Sun Reconsidering Solaris 9 for x86

jeffphil writes "This article reports that Sun is meeting with a group of Solaris x86 users called the 'Secret Six.' The group was created to convince Sun to re-examine its previous decision to cancel Solaris on the x86 platform."

Comments

The Solaris Secret Six?

[soulsteal]

As compared to the "OS/2 Only Six?"

Re:The Solaris Secret Six?

[Rorschach1]

Hey, us Linux on MicroVAX users would be happy to have that many!

Re:The Solaris Secret Six?

[telstar]

I uninstalled it last night ... change it to five.

I wonder if....

[The Slashdolt]

Scott McNealy showed up to the meeting in a penguin outfit.

Secret six?

[awptic]

I didn't think x86 solaris had that many users.

Overpriced...

[Alomex]

The problem with Solaris for the x86 is that it was overpriced.

A transcript of the meeting w/ the "Secret Six"

[Bowie J. Poag]

Sun: So..Lets uh.... lets go over our findings so far.

S6: Ok..Here's uh..here's what we've got so far. Between the uh..the six of us...uh, 1 of us has heard of Solaris for x86. That would be uh... 18% of the population."

Sun: Fantastic. 18%. Wow. Management is gonna love that. 18.. wow....18% of the... wow. The new "insanity first" initiative here at the company is going to get off to a...uh..to a really, really impressive start. You know, just uh...acting like Linux doesnt exist just wont cut it anymore. We need to be REALLY insane this quarter... We need to uhh...raise the bar on....you know, management says "we need more insanity" and we need to deliver. We cant be insane enough, if you ask me....So.. Lets not only act like Linux doesnt exist, but lets get really crazy. But lets keep it sane. Crazy, but sane. uhh..Ok. Can I have a graph of your figures? Y'know, uhh..something to show them..?"

S6: Uhh.. Sure, here you go. A graph that shows that 18% of us have heard of Solaris for x86."

Sun: Fantastic. Ok, before I..before I uh...hand in my reccomendation on going forward with Solaris 9 for x86, lets uh..lets recap. Ok. We need to be insane. We need 10% minimum.. So you're uh...you're saying we meet both, uh..exceed both. Right?

S6: Uhh..yeah. Yes, definately. We've got a final figure of 18%, and we're insane. Thats correct.

Sun: Great. Ok, one minor concern.. This line here, this graph is sort of..uh..flat.. Its just a flat line going..uh..across the page. Can we do anything with that to uh...make it..you know, more uh..positive?

S6: Here. Let me show you.. (papers ruffled) ...When you show them the graph, hand it do them like this. See? At an angle. Like this.. One more time... got the graph, hand it to them like..........this....

Sun: You guys are incredible. Thanks so much. How about we uh....tenatively, 9 AM tomorrow? We'll go over our results. I..uh...yeah, 9 AM sounds good for me.

S6: Ok. 5PM? Sounds good. 3PM. Gotcha.

Sun: Gotcha. 11:21 AM. See you then, gang.

Cheers,

Re:Release the source

[Alomex]

Solaris scales to 106 processors last time I checked.

As if that was a common requirement, as in:

Gee, honey do you think is time to upgrade junior's 106 processor box?,

or

Mr. Smithers, get the CTO to the office. Its time to order another dozen 106 processor boxes.

Re:We need more of this

[PCM2]

It's not that I'm all that fond of x86, I just love the example that they are setting here. They make an executive decision, there is a public uproar, and they stop and reconsider.

Are you listening, Microsoft? It's easier than you think to make us happy.

It's not so much that we want fair, reasonable business practices based on sound market economics. What we want is MOB RULE!

Don't believe it

[PD]

Back when I was in college, I did a similar survey of the women on campus. 94% said they would sleep with me within 90 days. Turns out that they were only interested in getting a free copy of Solaris.