Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Sun Java Desktop System Release 2

Posted by michael on from the java-desktop-still-a-stupid-name dept.

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)."

7 of 196 comments (clear)

  1. 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 |
  2. 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 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.

    2. 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.
  3. 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)

  4. 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!

  5. 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