The Sun JavaTM Desktop System Marketing Manager Gary Little and Marketing Technical Specialist Geoff Baysinger recently discussed the second release of this desktop solution during a moderated forum hosted by Edward Ort. The Sun Developer Network has posted the transcripts of this JavaTM Live forum that originally took place June 15, 2004.

The Sun Java Desktop System is a Linux-based desktop solution that includes the GNOME desktop, StarOfficeTM, MozillaTM, Evolution mail and calendar client, and the JavaTM 2 Platform, Standard Edition (J2SETM). The second release adds support for system management, which Baysinger noted was the most significant. These updated features include:

• "Sun Control Station 2.1 for provisioning of software packages and images
• Java Desktop Configuration manager for managing remote client desktop profiles and
• Remote Desktop Takeover using the VNC protocol so that helpdesk personnel can see what the end user is seeing on their screen and help with various issues."

Little clarified that the SolarisTM Operating System (Solaris OS) (SPARCR Platform Edition) and (x86 Platform Edition) versions of the Sun Java Desktop System would be incorporated within the product's third release that is expected by year's end.

Asked about the decision for VNC protocol instead of the Sun RayTM one, Baysinger stated that the "Sun Ray server is a fairly heavy application that offers a number of features not needed for part-time remote control. VNC already had GNOME integration as well. We haven't forgotten Sun Ray; there will be multiple Java Desktop System options on Sun Ray terminals towards the end of this year."

When confronted with why choosing Linux OS instead of allowing individual customers to choose a base OS they are comfortable with, Little explained that Sun was targeting a specific market. "For the markets we are going after initially," Little said, "we felt it was best to provide a complete solution to customers -- thus we wanted to combine Linux OS with the desktop."

Baysinger and Little also addressed multiple questions regarding Active Directory (AD) integration, Novell Ximian Connector for Exchange, GNOME and other open source technology, among others, in relation to this latest release.

For the complete transcript, visit:

http://java.sun.com/developer/community/chat/JavaLive/2004/jl0615.html [...read more...]

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