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Re: SUN and Linux





Miki Shapiro wrote:

> I cant seem to be able to figure this one out, maybe somebody can help me.
>
> why does SUN back linux up so much?
> shouldnt their worst nightmare involve a cheap x86 compatible machine
> running a unix OS as well as or even better than a 20K$ sun? (and in
> addition the OS comes absolutely free?) wouldnt that sorta take a big fat
> chunk out of their pocket? or is it some sort of "adama haruha" strategy -
> something like we are willing to give up this share of the market so long
> as microsoft doesnt get it either?
>
> anybody know SUN's official standpoint on this issue?

Sun views its future as supplier for high end servers. In that capacity,
there's
quite a bit of field left for small PCs running Windows, Linux or JavaOS. It
would be much easier for someone to upgrade his system from Linux or JavaOS
to Sparc servers than from Windows. For that reason it is in Sun's best
interest
to back JavaSoft and SunSoft's Solaris x86. An added benefit of backing Linux
is the continued development and support of freeware for Unix-like OSes. For
the time being Linux is not a major threat to Solaris, since most commercial
companies view it as unreliable and insecure (that may be wrong but it is
pretty
much the accepted view).

                        Yuval