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Sun Java Desktop System Release 2

Jahf writes "Sun is putting out Java Desktop System Release 2. Some overview information is in this article while more technical information about the new management solutions are in this one. Quickly: the desktop environment is essentially the same, though Sun has added support for GIMLET (allows one to change the current input language on a per-window basis), officially supported Japanese and Korean translations, and is including a Java-based online update client. The bigger changes are management items that are normally hidden from the end-user but valuable to the Admin. Configuration Manager allows admins to setup client preferences for remote desktops and 'protect' those settings to create policies. Sun Control Station (the last remaining Sun product from the Cobalt acquisition) can work as a network imaging server, can monitor remote desktops, and can work as a patch server (both by pushing patches out to many desktops and by serving as an online update server for clients who need to pull additional packages)."

196 comments

  1. Java for the desktop... by SpanishInquisition · · Score: 4, Funny

    because maybe your computer is too fast

    --
    Je t'aime Stéphanie
    1. Re:Java for the desktop... by persaud · · Score: 1

      Be happy. Sun will have more success selling "Java for the desktop" than "Linux for the desktop", even though JDS is 95% Linux and 5% Java. If there's one product Sun has been successful at marketing, that product would be Java. The localization and configuration management improvements will eventually find their (cloned) way back into other Linux distros. Sun contributes to Linux in a credible way without inviting Solaris comparisons. Everyone wins.

    2. Re:Java for the desktop... by necro2607 · · Score: 1

      Nah, that's what Windows is for! Or any game written in the past 4 years... wanna burn those CPU cycles? Just bust out a copy of Halo: Combat Evolved and watch your CPU struggle to reach 20fps

  2. When you can run Ninnle... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ....why even bother with Solaris?

  3. Desktops of SUN, Red Hat, and Novell by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Who will become the leader for Linux desktops, Sun, Red Hat, or Novell?

    1. Re:Desktops of SUN, Red Hat, and Novell by SLASHAttitude · · Score: 1

      I really do not care who wins. I tend to think it will be RedHat or Suse(Novell) but that is just me.

    2. Re:Desktops of SUN, Red Hat, and Novell by Timesprout · · Score: 1

      SO what you are saying is Novell since Redhat have pretty much given up.

      --
      Do not try to read the dupe, thats impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth
      What truth?
      There is no dupe
    3. Re:Desktops of SUN, Red Hat, and Novell by bug-eyed+monster · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I hope all of the above. Choice is good, and as long as they interoperate, I believe it would be fantastic to have several "leaders" each with its own look and feel catering to a different class of users.

    4. Re:Desktops of SUN, Red Hat, and Novell by Bricklets · · Score: 1

      SO what you are saying is Novell since Redhat have pretty much given up.

      I'm pretty sure Red Hat has not abandoned the corporate desktop linux market, just the consumer desktop linux market. The average non-techie may very well go to work in the near future and use Red Hat rather than Windows. And depending on how successful Red Hat is at this, they may revive the consumer desktop edition. Until then, I believe Fedora is available.

      --
      Little Bricklets
    5. Re:Desktops of SUN, Red Hat, and Novell by chez69 · · Score: 1

      nobody can stop it because nobody can install it.

      --
      PHP is the solution of choice for relaying mysql errors to web users.
    6. Re:Desktops of SUN, Red Hat, and Novell by LnxAddct · · Score: 1

      Red Hat has not given up anything! Just because you see it on Slashdot doesn't make it true. A few people are just making alot of noise against RH, just like Gentoo only sports a few thousand users, but yet you always here people ranting about it. RH contributes more then any other company, and by far. They also stick strictly to their OpenSource policy. Give them a break, I mean they decided to give their desktop edition out for free instead of making you pay for it, what a horrible thing to do. They changed the name, big deal, people still use firefox, but that name has been changed at least 3 times. Fedora still has all the same RH9 developers, its just now you can't call up headquarters crying about a problem and making them fix it for you for free on the 1-800 line that they pay for. You can email the devs, I do all the time. They are nice guys and provide better free support then Microsoft provides for the Server that has to be payed for. I know this because I admin an Exchange Server(the PHBs chose it) at the firm I work at .
      Regards,
      Steve
      P.S. Fedora Core 1 is very stable, more so then both Mandrake and Suse, both of which I have used. If you want bleeding edge then use the test versions that Fedora has.

    7. Re:Desktops of SUN, Red Hat, and Novell by utopyr · · Score: 1

      The best line for this is something Mike Cooley, from the Drive-By Truckers, said when a fight broke out at a gig of theirs:

      "Whip his ass. Whip his ass. I don't care who wins, just whip his ass."

  4. The main benefit to upgrading... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    ... is that all Java software has been removed.

  5. Sun Control Station 2.0 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    It's not exactly the same as the old Sun Cobalt variety,
    for some reason they rewrote the whole thing in Java.

    And the new one doesn't come bundled with hardware.

    1. Re:Sun Control Station 2.0 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The web frontend runs on tomcat alright, the rest still is perl (just dive in the directories of SCS to check)

    2. Re:Sun Control Station 2.0 by dagnabit · · Score: 2, Informative

      Actually the original product had quite a bit of Java in it. HTML was too unwieldy for displaying large numbers of machines...

      There was an HTML "wrapper" interface (a la RaQ 550 etc), but the bulk of the interface was Java.

    3. Re:Sun Control Station 2.0 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The interface did have some java list applets.

      The server software frontend was in Perl/PHP,
      now it is re-written using Java/Tomcat instead.
      The server backend is still left as Perl scripts
      and a little MySQL database to store stuff in.

      And it still sucks...

  6. Re:Where's the innovation by H4x0r+Jim+Duggan · · Score: 2, Insightful

    > If its linux, just call it linux

    That's like me saying "Since it's GNU/Linux, just call it GNU/Linux".

    I'm right, but do most people listen?

    No, don't say the "GNU/", it's bad for business. Well, now even the "Linux" bit is bad for business.

  7. Re:Wooptie Dooo by Neil+Blender · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sun is has been going no where fast

    I'd say Sun is going no where slow. Just like their products.

  8. Re:Where's the innovation by Bricklets · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Could they make it look any more like Windows

    They are probably trying to reduce the amount of effort (and training costs) needed to retrain users that are familar with Windows. Usability is all about having an interface that does what users expect. Right now, they expect it to act like Windows.

    --
    Little Bricklets
  9. Computers don't "run" Java by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny
    They "walk" it.

    I'm here all day, folks.

    1. Re:Computers don't "run" Java by SuburbaniteFury · · Score: 2, Funny

      Actually, they "run" the Java Virtual Machine just fine, but somewhere in there a shoelace comes untied...

    2. Re:Computers don't "run" Java by wideBlueSkies · · Score: 1

      >>They "walk" it.

      And yet it seems to crawl.

      wbs.

      --
      Huh?
  10. Re:can you imagine a beowulf cluster using this? by Neil+Blender · · Score: 2, Funny

    Actually, I think the hardware requirements suggest at a minimum you should run it on a 4 node beowulf cluster.

  11. Re:Where's the innovation by CaptainCheese · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Could they make it look any more like Windows. This here is a linux OS that is trying to look as much like linux as possible.

    Woah, there. That doesn't even BEGIN to make sense. (unless that's some weird, round about way of saying it doesn't look like MS Windows)

    Incidentally, I don't think anyones got any business knocking the windows GUI. There are many things wrong with the Redmond family of operating systems but, to give them their due, they've put a hell of a lot of work into making the desktop work reasonably well.

    --
    -- .sigs are a waste of data...turn them off...
  12. Re:can you imagine a beowulf cluster using this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Heaven forbid it might actually be fast :|

  13. Re:Where's the innovation by Avenel · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Today corporate innovation consists of finding new and exciting ways to move jobs overseas (without being the focus of a segment on 60 minutes). That being said... I'm sure there is PLENTY of "innovation" in the Java Desktop.

  14. Re:Where's the innovation by Moth7 · · Score: 1

    Actually, that would make it not GNU/Linux. It would still be "Linux", just Sun/Linux

  15. Attention to user experience is good sign by 192939495969798999 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I am glad to see that Sun is stepping up the features long touted as superior on Windows machines, that is the ease of modifying user parameters based on some policy or other national/language based settings -- it sounds like this setup is geared towards that rising Asian marketshare, as well as towards those Wal-Mart customers. Lest anyone think selling PC's at Wal-Mart is dumb, just count the zero's on Wal-Mart's revenue stream... they aren't #1 on Fortune 500 for NOT selling things!

    --
    stuff |
    1. Re:Attention to user experience is good sign by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      A lot of people think partnering with Wal*Mart is dumb. They didn't get to #1 on the 500 by not being savagely ruthless.

  16. Recommended Server Requirements by DA-MAN · · Score: 4, Informative

    Recommended (Minimum) Configuration

    * 2 Ghz Intel Compatible processor or better
    * 1GB of RAM
    * 160 GB hard drive
    * 10/200 Base-T Ethernet network interface


    Wonder what a 200BaseT nic is... Can't say I've ever seen this before.

