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"But if they are going to mess with the way PostgreSQL does it job, then we have a problem. I don't understand why people like the backing of a big corporation (Novell, IDM, Sun, etc...), I guess they don't see the big picture which is that corporations support FOSS because is good for THEM not for FOSS. Just to point out an example, see the mess Novell has done with SUSE. "

Novell is not a good comparison at all. Novell is a sinking ship without a rudder and a labotimized captain. Novell has long been a sinking ship, and kept doing stupid things both before the SuSE acquisition. Novell has also shown clearly they don't know how to use their new Linux/Ximian toy, and monetize it.

Sun, by contrast, inspite of some of the dumb things they've done from time to time, and in spite of their loug mouthed execs, has really, really gotten it's act together lately, and really seems to be turning things around. This is for the following reasons:

1) Technology. Java 5.0 is a huge improvement. NetBeans and Sun Java System Application server are awesome (I've tried 'em out -they're fantastic). Solaris 10 is a big improvement. Niagra looks very promising. The AMD galaxy servers are doing well.

2) Free and Open source software support. Most of Sun's software you can get for free, at least minimal developer versions. Solaris 10, the full version, is free of cost, and only costs money for support. OpenSolaris is generating lot's of interest, and is gradually developing a great ecosytem. OpenOffice has made big improvements. I already mentioned NetBeans and SJSAS - both completely awesome, and totally free of cost (except for the enterprise version of SJSAS). And now they're supporting the highly regarded PostgreSQL db. All great stuff.

3) Acquisitions. Sun has made some good strategic acquisitions - the last big one being that storage company (name escapes me) which was profitable and compliments Sun's portolio perfectly.

4) Partnerships - many with other hardware providers, and most visibly with Google. Many yawned about the Google toolbar / OpenOffice / Java download intermingling. I think it was a great move - it will ensure even more downloads and deployment of both Java and OpenOffice, as well as Google toolbar.

5) Cost cutting. Let's face it, Sun got fat during the '90's dotcom boom years, and was very very slow in making necessary cuts afer the bust and after Linux started eating up the WebServer market (a former cash cow for Solaris). But Sun sold off a lot of their pricey office real estate, and made the unfortunate but needed layoffs.

Personally, I come more from the Linux camp (not that anyone needs to be in any particular "camp" - it's all about good tech, right?), and I've often been a big critic of Sun, and Java (I used to hate Java, now I love it) on these forums. But Sun has most certainly changed my perception of it. They're doing some really good stuff, while betting the farm (they had to), and I give them major props and hope for their success.

Edited 2005-11-18 21:21