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Sun to Build Alternative Desktop ?
murthydn writes " At "Sun Tech Days 2003" Developer Conference in India ,Sun Microsystems Inc Chairman, President and CEO Scott McNealy exhorted Indian software programmers to build Sun's "desktop computer" as an alternative system to Microsoft software architecture .The complete article is here" 'Cuz if there is one thing that will save Sun, its a new desktop platform. *cough*
I'm honestly trying to think of what advantages Sun could bring to a desktop, and I can't think of any.
The "incompatible with the standard, but based on Unix and fun to use" dimension is covered by Apple. The "cheap and runs on your hardware, but is almost enterprise-ready" page has Linux written all over it.
It seems Sun would be better off writing software to kick MS's butt. A high quality office suite, or a set of network tools that make IE look like etch-a-sketch. It's not much, but it's something, and they need anything.
That they cannot compete with PC hardware in the desktop market (I assume from the article they're thinking of creating a new desktop machine). They've never been a good choice for anything but high-end hardware in terms of price/performance, so how will a new (almost certainly overpriced) workstation help matters? Who will buy it?!
Code, Hardware, stuff like that.
Basically, they want to build a linux desktop pc. Now here is where it might get interesting. Lets assume that they do the following:a ybe even future proof it by including PCI Express
-remove all legacy hardware:floppy,ps/2,...,IDE
-build in available techs: SATA,firewire,usb2,wi-fi,ethernet,sound(5.1+)
-M
They may have a very nice little desktop here. Make it a small form factor, and you might have a gold mine.
just my 2cents
later,
"Im drowning here, and you're describing the water!"
I've been waiting for one large Software vendor to bring out a Desktop OS that can compete with Windows. The most obvious choice would be to use Linux and Wine for out-of-the-box compatibility with Windows for apps and games. I know this has been done before (Lindows blah blah) but what if someone LARGE with MONEY like Sun or IBM does what Apple allready have; a Unix based Desktop OS for the masses. I know lot's of people would buy this when it runs on cheap hardware, is windows compatible and is backed by a large and respected company.
Ciryon
They're not reinventing anything, they're just packaging up commodities including Linux and GNOME in an enterprise-friendly way and providing technical support. No other large company is in the position to do that because they are all party to some sort of Faustian bargain with Microsoft that prevents them from providing any alternative.
The clue is in the article:
He appears to be talking about some sort of thin client, which is certainly potentially different to what MS is doing. Whether it is actually any thinner than a PC running terminal-type software, and whether Sun can do any better than Oracle in making thin clients take off beyond a few specific niches remains to be seen.
Virtually serving coffee
What Sun could do, which would help everyone, is put some work into the GNUStep project. This project includes a Java API - a very nice one; Sun would encourage the creation of OpenStep Java applications in doing so, and could take the opportunity to create a rather good cross-Unix-platform desktop while they do it. I've used OpenStep Java under OS X, and it actually felt like a smoother development arena than the Objective C system you're "supposed" to use.
Of course, it does mean Sun would be promoting a second API for Java, and that might not be quite what they want to do. OTOH, the worst part of Java, in my experience, is the standard set of APIs, so perhaps that'd be a good thing for the language and concept as a whole.
You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
It makes sense. What Sun is trying to produce is a Linux/Java/Gnome/KDE based desktop that is a low-cost alternative to the Microsoft desktop. In other words the same thing that all the Linux entusiasts have been doing for years.
It may catch in India, as they are well oriented towards low-cost computing even if it is not very feature-rich. Remember the simputer
The government also seems to be Linux oriented even after some MS attempts to win the indian developers.
Unfortunately a lot of people here in the US pick careers based on how much money they can make, rather than having any aptitude for the given task.
When hiring for technology positions, managers need to hire people that are smarter than they are. Managing talented people is difficult, as is taking credit for there efforts.
Indian programmer are often very smart and well educated. Their education system isn't totally bolloxed up by the focus on sport. Instead they focus on science and math, playing cricket later. That's not to say everyone there is educated, but those that are should not be ignored because they need less money to do the job.
The general blaming H1B visas or offshore labour for the economy or job market is misplaced. It's a failure in the education system (at many levels), and consumers not being willing to pay the frieght on products built at home.
Throwing money at the US education system is not the solution either, it requires a whole change in mindset.
"There's no scarcity of spectrum any more than there's a scarcity of the color green.", David Reed
It's a short article. SM says
"We want you to build the next generation software alternative to the Microsoft architecture"
It then goes on to say
He said the desktop with a smart card reader capability would have Mad Hatter, Linux, Gnome, Evolution and Java's star office products (emphasis mine)
It seems to be saying to me that the alternative to Windows is Linux, Gnome etc, not something new. Sounds like all those developers will be contributing to Linux and Gnome etc, adding software and capabilities that will make it compete with Windows.
Sounds good to me...
Now maybe I'm wrong. If so, could someone point out where in the 7 paragraphs (6 really sine one "paragraph" is a single line) it says that Sun will be making its "own" desktop environment and not use what they already support (Gnome)?
Or did some of the whiners not bother to read the article and just spout off because of a headline?
Never by hatred has hatred been appeased, only by kindness - the Buddha
Which is neat. However, if this is the marketing spiel...
> In todays corporate environment of people being rather mobile throughout the corporation, I'm surprised it hasn't caught on outside of Sun. Of course it precludes having a personalized workspace and a place to call "yours", but
See yesterday's thread on "How [not to] improve employee morale"
> perhaps combining the idea of "home base" no matter where you are along with a personalized workspace would be something I'd like to have.
Not trolling here - sincerely curious - why?
Humans are tribal animals, creatures of habit. The notion that a chunk of dirt (or carpet, or a computer) is "yours" is a very old ans powerful one.
On paper, it works - "my" computer is identical to everyone else's, so it doesn't matter which one I sit in front of.
In reality, it doesn't. The computer is "mine", because it's got my stickynotes on it (I don't use the things myself, but many users do), and it's on "my" desk. The desk is "mine" because it's got my papers, stuffed penguin, CD coaster, and double-sized coffee mug on it. It's in "my" cubicle because it's got my Dilbert page-a-day thingy on it, and "my" despair.com calendar on the wall. If I had to move into "someone else's" cubicle (the one with the calendar featuring cute little puppies), I'd freak.
Hoteling was a buzzword for a while, but how many companies can do it effectively without destroying morale?
Like any technical solution that requires a "paradigm shift" in a worker's attitude towards himself and his place in the company (and hoteling is definitely such a thing), unless you can get everyone to guzzle the Kool-Aid simultaneously, you're going to have a morale problem. No matter how good it sounds on paper.
"For the average user, a Mac is incompatible with the standard."
The standard what, exactly?
My answer? Simple; most people are convinced apple is going to have to jump platforms(ibm ppc970), but instead of jumping to one platform, apple should jump to several, at once. I am speaking of the fat binaries Jobs used at NeXTSTEP. He supported 4 platforms at once, and so can apple. :)