    --
    Can I get an eye poke?
    Dog House Forum
    1. Re:Recommended Server Requirements by jamespharaoh · · Score: 2, Funny

      More importantly... does it really require a 160GB hard drive?

    2. Re:Recommended Server Requirements by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      i was gonna ouch! that's a lot of stuff! but then realized that was server side, not desktop.

      as for 200BaseT, I dont think it'll really matter what NIC(s) is/are thrown in there, as long as it's fast enough for the machine's applications to be usable.

    3. Re:Recommended Server Requirements by bratgrrl · · Score: 4, Funny

      "Wonder what a 200BaseT nic is.."

      Token Ring revival! w00t!

      --

      ---

      SCO is weenies
      Gator is Spyware
      Microsoft is thugs

    4. Re:Recommended Server Requirements by Neil+Blender · · Score: 2, Funny

      More importantly... does it really require a 160GB hard drive?

      That was a typo, it should read '160GB available disk space'.

    5. Re:Recommended Server Requirements by davecb · · Score: 1
      It seems perfectly ok on my old "departmental loaner" portable: 400 MHZ, 256KB memory, a 10/100 Mbit/S ethernet card and a somewhat slow ide disk.

      --dave

      --
      davecb@spamcop.net
    6. Re:Recommended Server Requirements by gumbi+west · · Score: 2, Informative
      Why is this informative? The minimum spec is:
      • Pentium II-compatible processor, 266 MHz
      • 4-GB hard disk
      • 128-MB RAM
      • 800x600 screen resolution
      The parent is just troll, and the moderators bought it because they didn't read the article either!

      BTW, recomended is:

      • Pentium III-compatible processor, 600 MHz or faster
      • at least 4-GB hard disk
      • at least 256-MB RAM
      • 1024x768 screen resolution or better
      Not bad.
    7. Re:Recommended Server Requirements by DA-MAN · · Score: 1

      I'm not trolling. I stated that this was the recommended server requirements. Hell that's what the Subject says.

      I was pointing to the fact that there is no such thing as a 10/200 BaseT nic.

      --
      Can I get an eye poke?
      Dog House Forum
    8. Re:Recommended Server Requirements by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hey Genius, try reading the parent posters fucking subject line. It clearly states 'Recommended Server Requirements'. According to your link:

      Desktop Software System Requirements
      Minimum Supported Configuration
      Pentium II-compatible processor, 266 MHz; 4-GB hard disk; 128-MB RAM; 800x600 screen resolution
      Recommended Configuration
      Pentium III-compatible processor, 600 MHz or faster; at least 4-GB hard disk; at least 256-MB RAM; 1024x768 screen resolution or better


      Emphasis on desktop retard, desktop as in not server. Scroll down just a little bit further and you will see the following:

      Server Hardware Requirements
      Minimum hardware requirements

      * 600 Mhz Intel Compatible processor or better
      * 512 MB of RAM
      * 160 GB hard drive, at least 400 MB of free disk space in the directory /var
      * 10/100 Base-T Ethernet network interface

      Recommended (Minimum) Configuration

      * 2 Ghz Intel Compatible processor or better
      * 1GB of RAM
      * 160 GB hard drive
      * 10/200 Base-T Ethernet network interface


      Which, it appears, the parent poster had pasted to begin with. Also I think the main point he was trying to make is WTF is a 10/200 Base-T NIC!?!??!

      Either way your dumbass totally missed the point. Now go fuck yourself.

    9. Re:Recommended Server Requirements by gumbi+west · · Score: 1
      I realize this, I wrote a response to my own post clearing it up and didn't have time to wait for the 2 minute window to pass... so there you go, thank you slashcode.

      None the less, the 200 is obviously a typo, and it doesn't make sense as a "minimum" spec anyway, why require it to do 10? if you need 100, why not just a 100 BaseT nic requirement? If 10 is okay, why put in the 100?

    10. Re:Recommended Server Requirements by Jahf · · Score: 1

      those were the -server- requirement (Control Station, Configuration Manager) not the desktop client itself.

      --
      It is more productive to voice thoughtful opinions (reply) than to judge (moderate) others.
  17. Blinders! by imidazole2 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Lockdown of the user desktop: In the context of configuration management, lockdown plays a significant role, as it prevents users from changing their default environment and helps administrators provide and mandate simpler desktop environments, which in turn can help prevent users from being distracted from their core work. In the competition with other desktop systems, lockdown plays an important role.

    Sun's software now includes blinders! Why wont my opponet debate this issue? Is it because he's a horse... or because he has BLINDERS ON! No periphial vision! *snap* *snap* *snap*

    --

    -Imidazole2
    1. Re:Blinders! by heybo · · Score: 3, Insightful
      Blinders are a good thing when you are trying to get a horse to pull a plow.

      Personally after doing desktop tech for so long this is a GOOD! thing.

      80% of workstation problems come from user intervention. Lock downs keep out virsus and spyware. Of course Betty in accounting will hate you because she can't have her cute little screen saver of cats climbing around her machine.

    2. Re:Blinders! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Traveshamockery!

  18. Although it's fun to joke about Java... by Meat+Blaster · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Its biggest perceived flaw (slow execution speed) is largely a thing of a past. Properly engineered Java applications run smoothly, especially when they take advantage of native display rendering speedups as Eclipse does.

    In an entire environment based on and tailored toward Java, such as Sun's Java Desktop System, the language really shines. Rapid setup and deployment benefits system administrators, while developer productivity is enhanced by the optimization of the develop, execute, debug and deploy cycle.

    This type of setup just makes sense when you're dealing with a network of disparate hardware and software. The more that can be made common and interoperable, the easier it is to get things done. And it looks like Sun Java Desktop System has only gotten more affordable and easy to use.

    1. Re:Although it's fun to joke about Java... by SQLz · · Score: 4, Funny

      Scott McNealy, is that you? How you doing buddy?

    2. Re:Although it's fun to joke about Java... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Er, Sun's 'Java Desktop' System has very little to do with Java the programming language - it's just a branding exercise.

      Under the hood it is all the gnome community stuff (which is all written in C) with a bit of polish and perhpas a couple extra management apps. I guess the management apps are written in Java but thats it.

    3. Re:Although it's fun to joke about Java... by Jim_Maryland · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Its biggest perceived flaw (slow execution speed) is largely a thing of a past.

      Just to back you up, my group does some pretty extensive image and dataset processing using Java based code. While most of the images are a couple hundred megabytes in size, it's not unusual for a several gigabyte image to to be processed too. Processing time is definitely a concern of ours and we've found the more recent Java versions to perform quite nicely.

      As for the Java Desktop System, I think the bigest issues it faces are related to hardware support (device drivers) from the various vendors.

      For as much complaining people here seem to do against Sun, remember how some of the popular open source projects got large chunks of their code (Apache Jakartaand Open Office are two that come to mind). I know that Sun hasn't open sourced everything, but at least they follow open standards.

    4. Re:Although it's fun to joke about Java... by cpeterso · · Score: 0


      Java continues to have serious performance problems. I wrote some Java code and it was damn slow!

    5. Re:Although it's fun to joke about Java... by donnz · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      I find it "+5 Interesting" that people are still kidding themselves re: Java.

      Properly engineered Java applications run smoothly

      Ahh, that's it. Properly implemented, Communism can't fail either.

      --
      -- Free software on every PC on every desk
    6. Re:Although it's fun to joke about Java... by grassy_knoll · · Score: 3, Insightful
      Perhaps it's that I've yet to run into a "Properly engineered" application, but everything I've seen written in Java has been, well, slow.


      There is improvement in some applications; the Oracle enterprise manager in the 9i client does have a much better feel than the 8i client for instance.


      Still, comparing a web application (for instance) written in .jsp/java beans with one written in perl/php/asp/ColdFusion/et. al. usually results in scrapping the .jsp/java beans code.


      So I'll agree that there have been some speed improvements, but I haven't seen much. That could be from improvements in the JVM, the language itself, or better engineering but it doesn't feel wide spread (yet?).

    7. Re:Although it's fun to joke about Java... by donbrock · · Score: 2, Funny

      >I wrote some Java code and it was damn slow!

      Good argument.

    8. Re:Although it's fun to joke about Java... by master_p · · Score: 2, Informative

      Java was never slow on numerical computations. It is slow because of the excessive casting needed when using collections, doing searches with keys (which must be derived from Object) etc.

      Java 1.5 templates will not solve this situation, unfortunately.

      And of course, Swing is slow because of the bloated architecture.

    9. Re:Although it's fun to joke about Java... by mcc · · Score: 1

      How exactly is the JDS "tailored to" Java? I thought I'd I heard the Java in the title was just a brandname and the GUI was GNOME. Or do you just mean that it comes with a high-quality JVM as opposed to the crud Windows or most web browsers ship with?

      I know very little about the JDS but I'm curious.

    10. Re:Although it's fun to joke about Java... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > Properly engineered Java applications run smoothly

      Ahh, that's it. Properly implemented, Communism can't fail either.


      Now you're borderline trolling.

