Peder Ulander, the top marketing executive for Sun Microsystems" Desktop Solutions Group, is leaving the company to join embedded Linux specialist MontaVista Software, CNET News.com has learned. At MontaVista, Ulander will be vice president of marketing, the company confirmed. MontaVista, based in Sunnyvale, Calif., sells versions of Linux and associated programming tools for adapting the open-source operating system to "embedded" computing devices such as consumer electronics or telecommunications equipment.
Ulander had been working on Sun"s newest effort to claim a foothold on personal computers, a stronghold held for years by rival Microsoft. Sun"s attack employs Linux, Java, a graphical interface called Looking Glass and the closely related OpenOffice and StarOffice, which compete with Microsoft"s Office productivity package. Sun confirmed Ulander"s decision to leave but said the company remains committed to desktop software. "We will continue delivering high-quality desktop solutions and build upon our success in the desktop market," Sun said in a statement