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Sun Microsystems, SuSE Link Up To Sell Linux

Posted by timothy on from the left-hand-meet-right-hand dept.

ChilyWily writes "Reuters is reporting that Sun Microsystems Inc. has agreed to resell and support closely held German software firm SuSE's version of the Linux operating system, the leading variant in Europe, the companies said on Friday. This agreement follows a similar one in May between Sun and Red Hat Inc. While I'm happy to see Sun's finally beginning to warm up to Linux (aka if you can't beat 'em, join 'em strategy) I wonder if this is too late for Sun?"

2 of 272 comments (clear)

  1. Re:It's about time... by melete · · Score: 5, Insightful

    no matter what, Linux from Sun is free and clear from litigation.

    Not neccesarily. In the unlikely event that SCO were to win their case, Sun would be distributing any tainted parts of Linux without a valid license from the original copyright holder of the tainted code. For SCO to win, the GPL has to be invalidated, at least in a limited sense, which will leave everyone, including SCO and Sun, scrambling for legal cover.

  2. You people have really missed the point. by EoRaptor · · Score: 5, Insightful

    1. Sun offers 'big name' support contract for Linux.

    2. Fortune 1000 companies require this type of backing on any new 'deployment'.

    3. Sun now has an 'in' for their sales and support team.

    4. Eventually, the solution to further growth will be something linux is 'unable' to do.

    5. Experience with Sun, means Solaris is a natural upgrade choice.

    6. Profit!

    Sun doesn't care at all, they'd support windows if they could figure out some way to convince people that Solaris was the natural upgrade path from that. Linux will always have the 'hobby' stigma attached (mainly becuase Sun will always be whispering in the right ears. After all, they have access.) and thus Solaris is an easy sell, along with the dedicated, lock in hardware for it. Sun can't lose, even if they cna't upsell the client, they have still made a truckload of money on the support contract.

    Grow up everyone, Sun isn't run by technologists, and doesn't give alick about Linux (or Solaris for that matter). What they want is money, and this is a means to that end. It may align with some peoples goals to promote Linux, but don't get confused about what Sun is really doing.