      It is a fact that I have run a variety of Java applications. It is a fact that some of them were incredibly sluggish, in the "have a tea break while you wait for the menu you clicked on to open" sense. But it is also a fact that one or two of them seemed as responsive as any C++ application.

      The implication is that it is possible to write a Java application that runs smoothly, but also that this is quite a tricky thing to get right.

      Hey, guess what - the Java fanboys and the Java haters were both partly right!

      Coming next week: a prominent "BSD is dying" troll admits that he's quite fond of Beastie, and a Mac fanboy confesses to using Microsoft products regularly.

    11. Re:Although it's fun to joke about Java... by sander · · Score: 1

      But the biggest flaw in your argument is that this is slashdot, so you are forever arguing against people who heard "java is slow" from somebody and will never learn otherwise because downloading java and finding out is too hard for them.

    12. Re:Although it's fun to joke about Java... by sander · · Score: 1

      you should learn better algorithms than bubblesort. or think of less obvious ways to troll.

    13. Re:Although it's fun to joke about Java... by Moraelin · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Let me just say two things:

      1. Java's main flaw is that it can't be swapped out (or it can, but the garbage collector brings it all right back in) and takes a shitload of memory. I.e., it's ok for small utilities, or small games like MegaMek, or a single IDE loaded on a 1 GB machine. But try loading even 1 MB more java stuff than the machine has RAM, and it'll crawl.

      We actually have to develop server-side java stuff here, but the catch is that we also get to test them locally. Between a local copy of WebSphere, Eclipse, and a few other utilities, you'd be surprised how easy you can get a 1 GB machine to thrash through swap. (And that's more RAM than Joe User would have.) Most of us have learned to get around that by not keeping too much stuff loaded. (Already an exercise that with C programs would not be necessary.)

      A coleague obviously hasn't, or rather can't. He also has to keep a Java based XML editor open, and stuff like that. His machine always feels slower than an old ZX Spectrum or Commodore 64. He and another coleague had, last I've heard, requested permission to buy their own computers with 2 GB RAM for work.

      Yeah, that't gotta be the future of desktop environments to inflict upon Joe User.

      2. Again: Sun's Java Desktop, is _not_ a Java based desktop. It's a bog standard Gnome desktop with a new theme and the exact same JVM that you'd get with any other Linux distro. It's not more geared towards Java than any other Linux distro you could buy.

      Now I can see some advantages to it, but "geared towards Java" is _not_ one of them. "Java" is no more than a marketting buzzword there. It's just like Intel's bunnies telling you that a Pentium makes your Internet go faster.

      --
      A polar bear is a cartesian bear after a coordinate transform.
    14. Re:Although it's fun to joke about Java... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      Nonsense. Sun's "JAVA Desktop" is a modified GNOME desktop, nothing else.

      The reason why it is so slow is not java, it's the latency introduced by GTK (on which GNOME is based). In fact the Java Desktop has nothing to do with Java.

      > native display rendering speedups as Eclipse does

      native display rendering isn't java anymore.

    15. Re:Although it's fun to joke about Java... by Jahf · · Score: 1

      Not true.

      * GNOME ... Internationalization / Localization are improved ... remote management of GNOME preferences (and Mozilla, Evolution, etc).

      * Java is being tailored to work better on the desktop. Is it available for anyone who wants to download it, yes, but Java Desktop from Sun helps get those desktop requirements into Java.

      * Java apps are specifically sought after, evaluated and when the quality meets or exceeds other components, included in Java Desktop

      * Java is pre-installed and configured for various things like Mozilla and Star Office.

      * In the background Sun is not just working to put more and more desktop functionality into Java, but is working to make it easier to code things like GNOME with Java. Again, yes you could get that without Java Desktop as a platform, but having the platform helps accelerate the process -and- for people who are concerned about such things helps them know that they will get as much Java as they can with a minimum amount of effort.

      If the above doesn't matter for you, and it quite possibly doesn't, then you are not the Java Desktop target user. These features are targetted more at business desktop use, not home use (preinstalled JVMs may not mean much if you only have to install it on one box ... but installing it and supporting it on thousands of boxes is a different story).

      But just because you don't want the features does not mean they are invalidated.

      --
      It is more productive to voice thoughtful opinions (reply) than to judge (moderate) others.
    16. Re:Although it's fun to joke about Java... by Jahf · · Score: 1

      see

      http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=106360&thres ho ld=1&commentsort=3&tid=102&mode=thread&cid=9060975

      --
      It is more productive to voice thoughtful opinions (reply) than to judge (moderate) others.
  19. Re:Where's the innovation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It's still a variant of the GNU OS (like GNU/Linux is). If you call it GNU/Sun, or GNU/Sun/Linux, or Sun's Own GNU/Linux (SOGL?).

  20. Isn't this just plain ol' linux? by broothal · · Score: 4, Interesting

    So what does the Sun Java Desktop gives me if I buy it? These are the key features:

    Desktop Features
    o A GNOME desktop environment
    o StarOffice Productivity Suite
    o Mozilla web browser
    o Evolution mail directory and calendar clients
    o Instant Messaging support for multiple services
    o Linux operating system
    o Java System Update Services
    o Globalization, Internationalization and Localization Support
    Developer Tools
    o Java 2 Standard Edition (J2SE) v1.4.2_04, including the Java SDK
    o Sun Java Studio Standard 5 update 1 Technology Preview
    o NetBeans IDE version 3.6
    System Management Tools and Client Configuration Tools
    o The Java Desktop System Configuration Manager
    o Sun Control Station 2.1
    o The Remote Desktop Takeover

    With a few exceptions, such as the System management tools, most of these features can be found in a normal linux system. I'm obviously missing something here? (I hope - enlighten me please)

    1. Re:Isn't this just plain ol' linux? by Mr.+Darl+McBride · · Score: 4, Insightful
      With a few exceptions, such as the System management tools, most of these features can be found in a normal linux system. I'm obviously missing something here?
      A standardized configuration with very specific and well-documented apps. One of Linux's big problems is also its greatest benefit -- lots of options. That's great if you're tuning a system for your use, but not so great if you're trying to support it.

      What Sun does next will determine how well this will work. If they're just trying to offer a desktop which they can sell support for, then this won't go much of anywhere.

      If they focus on selling certification and support documentation and training, this could make the Linux desktop infinitely more digestible to the enterprise, who want to be able to hire cheap and interchangeable developers and support personnel.

    2. Re:Isn't this just plain ol' linux? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sun/Java brand recognition. May be small in the consumer market but is big in the enterprise world.

    3. Re:Isn't this just plain ol' linux? by AKAImBatman · · Score: 4, Informative

      1. Sun bundles stuff that other distros can't. e.g. StarOffice (which has features that OpenOffice doesn't), Macromedia Flash, Java, RealPlayer, etc.

      2. $100 is the base price (actually $50 right now) that gets you one year of updates. You never have to pay another dime unless you want ANOTHER year of updates.

      3. Sun's plan is to bundle all of their desktop software into one package. As they add new value (e.g. MSAccess support for StarOffice is in the works), you get those upgrades free.

      4. Unlike many ad-hoc distros, JDS is founded upon the idea of being a consolidated desktop.

      I will say that at this point JDS is only slightly *different* from SuSE. SuSE may actually be the better pick. However, I do expect that JDS will become a lot more competitive in the future.

    4. Re:Isn't this just plain ol' linux? by dcrocha · · Score: 1

      Yes it is the plain old linux, but slower.

    5. Re:Isn't this just plain ol' linux? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Which normal linux distribution is set up to maintain the desktops of a bunch of non-technical employees? That you can do all this stuff with bailing wire and duct tape is irrelevant. This distribution is made specifically for replacing windows on 'office' machines. If I was setting up an office, I'd use this distribution rather than wasting my time duplicating their effort. In large companies, money is cheaper than time. Which is why windows is on office machines in the first place.

    6. Re:Isn't this just plain ol' linux? by willardj · · Score: 1

      Can anyone explain why sun doesnt have to provide free downloads or cheap cd's of the free / open portions of this software?

    7. Re:Isn't this just plain ol' linux? by cdemon6 · · Score: 2, Informative

      Sounds like there will be solaris support at some point in the future, that's what the FAQ says:

      "The Java Desktop System is a complete, integrated desktop system that includes everything from the OS to applications. The integrated Linux OS is based on SuSE SLED and is the only Linux distribution which is supported at this time. Future versions will extend platform support to the Solaris SPARC and x86 platforms."

    8. Re:Isn't this just plain ol' linux? by turgid · · Score: 4, Insightful
      I'm obviously missing something here? (I hope - enlighten me please)

      Reliable and accountable support?

    9. Re:Isn't this just plain ol' linux? by black+mariah · · Score: 1

      Because they're probably not modified.

      --
      'Standards' in computing only impress those who are impressed by things like 'standards'.
    10. Re:Isn't this just plain ol' linux? by black+mariah · · Score: 1

      And furthermore, the GPL doesn't require you to distribute things to the public at large. It only requires you do distribute it to persons you sell binaries to.

