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Sun Drops Linux Distro
The Wireless Guy writes "eWeek is reporting that Sun has decided to stop offering a Linux distribution. From the story: "Yes, this is a change in strategy. Our Sun Linux distribution is essentially Red Hat Linux with a few minor tweaks," John Loiacono, vice president of Sun's operating platforms group"... so, is this good news for Red Hat?" They were rethinking it, and I guess they've had a good long thunk.
i'm glad. i don't like rpm based distributions. i've had so many headaches due to rpm.... grrr.... what we need is more source based distros like gentoo. then we'll be talking.
I write code.
It didn't make any sense to produce a product (for free) that would directly compete (in some circumstances) with a product that they produce for sale (Solaris/SunOS).
I know for a fact that businesses told Sun they could not envisage using their offerings - it just didn't get you anything you couldn't get elsewhere better and cheaper...
and if they won't die they will announce to fire half of their employees within a year. they just don't get it. the ceo keeps complaining about microsoft, yet sun's is in a completely different ball park. their ultimate enemy is linux and their own processor architecture. they need to make a transition towards a service oriented company - with less dependency on their own technology. like hp does. like ibm does. they don't care what they sell, but they do. goodby sun ! (i liked them A LOT back then when they did workstations).
This can only be good news. Instead of supporting one branded distribution, they'll be supporting multiple existing ones.
They are planning on making money on support so this really doesn't change things much in the big picture.
All the best,
--Bob
They seem to have a multipersonality disorder. First they claim solarisx86 is the answer, then they come out with AMD powered blades and claim solarisx86 is dead and cancels it, then they bundle sun linux for their amd blades, then they decide to resurect solarisx86 after all the vendors left and use it in conjection with linux, now they are deciding to cancel linux again?, or maybe do an all linux with redhat.
Redhat has stated publically they do not like Sun marketing Solarisx86 and they consider it a competitor. My guess is redhat is willing to do a port if Sun cancels solarisx86 and eventually moved to redhat linux for their sparc machines.
Why can't sun just keep a direction or any direction for that matter? It makes them look bad not to mention if I was an IT manager I would feel real uncomfortable purchasing a sun solution. How do I know what I pick today will be supported by sun tommorow?
Since they are outsourcing all their programmers for minimal wage in India, perhaps the marketing and sales team should be outsourced as well. There expensive American counterparts are not real effective.
http://saveie6.com/
The only great value they provide to the market now is big Unix boxen for running large databases. Sun servers are non existant in the low-end, and Linux and Windows will continue to eat up the mid-range server markets for years to come. The high-end backend database servers for running big databases where you need 64 bit computing are the only areas where Linux and Windows have still to hit. Eventually however Intel 64 bit computing will catch up. Then the only thing left will be the super high-end, where mainframes still rule. And that market is much too small to support a company as big as Sun currently is.
The first issue is time. It takes time to put out a custom distribution and/or packages. Unless one is adding an appropriate amount of added value, the effort is questionable. A while back, I was on an internal security team for a major corporation. We had a security software product that we had licensed with access to its source code. We did not review this code, but we did compile it ourselves for a couple of platforms and create official corporate packages for internal use. It then became apparent that the default binary packages direct from the vendor were created using the same options. Without regular code review - what justified the additional time and effort? There was no acceptable answer - we began deploying vendor binary packages.
It makes sense for Sun to drop the customized distribution approach. After all, are they really bringing anything new to the environment that's not already being covered by existing Linux vendors? Working with those vendors to ensure that your product will work with theirs seems to be a much more sensible, and lest time-costly, approach. Especially when vendors like Red Hat are pushing towards Enterprise solutions.
Which leads in to the next point. From the article:
Money. The price of Linux is an interesting point. The no-cost aspects of a Linux distribution is nothing to toss aside too lightly. A lack of licensing fees and tracking headaches makes building a development box based on Linux that much easier. Price is very important to small and mid-sized businesses.
But even though licensing fees have come under increased scrutiny by corporate interests who wish to limit their spending in the current economy, its a relatively minor point. These environments are more than capable of handling licensing fees (although license tracking is still an issue). So in this regard, free in the sense of no-cost has never been an issue.
It might be worth noting that even with Red Hat's Advanced Server offering is still about service. Most of what makes up this new product is still available for free in source code form. One could compile one's own binaries and build one's own Advanced Server-like environment. Buying a license from Red Hat gets you access to their binaries - it is essentially buying a service. Which is a real time-saver whether you're in charge of a corporate IT infrastructure or need a friendly platform to help sell hardware.
Guys,
The only company that does more waffling than you do is IHOP! (Intl House Of Pancakes)
If it weren't for the cool stuff you've done for the community, (Open Office, anybody?) I'd think you were a bunch of clueless morons.
Well, I still think you're a bunch of clueless morons that from time to time do something really, really cool.
Come on, guys! I'm trying to root for you, here!
-Ben
I have no problem with your religion until you decide it's reason to deprive others of the truth.
Please see:
http://www.sunsource.net/
Before saying how little commitment Sun has to Open Source.
The fact that they (ok, "we") are going to be offering -multiple- Linux distributions coming soon notwisthstanding, all you have to do is look at how much of Solaris already uses Open Source (like Linux) and watch the coming releases to see how much MORE we support Open Source utilities in Solaris in the future.
Sun is one of the largest commercial contributors to the Open Source community and is also a strong supporter of open standards.
Your comment about Linux has some merit, as Sun obviously has more resources working on Solaris. Your comment has no footing in relation to Open Source commitment.
It is more productive to voice thoughtful opinions (reply) than to judge (moderate) others.
...that we had pushback from customers on selling a "non-standard" linux...
When I was at Sun, this is exactly what I tried to feed back. Who in their right mind would want a non-standard/niche flavour of linux when they can get the real thing from RedHat. Aside from support what value would Sun be offering? The last thing Sun needs is to become another ICL.
This reminds me of Sun386. Remember that? Reactionary thinking by elements of management who shouldn't be allowed to make decisions.
I like linux, but I love Solaris.
# init 5
Connection closed.
Oh...
What the hell? I don't we're there yet -- the distributions are NOT that different. Sun is very very divided on Linux, I just hope they get it together soon and figure out how to work with Linux because McNealy at least is right: a vote for Linux is a vote for Unix!
"... I declare our city to be a free and independent state to be named Tri-Insula!" --Fernando Wood, Mayor of NYC 1861