Sun Microsystems, recognizing the opportunities presented by Linux and hoping to keep pace with the competition, is expanding its support for the open-source operating system. One of the new offerings is a Java.net community for Linux developers -- with Java-based tools on the Solaris operating system and Linux and Windows platforms -- that the company hopes will draw more interest among both individual and enterprise developers
Collaboration Is Key
With an eye on greater collaboration, the Java for Linux community will provide communications channels, such as weblogs, "wikis" and other interactive features, on Java.net, a Web site used by some 32,000 developers worldwide. Sun"s push into Linux is spurred by demands from customers and developers, said company spokesperson Doron Aronson. "We want to simplify the developer experience by offering a complete line of tools supporting Linux, and customers want a choice beyond Unix," he told NewsFactor. "Sun has given a lot more attention to Linux recently, across the company," said Bill Claybrook, vice president for Linux strategy at the Harvard Research Group. "A lot of Linux developers are already using Java, and this lets them see what everyone else is doing and gives them tools for greater collaboration."