      --
      'Standards' in computing only impress those who are impressed by things like 'standards'.
    11. Re:Isn't this just plain ol' linux? by kabocox · · Score: 1

      With a few exceptions, such as the System management tools, most of these features can be found in a normal linux system. I'm obviously missing something here? (I hope - enlighten me please)

      Sun is a multi-billion(???) dollar company selling a desktop solution that isn't Microsoft or IBM. Corporates may decide to pay Sun rather than do it themselves. Don't forget the average IT guy is lazy. Why do something yourself if you can outsource it?

    12. Re:Isn't this just plain ol' linux? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      And furthermore, the GPL doesn't require you to distribute things to the public at large. It only requires you do distribute it to persons you sell binaries to.

      Not necessarily - it depends how you go about it. If you include source code in the actual distribution, then what you've said is basically correct.

      If you don't, however, then obviously you have to be making some kind of offer to provide source code if your customers need it. The thing is that the GPL requires such offers to be transferrable.

      So if your customer gives a copy of the binary to his friend, and you included source code on the CD, then your customer is the one responsible for providing source code to his friend if the friend wants it. But if you merely put a note in saying "source code is available on request", then your customer passed that offer on to his friend, and when his friend wants the source code he will ask you for it - and you are then required by the GPL to give him it, even though he never bought the software from you.

      (As usual, read the license for the details. I'm not good at explaining legal things, but what you said is a common misunderstanding that shouldn't go uncorrected.)

    13. Re:Isn't this just plain ol' linux? by Paul+Jakma · · Score: 1

      Incorrect. If you do not distribute the source with the binary, but instead offer to provide source, that offer must be valid for any third party, see 3b of the GPL.

      --
      I use Friend/Foe + mod-point modifiers as a karma/reputation system.
    14. Re:Isn't this just plain ol' linux? by sander · · Score: 1

      The thing you are missing is the "with a few exceptions". You would get it because you wanted a well-integrated system with system managment tools and not something somebody slapped together using LFS yesterday. The same reasoning applies when you buy a system and run AIX/Solaris/HPUX/etc on it.

    15. Re:Isn't this just plain ol' linux? by Trejkaz · · Score: 1

      How do you do a remote desktop feature like that on Linux? I've always wondered, because VNC on Linux normally doesn't work like that. The screenshot they have there looks more like VNC on Windows, where you actually do get to takeover the entire remote display.

      --
      Karma: It's all a bunch of tree-huggin' hippy crap!
    16. Re:Isn't this just plain ol' linux? by Usagi_yo · · Score: 1

      The key is off the shelf games. Whoever gets the most off the shelf games to run smoothly and effortlesly in their environment wins. Oh, and p0rn too.

    17. Re:Isn't this just plain ol' linux? by black+mariah · · Score: 1

      True enough, but if you include the source you're under no obligation to give it to anyone other than whoever purchased the binaries.

      --
      'Standards' in computing only impress those who are impressed by things like 'standards'.
  21. Wow, a "twofer" in the omelette today by eltoyoboyo · · Score: 0, Interesting

    And in this corner we have the Red Hat desktop release May 4th 2004

    But the Java Desktop requires Redhat Linux 7.3?

    I am not trolling, I am genuinely confused about the offering. The Red Hat desktop appears to be a distribution of Linux with all the PC-type goodies, much like Fedora core or previous Red Hat versions. The Java desktop, with which I am not familiar, only appears to be the desktop PC-type goodies. Java Desktop needs a Linux OS, specifically Red Hat, and an older version at that, to run.

    I have totally failed to understand Sun's marketing strategy here. It seems to me that Java Desktop is the same concept as Windows 3.0: A GUI program manager on top of an operating system. And it lists for $100! The interoperability with the servers must be the key.

    --
    Have you Meta Moderated t
    1. Re:Wow, a "twofer" in the omelette today by gl4ss · · Score: 3, Informative

      where the heck did you pull out that JDS would require rh 7.3?

      *6.

      Q.

      Which operating system does the Java Desktop System work with?

      A.

      The Java Desktop System includes a Linux OS, based on SuSE SLED. Future versions will extend platform support to the Solaris SPARC and x86 platforms.*

      Don't try to understand something you don't bother reading few lines of.

      +5 MIS-informative

      --
      world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
    2. Re:Wow, a "twofer" in the omelette today by AKAImBatman · · Score: 1

      But the Java Desktop requires Redhat Linux 7.3?

      No, the Desktop is SuSE based. The admin interface for the Desktop cluster requires RedHat 7.3. They were a bit unclear on that.

    3. Re:Wow, a "twofer" in the omelette today by Bricklets · · Score: 1

      It seems to me that Java Desktop is the same concept as Windows 3.0: A GUI program manager on top of an operating system.

      Wasn't Windows 95, 98, and Me the same thing with the exception that they hid MSDOS better? And if I remember correctly, Java Desktop actually uses Red Hat as a base and no more. I.E. Java Desktop shouldn't require Red Hat anymore than Mandrake requires Red Hat.

      --
      Little Bricklets
    4. Re:Wow, a "twofer" in the omelette today by heybo · · Score: 2, Insightful
      If you think about it any GUI running on any linux box is a program manager running on top of an OS. It wasn't until M$ NT that they tightly intergrated the GUI into the OS, which for a server is not a good thing. Parts of the GUI is always running on a Winders box even if you not logged in.

      One of the good things with linux is you can run as many GUIs as you want on it or none at all. Even with A GUI interface on a server when you log out to a text prompt the box isn't running a GUI at all. I sure with a little tweaking you could get the Java Desktop to run on any Linux box. Try that with MS.

    5. Re:Wow, a "twofer" in the omelette today by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      where the heck did you pull out that JDS would require rh 7.3?

      In fact, both of you are partially right...
      JDS is based on SLED. However, the policy management (Apoc) and the package/patch deployment (SCS) are *only* supported on a RH7.3 server (or a solaris box, of course).
  22. Funny and right on... by hot_Karls_bad_cavern · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Parent is both funny and right on. i've run the Java Desktop on a 600MHz machine...i'll just be kind and say it's less than snappy. i've not gotten ballsy enough to load 'er up on my 2.8GHz at the house yet...maybe when i get it all backed up, but i spose it would be hella snappier and perhaps enjoyable!

    1. Re:Funny and right on... by Brad+Mace · · Score: 1
      J4\/4 is 5o 51ow! Lolxors!

      Now that that's out of the way...try java 1.5. I think you'll see a huge speed improvement.

  23. Re:Where's the innovation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    you could say the same about kde.

    but, ofcourse, no one does.

  24. Last gasp by Krafty+Koder · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Java Desktop - the last dying gasp of an old-fashioned company trying to look hip again.
    Almost like your Dad buying a Harley and rediscovering Led Zeppelin.
    Trouble is , the rest of us know that he's still an old fart.
    Think about this - Google run on 100,000 Linux servers. Sun bought Cobalt in 1999.
    Does the phrase "lost opportunity" come to mind?

    1. Re:Last gasp by dasmegabyte · · Score: 4, Interesting

      And yet, Led Zepplin still rocks. Harleys are still pretty cool. The fact that your dad's a goof doesn't change these.

      Same with the Java Desktop. Java is AWESOME. A Java Desktop is a Cool Thing. Whether it helps Sun or not is meaningless.

      --
      Hey freaks: now you're ju
    2. Re:Last gasp by rjshields · · Score: 1

      Almost like your Dad buying a Harley

      Man, I feel sorry for you. Cool dads ride a GSXR-750.

      --
      In this world nothing is certain but death, taxes and flawed car analogies.
    3. Re:Last gasp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Listen up you meth snortin' mullet lover: go fuck yourself with a bottle of Coors Lite.

    4. Re:Last gasp by wideBlueSkies · · Score: 1

      Remember, that's gonna' be you in 30 or so years. I hope folks percieve you as having higher coolness Karma than the way you see your dad. Else they're going to be saying those same things about you.

      "Yeah, the old man got a new 2034 Harley Z-Rod and rediscovered Perl Jam. He thinks he's cool."

      wbs.

      --
      Huh?
    5. Re:Last gasp by dasmegabyte · · Score: 1

      Hey, I like Coors Lite, but in my belly after a long hot day, not in my ass. Now Miller Lite, there's a beer that belongs in an ass!

      --
      Hey freaks: now you're ju
  25. Broken GNOME by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    That's quite an facile editorial but you can't expect better from normal users. My screenshot looks better than yours. Evolution is better than KMail, GNOME looks more polished than KDE and so on. I do use XChat, Abiword, Rhythmbox.... ...usually you get stuff like these from normal users. And this is ok since you can't blame them for stuff they simply don't know about or don't have a slighest knowledge about.

    Such editorials are hard to take serious since they are build up on basicly NO deeper knowledge of the matter. Most people I met so far are full of prejudices and seek for excuses or explaination why they prefer the one over the other while in reality they have no slightest clue on what parameters they compare the things.

    If people do like the gance ICONS over the functionality then it's quite ok but that's absolutely NO framework to do such comparisons.

