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Sun's new software draws a bead on Microsoft

Posted on: Thursday, 18 September 2003, 06:00 CDT

Sun's new software draws a bead on Microsoft LOS ANGELES, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- In a move aimed directly at software giant Microsoft, Sun Microsystems Inc. unveiled on Tuesday its desktop software platform for businesses that want to dump the Windows operating system of their companies' computers.

Sun said at its Network Conference in San Francisco that the move is part of its efforts to reduce the cost and complexity of computing for customers. The Silicon Valley-based company is the world's third-largest maker of powerful computers, used largely by financial services and telecommunications companies.

Analysts said the most notable feature of the new product is that it is being offered at 100 US dollars a user, or, in a limited-time offer, at 50 dollars for those who are willing to give up the windows operating system.

Microsoft has a more than 90 percent share of the operating system software market.

The new product, called Sun Java Desktop system, runs on the open- source Linux operating system and includes a variety of programs that replace Microsoft's Internet browser, productivity suite and other parts of the Windows package.

Java, which Sun brought to market in 1995, is a programming language used to write programs that can run on different types of computers and operating systems.

During the past three years, Sun has been struggling in the poor economy as have most of its rivals. But at the Sun Network Conference on Tuesday, its chief executive officer, Scott McNealy said: "We are feeling pretty solid that with our more than 130 billion dollars in installed revenue, we're going to be around for a long time."

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