As expected, there’s a fair amount of chatter about the Linux/Java Desktop System statements made by Sun at JavaOne, with speculation as to what – precisely – the future holds. Only Sun knows the answer to that, but my own feeling – which I communicated to them – is that a decoupling from Linux on a desktop level is problematic on a variety of PR and strategic fronts (and I can’t imagine that it would thrill folks like Adelstein and Hiser). While I’m sure the tactical arguments against continued investments in the JDS Linux platform are easy to make, they probably were too for the folks that shelved Solaris x86 several years back, a decision that Sun still laments. I’ll leave the deeper analysis on that subject for another time, however, a time when we know more about what the actual plan is going forward.
On a different note, this post takes an interesting look at what the changing dynamics of the JDS project could mean to GNOME. In it, Calum Benson speculates that a deemphasis of Linux within JDS could mean good things for the GNOME project; the jury’s still out for me on that one. I could make a case either way, but given that Sun’s GNOME contributions predated its JDS involvement and the fact that Solaris will require a UI of some sort, I suppose I’m inclined to agree.
Either way, I find the suggestion that Solaris may positively impact GNOME an idea with some merit. As Calum puts it,
By concentrating more on the Solaris version, we’ll have everyone focused on making those things work properly, not to mention letting loose our cool Solaris 10 tools (like dtrace) on improving performance. We need to make JDS work well on SunRays after all, and that can only benefit everyone.
For a more concrete example of what may be in store, were I of the mind (and had the skillset) to collect on this $4500 bounty, I’d seriously consider giving DTrace a whirl.
The burden shouldn’t just be on the GNOME folks, however; I think the Solaris and OpenSolaris crowds should be making more definitive overtures to a variety of open source communities – GNOME among them (there’s interest from the KDE folks as well). (Re)enlist champions – isn’t that the plan?
Update: As an aside to the Solaris-minded among you; this is pretty cool.
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