    I do come from the GNOME architecture and spent the last 5 years on it. I also spent a lot of time (nearly 1 year now if I sum everything up) on KDE 3.x architecture including the latest KDE 3.2 (please note I still do use GNOME and I am up to CVS 2.6 release myself).

    Although calling myself a GNOME vetaran I am also not shy to criticise GNOME and I do this in the public as well. Ok I got told from a couple of people if I don't like GNOME that I simply should switch and so on. But these are usually people who have a tunnelview and do not want to see or understand the problems around GNOME.

    Speaking as a developer with nearly 23years of programming skills on my back I can tell you that GNOME may look polished on the first view but on the second view it isn't.

    Technically GNOME is quite a messy architecture with a lot of unfinished, half polished and half working stuff inside. Given here are examples like broken gnome-vfs, half implementations of things (GStreamer still half implemented into GNOME (if you can call it an implementation at all)) rapid changes of things that make it hard for developers to catch up and a never ending bughunting. While it is questionable if some stuff can simply be fixed with patches while it's more required to publicly talk about the Framework itself.

    Sure GNOME will become better but the time developers spent fixing all the stuff is the time that speaks for KDE to really improve it with needed features. We here on GNOME are only walking in the circle but don't have a real progress in true usability (not that farce people talk to one person and then to the next). Real usability here is using the features provided by the architecture that is when I as scientists want to do UML stuff that I seriously find an application written for that framework that can do it. When I eye over to the KDE architecture then as strange it sounds I do find more of these needed tools than I can find on GNOME. This can be continued in many areas where I find more scientific Software to do my work and Software that works reliable and not crash or misbehave or behave unexpected.

    Comparing Nautilus with Konqueror is pure nonsense, comparing GNOME with KDE is even bigger nonsense. If we get a team of developers on a Table and discuss all the crap we find between KDE and GNOME then I can tell from own experience that the answer is clearly that GNOME will fail horrible here.

    We still have many issues on GNOME which are Framework related. We now got the new Fileselector but yet they still act differently in each app. Some still have the old Fileselector, some the new Fileselector, some appearance of new Fileselectors are differently than in other apps that use the new Fileselector code and so on. When people talk about polish and consistency, then I like to ask what kind of consistency and polish is this ? We still have a couple of different ways to open Window in GNOME.

    - GTK-Application-Window,
    - BonoboUI Window,
    - GnomeUI Window,

    Then a lot of stuff inside GNOME are hardcoded UI's, some are using *.glade files (not to mention that GLADE the interface buil

    1. Re:Broken GNOME by JoeBaldwin · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      Holy shit that was the longest comment ever...

    2. Re:Broken GNOME by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      so... you don't like Gnome then?

    3. Re:Broken GNOME by Lugae · · Score: 1

      Could you please stop posting this? It's really boring to read the same damned post every time the "G" word comes up in discussion.

  26. And Sun shows it's command of English by Ghengis · · Score: 2, Insightful

    To quote Sun's website...
    More Manageable and Secure: Java Desktop System is more secure desktop solution available.

    On a more serious note, WHO CARES? It's yet another desktop for people to chose from. Why pay when you can set-up GNOME/KDE to look the same?

    --

    "The best laid plans of mice and men gang oft agley..." - ROBERT BURNS

    1. Re:And Sun shows it's command of English by james_marsh · · Score: 3, Funny
      Why pay when you can set-up GNOME/KDE to look the same?

      No, it takes real flair and hard work to make Gnome look that bad.

    2. Re:And Sun shows it's command of English by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And Sun shows it's command of English

      Can't get more ironic than that!

    3. Re:And Sun shows it's command of English by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why pay when you can set-up GNOME/KDE to look the same?

      Because you're a corporate IT manager and your time costs more than a ready-made system?

  27. what i don't understand is by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    It's for the Desktop, "Java Desktop", so why does it require such steroid-induced hardware specifications?

    Seriously, how can they expect desktops to have this much power? You only have those kind of specs on small servers or gaming machines, and if you have a server I don't think you'd go with Java on the desktop, and if you're into games you'd go with Windows.

    Not to say it might be a good OS (I haven't tried it) but it just seems far too heavy for their target market.

    1. Re:what i don't understand is by KingJoshi · · Score: 3, Informative
      What the heck are you talking about? They're desktop recommended configurations are:
      Pentium III-compatible processor, 600 MHz or faster; at least 4-GB hard disk; at least 256-MB RAM; 1024x768 screen resolution or better
      Yeah, that's really "steroid-induced". And their minimum configs are understandable:
      Pentium II-compatible processor, 266 MHz; 4-GB hard disk; 128-MB RAM; 800x600 screen resolution
      Maybe you were looking at their "Server Hardware Requirements"...
      --
      In times like these, it is helpful to remember that there have always been times like these. - Paul Harvey
  28. Re:Not impressed by JavaLord · · Score: 4, Informative

    When will the linux desktops going to "lead" in innovation instead of lagging, continually trying to replicated some outdated version of windows?

    Although you've been modded as a troll, you are right in large part it seems linux tries to emulate windows. It's not a bad thing, because it allows people to switch when they get too disgruntled with windows. However, the bigger payoff would be if someone developed a desktop enviornment that was BETTER than windows. Not just in preformance, but in look in feel

    and that is exactly what sun is trying to do with project looking glass.

    Check out some of the movies and screenshots of it if you haven't seen them yet (it's been posted on slashdot) they are pretty badass imo.

  29. Re:Where's the innovation by Moth7 · · Score: 1

    Being GNU/Sun would leave it devoid of a kernel though :-\

  30. Re:Not impressed by no-arg+constructor · · Score: 2, Insightful

    i honestly don't think it matters too much. i mean really what more on the gui can we actually do that would be considered "innovative"? put desktop icons in a different place? move a taskbar here or there? if your primary goal is to make it easier for windows users to get accustomed to linux, then a desktop that resembles windows makes sense. besides, its just how it looks to them. you still have the underlying linux security no matter how ugly/pretty the desktop looks like. as for unifying development, while i agree that a basic set of rules wouldn't be a bad thing, part of the advantage of linux is in its variety. just look at how many websites and programs are devoted to change the look and feel of windows xp. style xp, object dock, litestep, i know i'm missing some others, but any search for those and you'll find many people that don't have the standard "start" and taskbar buttons. variety of desktops isn't stopping determined people from using linux. its tie in to hardware, locked down apis, and a chicken and egg situation with drivers that are keeping people from linux. anybody can learn a new gui. the same people that people consider "lusers" had to learn their way through the windows gui when they HAD to to get their work done, and with most guis for linux being similar to windows, in theory it really shouldn't take that long. in a business setting, just give them a basic desktop locked down with icons to whatever word replacement, excel replacement, browser replacement, etc they need and outside of it being called different most users won't even notice the difference.

  31. Re:Where's the innovation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    But the name is just a label. In terms of crediting the primary developers, "GNU" is the fairest name. For yer average free software distro, if you want to credit two parts - or you want to make it clear that the OS isn't exactly the GNU OS, "GNU/Linux" is the fairest name.

    Maybe in Suns GNU/Linux distro, the second biggest contributor is Sun? I don't know.

    Ah, they can call it what they want. I just wish people would call GNU based OS's GNU/whatever so that people know that they are using the practical output of the GNU philosophy.

  32. Nothing Minimum about it... by WarriorX99 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    That's one of the most insane MINIMUM system requirements that I've ever seen. It's probably a good thing that it's a corporate desktop solution. Could you imagine the requirements to run a game on top of that?

    --
    Life today. Uncertainty tomorrow.
    1. Re:Nothing Minimum about it... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    2. Re:Nothing Minimum about it... by ZX-3 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Could you imagine the requirements to run a game on top of that?

      The requirements should have clearly specified that the system case should have enough clear space for your Playstation 2 to sit on.

    3. Re:Nothing Minimum about it... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      Directly from the FA:

      Minimum Supported Configuration

      Pentium II-compatible processor, 266 MHz; 4-GB hard disk; 128-MB RAM; 800x600 screen resolution


      WTF are you talking about?

    4. Re:Nothing Minimum about it... by tehcyder · · Score: 1
      I should think if you had much less of a spec than that you'd only be running text based adventure games like Zork anyway.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
  33. Novell vs Sun by stonebeat.org · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Sun Java Desktop is based on Suse Linux. Suse Linux is owned by Novell.
    Sun and Novell are the top 2 contributors to OpenOffice/Star Office.
    Novell's Suse Linux comes with OpenOffice, while Sun Java Desktop comes with StarOffice.

    1. Re:Novell vs Sun by MyHair · · Score: 2, Funny

      . . . and Novell has a secretary named Sun, and Sun had a secretary named Novell . . .

  34. Sun Java Desktop System by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Not a good commando name.

  35. Re:Where's the innovation by Mysticalfruit · · Score: 1

    I'll keep that in mind the next time I go to shut down a windows machine and I click on the "Start" button todo so.

    Though one of my peeves is the dumb windows gui for the file types gui.

    Considering the importance that file extensions have in windows, doesn't it make sense that this should be its own object in the control panel?

