“Java — now that’s a technology. It’s a language. And it’s a
platform. It’s two, two, two technologies in one! The problem with
Java is that Sun has repeatedly fumbled its strategic handling of
Java as a platform. It is doing so even now in the world of open
source. Sun just doesn’t know how to embrace the open source
community, and that’s hurting Java as Linux quickly penetrates the
server market. Sun has to face the fact that it desperately needs
Linux, both as the platform for Java servlets and as an underlying
operating system for Java-enabled embedded devices.”
“I suspect that the problem boils down to a fierce struggle
within Sun, and it all starts with the issue of Solaris versus
Linux. How could a company so proud of its regal Solaris operating
system possibly consider replacing it with something so uncouth as
Linux? I can actually sympathize with the engineers in that
respect. It’s hard to dedicate your work to something for years
then have it threatened by an upstart from the street. I’m certain
that Hewlett-Packard and Silicon Graphics have the same inner
conflicts. I would be willing to bet that Bruce Perens, who now
works for HP, spends more time evangelizing Linux to HP employees
than to HP customers.”
“In fact, the only major company with its own Unix that doesn’t
seem to have a problem adjusting to Linux is IBM. To its credit,
IBM has fully embraced Linux at all levels.”