Re: Anyone else worried about the future of Sun?

From: Frank Cusack (fcusack_at_fcusack.com)
Date: 07/13/04 

Date: Tue, 13 Jul 2004 05:30:31 -0700

And BTW, just so you have a better idea where I stand on these issues,
I'm not really proclaiming that Sun is doing a terrible job here. I
just want to make sure that stuff like the wheel mouse for hardware
isn't like traceroute for software. That is, can we please acknowledge
the need to catchup rather than downplaying the areas where functionality
doesn't match Linux.

My current project is importing A/V on Solaris x86 in order to convert
videotape and laserdisc to DVD. I tried to do this on Linux but
everything out there is terrible in terms of what combination of
hardware, software and configuration works (and quite poor supporting
documentation). Even if you do get it working, it's pretty fragile.
And I'm using black box (Dell) hardware, not piece-it-together-yourself
parts from Fry's.

I started with MacOS, but it's hardware support is too limited and you
can only do things their way. Great for the simpleton (no offense)
approach or if you just want to get the Canopus ADVC product, but
DV quality doesn't cut it for this project. Plus, it just hurts me
to think that I'd pay $300 to import DV quality video when instead
on Windows/Linux/Solaris I can pay $50 to get uncompressed video.

Windows is far far superior to Linux here (and in most such desktop
applications) and also Mac (since they don't have useful IIDC support
in my experience, and anyway the cost of that is ridiculous compared to
bttv vidcap) and I doubt I'll get Solaris tweaked to the point where
it actually is more functional or easier to use than Windows, but
getting it to work at all is most of the fun.

My next project is to import some digital audio via $25 USB device.

So you see, I am a firm supporter of Solaris x86, but please let's
stop insulting our collective intelligence with claims of utility over
Linux. I've just been talking about the desktop above, but the server
side has similar hardware support issues. Like megaraid or PERC/3,
and uncertainty around (eg) Intel and Broadcom support. Why take the
risk ... definitely not worth it today.

As I see it, the problem is that Sun is still a hardware company.
They probably don't see the benefit in working with NVIDIA (just as an
example) when this will not sell any Sun hardware. That kind of
thinking is going to turn them into a niche player like Apple.

Everyone will still love them, and understands their quality is
unmatched, but they won't be able to compete in the general
marketplace. OTOH, I understand it's difficult to admit that
everything under a 4800 is crap and supporting x86 too well changes
their business drastically; which carries lots of uncertainty so it's
a difficult proposition. I'm excited at the prospect of Opteron
changing things in this regard.

/fc