    --
    Yes Francis, the world has gone crazy.
  36. Wow by greygent · · Score: 3, Funny

    The speed of Java, the intuitiveness and simplicity of Windows, the sanity of SkyOS all in one product!

    1. Re:Wow by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Listen up Eugenia: get the fuck off slashdot.

  37. Please explain the format (yes, a bit offtopic) by panurge · · Score: 3, Funny
    A bit off-topic I know but, why the syntax?
    • Admirer of e e cummings
    • Admirer of Molly Bloom's soliloquy in Ulysses
    • archie from archie and mehitabel
    • Trouble with shift key
    • lazy one fingered typist
    • It was hard to write, it should be hard to read
    --
    Panurge has posted for the last time. Thanks for the positive moderations.
    1. Re:Please explain the format (yes, a bit offtopic) by no-arg+constructor · · Score: 1

      too lazy to hit the shift key. besides, i never liked capitalization =)

  38. and you show your command of punctuation by jfruhlinger · · Score: 1

    "its command", not "it's command".

    Yeah, I know, it's pedantic, but there's no sweeter act of pedantry than correcting a grammar pedant.

    jf

    1. Re:and you show your command of punctuation by zangdesign · · Score: 1

      Yeah, I know, it's pedantic, but there's no sweeter act of pedantry than correcting a grammar pedant.

      I think that second comma may be somewhat unnecessary.

      jf

      Capitalize your initials and use periods between them.

      --
      To celebrate the occasion of my 1000th post, I will post no more forever on Slashdot. Goodbye.
  39. Review of Sun's Developer Tools by WilsonSD · · Score: 1
    Check out this review of Sun's new tools offerings:

    http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1583320,00.as p

    -Steve

  40. JD4x by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    Check out an open source java desktop: jd4x.sourceforge.net - it's fast, cute, and mostly Java.

    1. Re:JD4x by persaud · · Score: 2, Informative

      Corrected link: jdx.sourceforge.net.

  41. Re:Where's the innovation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Don't be an idiot, Linux is a part of the Java Desktop. Other parts to it are Gnome, X, C, etc. We're not going to name every fucking part of a Desktop every time we need to refer to it.

    We also call it a "Sony" TV, not a Sony/Samsung/NEC/... TV because it uses chipsets from these other companies. Sun took various parts (including Linux), and put them together to make their own product. They can call it whatever they like.

    Sun will do well with this, and you will remain a moronic Linux zealot stuck in your parents' basement.

  42. Troll? What? by hot_Karls_bad_cavern · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Oh wow. That has got to be one of poorest mod decisions i've seen in a while. How, exactly, is that a troll? i use the Java Desktop...i work as an admin with Sun systems. i have a slow machine at work, but would like to try the Java Desktop at home, but not until i have my shit backed up.

    Tell me, how in the world is that a troll?

    1. Re:Troll? What? by LnxAddct · · Score: 1

      Welcome to Slashdot!
      Regards,
      Steve
      P.S. You are right on, unfortunately it happens to the best of us. Just out of curiosity, any reason you use JDS over something like say Red Hat? I've used both and prefer RH, I'm just curious on your input.

    2. Re:Troll? What? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh wow. That has got to be one of poorest mod decisions i've seen in a while.

      Given such ridiculously high UID, just how long do you define 'a while' to be ??

    3. Re:Troll? What? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Tell me, how in the world is that a troll?

      It's posted on Slashdot. Most juries will convict on less evidence.

    4. Re:Troll? What? by dago · · Score: 1

      Well, I would tend to agree with the moderation ...

      Anyway, to stay on topic, I tested it in a VMWare machine, and it runs as fast as the gnome running on my machine.

      Maybe this is also because it has "java" in its name and that there's nothing "java" with it (except a few apps and the logo)

      --
      #include "coucou.h"
  43. Clarification, Java is a brand (for Sun anyway) by mysterious_mark · · Score: 4, Insightful

    As came up in the previous Java desktop discussion, there is some ambiguity as to the use of the word Java, Sun now considers Java to be a brand, just like GM has brands of Chevy and Oldsmobile, thus the Java desktop doesn't necessarily have anything to do with Java the programming language. Being a Java programmer myself, it may be hard to live the fact with our favorite language is now a pseudonymn for a corporate brand, but we need to call spade a spade. For Sun Java is a name they use to sell product and doesn't necessarily have anything to do with a programming language. Mark Mark

    1. Re:Clarification, Java is a brand (for Sun anyway) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      The Java virtual machine doesn't have much to do with the language, either.

      But the real killer is Sun Java System Active Server Pages...
      http://wwws.sun.com/software/chilisoft/index.html

  44. IT's SUSE Re:Desktops of SUN, Red Hat, and Novell by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Java Desktop is actually SUSE Linux....

  45. Re:Where's the innovation by Moth7 · · Score: 1

    Exactly. A Sony TV is a Sony product based upon the foundations of what is commonly accepted to be a TV. Take a vanilla kernel, add GNU's tools and GNU have jsut produced a "product" (loosely of course) based on Linux.

  46. Desktop Management features are needed by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Love it or hate it, the fact of the matter is that usage and security policy enforcement and management for client computers is a major missing feature for corporate deployments of Linux-on-the-desktop. Windows is way, way ahead in this area with Active Directory and GPO's and there is little sign of this being addressed in the near future for linux. Until it is, LoTD is going to be a tough sell in many businesses.

    That is what the real value of Sun's offering (and presumable Novell/SuSE, eventually Red Hat) -- the ability to manage the end points via a centralized console. I have no idea if it's a good solution, just that it's a gaping hole as of right now.

    This would include things like mandatory use of proxies, inability to alter desktop icons/wallpapers, software deployment, control of the host-based firewall, patching, being able to central set login hours, etc... all from a central console.

    I know all of these things exist as discreet components, but they are not well integrated or easily managed with all free software for very large numbers of "worker" desktops. For kiosk type deployments (for which there are solutions) or for engineer/technical workstations, for which you don't really need a solution like the one I'm talking about, linux is OK as now. But the middle ground is the hardest part because that is where Windows is strongest.

    All imnsho, of course.

  47. This is exactly what the problem with Java is by Compenguin · · Score: 1

    Java is too many different things, it gets confusing. Java is a desktop, A VM, and a programing language. At least icrosoft had the brains to give Windows, .Net, and C# different names.

    1. Re:This is exactly what the problem with Java is by rjshields · · Score: 1

      Java is too many different things, it gets confusing. Java is a desktop, A VM, and a programing language

      Not to mention an enormous class library and a security model>
      disclaimer: I use Java and like it a lot

      --
      In this world nothing is certain but death, taxes and flawed car analogies.
    2. Re:This is exactly what the problem with Java is by zopu · · Score: 2, Insightful
      MS is one of the worst examples to cite in this case.

      For at least a year more than half of the MS product line was called .NET something.

      Maybe on the Java branding issue Sun could learn from MS, but IANAMG ( I am not a marketing guy ;-) )

  48. Ctrl-C Ctrl-V by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Yeah, that's old

  49. Different experience... by sczimme · · Score: 2, Interesting


    I'm currently running JDS on a ThinkPad T20: PIII 700 w/ 256MB RAM. I don't play games or watch movies on it - DVD playback is choppy (go figure) - but it works very well for everyday office tasks and as a portable network assessment platform. Even StarOffice seems to run smoothly and without undue delay. *shrug* I wouldn't want to compile anything large on it (so gentoo is not an option (zing!)) but smaller sources (like Xine) take only a couple minutes.

    Before some goober snorts "a couple minutes to compile Xine!!11!oneone LOL", said goober should keep in mind that this is designed as a desktop system - think Joe and Jane EndUser (or Joe and Jane Sixpack if you don't get along w/ the EndUsers).

    Customers also appreciate the fact that it is backed by a reputable company.

    --
    I want to drag this out as long as possible. Bring me my protractor.
  50. Re:IT's SUSE Re:Desktops of SUN, Red Hat, and Nove by Siddly · · Score: 2, Informative

    I got an email on Sun's mailing list today that had a URL to their presentation, quite slick and looks a great corporate desktop. They mentioned Linux (by accident ???) three times and SuSE once. They stated their intention to have a Solaris version out next year. They also added a nice touch where corporates buying the "Java" desktop are allowed installation on their employees' home machines.

  51. Re:Not impressed by Black+Perl · · Score: 1

    > > When will the linux desktops going to "lead"
    > > in innovation instead of lagging, continually
    > > trying to replicated some outdated version of
    > > windows?
    >
    > and that is exactly what sun is trying to do with
    > project looking glass.

    And the obvious follow-up question:

    When will the linux desktops going to "lead"
    in innovation instead of lagging, continually
    trying to replicated some outdated version of
    OS X?

    --
    bp
  52. Sure Is by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    > Quickly: the desktop environment is essentially
    > the same...

    Yep, same mis-mash of incompatible crap as
    before.

  53. YAWLD by rudy_wayne · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Yet Another Worthless Linux Distibution

    supports my scanner? no.

    supports the TV out function of my video card? no.

    can tranfer pictures to my computer from my digital camera? no.

    And so ther reason to use it is ................ ?

