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Sun To Upgrade Java Desktop System
An anonymous reader writes "The second version of Sun's Java Desktop System should be unveiled this week, according to this article. And as part of Sun's effort to entice programmers to its new software, the new JDS software will include the Java Studio and NetBeans developer tools." The JDS is their Linux desktop system.
NetBeans 3.6 IDE is Much Improved
-Steve
I recall a review on Linux.com a few weeks ago, of this software.
Apparently the underlying core of JDS hasn't changed since the original release, its just an interface and client software refresh. This meant it wouldn't install on many modern machines due to an outdated - by Linux standards - kernel 2.4.19
I have been a user for about 10 years. This ends Feb 2014. The site's been ruined. I'm off. Dice, FU
It's not too bad, basically SuSE as you've read before. My wheel mouse didn't work out of the box, and sound stuff didn't start automatically -- both of which would be really annoying to the common user.
The interface is gorgeous though, and sun studio isn't a bad alternative to eclipse. Why they include netbeans and studio is beyond me though, they're the same thing as far as I can tell. And I can't type "javac" directly from my home directory, which I'd imagine the average user would need to be able to do without changing anything
I'd like to see more of a sun supported community for JDS. I can't even find user forums or anything of the like to discuss the pitfalls I've found, etc. Hard to build a desktop user base if they are only going to marginally own up to it existing in the first place. I feel like I'm the only person in the world using it. Maybe it's just too early...
... the upgrade is free, but you do not receive the developer tools or the administration tools. In fact, I have yet to see a huge difference between the first version and the second version, since I downloaded and installed the ISOs last week. The kernel is still 2.4.19, but given the target audience of corporate users, it makes sense (I suppose) that they do not provide the latest version. Overall it is a decent system for non-hobbyists. Personally, I use it to test Java desktop software that I wrote in OS X.
CDs containing sources are provided with the package.
15. Q. How much does Java Desktop System sell for?
A. There are two available pricing options for Java Desktop System:
* $100 / desktop / year
* $50 / employee / year for customers who wish to purchase Java Desktop System for all employees of their company.
* A special promotion is also planned that reduces by 50% the first year price of either of the above two options. This promotion is in effect until June 2, 2004.
Java may be getting faster, but unless you figure out a way to write a JRE that could be run without an operating system behind it, it can't be used as the basis for an operating system. (Note: I think there was a project to essentially create a sort of Java-enabled OS rather than a virtual one, which could natively run compiled Java code without a VM. I haven't heard anything about it since)
Who says it has nothing to do with Java? It has an up-to-date pre-installed Java VM, Java tools for adding extensions to Star Office, it now includes Sun Studio for Java development. The JVM is linked with Mozilla, so user can run serious Applets (making Java Desktop ideal for corporate environments and intranets).
Its a corporate linux desktop which includes substantial Java tools to allow integration with, and development for, server-side J2EE installations.
Once you get up to speed, you'll be able to spot it in no time!
${YEAR+1} is going to be the year of Linux on the desktop!
Yes, you can design Swing apps with Eclipse (I do).
The issue Sun has is that the Eclipse UI is written using a competing GUI API, 'SWT' which is closer to AWT than Swing.
You'll need to purchase it if you want to try it - see here - currently $50 for US users, but most people who'll be interested in it will have existing Sun suppliers who may have better deals, or evaluation arrangements.
It's nothing special as a distribution, IMHO - not bad, nothing standout - but it's main strength may lie in its integration with the Sun Control Station and centralised distribution and control, which I haven't had a chance to play with.
Sun will drop its lInux versions fo JDs fro in favor of Solaris versions of JDS..
Reason: the underlying Linux distro SUn is using is not SuSe as the article states but UnitedLinux which as you know modified SuSE amoung soem standards to make the distro..
As you know The SCO group has refused to modfiy it smembership in United Linux in order for further versions of United Linux to be produced..ie SUn choose a dead distro in order possibly lock cusotmers into Solaris..
Exepcted announcement aroudn JavaOne or a little bit after..
Don't Tread on OpenSource
There was recently an article on slashdot about how awful this desktop was.
Yeah.... what a surprise.
No surprise, SUN is not a front end company.
They pioneered the Unix Workstation, and innovative GUI systems like NeWS and the OpenWindows Window Manager. They helped port Gnome to Solaris. You must have some strange definition of 'not a front end company' that does not match our Earth usage.
The OSS community could kill the SUN desktop before it gets to that point by making GPL remote network admin software.
I thought OSS was about choice, not killing competition.
If the OSS community fails to do this, do it well, and do it in a timely way they may get their wish of linux desktops in the mainstream......but it will be the SUN desktop.
So the sun desktop is inferior, and awful and unusable....
but if we don't watch out it will take over the mainstream?
Make your mind up!
Uh... so does SUSE. Does that make it a "Java desktop" too? No, because they don't own the trademark, plain and simple.