fix-- you're simply at the mercy of the people who made the implementation (here, Sun). But if you find a problem with a free software implementation, well, you just ask the folks who wrote it, and if they're not willing to fix it, you fix it yourself. Or you persuade a friend to do it. Or you persuade some guy on IRC to do it. Whatever. The point is that proprietary software makes you completely dependent on somebody else, whose motives are not compatibility and quality but profit and more profit. It makes you powerless, and thus, it's a Bad Thing(TM).

Solaris network on the space station.
-Nick

Another point to consider is that if you check the Sun web pages now, right on the front page where it says Linux JDK RC released, it says it was a collaborative effort between the Blackdown porting team, Inprise, and Sun. In that order. That doesn't read "intentional corporate assination" to me. It seems as if this horse as been beaten enough. Give it a rest, pick on microsoft or something.

i've made between 200-300 purchases online this year and the only one that went awry was my purchase of Solaris 8 from Sun / Modusmedia.

(i didn't appreciate having my CC info redirected from a secure link to an non-secure link)


thor

listen to WBER online

i've made between 200-300 purchases online this year and the only one that went awry was my purchase of Solaris 8 from Sun / Modusmedia.

(i didn't appreciate having my CC info redirected from a secure link to an non-secure link)


thor

listen to WBER online

After Linux was announced officially supported the Linux RFE was obsoleted and now support for FreeBSD is the number one Request For Enhancement on Sun's Java Developer Connection!

Check out the Top 25 RFE's. (Free JDC membership requiered)

Markus
--

We need to shove Microsoft off the map! I'm glad that Sun is up there heading the list of primary investors... Though Sun is starting to get Monolithic... Finding anything on their website is almost as hard as finding anything on microsoft.com...No, I'm lying... finding anything on microsoft.com is impossible!!!

I thought the article was good in mentioning that Dell and Plattner are investing personally in Linuxcare... If Linuxcare is publicly traded they will probably make a lot of money (understatement...)

Two things I found really interesting from the article...: (i) I didn't know Tridgell worked for Linuxcare; and (ii) what Sarrat says at the end: "... look at IBM. They didn't get good at services until they split them out as a separate comapany"

Sun's earlyAccess JDK for Linux only runs on i386 machines. According to Kevin Hendricks, Sun spokesman only said that Sparc might eventually get supported

Well gi did it, so it figures that sun would do it too...

The ditro is the RedHat deluxe version @ $79.95 (RedHat's price, not sun's. I checked it against redhat's store)
Here's the link.

Here's the features list from redhat's store page:

Support & Services
180 day FREE priority FTP access- fast, easy
access to security updates and more!
30 day telephone support and 90 day Web-based
installation support

Software
Red Hat Linux CD
Red Hat Linux source code CD
Linux Application CD - access to over 40 of the most
popular 3rd party applications for the workstation
Powertools - over 300 packages of applications that
run on Linux
StarOffice 5.1a CD

Documentation
Comprehensive documentation - Installation,
Reference, and Getting Started Guides

http://java.sun.com/features/1999/12/linux.html

jonesey

Sun might apologize, but Blackdown or any other developers outside sun that might have contributed. are still not mentioned anywhere on their site (Early access site requires registration woth Java Developer Connection).

It's kinda weak, but you can find it here.

>> 3. Strings are a class!!!

>This was done so they can be extensable. It is part of the java programming paradigm.

Umm, if you had read the JDK API reference, you would find that the class java.lang .String is in fact declared as final, so it cannot be extended. (This is for security reasons).

When you've finished rambling, go over here and read what Sun really has to say about the Blackdown team effort.