    1. Re:YAWLD by zopu · · Score: 4, Insightful
      Well done! You have successfully figured out that this system is not designed with you in mind!

      In fact, I think you'll probably find yourself much happier with windows. You are running windows, aren't you? A little bird told me that it supports your scanner, TV card and your camera!

      However, for some of us Linux (or Solaris, etc) is a better option:

      Do I own your camera? no.
      Do I own your TV card? no.
      Do I have your digital camera? no.

      Do I have 200 bucks handy to buy a second copy of windows for my second pc? no.
      Do I really want to agree to licensing terms that allow MS to pay me 'friendly visits' every no and again? no.
      etc.

  54. Hmm, since when are obvious by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    trollings Interesting? Good job moderators, as always.

  55. Where's the GPL by bazmail · · Score: 1

    Where's the GPL?
    Hidden away 4 dialog layers deep i suspect.

  56. Sun's management is crazy. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The easiest way to increase exposure to this is to release this free for non-commercial use. Until they do that there is no way anyone is going to be paying 100 bucks to try this out.

  57. Re:Not impressed by thakadu · · Score: 1

    I have looked at the screenshots and film clips of project looking glass and I fail to see the benefit of rotating windows other than as some novelty eye candy.
    By the way there was a program that used to cause OS/2 windows to do a similar thing.

  58. stupid name? by sharkdba · · Score: 1

    from the java-desktop-still-a-stupid-name dept.

    So /. editors considers the java desktop to be a stupid name. Is that view more or less shared by /. readers? And why yes (or not)?

    --
    The purpose of life is to find the purpose of life.
  59. Choices don't just mean Standard or Pro by rjamestaylor · · Score: 1
    1. Sun bundles stuff that other distros can't. e.g. StarOffice (which has features that OpenOffice doesn't), Macromedia Flash, Java, RealPlayer, etc.
    Xandros and Lindows have StarOffice, too, at around the same price point. Flash, Java, RealPlayer, too.
    4. Unlike many ad-hoc distros, JDS is founded upon the idea of being a consolidated desktop.
    While Barney Fife Linux may not match JDS, Xandros is beta testing its distributed management desktop now. Expect more to follow.

    If with my limited distribution experience I can point to similiar features being offered right now from existing distributions this is a good thing -- competition is good for the customer.

    I didn't mention SUSE (the new capitalization) because I haven't seen it since Novell acquired it; but I look forward to Novell's SUSE offering and seeing with Novell's backing SUSE fares at continuing to raise the bar at server, workstation and even desktop distributions.

    It's funny to see the emergence of criticism against all the choices available with Linux -- kind of like the overwhelming sensation of a Breshnev-Era Soviet citizen walking into a Western supermarket "Too many choices! How many kinds of coffee must one have? How many different kinds of salt?" Choice no longer just means "Home or Pro," "Standard or Enterprise Architect?"

    --
    -- @rjamestaylor on Ello
  60. Re:Where's the innovation by CaptainCheese · · Score: 1

    I'll keep that in mind the next time I go to shut down a windows machine and I click on the "Start" button todo so.

    I don't see the problem. If you're going to be pedantic about it, The Start menu is appropriate. You are not Stopping the shutdown process, after all...

    Though one of my peeves is the dumb windows gui for the file types gui. Considering the importance that file extensions have in windows, doesn't it make sense that this should be its own object in the control panel?

    Well, the power-user can use the console with the 'assoc' and 'ftype' commands in the NT flavours, or through the folder options menu. Presumably MS feel 99% of regular users will never need more than the 'right-click|open with...' menu. You're entitled to your own pet peeves, of course, but I personally don't feel limited by it.

    --
    -- .sigs are a waste of data...turn them off...
  61. I've been hanging around here too long by mysta · · Score: 1
    Token Ring revival! w00t!

    I read the above as Tolkien Ring revival! w00t!

    --

    "Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge, and where is the knowledge we have lost in information?"-T.S.Eliot
    1. Re:I've been hanging around here too long by lewp · · Score: 1

      Haha. You're illiterate.

      --
      Game... blouses.
  62. walmart.com.... by zogger · · Score: 1

    ....sells linux peecees of various flavors for cheap *online*. Walmart brick and mortar stores sell only mid range and up priced peecess, exclusively with XP on them, and all the software is for windows. Most of the low-end regular everyday prices I have seen there are like 500 or so rounded off with sales tax, etc., then they go up from there. I've seen some examples of cheaper ones on the floor, scratch and dents, etc, but not the linux boxes ever.

    disclaimer, last I knew/heard about it and saw at various walmarts when my gfriend insists I go into one. If it was up to me I'd boycott them forever.

  63. Wow by AugstWest · · Score: 1

    A Linux distro with Gnome and Mozilla.

    And for only $100 a year! Oh Boy!

  64. I would imagine.... by zogger · · Score: 3, Insightful

    ... that Betty and everyone else locked into a cube day after day after day needs something to feel like a human being, and not just a de humanized cog in a heartless machine that starts off by hiring them as a "human resource" instead of a "person"nel. Employees aren't even classed as "people"now, they are just "stock" like stuff on the shelf in the warehouse, or no more important than the copier.

    Modern businesses are bad about abusing employees, they want trained rats, not human beings. For some people, a cute screen saver might be to that person a tremendous morale booster, trivial as it may seem to someone else. Modern corporate life and life in consumerville and taxhell USA is bad enough when things are going smoothly, take away peoples human-ness,their individuality, turn them into--I dunno, hive creatures, termites, to force them into some mold beyond reason, is not only cruel, it's insane from a business standpoint as well, you won't have happy camper employees, ever.

    A compromise might be better, something along like, personalization of your desktop is acceptable, provided the installed piece of eyecandy crap or whatever is reviewed for being spyware or malware first. Yes, more work for the techs, so what, that's their job, keep the computers happy so that the happy computers make the humans sitting in front of them happy, working, so that your company can keep making happy profits. Seems reasonable to me.

    Give you an example. I used to work for a guy didn't allow playing the radio. Umm, I work outside all my life mostly,blue collar, not white collar jobs, but the principle is the same. The radio didn't interfere with squat, but it "wasn't allowed". Me being able to hear my news and talk shows and a few tunes now and then keeps me happy and productive. Not having it annoys me right off the bat, I started dreading going to work because it meant a lot to me and it was such a BS rule, finally I quit, and I can guarantee I wasn't as productive as I could be, and starting each day off with animosity towards the boss is just not a good idea.

    Just a few thoughts. I fully understand how vital secure computers are,and surely there's a way to keep all the people who use them at the shop at least partly satisifed that "their" machine they get to use is somehow really "theirs" for the time they sit in front of it every day. NOT doing that would be- like- insisting that the company trucks have their seats bolted down in one general position, so that no one could adjust them to "fit" better. Sure, you could still drive the truck, but really....

    1. Re:I would imagine.... by heybo · · Score: 1

      I just wanted to reply but didn't see yours. Sorry. The networks we admin a user can like put a photo of the kids on the desktop or things like that. The one big thing we lock out is the ability to install programs. Yes this locks out putting those cute screen savers on BUT this is the best way to keep out nasty things.

      Much like driving a truck "yes I have" you can adjust the seat, but the company isn't going to pay for seat covers because you don't like the grey. I used to drive a truck that the company colors was a UGLY yellow with red lettering. Get a bunch of us going down the road and it looked like the circus. Do you think they would let me have it painted a pretty blue? I don't think so. The reply was "just drive the fu_king truck!"

      A point..... Some bad sites that you visit you get a pop up window to install something. You know better so you click NO! It still installs. Yes some spyware site when you click no you actually click yes. Yes we had a problem at a site with this and found this out. By having the user locked out of installitions it just errors out.

      The truth is when you are at work you are part of the system working on a computer that is owned by the company you work for. Yes it is the IT's job to check out software BUT when you turn in a ticket for one hour for checking out a screen saver the owners do like to pay and the machine does belong to them. The truth is the computer is just a tool to do your job. Not a play thing when your at work. Yes we take off all the games too!

      About playing the radio. Did you ever thing that maybe your radio station may offend the person next to you????? Maybe that is why it is no radio because it cuts down on the turmoil of "What station?" I like music but there are some types that people do like that I just a soon hear silence at work. Listening to the news? No thank you I don't care much for lies. Listen to Neal Whathisname? Please no he only makes me mad that humans can be that stupid. Headphones would be a differant story I guess. You have to remember you aren't the only person at work and the rest of the world might not like what you like. DISCLAIMER: "Yes I am the first to agree that what I like most of the world doesn't so I keep my likings to myself not to offend."

      The truth is and we don't like to face it but you are getting paid to sit in front of that box to produce work. Yes you are a cog in the wheel. I didn't make it that way nor do I know who did but it is the way it is. For 8 or whatever hours you whore yourself to the company you work for. Yes I am a whore but not a cheap whore.

      Personally when I'm sitting at this box yes I am just another node on the network and I am at work. This workstation doesn't even have sound. "Well it does but its turned off"

      When I get up and leave it I have a life that I live which I customize as much as possible. This life is not to be confused with work. Much like whores don't kiss Johns.

