Re: [cobalt-developers] XTR Kernel

[Bruce Timberlake <bruce@xxxxxxxxxx>]

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> Then why is Sun taking the stance they are on Linux. Really outside
> of the LX50 which does not have a sizable market share yet, the
> Cobalt line of products is Sun's market share of the Linux server
> world.

First off, I have to qualify everything I say as my own opinion, based 
on what I saw during my tenure as a Cobalt-then-Sun employee.  This 
is not official, nor does it necessarily represent anyone else's 
opinion who is still working at Sun.

Sun believes in Linux as #1) a good open standards-compliant operating 
system that is #2) not from Redmond.  Linux is gaining mindshare and 
support within Sun, but there is still a lot of Solaris "bigotry" 
from the old-school people.  They are trying to figure out how to 
protect their place in the Grand Scheme with increasing pressure from 
IBM and HPAQ, while sticking it to Microsoft as much and as often as 
possible.

The current focus is to use Linux at the "edge" of the networks, while 
keeping big Sun iron in the datacenter, and also to power desktop 
machines.

> I would assume part of Sun's motivation in acquiring Cobalt would
> be to have an immediate interest/involvement in Linux.

That's what the folks at Cobalt assumed too... and we all know what 
happens when we assume... :)

> So was the whole presence at Linux world, and acquisition of Cobalt
> all in the name of advertising?

Not at all.

> Did Sun not have any plans for Cobalt?

I think they did, but just as Cobalt was acquired, the market went 
down the toilet, and Sun had to come to grips with a cataclysmic 
decline in revenue almost overnight, and being the new kid on the 
block, and not something most people within Sun cared about, knew 
about, or really had any vested interest to save, resources were 
denied and reprioritized almost immediately.  And when you take R&D 
dollars and manpower away from projects, they wither and die.

> So what next?

There is a vocal group within Sun/Cobalt trying desperately to get the 
powers-that-be to "get" the appliance vision.  It exists at the very 
top -- Scott _loves_ the Qube -- but the middle "blob" of management 
and decision makers has a hard time getting their head around selling 
$1000 boxes when their smallest thing before had been in the $10-20K 
range.  With the economy as it is these days, though, and the market 
slowly drying up for "hosting appliances" it's not making fiscal 
sense to those in charge to continue supporting the appliances.  
Focus is shifting to low-end servers, and the Linux-powered desktop.

> I have no problem with the LX50, but it's a vastly different
> direction than a server appliance?

Yes, it's a "general purpose" server just like IBM, HP, Dell (and Sun) 
already sell...

- -- 
Bruce Timberlake

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