Taking direct aim at Microsoft, Sun Microsystems officially unveiled its desktop software platform at a price that is sure to make Windows users sit up and take notice. Sun also took the wraps off of a server-side system targeting enterprise users. The Linux-based Sun Java Desktop System, aka Mad Hatter, has been the subject of great anticipation. Perhaps the most notable feature of the product is that it is being offered at US$100 per user, or, in a limited-time offer, at $50 for those who are willing to give up their existing desktop platform (read: Microsoft).
Enticing Offer
Those who sign up for Sun"s new Java Enterprise System -- formerly known as "Orion" -- at $100 per employee also can get the desktop package for $50 per user. The desktop system features the latest StarOffice7 suite, the Java 2 Standard Edition (J2SE) platform and the Mozilla browser, along with e-mail, calendaring and instant-messaging applications. It runs on systems using either the Solaris or Linux open-source operating system, and supports technology from the likes of RealNetworks and Adobe.