  65. Re:Clarification, Java is a brand by davecb · · Score: 1
    I hope it's also a direction. The moer thst's written in Java following Java-related standards, the less that has to be done compatable to a certain monopoly platform's ~standards.

    --dave

    --
    davecb@spamcop.net
  66. Re:Not impressed by njcoder · · Score: 1
    There's a problem with open source projects trying to innovate rather than copy.

    They lack the funding required to innovate in most cases. It's far easier to try and recreate and maybe add some enhancements than it is to completely come up with something revolutionary. To do the latter you have to spend a lot of resources on reaserch and development which includes user trials, user feedback and a whole lot of wasted effort on things that don't pan out.

    Open source projects don't have a model where they can through that much into them. That is the case for most of the big open source projects anyway. Projects that compete in new areas, where there isn't an established market are a whole different beast.

    I'm not trying to say that's bad. It has a lot of benefits. You can increase productivity of the development of a project as well as keep the project managable.

    Open source needs companies around that are putting money into R&D so that they can benefit from those efforts. To try and kill off those companies would not be beneficial in my opinion. It's kind of like in races, where you see competitors tightly behind one another trying to draft off the person in front of them. It makes it easier for them to improve their performance while the competitor/teammate in front of them does slightly more work.

    Where it not for companies like Sun, who believed in open standards and publishing a lot of their work, would the linux kernel be where it's at today? If you look athe the linux kernel archives you see a lot of references to benchmarking against sun's kernel as well as "how sun does it".

    Sun and linux do things in different ways. Sun is engineered for stability. I don't just mean it's more stable than linux. I mean Sun puts a lot of effort into binary compatibility accross versions as well as having a very long support lifetime for their products. Some people need the best, the fastest, the newest. Others need to know that in 7 years from the project's inception, they won't have to be left in the dust because they can't upgrade their OS without rewriting their code, which limits them in being able to upgrade hardware, etc.

    Imposing those kinds of restrictions is good for a lot of customers. Not imposing those types of restrictions is good for a lot of others.

    If Solaris does get GPL'd it would be a huge thing for the OSS community. I don't think linux should adopt all the things solaris does. Linux should be linux and solaris should be solaris.

  67. Re:Desktop Management features are needed by egoots · · Score: 1

    One would hope that with Novell's superior NDS technology and experience and their Zenworks products, that these issues can and will be addressed in the near future.

  68. On the bandwagon... by poofmeisterp · · Score: 1

    More Manageable and Secure: Java Desktop System is more secure desktop solution available.

    Looks like they've offshored their web design.

  69. worse than java desktop? by gumbi+west · · Score: 1
    Compare this to the java desktop recomended specs of
    Pentium III-compatible processor, 600 MHz or faster; at least 4-GB hard disk; at least 256-MB RAM; 1024x768 screen resolution or better"
    Hmm. I guess up is down, and down is up today.
  70. Warning to potential reviewers: by Tarantolato · · Score: 1

    With a few exceptions, such as the System management tools, most of these features can be found in a normal linux system. I'm obviously missing something here?

    You got the system management tools part, which is more than the average reviewer of JDS 1 got. Pretty much all of them read like this:

    Sun's Java Desktop System is not as good as Mandrake for installing on your home machine to run an IRC server. Also, I had a hard time setting the wallpaper to be naked Manga girls. Maybe it would be good at a company or something.

    Don't let this happen to you! If you review this product, talk about how it'd be in an enterprise setting or don't review it at all. My suspicion is that it's still overhyped if you do take this into account, but I'd at least like to find out.

    1. Re:Warning to potential reviewers: by kardar · · Score: 1

      What I see is that the Java Desktop part of it will allow (or can allow) another layer within which users can have access to applications that do things on other machines, with other vendor's proprietary technologies.

      It's a layer that has possibilities for things. Certainly, if all you wanted was Linux, or FreeBSD, for instance, you could just install that - what the Java Desktop System will give you is the opportunity to integrate the end user's system with other, perhaps larger computers, running other applications that only run on those remote, larger computers, whatever those applications may be.

      It's like a virtual layer that can bring remotely-running apps to the end-user desktop. What those remotely-running apps are would probably depend on your particular setup at your particular business.

      I imagine it this way: for instance, a developer, working in Java, either outsourced as a contractor by the company, or working for the company as an employee, or (most likely) a group of individuals working together that are combination of both, coding in Java, can produce a multi-user application in Java, on a very powerful remote machine, and then the end users can use remote desktop to connect to that very large remote machine and use these applications, whatever those applications might be. Perhaps a Java front end to the database?

      It's going to make it easier to create an application on a powerful multi-user machine, and have the entire workforce using that app, via the remote desktop, in a nice, "user-friendly", point-and-click, GUI front end window.

      The difference is that this allows Java to bridge the gap between the end user's machine and a more computationally powerful environment. Also, with a JRE running on the end user's machine, perhaps certain parts of the functionality can be offloaded to ease the load on the powerful machine that is running the "parent" process.

      I think that this is the idea; and of course, there may be other ways to accomplish the same thing, but if I understand this correctly, the idea is to use Java to bridge these things together and make life easier for everyone. Down side, you would be stuck with Java in order to get the fullest functionality, and some people feel that Linux is "just being used", transparently, to leverage the cookie-cutter Intel hardware at the moment, and that Solaris X86 might replace it at some point.

      It's probably a time-saver for those organizations that work in Java, and, for people who see value in being computer-illiterate and having to have a GUI for everything, for people who would rather use a mouse with 2 or 3 buttons as opposed to a keyboard with 100+ buttons, etc...

      But it's kind of a neat idea, even though in a way, it's tying you to Java as much as Office ties you to Windows.

    2. Re:Warning to potential reviewers: by Tarantolato · · Score: 1

      "Down side, you would be stuck with Java in order to get the fullest functionality, and some people feel that Linux is "just being used", transparently, to leverage the cookie-cutter Intel hardware at the moment, and that Solaris X86 might replace it at some point."

      The Java Desktop System is basically by Sun's own admission a hook to get you to buy their Java Enterprise System infrastructure stack (and by extension, Sparc/Solaris servers, probably).

      JES (formerly ONE) is supposed to proved web & applications serving, identity management, and email/calendaring type stuff. So basically it competes with Websphere/Tivoli/Notes, Netware/Groupwise and ASP/Windows networking/Outlook.

      JDS is just a pre-configured client for this stack. Linux just happens to be a cheap and flexible base on which to build it.

      So the real question is, how good is the server stuff? No idea. That's what I'd really like to see reviews of on Slashdot.

  71. Fast is Relative by superid · · Score: 1

    I have just de-crapped my 4th computer of the week. Yet another 2.4+ GHz consumer box completely ridden with ad/spy/crap-ware.

    For Sun to be viewed as "fast" by these unfortunate souls that cannot learn rudimentary do's and don'ts (and recovery) all they have to do is block invasive software.

    I strongly suspect that if my friend installed JD on their systems they'd say "boy that is fast!"

  72. Re:Not impressed by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What is it with these pussies who think it's 'leet to not use a shift key? I suppose they think readers are thinking "My, how avant garde, to not shift. He must be a real free-thinker; I would like to suck his cock."

    It is kind of sad, actually. Such an obvious display of 'difference' is really just a compensation for the writer's true lack of difference in life. Such writers are actually HIGHLY conformist, and think that if they do something different than 99% of other people, that they are really something special.

    Actually, it really just shows what a latent (if not blatant) homosexual one is. And yes, I wish you would let me suck your cock, because your writing style shows me you really are into that sort of thing.

    All the best.

  73. you don't understand by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You misspelled NIC. Way to go, now you have proven that you are even dumber than the grandparent poster.

  74. dumbfuck by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The abbreviation NIC is not misspelled. Re-read the post you fucktard.

  75. Future versions of Sun Java Desktop System ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "will extend platform support to the Solaris SPARC and x86 platforms"

    What they don't support x86 now? I must of been misled by them when they said that the minimum requirement was a Piii 600 Mhz.

  76. Re:Where's the innovation by aflat362 · · Score: 1
    OS that is trying to look as much like Windows.

    I meant windows.

    My beef with everyone trying to look like windows is there's no user interface innovation. The OS X doc and user experience is great - though it is nothing like the windows start menu.

    --

    Conserve Oil, Recycle, Boycott Walmart

  77. Re:Where's the innovation by CaptainCheese · · Score: 1

    fair enough. Everyone's entitled to a bit of message garbling brain-failiure, now and then!

    --
    -- .sigs are a waste of data...turn them off...
  78. this is reasonable... by zogger · · Score: 1

    ... I understand what you are saying and agree pretty much with it. it seems if both parties in the work contract can stick to a certain amount of reasonalbness, then things will neither get out of hand or descend into boring unproductive heck-fire.

    Oh man, your ugly trucks. I can relate. I worked for a company for years made me wear a fluroescent orange shirt. I mean that sucker was loud. I can't even say the name of the company it's even lamer and more embarrassing. But.. I got a lot of work from them and they treated me more or less OK.

    the things you'll do for money.....