[ Thanks to Jason
Greenwood for these links. ]
AP/Raleigh News & Observer: Sun Unveiling Open-Source
Windows Substitute
“In a move aimed squarely at Microsoft Corp., Sun Microsystems
Inc. on Tuesday will unveil a suite of software for businesses that
want to dump–or just can’t afford–the Windows operating system on
their companies’ desktop computers.“The Sun Java Desktop system, which was formerly code-named Mad
Hatter, runs on the open-source Linux operating system and includes
a variety of programs that replace Microsoft’s Internet browser,
productivity suite and other parts of the Windows package…”
OSNews: Java Desktop System: First Impressions on Sun’s
Linux
“The distribution is based on SuSE 8.2 and not on Red Hat Linux
as it was originally said about a year ago. Yast2 and other
SuSE/administrative utilities are only accessible via the command
line and not from the graphical menu system. The desktop is based
on Gnome 2.2, though Sun’s engineers have tweaked it quite a bit.
The menu layout is different from what you normally get with a
stock Gnome or Red Hat installation, and is actually pretty close
to the Win9x/ME model.“Sun has worked on its own UI theme and it’s filled with Sun’s
corporate colors. While a unique theme from Sun for its Linux is
welcome, this theme (especially the Metacity part) does not cut it
by modern standards. Usability aside, it is not particularly
attractive theme. For the sake of differentiation, Sun could have
put a bit more artistic innovation there. What’s more, Sun is
planning on using this exact same desktop design for the upcoming
Solaris version too (which is a move that actually makes sense
strategically-speaking)…”